Chapter 6

Alfred's POV

When I awoke, I searched the house high and low for Arthur. I felt as though I needed to call the police, the FBI, the CIA, even M15 or whatever...in case he decided to run off to Britain.

In reality, he had just gone home. He apologized later that day and said he had just felt really weird and felt like he needed to be home. He blamed it on the medicine for his head, even though I hadn't given him any.

I won't lie and say I wasn't sad. Him doing that hurt more than when my coach told me I wasn't allowed to eat any cheeseburgers around my teammates because I was the only one not gaining weight. You have no idea how much that hurts me, do you?

Either way, as the year went on things seemed to get back to normal. We started to use the school shop as our everyday hangout and no one mentioned the possibility of a relationship between Iggy and myself. No one even joked about it anymore. It was difficult, seeing all of our friends together and then the two of us just being there. I wanted to use it as an excuse. I wanted to get closer to him. I made the decision the night I had him in my arms. Now, it seems like he is only getting further away.

He looks paler, sadder, though he puts it off as nothing. I see the dark circles and I see him falling asleep in class. I know he isn't doing well and all I want to do at this point is grab him, hold him, and ask him how to make things better.

Now we are in the last day before Christmas Break, and Arthur isn't here. Of course I'm not going to school if he's not there! I need to go find a Brit and be his hero!

Before first period even started, I got the feeling and prepared myself to become Super Alfred. Then, I saw Arthur in the Library, his usual spot. I facepalmed at my stupidity. Naturally, he is in there. It is his habitat.

I ran into the library, dodging books and overachievers as I slid into the back of the reading area, slamming right into the table Iggy was sitting at.

"Whoa! Watch where you're…Oh, Alfred."

"Iggy! Thank god I was so worried!" I got up and hugged him around the shoulders. He wasn't reading after all, but napping…this just worried me even more and caused me to thicken my grip on him.

"Why? You don't have a reason to be!" He mumbled from my grasp, pushing himself away.

"Maybe I just care for you?" I said, letting go and getting down on my knees in order to be eye-to-eye with him.

"It's not your responsibility too! I don't depend on you, Alfred." Those last words hurt. I liked that he depended on me. It made me feel important to this world. Hearing that, made me think that he is going to leave me.

Maybe I'm his problem.

"Yeah, but…I" I tried to come up with words, but failed. After a few seconds of silence, Arthur picked up his things and stood in front of me.

"I need to go." He murmured and then walked off. I didn't chase after him. I'm his problem. That's what it is. He doesn't want me around. I must be the thing that is making my beloved Iggy sick…

"Hola Mi Amigo! Are you okay?" Five minutes had passed and I still hadn't moved from that spot.

"Toni, I need your help."

"That's something new. It's Arthur isn't it?"

"Something's wrong but I can't see it. What's going on? Why can't I make things better? Am I the reason…"

"Come with me. I'll help you." He said, cutting off the silence. He dragged me up another fire escape to a window, which led us to the roof of the cafeteria. We sat in silence for a moment until he decided to start.

"It was early last year. I knew I was in love with Lovi. I knew that no matter what, I would love him to the end of time. It felt so weird for me to admit that to myself, especially at fourteen. However, when I finally did, he was off in his own world. I saw his health diminish before my very own eyes and suddenly my presence wasn't enough to make him better. One day, I saw IT. I didn't know how to help, so I didn't. I was just there. I kissed away the scars and I listened to him when he was sad."

"And now he's MY tomato bastard and I haven't gone into a major relapse since then." Lovino came up behind me, happily holding Toni's hand. The two looked so comfortable and loving to each other in their own 'special' way. I wanted to be holding Arthur's hand like that…

"How? How could that work?" I said anxiously at the thought of being with Arthur and making him better. Lovi sighed and sat next to me, showing of a series of scars on his upper arm. Being Italian and being in short sleeves, I suppose he didn't want to go any lower.

"Sometimes, knowing someone is there, and knowing how much that person cares for you isn't enough to keep you from the darkness. However, knowing that that person you love will chase after you and will kiss the scars you have rather than asking you to make them go away is the perfect way to help. Look, I know what Arthur is going through. I know how he is feeling."

"Wow…" I murmured

"What?"

"You just got through four sentences without cursing."

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT YOU FUCKING INSENSITIVE BASTARD!" He slapped me on the back of the head.

"Sorry, you're right. I need to care for him. I just know chasing after him is pointless. I know he doesn't like me in that way and I do. I do so much. I feel like I'm his problem…"

"Alfred, did you ever think that mayb- ow-Hng-Nn!" Lovino moved his hand to Toni's mouth and quickly substituted it for his lips. Toni, seeming shocked by the movement, quickly melted into the kiss and they remained there.

They kind of forgot I was there…

"Alright, well, you two just…okay…I'm gonna go…thanks, you guys!" I ran off then, quickly down the stairs to my next class. It was Algebra 2 with Iggy!...

Oh, with Iggy…

"Alfred, stop please." I forgot I had been staring at him, captivated by his perfect face that seemed so sad. He blushed a bit, making me feel good inside. I shook the butterflies from my stomach. My determination stands firm.

"Iggy, I can't. I want to know what's wrong. I want to know why you are so sick!" I put my arms out, expecting him to collapse into them like always. He didn't and my heart sank.

"I'm not sick, you git. I'm just tired. I've been taking care of Peter is all." He put his head in his hands.

"For three months?" I took my hand and brushed it through his hair. For a second he seemed relaxed but quickly pulled away.

"Um…" He murmured, panicking

"I'm not as dense as you think." I turned away from him, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

"I know…" He said as the bell rang. He packed up his stuff and left the room before I could even bother to reply.

Something is seriously wrong.