I AM NOT DEAD, PEOPLE!
See! See! I actually updated! And it's two AM. Hehe, boy, senior year's gonna drive me CRAZY.
I'm so so so so so so so so so so so sorry! I hit writer's block who knows how many times on this story over the summer and had to write it in little bits and pieces to overcome it (along with writing a crapload of other stories for me to get over it)
Anyway, summer was pretty cool. I actually visited Cambridge, where the fic takes place. It's actually a really cool town! 8D Can't wait to use to it's full advantage once they get back from Nantucket.
Anyone else excited about the new season of the Office coming back on the 22nd? I know I am! And speaking of the Office, I WENT TO SCRANTON. It was possibly the greatest place I went to on my entire vacation. I got a buttload of Office merchandise over there.
Enough about me, and more on the story. This is actually the longest chapter I've ever written here. I have a feeling that they're just gonna get longer and longer and longer. xD Oh, and the action is starting to heat up in this before finally climaxing in CHAPTER 10! 8D
Holy crap, guys! Thanks for the huge response to the last chapter! You're seriously the driving force behind all my stories. But don't forget about this one either!
Warnings: Just some language. Nothing too awful this chapter.
Chapter 9
Nothing much happened on the ferry ride from Hyannis to Nantucket. Feliciano vomited all over Ludwig's shoes and Feliks complained about the weather ("Like, this heat is totally making my blouse look like crap!") Toris himself was never a big fan of boat rides. He had only been on a boat once as a child, and he made a whole school of fish die in the lake just from his throw-up. Thankfully, he didn't get sick this time.
It was three o'clock by the time they reached the dock in Nantucket. The sun glared off the water; it hurt too much to look at it for long. For once, Toris was glad he brought sunglasses.
"Hey, hey, you guys all managed to come!" exclaimed Alfred, as they stepped into the small parking lot where they were supposed to meet him and Arthur. The latter stood next to him. Good God, hadn't that man heard of sunscreen?
"How are we going to get to your house, Alfred?" Ivan said. "Did you only bring one car?"
"Err, yeah..." Alfred shifted uncomfortably. "I kinda had to borrow my aunt's SUV for this—don't worry, she's out of the house. And it can only sit eight—no, more like seven—no wait, six if you count Arthur too."
Everyone groaned. Lovino blurted, "Don't you ever learn?"
"It was a snap decision. I'm sorry that your ride is more important than my birthday! Sheesh!" He frowned. "'Cause of that, you're not getting a ride from me! You're gonna have to walk—"
"Alfred!"
"Heh, never mind, Lovino. I was just kidding, Arthur! Stop staring at me like that!
"Fine, first group! Who wants to go in first—gah!"
Alfred was soon overwhelmed by the entire office pushing and shoving in order to get inside the car. In the end, only six made it in: Feliciano, Antonio, Yong Soo, Yao (who looked very uncomfortable sitting next to Yong Soo), Ludwig, Vash, and Toris (who managed to crawl in when Feliks and Ivan started attacking each other and accidentally pushed him inside).
"So, you're all the lucky ones who managed to squeeze in, eh?" Alfred said. He pulled out of the driveway while the others left behind sat around on the dock with Arthur.
"How are you supposed to see?" Vash asked. He looked over his shoulder. In the back, their bags were piled up to the roof of the Highlander. (Wait, how did Feliks manage to throw his sparkly pink suitcase in there?)
"My peripheral vision's fantastic!" Alfred exclaimed. "I have the eyes of a deer!"
Toris looked out the window most of the ride. They drove through a small cute town bustling with tourist and souvenir shops before departing for the southern coast of Nantucket. Small sea cabins dotted the beaches, but as the drive went on, the homes seemed to get bigger and bigger and bigger. Finally, they reached a gigantic three-story house on top of a hill at the end of the road. Stairs led from the street to the front porch. An American flag flew from the flagpole.
Toris let out a whistle. "Awesome place, Alfred."
"Heh, thanks!"
They got out of the car and began to unload their things. Toris felt a little awkward swinging Feliks' bag (which was freakishly heavy) over his shoulder and dragging his own green suitcase at the same time. Feliciano made Ludwig carry all of his stuff. Yong Soo attempted to jump Yao from behind, but Yao turned around and smacked him in the face with his bag.
By the time Toris had reached the front porch and gone up all of those stairs, he flung the bags down on the little swing and panted. What the hell was Feliks even carrying in there?
"Toris, why're you so tired?" Alfred asked. "It's just a couple of stairs." He laughed and flung open the door to the inside.
"You really think this'll be the best time, Feli?"
Feliks, Elizabeta, and Katyusha sat on the small wall that divided the parking lot from the dock. Feliks fidgeted somewhat nervously with the sleeve on his blouse. Katyusha anxiously watched Ivan fool around with Raivis and Eduard. For some bizarre reason, she was also carrying a cupcake.
"I hope so," Feliks said. "I mean, in the bathroom, it was, like, totally obvious he was lying. He's bi. He totally is. I'm, like, ninety percent sure. And I'm totally sure that he likes me too."
Elizabeta's cell phone buzzed, and she rapidly began texting.
"Roderich again?" Katyusha asked.
"Yeah," Elizabeta said, "I told him that I'd call him as soon as we got here. Sorry, Fel. I'd love to listen, but—"
Feliks shook his head. "No, it's okay. He's your boyfriend. Go call him."
Elizabeta nodded and got off the wall, heading over to a more deserted part of the parking lot to talk.
Katyusha scooted closer to Feliks. "Feliks, about Toris..."
"Hmm? What is it, Kat? And why're you carrying that cupcake?"
Katyusha glanced sideways and ignored his last question. Ivan was now chasing Raivis around with a rather sharp stick while Eduard begged him to stop.
"About Toris, m-my brother...he..."
"What, what's wrong?"
Katyusha shuddered slightly. "Vanya also has a...how did you put it? A thing for Toris."
Feliks scoffed. "Yeah, I sorta figured that out. No offense, but your brother's definitely not Toris' type. Just look at what your sister—"
"Half-sister," Katyusha put in.
"Your half-sister did to him."
Katyusha sighed. "Vanya doesn't know that. All that he knows it that he likes Toris, and he plans on telling him soon."
Feliks gasped. "WHAT?" he screamed. No, no! It couldn't be happening. There's no way it could be!
Everyone turned at him.
"Umm, uhh, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SALESLADY SAID YOU WOULDN'T LOOK GOOD IN THE DRESS!"
And then everyone ignored him.
"F-Feliks, don't be so loud!"
"I know that," he growled. "But Ivan doesn't even know if Toris is bi yet—"
"Something like that won't stop Vanya from telling him. You should know that by now."
"Wh-when is he going to—?"
Katyusha shook her head. "I don't know. Sometime soon though."
Probably before the weekend is over, Feliks thought. He crossed his legs. Even if Ivan did ask Toris, there was a huge chance that Toris would reject him. But then again, Toris was on friendly terms with him...
Feliks then knew what he needed to do.
But then Alfred drove up, and he forgot everything.
Toris sat down on the very comfy blue bed. Since he was a new employee, Alfred gave him a spectacular room on the third floor that overlooked the ocean and the sunset. As he looked out the window, Toris saw a docked yacht, a small fire pit, a couple of trees, and a pool (why would someone need a pool if they were right next to the ocean?). The house was Alfred's aunt's, and she ran it as a bed-and-breakfast during tourist season. With Alfred coming over, she cleared out fast.
In Toris' room was two other beds. He wondered who he would be sharing it with.
He didn't wonder that long.
The door burst open.
"Toris! Here're your new roommate's!" Alfred said, swinging out his arm. "It's Ivan and Feliks, your two best friends."
Toris gulped.
Feliks threw himself onto the bed next to the window and stretched like a cat. "Like, thanks for getting my bags for me, Liet! You're totally awesome!"
Toris smiled. "Umm, th-thank you, Feliks." He looked away. Oh shit, why did Feliks have to wear lingerie under his skirt?
"Hello, Toris!" Ivan said, sitting down on Toris' bed. "Are you excited for the weekend?"
"Y-Yes! Yeah, I'm really excited! I've never been to Nantucket before!"
Alfred smiled. "I'll let you two—no, three lovebirds have your time together! My bedroom's right below yours, and I don't wanna hear any weird noises coming from it! Also, dinner must be eaten by eight. Don't be late." He slipped out of the room. Toris had no idea whether or not he was joking.
Both Feliks and Ivan looked at him. Were they waiting for some sort of cue?
"So, like, this room's pretty—"
"Spectacular, da?"
Feliks and Ivan slowly turned their heads from Toris to each other. Toris had never seen such mutual hatred burn in either of their eyes. Neither one blinked, neither one made a sound.
"Uhh, I'm g-gonna see if Alfred could take me on a tour of this house. It looks r-really old!"
Feliks and Ivan shouted at the same time. "Me too!"
Toris slowly got up from the bed and walked out the door. He could hear Feliks and Ivan following him.
"Eww, like, stand away from me! You're touching my shoulder!"
"I'm not even touching you! You're imagining things!"
"Liet!"
"Toris!"
He went down the stairs onto the second floor, and nearly ran into Alfred.
"Hey! Toris, what's up?"
"Uhhh..." He looked behind him. Ivan and Feliks stood on the stairs, watching his every move.
"C-can I get a tour of the house?" he asked. "It's very beautiful."
Alfred smiled. "Awesome! I'd love to show you a tour—"
"And I'd like to come!" Ivan and Feliks said. They glared at each other briefly before looking at Toris.
Alfred rolled his eyes. "Nope! I'm definitely not letting you two come! You've gone on too many tours here. Go and help Francis with...whatever the hell he'll be cooking! Hmph!"
"...Fine."
"Alright, then."
"Bye, Liet!"
"Bye, Toris!"
Toris sighed once they were out of sight. "Thanks, Alfred. I really needed to get them away from me."
"No problem! It's probably tough when both of them want to get their hands on you."
"What?"
"Let's start the tour!"
"And here's Grandpa's old bomber jacket from World War II!" Alfred gently took the brown jacket out from the closet and slipped it on. He gave a small salute. "I look pretty snazzy, huh?"
"It looks nice on you, Alfred." Toris chuckled. From his current tour of the house, Alfred's family was very old and originally made their fortune on the paper company and bootlegging. Alfred proudly showed him the part of the garage where the boats would come in to store the liquor. However, there were some parts of the tour that were quite macabre.
"See where the satellite dish is on top of the roof?" Alfred had looked out a window and pointed at the thing.
Toris nodded.
"That was where Great-Grandpa Jones jumped off the roof when he tried to commit suicide during the Depression. He ended up falling into the pool so he had to shoot himself instead!"
Toris shuddered whenever he looked at the satellite dish. He tried not to.
"Say, Toris?"
"Hmm?"
Alfred took off the jacket and placed it back in the closet.
"Is everything working alright between you and Feliks? After the whole...you know, mix-up and everything? I..." Alfred blushed slightly. "I really am sorry."
"Huh? Oh...Alfred, everything seems to be okay between us. There's nothing wrong." Except for the fact that he's starting to stalk me for some bizarre reason.
"Ah, that's good. You two were really close. Kinda cute, actually." Alfred muttered that last part. Toris froze and felt the blood rush to his ears.
"Uhh, what was that again?"
"N-nothing. I'm just really happy that you two are still friends."
"Err." Toris looked around. "Nice house."
"Yep. Used to come here every summer when I was a kid. Best days of my life with Grandpa! Now let's check on Feliks and Ivan to see if they're killing each other."
"Ludwig! Ludwig! Look at all the seagulls!"
"Feliciano, get back here! I have to put sunscreen on you."
Feliciano ignored his boyfriend and ran out on the beach and yelped.
"Ahhh! Ludwig, the sand's really hot!" He ran back to Ludwig and jumped into his arms, wrapping his arms around his neck. "I think I burned my feet..."
Ludwig sighed. "Feliciano, you know better than to run out onto the sand like that." He hoisted the small Italian over his shoulder and carried him up the hill to the fire pit. He placed him on a chair surrounding the pit.
"Ludwig, I know, but I just wanted to see the seagulls."
Ludwig knelt down at the foot of the chair and lifted his leg. "Your foot's a bit red, but it's not burned. Not in the least." He kissed his knee.
Feliciano giggled. "Ludwig, that tickles!"
Ludwig couldn't help but let a chuckle escape him, rubbing his thumb over the knee. He got up and sat down in a nearby chair.
"Ludwig?"
"Yes?"
"Do you...do you think that we'll be together forever?"
Ludwig blinked. This was the second time in the past week that Feliciano had asked him that, and Ludwig had always avoided the question.
"Feliciano..."
This had to be the moment, their moment. It was perfect, with the sea behind them and the gulls overhead. Sure, Alfred would probably get angry since they would "steal" his thunder. Honestly, Ludwig didn't care.
"I..."
He slipped down onto one knee.
"Alriiiiight, everyone!"
Alfred proudly stood on the beach with sunscreen on his nose and holding a volleyball under one arm. There was a volleyball net set up right on the beach, just a few yards away on the ocean (and the sand was starting to get really hot). Everyone wore their swimming gear and stood in a single row on the side. Toris was at the far right, the farthest away he could get from Ivan and Feliks.
"In order to take stress off everyone, I've decided to hold a mandatory ball game! Everyone has to—hey, where're you two going?"
Elizabeta, who was carrying a laptop case and Kiku had walked away and sat down a few feet away where the sand started to turn into grass and begin to slope upward.
"Sorry, Arfred. We don't want to pray vorreybar," Kiku said. He turned to Lizzie. "Did you downroad za—"
"Got it!" Elizabeta opened her laptop and turned it on.
Alfred scowled. "Fine, you two watch Japanese gay porn or whatever the hell it is." He started to count everyone.
"Fourteen, fifteen, sixteen...Hey, where're Feliciano and Ludwig?"
"I don't know," Lovino said. "They're probably being gay somewhere."
"Oh, yuck!" Alfred yelled. Gross! They should get a fucking room or something—and not mine either! Ew!"
He shook his head. "Okay, I guess we have to split up in groups of eight then. Uhh, I want Feliks on my team!"
Feliks blinked. "Alfred, just because I'm gay, doesn't mean I'm good at volleyball. Actually, I suck."
"Well, I still want you on my team. Come on!"
Feliks skipped over to him.
"Who else wants to join? Artieeeee?"
"...Fine."
The single line had broken up and everyone was either talking amongst themselves in groups or going over to one side or another of the volleyball court.
"Ah, Toris!"
Toris turned. "Yeah, Ivan?"
"That's right! I haven't showed you how to play volleyball yet. Well, you can just watch me for now. I'm pretty good." He chuckled. "Join my team, Toris?"
"Oh, of course! And little Raivis will be joining us too."
Thankfully, Toris had his back turned. If not, then he would have seen the look on Feliks' face that wanted to grab the ball out of Alfred's hands and fling it at Ivan's face.
"We need team names," Alfred announced. "Ivan, whaddya wanna call your team?"
Ivan thought for a moment.
"We are going to be Team Stark! From Game of Thrones."
"Great! We're going to be—"
"Team Lannister!" Feliks yelled. "Here Me Roar!"
"Ohhh, burn, Ivan!" Alfred said. "Lannister is so much more awesome than Stark!"
"Yeah!" Feliks said. "Like, be ready, or we'll cut your heads off!"
Ivan scowled. "We shall see about that, Alfred." He may have said Alfred, but he was looking straight at Feliks, who stuck his tongue out at him. "Raivis, you go in the front."
Raivis shivered and headed to the front of the net.
"Toris, you can go in back of me to my right," Ivan said.
Toris did and folded his hands in front of him. He wasn't completely clueless as to how to play volleyball, but he had never really played it before.
"Everyone in position?" Alfred asked. All of his team was ready—well, except Eduard. Ed was too busy playing with something on his iPhone.
Ivan's team—Toris had no clue what to do, Natalia and Katyusha were arguing about something, Lovino and Antonio were also arguing about something, Raivis was scared out of his mind, Vash looked like he was ready to kill someone (but then again, he always looked like that), and Ivan was probably the only one who actually looked prepared.
"Alllright!" Alfred said. He tossed the ball to Yong Soo. "Hey, Yong Soo, wanna serve?"
Yong Soo gladly caught the ball. "Duh! Of course, I'd want to! Volleyball was invented in Korea, y'know?"
He took a few steps back (Toris wondered where the boundaries were in the sand) and launched the ball over the net.
Natalia and Katyusha screamed and ran. The ball landed several feet away from them, far away from anyone else on the team.
"Our point!" Ivan said. "Katya, can you please get the ball?"
"Nope! Nope! That's in-bounds! It's our point," Alfred said. "Feliks, please get the ball."
"Alfred, that ball was out-of-bounds!" Vash said. Feliks grabbed the ball and ran back to his side.
Alfred looked over at where the ball was at. "Yeah, no. It's still in. Team Lannister gets a point."
"What? Alfred, that was nowhere near in—"
"Feliks, do you want serve this round?" Alfred said.
"Totally, Al. I'd love to." Feliks smiled brightly and served.
"I've got it!" Ivan yelled.
And so the volleying commence.
Toris just stood there the entire time. The ball never went in his direction anyways, and he didn't want to screw it up more. Volleyball was not his sport.
"Ed! Ed! The ball!"
Eduard kept pressing something on his iPhone and slapped the ball without even looking at it. It rolled on the sand. Team Lannister groaned.
"Oh come on, Ed!" Alfred yelled. "Put that iPhone away!"
"I'm just downloading this app! Hold on a minute!" Eduard said. "The reception here su—"
"Oh screw it, Ed. You can totally download it later. Give it to me!" Feliks wretched the iPhone out from his hands and threw it far, far away. It spun in the air before falling in the sand.
"M-my iPhone!"
"Oh, suck it up, Ed," Feliks snarled. "Just use your other iPhones. You have, like, five, don't you?"
Eduard blinked and looked like he wanted to cry.
"Alright, well, it's our serve now!" Ivan said. Feliks scowled and threw the ball over.
"Watch me, Toris," Ivan said as he headed behind all of them. "This is how you serve in volleyball."
Compared to Feliks' last serve, Ivan's was...pretty crappy (and this was coming from Toris, who had no volleyball experience). It was very low and grazed the top of the net. Nonetheless, Alfred volleyed it back and the whole cycle started again.
"Ah! Vanya, move please! I have—" Katyusha smacked the ball hard (her breasts made a rather obscene noise as she did so). It sailed far away from the net, hurling through the air, and crashed right into Elizabeta's computer. Sand flew everywhere as both Elizabeta and Kiku screamed and ran for their lives.
"My laptop!" Lizzie said, running back to the poor machine and falling to her knees. "I just downloaded so many more videos on it, and—" She pressed the power button and it whirred back to life. "Oh!"
"Ah! Lizzie, I'm so, so sorry!" Katyusha wailed. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm sorry! I'll pay—"
"Ah, don't worry, Kitty. It still works," Lizzie said. She stood up carrying her laptop and turned to Kiku. "Come on, Kiku. Let's go up to the firepit and watch it there."
Kiku nodded, and they both went up the hill. Katyusha seemed to have composed herself; Ivan patting her back.
Alfred watched them walking and sighed. "Okay, this time, let's have a round where a catastrophe doesn't happen." He ran a hand through his hair. "Err, I'll serve this time." He walked back a bit. "Now this is a real serve. Hi-yah!"
And again the cycle repeated itself.
"Ha! I've got it! Wait!" Raivis set the ball, which unfortunately, went too close to Team Lannister.
"Like, got it!"
SMACK!
Raivis fell face-first onto the sand.
"Raivis!" Eduard gasped and ran underneath the net, grabbing his friend by his shoulders and pulling him up to a sit. Blood flowed freely down Raivis' face from both nostrils.
"I-I'm fine!" he said. He covered his nose with his hand, even though blood still came through his fingers. "I can still play."
"Shit, shit, shit!" Feliks flew to Raivis' side. "Raivis, I'msorry, I'msorry, I'msorry, I'm—"
"Little Raivis, you need help," Ivan said, placing his hand on Raivis' shoulder.
Alfred sighed. "Yeah, someone take him upstairs to the kitchen."
Ivan made a move, but Eduard was quicker. He spun Raivis around and led him up the hill. "I'll go do it!" he said. As they went up, small drops of blood dripped onto the sand.
"Err, you know what guys, let's just cancel the whole Alfred-ball game." Alfred put his hand on his face. "I don't want anyone else breaking their nose or losing their phones or making...uhh...weird noises with their—"
"We get it, Alfred!"
"Soooo, yeah." Alfred clapped twice. "You all are free to do whatever you want for the rest of today, just don't destroy anything. Tomorrow we shall be making yummy s'moooores at seven-thirty sharp, and they will be delicious."
By then, everyone was already dispersing, walking down the beach or heading up the stairs. Toris just shrugged and followed Ivan (of course, Feliks was very close behind).
"Oh yeah, I hope everyone remembered to put on sunscreen!"
Everyone stopped.
Fortunately, Matthew Williams was one of the few people who remembered to put on sunscreen. While everyone else was inside scrambling to put sunscreen on every inch of their body, Matthew decided to take advantage of the quiet outside. He sat down on a chair on the balcony that overlooked the hill, the beach, and the ocean. He took a small sip of Coke and opened his book.
"Happy birthday to me," he hummed. "Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, dear—"
"Matthew?"
He set his book and soda down on the table and looked towards the door. "Oh, Katyusha, hello!"
She smiled nervously and closed the sliding door behind her. She was holding something behind her back. Unlike the other poor souls, she also seemed to have remembered to put sunscreen on.
"Umm, it's July the First, right?" she said. "May I?"
"Oh, sure!" Matthew pulled out a chair for her.
"Thank you." She sat down and placed a small chocolate cupcake down on the table. There was a small happy face on it made with white icing.
He blinked. "Hey, cute cupcake."
"Umm, y-yes, happy birthday, Matthew!" she said.
He looked at her. "You mean, you remembered?"
"Why would I not remember? Nobody should forget your birthday." She pushed the cupcake towards him. "G-go ahead. Eat it. I swear, I didn't poison i-it or anything."
"Heh." Matthew picked it up. "Th-thank you, Katyusha." She really was too kind.
"Geez, you wouldn't have thought that Feliks could have thrown your iPhone this far."
Eduard and Raivis were slowly making their way up and down Alfred's beach. Thankfully, Raivis' nose wasn't broken, but there was a large sphere of gauze on it. If the gauze were red, he would have looked just like Rudolph.
Eduard shook his head. "I just can't seem to find it!" he said, kicking the sand with his bare feet and crossing his arms. "Can you please call it again, Raivis?"
The younger one nodded and took out his phone. He pressed a button.
They waited a few moments.
"...Do I heard something vibrating?"
Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt.
"Gah, where the heck is it coming from?" Eduard started tearing through the sand with his hands, hoping to find the—
"Hey, I found it, Ed!"
Raivis bent down and picked up the phone off the ground. Eduard went over to him and grabbed it from him. He brushed the sand off it and pressed the home button.
"Well, look at this. It's still works." Eduard smiled and tapped on his contacts. Everything still seemed to be in place. "Now if Feliks threw my 3DS, I would be so—"
"Do you think Toris is bi?"
Raivis was starting to be awfully fidgety. He moved his foot from side to side and tapped his fingers against his hips. He bit his lip and blushed.
"Umm, I don't know," Eduard said. "It's up to Toris to decide. I, personally, feel that he's just in denial with his feelings towards Feliks."
"Y-yeah, I think that too." Raivis glanced alone. They were alone.
"Feliks is definitely gay, right?" he said.
Eduard raised an eyebrow at him. "Raivis, the man wears skirts and talks like Elle Woods from Legally Blonde."
"J-just checking!" Raivis said, his blush deepening. "And you're okay with it?"
Eduard blushed. "Okay with what?"
"Umm, uhh..." Raivis looked down at his feet. "Gay people," he whispered.
"Raivis, if I was a homophobe, I would freak out when Feliks walks into work." Eduard pocketed his phone. "Why're you asking all of these questions, Raivis?"
"U-umm." Raivis glanced around and shivered. "C-can I t-tell you something, Ed? It's...it's kinda important." As he spoke, his voice got quieter and quieter; Eduard could barely hear him at all.
"Rav, you know you can trust me with anything, right?" Eduard whispered back and put a comforting hand on Raivis' shoulder. "We're best friends."
Raivis grinned nervously. "Umm, y-yeah, I just forgot. A-anyway, y-y-yeah, what I w-was going to say..."
"Rav, what is it?" Eduard had to lean in order to hear. Their faces were just inches apart.
"Ed?"
Raivis' face was as red as a beet. "I-I-I-I'm...g-g-g—" He gulped. "Ed, I-I'm gay."
"Oh...that's it?" For some bizarre reason, Eduard's face broke out into a smile. "That's all you wanted to tell me, that you're gay?"
Raivis nodded and shirked away from his touch. "I-I'm sorry. You don't like it, do you? A-actually, I-I-I-I—" He scratched his head. "I-I'm not gay. I'm straight. I'm as straight as a—"
"Rav, it's okay." Eduard chuckled. "Rav, it's okay that you're gay. I'm fine with it. Really."
He put his hand on his shoulder again, but Raivis lunged forward and wrapped his arms around his waist, burying his face in his chest. Eduard stumbled back a few steps by the force of his hug.
"R-really?" Raivis whispered.
Eduard blinked a few times before returning the hug, placing one hand on the back of Raivis' head. When did his hair start to feel so soft?
"Really," he said back.
"Th-thank you..." Raivis turned his head so that his left ear was directly over Eduard's heart. Eduard blushed and silently said a prayer that he couldn't hear his heart pound.
"It's nothing, Rav." He continued to grin. "Absolutely nothing at all. Remember, I'll always be your friend, Raivis. Don't ever forget that."
Feliks sat on the couch in the giant living room, half-heartedly watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He had no idea what part he was on, or what quote Matthew Broderick was giving this time. He had more important things on his mind. Ivan was in the small dining room adjacent to the room with the door ajar. The Russian was trying to slather aloe vera all over his burnt body. He had gotten burned really badly during the volleyball game, and he looked like he had floated too close to the sun. Feliks had to look away whenever he saw him or else he would burst out laughing.
I guess they don't really get much sun in Alaska...or wherever the hell he's from, Feliks thought. So far, Ivan hadn't done anything too forward with Toris. But the weekend was still young, and Ivan could pounce at any moment. Feliks had to pounce faster.
The door creaked open and Ivan stepped into the room, every inch of his skin covered in the green gel.
"Oh...hello...Feliks," he said. "How are you?"
"Good," he grunted.
"You haven't gotten sunburnt yet?" Ivan stood in front of a chair, not wanting to get any of the aloe vera on the fabric.
Feliks shook his head. "No, like, my skin looks fine, and I didn't even put sunscreen on."
"Ohhhhh." Half of Ivan's face formed into a knowing smirk. "Ahh, Feliks, do you know where Toris went?"
"No."
"Oh...do you know where he will—?"
"Why the heck are you so interested in him anyways?" Feliks demanded, rounding on Ivan. For once, he did not laugh hysterically. He knew the reason; he just wanted to see Ivan crack.
Ivan blinked. Feliks wondered if he was blushing under all of that burnt skin
"That is not of your concern, Feliks," he said. "I simply wish to talk with him. That is—"
"I totally know that you like him!"
"What?"
"Ah!"
Katyusha, who just happened to be walking pass them, flung the bowl of potato chips in the air and onto Ivan and Feliks.
"Feliks, I told you to keep that private!" she exclaimed.
"Katya, you told him?" Ivan asked incredulously, his face even more redder than it already was. "I told you to keep it private!"
"Ah, I'm sorry, Vanya." Tears started to form in her eyes. "It's just...I...I...I'm so sorry!"
"Why, Katya?" he demanded. "Why did you tell him?"
"'Cause, like, I like Toris," Feliks said.
"Anybody with a mind can tell that." Ivan scoffed.
Feliks huffed but couldn't help the new blush on his face. "Shut it, Ivan! Of course I like him." He pouted.
"Please, please stop it, you two," Katyusha said. "Why can't you both just get along?"
"Toris likes me more. We're better friends," Ivan growled.
"Are you sure? We're, like, BFFs," Feliks said. "I even, like, gave him a nickname. A nickname. Beat it!"
Toris needed ice. A lot of ice. He was stupid this morning and forgot to put on some sunscreen, and now he looked like he had been baking in an oven for hours. He wasn't even in pain yet, but he knew that he needed to put on something before he was screaming and flailing in bed from the pain.
He went downstairs into the living room and found Feliks and Ivan arguing over something and Katyusha trying to calm them down. Naturally, Toris avoided them and headed into the kitchen. Where was the aloe vera again?
"—that's how the New Haven branch is trying to prevent down-sizing," Alfred was saying. He currently stuffed candy into a—Good God, where did he manage to find a piñata like that?
I have a feeling I'm not supposed to be listening to this conversation.
Arthur shook his head. "Perhaps, if we try that, then our branch would be saved. We do have Harvard, after all."
"Yeah. Now if only we could become their paper provider, then maybe we could make it."
"And if we don't?"
"Well...it was nice knowing you, Art."
"Are you serious? They would close the branch? Our branch?"
Alfred nodded.
"'Course. You heard Emilie. They're all alligators up in corporate. They don't care."
Toris froze, his hand half-reaching towards the aloe vera.
"Alfred, just what on earth are you going to tell everyone else?"
"I don't know...I don't think I'm going to tell them at all. I mean, it's my birthday. I don't want them to feel down or anything." He sighed. "Maybe I can tell them later."
"Later might be too late."
"I know."
Toris gulped, grabbed the aloe vera, and ran out of there.
By the time he passed by the living room, he could still hear Ivan and Feliks fighting.
"Feliks, your head is shaped like a trapezoid."
"Well, like, you have a really big nose! And you look stupid."
Toris peeked inside. They were still dueling it out, and now a small crowd had joined to watch them. Yong Soo and Yao were even passing around some snacks. Feliks and Ivan were in the middle of the room, glaring at each other, trying to incinerate the other by intimidation.
"God, Ivan, why can't you butt out of my business?"
"I can't if it concerns me, and this time it does."
"Go away! I don't need you to ruin this for me."
"My Little Pony is for idiots."
"Shut up! It's, like, the best show ever!"
And before he could even think about what he was saying, Toris ran into the room.
"Enough, you two! Don't you realize that we can all lose our jobs within the next month?"
Everyone stopped and stared at him in absolute horror. And then—
"What the hell?"
"Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Where the hell did you hear that?"
"That's bullshit!"
Toris took a few steps back as everyone rushed towards him, like a stampede—all ten of them.
"Where'd you hear that?"
"Is it true?"
"Why hasn't Alfred told us anything?"
"What the heck? You're the newbie!"
"Hey. Hey. HEY!"
Alfred stood in the doorway, Arthur right next to him. Almost immediately, the swarm left Toris to accost him.
"Alfred!"
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Are we losing our jobs?"
Alfred raised his palms. "Whoa, whoa, whoa there, guys," he said. "What's all this?"
"Toris said that we were going to lose our jobs," Vash said.
"When the heck were you gonna tell us this, Alfred?" Elizabeta said.
Alfred gulped. "Just calm down, everyone. We're not all out of jobs yet. Besides, I'm the ancestor of the company's founder."
Ancestor? Toris raised an eyebrow.
"We just have to work a bit harder to keep our jobs," he said. "This means that we've just gotta sell more paper. Toris, got it all wrong. Why were you all in here anyways?"
Could he really not hear what was going on? Everyone was silent.
"Oookay then, weirdoes. Back to...well, whatever the heck it was you were doing." He went back inside the kitchen with Arthur.
In an ironic twist from what happened a few days ago, everyone turned and glared at Toris.
"Ve? Fratello?"
Lovino turned his head away from the pot of pasta he was cooking for dinner (Alfred only planned on feeding his guests during the actual party; for all other meals, they were on their own as long as they kept the fridge clean).
"Lovino?"
"Yeah, what is it?" he asked, starting to stir.
"Say...what if the branch does close down?"
Lovino shrugged. "I dunno." Now that he was thinking about it, without this job, where would he go? He couldn't exactly go back to New York; the mafia would kill him within a ten-mile radius of Manhattan. Maybe, he would ask Antonio...
"W-Well, I'm thinking..." Feliciano looked up. "Lovi, what if we start up Nonno Roma's restaurant again?" he said hopefully. "I think I might have some of the old menus, and Ludwig can help us pay for it—"
"I will not have Mister Potato paying for our Italian restaurant, if I even want one. Boston doesn't have a shortage of Italian restaurants, you know?"
"Y-Yeah, but I mean, wouldn't it be fun, starting up the family business again?"
"I-I suppose, b-but..." He bit his lip. "Fratello, what if I already have plans?"
Feliciano's eyes widened. "Plans? What kind of—" His eyes narrowed. "Wait, don't tell me you're going to go back to New York!"
"Moron. I value my life more than that," he said. "I meant...something else."
"Oh...okay. Well, if you decide to move or anything, don't worry about me. I'll have Ludwig to support me."
Lovino sighed. "He's your boyfriend, not your—"
Feliciano smiled.
"Why the hell are you smiling like that?"
Still smiling.
"You're starting to creep me out."
"Fratello, guess what happened to me?"
"No idea."
"Ludwig asked me to marry him!"
Whoa.
"And I said yes!"
"WHAT?"
Te-he, I like to leave you guys off, don't I? 8D Chapter 10 will be epic, dramatic, and heartbreaking.
Also, none of you have guessed the correct piñata, but ALL WILL BE REVEALED.
I hope some of you got the reference during the volleyball game. One of my favorite TV shows and book series EVER.
Well, it's 2:12 AM over here, so I better go get some ZZZZZs for school tomorrow.
Read and review!