DISCLAIMER : PRUSSIA AND SPAIN (C) HIDEKAZ HIMARUYA

A/N: I apologise for any OCC-ness and also the fact that this is my very first FF, constructive comments are very much welcomed. Also, i left out quite a lot of details, if there really is an inability to make heads or tails of the story, then i'll edit it :)

Gilbert held the photograph in his hand. Worn with age, and yellowing from exposure, the photograph looked close to pathetic. People looked at him funny when they saw him alone in a café or in a restaurant, and his only companion was a worn out photograph.

Francis understood. He knew. But the others didn't.

There was a time when Alfred had said to him, " What's wrong with you? It's just a photograph."

Maybe. Maybe it was just a photograph.

It was in junior high school when they first met. They started off as the best of friends. All three of them. Francis, Gilbert and Antonio. Over the years, they took part in numerous mischievous acts, this included painting the principal's car pink (paint courtesy of Feliks and idea courtesy of Gilbert ) and cutting classes just for the kicks.

And over the years, love blossomed between two. It was their first year of senior high, when Antonio decided to tell Gilbert. It was the awkward "I stare at you and you stare at me" moment. The moment was cut short when Antonio leaned in for a butterfly kiss. That marked the beginning.

Then it was the day just before graduation.

"Come on Gil~ It's a memory for keeps!" That was what Antonio had suggested.

A final picture to mark the end of their high school days.

They were both lazing around in Antonio's room. The walls painted bright red, the room feverishly decorated with tomato ornaments. His cupboard, stacked sky-high with photo albums, brimming with photos of various things: his family's tomato farm back in Spain, the Italian twins next door, Antonio's friends.

That day, Francis had gone to see Arthur in his final attempt to claim the Brit for his own. Antonio had been less then thrilled that Francis had rather spent his pre-graduation time with a Brit who didn't want Francis' company.

Using his Polaroid camera, Antonio took a final picture. The Polaroid immediately churned out. Flapping it wildly in the air, Antonio let out a sigh of content. They had everything sorted out. They were going to the same college, what happened after college could be decided another time.

The Polaroid came out nicely. Both of them grinning into the camera.

"It's picture perfect," was what Antonio had said.

Gilbert thought otherwise, but Antonio insisted so.

"You can have it, Gil~" Antonio chimed.

"I don't want it," Gilbert had replied. But he took it anyway.

Then it was their graduation day.

And Antonio never came.

It rained during the funeral proceedings.

The soft pattering of rain hitting umbrellas all around Gilbert struck a chord within him. His heart shattered, and the rain disguised his tears. He and Francis were the last to leave. They both cried silently. They both knew the simple truth.

'Toni was gone.

And it broke their hearts.

" I love you. Always will," was what Gilbert whispered as the rain began to pour down on them even harder.

You see, it wasn't just a picture Gilbert held with him. When he held that little fragment of memory, he could remember everything. How good it felt to kiss 'Toni, the way 'Toni would laugh, how their hands fell perfectly in place against each other.

It wasn't just a photograph. It was a memory, a reminder of what could have been but never was.