This was written for the Secret Santa event with the Hetalia group I moderate. I hope Italy's not too out of character. I usually don't write him so this is a bit tough for me.

Gilbert could hear the Christmas music playing upstairs. His brother didn't know that most conversations on the first floor filtered down through the grates. If Gilbert sat under the right one, he could pick up most words and follow a conversation. This had been a source of fun in the past. He would sit with his laptop and blog about whatever stupid things his uncool brother would say. But now as he listened to Ludwig say three small words to someone else, Gilbert clicked his tongue against his teeth and sulked back over to the couch across the room.

That someone else was Feliciano Vargas. He was the unbearably cute North Italy and a constant joy and sorrow in Gilbert's life. The moment he had met him at a young age, Gil knew that Feli was awesome which a term he usually reserved for himself. But the Italian hadn't like him back. He only had eyes for his socially autistic brother.

Earlier in the day, Ludwig had asked Gilbert if he could stay downstairs in the basement. He wanted to decorate their Christmas tree with Feliciano after they made dinner together. Now the scent of pasta sauce and bratwurst drifted down, and it took an extreme amount of control to keep his stomach from crying out. Maybe Gilbert could get a little bit of food and then hide away again. Since it was such a special event, it was highly possible that Feliciano made noodles from scratch. That was something that couldn't be missed. His brother could suck it up.

Heading up the stairs, he paused briefly in the living room. Boxes with Christmas decorations were neatly stacked by priority. The lights were closest to the tree since it would be the first to go on. Sometimes Gilbert wondered how his brother ever got laid. He headed to the kitchen but froze in the doorway.

Ludwig was kneeled in front of Feliciano with a small crimson velvet box. It was open and a silver ring was inside. "You're everything to me, Feli." Ludwig's face blushed to a deep red to match his box. "Will you marry me?"

"No!" Gilbert cried out before the Italian could answer. They both faced him startled by the outburst.

"Bruder!" Ludwig clambered to his feet. "Can you wait a moment? I'm in the middle of something."

"Like hell you are!" Gilbert felt his body move uncontrollably. He stormed across the room and smacked the box from Ludwig's hand. It hit the floor, and the ring bounced out. In slow motion, they watched it roll under the refrigerator.

"Nein!" Ludwig cried and lay on his side. He tried to shove his fingers under the appliance, but they were too stubby to fit. That's what happens when you work out all the time, you muscular freak. "Gilbert, do you know what that cost!"

Gilbert couldn't care. He whirled around and grabbed Feli by the arm. Dragging the shocked Italian into the next room, he pulled him close. Only awesome people's voices break at times like this. "Say no. Please say no."

"Brother Gil-"

"Call me Gilbert!" he shook him gently. "None of this brother stuff! Remember when I told you a few years back that I was in love with you? I still am. My brother can't give you what I can."

Ludwig snatched Gilbert back, "And what might that be? A basement that belongs to me? Your laptop that I bought? The clothes that I bought because your previous wardrobe was left in Russia when the Wall fell! What can you possibly give to him that's yours!"

Feliciano tried to shove his way between them, "Stop it! Please! This isn't what I want."

But Ludwig was right. Gilbert knew it. Everything he owned technically belonged to his brother. Wringing his arm back, he glanced to the Italian he loved so much. Feli's eyes were huge from their fight. Gilbert knew that fighting scared the young man. But this was the Prussian's last chance.

Resting his hands on the Italian's shoulders, Gil whispered, "Feliciano… You mean so much to me. After the Cold War, you became a constant source of light in my life. Bruder is right; I can't give you much. Though, the one thing I can give you is myself entirely. Please, give me a chance."

Ludwig snorted, and Gilbert whirled around to mouth off. But Feli caught him and hugged him close. Those slender fingers slid up his back and one hand stroked his hair. The Prussian sighed returning the favor. In a small voice, Feliciano murmured, "I'm sorry. But I can't return your feelings. You mean so much to me and-"

"I get it!" Gilbert yanked away and snatched his coat. "I hope you're real happy with Ludwig!"

"Brother Gilbert, please hear me out!"

"Let him go, Feli."

He couldn't take it anymore. Seeing Ludwig lay his hands on his love's shoulder. Seeing that jackass comfort him was far too much for Gilbert. He stormed out of the house and slammed the door behind him.

Gilbert's forehead rested on the table in a certain Canadian's kitchen. Where else would he have to go? Unlike most times where he would get drunk off his ass, Gil felt like this wasn't the best time for that. He would hate to return home in a rage and come off more like a jerk. Francis was in south France for the winter and couldn't be reached. Antonio would be spending his Christmas with Romano. The only place where Gilbert could run with his tail between his legs was the house of Matthew Williams.

"That sounds terrible," Matt placed a plate full of pancakes drenched in his famous maple syrup in front of his friend. "And then you just left?"

Gilbert nodded and put his chin on the table. Even pancakes didn't seem appealing at this moment. "Feliciano is just so wonderful, and the fact he's going to be bedridden with that hulk of meat forever kills me!"

Matt sat across from him sipping a cup of tea, "And it will be harder that fact that you live with them."

"Christ! I didn't even think about that!" Gilbert popped up and tussled his own hair. "Fuck me. What am I going to do? I can't just let them get hitched and let Feli be unhappy the rest of his life."

With a heavy sigh, Matthew shook his head, "I hate to break it to you, but he's not unhappy."

"Shut up!" Gilbert slammed his fist on the table.

Startled, Matt dropped his cup splattering tea across the table. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Pretend I didn't say anything!"

Crap, Gilbert had gone and broke Matthew again. He stalked to the sink and grabbed the dishtowel. Wringing it out and pretending it was Ludwig's face, Gilbert wiped up the mess. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled. I mean, hell, you're the only one willing to listen to me."

"Well, I…" Matthew quickly moved away to refill his cup. "I… I like you Gilbert. I like you a lot actually."

Nodding his head, Gilbert shrugged, "What's not to like? That's the problem I'm having." He didn't notice the Canadian's shoulders slump slightly. Gil tossed the rag into the sink and plopped back in his seat. Taking up his fork, he stabbed at the pancakes, "You're right, though. I know he's happier with Ludwig then he would be with me. Where would he and I live? In Bruder's basement? How un-awesome would that be?"

Matt took the seat across from him. His cheeks were a bit red as he sipped his new cup of tea, "Gilbert, I think you should consider about what Feliciano wants. I know that you believe that you're 'awesome' and all, but isn't it more awesome to let the one you love be happy?"

The Prussian didn't have a rebuttal to that. Deep down, he knew it was the truth. He wouldn't admit that Ludwig was better in all ways. He didn't want to say that when Feliciano was around him, the Italian beamed. Gilbert would never hint at the fact he believed that Ludwig was the better choice to run Germany. Those were all things that an awesome people don't say out loud.

After a bit of silence, Matthew leaned in, "Why don't you move in with me?"

"What?" Gilbert gawked at him. "Like me live here?"

"Yeah! It would get you out of the house. You would be able to have some time to yourself and give them some space." Matthew couldn't look him in the eyes. "I would like that a lot actually."

Gilbert pursed his lips as he mulled it over. Matt was right about that point. There was no way he would want to live in the basement forever. Especially knowing that his dumb brother was humping the night away into a dainty beautiful Italian. "Okay. Let's do it."

Matthew nearly dropped his cup again, "Really! You mean it?"

"Yeah, it will be fun. I can move in during the coming week."

"Great! Then I'll start writing out the housing contract and lay out rent and stuff. I'll be lenient until you get a job."

Gilbert laughed and then realized that he was serious, "A what?"

"A job," the Canadian narrowed his eyes. "You didn't think I was going to let you live here for free did you? I hear Starbucks pays well and comes with benefits."

"The great and powerful Prussia is not working at a fucking Starbucks!"

Easing open the front door, Gilbert slipped back into his house. All the lights were out except the stove light in the kitchen. Ludwig always left that one on whenever Gilbert would come home late. Shrugging off his coat, Gil trudged into the kitchen for a beer. He hesitated for a moment before lying on the floor in front of the refrigerator. No rings were hiding under there. They must have fished it out.

He tromped down the stairs to the basement, but stopped on the bottom step. Feliciano rose from the couch. He started to rush forward to greet him in the usual fashion, but he held himself back at the last minute. "Hello Gilbert."

"Hey," he hadn't wanted to talk to Feli this soon. "Do you want me to grab you a beer?" He spotted the ring on the Italian's slender finger. Shit. They were now officially engaged.

Feliciano shook his head, "I wanted to talk to you about what happened. I didn't realize you were still feeling that way towards me."

"Don't worry about it," Gilbert strode past him and plopped on the sofa. Kicking off his boots, they landed on the floor with quiet thuds. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Vee? There is!" Feli scurried up to him but didn't sit. "I never meant to hurt your feelings."

Gilbert took a long swig of his drink, "Look, I just want you to be happy. That's all I've ever wanted."

"But what about you?"

"What about me?"

He fiddled with his hands. Feli wasn't the most eloquent person with words, but the Prussian could see he was trying. "You're still special to me. I've always considered you like my family… like my brother. That's why I call you 'Brother Gilbert.' But that hurt you, didn't it?"

Gilbert chose not to answer and motioned for him to continue.

Feli sat beside him, "Romano isn't the greatest brother in the world. I love him, but he doesn't listen. And he's rude. And he says that I'm an idiot."

Gilbert shook his head, "You're not an idiot."

"That's what I'm talking about," he flashed that great smile. "You make me feel like I'm a genius!"

"I wouldn't go that far."

Feliciano didn't hear him, "I'm really happy that you and me will be official brothers. I really hope that you can support us together. I know that Ludwig can be a bit difficult to understand. I don't get why he has to clean after every step when we cook. But he's special to me." Bowing his head, a light blush flushed across Feli's cheeks.

Damn. He did love Ludwig, but Gilbert always knew this. "Are you going to move in?"

"Yes, but it will be a few weeks before I can."

"Then I'm moving out."

"Vee?" Feliciano's eyes welled up. "Moving out! As in not living here anymore?"

Gilbert realized how that sounded, "Not because of you! It's so not because of you! Well, sort of. Shit! Please don't cry!"

Feliciano wiped the coming tears from his eyes, "Then why?"

Running a hand through the Italian's hair, he smiled, "I need to get out on my own for a bit. I've been living down here for too long." He motioned to the room around them. "But I also wanted you to be able to have the house to yourself with Ludwig. You never know what living together is actually like until you actually move in. If I'm here, it's going to dampen that."

"I guess so." He suddenly grabbed Gilbert's hand. "What if Ludwig and I don't work out? I'm afraid that I'm going to mess up and he'll leave me…"

That really was all that Gilbert wanted. But he could tell by the look on Feli's face that it would devastate him. "Look here, I know my brother better than you do. He won't leave you. When you're around, he's somewhat normal. The effect you have on him is… well… awesome."

Feliciano swelled at the compliment, "Your special word?"

Gilbert laughed and ruffled his hair, "My special word. I'm happy for the two of you. I'm sorry for earlier."

"It's alright." He hugged Gilbert tight, "It's getting late. I'm going to bed. Thank you for always listening to me."

The Prussian hugged him back, "No problem. Night."

"Goodnight." Feliciano waved before heading up the stairs and closing the basement door behind him.

Gilbert flopped over on his side and hugged himself. It wasn't what he originally intended for the result, but at least Feli didn't hate him. Soon, he would be out of this basement and on his own. It had been a while since he had worked a job. As much as he bitched about it, the idea of getting a job wasn't terrible. At least he would have something to do.

He needed a shower. Getting up, he tugged off his shirt and dropped it on the floor. He took his phone from his pocket and noticed a text message. It was from Matt reading, Did everything go okay?

At least Matthew would be by his side. Honestly, the blonde was pretty cool. Texting back, Yeah. Let's hang out sometime the next few days and I'll tell you about it. I want to pick out my room at your place. Preferably the master bedroom.

Instead of waiting for an answer, he tossed it on the couch and trudged into the bathroom. A good shower would help wash all of this away. He cranked up the water and stood under the stream until it turned too cold to stand.

Please read and review. I hope everyone wasn't too out of character. Happy Holidays my Secret Santa!