Surviving Winter

Chapter 11

Thanksgiving

The next day was busy. Feliciano had woken up extra early to start cooking the food and make sure the dishes were all cleaned.

Yao Wang delivered her a coffee table and settled in the living room early. Lovino and Antonio arrived shortly after.

Columbia kept glancing at the clock. She felt like crap. Sleep had not come easily, and even then it was restless. Her 'friends' kept giving her worried or strained looks. She decided that at this point they were friends. Or something. Why else would they be here? Ivan's jealousy suddenly seemed so much more realistic as people kept trickling in. It was only ten in the morning. When would Ivan being coming over? After lunch for sure, but when?

"You seem distracted, aru..." Yao asked, placing his hot tea on the table in front of him.

"Huh?"

"Is your mind elsewhere?" Antonio asked. Lovino leaned in to look at her more closely.

"I'm just...tired. I had a long day yesterday." She rubbed her eyes. Everything felt heavy.

They just stared at her in slight disbelief, giving each other confused glances. She was grateful for Feliciano's silence.

Columbia itched to drink, but that would be far too obvious. The company eased her frayed nerves, and she tried to have a normal conversation to keep herself occupied, but her thoughts were still focused on Ivan.

"Ohh, Ludwig is here!" Feli said, peering out the window.

"The Beilschmidts?" Lovinio asked. "Seriously?"

Columbia opened the door before they even had the chance to knock. Finally, a decent distraction from her own head. "Good morning." She chimed happily, grinning as she noticed the limp Gilbert was sporting. "Still hurtin, albino bastard?"

"Saucy...hundin -! "

"Guten Tag." Ludwig greeted, exasperated.

"Ciao!" Feliciano greeted, popping up behind her carefully. She giggled. The poor young man looked torn between greeting Ludwig happily and being terrified of the shuddering Gilbert.

"Come in, come in." Columbia offered. "No fighting today though. None." She glared at Gilbert.

"Vhy are you glarink at ME like zat?!"

"Because I don't like you." She grinned.

"Such a smart mous on you, ja?" He limped - ever so slightly - towards her.

"Smarter feet, apparently."

"Little bitch - "

"Bruder - "

"JA, Vest, I know..." Sharp red eyes glared at her and she just shrugged him off.

"Why do you call him 'West'?" She inquired.

He was taken aback but the casual question. "Um. Zat...zat is because ve used to share a room...he had ze vest side, und I had ze east...so I schtarted callink him zat to annoy him."

"Ja...it works, too." Ludwig said flatly.

Feliciano opened his mouth to say something, but seemed to be wrestling with some appropriate words. "W-well we will have food soon..."

"And here comes more people." Columbia said as she heard the crunching of tires on stones.

"MORE?!" Feli asked, bewildered. "Coli, how many people did you invite?"

"I didn't expect everyone to show up, to be honest." It was true. She and Alfred had only hung out a couple of times, although Francis did seem to be enamored with the idea of spending time with her as well. She drew the curtains on her window, finding it useless to keep them closed. "Holy - Alfred. With Francis...and two others." She eyed the Briton from the cafe and noted the cropped haired man from...where had she seen him before?

"Honda - !" Yao hissed angrily. "What is HE doing here?!"

Oh shit. She let in the four newcomers. "Long time no see Alfred."

"Hey-a!" The bright-eyed man introduced himself loudly. "I brought some friends! Columbia, you know Francis - "

"Alo, mademoiselle." The Frenchman winked at her.

" - he didn't have anywhere else to go today. And this is my co - worker, Arthur - "

"Greetings."

" - and this is my good friend, Kiku Honda!"

The shortest of the group seemed hesitant to speak at all. "Haro."

"Oh, and this is my brother, Matthew!" Alfred said smiling, and Columbia frowned.

"Hello." The tiniest of voices shocked her, and a young male that she was sure wasn't there a second ago stood right next to Alfred. He looked kind of like his brother in the face, even wearing glasses, though he had wavy blonde hair and a strange, long, curly strand hung in front. He was carrying what seemed to be a plush polar bear.

"Oh, and we brought cranberry stuff, sweet potatoes, and Francis and Matthew made pies!"

"Nice to meet you. Geez, Alfred, I didn't expect you to bring a whole household yourself. Although I suppose I'm not surprised. Come on in. Feli, we're gonna need to pull out the extra table." She led the newcomers to the living room and helped drag a folding table and some chairs out of a closet, something Columbia had went out to buy after her last gathering. The day was going well, though, but she noticed that Yao was glaring down at Kiku every chance he got. Kiku was either oblivious to the mistreatment or didn't care. Alfred already took the time to lean in and whisper to her 'now watch and it'll prove to you that he DOESN'T like me like that'! He then promptly proceeded to crack a joke in front of the other blonde, earning a curt insult about stupidity and a huff. Alfred was too oblivious to notice the other man kept turning around blushing. To keep herself busy, she decided to sit down and talk to Alfred's brother. He was a nice boy, although he was very quiet and shy. Francis kept throwing the younger man strange looks.

"So is there something between you and Francis?" Columbia asked, sipping at her cola and glancing at the Frenchman. He seemed flustered that she caught him staring.

"Non, at least, I don't think so. Well, not so directly...let me explain." Matthew spoke. Every word sounded like a whisper to her though. "He and Alfred went to school together, I was a couple years behind them. He taught me French..."

"Oh, so you two remained friends?"

"Oui, although..." He glanced over at the other man warily. "...he has avoided me recently. Something about...complicated feelings. I think he just has a crush on me." Matthew's grip around the bear tightened a little.

Columbia cocked an eyebrow. She was usually pretty good at telling if someone was gay or not. Then it clicked. "Ah. He's bisexual, huh?"

"Oui."

"That bites. What about you?"

Matthew blushed. Heavily. "O-oh, I...I like girls. But I mostly just want to find love." His face seemed to brighten at the idea. "I just don't think Francis is my type." His voice lowered, growing quieter. If that was possible. "I've been thinking about giving it a chance though..."

Columbia smiled. "That's a good outlook to have. A lot of people can't be that brave, you know?"

"I know. My brother tells me I'm too laid back sometimes."

"Ooh. No, trust me, that is not a bad trait to have. My brothers and sisters said the same thing about me several times. But you know what? I like that about me."

"R-really?" Matthew looked up at her, his eyes widening in surprise. "I've never met anyone else with that problem before."

"Really. So don't sell yourself short. It's a great thing, you just have to...I don't know. Like yourself. I mean don't get me wrong, it's not exactly the easiest thing to be able to do, like yourself for something that everyone else seems to put down. If you're laid back and you like that, then to hell with who says otherwise."

He giggled. "Merci ,Columbia."

Confusion riddled her. "Wait...what's that mean again?"

He laughed.

Feli called for lunch. With twelve people in the room, both the main table and the folding table were full up. The dinner looked gorgeous, Feliciano had managed to pull off a classic baked turkey, there was sweet potatoes, and that cranberry stuff she had no idea what it was, and three or four more dishes she didn't recognize.

"Before we...start eating. I'd like to say something." Columbia spoke softly, but made sure she was heard. Several eyes stared at her. "I want to thank you for coming, for one. I didn't expect everyone to make it. And I didn't expect to meet new people as well. I've only been living her for a few months...but I'm happy here. Thank you Francis, for greeting me, Alfred, for waiting on me, Yao Wang, I don't know what I would have done without you, seriously, your work is AMAZING. Feliciano, you've become my best friend, and between your and Francis's cooking I'm gonna get fat!"

Laughter.

"Antonio, Lovino, you've become my family away from family. Thank you. And the rest of you I may not know very well yet but I hope we call all be good friends!" She paused. "Except for you Gilbert. I still think your a dick."

"You really vant to do zis now?"

She shrugged. "I thought a healthy relationship of back and forth slander would be a good way to start our friendship, yes. You seem the type, unless I'm mistaken." For a split second, Gilbert almost seemed impressed.

"Nein, you've pinned him fery vell." Ludwig interjected, and his brother shot him a dirty look.

"Sorry for the speech, I know they're boring but it is Thanksgiving. Seriously though. I am so happy to not be alone - at all - today. Let's eat!"

The turkey was pulled apart, glasses were filled and the scraping of utensils against ceramic rang through the air. The pies were cut and they were delicious, and compliments were passed around. An hour and a half later everyone was gathered in the living room, some faces red with the flush of alcohol and everyone laughing over Antonio's attempt at charades.

"A boat!"

"A sail?"

The 'x' his arms made denied the voices their win, and he continued to wave his arms frantically.

"A white flag!" Feliciano guessed loudly, and Antonio shouted.

"That's right!"

"YAY I got it!" Feli gleed, and more laughter resounded. "Who's next?"

"It's Lovi's turn."

"I don't-a want to!"

"Aw Lovi, you're good at it!"

Columbia watched happily as the small family fought over the game, Yao interjecting to join in. The day had been going well. She found out that even as brothers Ludwig and Gilbert couldn't be more different. Loud, obnoxious Gilbert, commenting on everything and shouting about how 'awesome' he was, and the more quiet and reserved but strict Ludwig just staring at him in total exasperation. He must have spent his entire life trying to keep the albino in check. Matthew was nice, Francis was just friendly, and she was one-hundred percent sure that the Briton named Arthur had a huge crush on Alfred. The two had bickered almost constantly, only for Arthur to flush in a huff and drop the conversation like a 'gentleman'. At the same time he also fought with Francis...and not in the cute huffy way he fought with Alfred. Those two had a special hate for each other somehow. How did they work together?

Kiku was the hardest to pin, she decided. He had said very few words, kept his hands to himself and stayed out of reach of other hands and just sat there, smiling gently and enjoying the company. The rivalry between him and Yao seemed one-sided.

She was reminded of how diverse people were, and all it did was bring back memories of living on the farmhouse with her parents, many siblings, and going over to the large main house to see some of the extended family. Those were huge dinners, attendance reaching over a hundred people sometimes. Somehow, she felt more alive here than at one of those big, drawn-out dinners. It was warmer. Closer, somehow. Her family was always so distant, not purposefully, but it was just so gosh darn large and easy to be overlooked. There, she was a role-model, someone to look up to or come to with a problem to fix. Here...she glanced at Feli, who had hovered around her like a mother hen often. Yao sat next to her, waving off a bad cut on his arm from work with a laugh. She and Gilbert exchanged another bout of insults. Lovino swore at her for something stupid. Alfred rambled about a new horror movie coming out that they should all totally go see together. She laughed. Here is where she felt right.

A solid knock on the door snapped her from her thoughts, and everyone paused a bit.

"It's a little late, isn't it?" Arthur asked, checking the time.

Columbia bolted to the door without so much as a sound, shoving it open and not even bothering to look at Ivan as she flew her arms around his middle. She had to remind herself to not hug him too tightly, and his arms raised in surprise.

"P-privet-?!" Is what fell from his mouth, and she just looked up and smiled at him.

"Hi!" She tried to smile, but the new sweltering bruise on his head that wasn't there yesterday was making her frown. "Come on in. You ate already?"

"D-da, sorry..."

"Don't be. Need a drink?"

He didn't fidget, but he suddenly did seem a little uncomfortable. "Something strong."

"Okay." She led him inside, sticking her head into the living room. "One sec guys, be right back!" She urged Ivan to come with her to the kitchen. He followed, giving the living room a surprised glance at the fullness of it. They spoke in low tones, and quickly, as she fixed him a drink. They needed more rum...

"Where' Katyusha?"

"The Braginskaya's always meet for Holiday's. It is not so strange she would not be free today."

"What about the other sister?" Even though Columbia hated to even think about it - Natalia gave her the creeps somehow - but she was still Ivan's sister.

"Ne, she is not allowed to associate during holidays. Leaves too much of impression."

"I see. Here." She handed him a glass and lowered her voice. "You look worse. Paler, even. You okay?"

"I will be." He drank from the cup, squirming at the taste. "Blech! How do you drink this?"

"Easily." She stated, and he followed her into the living room. "I'll stock up on some Vodka for you next time, I promise." All eyes were on them as they entered the room.

"Braginsky, you bastard, who ze hell beat you up wisout tellink me?!" Gilbert shouted pointedly.

"Mi amigo, that is some serious brusing..."

"D-da, funny story...I was cleaning my study and something got caught on heavy bookcase. It fell directly onto me, nearly crushed me under it's big weight." Ivan said smiling.

"You survived being crushed?" Alfred asked curiously, his bright blue eyes rounding into orbs. "That's nuts!"

Arthur glared at his coworker, looking as if the strangle the blonde. The self proclaimed gentleman seemed freaked out by the Russian's presence. He wasn't the only one though.

"Is fine. All is good now. I will recover." He sat down next to Columbia on the couch. "Sorry I am so late." He said, looking at her.

"You're fine. Family business, right?"

"Da."

There was nothing more said on it. The uneasiness that entered the room slowly diminished as the merriment resumed. They played games, watched a movie or two, broke out leftovers for dinner, and had plenty to drink. Columbia's careful watch on Ivan did not go unnoticed. She was watching his hand shake while he ate, how he leaned more heavily on his walking pipe, how he would occasionally control his breathing a little more. He didn't even attempt to talk to anyone this time. Feliciano noticed the concern that controlled her features. Others did too. But nobody said much. Eventually, it was getting late, and the guests started to trickle out.

"Thank you so much!" Columbia shouted, waving, as Alfred left with his large portion of guests in tow.

Sighing, she closed the door, and checked the time. Feliciano, his family, the Beilschmidts, and Ivan were still in her living room, a straight to TV movie forgotten droning on.

"So you just take a bit more powdered suger, ja? It gives a bit more...schomethink..." Ludwig explained, the Italian brothers listening eagerly.

"I see, I see! Your pastries are always so light and fluffy!" Feliciano was acting happy.

"Dummkopf bruder haz been bakink for as long as I can remember! I alvays sought it was so silly-!" Gilbert said. "Vho knew he vould be so avesome at it as I am at beink avesome-!"

"...You're weird." Lovino stated.

"Now, now, Lovi, don't be mean." Antonio said on a laugh.

"Don't tell me you think he's normal!"

"HEY! I'm right HERE -!"

"Bruder is strange, sough..."

"I think you're all weird!" Ivan added, smiling brightly.

Feliciano wasn't the only one who laughed.

Columbia stretched her arms above her head, tired from the long day. "He's not wrong. I think you're all weird too. Though I guess that means I'm the weirdest of em all then, huh?" She casually draped herself over Ivan's shoulders, letting her lips kiss the top of his head. She was careful not to put any pressure on him though. She wasn't sure why she did it, but the it felt like such a natural thing to do she didn't realize how it might look.

If Ivan was bothered by the action, he didn't show it. Besides the surprised looks she didn't really expect anyone to comment at all.

How silly of her.

"Vhat ze hell?! Are you two togeser?!" Gilbert screeched.

"So what?" Ivan said before she could react. "Columbia has been very good to me."

"So zat's vhy you vere in ze store wis her zat day. You've really got serious issues, friend, if you vant to be wis ze likes of him!" He continued, laughing.

Ludwig seemed to be silently groaning, his face buried in a palm.

Columbia just shrugged. "He's way less crazy than my last boyfriend." Oops. She had too much to drink. Ivan's darkened glare turned to face her as the rather all too silent group of friends stared at her blankly.

"Comparing him to me, you are so mean." Ivan said.

"Yeah, well...it's true." She said, feeling all too sleepy to be talking anymore.

"I'm schtarting to sink you are not a girl at all...zat statement deserfes some major explaining, I sink!" Gilbert shouted, staring the odd couple down.

"No." Columbia said roughly, glaring.

"Come on, you can't expect me to just shrug somesing like zat off?!"

Columbia scrunched up her face into a grimace. "Ugh - it was just a slip of a tongue!" She defended weakly.

"Vhat do YOU know?!" The German continued to demand, sending a glare at Ivan.

"I am thinking you would be best to leave her alone." Ivan shot darkly. He removed Columbia off of his frame, standing to his full height. "I have said something about letting wild dogs roam free, da?" His smiling face was directed towards Ludwig.

"I am not afraid of you." Ludwig stated.

Ivan laughed coldly. "I know. Why would you be?"

"Ivan..." Columbia said, taking his hand gently in hers. The fingers twitched, and he tore it away.

"Vhat happened to you anyvay? You seriously sink it vas a bookcase?" Seriously, did the albino every shut up?

"Are you saying that I have lied?" Ivan asked.

"Ja, zat is vhat I am sayink. You are forgettink zat ve hafe fought before!"

"GILBERT, zis is not ze time!"

"SCHOFE IT, VEST!"

"It is none of your business." Ivan said sternly. "I have nothing else to say." He turned away from them.

"I am just curious to who got ze best of you - "

Columbia finally stepped in, giving Gilbert a square punch in the nose, sending him reeling backwards. "Didn't he just say he didn't want to talk about it?! Geez, you must be some special kind of idiot to not get the hint, huh?!"

He was too surprised to come up with anything to say, instead opting to have his hands fly to his face in a futile attempt to stop the spring of blood that began to drip down his face. "Saucy hundin." He grunted, his brother giving him a glare.

"You deserfed it."

"Mio Dio, that's-a helluva temper..." Lovi mumbled.

"I'll say it again, I am schtartink to sink you are not really a girl."

"She is, sough." Ludwig said quickly, and he frowned as he realized what he had just aid. "I mean -!"

"Hov vould YOU know?!"

"He patched me up after our little skirmish, Gilbert. No biggie." She glowered down towards him. "There's some first aid stuff in the far kitchen cabinet. Washcloths are by the sink. Help yourself." The German stood, shrugging.

"Oh, that's right. Vee, grazie, Ludwig." Feliciano had been looking for an opening to say something the entire time. He, Lovino, and Antonio had been unusually quiet. She realized it must still be a little awkward for them to be around the Beilschmidts.

"Columbia, you are tired. You should be getting to bed, da? These conversations are starting to be weird." Ivan said, grabbing her hand carefully.

She groaned, letting her head rest against his uninjured shoulder. Now that it was less crowded she wanted to stay and cuddle the tall man. "Mmf. I suppose." But she was exhausted.

"Come on. I will tuck you in?" He offered, and she flushed.

"S-sure."

"Mm? Ivan, is sere somesing wrong wis your hand?" Ludwig asked, and Columbia paused. The one she was holding seemed fine, but the hand that held onto his walking pipe was shaking badly.

"Is a nervous disorder." He said a little too quickly, smiling casually. "I do not expect to be rejoining you all. Good night."

"Ja...of course. We should get goink anyvay. Good night."

"Night." Columbia waved as Ivan and herself vanished up the stairs. Behind the closed doors of her bedroom, she felt relief. Next to her Ivan was silent, suddenly slow moving and his face drawn into a serious frown.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Da." He walked carefully though, and she followed him carefully as he sat on the bed, where he let out a shaky breath.

"You're worrying me."

"I know. Wrapping...and splints." He muttered. The pipe clanged to the floor, and he was wrestling to get his gloves off. She squinted, seeing that under the thick gloves his hand was badly swollen.

"Ivan -"

"Wrappings and splints." He repeated, rolling the glove over the thick skin.

She decided it was better to just agree. This was really crazy, she realized, digging through her medicine cabinet for supplies. It was a mess, he was a mess, in more ways than once...she frowned. How long had she been living here? Two months? A little longer? Almost the whole time she has been absorbed in other peoples problems, and now getting involved with something this...serious.

Was this a mistake?

She gripped the roll of medical tape a little too hard, and it slipped from her fingers, rolling around on the floor. She just watched it until it slowed to a stop, sighing heavily. If this was a mistake...it didn't matter. In times like this, it was best to do what you felt was right. And he was screaming right to her, even though her brain was yelling contradicting logistics to her at every corner.

When she returned he had removed most of his clothes, a fine sheen of sweat visible on the pale, multi-colored skin. He eyed the supplies in her hands, and snatched the tape from her grip. "Splints." He repeated, and she opened a little first aid box she had found and held the little wooden sticks out to him.

He held the tape in his mouth, and grasped his swollen hand in his good one.

Columbia cringed as she realized his fingers were a little crooked. He carefully pinched on one, manipulating the swollen digit until it set straight. Even through all that though, he didn't make a sound. When he was satisfied with the first one, he took two of the little sticks out of her hands and clumsily tried to get them in place.

"Let me - " She said softly, moving to the floor. She rested her weight on her knees, sitting between his legs so his hand could rest on one of his thighs. His face tightened as he watched her. She placed the two little sticks carefully alongside the set finger, and he wrapped it as she held. When it was adequately taken care of, he handed her the roll, and she ripped the tape, carefully pushing the loose end down. They did this two more times, and finally he wrapped the three digits together. He sighed, it sounded like relief, and fell back onto the mattress.

"I think you're the tired one." She said, carefully placing a hand on his sore chest, rubbing it soothingly. His skin was like a rock, hard and rough. He flinched, but settled under her exploring hands after a moment. She kept them on his chest and shoulders, not daring to be overly touchy and just rubbing small circles. He kept his chin lowered, and the light wasn't the best in here. She brushed her other hand against his forehead lightly, tracing the bandage that stuck to his temple and running fingers through his soft hair. "I want to hold you." She stated suddenly, and his bewildered glance shot up at her.

"Huh?"

"Like this - hold on." They shuffled around, and Columbia settled a pillow between herself and the headboard, leaning back until she was comfortable. "Here - " She patted her lap. " - lay down."

His mouth opened slightly, like he was thinking of something to say, a protest, maybe, but a strange sense of acceptance tugged at him, and he complied. Slowly.

"There! That's better, huh?" She looked down on his face, violet eyes sparking. He must be in pain. There was no way he wasn't. You couldn't tell from his face though. He just looked confused.

"Is this supposed to accomplish something?" He asked, and she giggled. For the first time, she noticed a bandage had been wrapped carefully around his neck. She decided to pretend she didn't see it.

"I can see that cute face of yours." She teased, enjoying the faint pink that dusted his features. His head cradled in her lap, she ran her fingers through his hair lazily. "It's so soft..." She murmured. "I think I'm in love with your hair."

"You can't have it." He pouted, and she fought the urge to lean down and hug him tightly.

"Too bad." She sighed, dropping her arm. "I don't think I can sleep."

"Ne, me either..."

"Wanna watch a movie or something?"

"Here?"

"Yeah. I just get my laptop...and with the help of Google...we could watch pretty much whatever." She grabbed the slim computer from her nightstand, setting it next to them and opening it up. Working with one hand, as the other was still lacing through his hair, she typed in a password and the starting chime went off. "So...yes? No? Maybe?"

"It's a little hard for us both to see..." He complained, and shifted out of her lap, to her disappointment. "Lay...next to me." He suggested, and her face lightened in surprise.

"You sure? I'd be right next to you."

"Da, I've decided it's fine." He said sheepishly.

"Okay then..." She scooted herself over, letting him settle comfortably on the bed. After settling, she let herself lay down next to him, being careful to not press any weight into his sides. Her body turned into his, slightly, her head rested on his outstretched arm. It was hard, but not uncomfortable. He grabbed the covers, surprising her as he pulled them up.

"Place it here." He said, patting his stomach. "I don't care what we watch. Just something."

"Oh. All right..." Columbia sat up for a moment to search the internet for something. After a few frustrating growls, she sighed.

"What is wrong?"

"Eh...I don't wanna be a jackass." Her face scrunched up in annoyance.

Ivan watched with interest as she nimbly typed. She was filling out some kind of form.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Buying a service. I want good movies."

He noticed she had a credit card number memorized. Satisfied, she laid back down with him, setting the laptop on his stomach like he had asked. "That's not gonna hurt you is it?"

"You worry too much."

This time, the movie did help her sleep. But then again, maybe it wasn't the movie.

"Why was Ivan Braginsky there?" Arthur questioned aloud as they sat in the car.

Alfred shuddered. "I dunno. I think Columbia is trying to be friends with him. Don't ask me how THAT'S working out, I dunno. I heard he practically beat her up in her own front lawn!"

"Bloody Hell, what is she thinking?!"

"Come now, Columbia has been nothing but the perfect host. She was so thankful to have us all there." Francis stated.

"Oui. She was so nice. I like her!" Matthew added brightly

There was a murmur of agreement, and silence hung thickly in the air for a moment.

"I think...she has a thing for the Ivan person." Kiku said softly.

Alfred groaned. "I know for a fact they went out on date. Once." Faces turned to him, multiple sets of eyes boring into his features, eager for details. "Dudes that's all I got, I don't know jack squat about Braginsky, really."

"Maybe that is part of probrem. Corumbia seems to be giving him a great bit of srack. Maybe we should try to do the same?"

"You're being unusually chatty..." Arthur noticed. "You were silent practically all night til now."

"Prease excuse."

"Was it just me..." Matthew started. "Or did Ivan's story seem a little off?"

"Like a bookcase could do all that damage." Alfred grumbled. "He must of gotten in a fight. I'd hate to see the other guy."

"Mon Dieu, you are right...but who is the other guy? I have heard nothing, and usually rumors spread through the cafe like wildfire, non?"

"Eh, just wait til tomorrow, or the weekend. Yesterday was kind of slow."

"Yesterday was busy at the store though. I did not hear anything either..."

Attention turned to Matthew. "Bro, what about the theater? Anyone in there say anything?"

"Non." Came the timid reply as the young blonde tightened his grip around the large plush polar bear.

"Weird..." Arthur rubbed his chin. "This is unsettling. Usually if someone gets in a fight it's around town within the hour."

"Yeah I know. I mean with how Columbia looked I would have said they fought each other if there wasn't the whole thing with Gilbert." Alfred laughed loudly.

"Did you see the way he was limping?! Oh man, she must have really gotten the drop on him!"

Every other face in the care cringed. "Yes, we noticed. I'd feel bad if he wasn't such a stuck up git all the time."

"Back to discussion." Kiku stated pointedly. "Do we avoid Miss Corumbia?"

"I don't want to. She's cool!" Alfred said. "I mean just look at what she did for us tonight!"

"I agree."

"Me three!"

"I think it's decided." Alfred continued. "If Columbia is a cool enough gal to give that creepy bastard a chance, then maybe we should too. Besides, nothing weird happened tonight! He was just quiet."

"But what about his...history?" Francis asked harshly.

"Do any of us really even know what happened then?" Matthew asked, and a few resigned sighs answered. "No, not really."

Arthur frowned. He wasn't so sure he was ready to try to understand the tall, mysterious Braginsky.

"Zat saucy hundin is somesing else, Vest!" Gilbert grumbles as he struggled to get comfortable in the car.

"Ja, I know. Vill you stop wis ze complainink? I am tryink to drife us home."

"Vest, Vest, so serious. You know he's lyink, right? I mean honestly. Such a stupid sing to lie about. Zat hundin really vants to go out wis ze likes of him? She's goink to need all the luck she can get!"

Ludwig remained silent.

"Und vhy vould she leafe us wis some damn Italians?! Lucky I don't take zere heads und knock zem togeser so hard-!"

"Gilbert, zat is enough. I don't know vhy you alvays pick on him. You know if vasn't his fault."

The albino didn't have a response, instead kicking dash with one of his uncomfortable feet.

"Gilbert?"

"Ja?"

"You really should let go. It's not healthy to be as angry as you are all ze time."

"...I don't vant to."

"I know. Tonight was enjoyable, sough, ja? It vould be nice to hafe more times like zis. Instead of vhat ve normally do."

"You didn't know him, Vest."

"I'm sorry for zat." There wasn't a reply, and he waited patiently for one. After a full minute passed, he glanced over to his brother expectantly. "...I didn't mean to make you so upset."

Gilbert bit back his tears. "I'm too avesome to cry."

"I know."

"...You really had fun tonight, huh, Vest?"

"I hafe spent much time alone in the schop. Ja, it was fery nice."

"Good."

Lovino and Antonio left the house hesitantly after being reassured for the millionth time by Feliciano.

"I don't-a like this." Lovino growled, feeling the urge to hit something. They slowly clambered into the car, Antonio turning over the engine.

"He said it was fine, didn't he? You know Feli will get upset if we fret over him too much."

"I know! But did you see him?! Columbia treats him like there's-a nothing wrong! It's weird I tell you, weird!"

"But he was acting pretty normal today. Maybe she got through to him somehow?"

"A guy THAT messed up doesn't deserve the kind of treatment she's giving him-!"

"Lovino." His tone was sharp. "Feliciano has always felt in debt to Ivan. You know that."

"He was scared. He doesn't know any better! That's why I'm so careful! It's bad enough he refused our help for so long, living God knows where and insisting he was fine all on his own! Chigi!"

"Lovi, Lovi, calm yourself. You have a helluva temper you know."

"Hmph!"

"Listen. Everything went smoothly tonight, si? I don't see any reason to not give him a chance. Maybe it's just because no one has ever given him a chance before. I mean really, what do we know about Ivan Braginsky?"

Lovino scoffed. "He killed a man with a metal stick."

"He attacked an attacker with a metal stick. And even when he had that little scrap with Columbia...she was able to fight him off, right? Maybe there was something to what she said before. All bark and no bite? Maybe it really is a show."

"Who would choose to act like that?" He scowled.

"Maybe something bad happened to him."

"Hmm...maybe. I suppose...there's only one way to find out, eh?"

"Si, we'll just have to get to know him ourselves."

Yao Wang locked the door to his house tightly, double checking the deadbolt and the lock and making sure they were secure. He shuddered involuntarily, shedding his coat and hanging it up loosely. "I do not understand her, aru." He muttered to himself, trudging his way upstairs to his private bedroom.
"I like her, she is very good client. But why him? Why-" He felt a cold tingle down his spine, and peeked out the window. Nothing was there. "Very bad luck to be around everyone, aru..." He rubbed his eyes with a sleeved hand. His paranoia was getting the better of him. Just because being around him was so unnerving. He sat down at a desk, grabbing a pen and blank piece of stationary. He thought as he wrote. There was a short period of time where the man named Ivan hung around his house a little too often. It was almost stalker-ish the way he meandered outside, glancing into the windows, and stopped into the shop a little too often.

"Why are you always hanging around me?!" He finally had demanded one day.

"Because I like you!" That strange sing-song voice rung in reply. "You are not like the others. Don't you hang around anyone else?"

No, not really. Yao sank in his chair, dejected. Not since Kiku burned down his storage house. They hadn't spoken since. And they used to be so close, too...
Ivan stopped bothering him after the trial. Actually, he stopped doing a lot of things after that. Come to think of it, very rarely was Ivan seen around town. He was there, sure, but he made a point to only eat in restaurants at unwanted hours, he barely walked around the streets like he used to and even his job had become more reclusive. Braginsky was some big huge millionaire too, and everyone knew he took the office job almost as a form of therapy. It must be stressful having a large family name like that.

He shook his head violently. I will not feel sorry for that creep! He told himself. No way! He's a creepy stalker with violent tendencies!

And the person that was quickly becoming a good friend had a huge crush on him.

He swore in frustration, staring down at the half-written letter in disgust. He tore it up, grabbing a fresh piece of paper and starting over.