Chapter 3

We sat Indian-style, placed around the room in a disfigured circle. I noticed that even with all of us in one place, we still managed to sit by couple. This, of course, left me to sit next to Iggy, quite possibly the only other single in the entire group.

"I'll have to admit this is much better than the cafeteria," Gilbert said, taking a bite of his bratwurst, one arm stretched around, to my distaste, my twin brother, Mattie. They were directly in front of me, making me want to puke in my mouth. Gilbert is one of my best friends, but coming out of the closet this summer without telling me beforehand that he had been dating my brother for almost a year, kind of made me feel betrayed. I mean, I really don't know what being betrayed feels like, but that seemed pretty damn close.

I stretched my legs out reaching almost a foot away from where Mattie sat. The room itself was decently small for the fourteen of us. Roderich and Elizaveta sat behind the counter, making room for the rest of us. They were running the shop so it isn't like they had a choice. Apparently the lack of business in addition to having the connection of them managing the place made for a flawless, secretive club.

"Ja, much better." Ludwig said next to him, with a little Italian perched on his lap. While I respect the fact that the two of them were the first to date in our group, I despise the fact that they refuse to come out of the closet. Or well, Ludwig does. It isn't like nobody knows. When Feliciano accidentally slipped it to the group, not one us was in shock. They spend every waking moment together and Feli is often clinging to Ludwig just to get through the hallway. Ludwig is on the football team with me, and when confronted about the relationship told me he was scared because of what our teammates may do to him. I called him a coward and he never retaliated afterwards. We've haven't been on the best terms since then.

"I still feel bad for forgetting about Arthur." Toni ruffled Iggy's messy blonde hair before quickly returning to his Italian, who was being forced to sit on his lap. Lovino tried to break free in the split second window, but was hastily detained once more by his boyfriend. Finally giving up, he relaxed and put his head in his hands. Toni nuzzled his face into the back of Lovino's head, whispering something that sounded like "Ti Amo," causing the boy to look up in an immediate, tomato-red blush. Taking the opportunity, the Spaniard put a light kiss to other's lips, causing him to go to an even brighter red, and instigate a series of D'awhs around the room.

Even more embarrassed, Lovino rapidly retreated by turning away from the group and putting his head on Antonio's shoulder, muttering something along the lines of "You fucking tomato bastard."

I smiled before turning to Iggy and flattening his hair down gently, probably keeping my blue eyes with his electric green a little too long. Kiku looked over at the two of us, grinning with Heracles napping on his shoulder. I felt his stare peering in on me as I slowly removed my hand from Iggy's head. I met his gaze and as the silence grew, I couldn't help but notice the slightest stare of everyone in the room.

"What are you guys looking at?" I said, leaning shoulder to shoulder with Iggy.

"Anything you wish you share with the group, Alfred?" Roderich said, eyeing me weirdly.

"I thought something was going on between you two!" Francis smirked

"I ship it" Elizaveta was leaning on her arm, smiling behind the counter.

"You and Arthur are so perfect, congrats!" Italy bounced up in down on Ludwig's lap, making the blonde man blush insanely.

"What the fuck is this, Gay Lovers Anonymous?" I exclaimed perhaps a little too loud for it made Heracles wake up from his nap.

"Not necessarily, I suppose we just assumed." Mattie murmured

"W-what that we are like the rest of you? O-of course not!" Iggy spoke up, stuttering a bit, but still holding his ground.

"I'm sure we're all sorry, brother. I guess we just finally wanted you two to find someone and honestly…it works." Carlin smiled from her spot with Francis in the corner.

"New OTP."

"Elizaveta, you're such a fangirl." Kiku smiled, high fiving her from where he sat.

"Guys, no, I mean, that would never. I just-no." I got up to leave, furious that they would create that tension, enraged that friends couldn't just be friends. As I walked, I knew lunch had to be nearly over by this point, but I had study hall anyway so what the hell does it matter. I started to head to the track to blow off some steam. In truth, I wanted to find Iggy and have him rattle on about the pettiness of his problems. I thought.

On second thought, I walked past the track to the huge clock tower, above the library, with a fire escape concealed inside, and ran up the stairs to the top.

I wanted to comfort him and hold him, watch as he cried in my shoulder and looked at me like I was a hero.

The sun was in the perfect spot, creating a nice cool area perched on a dangerous ledge with the smallest bar to hold me in.

He would finish crying eventually and fit his head perfectly into my neck. Then, only in my dreams, he would move his beautifully shaped face to mine and-

This is why I should've never gone to lunch in the first place.