A/N: Yay thank you for reviews! They mean the world to me so if you don't mind reviewing please do so! :D Wow I got this done fast O.o Seriously I surprised myself with the speed here but I really wanted to get at least one last chapter up before spring break ends…
Sha-Lin haha nope no problem at all ^^ Lol hmm I wonder if this is going to be USUK or UKUS myself XD We'll seeeeee cause I'm not telling!
Onward!
This is not happening. This can't be happening. The list is wrong, it's a mistake, and I'm hallucinating. Alfred could do nothing but allow these ridiculous thoughts to invade his mind as he stood numbly next to the other boy. Ridiculous, because as fiercely as he wished them to be true, he already knew such things were impossible.
"This… this can't be happening."
The sudden words shook Alfred from his stupor, eyes flitting to the boy standing next to him.
"They can't be serious." Arthur laughed incredulously. "They have to be joking."
Alfred shook his head, eyes fixated once again of the damned piece of paper as if he was trying to burn a hole in the thing that was ruining his life.
"This is not happening." Arthur hissed. His voice had lost it's shocked, almost joking tone as if it had been swept away in some passing breeze. In fact these words dripped with such venom and ferocity, that Alfred felt himself slight taken aback. Just as he opened his own mouth to protest the room assignments, he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eyes and stumbled backwards once again at the sudden tension at the collar of his shirt.
"What the hell?" He snarled, glaring down at the Briton whose hand was now fiercely fisted in Alfred's shirt. "Don't you dare fucking take it out on me like it's my fault this happened! I don't want this either! Now let go of me!" Alfred watched Arthur's venom green eyes narrow dangerously, as if he was trying to slice through Alfred's sky blue orbs. Alfred let out a small cry of surprise as he felt himself suddenly being jerked downward, so much so that his face was now mere inches from the others.
Alfred's muscles froze, breath hitching in his throat at the sudden decrease in distance between them. What the fuck did he think he was doing? Their eye's remained locked in a silent battle, fierce blue eyes battling valiantly against the jaded green ones for victory. They were so close; all Alfred could really see was his eyes, save for his large eyebrows and stray locks of hair.
He smelled of tea and oddly, a sort of cedar wood. The scent overwhelmed Alfred's nose making his skin crawl; the thought of being close enough to this boy to smell him sickening his stomach and forcing his body into motion. Lifting his hands abruptly, he snatched Arthur's hands in his own and forcibly pried them off his shirt.
"Fuck off." He spat, pushing Arthur away. "I can't help it we're rooming together. Sleep on the damn couch if you want you freaking punk." Alfred's mind reeled in horror at what he'd said, and suddenly he was desperately wishing he could pull the words back into his mouth. Fuck! Sure the idiot has been pissing him off but even he knew at that moment that what he'd said was uncalled for.
He watched Arthur's eye's narrow dangerously, mouth curling into a furious sneer.
"You little…" Arthur trailed off, fist clenched dangerously at his side. Aw crap. Alfred panicked. No no not here not now. I would love nothing more then to punch this… this idiot but not as we've just freaking walked in the door!
"Arthur!" The smaller blondes fist movement halted abruptly, green eyes sliding over to the cabin door. Francis stood panting against the doorframe, eyes wide in surprise and worry.
"What are you doing? Of all the times to start a fight now is NOT one of them!"
Arthur bit his lip, giving the French boy an icy glare before shifting his eyes back to Alfred. "I'm not dealing with this." He muttered suddenly. Turning on his heel he stomped across the wooden floor and over to a set of split stairs just off the living room.
"I'm going to pick a room. Come up when you want. Never is fine." He growled, back still turned to the group. Turning his head to give a final sour look in Alfred's direction, he stomped loudly up the stairs and out of sight.
The three remaining boys looked at each other silently.
"Well. That went well." Soren sighed, resting his head in one hand. "Alfred don't stand there like a rabbit snap out of it. Do you want Matty to know that not 3 minutes into this thing you're already fighting?"
Alfred shook his head violently; shuddering at the thought that his Canadian friend would find out what had just happened. It was lucky Matthew wasn't as strong as fast as them or he may have made it up the stairs sooner. And then what? He would have been furious.
"Yea." He muttered eyes locked on the floor. "Yea you're right. Matty would kill me." He laughed. "Even after you guy's told me to…" He cast a wary glance at Francis and shook his head. "Whatever. I'll wait here for everyone else. Besides…" He grinned flashing Soren a smile, "I want to know who you got paired up with."
Soren shrugged. "Didn't get to check the list through all that…"
"What exactly was 'that'?" Francis interrupted, gaze locked pointedly on Alfred.
"Ah well. It turns out he and I are sharing a room." Alfred joked half-heartedly. "Imagine that luck." He watched Francis's eyes grow wide in surprise.
"You and… 'im are…?" The French boy shook his head and sighed heavily. "Wonderful. I'm taking the room on the opposite end of the house if you don't mind."
"It's all yours." Alfred replied tersely. Even if Matthew seemed ok with this guy, Alfred still wasn't to sure about him.
"Guy's what's going on in here?"
Alfred smiled at the familiar voice. Speak of the devil.
"Ah ha-ha we're just figuring out rooms Matty." He grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "Where the heck is everyone else? I thought for sure you would at least be behind Berwald."
"Ah well…" Matthew said jabbing his thumb behind him. "Gilbert and Elizaveta started fighting on the stairs and everyone else kind of got pulled into it one way or another. Basically there are bags on the ground everywhere out there. I barely escaped with my life!"
"Drama queen." Soren laughed, rolling his eyes.
Matthew stuck out his tongue, but smiled at his friend. "Yea yea." He chuckled. "So who are you…?" He paused, and Alfred watched as his violet blue eyes grew wide in surprise.
"Oh I hadn't realized I wasn't the only one who made it up." He said, staring at Francis. Francis smiled brightly, nodding gently to Matthew.
"Ah yes I made it up just before 'zat ruckus started. We were all just checking room assignments."
Alfred frowned as Matthew swallowed nervously. He can handle it himself yea right. He thought. He's totally nervous, just like he is around everyone he first meets.
"Speaking of, I need to check mine." Soren said suddenly, turning his attention to the piece of paper. His eyes scanned it quickly, stopping not even a second after they had begun to move.
"Oh that guy." Soren sighed. "Could be worse I guess."
"Why? Who're you with?" Alfred asked curiously, peering over at the sheet.
"That Lukas kid. You know the one that didn't stand at first?"
"Oh him." Matthew laughed. "Yes I do remember. Well if anything he seems pretty quiet so you won't have any trouble there." He turned to Alfred, eye's gleaming expectantly. "Who are you with Al?"
Alfred flicked his eyes nervously to the ceiling. "Aha well turns out I somehow got paired up with Kirkland."
Matthew's eyes flashed in alarm. "Wait what? But what are the odds of that?"
Alfred shrugged. "One in eighteen. Seems like someone hate's me today if this happened despite those odds."
Matthew shook his head, stepping close enough to Alfred that he could put his hand on his shoulder. "Can you at least try to get along?" He pleaded. "Please Alfred? You know how much getting to international means to me."
Alfred sighed, but nodded begrudgingly. "Yea. Alright I'll try ok?"
Matthew smiled and hugged Alfred tightly. "Thank you thank you! As long as you try I have no complaints!"
"Yea you better not!" Alfred muttered, tugging at the smaller blonde's lose curl. "You're lucky I'm agreeing to this! If you weren't like my brother I would probably have laughed at you. Or taken you to a mental institution whichever would help more."
"Not to interrupt your moment but can I look at the list now?" Francis said suddenly.
Matthew's face burned scarlet and he nodded, stepping quickly away from Alfred to make way fro Francis. Alfred tensed as he watched the other boy pass them, slowly and deliberately. Alfred was doing it again, judging before knowing, and he hated it. Btu there was something about him, just like Arthur, that Alfred didn't like. He bit back and angry remark as he glimpsed Francis's hand brush Matthew's, eliciting a cry of surprise from his friend.
"Ah sorry!" He murmured quickly, jumping backward. Francis smiled pleasantly at him and shook his head.
"It's alright mon cher that was my fault."
Matthew's face lit up again and his mouth moved to form unreadable words, but he was otherwise silent. Francis leaned over the list, eyes darting across the names and searching for his own.
"Hm here we are. I'm with…" He trailed off a pleased smile working it's way to his face. "It would seem I'm rooming with you Mathieu." He said matter-o-factly.
"M-me?" Matthew cried, clutching his bag more tightly to his body. "Oh well um alright then." He smiled nervously.
"Would you like to pick the room or can I do 'zat?"
Matthew shook his head. "No no it's um o-ok."
"Perfect. Come on 'zen we should put our things away no?" Grabbing a flustered Matthew by the wrist, the Frenchman dragged him across the room and up the stairs before Alfred or Sore could get a word in edgewise.
"God save his soul." Soren muttered. "I'm not sure I trust that one around Matthew."
Alfred sighed, watching the stairs where the two had previously ascended. "Not much we can do about it. Oh look, seems like the others re finally here." Indeed they were. The front door swung open, revealing a bright eyed silver haired boy followed by the rest of them.
"You idiot if you ever do something like that again I'll bash your skull in." A voice that sounded like Romano's snapped.
"Kesesesesesese don't be such a kid, kid. I'm older then all of you so I get supreme authority! Whoohoo!" Gilbert yelled. "That means I'm more awesome then all of you! And I get to order you around!"
"How exactly did you get accepted to this school again?" Elizaveta muttered.
"Cause I'm awesome! Right Antonio?"
The Spanish boy laughed brightly shrugging his shoulders. "Don't' drag me into this mi amigo."
"Ve I wanna see who I'm with!"
"Ah I can't see what's going on."
"Would you idiot's move?"
"This is ridiculous! Keep moving through the door!"
"Everyone should move now, da?" A voice echoed loudly. The last remaining students scrambled through the door, tossing the tall Russian weary glances. With the last person in, the door was slammed shut and they were left to look around.
"Whoa this place isn't as big as I was picturing it." Gilbert muttered.
"Where's the rooming list?" Roderick called. Suddenly, the room was a blur; people pushing and shoving to get a look at the paper.
This is ridiculous! Alfred thought. We're going to kill each other before the school year starts. Stepping backward, he snatched the paper off the counter and hoisted himself onto the granite countertop.
"Alright quiet!" He called, standing on the island. "It won't do any good fighting to see it. I'll go down the list in order and tell you who's with whom. Then you guys can just stand there and listen, ok?"
"Who put you in charge?" Gilbert snapped.
"Le' h'm talk." Berwald said gruffly. "I d'n't see you g'ing up th're to he'p."
"Thank you." Alfred nodded gratefully. He glanced out over the crowd of students, butterflies flitting around in his stomach. Well here goes nothing, he thought.
"Alrighty then! First on the list: Roderich and Gilbert."
"WHAT?"
Alfred winced, covering his ears at the strength if the protest.
"Don't hurt the messenger man." He laughed. "That's what it say's."
"Lovely. If they think I'm going to room with that… that ruffian then they are mistaken." Roderich frowned.
Gilbert snorted, folding his arms. "Yea well I don't want to room with a prick like you either!"
"Guy's." Alfred shouted. "Take it outside. Or at least not in front of everyone else." Like Arthur and I. Alfred thought grimly. I'm really not looking forward to that actually.
"Ok, next we have Soren and Lukas."
Alfred smiled. Soren already knew that, but his partner had to know didn't he? Alfred glanced over at Soren who he found was watching the other boy for a reaction. He got none.
"Cool ok so next is Antonio and Lo- ah I mean Romano."
"Not a chance in hell." Romano snapped. "I'm not rooming with that moron. I'd rather sleep on pine needles."
"Aw you're not very nice." Antonio chuckled, obviously not the least it unnerved by Romano's attitude.
"You fag I'm going to…"
"Ve Fratello be nice!" Feliciano pleaded, interrupting his brother's death threats. Romano muttered what Alfred cold only guess were profanities in some other language and was then silent.
"Alright well then speaking of you Feliciano, you're sharing a room with Ludwig."
The broad shoulder German gave Alfred a startled look and turned his gaze to Feliciano.
"Alright." He said, nodding to Feliciano awkwardly.
"Not alright!" Romano yelled fiercely. "There's no way my brother is staying in the same room as that kraut bastard! Forget about it!"
"Ve Lovino I don't mind." Feliciano smiled. "I don't think he'll be mean to me or anything. Don't worry!"
"That's irrelevant Feli! This isn't…"
"Ok moving on." Alfred called over the auburn haired boy. "Next are Yao and Ivan. Cool?" Yao gave a nervous glance in Ivan's direction but nodded nonetheless. The tall Russian simply smiled broadly.
"Alright Berwald and Tino."
The smaller blonde shot a weak smile towards Berwald (who seemed as if he was trying to stare the smaller boy down) before turning to Lukas and whispering something in his ear.
"Ah then…" He looked over the list raising his eyes in surprise. "Oh. Well Elizaveta has her own room and I guess you do too Kiku cause there's no one left. I mean uh you're on the list but you're by yourself." He laughed. "So yea that's everyone I guess. Join up with your partner and pick a room, remember the uniform fitters are coming in less then an hour." The words tumbled awkwardly out of Alfred's mouth, and it took every ounce of his courage to keep from jumping off the counter. He prided himself on always being able to help people. It was what he did. But he'd never really fancied himself a leader. He was just to… Alfred for that.
Watching the room slowly morph into chaos again as the students made there way to the stairs, he slipped off the table and stepped over to Soren smiling warily.
"Well that was fun." He muttered sarcastically. "I really don't think I want to do that again."
"Why did you offer to in the first place?" Soren snorted. "I would have just let them look for themselves."
"Yea but that's so much less inefficient then just calling out names." He argued. "Besides no one else was going to offer."
Soren rolled his eyes and smiled. "You really need to be less nice you know that?"
"If I was nice I wouldn't be fighting with Arthur."
Soren shrugged. "You'll work it out eventually. At least to the point that you're not beating each other up."
"Go." Alfred laughed, shoving his friend into the crowd. "You need to find a room with your new 'buddy'."
"Don't remind me." Soren grumbled. "I can't believe I got stuck with the snow cone. Seriously I don't think he's said more then a couple words since this whole thing started." He shook his head, running a large hand through his spiky blonde hair. "Anyway you coming up?"
"Nah maybe later." He replied. "I'm just gonna crash down here for a little while and wait for Arthur to cool off. I'd really prefer not to have a lamp shaped indent in my skull come Monday."
"Good luck man." Soren chuckled, saluting him as he backed up the stairs.
"You too. And if you happened to figure out which room is Matty's…"
"I'll make sure he's still alive." He grinned. With a final nod, the tall Dane disappeared around the corner of the stairs, leaving Alfred once again alone in the large room.
"I'll give him five minutes." Alfred sighed, slumping into the single chair in the room. Twiddling his thumbs, he thought back absentmindedly on his old school. His one-month high school. Pretty much everyone from the school were kids who had moved up from the middle school so everyone knew each other. There hadn't been any introductions the first day. No 'hi nice to meet you's' and what not. It was simple, easy and boring.
Alfred glanced around the room, fixing his eyes on the fireplace. But this; this was unlike anything he'd ever even dreamed existed. Suddenly every thing was different and he had so many choices to make.
"How badly do I want to get to international?" He murmured to himself in the quiet. That was a valid question. It would determine how much effort he put into the teamwork aspect of any of this. If he was to be honest with himself, it didn't matter to him either way. But Matty wants to go. He thought. He bit his lip and stared up at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of footsteps overhead.
Matty had been the first one to really talk to him. Sure those girls had run right up to him even at that young an age, and some of the guys did say hello and were friendly with him, but Matty actually talked. Talked and listened.
They'd been seated next to each other in English after the third week of school. Alfred had been getting along at a mediocre level, just sort of gliding through his classes and talking to who ever said hello. At that point, Alfred had been sure he'd talked to everyone in his grade at least once. So his surprise at the young unfamiliar boy sitting behind him was understandable.
They hit off almost immediately. Matthew was a foreigner just like he was, and although he was a little more quiet and shy then Alfred's old friends, there was something familiar about him that drew Alfred to him like a moth to a flame. From that day one, they were inseparable. Where Alfred went, Matthew followed and where Matthew was so was he. They were like brothers, though the bond that formed between them was thicker then any blood in the world and Matthew became one of the most important people to him.
The next year, Soren transferred in and the trio was born.
Alfred frowned, pulling his knees close to his chest and clutching his arms around them. What would happen now? What would become of them now that they're destinies had changed so much? Would they still be as close as they were before? He shook his head, burying it between his knees.
"Everything is going to be fine." He murmured. Narrowing his eyes he pushed out of the chair and shook himself. "Don't think stuff like that!" He laughed. "Honestly all this rain is really getting to me." We glanced own at his watch and sighed.
"Alright! Time to go to my room… with Arthur in it… wheeee…"
Throwing his bag over his shoulder, he began his ascent up the stairs. "Hm." He said thoughtfully. "I don't think I even know where the room is now that I think about it." He shrugged and continued upward. Oh well. He thought. I'll find it eventually. Guess I'll just have to knock on some doors or something.
He reached the top of the stairs and gazed down an empty hallway, four rooms on one side of him four on the other, and two next to each other on each side.
"Hmm which one first?"
He stepped slowly down the hall to his right, listening closely at the sounds in the rooms.
"Hey you this is my side of the room you here me? If you get any of your crud on my awesomeness I'll fucking kill you."
"Do not believe for a second I want to touch your atrocious belongings. Keep your things away from me."
Roderich and Gilbert in room one. He laughed inwardly. Stepping away from the first door, he crept over to the second and frowned. Hmm he couldn't hear anything from this one. Could this be Arthur's?
"Ah sorry. How did you want to work our belongings and such? You can use that side if you… is that vodka?"
"Da. In Russia I'm allowed to drink so it's ok. You don't have a problem with it do you?"
"Not as long as you keep it away from me. Honestly."
Alfred had immediately recognized the Asian boy's voice and realized that he must have happened across Yao and Ivan's room. Good luck buddy. He thought, pity lacing his thoughts as he crept to the two doors on the other side.
"What the hell you moron! Get the fuck away from me! Here I'm going to draw a huge fucking line right down the middle. THIS is my side THAT is yours. Got it?
"But Lovi I thought we were going to be friends!
"Who said anything about that? Get lost!"
Alfred covered his ear and stepped away from the door. Yea Romano and Antonio for sure. But damn it where was the room Arthur had chosen? He was the first one up why the heck didn't he choose the first room? He was getting tired of this.
"Arthur?" he called down the hall. He cringed a little. He didn't really like using the Briton's first name but he figured it was more polite and if he was going to try to reconcile with him he had to start somewhere. His voiced echoed against the wooden walls bouncing and reverberating around him.
"Arthur? Hey Arthur where the heck is our ro-agh!" He felt himself being grabbed roughly from behind and he tumbled backward through a suddenly open door and into an unfamiliar room.
"Owww what the heck, who was that? Not cool man." He grumbled, rubbing the back of his head as he lay on the cool floor. Snapping his eyes open he tried desperately to focus on the figure above him, finding there was nothing but blur.
"Huh? Where are my glasses?" He cried, feeling frantically around his eyes. "Ok seriously who is this? Give them back please I need those! I can't see a thing without them!" No reply. "Please! Come on I'm begging! I never beg man so come on give them back!" He felt helpless without his glasses. He couldn't see two inches in front of his face without them. When his glasses were off, he missed everything in front of him. It passed him by like it wasn't even there, and it scared him more then anything in the world not being able to experience the world around him. If he couldn't see anything what could he do? He was no longer the hero. He was just some loser who tripped over his own feet. His hands skimmed the floor around him feeling for his lost spectacles
"Please please please! Come on I'm serious! I'll do anything if you give me my glasses back!"
In the blur, he could make out a figure leaning down toward him and settle at what he assumed was eye level. Slowly, a dark object approached his face nearing his eyes at something of a leisurely pace, as if the person was content with taking their time. He felt fingers brush his cheek on a path that eventually led to his ears, where the digits rested something cold and familiar in the crevice between his ears and his hair. He suppressed a shudder at the contact, the cool fingers slipping across his skin in an almost sensual fashion that made him wonder suddenly just who the heck he was dealing with.
With the hooks of his glasses in place, he felt the figure slowly lowering the frames toward his nose at a pace still as dawdling as ever. He closed his eyes, feeling the glasses finally coming down on his bridge. He would screw his eyes up if he didn't close them first; going straight from such blur to clarity would make him dizzy. As the cool bridge settled on his nose, he sensed the presence of the hands disappear from his face, although the feeling of closeness between he and the other person still remained.
Screwing his eyes up under his eyelids, he slowly opened them, allowing the slightest bit of vision in at a time until he could see clearly.
And suddenly, he was desperately wishing that he had left his eyes closed.
A/N: Muahaha finally true interaction! Dances so I basically wrote the last part off the top of my head because I had no idea what to write XD But I'm happy I did because this is starting things out just the way I wanted too :D I know this is a short chapter I'm so sorry! But I promise the next one will be waaaaaay longer because I wanted to end it right there XD