"Lift your arm a bit, then flex your fingers." Kiku ordered as he attatched the final bit of 'skin over Gilbert's arm. Gilbert obeyed quietly, his thoughts focused on Roderich.

"Hey, Kiku?" He asked quietly. The Asian 'hmm'ed and Gilbert continued. "Can you..." Frowning slightly when Gilbert paused, Kiku moved to look at him.

"What is it, Gilbert-san?" Gilbert took a deep breath, feeling childish suddenly.

"Can you...add something to me?" Kiku pulled away completely, looking down at Gilbert with a raised eyebrow, inadvertently reminding him of Yao.

"Add what, exactly, Gilbert-san?" Gilbert glared off to the side, almost as though he was trying to hide his flushed face.

"I feel as though Roderich isn't pleased with me." He muttered hesitantly. "I want you to add or remove whatever you think would make me better for him." Kiku smiled gently, taking in Gilbert's appearance. There was an unnatural flush on his face, his ears twitching as his tail wrapped nervously around his arm. The whole conversation was something Kiku never expected to be having with the over confident mecha, he couldn't help but reach over and touch Gilbert's head gently.

"You're fine, Gilbert-san." He murmured, rubbing the mecha's head.

In a bout of even more uncharacteristic-ness, Gilbert threw his arms around Kiku's waist and buried his face in the Asian's chest, something he hadn't done since he was first made.

"I just feel like I'm failing you and Boss and I hate it." Gilbert's words were muffled. "Especially because of all the things you guys have done for all of us. I mean- - -dammit, I'm the test run and I'm not even working properly!" Kiku couldn't help the chuckled as Gilbert pulled back, face now as crimson as his eyes from embarrassment.

"You work fine." Kiku assured him, helping the mecha stand. "Roderich-san will come around, I'm sure of it."

"What if he doesn't?" Kiku pursed his lips and took the tank top from Gilbert, handing over the mecha's black t-shirt in return.

"He will."


Gilbert sat by the table, waiting. In the background, the oven 'beep'ed and Roderich moved towards it. Gilbert didn't move much, aside from his tail flickering to the side every now and then, his ears twitching at every noise that penetrated the otherwise silent apartment.

RING! RING! RI- - -

"Boss?" Gilbert put the phone on speaker, leaning on his forearms in front of the device. In the kitchen, Roderich stopped moving.

"Hello, Gilbert. Is Roderich there?" Gilbert licked his lips, his crimson eyes darting towards the kitchen briefly.

"In the kitchen, Boss. Want me to get him?"

"In a moment. I want to speak to you first." Gilbert raised an eyebrow but settled down in front of the phone. "You still there, hon?" Gilbert made an affirmative noise and Elizabeta started talking. "Kiku mentioned yesterday that you wanted alterations. He also said he refused, but that's beside the point. Gilbert, you can't change your personality for your master just because he is being insufferable! That's not going to help anything, hon."

"But I honestly don't know what to do, Boss." Gilbert muttered. Somehow, admitting it over the phone to Elizabeta was much easier than telling Kiku three days before.

"C'mon, where is the Gilbert who teases Arthur and Lovino mercilessly? Who pretends to not see Matthew to make him smile and who is always boasting that he's cool?"

"Not cool, Boss- - -I'm awesome" Gilbert grinned sitting up. "I'm the awesomest mecha you've ever created." Elizabeta laughed over the phone.

"There's my mecha." She said proudly, and Gilbert could hear the smile in her voice.

"Thanks, Boss."

"Don't mention it, hon. Now get Roderich- - -I'm afraid I was a bit rude and I should apologize for that." Gilbert snorted; Elizabeta's 'bit rude' meant she had managed to somehow, in some way, humiliate them both in anger.

"Sure thing, Boss." He turned only to find Roderich standing in the doorway, watching him with an unreadable expression on his face. For a moment, they just stared, then- - -"Boss wants you."

"There's chocolate cake on the table." Gilbert grinned and jumped up, running for the kitchen.


Roderich was confused. For the past three days, he heard nothing in the form of an apology or even an explanation from the Hungarian woman. On top of that, Gilbert was acting differently.

He'd noticed it the evening Kiku had Gilbert return home. Gilbert had called out a greeting, and walked past Roderich without a glance or anything. Since then, he hadn't even attempted anything on Roderich, and it was beginning to worry Roderich greatly.

Well, Roderich amended as he checked on the chocolate cake he had placed in the oven forty-five minutes prior, not worried, per say, but- - -

The phone rang and before he could answer it, Gilbert's voice rang out, filling the house with 'Boss?'. He froze, wondering what Elizabeta wanted (because she was the only one Gilbert called 'Boss'). Hesitantly, he crept towards the kitchen door, hearing the entire conversation without hearing anything past Elizabeta's accusations of Gilbert's alterations.

Had Gilbert really asked to be changed? Because of him? Roderich felt his stomach drop as he considered Kiku changing Gilbert. Despite his horrible attitude towards Gilbert, Roderich had grown used to Gilbert in the week or so he owned him for. If Kiku had, in fact, altered him in any way, Roderich had half a mind to go to the building and demand Gilbert be changed back.

Roderich found crimson eyes staring at him, but he couldn't come up with anything to say as he searched the eyes for any differences he might spot.

"Boss wants you." Roderich blinked and shook his head. What was he doing? Mentioning the cake in the kitchen, Roderich allowed Gilbert to run past him, walking slowly towards the phone.

"Elizabeta?" He called softly.

"Roderich." The woman's voice came over the line, sighing as she spoke. "I apologize for what happened the other day, in the coffee house. It's just- - -I don't think you understand how important they are, how much those boys mean to me."

"It's fine, Elizabeta." It was strange- - -suddenly, Roderich felt the need to get away. He didn't want to listen to her apologies, or explanations. He felt tired, and as he raised a hand to rub his eyes under his glasses, Roderich realized he really didn't want anything from Elizabeta anymore. It made him feel empty, and as he thought this, his eyes strayed over to the kitchen door, where Gilbert was- - -

"Yes, I- - -" Roderich sighed, rubbing his eyes again. "I'm sorry, Elizabeta. I need to think a few things over...excuse me." Before she could answer, he hung up the phone and made his way towards the room he more or less abandoned the past week or so: his piano room.

Sitting firmly at the piano, Roderich tuned the instrument unconsciously, thinking of Gilbert. Things had changed quite dramatically in the week that he allowed him into his life, Roderich mused, but not all changes had been bad. In fact, despite Gilbert not being what begat originally ordered, it felt nice having someone welcoming him home every day.

Having finished tuning the instrument, Roderich allowed his fingers to rest on the keys before launching into a piece he had wrote for himself in high school- - -the one he had composed for himself to reduce stress and feelings of uncertainty, one he had titled (ironically, now that he thought about it) 'Crimson in Silver Metal'. Closing his eyes, Roderich poured out his confusion and uncertainty in the one piece, losing himself in the music as easily as he always did.


Hours later, perhaps, Roderich lifted his fingers from the keys, the last note still ringing in the air. After it died out, Roderich sighed, touching the lid of the piano gently.

"I didn't know you could play piano." Roderich lifted his violet eyes to meet the crimson that had suddenly appeared, and he could barely hold back a startled cry that came from him. The silver-haired male ignored it, pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning against and approaching Roderich. Gilbert sat beside him, sending him a smirk as he cracked his knuckles. "Let's see if I can't remember the shit Kimu taught me about piano." Before Roderich could object calling the music the piano produced 'shit', Gilbert had his fingers on the keys and began playing.

Despite what Roderich had been expecting, Gilbert's playing was exceptionally wonderful. The notes that flowed seamlessly from the piano gave Roderich a sense of joy, warmth, and love mixed with a mischief that only Gilbert could come up with, and though it startled Roderich, the one thing he thought of was 'this is how Gilbert views life...'

When Gilbert stopped, grinning broadly and panting lightly, Roderich stared for a moment. Gilbert's face was flushed lightly, and despite appearing to look for Roderich's approval, the pianist could tell Gilbert was extremely proud of his piano skills. Confusion flickered in Gilbert's eyes as Roderich reached out and gently touched the silver-haired male's face and, almost as if unaware of his own actions, brought Gilbert down to kiss him.

Kissing Gilbert the second time didn't throw Roderich off like it did the first time, most likely because he had been the one to initiate it this time. Gilbert seemed to stiffen slightly in surprise before moving his hands off the piano keys and tangling them hesitantly in Roderich's hair, pulling Roderich closer to his body.

He moaned when Gilbert suddenly pushed his tongue into Roderich's mouth, making Roderich turn awkwardly to get a better angle. Roderich winced slightly at the slight pain that came from twisting his back in a weird position, but ignored it in favor of unsurely placing his hands on Gilbert's shoulders.

Gilbert stopped, pulling back far enough to lock his crimson eyes on Roderich's violet but staying close to the point of Roderich feeling the warm breath that came from Gilbert's mouth in small pants.

"Roddy?" He panted quietly, confusion swimming in his eyes as he tilted his head to the side. "You ok?" Roderich didn't answer at first; he tried to lean forward again but Gilbert moved his hands from Roderich's head to his shoulders and kept him back. "Roddy? Roderich, what happened?" Crimson eyes searched Roderich, worry and concern clear beneath the confusion.

Roderich sighed, slumping over slightly in Gilbert's arms.

"It's you..." He murmured. Gilbert made a noise of confusion but Roderich kept talking. "You-You just barge into my life and expect me to take care of you like some-some kid or something, and then you act crazy and injure yourself- - -" Gilbert tried to interject, but Roderich let his head rise again, feeling a uncharacteristic rant come on. "And all the while, you act so human I have to remind myself time and time again that you aren't- - -"

"So this is because I act human...when I'm not..." Gilbert interrupted slowly, his tail drooping over the piano bench as his ears flattened against his head. His eyes moved from Roderich's to the piano keys again, and Roderich felt a pang in his heart at what seemed like utter defeat in the silver male's eyes. "Do you want me to not act human then? I can't do it now, but if you ask Kiku- - -"

"That man has changed you enough, I dare say." Roderich muttered, turning away with a blush on his face when Gilbert peered at him questioningly out of the corner of his eye. "Your entire demeanor has changed, Gilbert. I've noticed it lately. You haven't made any move towards me since I took you to him to fix your arm."

Gilbert didn't seem to know what to do, so he settled for staring at Roderich out of the corner of his eyes for a few more moments before slowly and purposefully turning towards Roderich, moving his leg so that he straddled the piano bench.

"Let's fix that, shall we?" Gilbert murmured, his voice husky. Before Roderich could ask what the man had in mind, Gilbert moved forward, tilting Roderich's head back as he claimed the brunette's lips.

Sparks seemed to explode inside Roderich as Gilbert entwined his pale fingers into Roderich's hair, making him moan slightly in the back of his throat. Gilbert took it as a sign of encouragement and pressed harder, licking and nipping Roderich's lips gently. Roderich placed his hands back on Gilbert's shoulders, hesitating slightly- - -he felt as though accepting Gilbert's advances now would mean something different than the first time; accepting them now would mean that Roderich was accepting he was wrong when he had said that Gilbert didn't have feelings like he did, would be acknowledging those feelings and, most likely, encouraging them.

Roderich pulled back a little, ignoring Gilbert's slight moan of disappointment, and looked- - -really looked- - -at Gilbert.

His face was almost as crimson as his eyes, and he was panting slightly, his arms winding around Roderich as his hands stayed fisted in Roderich's hair. There was a bit of saliva on his mouth- - -most likely his own, maybe Roderich's, possibly both mixed together- - -and there was this look in his eyes that was screaming 'dangerous!' because it was so wild and animalistic, so instinctive and lust-filled that sent a chill down Roderich's spine but went straight to his nether regions.

And yet...

Underneath the animalistic look was this gentle, caring, almost loving feel. Though his arms were loosely wrapped around Roderich, they screamed possessiveness and a general sense of 'mine, fuck off, don't touch', and the hands fisted in his hair were soft and gentle, completely unlike the forceful personality the silver-haired male seemed to radiate. The flush on Gilbert's face reminded Roderich of the first time they kissed, how surprised he had been to realize that Gilbert felt human even though he wasn't...

He leaned toward, wrapping his arms around Gilbert again as he angled his head, kissing Gilbert once more. Gilbert's hands instantly started roaming, both trailing down Roderich's hair, face, neck- - -

Roderich moaned quietly into Gilbert's mouth as one hand palmed his rising problem and the other trailed back up his shirt, tracing the skin underneath with pale fingers.

"Can I, Roddy?" Gilbert panted against Roderich's lips. "Is it ok?"

"Fine..." Roderich panted, closing his eyes as Gilbert added more pressure. "Ah..."

Gilbert smirked again, pulling Roderich closer as his tail wrapped around the pianist's leg slowly. Roderich sighed shakily when Gilbert trailed his lips down his neck, closing his eyes and tilting his head back.

'I really shouldn't...' Roderich thought faintly to himself as Gilbert's hand began applying pressure again. 'I shouldn't encourage this...'

"Don't think so much," Gilbert hissed in his ear quietly, biting it softly. "Just go with it, for now." Roderich groaned again as Gilbert trailed kisses down his face, meeting his lips and forcing Roderich's mouth open to search the warm space; Roderich instinctively reciprocated

And with that, he gave in.


Sorry it took me forever to update and all's anyway, since people have been asking, I shall tell: the anime I got this idea from is called 'Love Neko'. I hope I kept everyone in at least semi-character! Happy Friday the 13th!