** Prompt = I // high school au. So sometimes (probably more often than not) I put music up there so I can listen to stuff while I write. Just so you know. Fun fact about author. ANOTHER FUN FACT IS THAT WHEN I WAS IN LIKE SIXTH GRADE I HAD A CRUSH ON THIS REALLY NICE GUY NAMED DREW WHO ALSO LIKED AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER BUT THEN THIS FAKE ASS BITCH WHO WAS MY BEST FRIEND THEN STOLE HIM FROM ME But the song fits this story 😂😭 **

I'm going to do it, Matthew Williams thinks to himself, breathing in deeply. But he could say it out loud and no one would even -- happy thoughts. Okay. He approaches his best friend in the library. Now or never...

"H-hey, Gilbert?" Gently, he taps the albino guy's shoulder. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Ever the dramatic one, Gilbert all but shoots out of his seat. "Birdie~!" He says excitedly -- way too excited for a library. Next to him, his little brother Ludwig glares halfheartedly at him.

"Gott, bruder, you're such an idiot." He rolls his eyes and looks down at the extensive schoolwork in front of him. Matthew wants to tell him off, say he's not an idiot, but Gil doesn't take it seriously. He just sticks his tongue out.

Ludwig's "friend" Feliciano -- sweet, but...scattered -- smiles brightly at Matthew. "Ciao, Alfred~"

Matthew flinches but honestly, he's used to it by now. Gil isn't; he frowns at Feli. "This is Birdie, stupid. Matthew."

"Don't call him stupid." Ludwig says automatically. Protectively.

Gil smirks. "Oh, just come out already, Luddy..."

"Dammit, Gilbert, I am not a homosexual!"

The library sort of goes quiet. It's a tense, ugly silence, until Feli says, "You're not...?"

Matthew feels bad for the pair; he's grown up with two dads, and both him and his brother Alfred are bi. But some people -- i.e., Ludwig Beilshmidt -- aren't as...relaxed with the idea.

"C'mon, Birdie, let's leave 'em to it." Gilbert says, and walks over to a book shelf. Dazed, Matthew follows him. His palms sweat; his heart beats way too loud. He's actually going to do it.

"GilIwaswonderingifyou'dlike--"

"Wait wait wait wait wait." Gil says with that lazy smile of his. "I was gonna find you anyway, Birdie. And don't go all modest on me either. I gotta thank ya, kid."

That stops him. "Th-thank me?"

" 'course! You remember... When I was talkin' to you about that tight asshole... Shit, not like that. You know what I mean. Uh, anyway, that idiot, Roderich? Piano-boy?"

"Yeah..." Matthew says slowly.

"Well, I took your advice. And I asked him out--" Gil's grinning like a maniac. "And he said yes! How totally awesome is that, huh?"

Matthew shuts down. "Totally..." He whispers.

"Yeah! Gott, I'm so excited!" Gil hugs him then. Matthew wants to cry. Gil pulls away, and he's still completely oblivious. "Hey, did'ja wanna say something too, Birdie?"

"...no..." He whispers, shrinking into his hoodie.

Gil blinks, taken aback. Was it something he said? "Oh. Okay. But you'll still sit with the awesome me and my less awesome bruder, right?"

Matthew feels himself shake his head. "I can't," he whispers weakly, and he doesn't know how his voice doesn't break. "I have...uh, stuff to do... I'm sorry..."

He turns and all but runs out of the library before Gil can ask anything else. As soon as he's out of the building -- so pathetic he can't even wait until he's home -- he cries.