Hey people! I'm back and hopefully I will be able to get this up on time. I know that you all have been extremely patient with me and my super slow updates but I promise that I'm doing my best to be a good author and update on time. My school schedule was kinda wonky this week though cause of PSSA testing so I didn't have enough time during lunch to type until Friday.

Also I just wanted to note that I had long since lost count of how many people have added this story to their story alerts or their favorites but I know from the amount of emails that I have been getting the number is high and it makes me so happy to know that you guys all like this story. It really makes me happy. I honestly thoughts I would be getting like five followers and no more than 10 reviews but the last I checked I had THIRTY reviews. Can you believe it! Thank you guys so much for all your support. It really is what keeps me going with this.

Also congrats to all the people that got the NCIS reference in the last chapter. I did not expect a lot of people to get it but that's awesome that you did. I hope that you guys like this chapter as well.

Please enjoy. ^-^

Chapter XIV

Matthew's POV

Gilbert grabs my wrist and pain shots up my arm. I bite my lip to hold back a hiss of pain. His grip loosens and I panic for a second, because I'm afraid that Gilbert noticed my pain and is suspicious. However, when he makes no mention of it, I relax and let him lead me to his locker.

After dropping Gil's stuff at his locker, we head off towards mine. As we grow nearer to my locker, I realize that someone has graffitied all over it with a sharpie. Gil sees what it says, and I hear what sounds like a growl come from him. Before I can read it, he forcefully turns me around so that I can't see it. I can feel Gil's body shaking slightly as he holds my shoulders and hear him mutter, "Those bastards. How dare they?"

"Gil what's it say?" I ask, trying to turn to face my locker. Gil, however, holds me fast and doesn't let me see it.

"No, don't look. Just…don't look…please," I hear him reply. I notice that not just his body is shaking, but his voice is as well. What is written on my locker that has him so upset? It's not like it's him that's being insulted. I'm used to the insults after so many years of hearing them. I manage to somehow escape his grasp and turn around before he can stop me. I look at my locker and freeze. Across my locker is written FAG, Queer, COCKSUCKER, WHORE, SLUT, WIMP, BABY, BITCH, HOOKER, and so many other insults that I can't even bring myself to read. I find myself unable to move or look away from the array of insults before me. My eyes focus on one sentence written at the very center of it all. Just five little words.

Why don't you just die already?

A hand covers my eyes and gently turns me back around so my back is to my locker again. My eyes are uncovered and I hear Gil ask what stuff I need for the weekend from my locker. I tell him, and he gets it and puts back the books that I won't need. He then closes my locker, and I can almost hear him tense as he sees the insults again. He takes my hand and drags me towards the school's office.

"Gil what are you doing?" I ask anxiously.

"Taking you to the office to tell them what happened. Whoever did this is going to pay," he tells me, his voice practically a growl.

"No, it's okay. It'll just get cleaned off by the janitor. I'll be fine, I promise. Please just forget about it," I plead, my words falling over themselves as I try to calm Gilbert down. He looks at me, a look of slight horror on his face.

"How can you say that, Birdie? How can someone as awesome as me possibly forget about something as unawesome as that? You shouldn't have to put up with shit like that. You need to tell someone about it. If not to try and stop things, then to at least get those unawesome words off your locker, okay?" He looks at me with a sad look on his face. I sigh and give in.

"Fine, but only so that the words will get washed off. That's all, understand?"

"Okay," he replies with a smile replacing the sad look on his face.

We get to the office and tell the lady behind the desk about seeing the profanities on my locker, but we do not tell her whose locker it is. We then tell her the locker number and leave.

Gilbert leads me to the school's parking lot and pulls me up to a car with a large, rather intimidating blue-eyed boy with slicked back blonde hair waiting next to it. There's a smaller boy hopping around the blonde one. He has auburn hair with one random curl sticking off to the side and honey gold eyes. He's babbling something random about pasta in a happy-go-lucky voice, with a cheerful smile on his face.

I recognize the cheerful brunette as Feliciano Vargas, one of my art teacher's grandsons. He's in my art class as well as one other class, but we've never spoken- or, well, he's never seen me.

"Hey, West!" Gil yells, back to his loud and cocky self after the locker incident, as he pulls me up to the two boys.

"Birdie, I would like you to meet mein little bruder, Ludwig," he says, introducing me to the blonde.

"Younger brother," I gasp. The boy in front of me looks as if he could be Gilbert's elder by at least a year or two.

"Yep. Everyone who doesn't know us always assumes that Ludwig is the older one, but nope, I'm the big bruder," he explains, grinning as he throws his arm around Ludwig's shoulder. Ludwig shrugs it off and continues without a hitch. "Ludwig, this is the awesomest person in the world- besides me of course but that goes without saying- Mattie."

"It's Matthew," I correct him, blushing shyly, "it's nice to meet you, Ludwig."

"Likewise," the large blonde replies, looking at me with icy blue eyes. He then turns to his older brother.

"This is Feliciano," he says and motions to the brunette, who has been distracted by a butterfly this whole time. At the sound of his name, he perks up, skips over, and gives Gilbert an overly-affectionate hug for someone who they are just now meeting. My heart tightens a bit at the sight for some reason.

"It's nice to meet you! I'm Feliciano Vargas, but you can just call me Feli. I love pasta! Ve~," he chirps happily. Gilbert stares down at the little Italian for a second before bursting out in laughter. Feliciano, being completely oblivious, laughs along with him before he lets go of Gilbert in favor of latching on to Ludwig's arm, causing the owner of said arm to turn a light pink color.

"Luddy, what's so funny?" Feliciano asks, a confused look appearing on his face when Ludwig's blushing and new nickname make Gilbert only laugh harder.

"It's nothing, kid. Just take good care of my bro, you got that?" Gilbert tells him after he finally is able to regain some of his composure. Feliciano just smiles brightly and bobs his head up and down to say yes, his stray curl that both he and his twin seem to have for some reason bouncing wildly.

"Well this is Matthew, Feli," the albino says, slinging an arm over my shoulder. I'm soon wrapped in a hug like the one Gilbert received from the Italian only moments ago.

I stay still, trying to get over the shock and confusion of thoughts in my head.

"Come on, let's go. Birdie and I are going to the mall," Gil says and the four of us climb into the car. Feliciano takes shotgun, while Gilbert climbs in back with me and Ludwig gets into the driver's seat, and with that, away we go.

I know super lame filler chapter but I hope you like it. I know I'm being cruel to Mattie but I promise that I will give him the happy ending that he deserves. I swear it on my life.

Anyway as always your feedback is always appreciated and if you catch any spelling or grammatical errors that my Beta and I may have missed then please do not hesitate to tell me so th at I can fix them.

As always your reviews are well love but now flames. They shall be used to roast marshmallows on.

O and I want your help. I can't decide what kind of car Ludwig should have. Give your suggestions and I will chose the best one or maybe have a vote so send in your suggestions.

Now for my lovely Beta to say a few words:

Darn, it was a filler! Shame, because to be honest, I'm pretty curious about how Wolf-chan is going to pull off the whole heartfelt moment thing. (Oh, we all know it's coming!) Maybe if we all make puppy eyes at her, she'll update again! (OwO) Just kidding~ Take your time, my darling. You're doing splendidly! :D -On behalf of myself and Wolfen Artist of Hetalia, thank you all for reading! ~Sakura~

Until next time my dears. Bye ^-^