Emil winced as the cotton puff made contact with his bruised cheek. "So..." Lukas began. "How exactly did this start?" The Icelander sighed, pressing a palm against his lightly bleeding forehead. "It's only the third time this week. They could leave me alone tomorrow," Emil replied. Lukas closed his eyes and shuddered as he placed the bloody cotton ball on the iron tray. "THIRD time this week, mind you," the Norwegian notified. "The third time this week Mathias and I found you at least, trying, to defend yourself." Emil groaned, "Not all of this is my fault. You, Mom AND Dad told me that hitting people is wrong. And since they are... gone, I can only feel as if their rules still stand." "Of course they still stand," the latter argued. "Other than Tino, Berwald and Mathias, I'm the one that actually knows how to take care of you!" Emil widened his eyes and gasped,"Don't talk about them as if they've done nothing to help me!" "They practically have done nothing," was the reply received. How dare Lukas say that about the others! They were also in his life for the remainder of his time in both elementary and middle school, so they had taken part in packing his lunch, waking him up and even saving him from what he was and still is suffering from. He lowered his head, dashed up the staircase and slammed his door shut. Lukas sighed, his palms covering his face. " I know how cruel people at this age can be... What if it goes too far?"