EDIT!: Due to technical difficulties, chapter 11 will be uploaded on Sunday instead of Saturday. Sorry about that guys :P

Happy Thanksgiving guys! And to my northern cousins (That's right, I'm talking about you Canadians!) happy, er, really late Thanksgiving ^.^'

Hope you guys have been having a great Thanksgiving break (even if you're not American, a person of any nationality should feel free to give thanks for what they have) Even though this update is really late in the day, we still have all tomorrow and all weekend to do whatever we want so yippee!

And now, I'd like to give thanks to all the reviewers from last chapter. Thank you to upfromtheashes, SmileyFacesSmile, FinDeiRoma, violet tsubaki, Aimless-A-Smiles, Techie Bunny, Shaded Silvering Grey, chibichocolate1313 for the reviews! All of my readers give me something to be really thankful for so...thank you! XD

Anyways, I tried to make this chapter longer than the others I've been posting lately. I feel bad for giving you guys such short chapters, since I'm not as fond of them myself. So I'll try to make each one at least 2k, but I hope I can write even more for you guys.

Well, here's chapter 10! :D

If Feliks managed to grow any more frustrated, he would end up pulling out all of his hair. Of course, this would result in a scolding from Francis in rapid-fire French…and he would be forced to wear a wig, but that was beside the point.

Currently, the Pole was lying on the couch, wearing a dress, but he was definitely not relaxing. As he stared at the ceiling, he lamented his situation. It had been two days and Toris still had not invited him to the little "party" Braginski was holding.

Time is running out. Why is he so hesitant to invite me? Braginski even encouraged him to invite someone.

No matter what Feliks tried, he still could not get Toris to admit that such a gathering even existed. Any sort of discussion during school failed to coax anything out of the Lithuanian, and he had apparently been too "busy" after school to spend time with Feliks.

Ha, yes, I'm sure he was very busy. Busy hanging out with that Russian bastard.

And now it was the end of the week after school, with Feliks waiting for Toris to arrive at his apartment. The brunette even had to pass on walking home with Feliks because he had to participate in another "family thing" before coming to work on the project with the Pole. So now the blond was forced to wait anxiously as he could only hope that Toris followed his directions correctly and would arrive without a problem.

Never before has someone managed to frustrate me so. Perhaps me doesn't want to invite me because…he's afraid of me getting hurt?

Feliks shook his head vigorously, banishing the thought from his mind. There was no way Toris could care that much about someone he had met just that week.

After all, we're nearly strangers. And besides…to me he's just a Lithuanian prince who's more trouble than he's worth.

And that is what the Pole told himself as he waited for Toris to arrive. For he could not afford to think any other way.

Toris appeared at Feliks's door at around seven in the afternoon.

When the doorbell rang, Feliks got up to answer it with determination in his step. As far as he knew, today was the last day to put his plan into action, and it all depended on a certain Lithuanian.

"Hey Toris!" Feliks greeted excitedly as he swung the door open.

Sure enough, a familiar brunette stood in the doorway, smiling shyly.

"Hi Felicia," came the quiet reply.

"Well, what are you like, doing just standing there? You can totally come in!" Feliks said, gesturing for Toris to enter.

The brunette shuffled in as he said politely, "Okay, thank you."

After Feliks shut the door, he turned around to see Toris observing the apartment. He couldn't help but smirk as he thought to himself, No doubt it's different from the mansion surroundings he's used to. Maybe his "princely fastidiousness" will choose to show itself now.

"So, like, what do you think?" He didn't know why, but suddenly the thought of getting a rise out of Toris amused the Pole.

"I think it's really nice. At least, it feels more like a home than my house. To be honest, I get kind of uncomfortable in such a big place. This is much more pleasant," Toris said.

Feliks felt like rolling his eyes as he sat down on the couch, gesturing for the brunette to join him.

I shouldn't have expected anything else from him, I suppose.

Once Toris took a seat, Feliks wasted no time in starting business. The faster they finished working on the project, the faster the blond could talk to Toris about...other things.

"So, like, Toris, what kind of script did you have in mind for the scene we're like, doing?"

Toris seemed embarrassed as he admitted, "Well, I actually brought my own copy with me. It's the abridged version, but I thought we could use it for the dialogue. We could make our own revisions later."

"Sure! Sounds, like totally great! Let's start right away!" Okay, maybe he was sounding a bit over-eager, but this was Feliks's last chance.

The Pole quickly flipped the pages to the scene they would be doing. Toris looked on, wide-eyed at how quickly Feliks managed to find the right page.

"Wow. I guess you weren't kidding when you said you had read it before," the brunette said, amazed.

"Well, like, it just so happens that I have this same copy too. Like, totally awesome coincidence right?"

Toris smiled and said, "Yes, I guess it is."

"Anyways, let's get like, started!"

With that, Feliks slowly lowered himself to the floor until he laid upon it, face contorted in mock pain. He clutched his hand, apparently holding a wound. He could just picture himself, lying on the cold and wet ground as he waited for his love to come and witness him as he said his last goodbyes. In his mind, darkness surrounded him and the air was thin and smelled of gun powder.

Toris's smile was replaced with a look of distress as he got into character as well. He stood up, seemingly searching for something.

"Monsieur Marius! At your feet," "Eponine" called.

At this, "Marius" looked at the ground to meet Feliks's eyes. Immediately, he knelt down beside him, eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"I suppose you do not recognize me?"

"No, I'm sorry to say I don't."

"...Eponine. My name is Eponine," Feliks said weakly.

"Why are you lying here, Eponine? How did you get here?" Toris questioned, panic rising in his voice.

Wow...he's a pretty good actor.

"I am dying," the Pole said simply.

"Oh God, you are wounded! Where are you hurt? I shall carry you to a room, and we shall dress your wounds!" This was said with urgency.

With that, Toris attempted to lift Feliks and in doing so, moved his hand. Feliks gave a small cry of pain.

"Oh, have I hurt you?" the Lithuanian asked, worried.

"A little."

"But I have barely touched your hand."

As Feliks raised his hand to the eyes of Toris, he said, "As you can see, it has been pierced by a musket ball."

"How?"

"Did you notice a musket aimed at you?"

"Yes, and a hand that stopped it."

"That hand was mine," said Feliks.

Toris closed his eyes as he shuddered at the horror of it.

"What madness!" he said. "But it is only a hand wound. I can carry you to bed and you will heal eventually. Nobody has died from a hand wound."

There was hope in the brunette's voice.

Feliks could only murmur, "Yes, the ball went through my hand, but it also passed through my back. It is useless to try to take care of me now."

"Oh God..."

"I can tell you what you can do for me though. Sit by me on that stone," Feliks told Toris.

The Lithuanian obeyed and the blond laid his head upon Toris's knees.

"Would you like to know why I'm here, Monsieur Marius? It worried me that you should go into that garden...oh but I am telling you what you must already know. It was me that lead you into this, and now nobody shall leave the barricade now. I was sure you were going to die! But still, I put my hand on the muzzle of the musket, oh how droll it is! It was because I wanted to die before you," Feliks said while taking deep, laborious breaths.

Why does this feel so real?

Toris looked upon the blond with compassion and sadness. Feliks suddenly started to spasm and clenched his teeth, seemingly holding in a scream. This made Toris start in surprise.

"Oh please, don't go!" the blond pleaded. "It won't be long now!"

The Pole sat up, barely upright. He brought his face close to Toris's and said in a pained voice broken up by hiccups and coughs, "Please, listen closely. I don't want to lie to you. Yesterday, someone gave me a letter for you. I did not want you to receive it, but I suppose you would not like that of me, now that we meet so soon. Here, take your letter."

Feliks grasped Toris's hand and led it to where his coat pocket would be.

"Take it," the Pole said. Toris pretended to take the letter.

"Now please, if you would. Please promise me..." Feliks hesitated.

"What?" asked Toris with wide eyes.

"Promise me."

"I promise."

"Promise to kiss me on the forehead once I die. I know I shall feel it."

With that, Feliks closed his eyes, letting his head fall back on Toris's lap. His breaths grew shallower and shallower, seemingly stopping altogether. It appeared that the blond had departed from that world, lying motionless. But suddenly, Feliks opened his eyes and stared into Toris's. Blue (1) met green as the two seemed entranced by the other's gaze.

Feliks began to say slowly, in an otherworldly voice, "And do you know, Monsieur Marius..."

Come on Feliks, you can do this.

"...I do believe I was a little...in...in lo...in lov-" Feliks struggled to say these last few words, which held so much meaning.

I...I can't. I can't say it.

The Pole closed his eyes in defeat. He then put on a big smile and quickly sat up to face Toris.

"I think that's like, all we need to do today. That was totally awesome, don't you think?" He asked in a peppy voice.

The Lithuanian looked surprised for a moment, most likely expecting the blond to say that final line. But soon, a smile also found its way onto the brunette's face as he agreed, "Yes, I think that was brilliant."

And thus, the scene's spell was broken.

"Well, what do you like, want to do now? I feel like, totally bored," Feliks complained.

Toris seemed distracted when he said, "Well, I think that was perfect for our project, so I think we can both agree that we probably don't need any more practice. I'm really impressed, actually. I didn't know you knew the text so well."

"Well, I just like, love reading!" Feliks said hurriedly, worried that he'd come off as too smart.

"Yes, I can see that," Toris said with a small smile. The duo sat in a small silence, which was about to be broken by Feliks, until Toris beat him to the punch.

"U-um Felicia? You know how you asked me if there were any parties going on? And how you told me to tell you if I heard anything?" the Lithuanian asked shyly.

Feliks's eyes widened.

Wait...there's no way he's going to just tell me. I can't believe it. It just can't be that easy.

"Well, that family friend I told you about earlier is going to hold a masquerade ball," Toris continued. "There's going to be a lot of his...um... business associates there but he said I could invite one of my friends from school...so..."

No way.

"Would you like to go with me, Felicia?" he asked bashfully.

Step one, COMPLETE!

Feliks had to stop himself from smiling as wide as the Cheshire cat. Excitedly, he said, "Like, of course I'll go with you! Yay! This is going to be, like, so much fun!"

Toris's face seemed to brighten as well as he said, "That's great! It's next weekend. I'm really glad you can come."

Me too.

"Awesome! You can just, like, email me the details, okay? It'll, like, be easier that way," Feliks said.

"Okay, sounds good. I guess I'll just go, since that's really all I wanted to ask you today. I still have a, um, family thing tonight, so I should hurry home."

"Sure! I'll, like, see you on Monday, Toris!" Feliks exclaimed as he got up and opened the door for the Lithuanian.

"Oh, okay. See you on Monday, Felicia," Toris said as he walked out of the apartment and waved goodbye.

"Bye!" And with that, the brunette was gone.

Feliks made his way to the couch and sat down, exhausted. Today had been an emotional roller-coaster. First he had been worried about getting invited to Braginski's "party," and then Toris suddenly decides to grant the Pole's wishes. Ah, but none of that mattered now.

Feliks smirked as the reality of this victory hit him.

In just a week, Braginski and Yao Wang will be mine.

Later that night, Feliks sat at his computer awaiting the email from Toris. He had already told Alfred the good news and no doubt the American was already talking to the director about it. Now, all that needed to be done was wait for the details of the gathering and Feliks would be a happy camper.

As the Pole tapped the mouse, his face illuminated by the bright screen, he pondered Toris's actions. Why had the Lithuanian suddenly decide to bring up the ball when he had been so silent about it for the past few days?

It just doesn't make sense. Maybe his "family gatherings" have something to do with it. I guess I shouldn't be complaining but...there must be something I'm missing here.

Just then, the screen updated, showing a new email in his inbox. Smiling, Feliks clicked it to see it was the email he had been waiting for.

Sent at 10:00 PM, September 14, 2012

Hi Felicia,

Here are the details of the masquerade ball. It's on next Sunday, the twenty-third and starts at around noon, although you can arrive later if you want. It's being held at the World Hotel, mainly in its ballroom. As for the dress code, you'll be expected to wear a mask and a formal dress. I'm really glad you're coming, Felicia. It's always been boring whenever I go to these kind of gatherings.

Feliks could just imagine the Lithuanian saying all of this with a shy smile. Feeling oddly happy, he continued on reading.

I guess that's all I have to say. I'll see you on Monday, Felicia.

Sincerely, Toris.

For Feliks, this little note symbolized a small victory. For the first time ever since his last mission, the Pole felt a sense of satisfaction and success. But this was just the first victory of more to come, he was sure of it.

It's time to show the director that I can handle this mission. I've been feeling like a sitting duck, doing nothing but trying to gather information. Now, the action has found me, and I don't intend to evade it.

And so, Feliks's first week of high school ended on a very good note.

Well...that took me a long time to write XD I don't know why, but this chapter was hard for me to write.

Anyways, the note:

1. In some of Himaruya's illustrations, Lithuania has green eyes. But I decided to go with blue because that's the color of his eyes in the anime and it provided a good contrast for Feliks's green ones.

As for the Les Miserables bit, a lot of the dialogue is heavily based upon the abridged version translated by Charles E. Wilbour and edited by James K. Robinson. I guess this scene was part of the reason why the chapter was difficult to write for me. I tried to capture the...feel of it, the sadness. Although I'm sure it doesn't do the original by Victor Hugo justice. I think they're "performance" will be better once they do it a second time, in their actual presentation at school. Besides, this scene was incomplete at the end...

Anyways, hope you guys had an awesome Thanksgiving dinner and have an awesome vacation as well! I'll try to update again either tomorrow or Saturday, although it will most likely be on Saturday. And FinDeiRoma, as for your oneshot, the same. Please expect it tomorrow or more likely Saturday, as well.

And now it is time for me to enjoy the freedom to sleep without worrying about school :D Please review, and I'll see you guys soon!