Hey guys. Sorry this chapter is so short. Way too much going on. In fact, I should be writing my American Heritage paper right now cuz it's due Friday, but oh well. I wanted to give you guys something at least.

We have tons of snow in Michigan! It's up to my knees and still falling! Now if only it was packing snow, I'd be a kid in a candy store.

After being waylaid by Lovino and listening to his concerns, Arthur felt newfound assurance that this friendship between Alfred and Ivan boded ill. There was only one person he knew of who could help. For this reason, he found himself in the language building surrounded by a cacophony of languages being spoken. Only knowing a little French himself, Arthur was always impressed by those who could speak languages not their own.

He found himself outside the Chinese classroom and, peeking inside, only found Yao Wang sitting alone, most likely there to offer services as a tutor. At the sound of the door opening, he tore his dark eyes away from a book in his lap and settled them on Arthur's face.

"Ah, good afternoon, Arthur." He smiled at the younger student. "Are you here for tutoring lessons?"

Arthur snorted at the thought. "Thank you, no. I don't speak a word of Chinese."

"It is never too late to learn." Yao replied sagely.

"I'm here about something-or should I say someone- different."

"Is this about Alfred?"

Arthur looked surprised.

"Ah, you didn't know? He's been taking Mandarin since he started. I tutor him often. He really has a knack for languages."

"Yes, what I came for is closely related to Alfred. As you may already know, Alfred seems to have made a new friend. And lost quite a few while at it, might I add. Alfred's intentions were innocent, of course, but the students are afraid of Ivan, and perhaps more than a little afraid for Alfred. After all, we all remember or have hear what happened when you tried to befriend Ivan."

Yao tensed and his face darkened. "What is your point?"

"I don't want anything to happen to Alfred. He's an idiot and far too friendly and doesn't realize that there are bad people in the world who wouldn't hesitate to hurt him. I don't want what happened to you to happen to him or anyone he loves."

"I will not get in the way of their friendship. If Alfred can succeed where I failed, I will be very happy."

"How can you say that?" Arthur burst out with anger. "He hurt you. He hurt your brother. How could you allow him to have another chance to betray someone's trust?" Arthur knew it wasn't his place to dredge up demons in Yao's past, but he couldn't understand how Yao could just accept that someone who had hurt him and those he loved was getting off scot free. He had never gotten along with his brothers, and even now that they were trying to connect with him, he still held a deep-seated anger toward them. It wasn't something he could give up. How could Yao?

Yao stared at Arthur without flinching.

"He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves, one for his enemy and one for himself." Yao recited. "What right do I have to say Ivan cannot change, nor have a second chance. We all deserve someone to care for us, and if Alfred is that person, so be it." He continued, softer. "What Ivan did still haunts me. My brother will never be the same and I can never forgive myself for not realizing what was happening. However, it is not my place to decide whether Ivan can enjoy his life or not. I have not forgiven him, in the strictest sense. Perhaps I never will. But I cannot let what happened ruin my life or his. There is much yet to live for and perhaps, someday, not now but some day, there will be peace." He fixed Arthur with a level gaze. "Don't you wish for peace, Arthur?"

I do. I do. I just don't know how to find it.

Alfred nibbled on the end of his pencil and scratched out a few more lines on his paper. Ivan and Lovino were both good friends of his. He needed them to get along or he would be torn between them always. If this plan worked out, maybe they could find that they had something in common and bond over that. It wasn't a lost cause. He would have both his friends getting along in no time.

Awww. Poor Alfred. He doesn't realize what's going on right now. And now you're all wondering what happened with Yao and Leon, but I won't get to that yet. Sorry.

The first chapter of Samsara is out, if you want to take a look!

As always, thanks for your support! Any comments and critiques are welcomed and appreciated!

8i8

~sparklybutterfly42