The dull pain smacked Ludwig's leg again. He flicked his eyes to the white-haired boy next to him, who was trying too hard to look attentive to the pre-calculus teacher in the front. Ludwig rolled his eyes and returned to taking notes on vectors. And again, he felt the whap on his leg. This time, he returned it. Hard.

"Ow!" Gilbert yelped, grabbing his leg. Ludwig stifled his laugh under his hand and looked away, only to notice that all eyes were on the two stepbrothers. The blonde turned bright red and looked down, waiting for the whispers that happened every time Gilbert and him became the center or attention.

Ever since Ludwig's stepbrother came out of the closet to their high school, the rumors started. And spread. Almost everyone in school believed that the two German stepbrothers were lovers. What Ludwig didn't like was how true the all were. They had been secretly dating for a year now. It was fine until Gilbert came out. When peers started questioning the way they always teased each other, how close they were, when they hugged so tight in the hallway. Classmates noticed the loving looks in their eyes when they shared secrets or passed notes. It was terrible. Ludwig hated the looks they got when they snuck out to the courtyard during lunch period, holding hands under the table.

They knew they couldn't come out as a couple. It wouldn't be accepted in a school that gave up clubs so they wouldn't have a Gay Straight Alliance. Gilbert got taunted every day since he came out. He shrugged off the students' sneers of "faggot" and "fairy." But Ludwig knew it bothered him. Gilberte never cried in front of his brother, but Ludwig could hear hi late at night, his quiet breathing hiccupped by the tears. Ludwig pretended to be asleep. He knew his brother would be furious if he thought Ludwig knew he cried.

The pre-calculus teacher coughed, bringing the class's attention back to the front. The blonde glared at the white haird boy, who glared back with his dark pink eyes.

"I hate you," Ludwig mouthed.

"No you don't," Gilbert mouthed back, smirking, to which Ludwig looked back to the front of the class, the blush still on his cheeks.

"Why'd you hit me?" Gilbert whined indignantly as the brothers walked home. Ludwig ignored his question, looking over his shoulder as they turned down the ally away from school. After establishing that no one was following them, he entwined his fingers with Gilbert, who leaned up and kissed the blonde on the cheek. Ludwig smirked and turned slightly red, looking be hind him every few minutes as Gilbert talked about his stupid fucking English teacher. When they got him, Ludwig fished in his pocket for the key. He dug it out and shoved it in the lock. Before he could turn it, Gilbert grabbed the tie Ludwig wore for his school's uniform and forcefully pressed his lips against Ludwig's. The blonde's eyes shot open. One year of dating and they had not once kissed on the lips. Ludwig always thought about it, but never had the courage for it. He closed his eyes, kissing the older boy gently, his hands pressed against Gilbert's waist. They stood there for a few minutes, eyes closed and lips locked. Ludwig felt his heartbeat in his fingertips. Gilbert pulled away and smirked at his younger brother.

"I wasn't gonna just sit around and wait for you forever, you know," he said, reaching up and running his hand through his bother's slicked-back hair lovingly. Ludwig's hands shook as he turned the key and walked into their house. The turned to his step brother who had already thrown his book back on the floor and was looking up at the taller boy. Ludwig set his backpack on the floor neatly next to his brother, and just as he stood, Gilbert threw his arms around Ludwig's neck and kissed him fiercly on the lips. Ludwig closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Gilbert's waist, kissing him back.

That night, Gilbert didn't cry himself to sleep, but instead nuzzled his head into Ludwig's chest, their arms entwined. The white haired boy listened to his brother's steady breathing until he was exhausted and closed his eyes, a huge smile on his lips.

"Prom?" Gilbert's handwriting was scribbled on the sticky note above their bed. Ludwig opened his eyes to the radio blasting at 6:30 AM as always to get ready for school. To his surprise, Gilbert was already awake. He heard the shower running and Gilbert's voice humming some tune. Ludwig rolled out of bed and shook his head, getting the hair out of his eyes. He slipped a white tee shirt on and his school shirt over it, buttoning it up. He ran a brush through his hair and slicked it back just ask Gilbert walked out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist. He walked up behind Ludwig and kissed his cheek.

"Put some pants on," he whispered and licked his neck. Ludwig shivered and shrugged his step brother off, wiping his skin with his sleeve.

"Gross," he said, mocking disgust. Gilbert laughed as he turned and let the towel fall. Ludwig blushed and turned away, fumbling with his tie and school jacket.

"So?" he head Gilbert ask. Ludwig turned around cautiously, prepared to turn away if Gilbert's manhood was still exposed. It wasn't, he was wearing Gears of War boxers and tugging on the school uniform slacks.

"So what?" Ludwig asked, finishing buttoning his jacket.

"Prom?" Gilbert asked, gesturing to the sticky note that was still over the bed.

"Oh, that," Ludwig said, slipping his notebooks into his bag. "I dunno Gil. That might give everything away." The blonde got nervous just thinking about the taunts. He looked over to Gilbert, who looked a little like a deflated balloon now.

"I can't believe I got rejected to prom by my boyfriend," he said. Ludwig rolled his eyes at his brother's guilt trip act, which never worked. He walked over and kissed his brother's forehead gently and smiled.

"I'm not ready to give it away, bruder," he said softly. The white haired boy sighed.

"Me either," he whispered, leaning up and kissing his brother's lips. He closed his eyes and pulled away, grabbing a shirt off the pile of clothes that was strewn across his side of the bed. He threw it over his head and grabbed the school jacket, not bothering with the tie, and headed out the door, Ludwig trailing him.