High school was much harder than Lovino had thought with his younger brother, Feliciano, clinging to him. It wasn't surprising how people were head over heels for his cuter, little brother by the time lunch came around, but Feli's constant clinging made people actually notice him, too. He had worked hard to remain the smart, unnoticed kid that sat in the back of every class. In just one day, however, the previous year's hard work had gone down the drain. The only questions he had gotten from his peers were those that pertained to his brother. Lovino had tried his hardest not to crack, not to curse at someone, anyone who asked about Feli. For now it had worked, but at the beyond frustrated Italian reached the lunchroom, he found it increasingly difficult to shut out the bantering behind him.
"Lovino! High school is so fun! Everyone is so nice! The teachers are nice and so are my new friends! None of them are bullies! I would hate to have a friend that's a bully because if we fight, they could beat me up, and if they beat me up, I would be hurt! I don't want to be hurt! If I'm hurt, I can't enjoy my pasta because I'll think too much about the pain. I don't want to be without my pasta or I'll be sad. And Grandpa Roma knows when I'm sad, so he'll go beat up the person who made me sad. Lovino! Please don't let Grandpa Roma beat up my friend!"
Lovino shook his head as he passed under the arch leading into the loud, food filled cafeteria. Feliciano's spiels were often pointless and irrelevant, but all he could do about his brother's nonsense was to grin and bear through it. He decided to seclude himself in the back of the lunchroom. The freshman just padded on behind him.
Just as Lovino and Feli were sitting down, a Spaniard approached the duo. Feli let out a squeal of delight and to his brother's dismay, invited him to join them. It was fine at first. Lovino could manage, but soon things got strange. The bastard hadn't stopped smiling, hadn't stopped staring. What was his problem? How could this Spaniard be so happy when they were sitting in this hellhole Grandpa Roma called school? Lovino's only conclusion... this kid was crazy. And why did Feli have to invite him? Could this bastard tell that Lovino didn't enjoy his company or his presence?
The Spaniard had introduced himself to Lovino as Antonio Fernandez Carreido, a senior, like he cared. He had intended on remaining anonymous for as long as he could, but those plans went right down the drain with the others. Feli just had to open his mouth yet again.
"I met you earlier Antonio Fernandez Carreido! You have such a funny name!" Lovino quickly cuffed his brother over the head. The boy quickly looked down at his pasta. The sadness didn't last as long as Lovino had hoped it would, however. "Oh! You know me! I'm Feliciano Vargas, but everyone calls me Feli. You can pick! Oh! This is my brother Lovino. Grandpa calls him Lovi, but Lovino says I'm not allowed to which isn't that fair. He may seem all tough and mean and scary looking, but he's nice when you get to know him and you don't give him any wine. He'll curse at you in Italian if you do. But other times he'll dance and sing with pretty girls and play guitar!" Lovino's cheeks burned at his brother's words, but Feliciano pressed on. Antonio only laughed. "Oh! Some people think we looked like twins, but it's easy to tell us apart. Lovino is taller and has darker eyes. He looks more like Grandpa and I look more like Mamma. And he's a year older than me. He's a sophomore and I'm a freshman! Oh! Antonio! You don't have a lunch! Take this tomato! I picked it this morning!"
The Spaniard graciously took the fruit from Feli and exclaimed, "Gracias a mi amigo! Oh, Lovino you've been here longer than I have and I don't know my way around here well. Do you mind showing me around?"
Antonio's question threw Lovino off guard. How long had he been at the school? Why did he have to ask him? "Whatever..." Lovino responded heavily. Antonio laughed again, causing Lovino to blush for the second time. What was is it about this Spaniard that set Lovino so ill at ease. "Shut up..."
"Don't mind him, Antonio!" Feli had jumped in at the last second. "He's just not used to people talking to him!"
"That's not true!" Lovino lied through gritted teeth, glaring angrily at Feli. He was always made the bad guy. He really wasn't. It was just that people... pissed him off.
"But Lovino, you told me that-!" Feliciano was thankfully cut off by a very strange accented voice.
"Carreido! Vargas! Why are you so far towards the back, mes amis?" Lovino turned back to see to see a blonde boy with blue eyes. His accent could only be French. Two others flanked him, but Lovino couldn't quite see their faces. They were obviously a trio of soccer players. "Didn't we ask you two to sit with us? Oh! Who is this? Feliciano, mon ami, you did not tell me you had a twin!"
"Oh! This is my brother Lovino! We look like twins, but we are really not!"
"Is he funny like you?" asked on of the other two boys who stood behind the French kid. His accent was clearly American like most kids in the school. The boy pushed forward and gave a bright, toothy smile. From what Lovino could already tell that the boy's personality resembled Feli's. They could have been brothers aside from the boy's glasses, blue eyes, and blond hair. No. They could never be thought of as brothers. "We could use more of a sense of humor since Mr. Serious over here doesn't like my jokes!"
"But of course he is!" Antonio exclaimed, polishing his tomato on his sleeve. "What Vargas isn't?"
"Don't tell them what I am and what I am not, you tomato bastard!" Lovino yelled, snatching the fruit from Antonio.
"Tomato bastard?" asked a deep voice with the dialect of a German. The third boy stepped forward. He was obviously older than the American, but possibly the same age as the Frenchman. "Where did you come up with that one?"
Lovino was stunned. He didn't know how to answer. Usually people were offended by his insults, not curious. "I err..."
"Lovino says stuff like that all the time!" Feli quickly exclaimed. It was the truth, but he had never meant it to be funny.
Lovino just shook his head at the three blonds. They were already frustrating him. He glanced back at Feliciano and Antonio to find Antonio staring at him. Why was he always staring? Those green eyes were so unmoving and bright. So beautiful... Antonio smiled to himself. Shit! Had Lovino really stared back? Had he really thought Antonio's eyes were beautiful? Lovino shook his head with disgust and looked to the ground. Luckily the Frenchman broke the silence.
"Oh, mes amis! I have forgotten my manners! I am Francis Bonnefoy, a senior. These are my companions Alfred Jones and Ludwig Beilschmidt. Alfred is a freshman and Ludwig is a junior."
Francis and Alfred smiled ear to ear, but Ludwig kept his strong, stern expression. All three gave expectant looks to Lovino as if they wanted something from him. Their blue eyes bore into him, but he didn't get a hot flash like he got when he found Antonio staring at him. No. That was an entirely different feeling. The eyes of the three blondes felt as if they were boring into Lovino's utter being and soul, especially those belonging to the German. Great. He was the center of attention. This was exactly what he didn't want to happen. Maybe if Lovino stayed quiet, they'd go away. But that wasn't the case. It didn't seem like if ever would anymore. Not after the American spoke.
"He's just as quiet as Ludwig, ain't he?" Alfred exclaimed, breaking the silence that had be caused from the boys' stares. "I think he'll be a good friend to him. Let's just all sit over here!"
Francis looked as if he was weighing his options and Ludwig just started back towards his table. He grabbed his notebook and sat across from Feliciano. Francis and Alfred followed his lead, bringing back their own belongings. Antonio hadn't said a word in a while, and Lovino wasn't surprised to find him staring yet again. Was Lovino that interesting that he had to have the Spaniard watching his every move? He thought not. Was he going to hate this group that had joined his table that had once represented solitude? Yes. He probably was.
Lovino's thought process was interrupted yet again by loud yelling from across the lunchroom. In fact, the entire room was quiet aside from two heavily accented voices going off at each other. A sigh came from Ludwig. He seemed to know what was already going on. The German stood and started towards the two arguing boys. They both had white hair, but one was shorter than the other. The taller one wore a long brown trench coat and held a walking cane. It was unlikely that he actually needed it. The shorter one looked a little like Ludwig. Could it be... no... it couldn't? Lovino raised his eyebrows in shock. This kid had to be Ludwig's younger brother. There was no other explanation for their similarities.
Ludwig stared at the two arguing boys and they fell silent. He grabbed the shorter of the two by the ear and pulled him away from the taller one. His stern expression had changed to a look of disappointment. The snow-white haired brother looked pissed. Ludwig brought him to the table and forced him to sit down.
"Uh..." Lovino mumbled, trying to break the tension. "Is he your younger brother?"
"Nein..." Ludwig said, running his hands through his hair. "This is my older brother, Gilbert..."
Older? That took Lovino by surprise. "I, er..."
"Ja, most people think that... Except he's quote unquote Prussian," Ludwig muttered, rolling his eyes.
"I am Prussian!" Gilbert yelled, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Ja, sure, and I am the younger brother of the King of England."
"You are?" Feliciano asked excitedly.
"No Feliciano," the German said with a laugh. "It was just an example."
Feliciano stared at him for a long moment then looked down. "Oh."
"Mon ami, I thought you told me you talked to Gil about this!" Francis muttered, a puzzled expression spreading on his face.
"Ja, I did... He didn't listen. Again," Ludwig muttered, closing his eyes.
"I listened. I just don't care!" came Gilbert's loud response.
"Give him an ultimatum!" the French said with a laugh. "Have him either sit here and shut up or send him home to your grandfather."
"Oh shit..." Gilbert muttered. "No! C'mon Ludwig! You don't want to do that. C'mon bro, I thought we had something."
"I'm about to slap you, Gilbert."
"But Ludwig-"
"Nein! Now behave... or go home."
"Okay... Fine..."
Lovino saw the other boy stick out his tongue. Wow, real mature. Lovino wasn't sure how much more of these people's antics he could stand when suddenly the bell rang. He was literally saved by the bell. Almost. Just as he was about to stand to leave, Antonio gave him a look and winked.
"You're going to show me around, right?"
Lovino gave an uneasy nod. He didn't have the guts.