The Good Friends Trio

"But I didn't do that... I know I didn't. I was really just trying to... I am taking this seriously."

"Lovino's broken him," Gilbert commented to Francis, who nodded. Removing Antonio from the area, the three of them stood out in the alleyway, Gilbert and Francis trying to figure out how to shake Antonio out of his current phase.

"These are some really stupid placements though, I have to agree with Lovino on this one," Francis whispered in response, quiet enough that hopefully Antonio would not hear it. "Maybe he was not paying complete attention?"

Gilbert took the chart from Francis' hands to look at it. And stared. This is Ludwig's handwriting, was his first impression, but then realized saying that out loud would be either stupid or cruel or both. And not wanting to be like the rest of his weird family, he decided to keep it to himself for once.

"Ve can fix dis, it isn't like vords are irreversible or anyding," Gilbert said out loud, hitting the paper a couple of times with the back of his hand. "Vhatefer happenet isn't de issue now, fixing it is."

"Words of the wise from our usually impulsive friend," Francis smiled, ignoring Gilbert's scowl as he placed an arm around Antonio's shoulders. "Think about it this way, mon ami. Planning weddings are very stressful. Lovino has done better than what I would have expected him to up until now. He just needed to let some of that stress out."

"Ant by marrying him, you'll be taking dat from him a lot more dan you do alreaty," Gilbert reminded him. Antonio stared blearily at the wall across from the wall he was leaning against.

"Out of everything," Antonio began quietly, "I wanted him to know that I at least was taking this seriously. Us seriously. Do you think he really..."

"Believes you aren't?" Gilbert asked. "If dat vas de case, he probably vouldn't hafe said yes, ja?"

"Let him blow off the rest of that steam," Francis suggested, squeezing Antonio into his one armed hug as he spoke. "In the meantime, we can continue to prepare for your wedding. Whether or not there are any doubts, he'll forget about them all when he notices that you have continued to work! Taking it seriously, oui?"

"Doubts?" Antonio asked, staring at him with surprise. Francis blinked.

"Shit, Francis. Vhat vas dat for?" Gilbert said with irritation.

"Everyone has doubts when it comes to getting married!" Francis laughed. "If not about the person they are getting married to, then about what else will change when you get married. It's entirely natural!"

"I'm supposed to have doubts?" Antonio asked again.

"Shut up!" Gilbert punched Francis in the arm. With a flinch, Francis withdrew his arm from Antonio's shoulder. As much as Gilbert thought Antonio was making a mistake (getting married being stupid and all), the mistake was not going to be the fact that Antonio was friends with him and Francis.

"Is not having doubts bad?" Antonio asked, panicking. Gilbert could not remember the last time he had seen Antonio actually panic. Whatever, it had been a while and it usually was the product of being tired. Not that it was easy to notice, Antonio always could hide a bad night's sleep.

"No," Gilbert said firmly, glaring at Francis as he put a hand on either of Antonio's shoulders, turning him toward him. "Dat is not bad."

"Of course not!" Francis said, sounding slightly offended. "I said that it is natural to have doubts, not that it is necessary. Really, turn your ears on, 'Toni."

"Ah," Antonio said, swallowing. Gilbert looked over the Spaniard's shoulder at Francis, hoping the other would cast a line for him to work off of. Antonio was already calming down (it had never been hard when it was based on exhaustion), but it was time to actually put something out there to help him out.

"What else is still on the to-do list?" Francis asked, rubbing Antonio's shoulders from behind. Antonio paused, thinking about it.

Which was when Gilbert found himself blurting out "Cake!"

"What?" Francis asked, staring at him.

"Antonio should go ant see de cake, I dink he't appreciate it," Gilbert said, all fact, as he grabbed Antonio by the arm and started pulling him along. "Tell erm... tell Feliks vhere ve are, Francis!" And if Gilbert could manage to find some sleeping pills and slip them into a sample of cake or something for Antonio to take so he would take a nap. Whatever Gilbert really thought about the matter did not really matter right now, did it? He was not going to be part of the reason things went wrong.

At the very least he did not have to drag Antonio to the inn. He did have to drag Antonio away from checking on Erin before finding where Roderich was hiding out. It was not necessarily difficult to do so, the cake was right there and Roderich was right next to it.

"Wow..." Antonio said, staring at it. Gilbert would have agreed (even though it was a cake and it seemed a bit stupid to deck it out that much) but for the question he thought was obvious.

"How are ve gettin' it downtown?" Gilbert asked. Antonio's wonder seemed about slapped from his face as now he stared at it with concern.

"I was proffered help by our resident identical twins," Roderich commented lightly, looking up from his work and over to the both of them. "Hello there. Antonio, I thought you would want a taste of the finished product, so I used the extra to make this... I will cut you a slice."

"I vant one too!" Gilbert shouted after him, irritated for being left out. Roderich did not respond, but Gilbert was certain he had heard him. He was not being completely ignore, was he? Then again, Roderich treated him as he always did, as if nothing different was between them. As if that other night had not happened. Gilbert did not know what to think about that.

Come on, you can't be completely unphased. Can you? Stupid Austrian.

He and Antonio settled at the table, staring at the cake with various degrees of wonder (for Gilbert, it was why would anyone put that much effort into something someone was going to eat? For God's sake...) when they were each given their slice.

Absently, Gilbert put a fork in his and ate a piece. With much more interest, Antonio did the same.

"Roderich! Esto es delicioso!" Antonio exclaimed. Roderich calmly (yet, smugly, if Gilbert was seeing correctly) nodded.

"I am glad you think so."

"It's okay!" Gilbert retorted, continuing to eat his slice. If I say something stupid about it being Devil's food cake, or maybe even God's food cake, he'll know I like it.

"Can I get another slice to take home?"

"Certainly."

"Don't get sick of it before Saturday," Gilbert jabbed Antonio in the side with his elbow. Antonio shook his head.

"It's for Lovi~"

Well, Antonio was back to normal. Glaring at his cake, Gilbert finished up his slice and decided he would raid the kitchen later for more. Stupid Roderich, making such a good cake.

Stupid Roderich, totally over what happened...


Notes:

Gilbert in front and Francis behind him, Antonio is the centre of a friend-sandwich. Meant to make you feel better! Side affects include moronic comments and fangirls squealing at 'Gilbert', 'Francis', 'Antonio', and 'sandwich' all being in the same sentence.

Gilbert does not like Erin. Erin beat him in a drinking contest while already sloshed. It hurts a man to be defeated so soundly.

Gilbert also does not like the fact that no one is talking about what happened, even though they both promised Elizaveta it would not be mentioned. Silly Gilbert, you should know that Roderich is not going to break that promise just to give you an ego boost in front of a friend who would not know to keep it to himself. Silly, silly Gilbo.

Dear DeLurk: Actually, I do have a one shot in progress with the two. I have been distracting myself with that and the one shot for Hearth about Antonio tutoring Lovino... both of which are becoming slightly bigger projects than I had intended. Still. I hope to have that spun out soon enough for people to read.

Forgot about this - but just for fun I have a poll up to get you all ready for the wedding day. Or anxious for it. Whatever you choose to be, really.