For a brief moment Alfred thought to have accidentally walked into the wrong office, like he had many times throughout the school year. What assured him that he was in the right room was the drowsy smell of rubbing alcohol and the white walls that clashed with the bland pale tiles. The room would have been silent if it weren't for the ticking of the old wooden clock on the wall that had been there for years before anyone else. Its faint, soft ticks helped remind Alfred that time hadn't froze and his senses were working just perfectly despite the allusion his eyes were increasingly starting to believe.

The American teen was positive that he walked into the schools infirmary, but the man in the green vest standing on the other side of the room made Alfred feel like he checked himself straight into an insane asylum.

"Mr. Kirkland…" Alfred barely said the name audible for the other to hear, but by the way that the man's eyes lit up and the slight twitch on his lips, proved that he was indeed heard.

The man in the neat, dark green vest stood on the opposite side of the room, causally leaning on his shoulder with his arms crossed against the wall. With the floor and walls being such a pale and dreary color, it only intensified just about everything about the man. His hair was a much darker shade of blonde that exaggerated his pale features with the way the dark strands sculpted around them. He looked like a stone statue, a beautiful stone statue, like one that would be on display as the main centerpiece in a museum. He would have been a marvelous masterpiece that would gather crowds of spectators to bask in its ancient glory.

Ancient.

The word then began to stick whenever Alfred thought of the man or heard his name in his own head. It was like one of the many words that could be used to describe him perfectly. Though, why? What was the connection between the two?

Alfred tried his best to put his many probing thoughts about the man aside, though he found that considerable hard since the man was literally standing just a short distance across from him. He shifted his weight uncomfortably and felt the sudden need to cover himself. There wasn't much to cover since he had little skin exposed for the other to look at, but he still felt very vulnerable from under his rigorous stare.

The slightly warmer air from the hall soothed his back in a way that beckoned for him to retreat back into. And he wanted to, he really did, but the alarming thought of turning his back to the man for even a spilt second wasn't worth the risk. Alfred was a very fast runner, but he doubted he'd make it very far in the skinny jeans that he was currently confined in. Damn Matthew for picking out a pair of his old ones. He was going to burn them as soon as he gets out of this one, well if he gets out of this one.

"Why have you suddenly gone still? Just moments ago you appeared as though you could hardly contain your skepticism." Mr. Kirkland said in a voice that was calm and somber, but also with hints of curiously and amusement towards his question. Alfred could tell by the way his green eyes were studying him that he was curious by his sudden mood change. It gave Alfred a sick sense of being some type of test subject in an asylum who was being examined by the affect of different treatments.

Alfred had to swallow to clear his throat in case he might've gotten stuck on his own words. He was nervous to even have a conversation with the man, because he felt like by the end of it he would've lost more than he meant to share.

"I was surprised at first, but now I suppose it's what I've been expecting all along." Alfred tried his best to keep his voice clear and at a reasonable volume. It was so damn quiet in the room that he felt like he was shouting every word when really his voice was just above a whisper. He then reached into his right pocket and removed the white slip of paper and held it up without breaking eye contact. From the corner of his eye he noticed the little sheet of paper trembling and he knew that the other could probably see that too.

"It was you, wasn't it? You're the one who requested me to come here?" Alfred asked or more so stated his assumption.

Mr. Kirkland was silent for a while and just stared at his shaking hand. Alfred stood there and waited just as silently until there was a rush of wind at his back followed by a loud slam. The little piece of paper went flying from out from between his fingers and sailed smoothly across the room. Alfred didn't even notice because he was too terrified to process anything else except what in the hell happened behind him.

He spun around and paled at the sight of the large wooden door now shut behind him. He watched it nervously as the modest steel lock on the door slowly turned until it clicked itself secured.

Alfred's heart was beating rapidly in his chest and the next and only thing that was racing in his mind was how to escape. He needed another way out and fast but in the back of his mind he knew that his only chance of escaping was just sealed shut right before him. He was angry and scared at the same time. Angry with himself for walking into his own trap and that he was officially stuck until the other said otherwise.

There was a swift breeze of chilly air behind him and next thing he knew there was a pair of slender limbs wrapping around his middle, securing his arms strictly at his sides. Goose bumps ran up Alfred's spine and he felt his entire being shudder at the sudden converge.

Alfred felt the other man's soft laugher rumble off his chest and into his back. The contact was too close and too personnel and the fact that the man was laughing at the situation only made Alfred want to break down. He then felt the man lean down and soon his cold breath was tickling at his ear.

"You can't say you're surprised at this, now can you? You were the one who knew of the ploy before entering it after all. It's almost as if you wanted to be caught." He chuckled softly and Alfred felt his ear go numb from his breath. "I suppose your curious nature is also to blame for your fault." He said smoothly and Alfred could practically feel his grin as he said the words so entertainingly.

Alfred took a deep, slow breath, feeling the man's arms follow his stomach when he inhaled, like he was attached to his skin. "Well I'm here now." He heard the man against his back hum at the statement. "What is it you want from me, Mr. Kirkland? You know that we're in school, right? You can't do anything without anyone finding out that both a student and teacher are missing." He wanted to say it as a threat, but it came out a lot weaker than intended and sounded more as a meek question.

The Englishman man made a sighing sound before Alfred felt the tip of his nose being placed at the bottom of his cheek and slowly start to skim up his face. "Last I recall, you've been requested to attend the infirmary under strict orders from the nurse and your dear mother, and I just so happen to have a free block at the beginning of my day." Alfred felt any remaining hope he had left start to slip as the man's rant continued on. "You're doing what was instructed of and I'm simply finding other means to enjoy my momentary break. So, what do you presume we do now?"

Alfred couldn't take his eyes off the dark wooden door in front of him, wishing so desperately that he could faze right out of Mr. Kirkland's arms and right through the door. Yes, he urgently wanted to escape and go find his brother or best friend or anybody really. But at the moment he was trapped and alone, and the worst part of it all was that he was alone with his neighbor who had an influence on him like no other. The sensation that he felt the day when he was at the man's house with Kiku was starting to return. Alfred could feel himself slowly start to loose grip of his control and sense of confrontation as the seconds passed. He knew that one simple command passed those pale lips that belonged to that man could bring him to his knees. It was challenge to even continue fighting for will power because it felt as if it were being stripped away and a part of him was allowing it to happen.

It took the American a few moments to notice that his neighbor was waiting on him to respond, waiting on him to choose wrong or right what was to happen next. If he chose wrong, then what would be the result?

Alfred turned his head to his left, where Mr. Kirkland didn't have his own head pressed up against. He couldn't look at him in the eyes and speak. He knew that it would waver anything he had to say.

"If I said I wanted to go back to class, would you let me?" Alfred muttered softly and he felt the older man still for a second before laughing softly to himself. Alfred let his eyes drop and sighed. "Yeah, didn't think so…"

He felt weak. His knees were tired and his inner voice was already telling him to just give in. A voice said that he wouldn't regret it, the same voice that told him that day when they ventured into his house. But the fact that Alfred still had a clear enough mind to continue to think and to continue find reasons to give in and not, gave him hope that he still wasn't completely under this man's finger. He still had a chance to cut the rope and make a run for it.

Apparently Mr. Kirkland had grown tired of waiting or either figured out exactly what Alfred must had been thinking, because he let his hold around the young boys waist go before moving one arm under his knees and forcing the boy to collapse into his arms. The American's eyes shot wide open in panic but he didn't struggle or resist, only looked fearful and nervous of what was going to happen to him next. He looked down at youngling and took in every ounce of fear that danced in those charming sapphire eyes. It thrilled him even more when he noticed how his reflection filled them and that the lad was soaking his image in.

He effortlessly carried the boy over to the cot in the corner of the room and set him gently atop it, making sure to rest his head softly into the pillow. He paused for a second to take in how still the boy was and how intently he was watching him. He appeared frightened but curious all at the same time. It was evident to him that the boy was still disputing that urge in him to resist or not. The fact that it was taking so long made him more delighted than he ever thought he would be at the resistance.

For as fast as his heart was beating, Alfred was somehow able to control his breathing to come out slow if not a bit shaky after a few breaths. He glanced up at the blinding light before squinting and returning his gaze back on the man who stood at the side of the little nurse bed. He had been in the bed before on several occasions when he complained about false stomach pains just to get out of class, but to imagine that he'd be there again and in the position that he was now made him have real stomach pains.

The thought of his body in pain made Alfred discover that there were several spots in him that were increasingly starting to grow uncomfortable. The burning sensation in his throat was making itself evident again along with the stinging on his right shoulder. He swallowed to try and see if the feeling in his throat would pass but it only made it worse because nothing was going down to help cool it.

Mr. Kirkland must have noticed by the way his eyes trailed his throat up and down each time he swallowed. It made Alfred want to stop breathing all together and wish the damn pain would just go away already.

"My poor, poor little poppet." He cooed with a sly smile and turned his head to the side as if truly unsettled. "When was the last time that I've fed you? Or should I say when was the last time they let you eat?" He said the word 'they' in a tone that made him sound agitated. It didn't take Alfred long to guess who exactly he was talking about.

The Englishman man sat himself next to Alfred on the small cot and peered down at him adoringly. "I imagine that your throat burns, does it not? A thrilling sensation that will never cease until it is soothed by what it desires." Alfred watched him bring a hand up and shivered when it was sympathetically placed on the skin of his neck. "The longer it goes on without what it craves will only intensify the pain." He said calmly, staring intriguingly at his neck while speaking, as if he'd seen it happen many times before and was accustomed to it.

The thought of the burning pain getting worse made Alfred let out a soft whimper. He didn't want it to grow worse than what it already felt like. And the thought that it possibly could made him want to cry at how inevitable it was becoming.

Mr. Kirkland heard the pleading whimper and bowed his head down at the distraught boy in a series of hushes and coos. He touched the younger's forehead with his and brought a hand up to cup his cheek tenderly. "Oh calm yourself now, love. Do you really trust that I would permit such harming to occur to you?" he closed his eyes and took a long, steady breath in, filling his head with the superb sweet scent that the boy gave off.

Alfred could do nothing but stare at the face that was so close to his. It was the first time he'd been so close since the first night that they'd met and he licked the blood up from under his nose. The memory made him wrinkle his nose at such a repulsive recollection.

When the older man opened his eyes again, Alfred could see nothing else but electric green and the small of black that floated in its center. He was all what was in Mr. Kirkland's vision as was he in his. The thought made his heart pick up considerably. For some reason he was glad that he took up everything in the man's green eyes, like all of his focus was on him and nobody else. He felt his checks swell and turn red and his lips uncontrollably part ever so slightly, wanting to breath in whatever he could with him so close. Alfred felt the heat start to travel down his body and the odd feeling made him squirm slowly and uncomfortably side-to-side. He wished the older man wouldn't notice but with his body practically on top of his, he was sure the other was noticing what was taking place right underneath him.

He didn't know how he had the will power to look away from those memorizing emerald eyes, but he did and the first thing he trailed his eyes straight to were the man's lips. He almost smiled in delight when he noticed they too were parted and how his breathing was not as steady as before. But when Alfred looked at the man's checks, he noticed that they were still as pale as the white walls around them. Offended, Alfred let his eyes flutter away and turned to stare anywhere else.

The cold hand on his right cheek refused him to turn his head away, so unluckily for Alfred his eyes were brought right back to the man's and Alfred noticed how he was studying him again, like he was searching for something. It felt extremely awkward because Alfred didn't know what the man was searching for. Didn't he have what he already wanted? They were alone together and so far with no interruptions with the man practically over top of him. What else did he want?

"Alfred."

The American's head went clear of any thoughts and his complete attention turned towards man who was but an inch from his face. Mr. Kirkland disconnected their foreheads and leaned up, putting distance between the two and giving the American more room to breathe.

The man looked at him as if in thought, the hand on Alfred's right cheek stilled from its soothing. "Are you hurt?"

The question made the blonde take several steps back in his head. Was he hurt? Well sure, he was clumsy as fuck but hasn't done anything yet to cause himself any serious injuries. Why would he think that he were hurt? And why would he care?

Alfred shook his head slowly back and forth, still confused by the question. "I-I don't think so…" he answered and the man stared at him for a moment longer in contemplation.

"Then why are you here?" he asked and Alfred almost let a smile peek through on his lips. What kind of question was that? HE was the one who sent for him. Did he forget already?

"You called me here, remember? Unless it wasn't you and-"

"That's not what I mean," he cut him off and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "I wish to know why you and your mother arranged for this appointment preciously. What has happened to make her believe you were not well? Did it have to do with yesterday when you returned looking absolutely obscene? Or was it something before that?" by the look that Alfred was getting, the man clearly wanted an answer followed by a full explanation. But what he still didn't understand was why it even mattered? Wasn't whatever he was doing to him worse than anything else that the world could throw at him?

"I…" Mr. Kirkland lifted one of his dark brows up as he began. "I lost my appetite at breakfast one morning, and she got really upset…" He was still being stared at and Alfred got even more nervous and decided to keep going. "I eat a lot, so when I wouldn't eat her meal, she got really worried along with Matt and Kiku. They all kinda ganged up on me to go see if I'm alright. Sounds kinda lame, I know, but I'm known for having a large stomach around the house and-er yeah…" he finished awkwardly and played with his bottom lip as he waited until he remembered something else.

"Oh, and I also fell down the stairs that morning too. Suppose I should have said that first 'cause it seems like a more serious reason to see a doctor than not being hungry." And once again it was followed by complete silence, besides the ticking of the clock on the wall somewhere in the room.

Alfred started to chew on his bottom lip again as he nervously waited. The man asked and he delivered, so why wasn't he responding? Did he expect him to say that he got beat up or run over by a car? Hell if that happened then he'd go to a hospital and not some scrummy nurses office.

There was a soft rumble coming from the man's chest and Alfred stared at like it was talking. Then to Alfred's complete surprise and puzzlement, he heard the man slowly start to build up a low, but charming laughter. The young blonde just stared in disbelief at the sight. He had heard the Englishman laugh before, but never like the way he was now. He wasn't laughing at the others horrible predicament, or at some sullen mood that he had been the one to cause, it seemed like he was genuinely laughing at something he found humorous.

His pale pink lips were curved up in a way that didn't scream mischief, but truly amused. It was almost a heartwarming sight if it also didn't confuse the hell out of Alfred. He just stared up at him uncomfortably and wished he would tell him what he found so funny in the first place.

The Englishman ended his casual laughter with a couple of soft hums of deliciousness and few chuckles in between. His smile kept its place when he leaned back down to Alfred and cupped his cheeks with both of his hands. "You truly do manage to daze me with the things that you do, love." He ran his thumb softly up and down. "And here I thought I was going to have to dirty my hand for you again." He sighed after his last wind of chuckles. "Well I will in time but now I know there will be some interval before then."

"What are you talking about-"

But Mr. Kirkland slid a finger to silence him. "Please do no concern yourself over the statement, love. Just merely speaking to myself."

And then the familiar Mr. Kirkland that Alfred had always known started to return. He watched the genuine smile on his lips curve deliciously up and his pupils dilate while Alfred watched his own reflection swim in the wicked pool.

"Now would you like to know why you are really here, Alfred?" he murmured then slid his hands from his cheeks down his neck and squeezed softly, making the burning intensify for a split second and cause Alfred to gasp.

Mr. Kirkland grinned and moved his face to be at the boy's burning ear. "I haven't been able to get you off my mind all morning to be honest. I wished to speak with you earlier but as we can both recall, your charming brother wasn't too keen on allowing such. So," he licked the shell of Alfred's ear up after he spoke. "I had to find my own method you getting alone to myself." He felt the boy shiver and he closed his eyes merrily before leaning back up to look down on him. His eyes were lidded and his breathing was haste and un-regular. The rate that his face and ears turned red was incredibly impressive and it only made the Englishman want to see what else he could get the younger to do.

"You have quite the busy schedule you know." He said smoothly and Alfred watched him as the man climbed onto the cot and swung a leg over him, pinning him underneath his larger and heavier form. Alfred almost gasped when the teacher lowered himself on him, right over top of his clothed crotch.

The American twitched and bit his bottom lip as the man just calmly sat on top of him, watching him amusingly from above. "I thought that getting you to myself would be more troublesome in the beginning. With you being in class and I having my own to instruct, but then I was told that I would be given an entire block used for class preparations. You can't even imagine my excitement when I discovered when it was to take place." He tilted his head to the side and seemed to smile at the memory. Alfred was hearing every other word with his mind too preoccupied on trying to keep himself under control and not to give in to the mans teases.

Mr. Kirkland stared down at him and grinned. "What's wrong, love? You seem to be burning up for some reason." He slid his hands from his neck all the way down to the boy's hips, thumbing at the exposed skin of his midriff.

Alfred had to bite his tongue when the man's fingers on the way down purposelessly slid right over his nipples like the damn tease that he was. He lifted his head up from the pillow and stared down his chest at the hands on his lower abdomen. Especially glaring at the cold fingers that were rubbing patterns over his skin. For as cold as the man was, Alfred still felt like his skin was burning from under his touch at the moment. If he were starting to sweat then he wouldn't be surprised.

"Here, allow me to assist." And then Alfred felt a cool air rush at his stomach. He looked backed down and watched as Mr. Kirkland peeled his Captain America shirt up his chest and stop right before his armpit. He would be lying if that didn't feel somewhat better.

"What? You're going to leave it at that?" Alfred commented sarcastically and gave an unimpressed sly grin up at the man.

Mr. Kirkland chuckled then leaned down until he was up in Alfred's face again. "Are you insisting you want to progress this further?" he mockingly grinned back. "As eager as your body may be, you might want to consider that we both have to return to the public eye shortly after. Unless, you want me to make you look ravished in front of your peers?" he slowly ground his hips down hard onto Alfred's and slid them up, earning a whine from the younger.

"That I can definitely do." He sneered and repeated the action, which this time Alfred arched his back off the cot and closed his eyes at the delectable contact that his body has craved to retrieve.

When Alfred opened his eyes again he saw the predatory glare that the older man was giving him. The way that he was hunched over him and trapping him in made Alfred feel like he truly was prey and the idea aroused him more than it did frighten him like he had thought it would.

Though as much as Alfred wanted to see what exactly the man had in mind for him when he said 'ravish', he didn't want to leave the infirmary looking like a complete wreck. He didn't know how he would hide it and act normal around his brother or best friend, who was still waiting for him back in class. How long had be been gone anyways? Kiku was probably shitting bricks waiting for him to return. And he had a feeling that if he didn't soon then the Japanese boy would come searching for him.

Alfred closed his eyes and took a deep breath in attempt to settle himself to think somewhat more clearly. It was hard though when a man was sitting on top of you and your crotches were pretty much massaging one another.

Finally he managed to get the nerve to open his eyes and speak up. He used an arm to prop himself up and looked straight into those hungry green pools above him. "Listen, Mr. Kirkland," he paused when he got a peculiar glower from the man. "I need to go back to class soon. Kiku is probably worrying like crazy for me and-"

Alfred almost choked on his own words and he was suddenly slammed back down into the cot, his head hitting to pillow far too roughly for it to even feel like that was something soft beneath his head. He felt his wrist yanked from his sides and his arms stretched up and pinned over his head. The grip that was pining his two wrists together was uncomfortable, almost painful. But Alfred was too scared to protest let alone move.

Mr. Kirkland was right over top of him in a more dominant manner than what he was in before when he was teasing him. Alfred was taking back anything he said about enjoying the feeling of being the prey and being trapped by him. Because now it felt freaking terrifying and any pleasure he had once been feeling was now gone. The burning of his skin was now ice and those hands gripping him were making his wrist feel numb.

The younger gulped when the Englishman bared his teeth down at him and he noticed how some looked a lot sharper than what he remembered them to be just moments ago. That stone like expression was back and the lights from above put the shadows around just the right features to make him look daunting.

He heard a low growl come deep from in his chest and Alfred tried scooting back further into the pillow to get his face away. "I am not a man that bares the traits of jealously, but I do not restrain when I am otherwise provoked." The man or creature above him hissed irately.

None of it made any sense to the American. He didn't mean to say anything that sounded threating or tried to make the other jealous, he just stated a simple comment to return to class. He still didn't understand what he had said to sound provoking to him and cause this sudden fit of range and aggression. There was only one thing that he could think of to say.

"I'm sorry."

The words came out weak but Alfred could feel the swell of emotion starting to build up in him like the day he dropped and broke the man's glass plate. It was his fault back then and now he too was to blame for making him angry. The more he thought about it, the more emotions came rushing in and soon Alfred felt the sprinkle of tears fill the corners of his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Kirkland. I really am." The blonde took in a shuddering breath at the last words and tried to breathe evenly out again but couldn't get his breathing under control. Even his eyes were betraying him and started over flowing from the corners and went spilling down the side of his cheeks.

"I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean-" The American squeezed his eyes closed and clamped his mouth shut to try and stop his sudden hiccups and ridiculous pleads. His emotions were escaping him just like then but it was worse now since the man he wanted to please was right over him, staring down at him disapprovingly.

He didn't even open his eyes when he felt his wrist being un-done and one of those once vicious hands being placed tenderly over his check.

"It's ok, love. Please don't be frightened of me any longer. I cannot bare seeing you fear me in such a state." His voice was forgiving and smooth and played along charmingly with his subtle accent. "Though I must confess, I do not approve when you speak of others in front of me." He said the last part softly but Alfred heard the seriousness in it and he nodded in agreement.

The hand on his cheek swept away a few more tears until they stopped altogether and Alfred opened his pink eyes. He sniffled once before opening his mouth to breath through it again. They both waited there for a while until his breathing was calm again and they were sure he wasn't going to let another tear slip away.

While waiting, Alfred thought about what the older man said about speaking of others and being provoked. Alfred realized that it must have been when he mentioned Kiku to him and having his friend worry about him. The thought that his neighbor got so upset about just saying another's name made Alfred worry for himself and others. What if he went after Kiku right after this because of what he'd done? In no way did he mean to provoke him by talking about his friend, but could he have meant it when he said he did? Was it really that easy? And if it was then that was frightening. What would happen if he were to hug any body or just talk to them?

What would the man do if truly provoked?

Alfred came back to reality when he felt the man's lips at his forehead. He froze as he felt him kiss there softly and ghost his lips over the spot. "I think it's time you go back to class, Alfred. I believe I've taken too much of your time." He said softly over his forehead and the American felt his breath tickle over the spot where he spoke.

He leaned back up and continued to sit there for a moment, just staring down at him thoughtfully before removing himself from the cot and standing. He brushed his dark sweater back down and rolled up his sleeves to conceal the new wrinkles in them. He looked as though he were about to leave silently but instead turned around and looked back down at the boy still positioned on the bed.

"Don't worry about the burn in your throat for much longer. I plan on giving you something to ease it soon enough. The process is a lot more elaborate than it may seem." Alfred may have been dizzy and not all back to his senses, but he was alert enough to catch the startling red flash in the man's eyes after his last sentence. A small smirk played at the corner of his lip like he was amusing himself with his own secret. Alfred just nodded in understanding then watched the man turn and exit the room silently with a soft click of the door behind him.

Finally he was alone.

The teen turned his head and just stared at the ceiling, not for sure what he was to do next. He promised his brother and friend that he wouldn't eat any more apples, but the man was insisting that the pain was only going to grow worse if he didn't. He brought up a hand and rubbed his neck sorely. He didn't want to betray them and go behind their backs, but did he really have much of a choice? If he somehow with stood the pain in his throat by refusing to eat, then Mr. Kirkland would just command him to and he would probably end up eating a whole freakin' basket. Bottom line he knew he had little to no choice and Mr. Kirkland knew that as well.

Alfred brought his arms up and crossed them over his face. "Damn it all…"

~.~

By the time Alfred gathered his bearings and left the infirmary, the bell had rung for the class change, meaning Alfred would have an extra hour and a half to collect himself before seeing his friend again. He knew that by going back to class in the state he'd previously been in he wouldn't have been able to handle himself very well. There was no way he would've been able to keep what had just happened from Kiku.

He used the crowded always to slip his way to his next class that wasn't too far from the nurse's office. On his way there he did happen to run into the girl who he had spoken with earlier that morning about seeing the nurse. She stopped him and asked about it and of course he lied and told her it was empty, which was partially true because what she really meant was if the nurse had been there and of course they hadn't.

She had an odd look on her face when he said his hurried goodbyes and he assumed that he must have looked like a dear in the head lights right when she grabbed his arm to speak with him unexpectedly. If she could tell something was up, then there was no way he would pass the inspection from his best friend.

For the next hour and a half, Alfred sat at his desk with his head down. Every time he'd think about what just happened to him that morning his entire face would turn red. After the teacher asking if he were all right for the second time, he knew that he had to try and calm himself down and stop putting himself in the spot light. If he kept it up then people would spread word that he were sick or something in class and eventually his friend or worse his brother would catch wind scoot for him.

The bell rang again and Alfred gathered his stuff as quickly as possible and rushed out the room before the teacher could ask to speak with him or anyone else for that matter. Out of routine, Alfred looked up around to see that his feet had carried him to the cafeteria. If it were any other day then he'd be thrilled for lunch but as of recently he didn't think twice about food anymore. The worst part of it all was that he had lunch with his brother and Kiku. He would have to think of something quick to use as an excuse if any of them picked up that something was wrong or off about him.

Before entering the double doors, Alfred took a deep breath and tried to cool his face down. He needed to keep calm and act like how he did this morning when he and Matthew were chatting it up at their lockers. Just smile and laugh every few words and he'd fine…possibly.

As usual the cafeteria was loud and the people were obnoxious, more so than usual. All of the girls were as loud as ever and were jittering around from table to table like little bees. He assumed they were all talking about what the two girls in his first class were gossiping about earlier. Maybe if he listened in on some conversations during lunch he could get in the loop to what everyone is still so excited about.

"Hey, Al." a familiar voice called and Alfred turned and saw his brother holding a tray of lunch with a relaxed smile on his face.

Act natural. Play it cool.

"Ay! Mattie boy! How's it goin'? You know what all these girls are gossiping about that's making them crazy? Because I sure don't!" perfect, Alfred thought to himself.

Matthew opened his mouth to respond but just closed it and made an awkward sound like he didn't know what to say. He glanced around at all the people and then back to his brother who was smiling goofily at him.

"Um, no? But I also don't really care either so…"

Then there was that awkward silence again and Alfred made a laughing noise. "Pfft me either… Soo where's Kiku? The little guy is usually here before you." He asked trying to keep the conversation rolling.

"He's saving us a seat at the table that's away from all this," Matthew shrugged and darted his eyes around at the jittery crowd. "er chaos."

Well there goes listening in on someone else's conversation during lunch. Being around the noisy crowd would have also been a great distracter to keep the two from focusing so much on him too.

"See, told ya the guy was a smart thinker." Alfred tapped the side of his head and his brother gave him a stare that insisted he didn't care. "So where is this table of tranquility that Kiku picked out?"

Matthew nodded his head in the direction behind his twin and started walking forward. "Over by the windows in the back I think. He was in a rush to get there that I didn't quite catch what he was muttering as he whipped on by." He said as several people actually moved out of his way as he ghosted through them.

Unluckily for Alfred when he tried walking through the buzzing crowd he got shoved, tripped, stabbed with what he believed was a plastic fork, and someone's PB&J on his shirt. He scowled at the person who got the stain on his favorite shirt but they just simply scuffed and continued on their way. People were being ruder to him than they were that morning to his amazement. He still couldn't believe that his brother hadn't even brushed a single person yet in all the excitement, which he still seriously wanted to find out about.

Alfred was tempted to grab a chair at a crowded table and plop on down and see how long he could sit there listening to them talk before they noticed some random guy decided to invite themselves to their table. As he walked on, he spotted the two girls from his first class sitting at a table near the vending machines with crowds around them of all types of people. Was it possible they were talking about the same thing that they were discussing earlier that morning?

As Alfred continued to stare off at the table that had stolen his attention, he managed to snag his foot on the leg of someone's chair and went stumbling forward. Desperate to keep himself from smacking the floor and making a fool out of himself, he flung his arm out and grabbed at the first thing that came into contact with his fingers. When he felt something soft like cotton, he held on to it for dear life like Indiana Jones would when falling over a cliff and had grab on to a snake or something. Except what Alfred managed to snag was something far worse than any venomous serpent. If he had been able to see what his fingers were clutching to, then he would've let go and taken the fall like a champ. Hell, he would've even opted for falling face first into someone's soup, cold soup of course.

Speaking of cold…

Alfred could feel the ice of the other's stare stinging into the back of his neck. Shivers went up his spine and his teeth chattered at the chilling sensation. Did it just drop several degrees in the room? Because he could have sworn he saw his breath when he let out a shaky breath.

Slowly, and timidly, the American turned around to face the personification of a walking tundra. The very man who frightened just about every student and most of the schools staff since the first day he stepped foot on the property. You didn't even have to look at him to be afraid, because he had some type of spooky aura that made you dread being in such close proximity. Alfred even made it part of his routine every day just to avoid him in the halls and take the long way around. But he wasn't the only one who went to the beyond to avoid him. He had heard that in just about all of his classes, the guy had a desk in the corner of the room reserved just for him. The teacher properly agreed to that if it meant having him sit in the back of the room and furthest away from the board.

Blue finally met violet and the air intensified. It was then that Alfred was able to feel the dreaded dark aura practically absorb into him and make him feel very wearied and bitter. It's like he were trying to weaken his prey before swooping in for the kill, which he'd been rumored to do as well.

"You have strong grip for little boy," The other student said calmly, but Alfred could see the lilac flames that had been sparked to life in his eyes because of him. He turned them down on to Alfred's hands and onto the light lavender material that he was still holding. "be lucky it did not rip, or I would not be so patient."

The smaller teen followed the others stare down to his hands and noticed that he were still holding onto the other's scarf. Immediately after noticing his mistake, he let go and cupped his hands behind his back, scared that the larger other might break his fingers.

"I-Ivan," he tried to smile and make it seem like he wasn't all that frightened of the much larger and intimidating upper classman. "I was falling and grabbed at it by accident. I wasn't trying to steal it or," he gulped and watched the foreign student readjust it around his neck, so that it wrapped around more loosely and not like a noose. "choke you…"

The Russian student watched the younger blonde fidget and try to avoid eye contact as much as possible. He didn't say anything but just hummed and continued to stare, making Alfred extremely more nervous than he already was.

The longer Alfred stood there, the more stares he was starting to feel as time went on. Some people were silently peeping over at them from over their shoulder to watch the scene as others looked just as nervous as Alfred did.

"Why do you not wear glasses now? You usually wear them, da?" he randomly asked suddenly, and looked as though faintly interested for some reason.

The question surprised Alfred because he couldn't believe that Ivan would remember something like that, and that he honestly didn't even realize he wasn't wearing them either. He reached and touched the spot in between his eyes just to make sure they really weren't there. Had he really not been wearing them all day? That's impossible… He wasn't able to see properly without them, so how was he now?

Alfred was truly confused and just stood there touching the small part of his head in between his eyes, too baffled to respond back or move from his spot.

Ivan continued to watch, he too in his own thoughts as the craze of the crowed cafeteria went on around them. Some people were still watching while others went back to their meals and the conversations they were having before the whole mess started, loosing interest after no punches were thrown or teeth lost.

"Al?"

Alfred snapped his head up and saw his brother standing at his side, his eyes fixed on his face uneasily. He then looked to Ivan who had also turned his attention to the third person. It was then those violet eyes widened for a split second before narrowing thoughtfully at the pair.

"Is everything alright?" Matthew took a quick glance over at the upper classman.

Alfred swallowed and shook his head. He would need to discuss this with his brother in a more private area where so many people weren't obviously listening in on them at that very moment.

He was about to ask to be lead to their table when Ivan decided to make his presence known to them both again.

"Twins…" he muttered and Alfred's eyes got wide as he shot the foreign student an anxious look. Matthew too shot his head up at the taller teen and stared with an expression similar to his brothers.

The Russian was merely speaking to himself, having paid the two no mind after the looks he'd been giving. He smiled lightly before shaking his head softly side to side. "How predictable as it is unfortunate." He said to himself before looking down at Alfred who was gaping up at him.

"Twins," Matthew started and took a step forward but froze when Ivan's eyes shot him a glare that told him to stay put or else. "what do you mean by that exactly? What were you and my brother talking about before I got here?" he insisted almost eagerly but Ivan didn't say anything but grinned childishly.

Growing impatient, Matthew turned to his brother and grabbed at his shoulder to get his attention back. "Al," he waited till he gained his brothers full eye contact before continuing. "what were you guys talking about? Are you in some sort of daze? Come on and snap out of it." He literally snapped his fingers in Alfred's face to try and get him to respond.

Alfred opened to his mouth to speak but was cut off by Ivan's amused giggling. "You seem so troubled by such regularity. My guess this is not first time you heard the term in similar manner."

Matthew shot him a glare and Ivan's eyes glistened at the small threat from the much smaller and younger classmen. He knew of him because of his past within the hockey team, but Ivan had been forced to quit under particular reasons that may or may not have involved the law.

"Come on, Al. He's just trying to get into your head. He's creepy like that." He insisted and ignored the glare he was receiving on the side of his head. He didn't wait any longer and grabbed his twin's wrist and started pulling him along with him through the crowded mob.

Even as Alfred let himself get dragged away childishly, he couldn't get his act together and walk normally along side his brother. Instead he just continued to watch the Russian student who was smiling at him as he was dragged away. It was like his eyes were glued to those mischief violets that knew far more than he and his brother did combined.

Once the pair got to the table, Matthew had to put his brother in his seat after multiply bumping into in and almost stumbling over. Kiku stopped his eating to look up and watch the scene puzzlingly as the two blondes both sat down before him. He set his fork down and turned to Matthew since Alfred seemed to be out of it.

"Has something happened to Alfred-San so quickly? I thought you said you spoke with him just moments ago?" he asked and looked at his best friend who was staring blankly at the table.

Matthew breathed out a sharp breath through his nose then turned to glance over his shoulder momentarily then back to his brother's friend. "If by something you mean Ivan, then yes." He said lowly and fought back the shiver that seemly came out of nowhere after saying the Russian's name.

Kiku made a small O shape with his mouth in understanding and closed his eyes, relieved that it was just Ivan and not the other man. He looked back at his friend and frowned when he noticed how much paler he seemed all of a sudden. "Alfred-San?" he called for his friend and the other looked up at him a few seconds later.

He wanted to mention that he seemed pale but he also didn't want to worry him anymore than he appeared. "What is it that Ivan said to you to make you so reserved?"

Alfred sighed and put his elbows on the table then rested his chin on his fist. "He mentioned that Matt and I were twins…" he responded like it were horrible news and Kiku gave him perplexed stare.

Kiku shook his head and glanced at Matthew for assistance. "I don't think I understand what you mean." He said unsure and Matthew just shrugged, also in the same confusion to his brother's statement.

"You too, Matt?" he turned his head at him and whined. He moved his hands up and rubbed his eyes then slid them down his face tiredly. "Ugh it's the same thing that shaggy old man said to me in the library! After he saw Matt and I standing side by side he went all sorcery on us and books started flying." He looked back at his brother pleadingly to see if he finally understood what he was trying to get him to put together. "First the creepy old man flips shit when he finds out we're twins, and now Ivan too finds it strangely amusing? Two creepy people react the same to such an ordinary thing. If that doesn't mean something, then I don't know what does!" he threw his hands up and let them fall on the table hard enough that Kiku's bottle of water wobbled enough to almost fall over.

Kiku and Matthew were both staring at each other with skeptical and befuddled looks on their faces. Alfred bit his lip and breathed through his nose, angry if he was going to have to go over it all again to them until one finally picked up on the hints that were so obviously before them.

"Sorry to interrupt." A sharp voice suddenly said from behind them.

Matthew turned first and saw that it was a student in a grade or two higher than them. He didn't know him personally, so he didn't quite know him well enough except for his name and what's he heard of him. From what was rumored he was a pretty quiet guy who excelled in all of his classes. Many clubs had asked for him to join because of his intelligence but he always turned them down and said he preferred to not get involved because he didn't have time. Nobody knew what made him so busy not to participate in other school activities, but people eventually lost interest to even try to figure him out.

"Oh, hi Vash." Matthew was still kind of dazed from his previous conversation so his response was a tad delayed and the other student eyed him and the other lunch goers at the table wearily.

The blonde student nodded then pulled free a yellow sheet of paper from the stack that he had pressed against his green-coated chest. He looked back at Matthew and handed him the paper. "I would like you to look over this please."

Matthew looked at the sheet a paper before and holding it at an angle that Alfred couldn't quite see. His eyes narrowed as he read but grew wider once he was able to absorb what was on the thin printed sheet of paper. He snapped his head back up at the old teen, not quite sure what to say.

Kiku watched from across the table impatiently before finally speaking up. "Is there something the matter?" he asked and Vash looked over at him and frowned.

"Yes." He said sharply, as if angry. "My little sister is missing." Kiku watched how the stack of papers in his grasp started to tremble and he was afraid to ask anymore and cause the other more grief. He just lowered his head and looked back at his food unsettled.

"I am very sorry." He said softly and the older blonde student let out a long sigh before shaking his head.

"Don't apologize. I don't want grievances from anybody yet. I except to find her." His tone was softer than before but they could all hear the hate that he had boiling insides him about the whole thing. He seemed more angry than distraught, but that was just his demeanor.

"If I find anything out, I promise to let you know." He looked back at Matthew and nodded before turning away from the three and moving on to the next table.

Suddenly all of the worries in Alfred's world went away. Mr. Kirkland was the last thing on his mind after what he had just heard from the upper classmen, Vash. He couldn't imagine ever loosing his brother and not knowing what ever happened to him.

Alfred looked up at his brother and imagined if he were to disappear the very next day. Waking up in the mornings and not having him on the other side of room nagging him about getting up earlier. Or coming home from a long day at swim practice and not have him already sitting at the dinner table, complaining that he better save some food for the rest of them. Alfred smiled and reached out to touch his brother on the shoulder but stopped when he noticed the way that his twin was staring at the paper differently from before.

"What's up Matt?" he asked but was ignored when Matthew suddenly out stretched his arm and demanding for Kiku to take hold of the paper.

"Take a look at this picture and please tell me that what I'm thinking is wrong." He said as Kiku took the yellow sheet from his hands and brought it up to his face to study over carefully.

Alfred watched as the features on his best friends face morphed into a look of horror. He shot his dark eyes up from the paper at Matthew who was staring intently at him as he waited for his response.

Matthew swallowed hard and made his hands into a fist on the table. "Damn it." He growled and turned to face the other direction angrily.

Kiku frowned and looked back down at the picture on the paper unhappily. "I cannot believe what I am seeing and don't want to think of it as true," Kiku shook his head sadly and looked at the older twin who was glaring away. "but I believe this is the same girl."

"Same girl?" Alfred questioned first to his brother then to his friend who looked up at him with hard eyes. "What are you guys talking about?"

Kiku didn't say anything and just set the paper down on the table and slid it over to the American leisurely.

Alfred watched his friend who brought his hands up and folded them over his mouth and stared at the paper. Anxious, and very confused, Alfred turned the paper around so that it were facing him correctly before he started studying it with him own curious eyes.

The first thing that caught his eye was the large picture of a sweet looking girl smiling up at him. She was utterly adorable and looked extremely innocent. It made Alfred angry that someone would even think to harm someone such as her in the first place. The more he studied it the more he realized how much she looked like Vash, just a sweet, younger, and more feminine version of the strict older class man. The worst part about it is that she looked so young. Must still be in elementary school if he had to guess.

She had blonde hair just like him that drifted softly on her shoulders. The colors on the printed-paper were faded and mixed with the yellow of the paper, but he was able to tell that they were most likely either green or blue.

Nervous to even ask his question now, Alfred swallowed uneasily before speaking again. "So why exactly is she the same girl?" he kept his eyes glued to the smiling child on the printed-paper, not able to look away.

Kiku was silent for a moment before he heard him sigh. "That is the same little girl your brother and I encountered before. The one that I was worried about after she left."

Alfred went rigid in his chair and held his breath as the memory of that conversation suddenly started to come back.

"If you look at the day she was last seen, it is the same day that we had met her."

"Y-You mean?"

"Hai. She was the one who knocked on your door. She was the Girl Scout from that day."

AN: And on that bombshell, see you all next time. (anyone watch Top Gear UK? Great show!)

Thanks for reading. This sucker was over 20 pages on Word (well at least on my Word for my computer). If any of you have any guesses then I'd love to hear them. Just post them in the review and I'll respond to them if they are close.