Pretty Boy (gerita)

The Fatefull Meeting

"First day of our senior year. This is gonna be awesome!"

"I'd rather not think about it." Ludwig shouldered his backpack and pushed past his brother. School had never been his favorite thing. Sure, he got good grades, and had a couple friends. (Well, technically one. Gilbert didn't really count, since they were brothers.). He just never liked the whole atmosphere. It seemed like everyone was always interacting; talking loudly to each other, high fiving, making out in the hallways. It made him feel... trapped. Besides his brother, Ludwig didn't talk to anyone except a small Japanese kid named Kiku. He was nice, but they didn't really have much in common. The two mostly stuck together because it was better than being alone.

"Come on, Lud!" Gilbert caught up to him and put an arm around his shoulder. "This year is going to be awesome!"

"That's what you say every year," he grumbled.

"But this time I mean it! It's going to be awesome because I'll make it awesome!"

Lud sighed. This was going to be a long year.

* * * * *

"Good morning, Ludwig."

He nodded at the shorter, black-haired boy who'd come to visit his locker. "Hi, Kiku. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you." He glanced around. "Where did your brother go?"

"Probably off to try and flirt with Elizabeta again."

Sure enough, when the two boys looked further down the hallway, Gilbert was making a move on the pretty Hungarian girl. Or at least trying to. She kept ignoring him and cutting him off, but he was persistent as ever.

"Ah no. Look," Kiku pointed toward the group of boys making their way towards Elizabeta and Gil. Five other seniors: Alfred Jones, Arthur Kirkland, Francis Bonnefoy, Yao Wang, and Ivan Braginsky. Not necessarily mean people, but they could cause grief for smaller kids. Most of the time they weren't a problem for Ludwig and his friends, but if Gil was alone and acting like an idiot, there could be trouble.

"I'll get him," Lud grumbled. He took Gilbert by the arm and lead him away.

"Aw c'mon! I was about to win her over!" he complained.

"No, you weren't."

"You're just jealous that I'm way more awesome than you."

"No. Alfred and everyone were over there. They would've teased you."

Ludwig, Gilbert, and Kiku watched as the five approached Elizabeta. That was strange. They never picked on her; she was too strong willed to let them touch her. Then Ludwig noticed that a smaller boy was standing nearby Elizabeta. He didn't recognize him, so he must've been new. The new kid was shorter, with a weak-looking build and pretty, red-tinted hair.

Ludwig froze. New. Small. A 'pretty boy'. He was the perfect target.

"Lud? Where you going?" Gil yelped as his twin pushed by him.

"Follow me. Look mean. Both of you."

"E-excuse me?!" Kiku took a step back.

"Just do it!" His friends did as they were told, caught off-guard by his sudden aggressiveness. They made it to the boy just seconds before Alfred and his friends (or "the Allies" as they called themselves) could. The new kid was facing away from them, reading a book or something.

Lud took a deep breath and put on his best "tough guy" face.

"OUT OF THE WAY, PRETTY BOY!"

The new boy turned around, looking up at Ludwig with sparkly, hazel eyes. His reddish-brown hair framed his round little face perfectly, with a loose curl sticking out on one side.

"Huh?" He noticed he was in their way. "Oh, sorry." He stepped aside to give them some room and continued his comic book.

Ludwig felt his face grow hot. He didn't move; heart beating a little faster.

"Excuse me? Are you alright?" Kiku tapped him on the shoulder.

"Y-yes. I'm fine." He took a glance over to where 'pretty boy' had moved. He was just leaning against the wall reading his comics. The blush returned and Lud quickly took his eyes off him again.

"Ah... shouldn't we go to class..?" Kiku suggested awkwardly when nobody did anything.

Ludwig nodded. They parted ways to go to their lockers. But for some reason, he couldn't get his mind off the new boy. Every time he popped up in his mind Lud felt his chest fill with butterflies. He decided to go talk to him later. Maybe that would clear it up.