Hey guys. Sorry it took so long. I've had some rough weeks. Tons of Exams, Midterms, Essays ect. all due at the same time, plus I'm working run crew for my school's production, so that knocks out my evenings. Just had my first stress-induced emotional breakdown since I came to school today because I found out two midterms I thought I aced I actually failed and I have a research paper due on the 6th that I've barely started and is super important for my grade. so ya. That's my life.

On a high note, I have a super nice senpai who is the greatest person. He always tells me I'm beautiful and wonderful even when I know I'm not and he always has hugs and nice words for me. I'm so grateful for him!

How're you?

I listened to kpop ballads while writing this, especially Taeil from Block B. Hug Me Now is my favorite song by him. It makes me cry.

It took a moment for Lovino to realize where he was. His head spun and his throat ached and when he tried to speak, he found he couldn't. He struggled to get into a sitting position and finally was able to prop himself up against a desk. After giving the room a glance, he found that he was in a classroom and he was all alone. And by the look of the sky that he could glimpse outside the windows, he was all alone. He gingerly rubbed at his aching neck and gasped as he remembered the origin. Ivan had tried to choke him!

He knew what he was getting into when he decided to face the dangerous teen, but he was still horrified by how easy it was for Ivan to harm others. Speaking of which, where was Ivan? Had he thought he succeeded in killing his classmate? Was he now on his way to Alfred? Lovino struggled to his feet and stumbled forward, clutching at the desks to aid him. He had to get to Alfred before Ivan did. He had to warn him! He finally managed to get out of the classroom and hobbled down the halls. The building seemed completely abandoned and he fought to keep down his growing panic and the dark halls and the echoing sounds of his footfalls. Still, his active imagination jumped at the possibilities.

So when he heard the muffled sobbing and the unintelligible murmurs, his blood ran cold. Lovino's heart was in his throat, but he steeled his nerves and crept forward. He could definitely make out two distinct voices as he crept closer. One was crying and the other seemed to have a comforting tone. The sounds led to a classroom.

"Bàoqiàn. Bàoqiàn." The muffled weeping was broken by this one phrase over and over, and, though Lovino couldn't claim to know what it meant, he could hear the deep regret and pain in each gasping word. The other voice was calm and soothing and shushed the other with unintelligible, soft sounds. Lovino gulped and slowly peeked around the door, hoping he wouldn't be seeing ghosts as he half feared.

His jaw dropped.

Ivan.

Ivan Braginsky was crying.

Not only was he crying, but he was sobbing as if his heart would break. He trembled in a pitiful ball on the floor in a corner of the room, hands tearing at his hair and blocking his ears from the gentle assurances of the figure next to him.

Again, Lovino gaped. The figure beside Ivan was Yao! As in Yao Wang, the senior best known for being brutally betrayed by Ivan! What was he doing comforting the one who had hurt him so deeply?

Now that Lovino could hear more clearly, he could tell that Yao was murmuring to Ivan in Russian. He may not know Russian himself, but could recognize it. Why was Yao doing this?

Yet even as he thought such things to himself, Lovino felt a deep pain at the sight of the trembling lump on the floor. He almost wanted to comfort Ivan himself. He just looked like a small child, too innocent to understand the cruelty of the world around him. Was this really the same Ivan? Lovino turned away and continued out the building into the budding twilight. He had quite a bit to think about. Should he tell Alfred about what happened? Why wouldn't he? And why was that image of the enemy in such a pitiful state still playing before his eyes?

Arthur found himself that night hesitating before Alfred's door, slightly afraid to knock. He had to talk to Alfred and he knew it. Alfred deserved to know.

He rapped on the door and heard Alfred turn off his music (Queen. Good choice.) and, soon after, the door was opened. Alfred smiled in surprise and left the door open as an invitation to enter. Arthur followed behind the taller boy, noticing the piles of homework and books laying strewn about. Alfred returned to his desk where pages of paper with scribbles and doodles on them were spread out. Alfred nibbled on a pencil and continued to write.

"What are you doing?"

Alfred glanced up and beamed. "I call it 'Operation Make the Russian and the Italian Inseparable!"

Arthur gazed in horror as Alfred launched into all the ideas he had that would make Lovino and Ivan become best friends. Frankly, just the thought was disturbing. Halfway through Alfred's explanation of building a supervillain robot that would attack the earth and make Ivan and Lovino have to work together, which would make them form bonds and find the heroes deep inside, Arthur broke in and ceased the endless stream of noise.

"Alfred, this is really important."

Alfred sensed the serious tone and calmed. "What's up?"

"Alfred," Arthur began, steeling himself. This wasn't going to be easy. "I'm worried about you. Everyone is, really. You've been spending a lot of time with Ivan lately, and that isn't a really good idea." He instantly cut Alfred off with a motion before he could say anything. His cousin's eyes were cold and serious. "I know what you want to say. You're going to defend him. But first, you need to hear this. Please, listen. You need to know, and it seems no one else wants to tell you.

There is a reason Ivan has no friends, Alfred."

"Everyone deserves friends." Alfred's eyes flashed.

"Alfred. Listen. Ivan once had a friend. He had Yao Wang. It was a couple years ago. Yao was in 8th grade and Ivan was in 6th. Ivan had only moved from Russia a year before and still had no friends, but Yao took him under his wing and befriended him. Ivan latched on and followed him everywhere. We all thought it was okay. He had been lonely. We thought he was just loyal. Until every one of Yao's friends started avoiding him. Yao was hurt but Ivan assured him that he wasn't at fault and that they weren't really his friends if they'd leave him like that. Yao thought no more of it." Alfred glanced at Arthur at the pause, confusion in his eyes.

"Yao has a brother named Leon. He was also in 6th grade, and in Ivan's class. Ivan and Leon weren't as close as Ivan and Yao were, but they still spent some time together, especially when they hung out with Yao. Yao adored his brother and Leon loved Yao. They were extremely close. Leon wasn't as boisterous or outgoing as Yao, and wasn't very self-confident." Alfred's heart ached.

"Yao didn't notice at first, then, when Leon began getting quitter and quieter. He stopped participating in class, stopped hanging out with his friends, and spoke more quietly. Ivan never really suspected a thing. By that point, he was always with Ivan. He only began to notice when Leon stopped talking to him and refused to meet his eyes. He couldn't understand it, and no matter what he said, the behavior didn't change. Throughout all of this, Ivan stayed close, always willing to listen to Yao's troubles and give him advice. And then, it happened." Arthur swallowed, afraid to utter the next words and break Alfred's silence.

"Leon tried to kill himself."

For a moment, everything froze. Then Alfred shot to his feet with a cry. "What? Why? Are you serious? Did he succeed?"

"Fortunately, no. He slit his wrists, but they were able to stem the bleeding in time. He hasn't spoken a word since. He is now studying at home. After that, though, Yao became very upset and confronted Ivan. I don't know how he found out, but he heard that Ivan had destroyed Leon's self-worth, convincing him that Yao and all his friends hated him. With someone like Leon, it's not very hard to imagine that working. Anyway, Ivan and Yao had a huge falling out and Yao ended up in a hospital for a month and Ivan was suspended, missing finals and ultimately being held back a year."

Alfred couldn't articulate how he was feeling right now. He was horrified. And part of him wanted to call Arthur a liar, and yet- He knew very well that such a thing could happen with Ivan. He still didn't want to believe it. To think Ivan drove someone to suicide with mere words! Alfred couldn't hold back a shudder. To think that words could have such a powerful hold over someone's life was scary.

"Alfred," Arthur began again, "I'm really sorry. But do you see why I don't want you or anyone else to be around him?"

Alfred flashed him a bitter smile. "Thanks, Arthur. I'm glad you're looking out for me."

Arthur nodded curtly, not overly comfortable with all the emotion being displayed. "Well, then. I'd better go."

"Yeah. Thanks for letting me know."

Alfred closed the door behind his cousin and his face fell. His eyes landed on the papers on his desk and, in a fit of rage, he shredded them to bits, flinging them around him.

He just didn't know what to do anymore.

Might be able to work more over break.

Mentioned a few things in this chapter that tie in things from the past if you caught them.

what Ivan says pretty much means 'I'm sorry for what I've done" in chinese.

Anyway, please leave a review. You guys make me so happy, and I really need some of that right now.

8i8

~sparklybutterfly42