AN: Heheh… hello again, readers of this horrible fanfic. I'm very sorry that I couldn't churn this out more quickly. Really, I am… please forgive me? *hopeful expression* I was sick for a week, had writer's block, and was sort of unmotivated… yeah crappy, crappy, crappy excuses, I know. Still, I hope you enjoy this new update!

…

Once upon a time, certain people were born.

These people were very smart and ahead of their peers. They was able to create a concept known as "math" to help explain the world around themselves.

One of these people created a type of math called "geometry".

And now they teach this strange and foreign idea in schools all around the world.

Especially in 9th grade.

Which 14-year olds Feliciano Vargas and Kiku Honda were forced to enroll in.

"Oh no, Kiku! Ve, Kiku, I'm going to faiiilllll!"

"Oh yes, Feli-chan. Looks like it's time to tutor you in geometry, then…"

Now why did Kiku say that sentence in such a sing-song voice?

…

First days are hard for everyone. Even after about 11 years of having to do it already, Kiku still wasn't used to having to go from sleeping in one day, then waking up at 6am the next. And after hearing the numerous tales from survivors of the place they call high school, Kiku wasn't feeling all that up to entering the infamous 9th grade freshman year.

Of course, he would have his friends (and Feliciano). They managed to somehow stick with their old lunch group from way back when they were only 10 years old. Sure, there were a couple of rifts between them all, but they succeeded (somehow) in keeping in touch with each other, just to regroup back together the following year.

9th grade would (hopefully) be no different. Hey, maybe they would be able to pick up some new people to befriend.

But for now, he would have to settle for sitting on the bus with Feliciano and try to shield him from the other (crazy) people that also took their bus.

You could argue that Kiku was just being an overprotective butt for Feliciano, giving off the impression that Kiku was someone lofty and aloof.

Wait… an overprotective butt? That sounds like someone familiar… someone by the name of Lovino maybe? Big brother to everyone's favorite (innocent) Italian?

Does that name ring a bell to anyone? Yes? No? Ah well…

…

School buses are loud. School buses are noisy. School buses have people who are loud and noisy.

The bus was not an environment which Kiku found himself wishing to be back in after every departure from it. Unfortunately, he has no one else that is willing to take him to school at 7:30 in the morning. Yao would always be a sleepyhead rushing out of the door at the very last minute, trying to get to work on time, so he was out of the question. And Kiku's parents were, too - they were almost never home, always going on business trips (but he loved and respected them all the same. At least they left Yao with him.)

The one positive factor Kiku had about the bus was that Feli also rode on the bus. They'd done everything together since they had met in kindergarten, so why should riding a bus be excluded from the list? Besides, Lovino had to go to work too, so Feli was in a similar position as Kiku.

So the time comes when Kiku must board one of the forsaken buses in order to attend school and be a good student. He climbed up the steps of the vehicle once it safely stopped at his house, and the yellow doors welcomed him in. After finding his and Feli's usual seat, he slid in it and settled in.

The driver saw that he had safely parked his butt and resumed the ride.

Ah, these type of mornings were the ones that he could rely on. It had been a whole three months before he had to resume the early morning school routine: get up, out of bed, eat a bit, rush out into the bus, settle down… relax. Look out the window. And then, screech. Oh, the bus stopped again. The next passenger comes aboard. Which so happened to yours truly, Feliciano.

This was most definitely the favorite part of the trip. Seeing that cute, little face that was barely awake, that slight hunch of the shoulders that dropped from the sheer weight of his backpack, the small hand that reached up to cover his lips as they released a tiny yawn why are you so adorable Feli-chan you should sit down before other people start to notice you-

Feliciano, as always, looked around habitually before resting his eyes on Kiku's and his normal space before inching his way through the aisles and finally slumping into the usual brown, leather seat beside Kiku. He released a sigh and leaned his sleepy self onto Kiku's own slightly weary figure, resting his head in the crook of Kiku's shoulder.

"Ve, Kiku… Why does school have to start so early?" Feliciano (cutely) pouted after his statement. "I feel like summer just passed by us in two seconds…" A tiny yawn escaped, and Feli slowly started to drift off as the bus resumed the drive.

Kiku smirked down slightly at the sleepy Italian, but Feli only snuggled closer to Kiku's body. Normally Kiku would've gently pushed off any other person (invasion of personal privacy was very concerning for him), but this was Feliciano. Cute, adorable Feli-chan. He could (would) make exceptions for him.

Ah, but maybe Feliciano was too adorable, though...

Kiku knew that he shouldn't have even dared to, but… every day, every time Feliciano sat down next to him on the bus in his sleepy daze, he always wanted to kiss him.

Guilty confession: he always did.

After cautiously assuring that Feliciano was fast asleep, he very, very softly pressed his lips against Feliciano's own. Not many people would've expected Kiku to ever do something like this, but he couldn't resist. And Feli's long, dark eyelashes were doing no good in restraining him, either - they sweeped against his bare neck, lightly grazing it. Only making Kiku want more.

You can't really blame him, either. Feliciano truly was adorable with his supple cheeks puffing in and out with each breath of air, the unsuspecting, lax look on his petite face, those auburn bangs falling in the way to delicately brush up against his gently closed eyes it was too much too much.

He would never admit this himself, but he ended up pulling Feliciano closer to him anyway.

…

It was too bad that the ride could only last so long, because Kiku really wouldn't have minded if he and Feli were allowed to sit and ride on that bus all day together.

But a horrible thing called school commences at some point of the weekday for them, and unfortunately, they must follow.

Kiku took one last (long) look at the dozing Feliciano before lightly shaking the Italian awake.

"C'mon, Feli-chan, the ride has ended… we have to actually learn things now." He prodded Feli again with a little bit more pressure. Of course, it wasn't enough to ever hurt Feliciano… no, he would never…

One last final poke, and Feliciano stirred awake. They would have to hurry up a bit now; Feli always took a long time to wake. Most of the people were already off the bus and walking into the school building.

But though Feli stirred awake, he whined in protest about it.

"Ve…! Kiku…" he complained.

Kiku sighed. Looks like he would have to take things into his own hands. As per usual.

He shrugged Feli off and climbed out of the seat. And as Feli promptly started complaining about the sudden lack of warmth a Kiku, he pulled Feli up and out of the seat to a standing position (even if it meant Feliciano nearly losing his balance and tumbling onto him as he was pulled up).

"Feli-chan, we have to hurry to class now. And look, we are the last people on the bus. We need to leave," Kiku huffed.

Feliciano pouted, but followed Kiku out of the bus anyways.

"Hmph… I hate school, ve…" Feli muttered to himself as he stepped off the bus.

"Yet we still have to do it. So let's go," Kiku chided back.

"Fineeeee…" Feli griped one last time before submitting and trailing after Kiku into the school building.

Good.

…

"And then fratellone told me that his co-worker was trying to hit on him for some reason! I don't get it, Kiku! Why would anyone want to hit Lovin-"

Feliciano paused his ranting.

Why?

Well, maybe it was because of that hulking figure that just bumped into him.

Tall, broad, and blonde, this boy (more like man) was very intimidating to Feliciano. But… hey, he was also kind of handsome…

Feliciano's first instinct was to greet the new boy with his signature smile and friendly "Ciao!", but the expression on his face was so stern and harsh, it almost seemed as if he was glaring at poor Feli.

But you could tell he wasn't, because the look in his eyes were not angry; just slightly surprised.

They stared at each other for just a second, but then the larger boy broke the silence with a cough.

"Er… my apologies for bumping into you… uh…"

Feliciano snapped out of his daze and quickly replied, "Feliciano! I'm Feliciano!" He offered a shy, shaky smile because Dio, this boy was still staring down at him with those piercing, blue eyes…

The boy nodded and introduced himself as "Ludwig". He then excused himself, and was about to leave until a certain someone suddenly stepped in.

"Feli-chan, who's this?"

It appeared that Kiku noticed Feli's hold-up. Because he totally didn't keep tabs on Feliciano 24/7.

Feliciano whipped his head around to face Kiku, and replied, "Ve, Kiku, this is Ludwig! He accidentally bumped into me as I was walking, so he was just apologizing!" He giggled lightly.

Strangely, a flash of annoyance from Kiku's end seemed to come across his face, but Feliciano quickly dismissed it since it only appeared for a fraction of a millisecond. Maybe it was just his imagination… or a trick of the light…

But much to Feli's chagrin, Kiku quickly gave Ludwig a polite apology and farewell, then pulled Feliciano away to continue walking into the school.

Feli huffed. "Ve! Kiku, why'd you pull me away? That guy was nice…"

"...and kinda cute, too…" he added quietly, so faint it was barely there.

…

What do I do, what do I do…

Kiku's mind raced during his 2nd period English class as he determined ways he could keep his Feli-chan away from that broad blonde boy.

Ludwig.

He thought it would just be a simple accident, just like that. But noo, Feli-chan thought that kono yaro was cute. Of all things, cute. He didn't see how anybody would ever regard that uptight, stereotypical German-looking, glaring little baka as cute. Cute, as in attractive in a pretty or endearing way. Cute, as in his adorable little Feli-chan that needed to stop hanging onto that boy that he deliberately chose to sit next to why why why are you doing this-

He tried not to stare in their direction, but it was pretty hard not to when the person you're sitting next to is literally dangling out of their seat to talk to the (stupid) person two seats away from you.

It should not be my business, he reminded himself. Feli-chan will be alright. He couldn't possibly last with that unworthy boy.

He should be mine he should be mine he should be mine mine mine mine.

And mine alone.

Aishiteru, Feli-chan…

…

Feliciano was always a sucker for pasta, everybody knew that.

But at lunch he barely touched his.

Instead he couldn't help but (not) discreetly steal glances at his new friend Ludwig.

Sure enough, Gilbert noticed.

Smirking at Feli, he enquired, "Whatcha doin' lookin at my baby bruder, Feli? Surely you aren't crushing on him, are you?" He added cockily.

Feliciano snapped his attention over to Gilbert. "Ve, he's your fratellino?!"

Gilbert nodded, smile only growing larger on his jaunty face. "Ja, Ludwig here's my baby bro. He moved from Germany to live with our Mutter since Vater is done with his work over there. Don't you remember that blonde fifth grader that always sat in the very back? That was him!" Upon learning this, a light blush dusted Feliciano's cheeks. Avoiding Gilbert's knowing stare, he glanced away and stammered out an, "O-oh! I-I didn't know that, v-ve!"

Gilbert and Francis had to snicker a bit at Feli's flustered expression. It was just too cute!

Gil couldn't resist it, but he toyed around with Feliciano a little more by whispering, "But I'm sure that you know that you should date me, because I'm the awesomest person on this planet, little Feli!"

Feliciano turned positively red, just like one of big brother Antonio's precious tomatoes! (oh hey, now he resembles his brother's constant facial expression a bit more!)

"D-don't say that!" He managed to stutter in response.

A cackle escaped Gilbert while Francis giggled (a bit girlishly, actually) and hugged Feliciano. (probably just another excuse to be able to touch him).

...all the meanwhile trying to ignore Kiku's unnerving gaze, which was somehow so nonchalant, yet so intense…

…

AN: Please tell me what you guys think of this chapter? Any concerns, questions, comments, advice, criticism, anything and everything are always welcome in the reviews.