Words: 2,064

Rated: T;; Swearing, self harm, and Gil being a dick in general :I

A/N: I. Fucking. Love. This. Story.

I don't mean to toot my own horn but, uh... TOOT TOOT.

Along with my Halfie and Neko!talia stories, I... Love this one. I don't believe you'll be seeing any more of this AU, but I'm glad it popped up. I really... Really like this chapter. I've never cried reading or writing any of my stories (I cried after reading Battlecry Forever! but that was years ago and not my story...) but this one... I got goosebumps from the sadness and the fluff :I

If you don't I appologize. I know that there are some wicked mood swings, but hey. Emotionally unstable hormonal teenagers. Whaddya expect?

No Time 500TC

"Hey Gil?"

"Yeah Mattie?"

"Who do you love?"

"Elizaveta, of course."

"O-oh..."

"Why? Do you like her too?" A challenge crept into his tone.

"W-what? M-me? Oh n-no, Gil! Never!"

"Good." Relief. "Why do you ask?"

"Just... Just curious..."

"Matthew! Would you just let me leave already?!" Gilbert growled as his best friend grabbed onto his hand. Matthew's glasses slid down his nose, but the blonde didn't seem to notice.

"No! Gil, listen to me, eh!"

"Look, Matthew! I have no time for this! I have no time for you! I need to get to Elizaveta!"

Matthew dropped Gilbert's hand like it was the final round of Championship Hot Potato, and he was a about to win. Or like he had a seriously burning object in his hand. The Canadian backed away from his Prussian friend like he'd been struck. Without a word, but with a glare that swore at Gilbert in words that would have made a sailor blush, and eyes filling with tears, Matthew ran back into his house. Up the stairs, down the hallway, and into his room with a door slam that shook the house. Gilbert stared after him, wondering what he'd said. With a shrug, he closed the front door, locked it, and left to pick up his date.

Elizaveta was fine with it. She giggled as he recounted the story, hanging onto his arm and pressing it to her chest. Her rather well-endowed chest. But Gilbert didn't blush. Oh no, Gilbert Beilschmidt was too awesome to blush!

"So why did you take so long to get me?" She asked later that night. Gilbert had simply apologized for being late. He hadn't told her about Matthew trying to hold him back and talk to him. Just that his roommate had been screwing around.

"Oh. My pal was just being annoying." Gil shrugged.

"Who would that be?" Eliza looked curious

"Matthew Williams." And, because of how absolutely genius Gilbert is, he forgot one crucial fact about his best friend.

"Who?"

Matthew was always forgotten.

"Matthew. Mattie Williams. Alfred Jones's adopted brother? Blonde, hair is about shoulder length, glasses, purple eyes?" Gilbert tried to prompt her memory by describing Matthew. His mind was slowly beginning to work again.

"No... I don't recall ever seeing him... Is he new?"

"What?! No! He's not new! He's... He's been here almost longer than me! He introduced you to me."

"No," Elizaveta shook her head, "Alfred introduced us. I've never known a Matthew Williams."

And then it hit him like a ton of bricks. Gilbert's eyes widened as he puzzle clicked into place and he jumped up, just about overturning the table. Elizaveta shrieked as her water splashed onto her.

"What the hell, Gilbert?!"

"Oh my god! I can't... I can't believe I said that to him! I can't believe I said that to HIM! What is wrong with me?! I know better!" Gilbert began to freak out.

"Yeah! You should know better!" Elizavta growled. "What the hell type of stunt are you trying to pull?!"

"I told him I didn't have time for him! Oh my god! I told him I didn't have time for him! I gotta get home! Oh god, I hope he doesn't cut himself again!" Gilbert ran out the door of the restaurant like the devil was on his heels, leaving a stunned date and people watching wondering if this had been a show. A few people even clapped, confused.

Matthew sat in the bathroom, sobbing. Gilbert had left two hours ago and he'd done two things. Cry, and sleep. His stomach growled from the energy he put into those two things, but he ignored it. The blonde had locked the bathroom door, making sure nobody could get in, and taken out his old razors. He had sworn to Gilbert he'd never take them out again. He had promised. But then again, hadn't Gilbert told him no matter what Matthew was or where he was or what he did, he'd be the most important thing to him and he'd always be there no matter what? Well, tonight would make liars of them both.

Matthew winced as he made the first cut. He didn't watch as he did another, and another, and yet another. He didn't watch as the blood dripped from his arm to the floor. He felt his body go through half-forgotten motions. He even made a smiley face with his blood. Old habits die hard. Matt was about to start on his other arm when he heard the front door slam and steps rushing up the stairs.

"MATTIE!" Gilbert called. "Maattiiieee!" He got no reply, and fresh worry made his heart beat faster. Gil was sure that if it went any faster, it would go right through his chest. He was through the Canadian's bedroom door like it wasn't there, but didn't see his friend. Panting, looking like a madman, he saw the bathroom light on and the door shut. Horror filled every fiber of his being. Shit.

The albino rushed the door, shaking it and turning he knob for all he was worth. He could hear Matthew's quiet sobs on the other side and the 'ting!' of something metallic being dropped onto the floor. Double shit!

"Mattie! Mattie, open the door!" He demanded. Long ago, Matthew had stolen all the keys that opened bathroom doors. When Gilbert had found out about Matthew's cutting, he tried to confiscate the keys. Matthew had forgotten where they had been placed though, and so they were never recovered.

"G-go away!" Matthew's quiet voice sobbed back. "You! You don't have t-time for me! So fuck off, eh!"

"Mattie, I'm sorry! I was a dick. Let me in, please?"

"Go away!" Matthew growled again in reply. Gilbert felt like he had been shot in the chest. Even when Matthew had been at his lowest he had let Gilbert in despite telling him to go away once. Now the blonde had repeated the 'Go away'. He was serious.

"Fuck, I've screwed up big time..." He moaned to himself. Louder, he called through the door, "If you don't open this door I'll break it down!"

"Fuck off and get out hoser!" was the only reply he got. Gritting his teeth, Gilbert took a couple steps back. Then he ran forward, ramming the door with his shoulder and hip. Having broken down many doors before, it loosened up easily. He took a couple steps back, having heard Matthew cry out in shock at the door being bent in. With another hit, Gilbert broke it open. Matthew sat on the tile between the bathtub and the toilet, staring up at him through tear-stained glasses. His left wrist was a bloody mess, and Gilbert felt his heart break.

"Oh Birdie... Oh mein kleiner vögelchen... Es tut Mir leid, vögelchen. Es tut Mir leid." Gilbert whispered as he knelt down before his friend. Matthew whimpered, and tried to scoot away from him. This angered Gilbert, who grabbed his friend by his good arm and pulled him close. Matthew tried to push him away but was majorly unsuccessful, having only one weak hand while Gilbert held him with two strong arms. After a few moments he blonde broke down, sobbing into the albino's chest. Gilbert held Matthew as though he'd never let him go, burying his pale face into the younger's silken hair.

"I am so sorry Matthew. I didn't mean it. I wasn't thinking. I suck. I am a horrible scum-sucking bottom feeder. I don't deserve to be able to hold anyone as wonderful as you, even if in comfort." Gil muttered. Matthew only sobbed more and held Gilbert with his one good hand.

"Don't leave me Gilbert," Matthew begged, "Don't leave me!"

"I won't Mattie. I swear. I give you permission to kick my ass if I try." he was trying to provoke a smile, but all he got was a sniffle of a boy trying to stop crying. Gilbert felt his heart plummet. He had really fucked up. Like, seriously bad. Normally he could cheer Matthew up easily, but the boy just didn't do it today. Gilbert felt tears coming to his own eyes as they say on the floor. How was he going to fix this?

"Matthew..." The blonde visibly flinched. Gilbert was cleaning and bandaging his arm, like he used to. Matthew was sitting on one of the bar stools, his left arm on the island. Gilbert sat in front of him, frowning in thought. When Gilbert thought, nothing good came out of it.

"Y-yes?" Matthew stammered. He cursed himself for sounding so weak.

"What can I do?" Gilbert looked into Matthew's eyes, determined crimson meeting guarded violet.

"What… do you mean?" Matt replied cautiously.

"How can I help you again? How can I fix what I've screwed up today? I'll do anything, Matt, I swear." Because if you die, I'll follow. I can't live without you.

"..." Matthew was quiet. He looked down, away from Gilbert. The albino finished wrapping the wrist, and turned away to hide his growing tears. He swallowed a couple times before taking a ragged breath in.

"I know, Matt. I know I've screwed up. Badly. I know I left when I promised you I wouldn't. I let stupid feelings for someone I barely know get in the way of you. And that was... Unacceptable. I deserve whatever you do to me. But Matt." Gilbert tried to swallow the lump in his throat but I wouldn't disappear. He choked out his next sentences, not really sure how he managed it. His voice shook, and tears rolled down his wintry cheeks gently. "I need to know how I can help you again. I don't want to lose you, Matt. When you found me, and I was bad, nobody else gave me the time of day. But you stood by me with a smile and encouraging words even though your home life sucked. And then, when I found out about... About this, you cutting, I knew I had to help. You're important to me Matt. You're special. I can't live without you. You are the one thing that convinces me to go on, and I thought that Eliza could take my mind off you. And she did but not in a good way. I got obsessed, trying to act like I was just your friend. I let fake feelings get in my way. I shouldn't have. How can I fix it, Matt? Tell me. How can I fix what I screwed up so royally?"

Gilbert was crying by the end of this. He tried to pretend he wasn't, but Matthew knew him better than anybody. The blonde gently pulled the albino up, his tears giving Matthew a new strength.

"I love you." Matthew said. "That's what I was trying to tell you when you... Ran out on me. What I want you to do... Is to stay with me. No matter what. Stay with me and don't forget me." With his new courage, Matt leaned forward and kissed Gil on the lips. Gilbert blinked in surprise. Then he kissed back, wrapping his arms around the Canadian.

"I won't leave," he said when they quit, "I won't leave. And I won't forget, liebe."

"J e'taime." Matthew replied, pressing his face to the crook of Gilbert's neck. Icy cold tears hit fevered skin. Gilbert buried his face in Matthew's hair in reply, a silent 'ich liebe dich' from the albino to his angel.

"Hey! Gilbert!" Elizaveta called when she saw the albino. He was rushing somewhere looking very happy. He paused, though, and turned to her.

"Ja?" he asked. He seemed fidgety, like he really wanted to be somewhere. Or he needed to pee really badly. The teen was looking back over his shoulder and shuffling his feet. He bounced up and down a couple times, ready to take off at a moment's notice.

"Hey, so do you think we can make up for that date you... Had to leave?" she asked.

"Can't." Gilbert replied with a shake of his head. "Gotta go to my boyfriend. Sorry, but I don't have time for you anymore." and then he was gone.

Elizaveta stared after him in shock. "Yaoi?"

Her only answer was the empty hallway and the laughter of two boys from somewhere far beyond her vision.

Translations:

J e'taime (pretty sure this one is wrong...) {I love you} French

Oh mein kleiner vögelchen... Es tut Mir leid, vögelchen. Es tut Mir leid. (I guessed on this one. Correct me, please?) {Oh my little birdie... I am sorry, birdie. I am sorry.} German

Guess what! I get to take a break next chapter! Next chapter will be my replies to your reviews! So get 'em all in before I update to talk to you guys 8D