AN- So hopefully this time around it's a bit easier to follow the characters around. Lovi and Feli are still the main characters/perspective though the Germanic and North America groups will take turns as a 'narrating' voice.

Chapter Four – Cinderella Man

Advice for the young at heart. Soon we will be older!

Lovi had intended for him and Feli to leave the following morning, not wanting to be dependent on a stranger's generosity for forever. But it was pouring rain so they stayed. Then the next day they were unable to find a safe place to bunk for the night and ran into Berwald and Ludwig on their way home so they stayed another night. The following day they didn't even make it out of the apartment before they then had an invitation to stay for the night when they and Roderich had been the only ones home when someone attempted to break in through the window and Lovi had clocked him with a can of tomatoes.

The days soon turned into weeks and then into a few months and just like that, it was late August and the Vargas brothers had become part of the Beilschmidt household.

They still contemplated leaving every now and again, but any time they any such hint, they got all manner of excuses and reasons not to until even Lovi threw in the towel and made only idle suggestions.

It was after the second week that they brought the pair with them for the shift work they had picked up in a nearby factory. As it was under the table, the shift times and how many of them needed to come in constantly changed but their contribution to their collective income kept them from missing a rent payment or from missing too many meals.

For the first time two years, Lovi and Feli were living relatively comfortably and felt safe. They had a safe place to sleep, more then one meal a day and others to depend on when they needed them. They were no longer alone.

And wasn't that a strange feeling.

The morning had started rather eventfully when furious Italian woke everyone from their sleep.

"BASTARDO, QUAL È MIO FRATELLO FACENDO NEL TUO LETTO?"

Which was then followed by a considerably more exhausted and resigned, "Why do you insist on sleeping in my bed?!"

This was becoming something of a morning tradition as the nights got colder for everyone to sleep closer together and it turns out Feliciano was still quite the snuggler. Meaning that he tended to burrow up as close to the warmest thing, which turns out to be Ludwig. So every morning, Lovi's overprotective brother instincts would come out when he woke to see Feli had rolled over in the middle of the night and had ended up curling around Ludwig.

Unless Ludwig had a different shift then Feli and was out when he went to bed resulting in the few memorable mornings when Lovi found him instead curled up close to Roderich or Gilbert.

Regardless, every morning, everyone pretended not to have noticed that Lovi had moved in his sleep until he was beside Feli causing him to what Gilbert bemusedly called the "cuddle pile".

So this morning started really no differently then any of the others in the past few weeks.

One of the things that Gilbert noticed with an approving eye was how the pair had gained a little bit of weight and no longer looked like a strong gust of wind could knock them over or like they could collapse any second. That and they had managed to scrounge enough money and gotten them some other 'new' (not ratty or with holes!) clothes at a used clothing store. Even better was how his family had taken to them: Roderich had begun helping them with schooling on a white board they had found so that writing was easier (and legible) and they could do more complicated math, Berwald could be found helping them at the market on Sundays and even Ludwig had relaxed enough around them to hold a conversation.

There was also that their portion of income was certainly helping with the 'bills'; allowing them to afford their apartment and still buy more food, a few more blankets and some of that fancy glue stuff that could be used to seal up the cracks in the walls and ceiling.

Sure it wasn't the life of absolute luxury but it was certainly a bit easier, even with two extra mouths to feed – his strays were pulling their weight and wasn't it just so satisfying that he was right. That if they gave them a chance, the two boys would be sure to not make them regret it.

Today was they all had the late shift so they had slept in until noon and as it was the middle of the week, it was time for a grocery run. Their savings together (not counting what was earmarked for rent or their meagre emergency fund) from the past pay check was about 15E for groceries to last them until Saturday when they got paid again.

Money in hand, Ludwig, Gilbert and Feliciano were sent out to barter for the cheapest dinner possible for the five of them. 15 Euro for as many five person meals as possible...they could make it work.

They would just have to make it work, Gil decided looking at the others still gaunt but happy face. He did not want to see that smile morph back into the resigned and exhausted expression he had when they first met or into the empty face of someone who has endured too much.

Not if he could help it.

He felt a smile stretch across his features as Ludwig soon had his hands full looking after the excitable Italian as he darted this way and that, seemingly sniffing out the best places to go, Gil following behind at a more sedate pace.

They were walking back with their spoils: ten packs of instant noodles, two cans of chili, a bag of ageing potatoes and some stale buns - the shopkeeper had even thrown 2 in for free as he was closing and getting rid of them – all in all a good haul. With all of that they should be able to make a decent stew that should last a few days... that's when they heard some muffled shouts of pain.

As they had been talking, Ludwig saw Feliciano's eyes widen in terror – his expression making it look as though he was the source of the shouts or was reliving some painful moment – before determination took it's place.

Before Ludwig could say anything, the brunette was darting off towards the narrow side street.

The Germans stood there stupefied over what had just happened before they both came to the simultaneous realization that skin-and-bones Feliciano had just run off to go interfere with what sounded like a fight.

Verdammt.

With a sigh of one long suffering Ludwig chased after the Italian, Gilbert hot on his heels, following the sounds of battle to his housemate. As he did so, he mentally prepared himself for what was sure to be a harsh fight: street sights were rarely neat or fair things and were very unpredictable. Combatants either had nothing to lose and everything to win or everything to lose and so those involved were usually desperate making them infinitely more dangerous most trained fighters. No blow was too low, anything was a weapon and your morals held no ground in these battlegrounds.

As he darted around a corner, shoes sliding as they struggled to keep purchase on the smooth cobblestone, he mentally ran over the rules Gilbert had engrained in him since they had first begun living here.

Rule 1: Don't get in a street fight.

Rule 2: What did I just say? Don't get involved in a street fight.

Rule 3: If you ignore Rule 1 and 2, get away as soon as you can.

Rule 4: No one wins the fight. The 'loser' usually ends up in the hospital or dead and the 'winner' in prison or killed in turn in vengeance. Don't be either. Get out quick and make no more enemies then you need to.

Rule 5. Just because you don't see a weapon doesn't mean there isn't one.

Rule 6. Most fights are decided by a blow to the head. Protect it.

Rule 7. Most people die in fights due to blows when on the ground. Don't end up there.

Rule 8. Don't judge someone's skill by appearance. No matter their age or health or gender - just because your opponent isn't hulked out on steroids doesn't mean they won't shiv you through the ribs if you hesitate. With the right motivation even the weakest person can win a fight.

Rule 9. Don't underestimate anyone and don't relax your guard, even if they're down doesn't mean they're out.

"EEEEEEEEE-yah!"

Clang

As Ludwig emerged into a large open space between buildings, he saw Rule 8 in play.

It was evident what had happened by the scene they had burst in on. An older teenage girl was the one who had been attacked – as evidenced by her torn shirt, bruising arm and face and body language – by about twelve members of the Lost judging by red strip of cloth they wore around their wrists, the local gang. Impressively she had taken out three of them and was somehow holding her own.

Though judging by her slowing movements and the sounds of a switchblade clicking, that was unlikely to last especially when a kick to her arm resulted her dropping the pan.

"Ve~ You bullies! Leave her alone!"

Ludwig facepalmed as nine irate, armed gang members then turned to them. If he hadn't shouted they would've had surprise on their side, which would've been useful with the odds against them. He knew Feli was smarter then that, he'd have to be to survive on the streets as long as he had, so he wasn't sure why he yelled and gave them away... Seeing the girl slump in relief and cradle her arm he realized that perhaps it had been damaged more severely then it first seemed. If that arm was broken and she was without a weapon, the second one of them got too close, she would have been in some very big trouble.

He still didn't like that they lost the element of surprise though, even if it was a good reason.

In the second of pause that followed after Feli's shout Gilbert nudged his arm and turned his head in a silent order. You take the left side, I'll take the right. Just like that, they then found themselves fighting for their lives as the gang members got over their surprise at their sudden appearance and they were charged.

Ludwig allowed himself a moment of fright before the instincts drilled into him by Gilbert took hold and he gave as good as he got, viciously targeting pressure points when the opportunity was presented. Hook. Jab. Side kick. Knee to stomach. Head butt. Body Drop Toss. Straight then uppercut. Bite when a hand gets too close. Elbow to neck.

He had knocked two out and was just dealing a knock out blow to his opponents throat when he heard a light yelp and he saw in the corner of his eye, Feliciano cornered and in danger.

The Italian had done pretty well for himself judging by the one unconscious at his feet but he was small and didn't have the greatest endurance due to malnourishment and the man he was up against was toying with him. He could see the blade flickering, leaving thin ribbons of red against Feli's skin as he attempted to dodge.

Thinking quickly, he grabbed a garbage can lid and whipped it at them like a Frisbee. The lid bounced off his head causing him to turn from his prey to see who had attacked him. A mistake. Feliciano used that moment of distraction to his advantage, grabbing a piece of a broken 2 by 4 and swinging it like a bat. When it connected, the man's head snapped back and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Looking to his right he saw the woman had recovered her pan and, using her other hand, was dealing some serious damage with it against any who approached her, mowing down her assailants like grass. Gilbert, nearby, was having no trouble and had taken out four of them on his own and was finishing off the last one standing.

Limping over to where the panting girl stood, Ludwig slowly reached out a hand and laid it on her shoulder.

"Excuse me miss, but are you alright?"

Bad idea it turns out as the jumpy, adrenaline high girl rounded and smacked him across the face with her salvaged pan.

He blacked out, the first (but not last) Beilschmidt to fall to the might of cast iron.

"WHAT IS THIS ELIZABETA? THIS, THIS, THIS, FILTH!"

Elizabeta just tucked her head down as her mother and father screamed at her. They had found her yaoi collection and they were as right wing and conservative (not to mention being behind by a century or two) as you could really get.

Meaning, as they were also extremely religious, her love for the stuff was just as bad if she went goth or became a practising Wicca or god-forbid, an activist promoting any rights besides that of middle-class white Catholic males.

She fucking hated it here.

It was stifling.

"GET RID OF THIS SODOMY AND YOU ARE FORBIDDEN FROM LEAVING THE HOUSE FOR THE NEXT YEAR!"

"But what about school?"
"YOU DON'T NEED AN EDUCATION! YOU ARE A WOMAN! WORTHLESS! YOU WILL STAY HOME AND LEARN SOMETHING USEFUL FROM YOUR MOTHER!"

Well, something just snapped there. She had put up with this for 14 years of her life, growing insecurities as she felt she couldn't live up to their expectations.

"ALL I'VE EVER LEARNT FROM HER WAS HOW I DON'T WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE AND FROM YOU I LEARNT HOW TO BE A NARROW MINDED BIGOT!"

With that she ran past him, out of the house and into the woods, only 20 Euro now to her name.

Elizabeta woke with a gasp and struggled to escape the remnants of her dream. It had been 3 years since then and she was out of there now, beyond their grasp. They could not find her, could not touch her, could not drag her back to that...that hell!

She looked around the moonlit room and listened to the quiet snores of its occupants, smiling slightly when she saw Feli had crawled in with Ludwig again. Lovi, she noted with a smirk, already missing the body heat had followed so there was now an Italian dog pile on top of the deeply sleeping German.

That would be a fun argument in the morning; she had only been here three days and was already used to that morning ritual.

When her body was racked by a light shiver, she decided it might not be such a bad idea. So she pushed her cushion over, crawled over to the three and she snuggled up to Ludwig's back. Much warmer.

Her mind swung back to the past few days. Immediately after realizing she had knocked one of her saviours out, she had proceeded to panic. Feliciano had also burst into tears beside her and begun to freak out, worrying that his friend was dead. Gilbert on the other hand had just made sure his brother was alright (just unconscious) before he then began to laugh.

So all in all, when Ludwig woke a few minutes later a little disoriented with a headache, he was surrounded by madness. Feli had immediately hugged him and began sobbing incoherently into his shoulder and she had begun to babble apologies while Gil had just continued to laugh. She wasn't entirely sure how she had ended up with an invite back to their place but she had. In fact, she was surprised how easily she had been accepted into this weird makeshift family.

Lovino had freaked out over Feliciano being in a fight but had only been angry at his brother when he learned that he was responsible for getting them involved. He had since been a bit clingy, rarely letting Feli out of his sight. Ludwig and Roderich had easily accepted her presence, muttering about Gilbert and his strays while Berwald had appeared to be furious with her while he was checking Ludwig to make sure he was alright. Later though, Roderich assured her he just typically looked angry, he was actually just worried for his cousin. Gilbert had been the one to invite her to stay, saying that they needed someone to keep them on their toes; though to Ludwig's annoyance, he continued to laugh every time he say her with her pan.

Then he had his own meeting with cast iron death.

They soon became well acquainted friends, Gilbert and Pan, though everyone said it was an abusive relationship, they just couldn't stop seeing each other.

Pan saw Roderich every now and again, even Lovino had had a chance run in with him. It was only Berwald who had managed to escape meeting Elizabeta's 'best friend'

Though for all the minor annoyances that came with her new roommates, it was something of a relief living here. Living with those who understood her situation, with those who understood the horrible consequences and price that came with it.

Her ears perked when she heard a light shuffling of a sheet and some light grunts. Turning her head she could Berwald who had been sleeping near her, pat the air as he slept before he shifted closer. She quickly guessed that he was now cold... Oh that was just too cute!, she decided and she shifted out from the blankets and gently dragged his cushion (and him with it!) and brought him over to the pile.

Now only if Roderich and Gilbert would join in...

"I honestly have no idea what to say besides, why are you all inmy bed?" Ludwig said the next morning when he woke up, pushing cornstalk yellow hair back off his forehead.

"Cause you're warm~" Answered Feliciano, muttering into the German's side.

"Very much so." Agreed the Hungarian from the other side and Berwald nodded once firmly as well from his spot on top of Ludwig.

Looking over, she jumped in surprise when she saw Roderich's face so close to hers and at their feet was Gilbert, both of them asleep. It looked like they had all ended up cold last night, she thought amused.

Then Lovino woke, curled up under Ludwig's arm and began to flip out.

Boy was it nice to have some semblance of normalcy. She thought as she laughed as Lovino was beaned with a pillow from a half-asleep Gilbert which then prompted a friendly wrestling match resulting in them both in a headlock courtesy of Ludwig who had had enough of their early morning shenanigans.

Translations

Bastardo, qual è mio fratello facendo nel tuo letto?(It- You bastard, what's my brother doing in your bed)