If there was one thing about Eduard that Tino did have to give him props for, it was that he was determined.

He had been working to avoid the other male all week. He wasn't dumb, he knew Berwald didn't like the Estonian and he couldn't risk upsetting his newly found boy. Still though, Eduard was harder to hide from than he had initially expected. He figured that if he just took different routes to his classes then he should be able to avoid him, but apparently Eduard had been asking around. He had spotted Tino three out of seven times on average per day. (Luckily, Berwald wasn't with him any of those times but still- people talk.)

Tino sighed and chewed his lip. Lunch had been going fairly similar to breakfast, just some idle chatter and maybe a few come-ons. He had managed to stop Eduard from coming over with a look that said 'one-more-step-and-you're-dead'. The other recoiled almost instantly and moved back to sit with his other friends, looking back at him all the way. Okay, so he knew it may have been just a bit much, but honestly the stalking through the halls had been getting to him and he was feeling particularly irritable at the time. He would be sitting with Berwald from then on and he knew that if he didn't lay down the law on day one he would have lunch-room drama to deal with almost daily. Third period was awkward enough already with both of them in it.

Luckily, now it was seventh, and the very last minute of seventh to be precise. He just wanted to get out, maybe go and find Berwald a bit later to hang out before bed, and then sleep. The second classes let out Tino almost ran down the hallway, trying to maybe continue to stay away from-

Slam. He had just ran into Eduard and successfully knocked off his glasses. Shit now he actually had to be nice to him. He couldn't have any bad words floating about him, not this early on. Maybe further into the relationship, if Berwald loved him enough, he could take his chances explaining away more unsavory actions, but for now he had to be perfect. Especially now, because Eduard talked if you didn't threaten him to keep quiet and he couldn't have half the school spreading things that may or may not get back to someone important. Taking a breath, he feigned innocence and started to speak.

"Oh my gosh Eduard I am so sorry! I didn't see you there! Are you okay?" He gently picked up the other's glasses and handed them back to him while he spoke.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Fuck Tino it's impossible to get a hold of you, I texted you like, fifty times." Eduard replied while standing up.

I know ass-hole. Ever think I didn't want to talk to you? "Yeah, I'm really sorry about that. I was just kind of busy with Ber and stuff."

"We need to talk about that. Come on, I'll get you some Salmiakki?"

Fuck. That was his weakness, and a give. If he turned Salmiakki down it would be obvious that something was up, and he couldn't have that. Well, he technically could get away this time if it was important, but the Eduard would just keep asking and asking and next time there may not even be Salmiakki. Somehow, just being the other's 'friend' wasn't enough of an incentive anymore. With another forced smile, the Finn pushed a spare hair behind his ear nodded.

"Oh, alright. Anything for a friend."

Eduard grinned and started to walk with him to the court yard, and Tino just thought that it never ceased to amaze him how gullible the boy was.

"And so I asked him to be my boyfriend, and he agreed." Tino finished his story, smiling coyly and looking up through his eye-lashes while chewing a piece of Salmiakki. It had actually felt kind of nice to tell someone about his experience. He felt giddy inside now, with no real reason. Okay, so maybe Eduard was capable of good ideas.

"Are you fucking serious? Tino, that guy is fucking terrifying!" Eduard stammered, staring wide eyed at Tino. He couldn't believe that his best friend was really going with that- that freak! It was almost nauseating.

"Eduard, you've got it all wrong! Berwald is a real sweetheart; he would never hurt a fly." The Finn almost cooed. And he's hot, unlike someone else I know.

"Tino, just listen to me- this is crazy! You have no idea what you are getting yourself into-"

"Well you don't, either an-"

"And he's a freak! No one knows anything about him, he never talks, he's always alone, don't you thing that there's a reason for all of that? He's probably sociopathic, or sadistic or-"

"Or a really sweet boy that no one understands." Tino interrupted, sitting up a little straighter. He actually felt some-what offended by the other boy. "If you don't know a thing about him how do you know he's not just shy? How do you know he's not just nervous?"

"How do you know he didn't rape you while you were out? Honestly Tino if you were in that situation you know you could have, oh, I don't know, called me maybe, and-"

"How do I know you wouldn't have raped me? And also, how do you know if I wanted it from him or not? Maybe I did. It's not rape, in that case…" Tino giggled. Eduard choked on air.

"TINO!"

"Sorry. Just saying~."

Eduard looked bewildered. He also looked almost hurt. Tino smiled a little. He had known that the idea of him wanting the Swedish man would definitely shake the Estonian.

"Are you still a virgin?"

Yes. "I don't know, am I? Why do you need to know, Eduard?" The Finnish teen said, smiling and leaning back a little. Mocking him. You'll never have anything from me, anyway, and just what makes you think you even had a chance at my virginity? Oh poor, delusional boy.

The other remained silent for a moment. It was blatantly obvious that Tino wasn't going to give him a straight out answer, and he gave up for now. He just hoped that the boy was joking. He didn't think the Finn had such poor judgment, anyway.

"Um… anyway. Look, I'm just concerned for you okay. The guy never talks to anyone, never even talks, and there is no way of knowing what his past was like. He probably kills things for fun. And seriously, he's probably just trying to get in your pants. All I'm saying is that this guy is bad news. He's a fucking sociopathic freak-"

"No he's not!" Tino yelled and stood up, defensive and actually a little upset now. "What makes you think you have any right to judge him? You have none! You're not privileged, you're not above him! You're not above anyone! You don't even know one thing about him, and here you are acting as though you do! I actually do know something about him and let me tell you he is kind, Eduard. He's kind!" He was flashing back to the vodka and the Advil, and he didn't even notice how his eyes suddenly glassed over a little.

"Tino-" Eduard started gently, a little worried about his friend. Tino ignored him.

"He's kind, Eduard. He's kind, and he has feelings just like anyone else and you have no right to fucking trample on him. He's just a lonely, misunderstood boy. He was a child, just like anyone else, and that's precious Eduard. He's precious. I can't believe you could even say things like that about him!" The Finn almost shrieked. Okay, so he did believe that Eduard could say such disgusting things. He knew it full well, hell he used to hear him so it almost every day. Still though, disbelief is a must. Disbelief makes you the victim, and it's all okay as long as you look like the one being victimized. People never say anything bad about you if you paint these things as self-defense.

He didn't even notice that he was trembling a little, but if he did he would have thought it a nice effect.

"And killing things for fun? Seriously Eduard? That's what goes on in your" sick little "head? Are you high when you say these things? And oh, is he just trying to get into my pants? Is he now? Because I'm pretty fucking sure that I don't know anyone who isn't! I can't have a conversation with anyone eyeing me up; I don't even remember the last person who looked at my face when I was talking except for Berwald! And GOD DAMMIT STOP STARING AT MY HIPS AND LOOK AT ME!"

Eduard looked like a child misbehaving, eyes wide and guilty. Caught in the act.

"Look at me." Tino said softer now, fists clenched at his sides and tears slipping down his cheeks. Tino wasn't arrogant. Tino wasn't even confident. Tino just knew what was what. He knew people didn't actually care about him, they just wanted his body. No one ever actually listened to his stories. No one ever waited for his response when they asked how he was. They, Ivan, Eduard, just stared at his waist, his lips, and his ass like carnivores and made him feel naked, violated, filthy-

And fuck it was lonely.

"Look at me, not my body. Even you can't just look at me, and you think you're my friend… Berwald, Berwald looks at me as a person… And you know what, if I were to let someone fuck me right this second it would be Berwald! Even if he is trying to get in my pants at least he makes me feel like a person and not a piece of meat! He fucking earned it; he's the only one who actually fucking deserves it!"

"Tino I'm sorr-"

"I don't want to hear it! I don't want to hear you. You disgust me, Eduard, I…" I thought better of you? I thought we were friends? They were both lies and he knew it.

"Don't even come near me anymore." He finally settled on, turning and walking swiftly away. When the other tried to follow him he just ran, and he didn't even look back once he was in his dorm with his door locked.

Lying on his bed now, Tino stared at the cracks in the ceiling. When he reflected on it, he had no idea why he had gotten so protective over Berwald earlier. All he knew is that he still kind of felt it. Maybe this meant that he wasn't as bad a person as he thought himself to be.

He stared next to him at his phone. It was on silent, seeing as Eduard wouldn't stop calling him. The screen glowed to alert him that the other was calling again now, and the temptation to turn the damn thing off was strong. Even stronger though, was his want to see Berwald. He wanted comfort. The Swedish man did make him feel uneasy from time to time, but he was also rather soothing from his gentle mannerisms. He felt safe when they were together.

This was selfish though, and Tino knew it. He had no right to take more from the man (even something as simple as some comfort) than what he was already bound to, but he still couldn't help but want. Just because he had no right to didn't mean that he wouldn't.

He was just as bad a person as he had initially thought.

Picking up his phone now, Tino hit the end key to ignore Eduard's thirty two missed calls (he didn't even count the texts or the voicemails) and quickly dialed Berwald before his not-friend could call back again.

"Lo?" Berwald answered. Tino smiled. The man was slightly more eloquent in texts but quite a bit more awkward talking on the phone. It was cute.

"Hei, Ber." Tino cooed. He couldn't see the other melting at his voice. "Do you have an hour? I just wanted to hang out for a bit…" Please say yes.

"Ja, I do. Wh're ya' w'nna meet?" Berwald responded, trying to speak clearly.

Call waiting beeped in Tino's ear, and he ignored it. "What's your room number?"

"Two- th'rty-s'ven."

"Be! You never told me we were on the same floor! Silly~ Okay, I'll just come over and knock, m'kay?"

"S'perfect."

"Okay. I'll be there in like five minutes." Tino said, and after a quick goodbye hung up. Another Eduard call came through, and he just sighed and tucked the phone in his pocket. He would turn it off once he was with Berwald.

He stood up now and went to the mirror to fix himself a little before he went out. After crying a little, running, and rolling around on his bed for about half an hour he was sure he looked a little less than decent. The mirror confirmed his suspicions. With a heavy sigh he smoothed out his hair and wiped his face off a little, looking down self-consciously at his neck. Had it moved? Yes, yes it had. Chewing his lip, he pulled the choker back up further and re-adjusted it. Tighter. Tighter. Not too tight yet. Not now. Berwald didn't need to know yet.

Tino was pretty sure he wouldn't want to right now, either. Even he didn't want to think too hard now. He just wanted to not be alone. Deciding that he looked good enough, he turned to the door and hurried out and down the hall to two thirty seven.

Author's note: Hei~ I'm not sure if there's much to say here about the chapter, but I did want to say thank you for the reviews and the favorites and alerts. You guys make my day! The site isn't letting me reply to reviews at the moment, so I promise I'm not ignoring you. I read them all and they make me smile~

As always enjoy, and please review. Reviews make me extremely happy.