An.
I, the author, would like to make a point here.
WHEN YOU'RE IN THE DRESSING ROOM – DON'T FUCKING MESS WITH ME.
And that's what this chapter is really all about.

Chapter 7.
December.

In a girl's dressing room, it isn't uncommon for women to act strangely around each other. They might compliment each other's underwear, or say something oddly sexual.

But in a man's dressing room, that shit ain't right. Especially when you're both undressed.

Ludwig was minding his own business and preparing for today's physical training session. He was in the process of putting on his shorts, when he was approached by Freshman.

[no. that was not a grammatical mistake. keep reading.]

Now, it's one thing to approach someone while they're in their boxers, but it's a completely different thing to approach them when they're bent over in their boxers, and it's even more of a different thing to approach them from behind and nearly shove your junk up their ass.

Such was the case.

Ludwig jumped and shot straight up, moving away from the unwanted touch and not daring to turn around. Freshman grinned.

"Hello, Luddy!" he shouted. "Boy, do I have some exciting news for you!"

"Hello Fr-I mean, hello Kirkland..."

["Kirkland" was the last name of the boy, whose first name was Peter. However, in ROTC, you don't call each other by your first name.]

Peter was Arthur Kirkland's little brother, but everyone just called him "Freshman" because he was the most stereotypical ninth grader ever. He was also very creepy and didn't know the meaning of the words "personal boundaries" or "unwanted anal intrusion".

He grinned and continued getting uncomfortably close to Ludwig. His small boy parts were now centimeters away from awkwardly rubbing up on Ludwig's thigh. He wanted to cry.

"So, do you know what happened to Napolean Bonaparte's penis when he died?"

Everyone was leaving the dressing room. Soon, it would just be the two of them.

"N-no...I don't..." he said, trying desperately to get away.

"It was cut off, and displayed in museums all over the world," he said, pressing his flat chest onto Ludwig's back, sending shivers down his spine. "And they say that right now...it's in New Jersey."

For the rest of that class period, Ludwig didn't talk. He didn't want to talk. No, he didn't want to think.

What the fuck was wrong with this kid?

That was all based on something that happened to me. :D
Except, I had boobs on my back. Boobs, and a rather large stomach.

Chapter 7, Part II
Well, looks like I'll be sobbing to The Beatles tonight.

Arthur and Alfred had both grabbed chicken sandwiches for lunch today, because those things were heaven and they couldn't resist. However, the line wrapped all around the cafeteria, so they'd have to walk around it if they wanted to be able to reach the table.

They could have just said "excuse me" and walked through the middle, but that was uncomfortable.

"Hey, Al," Arthur spoke up as they exited the line. "I have a question."

"Yeah, bro? What is it?"

"Do you think anything's going on between Ludwig and Feliciano? Relationship-wise?"

Alfred tilted his head, and continued to work his way around the ridiculous lunch line. He wondered if the other lunchladies ever got jealous that no one wanted their line, even though they technically didn't make the food.

"Hm...well, I don't know. Feliciano I can totally see liking Ludwig, but on the other side of the coin, Luddy's a bit...well...he's kind of a macho guy. I don't think he'd travel down the yellow brick road, if you know what I mean."

He had no idea what that meant for about fifteen seconds.

They finally made it to the table, when Vash approached them, quickly. He looked down at each of them, then snapped his eyes to Alfred.

"Hey, Al."

Alfred looked up.

"Oh, hey Vash. What's up?"

"Well, we were wondering if you wanted to sit with us for the day?"

Alfred looked around at his friends, slightly astonished. "U-um..."

Arthur nudged him. "Just go," he whispered, smiling.

"What? Are you sure?"

"It's not like it'll be every day, just...you wanted to make more friends. Don't let us hold you back!"

Alfred sighed, then nodded.

"Sure, Vash. I'll be right there," he said, standing up and grabbing his food tray. "I'll see you after school, Arthur."

"Yeah."

Chapter 7, Part III
It's Ironic.

He looked at his watch for the fifth time in the past two minutes. It was now fourty one minutes after school let out.

He leaned up against the tree, watching as absoluely nothing happened.

"Damnit, Alfred, where are you?" he asked, shuffling his foot in the dirt. It was weird to feel this way, but he felt as if he were being stood up.

He thought back to how Al's face looked when he left the lunch table the past week. He seemed really happy then. And when they had walked home together that day, he had a whole load of stories to share. He didn't seem to even miss them at all the next few days, and hadn't sat with them during lunch.

Could he be...?

"No," Arthur told himself. "Of course not. Alfred would never leave our group..."

Yesterday, Arthur waited twenty minutes for him to show up, and when he did, he seemed so distracted that it was like he wasn't even there. The walk home was nearly silent, with only a few words exchanged. His explanation for being late yesterday revolved around "talking to Vash".

"He'd never leave me, either!" he said, filling himself up with as much positive energy as he could muster.

It quickly left. Why did he feel so damn empty? So what if Alfred did leave; he could just find a new best friend. And he still had Feliciano and Ludwig!

"...Best friends forever?"

Arthur looked up to see a young boy with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes staring at him. He was holding out his hand with a big, goofy smile on his face.

"Yeah, best friends forever. No matter what."

He saw his hand reaching out, with small, childish fingers and chubby palms. The two of them shook hands, and the young boy laughed loudly. Adorably.

"Gosh, Arthur - you're blushing!"

"I-I am not!"

"You're always blushing."

"Is that a bad thing, Alfred?"

His face heated up in anger, but was quickly cooled off as Alfred grinned.

"No way, bro! It's so cute!"

"Cute?"

Arthur looked up at the sky. Why didn't he realize this before? Alfred wasn't just a friend...

At forty three minutes after school ended, he was still alone.

I love him.

end-of-chapter notes.
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