Hey guys! I've decided not to rewrite the book and to leave it the way it is. Enjoy! WARNING: mentions of past bullying and abuse.
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Hercules and Gal spent some time comforting Alfred saying how sorry they were and that he had to go through it. "We all had it bad back then, remember?" Alfred assured them though it did nothing to get rid of the guilt that pooled in their stomachs. "True but you had it the worst of all. Those guys gave you hell." Gal said smiling sadly at Alfred who just shrugged at her words. "Remember how we used to patch each other's wounds?" Hercules inquired earning a giggle from Gal and a chuckle from Alfred.

"Yeah. It was like an unspoken rule that you always had to help out a fellow outcast if they needed it." Alfred sighed fondly remembering all the times Gal and Hercules had helped him and vice versa. All of their lives may have been hell but that caused them to form bonds with each other that transcend everything else in the world.

"Regardless of that, we should have been there to help you Alfred. They tried to hurt you in the worst way possible and we weren't able to be there for you." Gal said tears forming in her eyes. If only she could've done something! If only she had known! If only—! Alfred seemed to have read her thoughts and gently grabbed her hand. "You couldn't have known, Gal. I didn't tell anyone, well besides my therapist but even then I was unsure of telling someone. I actually planned to take it with me to my grave." Alfred admitted rubbing small circles into her slightly darker skin.

That fact only made Gal want to cry more. One of her best friends was so scared to tell someone what had almost happened to him. He hated that burden alone when it should've been all theirs to bare. It was how their friendship worked. They all shared each other's pain and suffering. They were their shoulders to cry on when no one else was there. They became the family that they all needed but never had.

Hercules' mother had been supportive of them though always too busy to actually care. Gal's parents had just started ignoring her when she came out to them. It was like she didn't even exist in their eyes. And then there was Alfred. Alfred who was degraded by the people meant to love him unconditionally. They had all suffered equally as much and they had been each other's rocks sharing the pain. So the fact that Alfred had been carrying around this secret for more than three years was enough to make them want to cry.

"You don't have to bare that burden anymore, Alfie." Hercules smiled at him sleepily. Alfred felt tears start to burn his eyes at those words. It wasn't his burden to bare anymore? Suddenly it felt as if a huge weight had just been lifted off his shoulders and before he knew it he was crying his eyes out while his best friends hugged the living daylights out of him.

Little did they know that lurking not too far away were the people who had caused them so much pain.
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"So where do you think they are?" Antonio asked Gilbert who shrugged but a thoughtful expression crossed his face. "I remember zhey siad zhat Mizrahi vas sick so maybe at zhe hospital?" Gilbert inquired thoughtfully. "But what hospital, mon ami?" France said pointing to the various different hospitals that surrounded them. "I think I saw them taking off towards the old high school so maybe the one next to it?" Matthias pointed towards the hospital closest to them.

"It's worth a shot." Alastair stated already walking towards the hospital that Matthias had pointed at. "Hey wait for us, amigo!" Antonio whined running after the Scottish man. Francis internally rolled his eyes at his former teammates. Did they always have to be so childish? Ah well if you can't beat 'em join 'em. Soon they were standing in front of the hospital trying to figure out a plan. "He vill probably try und run away." Gilbert said dismayed.

"Zhen I shall grab him." Francis exclaimed as glitter stars flashed around him causing more than a few people to cover their eyes at the brightness. "Why does he always sparkle?" Carlos asked shielding his eyes from the Frenchman's light. "That is something we may never know." Antonio stated seriously. "So what's the—" Matthias stopped talking when the door to the hospital slid open and a familiar blonde American stepped out.

"Alfred..." Gilbert murmured taking a step closer to the American. He must have heard the albino German speak because the blonde's sapphire eyes snapped towards them glazed in horror. It seemed Gilbert's words rang true about Alfred running away because he started to hastily make his way towards the hospital doors. He was stopped in his tracks however when an arm snaked around his waist and pulled him back.

"Let go!" Alfred protested hitting the arm around his waist before he was pulled into a lean, muscular chest and a familiar French voice whispered into his ear. "Is zhat anyway to treat old friends, ma chére?" Alfred felt himself grow pale at those words. He recognized that voice anywhere. "Francis..." Alfred gritted his teeth as he turned to make eye contact with the blue eyed Frenchman. "Zhe only and only." Francis smirked pervertedly at him. Even Alfred's oblivious self could see it was perverted.

You see, back in high school Francis had a reputation of sleeping with anything that walked. He had tried to hit on Gal numerous times claiming one night with him would 'fix her'. Of course he was turned down every time. Francis was and clearly still is a pig so Alfred really isn't a big fan of being trapped in his hold. "What do you want?" Alfred growled at him but then his eyes widened when another person ran up to hug him.

"Oh my tomato. It really is you, Alfred. Lo siento, Lo siento!" The Spaniard sobbed clenching onto the shocked American tightly. Others just stared at the scene with widened and sad eyes. Out of all of them, Antonio was the only one with a Conscience. "A..Antonio?" Alfred muttered in shock as the Spanish male held him tightly like he would disappear if he let go. "Please forgive me, Alfred. Please forgive for all that I did to you." Antonio cried his grip somehow tightening on Alfred causing the American to wince. Francis pulled himself away from Alfred so that Antonio could fully hug him.

Surprisingly, Alfred's arms slowly wrapped around Antonio's slightly smaller body. "Uh..there there?" Alfred patted the Spaniard on the shoulder as he listened to him sob into his shoulder. It seemed like Antonio had grown up and matured with age. He may still be young but now he feels regret for how horrible of a person he was to Alfred and his friends all those years ago.

He regretted yelling curses at Alfred that would make a sailor wince. He regretted breaking Alfred's glasses almost every day. He regretted physically hurting Alfred and his friends because he couldn't deal. "I'm sorry for how horrible I was to you. I was young and stupid but that's no excuse for how I treated you." Antonio pulled his head away from Alfred's shoulder before he made eye contact with dazzling blue eyes.

Alfred had always been beautiful. Everyone in town knew that and some resented it. He was shorter than most and his body was more feminine making him seem like a girl more rather than a guy. But now he had grown. He was taller than Antonio and his hair looked a little shorter than it had previously been. His skin once slightly pale was now sun-kissed perfection. Antonio could feel the tense muscles underneath Alfred's clothes as he hugged him.

Alfred had been beautiful before but now he was downright gorgeous. Antonio couldn't stop himself from leaning up to look Alfred in his glasses covered eyes. To Antonio's surprise they were the same glasses he had broken so many times before. "Um...Antonio?" Alfred's concerned and slightly fearful voice pulled the Spaniard from his thoughts though not entirely. "You were always so pretty, Alfred. But now.." Alfred gasped as Antonio's arms weaved themselves around his waist and his lips were hovering above his own.

"You're beautiful." Was all Antonio murmured before he pressed his lips against Alfred's drawing gasps and shocked exclamations from everyone in the nearby area. Antonio had two thoughts in his head at the moment. One was how soft Alfred's lips were and two was this was only going to complicate things more.

He didn't know how right he'd be.
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Hey guys! Any thoughts to share?