Hercules curled up on his cot, completely numb to the world around him. He didn't flinch as the sound of the tractors started up or the men outside hooted and hollered about. He didn't care anymore. He didn't think 'why did they do it?" or "how dare they!" no. he didn't think anything. He didn't feel anything. Which to him; was worse than feeling sadness.

Berwald stood first, letting go of Tinos hand quickly. Berwald looked a little worse for ware, his big blue eyes looking deprived of much needed sleep, his clothes covered in muck before they even started working, and his hair flattened in a thick layer of grime.

Tino followed Berwald, who actually was just following the crowd of everyone else. In total the Swede counted 21 people, including themselves, on the farm. he followed everyone towards the back, as if he was trying to go unnoticed, though it was nearly impossible not to notice him. Berwald was absolutely silent until a man about as large as himself came over and began to speak.

"You the new guys? Quite a show that was huh? Old Herc'll get over it. Don't worry." The large blond said rapidly, Berwald couldn't help but notice his own overwhelming urge to roll his eyes.

"shut up, Mathias, he doesn't want to talk to you." A smaller, mono-toned voice whispered out from his other side. Where's Tino? He wondered, turning to see the small Finn behind him, with a puzzled look.

"oh, stop being such a snob. Not everyone's as uptight as you are, Lukas." The man named Mathias replied.

Lukas turned to Tino, and gave him a surprising smirk. "don't worry, he's not always like this." The smaller stranger said to Tino

"Like /what/?"

"loud and obnoxious."

"obnoxious?"

"Herc got his feelings hurt and here you are standing, laughing, and shouting about it to random strangers. that is loud, and obnoxious." Lukas finished silently, his words making Mathias look down to the ground with red cheeks and a look of regret. Berwald made the connection that these two were most likely a couple, more than likely intimate. and very public with there relationship; therefore, him and tino would not be the only homosexuals on the farm.

Not many realize it, but while Berwald stood silently, his dead, glaring eyes tracing around the room, as he did often; he was thinking. always scanning. making connections from 'this' to 'that', he was no half-wit, the silence around him could never stop the cacophony of intellect inside of his mind.

Berwald reached down and took Tinos arm, bypassing Mathias and Lukas to follow the rest of the farm hands. he heard a scoff as he kept walking without a word, and tino calling back that they would talk later. barwald felt bad for pushing past them, but he really wanted to get to work, and maybe have a moment to be alone with tino and talk about their situation. they cant be making friends like herc, lukas or mathias. friends were tie-downs. friends would look for you if you disappeared, and friends will turn on you when the cops want you for manslaughter.

After a short ride on the back of a hay hauler, tino and berwald stepped off onto the field where they would collect the bails of hay. for berwald, the task seemed easy enough. he he pushed himself, he could carry two at a time, whereas tino struggled with a small bail. he knew he couldn t stand beside tino, because that would make the small fin look even worse in comparison, but he couldn't wander too far incase Tino needed him or someone wanted to know information on them. they had to keep their stories straight. so, he stood a little closer than twenty feet as he mindlessly picked up two bails at a time and took them to the truck, and repeat.

"Damn son, what're you on?" a mid-sized italian man blurted out

"he means to say how are you that strong." the spanish man following him interrupted.

"i 'm n't 'n 'nything." Berwald meant to say in a friendly tone, but it came out harsh, scary, and serious.

"holy crapola, i was just kidding. shesh. the mans intense about juicing up." the italian replied.

"this is Romano, and i am Antonio. it's nice to meet you, and also, you can slow down if you want. leave some work for the rest of us." Antonio chuckled as him Romano slouched away to another area. Berwald sighed, maybe it was good he had such a hard voice. he couldn't risk making friends. friends now, means trouble later.

meanwhile, as tino sweated in the hot sun and slaved away with all his strength, he was talking and joking and singing and laughing with Romanos brother, the man named Francis, another named Gilbert, and a few others who would add to the conversation every once in a while. berwald tried not to notice, but Tino was good at attracting positive attention. everyone usually liked tino, and to berwald, it would prove to pose as quite the problem.

okei guys! its finally up! just got back from a long day and i am exhausted so beware the many many typos! i encourage all of you who read my story to leave comments of pm me to give input! its my first fanfiction so im a little worried.