This chapter took so long and it's probably the suckiest thing I've ever written. I'm sorry.

Kiku point of view, 3rd person! I uh...Sort of gathered together what I've learned about the yaoi fanbase and used it. 0/0 Hopefully I'm not offending anyone.

P.S. Berwald is the nicest guy. You'll see later. Don't let Tino make you think otherwise.

I don't own Hetalia or fancy napkins.

Kiku set his chopsticks down, trying to swallow his rising alarm. This day was just getting weirder and weirder. He wasn't enjoying dinner, which was usually his favorite meal. Tino was creeping him out, and he knew it. Everyone knew. Everyone could sense this inescapably awkward situation from a mile away. Kiku was stuck between acting civil to the creep he was eating with or screaming bloody murder and running. It wasn't that Tino was acting creepy or anything (no, he wasn't that guy taht stares at you while you sleep), but he was so...intense.

Why was Tino even with him? Oh yeah, The Kirkland's had apparently already left for a ghost tour (?), so Tino had ended up eating with Kiku at a tiny Japanese place in the middle of nowhere. For once, Kiku wished Lizzy was with him so the situation wasn't as awkward as hell. The boys tried to sit was far apart as possible, which of course, was basically impossible.

Plus they kept touching feet.

It wasn't even like they were friends or anything. The only reason they were even talking to each other was Lizzy's dumb plot to get "AntoVi" together. (AN: And that was a lame attempt to come up with a decent shipping name. It sounds like anchovy) Who knew shipping brought people together? Actually...Kiku got along with most of his friends because of his OTP.

But...Tino and him weren't exactly coming together. Nope, this was...Kiku didn't even know what to call it. Maybe...

Hell. That was the word.

Tino coughed and picked at his noodles, looking as annoyed and uncomfortable as Kiku felt. "So..." Yeah, he was having problems making eye contact. "Do you think Lovino's okay? He looked kind of...upset in the museum today."

Kiku shrugged. Of course this is what the nonexistent conversation would turn to. Lovino glued them together and Lovino they'd talk about. But honestly, Kiku really didn't know what had happened at the museum. Sure, some of the pictures were nuts, but Lovino wasn't usually bothered by violence. You would've thought he'd be okay with that.

But maybe that wasn't that wasn't it. Lovino got triggered by the strangest things...Kiku recounted the time only a couple years ago when Lovino, himself, and Lizzy visited a flower shop and Lovino started crying when the shop lady mentioned daisies. So maybe the wall had upset him, or the velvet bench? Kiku would never know.

"Maybe it's the pressure. You know? With him and Antonio. I think Lizzy's taking it to far." Tino continued, apparently unfazed to Kiku's unresponsive attitude. Apparently he was a mind reader too. "Honestly, forcing two people with little chemistry isn't very smart. I don't think either one of them appreciates it either."

"Yeah maybe." Another shrug. Honestly, Kiku didn't care. He was too busy feeling awkward.

"Where did she get the idea to get them together in the first place? Did something happen between them, like Antonio picked up Lovino's fallen textbooks or something cliche like that?" Tino snorted and pushed his platinum bangs away from his face. "You can't mess with love. It ruins your life. I would know. I mean, it ruins your life for awhile...And it...hurts...for a long time."

"Wait what?" Kiku took in a lungful of water and choked. He was pretty sure everyone in the building was staring at him, but for once he didn't care.

Tino looked mildly concerned. "Are you okay? Is it something I said?"

HOW COULD HE NOT SEE THE PROBLEM?! This was a headliner! If Kiku was in the school newspaper he'd spread this everywhere with no regrets. Tino had been in a relationship? With who? Why hadn't Kiku seen him with anyone then? Since when was Tino the type to date someone? Not to be rude, but why would someone want to date him?

Tino glared at him, annoyed at not being answered the first time. "Is there a problem?"

"When did you did you date someone?" Kiku winced at the nosiness of the question.

"I didn't date at all." Tino answered matter-of-factually.

"B-but..."

"That doesn't mean I couldn't get my heart broken." He sighed and poked at the fancy cloth napkin on the table. "I haven't actually talked to him in awhile."

WHAT! Tino was into guys?! Kiku had only ever imagined him savagely topping a girl, not that he really thought much about it. Well...That was a lie. But who the hell was small and cute enough to actually...Okay, Kiku's fundashi side was taking over. He really needed to stop reading hentai.

The more important question was...well, what happened? Was that the key to Tino's sociopathic attitude? Could love do that to someone? What if Tino used to be the sweetest person... Maybe there was a huge breakup that involved Tino walking in on...

Kiku coughed, trying to clear his mind. Honestly, he didn't know anything about Tino's background. Something about moving from Sweden or Estonia or somewhere around there and coming to America. Where did the kid even live? He'd never seen Tino around in the neighborhood.

Kiku usually wasn't one to pry, but this was blasting his brain into pieces. He had to know! "Who was it?!"

The glare he received was almost enough to regret asking anything. Tino didn't seem like he was going to answer, but Kiku didn't back down. If there was something he learned, it was patience. Patience with children especially. Tino had grown up too fast. He was only a year younger than Kiku, but sounded so old...Kiku couldn't stand that. He always felt something for the people younger them him, whether it be a month younger or ten years. He couldn't let the kid break. So he faced Tino's bitch face.

"Berwald..." Tino finally spat. "Berwald Oxenstierna. We met in orchestra."

"You took orchestra?"

"Yeah."

"Wait..." If Kiku actually knew who Tino was referring to, Berwald Oxenstierna was the school's star basketball player. He was literally the most intimidating guy around, with his dark blue eyes and big build. Kiku remembered accidentally sitting next to him in once in choir. Big mistake. He cried for hours like he'd drank too much caffeine. If this was the guy Tino had been dating...No, that can't be. "Who?!"

The atmosphere grew deadly calm. Maybe Kiku shouldn't have asked. He couldn't read that expression on Tino's face. Maybe he was regretting saying anything to Kiku about it.

"Shut up."

Deadly calm washed over the room. Though Tino's voice sounded so quiet, the entire room just stopped to glance at him. Great. More unwanted attention in this already awkward situation.

"I'm sorry." Kiku didn't know if that was directed towards him, the restaurant manager that was currently glaring his face off, or to someone else...Someone unseen from everyone else, or a figment of Tino's imagination. But the kid sounded so dead... Whatever his connection with Berwald was, it was important to him - and the bastard had taken his heart and threw it away. Normally, Kiku disliked jocks, but this...This was nuts. He was surprised Tino hadn't punched him in the face by now.

Oh right, Tino liked him. He obviously hadn't gotten over it.

"Tino," Kiku said as gently as he possibly could. "Talk to me."

Tino snorted. "You're better at my job than I am." He stated sarcastically.

Kiku could tell Tino was purposely stalling, but he had a right. It's not like Kiku was his best friend. They were classmates...sort of...Well, they went to the same school... That didn't exactly even make them acquaintances... But...

"Sometimes it's better to talk to someone." Kiku stated quietly.

Tino sighed. "Fine. I'll tell you. Everything. But no word about this to Lizzy."

I'm sorry that ending DX Argh. This went way too fast DX I'm just trying to get this chapter out DX I've been sidetracked with a Narnia fic for awhile so that's why this was taken forever.

Another problem, I'm touring with my choir most of July, so I probably won't be able to get the next chapter up. I hope that's okay _ I'll see what I can do but I probably won't get the next chapter up any time soon. DX