Octavia

Chapter 4 Love...Square?

Whilst the possibility of a blooming romance had been in the air with Romano's sweet gestures and Ludwig's caring, Octavia had not given it much thought at all.
Why should she be inclined to love at all really?
To tell the truth what she really desired was a peaceful life of staring blissfully out of the window - but then turning around from looking out of the window to see Alfred being beaten by Gilbert with his own baseball bat.
At least it wasn't like that kid Allen's...with all the nails in it.
Ugh...where was that kid's parents?
An unlikely lover came to be from Alfred himself, and of course Ludwig and Romano.
Octavia hated this as it was such a cliché.
If anyone was to love her it should be some other boy in a wheelchair, not two attractive boys and a douchebag who was 'alright'.

"I've really enjoyed the church service with you today..." Romano murmured, wheeling her to the entrance of the church, walking around the wheelchair to face her when he had gotten her there.
"Well...I suppose it gives people something to look at?" Octavia murmured, avoiding eye contact.
Romano rolled his eyes, sighing "It's only the really little kids who stare y'know?" He leant down, coming uncomfortably close "But when I said I enjoyed it...I meant I really did..." He continued.
Octavia laughed nervously, swallowing "Woah there...where did all of this touchy-feeliness come from..." She murmured, being hushed by Romano.
"Perhaps you being in a wheelchair wasn't a punishment" Romano whispered, his Amber eyes gazing into her Violet ones "Perhaps it was a chance for the two of us to meet"
He leant forward and placed a gentle kiss to her lips, the two off-guard within the kiss as it didn't go smoothly.
He jolted away rather quickly, his cheeks stained with blush "I shouldn't have done that...I'm not supposed to have romantic relationships..I-I-" he was cut off by Octavia.
"Romano!" It was one of the times she addressed him by his proper name and not 'nun-boy'.
"It's okay...God is not going to punish you for this! You're only human, you can't help what you do!".
This seemed to relax him, and he sighed softly, nodding "Si...you have a point..."
The sound of his younger brothers beginning to squabble was heard, and he bowed his head apologetically "Sorry Octavia...perhaps tomorrow?" He didn't specify what, simply running off, robe billowing slightly.
Octavia sat in her chair for a minute.
"I can't get down the church steps nun-boy!"

That was just the first of her Romantic endeavours, and it was Ludwig who would be the next to stumble blindly into the world of Romance.
It seemed these boys were inexperienced but willing to try there best, despite Octavia's awkwardness and sly comments.
She had to admire them for their patience with her even so!

"So...I heard your brother and mine were..." Ludwig trailed off, once again being interrupted.
"Dating? I know, I haven't seen him this happy in years, he's all bubbly and blushy all the time, like he's a schoolgirl..." She murmured as the German boy wheeled her down the pier alongside the beach.
"Still, it's another fighting point for Alfred! He's matured from calling me 'wheel's' to Lesbo now".
Octavia had a few logical problems with that insult.
Firstly, so what?
Secondly, just because her brother had a likening for boys didn't mean she had one for girls.
And thirdly, the American knew she had no female friends and had never crushed on anyone.
Ever.
Even after Romano kissed her.
Well...that was an awkward experience.
He'd had to turn around from his cool disappearance and help her down the stairs.
Ludwig gave a sigh, tutting softly "Arthur hasn't said a word since Gilbert smashed his head against the wall, but he hasn't been able to get Alfred yet". He sound disappointed about it, though both him and Octavia were willing to pay to see it happen.
"At least they're happy" Octavia continued "I saw the two of them kissing outside my front door, must have been leaving from a date!" She murmured as Ludwig helped her onto a bench at the end of the pier, sitting down beside her.
"Ja...I wonder what it's like...to kiss?" He looked to Octavia imploringly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I want to kiss you"

"You're not the first Ludwig"

"I might be the last though"

"Rude"

Ludwig looked serious now, sighing softly as he shook his head "I'm serious...you're my best friend, we tell each other everything! Can we at least just try this together?" He pleaded.
Octavia rolled her eyes but giggled, nodding slowly "Alright, but only because your not about to preach to me about sin".

Ludwig leant forward hesitantly, his hands on her shoulders to steer her upper half closer to him.
He licked his lips hesitantly.
Octavia jolted away, huffing haughtily.
"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" Ludwig asked worriedly.
"No! You licked your lips, I'm not kissing you with your spit all over me!"
Ludwig sighed but wiped his mouth with his sleeve "kissing involves tongues and saliva you know".
Octavia shook her head "I know, Roderich was practically covered in it, your brother doesn't half drool".

There was an awkward pause before Ludwig drew her near again, colliding their lips together.
Another pause followed before he quickly spoke against her lips "Open your mouth".
Octavia did so, frowning slightly as she felt him initiate the full kiss.
It only lasted a few seconds before both pulled away.
"That was...weird" Ludwig decided uncertainly, moving to hold her hand.
"Must be why Roderich has so many breath mints" Octavia commented, before smiling and laughing.
"Well, that's a memory to put in the scrapbook!"

Ludwig was a good friend, and he too admitted the moment was awkward and not well put together, at least by his standards.
It had made her laugh though, and she had been learning to do that more and more nowadays.
Lastly was Alfred, the one who completed the square, though Roderich and Gilbert had their own separate little duo going on.
Oh Alfred.
Why can't you make up your mind?

"Wheels...look I didn't mean it!" It was one of the rare time he'd managed to make Octavia cry, and not just a little snivel or whimper, this time it was a full blown weep.
"You're not fat! I didn't mean it! You're average okay! Please eat! I didn't mean it!"
Alfred's blue eyes saddened as he watched Octavia push her lunch tray away, refusing to eat.
She must have really been hurt, because aside from the crying, Octavia loved food.
Alfred sat down beside her, and slid over his lunch of a hamburger - school bought of course.
If he ate what his brother prepared he would be dead for sure.
Octavia knew he must really have been sorry, as Alfred had half-strangled a boy called Kiku for accidentally knocking his hamburger out of his hand whilst flamboyantly singing a Hatsune Miku song.
Alfred had been sent to A&E approximately four hours later after Yao, Kiku's elder brother, stabbed Alfred in the shoulder with a chopstick.
Octavia was pretty sure Yao had to go to anger-management counselling now.
Tearing the hamburger in two, Octavia gave him a teary smile "Share it with me...please?"
So the two shared their meagre lunch as Octavia's ended up being eaten by Alfred's little brother Peter who was only six, and had his lunch money stolen by a girl in his year.
After they had eaten the hamburger, Alfred got out a packet of heart-candy's, flicking through them.
Heart Candy's were small, pastel sweets with Lovey-Dovey messages imprinted on them.
Not very tough and bully-like.
Finally he handed one to Octavia, telling her to suck on the sweet like some sort of innuendo.
Octavia read the message on the heart which read 'Kiss me', then popping the heart-shaped candy into her mouth.
As she was sucking on it Alfred caught her in a sudden kiss, practically forcing his tongue into her mouth and retrieving the sweet with his tongue into his own mouth.
He pulled away, chewing on it and grinning eagerly at her.
How very Alfred, to kiss with a sweet then take it back.
"I guess you're not a Lesbo after all"
"That killed the mood Al"