Friends, Strangers and Lovers

Chapter 23: Life Changing Promises

**Just to let y'all know. It's 1 year later. So everyone is in a grade higher. Italy and Germany are graduating this year JUST SAYING**

Lily grabbed Alex's arm "have you heard of Hamilton the musical?", Lily asked smiling, with 1 earbud in her ear. Alex groaned at the question. "What's so bad about it?", Aria asked. "I have to deal with it! I'm in every class with her! So I hear it constantly!", Alex stated, crossing her arms and pouting back into the couch, farther. "But it's amazing!", Lily unplugged her earbuds and started playing the first song "Alexander Hamilton", written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Alex grabbed her phone and listened to her own songs. "Lily, I swear to god, stop it! It's torture!", Alex almost yelled. Lily grabbed Alex's phone "You'll like it! If you just listen!", Lily yelled. "No I won't!", she yelled grabbing her phone back and running upstairs. Bumping into Italy. "Pardon, ma soeur!", she said. "I-I mean, Sorry!", she continued up the stairs. Lily looked at Aria "If she only tried listening to the songs...", Lily said pouting. Aria giggled.

Italy walked down stairs and looked at the girls in the living room. "What was that about? And I think she's hanging too much with Francis. I mean she never talks French without trying", she sat down with the girls. "I wanted her to listen to new music for once, but she ran from it and she has been hanging with him", Lily said still pouting. Aria looked at her sister then at Lily. "Want me to go see? I mean, find out... you know what I mean right?", she stood up. "Be back soon", she marched up the stairs and into her shared room.

----

Ludwig was in a store. Not at the men's section but at the rings. "Bruder, what are you doing here?", Gil asked. He looked at were they were and grinned. "Finally asking it aren't you?", he teased. Ludwig looked down. Gil froze. 'Shit, what did I do wrong?', Gil thought to himself. "W-west, you okay?", Gil stuttered. Ludwig looked at his brother. "Why are you the one that's nervous? I'm the one that's asking her!", Lud sighed. Gil chuckled. When the lady asked for the size, he looked at Gil. "What are you looking at me for!?", Gil panicked. "Nothing, you both just have the same hand size. . . So you know", Ludwig stated. Gil looked at his hand. "I do? Haha, I have smaller hands now, I remember when I was bigger than you in every thing", Gil chuckled and let the lady size his finger.

Ludwig and Gil went to the Vargas' house. "Don't make a fool of yourself, for me okay?", Ludwig said. Gil who was waltzing with a tree branch nodded. Ludwig looked at his brother and chuckled a little. Causing Gil to blush. "W-what?", Gil said, letting go of the branch. "Nothing. Nothing at all", Lud answered, "Just the branch makes a lovely date!"

Gil looked mad but happy. He just continued to walk, but without the tree branch. At the house, Ludwig knocked with Gil acting shy behind him. "Why are you so shy all of a sudden?", Ludwig asked. "I don't know. You told me to calm myself, and my calm self is shy I guess", Gil answered.

Aria opened the door quickly and ran back to her spot in the living room. When Romano saw Ludwig, he ran and grabbed his tomatoes. "BASTARD OUT OF MY HOUSE!", he yelled. Ludwig just carried on with his business. Gil sat down with the Tiny Trio (Alex, Aria and Lily or as I like to think of it as the Schyler sisters (aka Angelica, Eliza and Peggy)~Lily-- Lily, I will slap you!~Alex) and Italy. Gil sighed. "Can't your brother give up the act? I can read him like a book", Gil said. "Huh? What does that mean", the girls asked. "Well, for won, he's really just being protective, yet really scared at the same time. He only hits Germany. But not me or tony.", Gil stated, "It's like he's protecting you from something that doesn't exist-", Before Gil could continue Alex covered his mouth. "I swear to god if you say it, I'll punch you in the gut with all my tiny might!", Alex whispered in his ear. Lily was holding up her hand to slap him with her might which was weak. "Mhmf Mhfts!", Gil's voice was muffled.

"What? Of wait", Alex removed her hand. "Wasn't gonna", Gil said, "Anyways, continuing. Also, he only does it if Italy is here. He's protective over her, because she's the eldest girl. I mean imagine it. If you had an older brother, besides the fact that you two, Aria and Alex, already have one. Imagine, you only have him as a sibling. It's like he doesn't want something to happen that might be good or bad.", Gil finished with a thick accent.