The Smell of Vodka

Chapter IV: Strange Actions

By: FallingBreathless


Over at another table, Kiku sat with Ludwig, Feliciano, and Juan. Kiku was managing to watch the others over at the other table as well as keep a conversation with his table. It really wasn't hard to do. He was usually quiet and so the others really never expected him to be great conversation in the first place. In fact, most of the times Kiku spoke was because Feliciano had asked him yet another ridiculous question. The last one had been about whether you could have pasta onigiri.

"Kiku?"

Kiku jerked back his attention to his table. It was Ludwig.

"Hai, what is it?" he asked. Had he been found out?

"You were zoning out again," the accountant said a bit concerned. "Feliciano just asked you a question. Go ahead," Ludwig then added to the other secretary.

"Ne, ne, Kiku." Feliciano started, with his in-a-daze voice. "I was wondering...can you have pasta sushi, or Pocky? If so where can I get some...?"

Ludwig was the one now tuning out as Kiku responded to the other's question with calculated vagueness. Ludwig wasn't an accountant for nothing. He noticed a lot of minor details. He could have sworn that earlier Kiku had been enraptured with the commotion over at the other lunch table. He glanced over to see what was happening.

At the other table Alfred, Arthur and Francis were busy getting drunk. Ludwig frowned in disapproval. Francis was holding his own, while Arthur was already in a drunk stupor. Luckily, Filmari's spokesperson was abstaining from the alcohol. He wondered why Kiku would care so much. The other was usually quiet and emotionless. Anyways, it wasn't any of his business.

"Hey Ludwig," Feliciano asked beside him. "I heard Kiku has a crush on Arthur, is it true?" Ludwig colored, quickly glancing over at the unperturbed Kiku.

"Um, I think you're asking the wrong person," he responded, catching Kiku's eye. "Don't you think it'd be better just to ask the person."

The small Italian guy seemed to think it over before turning to Kiku.

"Hey, Kiku. Nee, is it true?"

Kiku stiffened. The guy was so direct, and more than once Kiku questioned again whether the guy was really smart or really, really, REALLY dumb. He coughed.

"Let's talk about this another time. Lunch is over anyways," Kiku said, keeping up his facade. Ludwig frowned, lunch was indeed over. However, he had expected a straightaway answer. It was obvious that Kiku had no interest what so ever in Kirkland, but why didn't he just say so? He wondered what the guy was calculating.

"Aw..." Feliciano complained. Ludwig sighed.

"Come on, Feliciano. Time to go, you can go bother Kiku again later." Feliciano wailed.

"Ludwig, you're a meanie! I don't bother Kiku!" he cried, making the accountant feel like he had just abused a puppy. Then as if to confirm that fact, Feliciano turned to Kiku. "I don't bother you, right ne?"

"Of course not," Kiku said smiling as he waved the three goodbye and headed to his office. Ludwig and Feliciano also left, leaving only Juan at the table.

"Ellos son locos. No, son divertidos," sighed the Spanish as he too left. Seriously, those guys were weird. But then again as he put on his sombrero, he was too.

xxx

"Damn it. Even that bloody bell is laughing at me..." Arthur cried back at the table.

"No shit." Alfred replied.

"That's because you two idiots drank so much aru!" Yao said disapprovingly, as he studied the empty cans.

He sighed [he'd better quit sighing lest it becomes a permanent habit]. Arthur was a complete sobbing mess, and Alfred was getting rowdy. Great, now he'd have to cover for two drunks for the rest of the day. "Anyways," he continued turning on Francis. "Why aren't you drunk too?"

"Ah," Francis winked. "Now that is a secret, mon amour." Yao felt uncomfortable on being addressed so and grimaced a smile in response. Looking at the guy, Yao wasn't so sure that the other was indeed sober or not. Plus, the French guy was giving off creepy vibes.

"Hey, don't hit on Yao like that. Only I have the right to hit on Aniki, da~ze!" Yong Soo protested.

"Oh, now why is that?" asked Francis, lifting a brow.

"That's obvious! Because his breasts be-"

"That's enough!" Yao cut in tersely. He did not want to have to have the "I don't have breasts" talk with his cousin again. "Anyways, lunch is over so back to work aru."

"Damn," hiccuped Alfred. "You really are a bloody slave driver."

"You have got that right," Francis agreed.

"I don't care. Back to work aru!" Yao said firmly. There was no point in arguing with drunks. Francis gave a half-crazy cackle before he lurched up from his seat.

"Adieu, mon amours...Fare thee well," he said as he departed, dragging an apologetic and blushing Matthew in tow. At that point, Yao also realized that Yong Soo had also sneaked away.

Yao muttered under his breath. 'Damn them. Skipping out on cleaning this mess that they made aru.'

Those two were such slackers, but then again as Yao gazed at the retreating backs of Arthur and Alfred swaying drunkenly left and right... He made a mental note to have a firm talk with Alfred after the other was sober. He quickly started gathering up the empty containers and started depositing them into the nearest trash can. As he reached for a stray can under the table, Yao was surprised to see another hand grab it before him. Standing up he saw that Xiang was still there.

"Thanks, Xiang," Yao beamed. Xiang nodded a silent response as he continued to help Yao.

Within minutes, the place was clean and Yao smiled inwardly. Thank god for Xiang. Yao had knew Xiang for as long as he could remember...in fact Xiang was in every one of his memories back to the days when Kiku and Yong Soo played over at his house. Xiang had always been present. He was quiet and hard to understand, but he was one of the few people Yao could always count on no matter what. "Finally, we are done aru."

"Yes," the other replied, voice deep and as calm as ever.

"Well, I will see you later then, Xiang," Yao waved as he started for his office.

"Wait, Yao." Yao turned back unexpectedly. Had he forgotten something?

"What is it aru?" Yao asked curiously. Xiang met Yao's beautiful brown eyes for a second and then looked away.

"I know I'm in no position to say this to you," he started. Yao waited patiently; it was rare for Xiang to start a conversation. "I think you should stay away from Alfred."

Yao blinked. That wasn't what he had been suspecting. He had thought Xiang was going to ask him for input for the color scheme for the new commercial or something like that. Certainly not to give him relationship advice.

"Can ask why you think so, Xiang?"

"Because I don't want to see you hurt," Xiang replied reflexively. As much as Yao was touched by his words, the question remained unanswered.

"Xiang, you are not making sense aru."

In Xiang's mind, he was screaming. It was so frustrating that he had to be the one to tell Yao. But then again, who else could Yao hear from? As popular as Yao was he didn't have many people he could confide in. Yong Soo was too loud, Arthur was too besotted, and Alfred- well he just wanted to get into Yao's pants. That left him to warn Yao. Yao wouldn't like it one bit, and Xiang didn't want to hurt him. But he had to. He had to.

"It's Ivan," he said, as calm as usual. "I'm afraid he's going to hurt you if you get to close to the American."

Yao's mouth went dry.

"Ivan would never hurt me," he lied, mostly to himself. "Also what does Alfred have to do with this? I don't think of him that way aru!"

"Yao, I know that you don't think of him like that, but Ivan won't see it that way. A-and," he faltered. "Yao, I know he's put his hands on you before."

Yao couldn't believe it. Xiang was giving him advice. And on top of that, what was worse was that Xiang knew about the 'incident' from two years ago. Xiang knew. Yao's breaths came in ragged gasps.

"H-how long have you known?"

Xiang looked back up to Yao's face. What he saw made him hate himself. Yao looked beautiful even pale, completely shaky and about to fall apart. But what he was about to say would make him hate himself even more. But it was for Yao's sake that he'd say it. Even if Yao would never forgive him, he'd say it.

"I've known for a while now. You should be careful, Yao." Xiang's voice closed up on him, "You mean a lot to me."

"Oh," Yao replied dumbly.

His brain had either stopped or was going at a million miles per hour. It was like being plunged into icy cold water. Xiang was one of the last people Yao had wanted to know about the 'incident'. Yao would rather die than have the people around him know h-how...It was disgraceful. But He had found out though. The embarrassment and horror of being looked down upon by Xiang colored Yao's pale complexion a flaming red. He wanted to die right there and then, sink into the earth and never see the light of day again. But instead, he spit out a "I-I'll see you later." And tore out the cafeteria, vision blurring, like he was being chased by the hounds of Hell.

Xiang stood in place listening to the sound of Yao's steps echoing into silence. It was over. Yao probably hated his guts. He didn't get to see Yao's face as the other bolted away, but Xiang was certain that Yao was crying. Crying because of him. He felt like crying himself. But he swallowed down the feeling and instead tapped into another, perhaps even stronger feeling.

Xiang's clenched fist slammed into the table, and a raw emotion slipped into his features, making his distinguishable brows sink down closer to his dark eyes. Yao shouldn't have to put up with jerks like Ivan. He didn't deserve to be hurt like he had been. Ivan didn't deserve to have Yao. Neither did Alfred.


Hm...something is definitely happening. Both Kiku and Xiang are acting weird, or suspicious (your choice). The relationships surrounding Yao are shifting. Watch the drama coaster approach!

The big thing behind this chapter was kind of to give more character to the quieter, more reserved nations. I wanted Kiku to do something, show some emotion; I also wanted to give Xiang a good part. Since Hong Kong is a part of China, I didn't want to call them brothers or father and son. Thus, I came up that they are childhood friends, best friends at that. Later I will hopefully, give Matthew a bigger part and also include Toris. Toris is actually a very deep(?) character. I mean he puts up with Ivan even though he's scared of him, he's very reserved, a passive communicator, friends with Feliks (how did that happen?) and might idolize Yao. Heheheh.

Anyways please review and tell me what you think. I'd love input on what you think should happen! Also if there are any errors, point it out and I'll change it in a heartbeat [or 30 minutes since that's what the system is programmed to do.]