I See Emeralds

Chapter Twenty-Nine (Lovino's POV)

Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap. "Tino, if you're going to either message someone nonstop or write steamy fanfiction at the lunch table, can you at least keep your volume off?" I complain. He raises an eyebrow.

"Steamy fanfiction...? I'm just texting. Jeez, sorry," he says and presses the volume down button on his phone a few times until it goes to silent.

"Who's your new friend?" Gilbert asks. He's been different lately. Quieter. He's been like that ever since he got detention the other day for trying to beat people up. He refuses to tell us why he did that.

"Not a new friend. An old one," Tino says, his eyes transfixed on the small screen.  Berwald looks down.

"Mathias," he tells us. Tino frowns.

"Yeah, right," he scoffs.

"That's what the contact says, unless yeh gave someone the wrong name." Tino grumbles something under his breath.

"Why are you talking to Mathias again?" Antonio asks. He's busy rushing to finish his homework that's due next period. Usually he reminds me, not the other way around.

"I'm helping him with something. You'll all know soon enough," Tino assures us. "So, how about that dance next week? Anyone going?" Alfred instantly grins.

"Oh yeah, that! I'll be there if Kiku agrees," he says and looks at his soulmate. Kiku smiles and nods, looking a tad embarrassed.

"Perfect! Who else? Come on, you all know your soulmates," Tino persists in a weird announcer sort of voice. Antonio nudges me and I bury myself in my hoodie. I still haven't asked him and he surprisingly hasn't asked me. He's been sort of distant lately.

"If you want to go so badly, just ask Berwald. This is more of a dates sort of thing than a group thing, wouldn't you agree?" Francis says. Tino looks nervous.

"I'm... I'm not gonna-"

"Sure," Berwald answers before Tino can finish.

"Oh. Okay, that's good. Great, actually! What about the rest of you?" Tino recomposes himself and asks.

"Why do you care so much?" Gilbert asks and tries his best to look disinterested. He hasn't said anything about his soulmate Matthew in a while. I wonder why.

"To tell you the truth, Mathias needs to know," Tino admits.

"What? Why?" I ask. He and Mathias sure are talking a lot lately. Has he already forgiven him so quickly?

"Um...survey?" His response sounds more like another question than an answer.

"I was considering asking Arty but I haven't yet," Francis admits. He glares at Alfred. "Don't you dare say a word to him about it."

"What's the situation with Matthew?" Antonio asks, still staring down intently.

"Uh, it's complicated. But we're getting along better. Maybe asking him would be a good thing," Gilbert replies.

"I say go for it. But if you dare harm a single hair on his head..." Francis warns.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I won't have any of my own hair left afterwards," Gilbert repeats the same lecture he gets from Francis every time Matthew is mentioned. Francis smiles and nods.

Francis has always been close with Alfred, Arthur, and Matthew's family. From what I've heard, they all used to be best friends when they were younger. Now that they're older, they've been drifting apart. Francis is still very protective of Matthew because he's younger than the rest of them.

"What about you two?" Francis asks. It takes me a second to realize he's motioning to me and Antonio. We exchange a glance, but neither of us say anything. I'm thankful that Antonio is preoccupied.

Yeah...what about us?