As usual, I don't own any of these characters.

And just so you know, I'd be a lot more encouraged if at least one person would review. Not having any feedback is a little dissuasive.

Matthew woke to a loud orchestra intro, eyes snapping open. He picked his face up from the pillow and groped for the volume.

Empty spaces, what are we living for? Abandoned places, I guess we know this door. On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for?

He turned the knob lower and groaned, rolling onto his back. He tore back his curtains as he sat up, noting that Kiku's bed was already made and he was gone. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. It was only six in the morning. His first class didn't start until nine.

He walked out to the living room after putting on a uniform, tugging at the starched collar and silk tie, articles he wasn't used to. He'd put his notebooks and pencils in his messenger bag, but left it on his bed for now, since he had three hours. Kiku was sitting on the floor, as opposed to the couch, in front of the coffee table. He was kneeling, sitting on his heels, and drinking tea again.

"You sure like your tea." He spoke up.

"Hai." Kiku nodded, taking another sip. "Tea calms the nerves. You wouldn't be so nervous if you drank tea." He pointed out.

Matthew frowned. "How do you know I'm nervous?"

"I can read the atmosphere." Was all he said before turning his attention to a magazine he was reading. It had an animated character with ridiculously huge eyes on the front, and the title was in Japanese characters. A manga. Matthew remembered a few mangas he liked, but he had never really gotten into them.

Bored, Matthew left the dorm and went to the dining hall. He wasn't very hungry, so he just grabbed a couple of slices of toast. He walked out onto the campus and spotted the gardens Alfred had been referring to. It was huge, more like a small park. He ambled over, enjoying the cool, still morning air and the scenery.

He found a bench under a tree in the garden and sat down, enjoying the scent of the dew on the plants and the general crispness surrounding. He heard a sound in the garden nearby and glanced around. It sounded like someone was talking. He stood and walked a little ways, peering through the flowers and bushes.

He was surprised to see the jerk who'd pushed him and Alfred in the hall, sitting at another bench and throwing toast crumbs to the various birds that had gathered at his feet. He was wearing his uniform now, but still sported his scarf. The birds seemed to love him. They were all different colors and species, and some of them even dared to land on the intimidating boy's shoulders and arms and eat out of his hand. Matthew gaped. How could he be so gentle with the most annoying animal on Earth, but wouldn't spare his fellow man a civil glance?

As Matthew watched, the boy ran out of crumbs and held his hands up, as if to show the birds nothing was left. He spoke in a deep voice, but one so soft the birds almost seemed entranced, rather than frightened by it. His words were laden with a thick accent Matthew couldn't place. "Sorry. No more." The birds still milled about a little, until Matthew shifted, stepping on a twig. The birds took off and the tall student's head snapped up, eyes locking on Matthew in a cold stare. His entire countenance changed in that split second, and he was just as intimidating as the previous night. Matthew decided to call him "Evil Eye", at least in his head.

Matthew wondered if he should say something to not look rude, but his voice caught in his throat. Just then, someone grabbed his arm from behind and he screamed.

"Woah, relax, Mattie! Jeez, you act like I'm attacking you, bro!" Alfred laughed. "C'mon, let's go chill before we go to class."

"B-but..." Matthew turned around. The other student was gone. He shook his head. "Yeah, ok."

The rest of the day flew by. Matthew had a lot of classes with Kiku, whose studies also centered around math, and who seemed to rather enjoy looking over Matthew's shoulder and correcting his notes for him. Second period he had biology with Alfred. They separated for third and fourth before meeting again for lunch. Alfred was unbelievably psyched that they served hamburgers for lunch, though he complained that they weren't the same as McDonalds'. Though Matthew thought they were much better.

Fifth period rolled around and Alfred dragged Matthew to the gym after they grabbed their P.E. uniforms, just a sweats version of the school uniform. He chatted about how he could throw a forward pass the whole hundred yards, no problem, and if the school had any sense at all they would put him on their team. Matthew didn't bother pointing out that they probably didn't play his version of "football" here.

Alfred made sure he and Matthew got lockers right next to each other in the back of the locker room. They changed, stowing their bags and their uniforms in the lockers before going out into the gym, which was enormous. The main area was mostly basketball and tennis courts, with a few double doors leading to other rooms, one a pool and the other, to Matthew's joy, a hockey rink. He'd always loved skating and street hockey and never had a chance to play the real thing. Maybe he'd get a chance now.

His thoughts were interrupted by the instructor. "Alright, everyone. I'm Mr. Crowley, you can call me Coach. Now, just because this is a world-renown school doesn't mean we can't get dirty like everyone else, k? So I don't wanna hear any complaining. You're all men and you can handle it." He seemed really serious. He was large and muscular, definitely fit the gym coach stereotype, with short-cropped sandy hair. Matthew feared for his safety and hoped prestigious schools didn't play dodge-ball.

Mr. Crowley had them line up in two even lines now. "I expect all of you rich little Nancies have played basketball before, right?" He mocked. Matthew remained lethargic. He didn't mind basketball as long as no one fouled him. He was fast, but frail, and he didn't like being crushed. He heard Alfred groan and felt him tug on his sleeve.

"You believe this? How is this even?" He pointed to the other team and Matthew looked from it, back to their team, and back again. It seemed like most of the boys on the other team were bigger, and at the end of the line, Evil Eye sulked, towering even over the tall German boy next to him, who also looked formidable. He was no longer wearing his scarf, but he did have a towel draped over his shoulders, as if they wouldn't let him wear his scarf and he'd opted for the towel instead.

"W-we'll just keep to the edges." Matthew gulped.

The game started off without a hitch. Though Matthew's and Alfred's team were small, most of them were fast. However, an Italian student named Feliciano continually freaked out when the other team rushed him, dropping the ball and screaming that he surrendered. At this, Alfred went off on the poor boy, making him cry. Mr. Crowley finally pulled Alfred out of the game when Feliciano's brother, Lovino, got into the argument and Alfred shoved the basketball into his stomach to shut him up.

They were nearing the end of the game, and the score was surprisingly close, most likely because everyone on the teams were strangers from other countries and had trouble working together. Evil Eye and the German kid constantly broke out into fistfights over passes, letting the other team score.

Matthew had the ball. He wasn't sure how it happened. But he was moving now, trying not to lose his coordination as at least three people surrounded him. He shot the ball just as someone ran straight into him. He fell to the ground, the other person tripping over him and swearing loudly as he too went sprawling. Matthew heard a cheer as the ball miraculously went through the hoop, and he looked up. They won.

He smiled. He couldn't believe he'd saved the game. He'd never been this useful before. He barely noticed he was still on the ground until Feliciano helped him up, hugging him. Awkward. He turned to see the guy who fouled him picking himself up. He was very pale, with even paler hair and red eyes.

The albino turned to the German boy and started complaining about his loss. At least, that's what Matthew assumed he was complaining about, because it was all in German. The blonde nodded apathetically and gave a seemingly cynical response before ditching the albino and returning to the locker room. The albino seethed and snapped at him in German before chasing after him.

Matthew met Alfred as they were walking toward the locker room. "Yo Mattie, that was sick, man!" He praised. "Even when that douche ran into you, you totally made the shot!" He clapped Matthew on the shoulder, making him wince.

"Y-yeah." Matthew replied, rubbing his shoulder. "I-it was ok."

Alfred and Matthew took a quick shower before changing back into their school uniforms. They walked to the main building, Alfred chatting away, and didn't separate until the bell rang and Alfred realized he had to get to the third floor in thirty seconds. Matthew rolled his eyes and walked into his history class, sitting down near the window in the back.

Near the end of class, Matthew was interrupted from his notes by a sharp tug on his hair. He turned to meet the grinning face of the albino student from gym class. "That was some shot today."

Something about the mischievous glint in the boy's red eyes told Matthew this wasn't just small talk. Or that it was and there was an ulterior motive. "Uh... y-yeah." He replied neutrally. "I guess..."

The albino laughed. "Damn, for such a good basketball player, you sure act like a little mouse." He grinned. "I'm Gilbert." He added, leaning back in his chair.

"M-Matthew." He replied without being asked. "S-sorry, I-I'm just shy."

"Don't be." Gilbert flashed a dazzling white smile to match his hair. "The only other student I know is my uptight cousin, Ludwig." He pointed to the front of the class, where the German boy from gym was dutifully scrawling notes. "But I don't care what any of these Verlierer think of me." He sat forward a little. "But what do you think of me?"

Matthew wasn't sure what kind of answer Gilbert wanted. "W-well, you're very self-confident."

Gilbert chuckled. "I'm awesome."

Matthew didn't get a chance to ask exactly why Gilbert was awesome because the bell rang just then and the albino jumped up, winked at Matthew, and zipped off to his next class. Matthew simply stared after him, confused.

At dinner, Alfred went on and on about how he could have won if anyone had passed him the ball, recounting old stories of him trouncing other kids when he was younger back on the streets in Phoenix. "I forgot to ask, where are you from?"

"Tucson." Matthew answered quietly, taking a bite of mashed potatoes. "It kinda sucks there."

"Yeah I know, my cousin lives there." Alfred laughed. "Man, I can't believe we never met, we're like the coolest friends ever, man!" He thumped Matthew on the shoulder, making him wince.

"Th-thanks. I never had many friends back in the valley." Matthew smiled. He didn't know why Alfred had taking such a liking to him. He was so flamboyant and social and Matthew was shy and introverted. But he didn't question it, he was grateful he didn't have to worry about making friends here.

"Well ya only need me, Mattie." Alfred grinned. Matthew could practically see the other boy's ego inflating. He smiled, amused, and went to respond but was cut off by someone else sitting at the table.

"Hey Matt!" Gilbert set his tray on the table, tugging his cousin Ludwig along, who looked like he didn't want to sit there. "Luddy, this is Matt, the kid I tackled in gym, remember?" He snickered.

"Ja." Ludwig responded bluntly and sat down, looking bored. He gazed off to the side, ignoring the other three people at the table.

Gilbert ignored his cousin's obvious lethargy. "Who's this, your brother?" Gilbert nodded toward Alfred.

"N-no, this is my friend Alfred. We're both from Arizona but we met on the plane. Or, after we got off. Alfred, this is Gilbert from gym and his cousin Ludwig." Matthew answered.

"You look just like each other, you know that?" Gilbert laughed. "Creepy~"

"Yeah I thought the same thing, dude!" Alfred joined in. "It's like looking in a mirror." He reached up and tussled Matthew's hair. Matthew hoped his hair wasn't full of hamburger grease.

Alfred and Gilbert hit it off really well, yakking away the rest of the meal. Matthew finished his supper and excused himself to go to his room, saying goodnight to Alfred and Gilbert, who waved after him enthusiastically.

Matthew returned to his dorm and threw his bag on his bed. He turned his radio on and flipped through an old Green Lantern comic he'd brought with him. He loved his comics, he had to at least bring his favorites. He vaguely wondered if there were any comic book stores nearby and if he would get a chance to visit one. He never heard the front door open or close, though Kiku popped in a short while later.

"I made tea, do you want some? I can not drink it all alone." He invited quietly.

Matthew sat up, tossing the comic onto his dresser. "Sure."

"Do you like manga?" Kiku inquired, eying the comic book.

"Huh?" Matthew followed his gaze. "Oh, well, I have a lot more American comics, but I like some manga. Death Note's pretty cool."

"You like Death Note?" Kiku's face lit up. "I love Death Note! I have read it fifty times!" Matthew was sure he was exaggerating. Though after they started drinking tea and Kiku managed to talk about Death Note for about an hour straight, he conceded maybe it wasn't a hyperbole after all.

Matthew yawned subconsciously and Kiku turned to the clock, realizing it was late. He looked slightly embarrassed. "Ano... I do not usually talk this much."

"It's ok, neither do I." Matthew assured him. "But it's ok to ramble if you're passionate about something. I do that too." He was glad to see that was enough to make Kiku feel better.

"Arigato." He nodded, a very tiny, almost invisible smile gracing his face. "I will clean up. Goodnight, Matthew-san." He grabbed the tea tray and took it to the sink.

"Goodnight, Kiku." Matthew stood and went back to the room. He sat on his bed to take his shoes off, planning on changing into his pajamas in a minute, but he never got a chance, falling asleep as soon as his glasses were safely on the dresser.