Ex's to Lovers

Chapter 9

In Which Alfred Seriously, Definitely, Needs To Learn To Think Before He Speaks

By the time school ended, Alfred was beginning to feel like he actually might cry, having received so many gentle condolences he couldn't refute that he was beginning to feel a little brainwashed. At his wit's end, Alfred tracked down the one person who had to be on his side, and also the same one who got him into this mess. He found Gilbert exactly where he'd expected - in the freshman class bothering his younger brother who had just started that year, and was looking rather like he wished Gilbert was anywhere else.

"Gilbert!"

As soon as Alfred called his name, Gilbert qualied, and his brother Ludwig looked tiredly at him with a look that said "What did you do this time." and his Italian friend stared at the Alfred like he was about to see a very interesting play. Alfred ignored them, glaring furiously at Gilbert's practiced excuses. 

"You abandoned me!" 

He accused, and Gilbert looked insulted. 

"It was Natalya!" He defended, "And I thought you were behind me the whole time!" 

Alfred did not believe Gilbert for a second. He thought it was highly unlikely that his friend had somehow not noticed that Alfred wasn't there for the whole two hours he had gotten stuck talking to Natalya and then cleaning her house, and Gilbert's lame excused made him even more angry. Thinking about it, Alfred realized that everything that had happened was Gilbert's fault. It was Gilbert who suggested the prank, and Gilbert who ran away and left him there, and therefore it was Gilbert's fault he was even in this mess! He told Gilbert so in an accusing voice. 

"It's your fault Ivan and I broke up!" He snarled, "And now everyone knows!" 

In hindsight, he realized he probably should have phrased that differently. Gilbert froze like a marble statue, mouth hanging open and red eyes wide. Ludwig looked awkwardly away, neck red and looking like he now wished it was him who was somewhere else, and his friend let out a very loud gasp of surprise, eyes growing even more large, and belatedly Alfred realized that he'd drawn the attention of all the freshmen in the room, all of which were staring at him with wide eyes or obvious discomfort. 

Alfred flushed, and grabbed Gilbert by the back of his collar and hauled him away after him to a less busy area, before rounding on Gilbert angrily. Whatever he was about to say was cut off by the betrayed look on Gilbert's pale face, and Gilbert narrowed his red eyes towards Alfred.

"You were dating Ivan?"

Gilbert sounded both offended and betrayed, and Alfred felt wronged at the tone. He knew that Gilbert didn't like Ivan, but Gilbert should know that Alfred didn't like Ivan either. He'd been counting on Gilbert being the only normal person, but even Gilbert believed the lie. Gilbert opened his mouth again and whined at Alfred In that same offended and betrayed tone.

"You were dating Ivan? Behind my back?"

For a moment, Alfred's broken brain thought maybe it would be funny to just let Gilbert believe that in order to get revenge on him for abandoning Alfred, but luckily, Alfred's mouth didn't listen to his brain, and Alfred really needed at least one sane person around to help him get through this.

"I was never dating Ivan!"

He returned in disgust, and Gilbert squinted at him in an attempt to read his expression, and for what felt like the fortieth time that day, though it was only the third, Alfred explained what had happened.