/is dead

H-H-Hey guys. So, here's that Chapter 10 I told you about. It's over 10...11,000 words at this point, so I really hope you enjoy it, even though it took me FOREVER to crank it out. Thank you all for sticking by me for this story. It's really appreciated. :) ((Although, there was considerably less reviews last chapter than the previous one. I've got enough people on Alert and Favs, so can y'all just kick it up a bit? It'll only take ya 10 seconds. Thanks. :) ))

I hope that the length of this chapter makes up for the time I've been gone. School's been less hectic, since I've finally come to terms that I'm an insomniac. 8D So now I have time to write more~

Oh! And the identity of the mysterious piñata has been revealed! Only one of you came close! (Patriotism 8D)

Random: For some reason, I see Toris here as a combination of Pam from the Office and Ben from Parks and Rec. Idk why. Probably because I see him as a really awkward guy.

Warnings: Language, LIETPOL, some sexual situations, USUK, Spamano, beginnings of RussLiet, angstangstangst, sadness, and My Little Pony

Enjoy!

Chapter 10

Toris sighed and looked out the window of Raivis' and Eduard's room. It was one of the few areas where he could be alone (well, Raivis and Eduard would talk amongst each other), and he could just think without an annoying blond or a nosy Russian constantly pestering him.

The view wasn't as good as the view from his room—it was just a first-story view of the street, but Toris wished that he could see the ocean right now. It would soothe him from no end.

Why do those two keep following me? he wondered. I mean, I know that it's 'cause Feliks—His stomach gave a lurch when he thought of him—likes me. But Ivan. Ivan. What's he trying to do? Did he figure that I needed to be around someone else other than Feliks? It's true to an extent, I suppose. I don't even think he likes me...like...like how Feliks likes me. I can't see Ivan being gay or bi. He's just a friend of mine. Yes, that's right. A really good friend.

Toris pouted but rested his head on the windowsill. But...but Feliks. Why can't I get him out of my mind?I don't "like" like him...do I?

"Gah!"

"Toris, did you say something?"

Raivis and Eduard were staring at him. Eduard looked slightly ticked off.

"U-Umm, it's nothing, guys. Really?"

"Is it about Feliks?" Raivis asked.

"Rav!" Eduard exclaimed, blushing.

"What, it's the only thing that could possibly—Mmmf!"

Eduard had cupped a hand over his mouth. "Hehe, sorry about that Toris."

Toris narrowed his eyes. "What are you two saying?"

Eduard and Raivis gave each other a brief glance. Eduard released Raivis' mouth.

"Well, it's a little obvious, Toris," he said.

Toris blinked, shaking his head. "I-I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Please. You and Feliks."

He blushed. "Wh-what?"

Eduard rolled his eyes. "We've been watching you and him ever since the laser tag match."

Toris gulped. "Wha...? Wait a minute, who's we?"

"Uhh..."

"Me," Raivis said.

"And me."

"And Elizabeta."

"Hush!"

"And the—"

Eduard put his hand on his mouth again. "In other words, Toris, you seriously have to sort this out. You can't be confused about this forever."

Toris blushed. "Confused about what? I'm not confused about anything!"

Eduard huffed. "Fine. I'll do this." He released Raivis' mouth again.

"Toris, is Feliks your friend?"

"Yeah..."

"He's been your friend ever since you started working, right?"

"Yes."

"You've been having weird dreams about him right?"

"...Yes..."

"Toris, are you bi?"

"Yes. Wait—"

Absolute silence.

"Uh-umm..."

"Whoa."

"I knew it!"

Toris looked up at them. Wait, wait, wait, wait, what just happened?

"Umm...Sorry, guys, but umm, I really have to go! B-bye!"

And with that, Toris rushed out of the room.

Eduard sighed.

"And I'd thought he'd never leave."

"A-Ahh! Antonio!"

"Lovito, just stay still. It won't hurt as much..."

"Gah!" Lovino hissed. "Bastard. I could do this by myself."

"You can't reach your back, Lovi."

Lovino groaned. "I know..."

Antonio poured some of the blue aloe vera onto Lovino's back and rubbed it all over his red skin. The aloe vera immediately began to sink in.

"Lovi, you really should be more careful," he said, squeezing some more out of the tub.

Lovino winced. "I-I know that already. Idiot." He moaned.

"Was that part good?"

"Nnn, yeah..."

Antonio kissed the top of his head. "Good."

Lovino bit his lip, closing his eyes a little.

"Hey...Antonio...?"

"Yeah, Lovi?"

"Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if our branched closed? This is all hypothetical, of course."

Antonio thought. "I guess I would move back to California to work on my family's tomato farm."

Lovino's heart sank, and his shoulders slumped. "Back...to California? Like, the West Coast?" Not here...

"Um, yeah? Why do you ask?"

"I want to move with you," Lovino said. "I don't want to be stuck here with my brother and his stupid kraut boyfriend, fiancé, whatever."

Antonio blinked and gasped. "Lovi, you know I can't let you do that! You have all of your family here and your livelihood and—and California is so much different."

"Who cares?" Lovino stood up and faced him. "I wouldn't care as long as I'm with you, you idiot."

"H-have you even—wait, I thought this was all hypothetical," Antonio said, a puzzled expression on his face. "Why are you asking me this?"

"J-Just in case!" Lovino said. "I'm just asking."

Antonio sighed. "Turn around again so I can put more aloe vera on you."

Lovino grumbled and turned around. His face reddened (and not from sunburn), and he wanted to bury his head in his hands. Would it be way to forward to ask him this now? He thought that this would lead up to it, but with Antonio so against the idea...would he really want to move in with him?

"Hypothetically speaking, what would you do, Lovi?"

Antonio's voice jarred him from his thoughts.

"N-Nothing much. Feliciano's thinking of restarting Nono's old restaurant, with...him wanting to help out."

"Who? Ludwig?"

"Yes..."

"Oh...well..." Antonio wasn't Ludwig's friend, but he was at least cordial with him.

"Yeah...I kinda don't want to do that..."

Antonio continued to rub Lovino's back.

"Hey, Lovi?"

"Hm?"

"Can I talk to you about...well, us?"

Lovino gulped. No. No. No. Not now. Please God, not right now. "Yeah?"

"Well..." Antonio stopped rubbing him and sighed. "I'm a little tired of making our relationship private. I want the whole office to know that you're mine. And...I'm really sick of slinking around in the dark." He trailed a few fingers down his back.

Lovino sat in silence. As much as he would like it, it would be too soon. Too soon. Especially right after Feliciano's engagement. Lovino couldn't do this. Everyone would just think he was stealing his brother's thunder. And Lovino did not want that to stain his reputation, as much as he—dare he thought this—love Antonio.

"Umm...that's good, Antonio. But no..."

"Why?" If Lovino turned around, he could have seen Antonio's hurt face.

Lovino shrugged. "Not now. I don't want to come out to everyone just yet."

Antonio spread some more aloe vera across his back. "Whatever suits you, I suppose, Lovi. Whenever you're ready. Hey?"

"Hmm?"

"Imagine the look on everyone's faces when they find out about us."

"No. No. No. No."

"I'm straight. I'm straight."

"No homo. No homo."

"I...oh, dammit, I think I like Feliks..."

Toris sat down on his bed and gave a great sigh. He was all alone in his room for once. The sun vanished from the horizon, replaced with stars and blackness. Everyone but him was downstairs for Alfred's little s'mores get-together (despite the fact that they were extremely simple, Alfred made killer s'mores. Or so he heard). Feliks had gone down with Elizabeta and Katyusha, and Ivan went down with Natalia and Yao, leaving Toris alone.

Like he would talk to himself if there was anyone in the room.

He shook his head.

"Okay, okay, so hypothetically speaking—" He stood up and started walking again. "Let's just say that I am bi. Okay, what do I do now? Do I go and tell everyone? Do I just go on with my daily life? Do I see a therapist? Do I—? Grr..." He jumped up and down, holding his head.

"DO I—DO I—DO I—"

"Uhh, Toris?"

"O-Oh..."

He uneventfully flopped onto his bed and sat up.

His visitor tilted his head to the side. "Uhh, dude, are you okay?"

Toris nodded. "No problem at all. I'm fine."

"Really? 'Cause you were kinda freaking out just now..."

"I'm fine. Truly, Alfred."

The blond sat down next to him and smiled. "I was just getting a little worried, seeing as you didn't come down to the s'mores part-ay and all. I brought you some." He held up a plate. "I thought you might like them."

Toris smiled half-heartedly and picked one up. It was still warm. "Thanks."

"No prob!" Alfred took a s'more and bit off half of it. "Derr schtill werry werm!"

"What?"

Alfred swallowed. "They're still really warm."

"Oh...yeah, I felt that when I picked mine up."

Alfred blinked again, biting into his s'more. This time, he waited until after he swallowed to speak.

"Dude, is everything seriously okay? You haven't gone out of the house all day today. Actually, make that only the third and second floors. What's wrong?" Alfred pouted. "I want to know."

Toris shook his head. "It's nothing. It's just...internal struggle stuff. Boring, really."

"It can't be that boring if you've been stuck up here all day. Come on, you can tell me."

Toris shot him a glare. Alfred acting as his therapist. Really? "And have my problems spread like wildfire all around the office? Please."

Alfred frowned. "I-I do admit, that was a rather dick move of mine—"

"You made Feliks cry."

"Yeah. That was awful. I don't think I've ever seen him cry like that before. Well...exc—yeah, I don't think I've ever seen him cry before."

"Mmm..." Toris bit into his s'more.

"Hey, this really is good!"

Alfred laughed. "See, I told you you'd feel better!"

"You never said that."

"Oh...well, I thought that." Alfred shrugged.

"Isn't it a little lonely up here, with everyone downstairs at the s'mores part-ay?"

Toris shook his head again. "Nah, I'm fine. I just need to think."

Alfred nodded. "Understandable. Everyone needs some time to think for themselves."

"I guess." Toris shrugged.

"So...about your little problem..."

"I don't have a problem."

"If you did...well, I just want to say to just be true to your heart. In this case, do whatever it tells you. That's what I do." He looked up at the ceiling.

Toris looked up too. "Huh. I guess if you put it that way. Thanks."

"Sure thing. No prob. I don't mind giving some advice to people who need it."

Toris ate more of the s'more.

"Damn, I really need to clean the ceiling," Alfred said.

He really didn't want to call his brother. He really, really didn't. But he was getting married, so he had to tell him sometime.

Ludwig sat on the couch with his phone in hand, toweling off the sweat on his forehead. He had already gone for an early-morning jog on the beach, and he wanted to cool off a little before taking a shower.

"Come on, Gilbert," he muttered. "Pick up your phone."

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Gilbert."

"Ahhh, hey, West!"

"I told you not to call me that anymore," he growled.

"Hey, it's not my fault you went to an inferior school."

Ludwig sigh in exasperation. He still wondered how they could be related. He also wondered how Gilbert could be the older one.

"Anyway, I have something to tell you."

"Obviously. It's—what, eight-thirty? You're lucky I got up to yell at my neighbor's dog. I hate that thing. I don't know how you can live with your dogs. I still have my little—"

"Gilbert."

"Hahaha, sorry, West. What was it you were talking about?"

"I proposed to Feliciano."

"Oh my God, are you serious?"

"Yes. I am."

"Oh God, what?"

"And he said yes."

"Ahahahaha, really? He's totally not your type. I still can't believe that he's stuck with you for such a long time."

"Yes. He has."

"Hehehe, congrats, West! I can't believe you had it in you. So, are you going to have a gay wedding?" He snickered.

"No."

"Awww. I would've loved to see Feliciano in a—"

"I was being sarcastic, Gilbert."

"Oh duh! I totally got that. This makes two gay weddings that going on this year."

"Oh yes, Berwald and Tino. One of my co-workers told me."

"Haha, was it the gay four-eyed nerd from MIT?"

"He's not gay, Gilbert."

"He iiiiiis. Didn't you see him act at the last company picnic? Oh, speaking of four-eyes, can you believe what I did to Specs this last week?"

"Gilbert."

"I—I moved his desk to the bathroom!" He laughed. "Oh my God, it was probably the funniest prank I ever pulled on him. You should've been there. Matthias helped me out. Oh God, you should've seen the look on Specs' face—"

"Goodbye."

Toris scooped up the blackened piece of egg and placed it on the plate. It was Sunday morning, the day right before Alfred's birthday. It was eight-thirty, and no one else aside from Ludwig was up.

Toris broke off a piece of crunchy egg and ate it. I should really learn how to cook again. He made a face and dumped the egg in the trash can.

He had pretended to be asleep before Ivan and Feliks came back into the room, but he had been awake. Oh yes, he had been awake. He had been awake trying to figure out what the heck was going on with him.

Well, what will be, will be, he thought, opening the freezer and hoping that Alfred had a Lean Cuisine or something. If I'm bi, that's okay. If I'm not, that's okay, too. In the fridge, all that he found was burger patties, burger patties, and something that looked like steak.

"Hey, need help?"

Toris closed the freezer door and jumped. There stood Feliks, leaning against the counter and holding the egg carton. Toris gulped, and his heart raced.

"H-hey. Umm, sure."

Feliks went over to the stove and looked at the pan. "Oh yuck! Didn't you learn how to cook wherever you went to college?"

"...I cooked cup of noodles."

Feliks scoffed. "Toris, that is so not cooking! Come on, lemme show you."

He cracked open a few eggs and started frying them. At least he didn't let them sit like Toris did.

"Like, I didn't see you at the party yesterday," he said. He stirred the eggs. "Is everything okay?"

Dammit. That was the last thing that he wanted him to ask.

"I-I'm fine. Nothing to worry about. Nice eggs."

"Thanks." Feliks giggled. "Eggs...Anyways, why didn't you come?"

Toris shrugged. "No reason. Parties like that aren't really my thing." And I kinda wanted to get away from you.

"Aww, that's too bad. It was really fun. Someone slipped some vodka into Katyusha's s'mores somehow, and she's actually funnier when she's a little tipsy. I don't even know how you put vodka into s'mores..."

"Heh, cool."

Feliks lowered the flame, taking care to gently turn the eggs. "So...can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure thing, Fel. Hey, do you need any help?"

"Uhh, thanks, Toris, but no. Listen, about Ivan—"

Toris felt himself blush. "What about him?"

"Hey, you know that favor you owe me when I saved your ass during your first sales-call?"

"Uhh, yes...?"

"Well...I have a favor for you."

"What is it?"

"Can you, like, stop talking to Ivan? Like...forever?"

Toris scoffed. "Fel, you can't be serious."

Feliks turned off the fire and looked straight at him. "I'm dead serious. I don't want you talking to him."

"Oookay, Feliks. That's not creepy." He chuckled and pretended to concentrate on a crack in the table.

"I'm serious, Toris. He could do bad things to you."

"Like, what, give me sunflowers?"

"Y-Ye—No..." Feliks sighed. "Still just don't talk to him please. For my sake."

Toris looked at him again and raised an eyebrow. "Ooookay, I'll try," he lied.

Feliks released a breath. "Whew, that went better than expected. Thanks so much, Toris! You won't regret it."

I wouldn't be so sure about that...

Ivan took one step forward and stopped. His fingers fidgeted in his pocket. He just needed to man up and do this. What's the worst that could come out of this? He would say, no, yes, but would he really? Ivan didn't think so.

He came forward and sat down on the couch, taking care that none of the fabric touched his red skin. "U-Um...Yao Yao?"

"Hmm?" Yao pressed something on his iPad knock-off and looked at Ivan. "Yes?"

"Can I ask you for some advice?"

"Oh, yes. Hold on a minute please." Yao pressed something else again and settled the fake iPad on his lap. "What is it, Ivan?"

Ivan bit his lip. He had to ask Yao about this. He couldn't do it with Katyusha—she would freak out. Natalia was out of the question—she would cry and try to kill Toris.

"It...It's about a co-worker of mine. I...I think I might have feelings for him."

Yao perked up, all of his attention focused on Ivan. "Yes?"

"Well...I've had these feelings for him for a long time. The problem is, I don't think he feels the same way about me."

"Ivan, you can't be so sure of that!" Yao said. "What makes you say that?"

"I don't know if he's straight or not."

"O-Oh...Can't you just ask him? I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Oh, people these days..."

"I-I think he's going through an...an identity crisis right now. He stays up in our room most of the time, and he almost never comes out. He didn't even come out for Alfred's little s'mores...whatever that was. I think he's just confused."

"...Oh..."

Yao seemed to deflate; he frowned, and his shoulders slagged, his hands resting limply on his thighs.

"What's wrong, Yao Yao?"

"Ahh, nothing." Yao shook his head and straightened his posture. "So...this friend you like. How do you know that they don't like you back?"

"I don't know. I just...know! He...he has another friend, who...who likes him too. A lot."

"Why don't you fight for him?"

Ivan shook his head. "No...I can't do that. He'll probably turn me down anyways."

"You won't know unless you ask him, right?"

"I suppose."

"Why don't you ask him?"

Ivan shrugged. "I...I think I might be scared."

"Don't be. The most that can happen is that he'll reject you, right?"

"Yes. I...I shouldn't be afraid of this. I have a feeling that he's bi anyways." Ivan stood up. "Thank you, Yao Yao. For your advice. I'll be sure to not forget it."

Oh God. Oh God. Oh my gosh!

After breakfast, Feliks went up to his room and flopped down onto his bed (making sure no one was around), grabbed one of the pillows and held it to his chest, and rolled around and squealed.

Oh gosh! Oh gosh! Oh my God! I can't believe I actually did that!

He stopped rolling and stared at the ceiling, pillow to his chest. Despair settled in the pit of his stomach. Oh God. Oh God. Feliks, what've you done?

He threw the pillow across the room and buried his head in the covers. Oh my God. Why? Why? Why? Feliks, why did you make such a stupid decision?

He whimpered and threw another pillow over his face. Idiot. Why the hell did you ask Toris that? His face burned. He couldn't bear to look at Toris ever again. It's all your fault, Feliks. You just had to ask him to not talk to Ivan.

He sighed and rolled over. Something clunked onto the floor, but Feliks was too distracted to notice it.

Like...seriously?

He groaned and shut his eyes. The pillow's already on your head. You already can't see, dumbass.

He sighed and took the pillow off. Feliks...just...chillax. Toris probably ignored you anyways. Oh God, if he did ignore me then he probably thinks I'm crazy now, for asking him that. He slammed the pillow on his face again. Oh dammit. Why? Why? Why? Why?He screamed.

"Into the Gala, we must go; we're ready now, we're all aglow!"

He took the pillow off again. Who the heck was thinking of calling him right now?

But more importantly, where was his phone?

Dammit.

He tore off the bedsheets and pillow and the pillowcases, but all of the upturned linen did not yield a phone.

"—have the best night ever! Into the Gala, now's the time—we're ready and we—"

Why didn't he think about searching the floor?

"Into—"

"Hello?"

"Hi, Feliks."

The blond sat down. He was sure his hand was going to become sweaty. "Hey...Emilie..."

"I hope this isn't an inconvenient time—"

Feliks shook his head. "No, no, no, not at all. Why are you calling?"

"I'm just wondering if our interview's still on for the 6th. You know, about the position in Albany you called me about?"

"Oh...Yeah, it should be still on."

"Alright. Just wondering. You kinda filed for it at the last minute, so I was just wondering if you were still serious about it."

"Y-Yeah, I'm still serious about it."

"There's nothing to be scared of. Are you still having some doubts?"

"Err...I-I..." Feliks shook his head. "No, Em. I'm fine. So, guess I'll see you in New York, huh?"

"Yeah. Bye, Feliks."

"Bye, Em."

Feliks turned off his phone and laid his head down. What was he doing?

"Toriiiiiiiis!"

Toris looked up from his bed Ivan stood in the doorway. He had taken off his shirt and held a bottle of aloe vera. Toris blushed, and he wasn't sure if it was because Ivan was shirtless or because he was sunburnt all over his body.

"Uhh, hi, Ivan," he said. "What's up?"

"Ahh, nothing, Toris. I was just wondering if you can put some aloe vera on my body. It hurts a lot."

Toris' blush grew deeper. "U-Umm, uhh, really? Me?"

"Yes. I hope you don't mind." Ivan closed his eyes and smiled.

"Uhh, sure...Ivan..."

He hadn't even rubbed sunscreen over a girl, much less aloe vera over a guy.

"If you insist..."

"Brother!"

Ivan ran behind Toris.

"N-Natasha?"

The platinum blonde stood unblinkingly where Ivan stood just a few seconds before.

"Brother, I heard you needed help."

Ivan's eyes darted from Toris to Natalia.

"I-I guess I do, but T-Toris already agreed to help me out."

"No, he didn't."

"Yes, he did."

"No, he didn't."

"Yes, he—"

"Enough. Vanya, let me rub the aloe vera over your body. I know just where you like it."

"Umm, uhh, umm—"

For once, Toris couldn't be more grateful for Natalia's entrance.

"I have to pee," he said, and dashed out of the room.

Toris licked his lips and ran his tongue down Feliks' chest, stopping hear and there to suck and give a quick nip.

"Do you plan to behave, Feliks?"

The blond moaned underneath him, struggling at the handcuffs, his schoolgirl skirt barely rising over his ass.

"Oh God, Toris. Y-Yes! Please, I'm begging you." His eyes were screwed shut and his face and neck were red. Toris wanted to touch himself so badly at the erotic sight.

"Good." Toris ran a hand up the blond's smooth pale thigh, stopping at his crotch and cupping the bulge.

Feliks squealed and squirmed. "T-Toris!"

"Hush." Toris silenced him with a kiss, continuing to knead him. "Don't do that."

Feliks gulped and moaned again. Toris touched the waistband of his skirt.

"Are you ready, Fel?"

Feliks' eyes fluttered open, swimming in lust.

"You bet I am."

Toris undid the zipper and button and lowered his skirt.

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK.

"Ahhhhhh!"

Thunk!

Toris found himself on the floor and a large bump on his head.

"Like, what the hell was that?" Feliks shot up, holding his fuzzy purple pony.

Ivan gave a groan and rolled over. "What time...?"

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK.

"Oh my God, if it's Alfred with that stupid blowhorn of his. I will—"

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK.

Toris felt something wet and sticky on his sheets. Surely, he didn't wet himself, did—?

He looked down.

No, he did something worse.

Why couldn't he just crawl back into bed and wake up before everyone to change his pants?

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK.

Right. That.

Toris stumbled to his feet, holding the sheets around his waist (making sure that the soiled parts were tucked away).

"What's happening?"

Ivan yawned, getting out of bed. "I think it's midnight."

"What's so important about midnight?" Toris trudged towards the door and threw it open. The sounds of his other disgruntled co-workers echoed off the walls.

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK.

The pony hit the wall with a thunk.

"Dammit, Alfred!"

"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!"

Toris groaned and began the long trek downstairs. He didn't even remember what happened half the time. He did remember knocking Raivis out of the way.

By the time he got to the bottom of the stairs, everyone huddled near the couch looking like zombies and holding pillows and bedsheets, and Alfred stood on top of the table (which he had somehow managed to drag in), wearing a party hat and carrying a bear horn.

"EVERYOOOOOOOOOOOONE!" he yelled. "I would just like to say thank you all for coming to Nantucket for my birthday."

"You gave us an extra day."

"Shut it, Ludwig." Alfred beamed.

"Hey guys! It's midnight! Do you know what that means?"

"Sleep."

"No. It's my birthday! I'm twenty-six as of—" He looked at his watch. "—twelve...o'...six! The exact moment when I emerged from my mother's vagina."

A collective groan rose up from the group.

"Did we seriously have to know that, Alfred?" Elizabeta asked.

Alfred gasped. "Of course you have to Elizabeta. I think that you of all people should know how important a vagina is!"

"Hey, what's that suppose to mean?"

"Alright, alright." Arthur raised his hands. "I—we—" He glared at Alfred. "—apologize for the inconvenience."

"Do we eat cake now?"

"No."

"Not even ice cream?"

"No, Ivan."

"How about—?"

"No. Now go get some rest, all of you."

Everyone groggily picked themselves up and lurched towards the stairs.

"Ohhey!" Alfred exclaimed. "Don't forget, I'm making brunch for all of you guys! Be in the dining room at eleven sharp. If not...well, no breakfast. Go to bed." He herded them up the stairs. "Pip pip!"

Toris remembered nothing except for collapsing onto his bed. Feliks flashed a glance in his bed's direction and said,

"Oh, Toris, guh-ross!"

Toris could not remember waking up to a brighter morning. Literally. The sun might have been rising from the opposite direction, but it was still incredibly bright outside.

He unwillingly opened his eyes and rolled over. Ivan had already gotten up. So much for changing his pants before everyone else got up.

He rolled over again, facing Feliks. Feliks had drooled all over his pillow, his sheets, and his pony, his hair splayed all around his head. This so very tempted Toris to take out his phone and get a picture. But he had another pressing issue at hand.

He ungracefully slid out of bed and wobbled over to his suitcase, pulling out a pair of shorts and boxers and a shirt. He went over to the (thankfully) empty bathroom and changed, grimacing when he took off his lower garments.

Ugh. Gross. I really have to wash these when I get home.

Toris threw his soiled clothes in his suitcase and went out. Knowing Feliks, he would probably scream at him if he tried to wake him up.

Downstairs, the delicious smell of the brunch hit Toris' nostrils like a tidal wave. Bacon, eggs, waffles, pancakes, burgers. Alfred really must had a feast in store for them. He was the last one downstairs (except from Feliks), everyone else was either outside or watching the morning news.

"Does Alfred really outdo himself for this or what?" Toris asked Eduard.

"Yeah," Eduard said, looking up from his iPad, "and the best part is that he lets Francis and Matthew help him cook instead of Arthur!" Arthur sat forlornly in a corner reading Harry Potter.

"What's so bad about Arthur cooking?"

"And how long have you worked with us?"

Toris shrugged. "Anyways, what're you playing on your iPad?"

"Oh, it's—"

The kitchen door burst open.

"BRUNCH IS READY!" Alfred yelled. He twirled a chef's hat in one hand, his apron splattered with grease.

"Come on, everybody. We'll be eating outside today. Seriously, look at how gorgeous it is! It's a great day to celebrate my birthday, huh? I wonder how it must've looked when I was born..."

Alfred ushered everyone outside to the patio overlooking the shore. On the long table laid plates with nearly every type of brunch food possibly. Toris' mouth watered, and his stomach growled as he sat down. Ivan sat down next to him, smiling warmly. Oh, forget Feliks' promise. Toris wanted to talk to him anyways.

Alfred took his place at the end of the table. "Well, dig in! There's enough for everyone."

Toris reached for the bacon and yogurt, but they were already half gone by the time he got there. Most of the food vanished due to the fifteen-plus employees vying for the same kind of food. The most that Toris got was some toast and half a strawberry crêpe (Yong Soo stole the other half).

"Toris, would you like some of my food?" Ivan asked, holding out his plate for him. Ivan managed to snag nearly everything on the table.

"O-Oh, thank you, Ivan," he said. "I think I'll take a pancake." He took one off his plate with a fork.

"Ah, I hope Matthew made these. He makes the best pancakes." Ivan bit into a cracker. "Toris, I haven't had the chance to talk to you recently. Every time I try to talk to you, you're either asleep, or with...someone else." He spat out the last two words. Toris wondered who he meant.

"Oh yes. Sorry about that. I just really like sleeping."

"Well, sleeping all the time cannot be good for you. You should really get out more." He chewed a bit off his sausage.

"Y-Yeah, I guess. I do stay inside a lot, hu—?"

SPLAT!

A giant pancake with strawberries and whipped cream flew across the table and landed right on Ivan's face.

Everyone stopped eating and stared at Ivan, a few snickers coming from some of them. Alfred smiled.

Ivan took off the pancake, cream and strawberry syrup all over his face, and put it back on the plate.

"Now." He smiled, but there was something that was just so evil in his eyes and a dark aura settled over him, like when Feliks had put that worm on his computer. "Can somebody please tell me who threw that?" His eyes scanned the table and landed on Feliks.

Feliks rebelliously pouted at him and ate a strawberry, a single line of red juice dripping down his chin.

"Yum."

Alfred suddenly gasped and gathered up a couple of pieces of fruit in his arms. "Oh! Oh! Oh! Food fight!" He flung some grapes at Arthur's head.

All hell broke loose. It was as if Alfred had thrown some meat into a wolf pen. With very hungry wolves.

Toris had no idea which food came from who or what exactly was being thrown. The whole patio was absolute chaos—Ivan and Feliks were shouting again, Katyusha held Natalia from behind and kept her from knifing whoever threw that cantaloupe that hit her dress, and Alfred's maniacal laughter was the loudest of all, rising far above the Pandemonium.

I need to get out of here, Toris thought. I need to get out of here now before I get hurt. Some crêpe whizzed by his ear. Yao attempted to strangle Yong Soo, and Kiku pleaded with him not to. Elizabeta got between Ivan and Feliks and shouted at Ivan along with Feliks. Raivis and Eduard stood off to the side, trying to get away from this mess as much as Toris. Eduard's eyes met Toris', and he gestured towards the patio door, which was quite a long ways away (not to mention the Feliks-Elizabeta-Ivan argument went on in front of it). Toris shrugged and shook his head, not wanting to get in the middle of that fight at all.

HOOOOOOOOONK. HONK. HONK.

"Stop! Stop! All of you!"

Everyone stopped and listened. Arthur stood up on the table, holding that damn bear horn.

"You people have absolutely no sense of decency!" he snarled. "Now clean this up. All of you."

Toris groaned. That was something he did not want to do.

Alfred pouted, the smile sliding off like the whipped cream on his face. "Aww, come on, Arty," he said. "We were just having a bit of fun."

"Fun is not throwing food around. We could spend hours cleaning this up."

"B-but...but it's my birthday," he muttered. "We were just having some fun..."

Arthur sighed and rubbed his temples. "Well, clean up your mess at least. We don't want a messy patio for dinner either."

Alfred pouted but groaned in exasperation. "Fine. Fine. Fine. Clean up everything, guys. Sorry that Arthur's being such a party pooper."

"A what?"

After cleaning up the huge mess (which took about an hour to fully clean up), Toris laid low for a bit, alternating between staying in his room, fiddling with his phone and hanging out with Raivis and Eduard (the latter looking rather pissed that Toris spent a day in their room again. He didn't know where Ivan was, nor did he know where Feliks was. After the food fight, emotions ran rather high throughout everyone, even those who weren't fighting.

Speaking of the food fight, why on earth did Feliks start it in the first place? Why did he and Ivan had such a fierce animosity towards each other? They didn't crazily hate each other before, so why now? What on Earth caused it?

Or...Toris eyes widened in realization.

Who caused it?

Oh.

My.

God.

"H-Hey, guys," he said.

"Mmhmm?" Eduard and Raivis played a game on Eduard's iPad.

"I think I know why Ivan and Feliks are acting weird."

"Yup," Eduard said. "Dang it, Raivis!"

"S-Sorry, Ed."

"I...Guys, Ivan likes me too!"

They looked up. "Are you serious?" Eduard asked disparagingly.

Toris flinched. "Y-Yes."

"Wait...you just found that out now?"

Toris blinked. "Yes...?"

"Wow. I didn't know you where that dense, Toris!"

He blushed. "D-Dense?"

"It...it is a little obvious," Raivis said.

"...What?"

This simply blew Toris' mind away. All this time his best friends knew what was going on, and nobody even told him anything!

"How long have you guys known?"

Eduard and Raivis looked at each other, and said at the same time, "A while."

Toris stared blankly ahead before putting his face in his hands. "A while?"

"...Err, you mean you haven't noticed how he acts towards you?" Eduard said.

"N-No. But...oh God, it all makes sense!" Toris wailed. "Why didn't you guys tell me?"

"W-We thought you knew, Toris," Raivis said. "Everyone thought you knew."

Toris removed his hands. "Everyone?"

Eduard elbowed Raivis. "Hush."

"...Guys, who's everyone?" His mouth went dry, and his stomach dropped.

"Uhhh..." Raivis looked at Eduard.

Eduard sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose. "The entire office—"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

Toris shot up, breathing harshly and his face going red. Raivis whimpered and shrunk away in fear. Eduard flinched, but held his ground.

"Y-You...everyone knew?"

"Well, yeah," Eduard said. "Everyone thought that you knew too."

"B-But no one discussed this with me, and—and—"

"O-Of course, no one talked about it with you! No one would want to take the f-fun out of gossiping it behind your back," Raivis said.

"Raivis!"

"WHAT? Okay, you know what?" Toris clutched his hair, looking for all the world a madman.

"I...I am going to go back to my room. And I will sit there quietly. And I won't come out until we have to leave. Or until Alfred serves cake. Or...I just want to be alone for a while."

The poor shell-shocked Toris walked out.

"Whooo-hooooo!"

Alfred shot his fists in the air. He was just so pumped for the piñata bashing. He and Arthur had just finished stuffing it with Tootsie Rolls, Kitkats, Hersheys, Baby Ruths, Butterfingers, and ever other kind of candy possibly created.

"Aaaaalright, guys! Single file line, all of you."

His friends groaned but got into place. They currently stood outside near the pool, where a single tree grew in the shadow of the house. Alfred didn't have fond memories of that tree, he hit his head on it when he was ten and he was trying to catch a football. That was an awful trip to the hospital. But it was still the only tree on his property, and the only proper place to hang his awesome piñata.

Once they had all settled down, Alfred clapped his hands and picked up his wooden bat.

"Great job, guys!" he said. He went up and down the line. "Sixteen, seventeen...Hey, where's the eighteenth person?"

"I dunno." "Beats me." "No idea."

Alfred recounted. "Hey, Toris isn't here."

"Toris isn't here?" Feliks asked in concern.

"No, Toris?" Ivan said. "I thought I saw him here."

Alfred frowned. Man, Toris had just been acting so depressed and mopy. And Alfred did not want mopy people at his party.

"Yeah, I haven't seen him here. Actually, I haven't seen him all day," Alfred said. Damn, he was getting a little worried for his new friend. He didn't have actual depression, did he?

"Well...I guess even if he isn't here, we gotta start." Alfred put on a smile. "Artie, the piñata!"

Arthur tugged on the rope and lifted that wonderful piñata, that glorious effigy of a man who so inspired his entire life, with his glasses and quirked eyebrow and just stylish black hair.

"Ta-da! Isn't he amazing?" he said, putting a hand on the Stephen Colbert piñata's foot.

Everyone was stunned. Romano said, "Just where the hell did you find a Stephen Colbert piñata?"

"Nonyabusiness! You can't handle his patriotism." Alfred took a batter's stance, swinging his bat around like a pro.

"Here goes."

"W-Wait, Alfred," Arthur said. "You're supposed to blindfo—"

"HI-YA."

SMASH!

Stephen's head flew off his decapitated trunk, flinging candy everywhere as he flew and flew and flew before landing with a soft thud on the sand.

"AHHHHHH!"

Alfred smacked the headless body with the butt of the bat, causing it to become detached from the rope, and he continued smashing it and smashing it until Stephen's chest ripped open to reveal the delicious candy underneath.

"Yeah!" He tossed the bat to the side and took out his red, white, and blue piñata bag, flopping onto the grass to shove in as much candy as he possibly could before everyone else came on him.

He didn't care if everyone was having the time of their lives getting their candy or beating the heck out of an effigy of Stephen Colbert. All that he cared was that he isolated himself from everything just to let himself be alone with his thoughts in his room.

Okay, okay. Two guys like me. Two guys. And I'm straight. Or...Oh wait, never mind. There's no use fighting it now, Toris. You are bi.

He groaned again and put his pillow on his face. This was getting way too complicated. Why did he even pick this job again? Oh right, because Staples paid him too low.

Now that I've got two men crushing on me. What do I do? Do I pick one and go out with them, or do I just let them be or...Gah!

Toris sat up.

I have to do something. I can't just sit here while they both fight with each other. Over me. Over me. Toris' heart pounded, and his face heated up. He had never had anyone fight over him before.

Well, while they're fighting and I'm doing nothing, I—No! He swung his legs over the side of the bed. Oh God! Both of them were downstairs outside. With Alfred's piñata. What if one of them got a hold of the bat?

"Hey, like, Ivan, check this out."

"Da?"

WHAM!

"No!" he yelled. He put on his shoes and stumbled to the door. Oh please, please, please, don't have any one of them get hurt!

He opened the door.

"Ivan!" he exclaimed.

The tall Russian walked inside. There weren't any bruises on his face and his body was still in one piece. Maybe Feliks didn't get to him...

"Ah, hello, Toris. Why aren't you downstairs?"

"I—" I know that you like me.

"Isn't it rather lonely up here by yourself?" Ivan glanced around the room and looked at Toris.

"I...I guess it is. But I suck at piñatas. I once hit my dad in the crotch with the bat."

"It's not like you would have had a turn anyways. Alfred destroyed the piñata within the first minute."

"O-Oh, he did, huh? Where's your candy bag?"

"I didn't get any candy. I came to talk to you."

Toris gulped. Oh no, there would only be one reason why Ivan would want to talk to him. In their room. Alone.

"Oh...About what?"

"I'm just a little concerned for you, Toris," Ivan said softly. "Nearly the entire trip, you've been up here, and you don't socialize with anyone else. Do you not like us?"

"Oh no! Not like that at all. I...I just don't like going to parties."

"But so, it isn't very healthy for you to stay up here all the time. You need to interact with others. Talk to them. I don't think they would mind."

"I..." Toris took a few steps back and ended up sitting back on the bed. Ivan followed after and sat next to him.

"I'm just looking out for your well-being, Toris. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Toris looked up at him, and there was something, something, in Ivan's eyes that he had not caught before. What was it? Pity, compassion, concern? Was there—and Toris gulped for the third time—even love in there?

"Oh...Well...thank you, Ivan."

Ivan smiled. "No problem, Toris. I'm glad." He stood up. "Anyway, would you like to come to Alfred's barbecue with me? He's a very good cook when it comes to American food. It's also very fun. What do you say?" He held out his hand.

Toris stared at his hand for the longest hand. What to do, what to do? How on Earth would Ivan react if he took his hand? If he didn't take it?

"I...I wouldn't mind going down."

He took his hand.

Feliks looked around the patio. Alfred's party was now in full swing. Alfred grilled burgers, Ludwig and Arthur pulled out a cooler of beer, and Toris and Ivan were nowhere to be found. While Katyusha and Elizabeta chatted and Feliciano hung out with Ludwig or something, Feliks fidgeted and darted his eyes everywhere, in search for his elusive friend. He was sure that Ivan went up to see Toris. He was so so sure of it! Oh, why did he have to be so shy? Why couldn't he just go up to Toris and tell him how he felt? Why, why, why, why, why?

"I'm such an idiot," he muttered. He crossed his legs and put his head in his fists. "Why...?"

"Ah-ha, that's great, Ivan! Really?"

He looked up. Oh God. There were Ivan and Toris coming down the stairs, smiling like they were having the time of their lives. Why can't I make him smile like that?

"Fel...? Fel?" Elizabeta nudged him.

"H-Huh, what?"

"You were staring off into space? What's—?"

Katyusha elbowed Elizabeta, nodding her head towards Ivan and Toris.

"Oh..."

"...They just look so happy together," Feliks whispered. He felt crushed, tossed aside, replaced, mentally hitting himself for not speaking out later. With Toris in Ivan's clutches now, there was no way Ivan would be distracted enough to let Toris go and talk to him. There just wasn't any other way...

"Hey, Fel, just because they're hanging out, it doesn't mean anything," Elizabeta said, putting her arms around his waist. He limply allowed her to hug him.

"He won't ever let Toris go though."

"So what? Fight for him! Show him that Polish fire of yours."

Feliks smiled. "I guess I can do that."

"See, it isn't all so hopeless."

Toris and Ivan continued to laugh and chatted with Eduard and Raivis, the latter two not looking very excited. The sun began to set on the horizon, its rays reflecting off the ocean and bouncing off the waters into the sky, as the heavens turned a blood red.

HOOOOOOOOOONK.

That GODDAMN BEAR HORN—

"Hey, hey, everyone!" Alfred said. "Dinner is served."

But even at dinner, Feliks' spirits didn't lift an inch. Who cares if it was the most delicious burger he had ever had? Toris talked with Ivan on one end of the table (Alfred made sure to separate the two of them), and Feliks had to sit and listen while Feliciano blabbered about Ludwig and Elizabeta and Katyusha talked about something that he didn't care about. All that mattered was that Ivan was with Toris. Toris! His Toris. His sales-buddy. His best friend. The guy he had a crush on for the longest time...

...And I let him get away. I let him. I didn't say a damn thing.

Feliks observed the two from afar. They were just so friendly and happy and Feliks wasn't doing anything.

Ivan made a joke and Toris laughed that wonderful laugh of his. Feliks even heard it from his side of the table.

Oh gosh, he really couldn't bear it anymore. Even if Ivan already told him, Feliks just had to tell Toris how he felt.

Toris got up.

"Well, I'm off to the bathroom," Toris said.

"Ah, already?" Ivan asked. "Well, I hope you hurry up. I think Alfred might be bringing out the cake soon, and I don't want to sing it without you, Torushka."

Torushka. That was Ivan's new nickname for him. Sort of like Feliks' "Liet", but it...sounded a little off to Toris' ears.

For the time that he spent with Ivan, it was a lot different than the time he had spent with Feliks. Ivan was much more calm, more collected, more self-disciplined. Feliks was all chaos, all energy, all impulsiveness.

Toris walked into the house and pulled out a bottle of water from the fridge. He didn't really have to pee; there were just too many people at that party. He valued his little alone time in the house. He was far away from everything, all the noise and ruckus. It was just him, his cold water bottle, and—

"Hey, Liet."

PFFFFFFF.

Toris sprayed water all across the kitchen wall from shock. He shuddered and gasped, choking.

"F-Feliks, h-how...?"

"Like, I followed you here." He slapped Toris' back. Toris gave one last heave and took a deep breath, his throat raw from coughing.

"Th-thanks, Fel." Cough.

"No prob."

Toris drank a bit more of the cool water, soothing his throat. Feliks stared down at his shoes.

"So...some party, huh?" Toris said.

"Y-Yeah, it's just getting a little crowded. Alfred's bringing out the cake."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Silence.

"Do you...want to go down?"

"Maybe. Later."

Toris twisted the cap back on his bottle.

"...Did you come here for a particular reason, Fel?"

"Umm, yeah...Actually."

Toris blinked at him. "Oh, what is it?"

"Well...I..." Feliks bit his lip. "Toris, we're...we're friends, right?"

"Right."

Oh no, this was starting up again. Toris' heart raced, and he felt his palms sweat. His mind flashed to that dream the night before—that filthy, raw, sex-charged dream and all the other ones before it—

"W-Well...we're friends. But I don't want to be just your friend."

"O-Oh."

Toris was rooted to the spot. He didn't know whether to jump for joy or to cry or to scream or to punch Feliks in the face.

"Wait, what?" he said. "But...we're friends..."

"I know that." Feliks took a deep breath. "But...I'm in love with you."

This was all just too confusing. Did he like Feliks or did he not like Feliks? Was his dream really nothing but a cry for sex from his poor deprived mind? Hell, was he even bi at all? And why was Ivan appearing in his thoughts now?

"What?"

"Uhh..." Feliks raised his head and looked straight at him. "I...I just thought that you needed to hear that, and I...I really wanted to get that out of my system. And—"

Toris didn't mean to sound rude, but he probably did. "What are you doing?"

"Happy birthday, to you!"

Outside, his co-workers had already begun their song.

"I-I needed you to know—"

"B-But I..." This was all going far too fast for him. First, he found out that Feliks liked him, and now he knew that Ivan liked him, and now everything was just so confusing—

"Feliks, don't."

The words came out of his mouth before he knew what he said.

Feliks blinked and took a few steps back, deeply hurt. He looked as if Toris had shot him.

"What...?"

"Happy birthday, to you!"

Toris had no idea what he did or what he thought. The words just flowed from his mouth.

"We're...friends."

"Y-Yeah, I know that." Feliks avoided eye contact. "But...I...I wanna be more than just a friend, Toris. I love you."

"I...Fel...You...You really don't know—"

"Don't!"

"—how much your friendship means to me."

"Happy birthday, dear Alfred!"

"B-But I..." Feliks gulped and looked straight at him, tears prickling the corner of his eyes. He smiled, a tear running down his cheek.

"Feliks."

"Th-that's okay, Toris. I...I'm sorry I misinterpreted our friendship."

He turned and walked out of the room, a choked sob following him.

"Happy birthday, to you!"

And for some reason, Toris found himself crying too.

"You know what makes the best damn party, guys?" Alfred asked, after everyone had finished their cake and was either talking on the patio or chilling in the pool or making even more s'mores.

Everyone ignored him. Of course they did. It was all a part of his plan.

"FIREWORKS! Artie?"

He turned around and looked behind him. Arthur stood several a half-mile away with the box of fireworks. The night was clear. Perfect.

Alfred pressed send on his phone, and Arthur lit a match to the first set.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeew!

BOOM!

The first firework exploded, sending false blue stars across the sky.

This party blew. At least to Toris it did. He didn't go off and play a game of night beach volleyball, nor did he hang out in the pool, nor did he...well, he didn't do anything. Hell, he wasn't even outside. He was stuck in his Goddamn room again, next to the Goddamn window, where the Goddamn loud fireworks exploded, and where he could see everyone.

Why, why?

Toris, you idiot—

You had him. You had him. You had HIM.

You screwed it up.

But why did I even turn him down in the first place?

This feelings for Feliks are fake.

He's just a really good friend.

He's just a rebound from Natalia.

Nothing good will happen from this.

"Umm, Toris?"

He looked up.

"O-Oh...Eduard..."

The bespectacled man knocked on the wall to his room.

"Toris, is...is everything alright?"

He took a deep breath. No doubt there were still tear streaks on his cheeks. Why would he even want to tell Eduard of all people how he felt? Would it even matter anyways?

"N-No..."

Eduard sat on the bed opposite of him—with a jolt he realized it was Feliks' bed.

"What happened, Toris?" he asked. "You went inside, Feliks followed, and the next thing I knew, Feliks came running down crying his eyes out and hugging Elizabeta."

"Feliks...he...?"

"Yes. He cried, Toris. He cried."

"I..." Immense guilt settled in him. He wanted to vomit the burger he had for dinner. It was just...This night felt so unreal. So unreal. It was both a nightmare and Arcadia. He didn't know whether he wanted it to end or keep going.

"Feliks...Feliks...told me how he felt," he said, the words like acid on his tongue. "And...and I turned him down."

"Toris..."

"I know, I know." He put his face in his fists. "I...Ed, I don't know what to do anymore. First, I'm bi. Now Feliks is confessing his feelings for me. And then I found out th-that Ivan l-likes me. But...but what if I like I-Ivan too. And...and...I'm just so confused, Ed. I-I...I don't know what to do."

Eduard got up from his bed and sat next to Toris. He knew that Eduard wouldn't hug him or anything like that; Ed didn't like physical affection.

"Toris...wow...I don't even know where to begin."

"Great...Ed..."

"Ordinarily, I would say to give this time, but I really don't think..." He sighed. "Well, Toris, let me just ask you these questions. Feliks, is your friend, right?"

"Y-Yes. I can answer that much."

"Then...I'm just going to put it bluntly then, since there's really no other way to do this. Are you in love with him?"

"I..."

Toris had to stop there. His emotions were just a tangle, and he had no idea how to brush them out.

Boom.

A firework exploded, painting the room red.

He bit his lip and nodded.

"Yeah...I think I am."

A look of relief passed on Eduard's face.

"Good. You've finally figured it out. I guess you can go talk to him if you—oh!"

Eduard stood up quickly. There stood Feliks. In the doorway. Looking straight at Toris. His eyes were as red as Toris'.

Damn.

"Y-You know, I...I'm just gonna go back outside." Eduard left, not even shooting a second glance at them.

Toris stood up. His knees shook, and there was no way to keep his legs from wobbling. Here it was. It was just him and Feliks. Alone. Their moment.

"H-Hey, Feliks. I—"

Boom.

White light danced across the room.

And then the impossible happened.

Feliks strode across the room, wrapped his arms around Toris' neck, and kissed him.

Toris' mind went blank. Feliks' lips were just so warm and soft and tasted of strawberries and whipped cream and icing and chocolate. And salt. Salt from his tears. It was perfect and wonderful and just so right. Feliks tilted his head to the side, and Toris deepened the kiss, burying a hand in that beautiful hair.

They broke apart—how long had they been kissing?—and stared at each other, their hands clasping tightly. A crazy thought ran through Toris' head—if Feliks were in a dress, and he were in a suit, and they were in a church—

Boom.

The red light turned Feliks' tears into tears of blood.

"T-T-Toris, I..."

"F-Feliks..."

Feliks gulped, and his voice became steady and unattached. "I have an interview tomorrow with Emilie about changing branches. I'm transferring to Albany."

"What?"

"Wish me luck."

Feliks might as well have ripped out his heart. "F-Feliks, no!"

"Why not?"

"B-Because I...I..." Because I what?

Feliks smiled. "That's great, Toris. Good bye."

Alfred looked up. That sky...that sky covered with the colors of his beloved country. Alfred could not have imagined a more perfect birthday party.

"I just lit the last ones, Al." Arthur walked up the hill, his hair askew and a bit burnt at the tips.

Alfred smiled. "Thanks, Artie. I really couldn't have done this party without you."

Arthur sat next to him on the grass. "So...you're twenty-six now? Feels like yesterday that we just met."

"Yeah, how weird, huh? But, like, at the same time, it feels like we've known each other for our entire lives."

"I suppose, yes. If you put it that way."

"Or maybe I'm just being philanthropic while looking at the fireworks and stars."

"I think you mean philosophical, Al."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's philanthropic."

"I'm pretty sure it's not."

"Oh shut up!" Alfred gave him a sloppy kiss on the lips.

"G-Gah! Alfred, what was that about?"

Alfred laughed. "What, can't I just kiss my boyfriend 'thank you'?"

"No."

"Aww, don't be such a killjoy, Artie!" He laughed again and crashed his lips onto Arthur's, pushing him so that he was on top. Damn, it felt so good to kiss Arthur on the cool grass. With fireworks. On his birthday.

Arthur shoved Alfred off him. "H-Hey, wait a minute."

Alfred flopped over on the grass. "Hey, what?"

Arthur suddenly grabbed his shirt. "Happy birthday, you git." He clambered on top of him and kissed him again.

Yep. This was definitely an awesome party.

Emilie laughed. "I gotta say, you'll be a breath of fresh air in Albany. I like that." She wrote something in her notepad.

Feliks giggled. They were currently in Emilie's office in the thirtieth floor of corporate, right in the middle of Manhattan and overlooking all of New York City. He blocked out the memories of the night before. He wouldn't want that hurting his interview.

"Well, everything seems to be in order, Feliks." Emilie gathered up his file and placed it on a corner of her desk. "But...there's one thing that seems out of order."

Feliks leaned forward. "What is it, Em?"

"It's just...why on Earth would you want to leave Cambridge after three years? You're one of the best salesmen in the branch, you seemed to have a group of friends with you the last time I was there. So, what compelled you to move?"

"I..." Feliks sighed. He had been rehearsing this question to himself all day. Now why couldn't he—?

Fireworks. Stars. His lips on Toris'.

Oh.

"I...I just couldn't see myself with a future over there, Em. I mean, everyone was totally nice and everything, don't get me wrong. But...I couldn't see Cambridge as a career. So, like, I'm trying out Albany just to see if it'll work out."

"Huh. Interesting. So, you don't have any other doubts? Your friends, your connections?"

Feliks shook his head and drew a smile on his face. "No. Like I said, I don't have a future in Cambridge. I'm more than prepared to leave that part of my life behind."

O ho~ What will happen to Toris now that Feliks is gone? Is everything all sugary-sweet for all the other couples, or will there be some strife? Will Eduard go steady with his Macbook or is there a certain newly-out Latvian on his mind? Will Toris and Feliks finally be together or will there be obstacles to their love?

Find out on the next installment of HetaOffice, which I guarantee will be MUCH less longer and take me less longer to write.

Happy Thanksgiving, Americans!