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I don't own anything, so don't sue me. This also goes for the second chapter.

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It wasn't like I hated him. No. I did see him as my little brother, but I doubt that I could ever grow to love him in any way. I would always be looking down on him, and though I knew it was wrong, it's just something that'll never be fixed, or take a lot of time if it could be fixed, so by the time that I don't hate him, we'll be in our graves.

The night was silent, and I don't think Ivan came back yet. Toris was snoring softly, which was an indication of him in the fourth or third stage of sleep. I could hear small sobs coming from the room next door, and I could only roll my eyes. I wasn't going to pity him. I wasn't going to be gentle, or coddle him like Toris did. I was going to treat him like any other stranger would; cold and uncaring. Not the kind of cold that would be enough to make me kick him out of the house, but enough so that he's able to grasp a sense of reality.

The sobs were growing louder, and it sounded as though his breathing was beyond laboured. It were as if he were hyperventilating...

Shit.

I got out of bed as quick as I could, nearly tripping over my feet as I did so. I swung the door open and made way to his room. Luckily, it wasn't locked this time. When I flicked the lights on and came beside him, he was in a horrible state. His entire face was red and was wet with tears that wouldn't stop. His eyes were squeezed shut and his chest was rising up and down. Small handsgrapsed his covers, and his body was twisting and turning.

"N-No! Please, don't, NO!"

I grasped his left hand, trying to calm him down. "Raivis, Raivis listen to me, please, you need to calm down."

"Please.... I'll be good..... I'll be good, so no... no more.... please, stop...."

Oh God, I didn't know what to think of what he was saying. I squeezed his hand and rubbed my thumb against his small knuckles. This wored when he was younger, so it should work now, right?

"Raivis, I'm here.... Toris is here too, so don't worry, nothing will happen and it'll all stop... Raivis..."

"What's going on here?"

I turned around to see a surprised Russian standing by the doorway, a frown pulling at his lips.

"Eduard, why is my little Raivis crying so much? What's going on?" He asked again, the distaste of the situation showing clearly in his voice.

"I wish I could answer that, but I'm afraid I can't." I said. I wasn't going to say that I didn't know what was happening. Ivan's frown grew as he stepped into the room. Motioning me to step aside, he leaned over and scooped up the boy in his arms, blankets and all, and held him close, shushing gentle hushes. He was babying him, like everyone else did.

"Raivis... my little malchik.... Big Brother is here for you so stop your tears. Big Brother won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

His sobs began to die down, and it only took that burly arse three seconds. I had six minutes and nothing worked. Ivan looked back at me, bearing his lavender eyes into my own.

"Try being a bit kinder, da? It works miracles."

I scowled. But this only got the other to chortle.

"Don't be so cross Eduard, but the only reason why you weren't able to do anything is because you're such a meanie to Raivis all the time. If you were better to him, your voice would make his crying stop in his sleep any day, but that'll never happen if you keep at what you're doing. Now, I'll take Raivis's bed for tonight since you and Toris are already sharing a room."

I didn't say anything, but excused myself and walked back to bed. There were so many reasons as to why I hated him, but the fact that I had to be grateful to him made my fury grow.

When I walked back into the room I found that Toris was still asleep, which was a good thing because if he woke up, he would start asking questions, and that was the last thing I needed right now. It unsettling to have Ivan in the room next door, but he didn't seem to be doing anything, so I let my mind slip away into a dark sleep.

---

She had been acting a bit... funny. I didn't want to suspect her of anything, but I know she's keeping something from me. I hope it's not something like a note from the principle or... Weed. I knew that a little pot here and there wouldn't do too much damage, but I'd rather have Lilli staying away from that sort of thing. You never know.

I pulled the trigger, the barrel aimed at a concrete wall. Putting the assult rifle down, I walked towards the wall. Taking a thin rod and marker out of my pocket, I stuck the rod into the hole that the bullet had made and marked how deep it went. Taking it out, I smiled at my result. Roughly a centimeter deeper than my last model's impact.

"Lilli~~~!!! Llli~, are you awa~ke?"

I grit my teeth; I knew that voice. Grabbing my model rifle I went over to the window, opened and aimed.

"Feliciano! Get off of my property!"

"Ack! V-Vash! Wait! I just need a copy of the homework answers for the ones I didn't get! Please! I even wore pants this time!"

"Hn. I'm glad that you came here decent, unlike last time, but Lilli's bed-time is Nine 'o' clock! It's already Eleven twenty-three, so I suggest you go back home!"

"But.... I need the answers... plea-Agck!"

I shot a warning shot by the Italian's right foot, enough to make him scramble back across the street and over a hedge.

"That Italian.... I need something more effective to keep him away. A dog? No, he's good with animals...."

I was too tired at the moment to think any more. I could always think of a strategy to keep pests out tomorrow.

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Toris was more than surprised to see the Russian in bed with his Latvian brother. He had left a blanket and a pillow by the couch and set up the guest room (if you could call it that) to suit the other's ever changing needs, but this.... was kinda sweet and creepy. He knew that the Russian favoured the little Latvian due to their eyes, but some things just didn't seem to fit sometimes. Neverless, he needed to get Raivis out of bed for school, and Ivan probably had things to do for his new job. He reached over and shook Ivan's shoulder.

"Ivan, Raivis needs to go to school, and you need to wake up."

Lavender eyes opened, and a yawn followed after. He sat himself up, still holding Raivis in his arms like a doll.

"Toris, good morning.... You interrupted my dream."

"I'm sorry, but Raivis needs to get to the Academy, and I'd rather not have you snoozing during the morning and roaming around in the night. You know it's not safe."

Ivan chuckled at this. "I know it isn't very wise, but I believe that both you and I know that I'm fine to be on my own during the nights."

Toris was silent for a moment.

"Well, I suppose I should wake up the little boy, da?"

He gently shook him, and Raivis shifted in the Russian's hold.

"Raivis, my little brother~, you need to wake up before they get you."

Immediately Raivis's eyes snapped open and straightened his posture, looking around.

"They.... they're gone.... right? They're.... gone..." He trailed off before falling back to sleep.

"He doesn't seem well. Maybe I should drop him off?" Ivan said. Toris was about to reject, but Ivan beat him to it. "I know! I'll drop him off today, pick him up, and take him to work to keep me company!"

Today was going to turn out bad.

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"Y-You don't have to drop me off." Raivis said, his shoulder shaking. Ivan smiled and patted his head.

"Don't worry about me."

"B, But what about w-work?"

"The lab doesn't open until ten, and it's eigth sixteen right now, right? So don't worry so much."

"I-I guess.... thank you."

"Of course."

Ridgeway Station. We have now arrived at Ridgeway Station. Please watch your step as you exit the car.

The two made their way out of the train and from the station. The school was at the centre of Ridgeway Avenue, so that it sat on the very middle of the avenue before both ends came to an end. As they walked, students passed by, talking about various things that made the larger one smile.

"This brings back so many memories.... Back when I was about your age, Yeketerina would wake me and Natalia up to go to school, and the three of us would ride the train together. Of course, Natalia is a year younger than me, but she skipped a grade, and Yekaterina failed gym the year before we came so we had the same gym class. I miss those days."

Raivis had no idea what to say. What kind of comment was he supposed to make after hearing something so random?

"That, that's very... nice. To know that the three of you got along well.... it suits you."

"Ahaha, we got along quiet nicely. Though Natalia was really scary sometimes."

"B-But she's so pretty, how could she be-"

Ivan's cold look stopped the boy mid sentence.

"My my, you think my sister's pretty?" He asked in a singsong voice. His unchanging expression that went against his tone struck fear into the boy.

Raivis gave a shakey nod.

"Is that so... so would you want to marry her?"

Something got caugth in his throat, making his choke.

"N-No! I-I, she's too... I can't. I.... I couldn't."

Ivan's gaze melted back nto a sweet one.

"I'm so glad. I can't have two boys going after my sister."

A weak laugh came from the younger one. "Don't worry... I don't think I would be either of the two."

The two finally arrived at the front gates of the school. Ivan leaned over and kissed the Latvian on the forehead before waving bye and walking away.

"I'll see you after school~"

---

Toris and I walk together every morning. But this morning, I wanted to go by myself.

"Eduard?" Toris called. "You're going already?"

I nodded as I put my shoes on. I wasn't in the mood for talking. I could feel the other's gaze on my back as I walked out of the door and towards the station. Swiping my ticket I boarded the car, sitting across from two girls that were wearing the female uniform of my school.

"So, what's his name?"

"Raivis."

My ears pricked at this. I let my eyes wander, but kept them in the corner of my eye.

"Do you like him?"

"I, I don't think I know him enough to decide on any feelings. But it's nice being around him."

"What kind of guy is he?"

"Ms. Seychelles.... if you're imagining him as someone like your cousin, I'm afraid that you're quite off the mark."

"Oh c'mon Lilli! Vash never lets anyone near you, so I'm just guessing that this 'Raivis' is some heroic, cute guy that's trying to sweep you off your feet."

"You know, I ever expected to see you at Ridgeway."

"Don't change the subject!"

"I haven't seen you for years.... I was wondering how you were doing."

"Lilli~! Don't leave me hanging!"

"I think Francis's curiosity has rubbed off on you."

The train came to a stop at Ridgeway, and I kept my distance behind the girls. Trying to evesdrop and keeping it undetected like this proved to be tricky.

"Tell me, please?"

The blonde sighed. "He's a quiet student. I think I'm an inch taller, and he's sweet from what I've seen yesterday."

"Pfft. Men. They're always changing their attitudes and appearences when they're around different women. You can't know a guy from one day."

"Very true. But I honestly don't think he's from a bad bunch. He seemed nervous talking to me."

"That's probably because he was thinking about raping you or something."

I rolled my eyes and walked past the two. This was wasting my time, and it would only add to the the migraine that was coming onto me.

"There's no way Raivis would rape a girl. That would only happen when left becomes right and up is down."

"So what's his name?"

"Raivis."

Wait a minute, that blonde, Lilli, knew his name. Raivis wasn't the type to go around talking to girls....

Wait, what?

It couldn't be. She couldn't be the 'friend' that he was talking about yesterday.

But then again, he never did tell us the gender of his friend.

But Raivis, becoming firends with a girl on the first day of school? Unlikely.

...

What if he really was friends with her?

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Grammar errors and typos beware.

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