Were you always this selfish?
The title says all about this chapter...
I'm sorry I was away for so long... last two weeks of school were beyond insane. I'm on holidays now so I want to try to post a chapter a week for the next while :D This chapter however... totally rushed and only edited briefly.
Get ready to hate Tilly (more if you already do).
Fun fact about Austalian holidays (during finals): you're expected to do a minimum of six hours study a day. A teacher at my school told my class 'you can do an effective fifteen hours of study every day'... Not so sure if that's the same where you live but to me that is literal toture.
Shout out to my lovely reviewers: MimmiTheOtaku, Zszszszszs, xxalexisurgodxx, vampiregirl878, HaloHeart, Tomoji The Grave Digger, xXJustLeSha96Xx, What'sMyName'sBusiness, Mya3dan, xzyaoi and sister momo.
Staring at his little sister Vash let out a low, disapproving growl. Lili was across the rather large and crowded hallway talking to…a boy… and not just any boy but that fucking player Im Young in grade 10. "If looks could kill." Gilbert laughed appearing beside the Swiss teen who quickly shifted his glare to the German.
Vash was silent before snapping, "I don't want that guy hanging around my sister."
Gilbert made circular motion with an index finger, "Stop your hovering, you overprotective helicopter."
"What?"
"You're worse than a jealous boyfriend." He smirked and Vash looked back towards his little sister who was laughing at the Chinese boy's jokes. "Stop, it's totally unawesome." He placed a hand on his head and turned it towards him.
"Can you just get her for me?"
"Yeah…no." He rolled his eyes and turned to look over his shoulder when he felt a frail hand on his shoulder. "What?"
"Please?" Vash begged and for a moment he looked desperate, fragile. He glanced over at his little sister who it seemed had been convinced to feel Im Young's biceps. "I really need you to do this."
Gilbert was at loss of what to say then gave an obnoxious laugh, "Kesesese!" The strangest snickering sound known to man. "Of course you NEED ME, because I'm awesome." He then turned his heal and strutted towards the two with his usual smirk. "Hi!" He blew unwantedly into their conversation. "Lili, go on a date with me."
"What?" She asked turning red from ear to ear. Vash could be heard even on the science floor three levels up slamming his locker shut and ready to shoot Gilbert.
"Come on, we'll talk about it over here." He took her hand in his and led the confused and dazed girl from Im Young.
"Wait!" He called out but Vash had already closed in on him.
"Are you Yao's little brother?" He asked in a voice cold to the touch.
"Yeah." He gave Vash a disinterested look.
"Okay, then I'm not going to beat the shit out of you this time but don't ever touch my little sister again." He stood at eye level with the unfazed younger teen. Im Young just winked at him slyly then brushed by him. "Oi!" Vash called out but he found himself ignored.
Gilbert was still holding Lili's hand loosely and grinning to himself after what he felt him being heroic-ly awesome. "Um, I didn't get to say good bye to-." She looked over her shoulder to see her brother confronting Im Young. Both looked determined. Neither seemed to be considering her feelings in the matter. "Wait!" She pulled at Gilbert's sleeve weakly.
"What were you thinking; flirting with a guy like him is just going to piss your brother off." He dragged her to the side where a number of pewter lockers lined the cream hallway walls.
She looked troubled then said simply, "so you lied about the date. I thought that was strange."
"Are you angry at Vash?" He asked sceptically since he'd known the two for years and never once witnessed them fight. She cringed at what she took as an accusation.
"He's ruining my life." She said feeling tears come to her eyes. "I want him to stop trying to control everything I do."
"And flirting with that dick's going to make him back off?" He asked almost laughing then he became more serious. "Okay, so I never say things like this because it's totally not awesome… so yeah; I never said this… but, you're like my little sister and seeing you throw yourself at boys who don't deserve you pisses me off too."
"I wasn't throwing-!" She started; looking at him wide eyed. Lili knew that Gilbert was fond of her since he'd spent weeks at a time with Vash during their younger years. She'd always looked up to him as the fun older brother that had the best stories and funniest jokes.
"Don't make reckless decisions just to annoy your brother. You're being self-centred." He thumped her head lightly with his fist. "He's not the only one that's going to get upset."
Lili clenched her fist as if trying to crush her hatred in the palm of her hand, "I know, but it's worth it." She said in a voice just above a whisper.
"What did he do?" Gilbert asked when thin lines of crimson trickled along Lili's knuckles and dripped to the floor. "Lili? Oh shit." He saw the blood and placed a hand on her shoulder. He reached for her hand but she clasped them behind her back.
"He told me I'm all he has but I have no one." Tears fell from the corner of her eyes in tight lines down her cheeks. "He won't take money from Elizabeta or Roderich and they're always fighting about him. He's killing the only family I have left. He's never home because he's always working and he hates me going out without him. He doesn't think about how I feel when he's never with me. I have to introduce my friends to him before I can go out with them and I can't talk to boys except you and sometimes Kiku." She vented, not breathing throughout the entire rant. "I wish he'd just leave me alone. If he hates Elizabeta and Roderich, fine, he should leave."
Gilbert had never been particularly good at the whole deep and meaningful conversations so he stood with an eye twitching. Fuck. Should he hug her? Did she need a pep talk? He didn't know what to say. "Um, well, you know Vash loves you a lot. Have you told him all this?"
"He wouldn't listen."
"Yes he would."
"He's never home."
"Don't make up excuses." He frowned. "You have no one but yourself to blame." She shook her head, hating not having his sympathy when she saw herself as the victim.
"You're just taking his side because you like him!" She accused him and Gilbert cracked a smile at the idea. "Don't deny it, you've always been obsessed with my brother."
"Wha-."
"You like Vash." She marvelled, backing away from the German who was now stunned silent. "That's the only reason you talk to me either." Lili clasped her bloody hand over her mouth then jumped when she tasted the iron and looked at her damaged palm with wide eyes.
"LILI!" Vash shouted when he saw her mouth stained red. She managed to glance at her older brother, their eyes met and mixed emotions filled the space between them as he approached her. "What happened?" He looked at Gilbert who was frowning at her.
The Swiss girl looked between the two who were staring intently at her and she backed away until she was sprinting towards the nearest bathroom to wash the metallic taste from her mouth and tend to her wounded hand.
When Alfred came into school the next day his face met with Arthur's fist. "Alfred you git!" He shouted and the American stumbled back grasping his cheek. It had been a half-hearted punch but enough that it gave him relief. After all, the git deserved it since he'd abandoned Arthur with his (ex?) girlfriend.
"I know I deserved that." He waved his hands back and forth when he noticed Arthur's fists curled, ready to strike again. "I'm sorry! I freaked out! Mercy! Mercy!" He dropped onto his knees and hugged the Brit's legs together.
"On your feet and face me like a man Jones!" He tried shaking his legs free from the python grip but failed. What was worse was the crowd that was staring at the ridiculous display. In actual fact Arthur was in a much better mood after Tilly had told him that he could 'have' Alfred but he still had his doubts that it would be that easy. She didn't seem the type to give up without a fight. Not that he knew her particularly well.
He gave an exaggerated sigh. "Belt up you brat." He sighed and Alfred jumped up enthusiastically. "I know you're trying to turn this into a joke but I'm pretty annoyed at you still."
"Sorry."
"Tilly knows about what happened. I would have been surprised if she didn't." He sighed then smiled at Alfred, "so, I was wondering if-."
"Boo!" Came a voice and a pair of hands slapped both boys on their backs. "Hey guys!" Matilda smiled then latched onto Alfred's arm, "you didn't come home last night, Al, where were you?"
Alfred's face paled but he tried to compose himself, "I sent mom a text saying I was at Kiku's. Just felt like having a gaming night, did I miss anything?"
"Yep, we voted that you were shouting coffee next time, right Arthur?" She asked with a bright smile.
Arthur was beyond confused staring at the completely deranged girl. This was exactly why he didn't date women. They were fucking complex. "Right…" He sounded absent.
"I have a council meeting now, see you!" She grinned then almost skipped away. Arthur decided that she was bipolar in the least and looked at Alfred who was watching her with one eye cocked.
"She's in a good mood…" He observed, "I never know what she's thinking."
"Or scheming." Arthur ground out. "Let's just go to class." He felt deflated after getting his hopes up that the loveless couple would break up. Maybe he'd misinterpreted.
Arthur had been looking forward to PE so that he could have a chance to confront Matilda but she had run off with her girlfriends who Arthur had yet to meet. They had seen him at Felix's party and were sending him death threats in the form of glares... Probably for good reason since he'd hooked up with their friend's boyfriend. During lunch Arthur managed to pull her aside as they walked to the table. "So you won't break up with him then?"
"I never said I would. I said you can have him." Tilly tried not to snap or look upset but was failing miserably. "But you have to take him because I'm not going to end it." She crossed her arms across her chest. "We'll break up when he wants to. Clearly he doesn't now though."
If Arthur's jaw could disconnect it would be on the floor. "I can't begin to imagine why an amazing person like Alfred would date someone so selfish."
"Aren't you being just a little selfish too? You're pressuring me to break up with the first guy that I liked and that liked me because you're jealous." She snapped turning to him fully. "So convince him to break up with me. That way I'm not the bitch that dumped the most popular guy in school." Her narrowed eyes revealed the hatred she held for Arthur.
"Is being popular that important to you?" He scoffed.
"It's not like you could understand, mate. I can't afford to lose my friends when they're all I have."
"You genuinely believe they won't like you if you break up with Alfred?"
"Why would they? Like you said, I'm selfish and he's amazing." She sighed, "they're not going to take my side."
"What side?" He shouted exhasperated, "it's no one else's business who you both date! Don't you trust your friends that they'll still care about you even if in the worst case scenario you never talk to Alfred again?" Matilda was starting to feel nauseous and shook her head weakly. "Then what's keeping you from-." He grabbed her shoulders and shook her twice.
"I'm scared, okay? God, why did you have to move here? You should have stayed in England." She gave a weak and bitter chuckle, "you ruined everything."
Arthur removed his hands from her shoulders and stared at her with his eyebrows knitted together, neither knowing what to say or do. He suddenly turned before he did something he would regret and Matilda left in the opposite direction, heading for the bathroom when the all too familiar nausea surfaced.
The minute he approached the table he was greeted by warm smiles and remarks about how slowly he walked. Alfred was chatting at Gilbert who it appeared was convinced that he had made progress in winning Elizabeta over. There was something off about Gilbert; like his 'awesome' was deflated slightly but Alfred had remained oblivious. "Al," Arthur sat next to him, "do you want to come over for dinner tonight?"
"Are you cooking?"
"Why?"
"No reason." He said almost too quickly.
Arthur didn't believe him. "I'm not, but even if I was you would still come over, right?"
"Whatever you say Artie." He laughed then froze realising he'd called his friend by his despised nickname. "Arthur, I mean, sorry." He stuttered, fearing the Brit's wrath.
Arthur rolled his eyes, "don't worry about it." Then he looked over his shoulder at where the Spaniard usually sat, "where's Antonio?"
Lovino Vargas sat grading papers with a scowl on his face. Why was his class full of fucking dimwits? Who the hell thought they could get away with circling two bubbles in multiple choice for one question. Stupid. They get zero.
There was a click as the wooden door opened to the classroom and Antonio entered. "You work too much Lovi," he smiled, "but I'm so proud of you."
"Quit trying to make yourself sound older than you are, you're just a brat." He continued to draw large crosses on his papers.
Antonio looked at him with pure adoration, "that's so cruel," he laughed then pulled a chair over to his desk. "So…Can I come over tonight?" He asked then blew a large green bubble with his gum which popped over his lips.
"No and ew, spit that crap out."
"Pleeeeeaaaasssseeee?" His hands encircled Lovino's arm and he shook the man back and forth so he swayed in his seat. "We can't do it at my house! Let me come over pleeeeaaaaasssseeeee." He tried to ignore the plea when the motion made him draw a large red mark across a student's paper instead of a cross.
"You're so annoying," He snatched his arm back. "Look what you did!"
The Spaniard just smiled. "haha, sorry."
"It's not funny," he muttered. "You're being selfish. I wish you'd just grow up Antonio." He sounded genuinely annoyed.
Toni sensed the irritation and sat on the desk, overtop of his work. "Do you really want that?"
"Of course, you're so fucking annoying." He sighed pushing back his chair and crossing his arms and legs. "Get off my desk, I hate looking up at you."
"Why?"
"I don't need a reason, just do it."
"No." He grinned.
The teacher stood up, towering over Antonio and placed a hand in his mess of hair. "My brother's coming over with his stupid ass boyfriend tonight. We can't get caught." Toni smirked and Lovino frowned. "Don't even think about asking again." He thumped his head with his fist then let it drop to his side.
Suddenly the Spaniard slipped his thumb and index finger between his lips and withdrew the gum he'd been chewing on for the past half hour. He proceeded to stick it on the underside of his lover's desk. "I can't tonight, I have detention."
"Wha-oh! Hey! Don't decide these things on your own."
Antonio grabbed Lovino's tie and dragged him down, crashing their lips together. His mouth tasted like the apple gum he'd been chewing on. Such an odd flavour but it added texture to the kiss. He quickly drew back and admired Lovino's red face. "You said it yourself, I'm a brat. So punish me." He whispered in the teacher's ear in a husky and flirtatious voice. "Punish me, Lovi."
"Stop it you little bastard." He protested when he felt his lobe being nibbled on. "Don't bite me!"
"But you're so tasty."
"And scrape that gum off of my desk. That's disgusting."
"You're no fun."
"It's called growing up. You should try it." He placed his head his hand and stared at the papers as if hoping they would do something interesting. After fifteen seconds of tapping his pen on the side of his desk he snapped. "Go away! What do you want?"
"Nothing," he grinned, cocking his head to the side. The sun beat shining through the window behind him and lining his chocolate hair with a copper colour. His smile was so sweet and innocent Lovino wondered if he knew what it felt like to have your heart broken. "I'm happy spending time with you like this."
Lovino made a disapproving 'tch' sound and stood up, walking around so that he sat on his desk and faced the student. "The history staffroom will be empty after four… if you want to stay you can… but…"
He hadn't realised that he'd dropped his gaze until Antonio stretched out his hand towards his chest and captured his tie, sliding his hand along it while drawing this faces closer together. "Don't say 'but', I'm happy that you asked me and of course I'll wait!" He smiled tugging on his tie numerous times. "I love you, Lovi." He chuckled then placed a delicate kiss on his parted lips.
"Don't be stupid." He muttered yanking his tie free and returning to the obviously more interesting paper. "Just be back here by four."
Alfred chatted at Arthur excitedly as they made their way to the bus stop and over to his house. The Brit tried to hold a conversation but ended up drifting in and out of the present as he remembered earlier on that day. How the hell did you convince someone that they are with the wrong person without sounding like a dick? 'Hey! Hey! You! You! I don't like your girlfriend! No way! No way! I think you need a new one! Hey! Hey! You! You! I could be your boyfriend!'* Well, it would work in some aspects. Alfred would most likely pick up the pop culture reference; however, whether or not the message would actually sink in was debatable.
"You've been kinda quiet, everything okay?" He asked and Arthur put on his best smile.
"I don't mean to be; I must just be tired."
"EW! You smiled! And it was totally uncalled for!" Alfred suddenly said a bit louder than necessary. A number of eyes turned to face them and Arthur elbowed the American in his rib. "I was kidding, but seriously are you alright?"
For a split second Arthur wanted to come clean and tell him exactly what was happening, but he couldn't. It would make him sound like a jerk and his scheming may cost him his friendship with Alfred. "I'm fine." He decided, leaning against the glass on the bus near the back doors. The two stood facing each other but looking at their feet.
"That's good… I'm cold."
"I didn't ask, but I'm sorry to hear that."
"Give me your scarf." He whined motioning to the red and black checked scarf that hung loosely around his neck.
"Get your own." Arthur spat back childishly.
"Don't be so mean!"
"You started it, you git."
Alfred pouted then moved closer to Arthur. "But I'm cooooollllllld." He hugged the Brit who stiffened but didn't protest. Honestly, friends (and boys in particular) didn't show such public displays of affection. He leant his weight lazily against the American. "This isn't helping he observed."
"Then get off me."
"…" he said nothing then in a hushed voice, just above a whisper he admitted, "I don't want to." He should have played it off as a joke but couldn't find the motivation to pretend anymore.
*Song is 'Girlfriend' by Avril Lavigne- in other words: No, I don't own it.
I love Spamano... love love love love love it!
Also: there's this fic I read rescently which is a bazillion times better than mine and I don't feel gets enough credit called I'm on a Boat by atramentaceous. I don't really know the author... still I strongly dislike it when I see talent that recieves less praise than what I think it's worth. So, check it out. It's USUK, humour/romance and amazing.
See you in a week *crosses fingers*
x neve