Um. I am so so sorry this took so long. This chapter kind of kicked my butt. I'm just gonna leave it here and slink away…

xXx

"Bastardo. We need to talk."

Antonio took a deep breath and then squared his shoulders, green eyes apprehensive but steady. "Alright," he answered.

Lovino gulped. Now that he was finally at this point he didn't really know what to say.

Having your heart broken and then more than a year of radio silence (he still wasn't counting those shitty postcards) and then Alfred… What the hell was he supposed to say to that? But he was going to try.

Slowly, Lovino started. "Bastard- Antonio. I think you- I mean- I think you want something that I can't give."

Antonio flinched, green eyes closing in despair. He knew that he couldn't expect forgiveness, or even deserve it-

Unaware of the Spanish teen's inner turmoil, Lovino continued, "At least not right now. But you were one of my best friends, even though you're frickin' annoying, don't get me wrong, and-"

"Wait," Antonio interrupted. "Not…right now?" His eyes lit up with renewed hope. "Then later, maybe? You'll maybe date me later, mi amor?"

The shorter teen was flustered now. "Um, we- well- I guess?"

Arthur watched this by peering through his fingers like he was watching an imminent train wreck. So much for progress. Poor Alfred, who looked as if he was either about to throw up or throw Lovino over his shoulder and run off with him.

"Yay!" Antonio squealed ecstatically and jumped on Lovino, wrapping his arms around him. Alfred twitched and clenched his fists.

"Woah"! Lovi flailed, blushing madly and trying to shove him off. "Don't think this means anything, bastard! That wasn't a yes, or a promise or anything! That was a maybe! A maybe! Shit!"

Lovino finally shoved Antonio away, and proceeded to sprint away down the hallway, Alfred after him like a speeding bullet, yelling, "Lovino! Wait!"

Stunned and blinking, Antonio just watched them go for a second before turning to follow. He was stopped by a hand grabbing his arm. He looked around to see acid green eyes under enormous, frowning eyebrows. "Not you," Arthur stated with all the authority of the ruler of an empire, instead of just the Student Body President. "You lost the chance to be the guy who goes after Lovino the day you left."

Refusing to be cowed by a guy that he'd never really liked anyway, Antonio spat, "And Alfred is?"

"Yes," Kirkland answered mercilessly. Then, seeing the darker teen's stricken expression, he seemed to soften a bit. Arthur sighed, and then started pulling Antonio towards the Student Council room. "Sit down," he ordered, "and I'll tell you a story that Alfred told me."

"I first met Alfred," Arthur started, "when he first moved to this school. Wang Yao was still president, and I was just a Student Council member. I was giving the new students Alfred and his brother a tour…"

xXx

Alfred looked around the hallways of his new school nervously as he trailed behind his brother and the tour guide. Well, not nervously, obviously, 'cuz heroes never get nervous but still. This place was weird, and what the heck was going on with the guide's eyebrows? He was getting bad vibes from this place, seriously.

The three of them were heading down one of the second floor hallways, heading towards the art room, according to the guide- Artie, right?- when Alfred first saw something that would change not only his opinion of the school, but his life forever.

An angel was in the hall ahead of him.

He was standing at the window, gazing down outside with a pensive, thoughtful expression in his eyes. The light was bouncing off his bright eyes and dark hair in a golden color that seemed to illuminate the stunning figure, shining soft and golden on the surroundings. He looked as if he glowed.

Alfred's breath caught as he stared.

"Hey? Alfred? Hey!" He was jarred as someone grabbed his elbow roughly, and finally the American freshman looked around. "Huh?" he asked intelligently, blinking owlishly as if someone had just woken him from a strange and compelling dream.

Mathew was gripping him firmly around the arm and Alfred's foot was half off the edge of the stairs. He had nearly walked right off without noticing. "Oh shit!" the blond yelped, stumbling backward. "Thanks Mattie, that woulda been nasty!" His brother looked at him in concern and grumpy Artie looked at him in exasperation.

"What on earth were you so enthralled with?" the guide asked acidly in his funny British accent.

"Uh…" Alfred hesitated, glancing towards the enchanting figure down the hall- who was now looking right back!

Holy crap, what am I supposed to do?! The blonde's heart rate sped up and he felt a blush suffuse his features, but he couldn't break eye contact with those eyes. Hazel, he decided inanely, with flecks of gold that shone in the sunlight. Beautiful…

"What the fuck are you looking at, bastard?" the angel spat, quickly and decisively quashing all imaginings of him in a halo and wings.

Alfred blinked. He was so thrown off that he answered immediately and without hesitation. "You. You're beautiful."

"Ch-chigi!" the brown haired stranger made a funny sound and turned redder than Alfred had ever seen a human being turn before. It was super adorable, and the American's heart flip-flopped in his chest. This guy may not be an angel, but he was definitely interesting. Then and there was when Alfred decided that they were going to be friends.

And no one can say no to Alfred Jones for long.