what for?

just wants them. No reason. None at all.

isn't going to ask on it further. Good luck with that.

he's probably better off not knowing anyway. He might tip people off on accident.

still really curious, but he imagines he'll find out eventually one way or another.

guarantees he will, if he's in the right place at the right time, which Gilbert has a sneaky suspicion he will be.

always at the right place at the right time, since wherever he is is the place to be.

a little extra time to process that entire sentence...

wait for him to get it. He has time.

blinks. "Oh. Haah. Cocky bastard."

"You know it's true."

sucks the back of his teeth. "Yeah, yeah. And people call *me* narcissistic."

shrugs. "It's not narcissistic if it's true." He adds teasingly, "You, on the other hand..."

"I'm the finest specimen of manhood you ever saw?" Plain and simple.

let him have this one. "Oui, aside from myself, of course."

grins, obviously self-satisfied as always. "Oh yeah. We're fuckin' hot."

nods. "We're irresistable."

laughs. "For sure. Hey, you seen Antonio lately?"

can't think of exactly when he last saw him. "Not too long ago. I drew him porn and he made me paella."

"You *drew* him porn? ...seems like a pretty fair trade. Haven't seen him lately."

nods. "They're masterpieces. I scanned others I did and emailed them to everyone. You should visit him. I'm sure he misses you."

snorts. "I'm sure everybody loved that. I might have to..gettin' pretty bored at home."

"They totally did. You know, you can always make a stop along the way to see me if you want."

's brow shoots up. "Might take you up on that."

"My door's always open." Figuratively speaking, anyway.

snorts. "Among other things."

clicks his tongue. "Pervert."

laughs so hard he snorts. "Thats rich, you callin' somebody else a pervert."

feigns ignorance. "Mon ami, I have no idea how you would find humour in that."

"I find humor in your accent too."

"Pourquoi? Yours is the odd one."

squints. "Isn't that what Spanish ladies yell on those soap operas? Y'know, they get all upset and go POR-KAAAAYYYY."

visibly winces. Would it kill Gilbert to learn French? "Por qué sounds nothing like pourquoi."

shrugs. "All I heard was poor-somethin'. Whatever."

"Pay closer attention next time."

busy trying to get something out of his back tooth with his tongue. "....huh?"

shakes his head. "Nevermind."

smirks. "Wanna see what all I got at the shop the other day?"

doesn't know what he's talking about. "Sure."

drags him off to find those bags he hid in his room. There's already a decent stockpile of fireworks and other such weaponry in bags on-

his bed, but it's a slingshot he pulls out to demonstrate. "I'm pretty fuckin' great with this."

looks at it all with mild curiosity. "Oh yeah? What's it all for?" Maybe asking again now will get a different answer.

forgets in the wake of playing with his slingshot that this is supposed to be secret. "Ambushing people."

doesn't feel bad that for pressing the issue now. "Like whom?"

sighs loudly and pulls the band back, taking aim with nothing. "People! Just for fun. Fireworks don't hurt too much."

makes sure he's out of the way. "Any particular reason?"

lets go. It's awfully anticlimactic with no ammo, but the snap is pretty loud. "I'm bored."

watches. He's fairly certain he would prefer not to be the target. "Get another hobby."

dumps a bag of fireworks on his bed to go through. "I have hobbies."

pokes at a few of them. "Like what?"

picks up a string of those popper-like things and grins to himself. "Computer stuff. I read. Drinking is a hobby too."

wouldn't count drinking as a hobby, but whatever. "Reading as in the words on the computer monitor?"

shoots him a dirty look before starting towards the stairs, poppers in hand. "Military shit. History books."

glad that he actually reads then. He follows him up. "That's good to know."

cracks the basement door open and peeks out, listening. No noises from the kitchen or living room. Safe to emerge. "I'm not stupid."

just follow after him. "I didn't say you were."

heading for the stairs at a creeping pace, trying to make as little noise as possible. Stealth-mode.

good at being quiet when he needs to be. Consider it a hidden talent.

flings himself flat on his belly at the top riser. But he motions for Francis to stay put. It'll be easy to make an escape if he already-

a head start. Germany's room is just a few paces down the hallway, but it seems a lot longer crawling on his front.

watches from where he is, then. And as much as he'd prefer not to admit it, he could probably get out of the house rather quickly anyway.

gets up when he's just at Ludwig's door, choosing to crouch while he pulls out a lighter to light the strand of poppers. There's enough of-

a gap under the door that he can shove them under there with little effort. Time to run!

starts running when he gets a visual cue from Gilbert. He goes back down to Gilbert's room though, because he figures he'll be able to hear-

better from down there than outside.