"Alfred! I really don't think this is a good idea!" Matthew hissed out, his voice quiet but stern.
"Chill, Mattie." Alfred sighed, ruffling the lighter blondes head and lightly pecking his cheek, "It's all gonna be just totally fine. Promise."
Matthew swatted at his hand, cringing away from the kiss. Ugh. Public displays of affection. They irked him. Public displays of anything irked him. Matthew just didn't like emoting in public. Though, Alfred tended to work even the worst emotions out of him. He could make him laugh, he could make him cry, he could even make him lusty...That hoser... "Yeah, that's what you said last year. They ended up kicking me out then grounding you to hell and back." Last Christmas...Yeah, it really didn't go too well.
It started with Matthew bringing Eggnog to the Jones' Christmas party and ended with Alfred's father having an asthma attack. They blamed it all on the poor Canadian, claiming he'd 'spiked the eggnog'. With what, he didn't know...Oh, whatever.
Point was it sucked. They kicked Matthew out, forbade Alfred from ever seeing him again and then kept Alfred locked in his room past new-years.
Yeah, it was pretty damn ridiculous.
And now Alfred wanted Matthew to go. Again.
"It's gonna be fine, babe. Just follow my lead and turn on that Canadian charm, eh?" Alfred cooed, looping an arm around his neck and lightly kissing his jaw.
Matthew yelped and cringed out of his grasp, elbowing him in the ribs and glaring. "I don't have any charm! Stop acting like such a sleaze bag!"
"Do too!" He huffed, hefting his bag over his shoulder, "Matthew, you're a very charismatic guy. Well, you're charismatic when you actually pull your head out of your ass and start talking."
"Just because I'm quiet doesn't mean I have my head in my ass!" He snapped, walking ahead of him. He shot a glare over his shoulder, speeding at the terminal.
Alfred sighed, jogging after him and grabbing his shoulder. "Sorry, sorry! My parents only think you're weird because last year you just stood there by the table of food. You were all frowny and stuff...They thought you were high, pissed, plotting my fathers murder, or some combination of those things."
"I only stood there because it was the only place that wasn't crowded with people! Which was surprising. Seems like the only thing bigger than your family stomach is their mouths." He twisted out of his grasp, turning on his heel. His frown instantly fell when he saw the looked on Alfred's face. Oh...He'd struck a chord, hadn't he? Shit. Matthew panicked slightly, not sure exactly how to comfort him. When they were alone in their apartment he could just attack him with hugs and kisses, but they were in public right now...so that was off limits...
Oh, fuck it.
Matthew lunged at him, the duffel bag in his hands falling to the ground. He threw himself at the other and hugged him tightly, kissing him furiously.
The whole world melted away from them for a moment, the two of them lost in each others embrace. Matthew stroked through Alfred's dark blond hair, carding his fingers through the impossibly soft locks. Oh...To hell with the eyes that were probably prying the pointing fingers. So Matthew was kissing a guy. In public. Big deal. It's not like he was just kissing some random guy...He was kissing Alfred...The guy he'd loved since the third grade. This was okay. Just this once.
Alfred held Matthew's slim frame close, kissing him desperately. The comment had hurt him. Yeah, he was a little pudgy. Okay, not even pudgy! He wasn't some rock-hard bodied gym-rat...He liked to eat, okay? Ah, whatever! He hated being called fat more than he hated being called stupid. To hear Matthew call him that...It just ripped him to shreds.
But it was okay now. Matthew was holding him.
Everything was fine.
After what felt like a lifetime they broke apart, their faces flushed and their hair slightly more mussed than when they'd began. "I-I'm sorry." Matthew muttered, peeling away from him and adjusting his clothes. He glanced around nervously, his eyes widening when he saw a few people turn and walk quickly away. "O-oh!" He gasped, clapping a hand over his mouth. Not good. People looked. People watched him get kinda-sorta intimate with his boyfriend...Ah...No. N-no! He wasn't...He wasn't ashamed to be dating Alfred or anything...It just didn't feel right to be...to be so public in public...
"Matthew?" Alfred nudged him, raising an eyebrow.
"Huh?" Matthew resumed walking, picking up his bag and continuing towards the terminal.
"...You okay?"
Well, no. He wasn't. For one he was about to get onto a damn plane to go and visit his boyfriends parents who happened to hate his guts. Two, he just made out with said boyfriend in public and for all he knew it might be on YouTube or Facebook by now. And three, he was really, really hungry but all they had in this stupid airport was cheap burgers and strips of thin, processed potatoes they dared call fries.
"No, Alfred, I'm not okay. I'm tired, I'm embarrassed, I'm starving and I really, really don't want to be here." Matthew muttered, glancing at him for a brief moment as he walked.
"You don't have to be such a bitch, Matthew. Look, if you didn't want to go you should have stayed home. And, for the record mister priss, you kissed me...So put that in your pancake and fry it." He smirked, catching up to him and taking his hand.
Matthew wrenched his away, blushing a deeper red than before. "Thank you Captain obvious, I wouldn't have ever know had you not pointed that out...Look, can we just drop it and get on the damn plane? Please? You know crowds like this give me anxiety." He despised large crowds. There was so much noise and so much hustle and bustle that his brain just couldn't handle it!
Alfred sighed and nodded, shoving his hand in his pocket and trudging along.
They walked in silence, going through the line and boarding the plane quietly. They sat side by side, Alfred taking the window seat. He smiled slightly when the plane took off, watching with wide eyes as they ascended from the ground, soaring high into the clouds. "Y'know...No matter how many times I fly I never get tired of this moment..." He muttered, reaching over and taking Matthew's hand, "Hey...I'm sorry."
Matthew should probably stay angry...He should just glare at him and turn his head...But...Look at his face! He was smiling and blushing, that rough finger gently stroking over the top of his hand...Oh, for the love of Fuck...He was adorable. Matthew smiled and shook his head, his blonde hair bouncing softly. "It's okay, Al...I'm sorry. I just got angry. Crowds make me nervous and I'm already stressed out enough about seeing your parents...I just go scared."
Alfred smiled wider and shook his head, leaning closer and bumping their noses together. "It's okay. I should have known...You gotta start trusting me...You know I'd never let anything hurt you, right?"
Well, at least that much was true. Alfred hadn't let a single thing touch him in all the years they'd been dating...A whole five years. Since they started dating Freshman year all the way up to now, their first year in college...They'd been through so much, yet Alfred had never once left the Canadian's side. It was wonderful, really...Such a perfect relationship...
Ha, yeah, no.
They fought at least twice a week, they'd both reduced one another to tears, not to mention they'd actually gotten into physical fights more than once. They always fought. It wasn't over anything ever serious either. Just petty little things, like Alfred leaving the syrup out or Matthew 'accidently' eating all ice cream. If one of them ate all of the others chocolate or other sweet thing...Shit was going to go down and someone was going to get kicked out for the night.
Yeah, they had killer sweet tooth's...Literally.
Even with that being so they'd never really seriously hurt each other. Well, not on purpose. Oh, whatever. They loved each other. They practically worshiped each other. They hated each other, but they loved each other...It was complicated...But they made it work. Neither of them were ever lonely, they never felt unloved or wanted...They were made for each other but also happened to be each others kryptonite...Heh...They'd go at it like cats and dogs but if someone else tried to mess with them someone was going to die.
Matthew smiled a little wider and nodded, leaning forward and gently bumping their noses together, "Yeah, I know. You haven't hurt me too terribly yet...It's alright."
Alfred grinned and leaned forwards a little more, hovering his lips hardly from the others, "...Can I...?"
Matthew's cheeks heated up at the question. Could he kiss him. Well...Matthew glanced around quickly, his violet eyes darting from side to side. There weren't too many people near them, and aside from that it was just starting to get dark. People should be sleeping soon...Ah, why not? He smiled softly and leaned forward, closing the gap and gently kissing him.
It didn't last too terribly long; couldn't have been more than three seconds, but Matthew was still breathless when they pulled apart, his cheeks an even deeper red than before. "Love you." He muttered, leaning closer and settling his head on Alfred's chest.
"Love you more." He kissed the top of his head and nuzzled the soft, light blonde hair. Matthew always smelled wonderful. Like a mix between sugar cookies, maple syrup and just a hint of something dark and musty...God, it was perfect. Alfred inhaled deeply, the light blond strands tickling at his nose.
"Al..."
"Hmm?"
"...Are you sniffing me again?"
"Yep."
"Stop." Matthew chuckled, sitting up and flicking his nose. "We're in public, dork!"
"Yeah? So? I'm allowed to sniff you if I want~!" Alfred laughed with him, grabbing him around the waist and tugging him onto his lap.
Matthew yelped and gripped at his shirt, blushing and squirming. "Al! You're going to piss off the flight attendants!"
Alfred laughed louder, wrapping his arms around him and cuddling the man to his chest. "So? Let them get angry. I don't care." He grinned and kissed the top of his head, snuggling it under his chin.
"Alfred!" Matthew hissed, "You're going to piss them off! And then they'll kick us off and we'll be late getting to your place and that'll just give your parents one more reason to hate me!"
"They don't hate you, hun. They're just...Weirded out, I guess. They never expected me to come home with a guy, let alone someone as weird as you." He nudged him with his nose, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
That was true. Matthew was weird. He was also a guy. Put those two together and it made for one seriously pissed off pops. Mister Jones always expected his boy to grow up and be with some beach-bunny bottle-blonde bimbo with boobs...Not a nerdy bookworm who spent more time with his laptop than with actual people and usually ended up looking like he was in pain. Who also happened to be a man.
"Yeah...I guess I am pretty weird...but hey, at least I don't run around in my underpants with a towel around my neck screaming about justice when I'm drunk." Matthew nudged him softly, tilting his head up to catch a glimpse of his eyes...
Ah...
They were sparkling...
Two bright blue eyes sparkling like the stars that were just starting to show themselves in the night sky.
"And I don't eat my weight in pancakes when my hockey team looses...Which, need I remind you, it doesn't!" Alfred teased him, grinning down at him.
"Shut it." Matthew rolled his eyes, shimmying up on him and resting his head on his shoulder, angling it so he could look out the window. Ah...It was nighttime now. There were stars and fluffy clouds all gathering around a breathtaking moon. "Al...Al, look! We've never taken a night flight before..." He pointed out the window, aiming his finger at the rather massive and hard-to-miss moon.
"...Huh...No shit." Alfred turned his head to look, eyes going wide at the sight. "Mattie...It's massive."
Matthew nodded, watching in awe as it passed them by, slowly being covered by a passing cloud.
It really was beautiful...Amazing. Breathtaking. "I-it's beautiful...We really need to take more flights like this...Except, next time...Can we not be going to your parents house?" Matthew asked, ripping his eyes from the moon.
"Yeah...We'll go somewhere awesome...Like...Canada...Let's go to Canada and watch the Aurora Borealis...Sit under the stars and watch the pretty lights go and fly over the moon..." Alfred nodded, shifting them around and pulling a blanket down over top them. He popped out the foot rest, kicking up his legs and leaning back. He leaned back and pulled Matthew with him, ignoring the looks he got from the rather pissy looking old ladies bent over their erotic paperbacks. "Let's just sleep for now, not think about this...Just relax."
After all...Who knew what kind of hell was going to break loose when they landed?
Night came and went, the inky black darkness soon being washed away by a blinding light. At some point during the night the two of them had been separated, peeled off of each other and set peacefully into their own seats.
Both of them woke early in the morning, groggy and grumpy. Matthew slumped against Alfred and flicked his ear, waking him rather harshly. Alfred shot up, his eyes flying open. "B-buh...Wha-?" He whipped his head around, totally disoriented and confused.
Ugh, he always did this when they were going anywhere- In the car, on a plane, on a bus ride...He always had to be gently eased back into reality.
Matthew sighed, sitting up and nuzzled his cheek, kissing the rough skin softly. "Hey...It's okay. We're on a plane. It's Christmas Eve. We're going to see your parents." He paused, a loud message coming over the intercom telling the passengers that they'd be landing soon, "And, I guess we're about to land. So sit your ass up and stop looking so dumb." He reached over and pulled the seatbelt over his lap, latching it around him and tapping his chin. "C'mon, earth to spaceman jones."
Alfred gasped softly, reaching up and rubbing at his eyes. "Y-yeah...Yeah, plane. You. Parents. Eggnog. Got it." He nodded, rubbing his eyes more as he took in his surroundings.
"You're hopeless." Matthew muttered, sitting back in his seat while the plane landed.
The plane landed and the two were off, huddled in the back of a cab trying desperately to not freeze their asses off.
"Do your parents really have to live in Minnesota? It's cold." Matthew whined, scuttling closer to him and gripping his arm like a vice. It was freezing! They were in a car and Matthew could see the steam coming off his breath.
"Mattie...You're Canadian. You were born in the frigid north. You didn't have a cradle in a manger, you had a cradle in an igloo..."
"I moved to America when I was five, asshat. I can't help it if I've adapted to your stupid American heat." Matthew grumbled, lightly punching him in the arm. Yeah, he was Canadian. But he'd been in the US so long he'd become accustomed to the constant heat and sunshine. "And at least I wasn't born in a barn."
Alfred sighed, nuzzling him softly and kissing his cheek. "Matthew, calm down. You're freaking out. Again. Stop. Just breathe for a few minutes.I know you're scared but I promise it's going to be alright."
Alright...Yeah, sure. It was going to be alright. No, no it wasn't going to be alright. This had happened not only last Christmas, but every year before that. Since they'd met in the third grade (when they both lived in the sunny Florida rather than the freezing cold Minnesota) every Christmas they'd ever spent together had been a disaster. Like in the fifth grade! When they were just starting to be a little more...Ah, forward about their feelings towards each other.
Alfred invited him over for the annual Jones Christmas party and Matthew had accepted. He showed up at Alfred's door all dressed up in his best little vest and tie, a pair of antlers on his head and a smile on his face. He'd gone in and the party had gone as planned. Well, at least for the first hour. Near the end of the party Alfred and Matthew had gone off on their own, nervously holding each others hands. Alfred tugged the smaller boy into a closet, flicking on the light and grinning up at it. Suspended from the pull-chord of the light was a tiny piece of white and green mistletoe...
They stared at each other for awhile, hardly blinking, both faced flushed and awkward. After a few minutes of that, Matthew leaned in, his lips quivering softly from nervous energy. Alfred followed suit and then it just kinda happened. The two shared their first kiss, wrapping their little arms around each other and grinning when they pulled away. They went in for a second and just as their little lips connected the closet door swung open. Alfred's father stared in horror at the two kissing boys, the drink he held smashing to the ground...
The night ended with Matthew being scolded and sent home, and Alfred being grounded for the rest of the year. They didn't ever talk about the kiss again...Well, not until Freshman year Alfred finally confessed to him. In a closet. With mistletoe. It was cute, but yeah, they got caught again. HIs father always showed up at the worst time...
Matthew was sure something like that would happen this year. They might sneak off into a closet or duck out of sight, share a quick kiss and cuddle, and then his father would just show up and ruin everything...
There just wasn't any way this could 'be alright'.
Matthew sighed, shaking his head and leaning against him. "No, it's not. Alfred, I love you so much, but I can't stand your father. He hates me more than he hates your mother. The second he sees my face all of our past Christmases are just going to pop up and he's probably going to shoot me right then and there."
"He's not gonna hurt you Mattie. If we don't screw in the showers or makeout in the closets I think we'll be fine."
"Shut up." He muttered, rolling his eyes. Yeah, they'd gotten caught having sex in the showers. That was the year before lasts. "I still can't believe it took them until last year to figure out we were dating...I mean, they caught us doing things enough...It was kind of obvious."
Alfred chuckled, turning to face him and kissing him quickly, "All those times they caught us kissing in the closets and cuddling on the couch...Though, you didn't really chill at my place all that often...Just once or twice a year...They usually ended up forgetting who you were come Christmas."
"Think they'll remember me this year?" Matthew quirked an eyebrow. It was true. No matter how many times he saw them or how many Christmases they visited him they never remembered him...Well, not until they caught him doing something questionable with their son. Apparently Matthew had a very forgettable face.
"Probably...You almost 'killed' my dad. They never forget the face of a murderer~!" Alfred laughed and kissed his cheek, scooting against the window when Matthew lunged at him.
"I'm not a murderer!...Well, I might be in five seconds!" He muttered, straddling over him and pinning him to the seat. "Dammit! That eggnog was fine! You would know, you only drank half of it."
"I didn't drink half of it! Three quarters at most!"
"...That's more than half, genius!" Matthew broke down into laughter. Oh, oh god. Alfred was an idiot. A total idiot! It was a wonder he could even tie his own shoes! God, he loved him. He laughed and laid down on top of him, burrowing into his chest.
Alfred blinked a few times, what he'd said dawning on him. "O-oh...Oh, go lick a moose!"
Matthew lifted his head, smirking at him. "I do lick Moose. Every night." He winked at him, rubbing at his crotch with his knee. "Now shush and behave, mister." He nudged his nose, sitting up and righting himself. Ah. Thank god they'd gotten a cab with a divider...He really hoped the driver couldn't hear them back here...
Alfred groaned and sat up after him, pulling his bag over his lap. "I still can't believe you named my di-"
"Alfred!" Matthew gasped, elbowing him in the side. "I did no such thing!"
"Did too! You named him Moose, kinky fucker...Heh...You love riding Moose, don't you?" Alfred grinned, teasing the Canadian.
"Maybe...But...He's certainly not the size of a moose...Maybe the size of a chicken, or something..."
"Oh, please. You've never seen anyones but mine."
"Yeah...Not impressive." Matthew smirked at him, kissing his cheek and patting down his hair.
"Alfie...I was kidding...Now stop it. We're still in public, you know." He chided. That was more than enough...Dirty talk...If you could even call it dirty talk.
"You started it."
"Yes, and now I'm ending it. Now please, lets let the subject drop, okay?"
"Fine...But you're wrangling Moose later."
They spoke normally the rest of the ride, both throwing in little euphemisms and innuendos here and there. None that got the other particularly aroused, but enough that made them both blush. Eventually their stop came and the man in front rolled down the window separating the two compartments. "We're here." He muttered, rolling the window back up.
Matthew and Alfred unloaded, lugging out their bags and tossing them on the sidewalk. Matthew slipped his tiny carry-on over his shoulder, handing the larger bag to Alfred. "Take these in while I pay, alright?"
"Fine. But you're stalling." Alfred shrugged, taking the extra bag with ease and jogging to the door.
Matthew sighed, paying the cabbie. Before he drove off he looked at Matthew, winking, "Hey, have fun riding Moose later...Pet him for me, will ya?"
The man drove off laughing, leaving Matthew standing there pale-faced and mortified.
"Alfred F Jones, I'm going to kill you!" He growled, turning on his heel and charging at the man. Alfred stood at the door, trying desperately to open the thing with the one finger he had free. Yeah, it wasn't going well. Matthew tackled into him, jumping onto his back and lightly biting his ear.
Alfred squealed and jerked, the bags he was holding crashing to the ground. One of their bags burst open, the unmentionables and, ah, 'essentials' bursting out and onto the ground.
Suddenly, the door swung open and a certain man appeared at it, his body taking up the whole frame.
Oh...Well, this was just starting out lovely, wasn't it? There he stood in all his 200-pound-6-foot-5 glory...Mister Jones. Mister Franklin Jones...
"Al, what the hell are you doing?" He barked. His voice was a gruff as a growl, the sounds erupting somewhere from deep within his mountain of a body.
"Ah! Hey Pops! How's it hangin'?" Alfred said, gently shaking the stunned Canadian from his back.
Matthew slid down off of him, awkwardly falling to his knees and picking up the spilled contents of their bag. Of course it had to be the one that held all of their underwear and bedroom things! Of course! 'Pack the silk ones! No one's gonna see' Alfred had said, charming Matthew into it with that damn smirk of his.
But no, here they were in the middle of his neighbor hood with all their panties and toys hanging out! Lovely. Just wonderful.
"I was doing great." Mister Jones muttered darkly, glaring into the back of Matthew's head.
He could feel those eyes boring holes right through his skull, seeing through every lie or front he'd ever put up, picking him apart and ripping him to shreds. "H-hello, Mister Jones...I-it's nice to see you again..."
"...The hell is this?" He asked, leaning down to get a better look. His eyes fell on the pair of silk undergarments. "Oh. It's him."
So he did recognize him...How wonderful. Either this was going to go terribly...Or maybe wonderfully. Maybe he'd let the grudge or anger he held towards him slip...Maybe he'd let it go, If only for the holidays.
"Yeah, it's him. Y'know, Matthew. Matthew Williams. They guy I've been crushing on for years and dating since highschool."
"I remember him. The guy who almost killed me last year, right? The one I found you fucking? That Matthew?"
"Yep." Alfred nodded. How did he keep so cool? Matthew was still kneeling on the ground, shaking and tucking away all of their items, and Alfred was up there acting like he was talking about the weather!
"Why's he here?"
"...Because I invited him?"
"And you didn't think to ask me how I felt about that?"
"Nope."
"That's not okay, Alfred."
"Does it honestly look like I care? Look, if you don't like it then I'll just make him leave. But hey, if he leaves I'm goin' with him. You can just go fu-"
"Alfred! Just stop! I'm just going to go. I'll call you later. Don't worry about it." Matthew said as he slowly rose to his feet, zipping the bag shut.
Alfred look torn. Hell, he probably was. He had to be. Alfred loved him family more than anything. But he also loved Matthew. How the hell did anyone expect him to pick?
"I'll go with you." He finally muttered, picking his bag up and turning.
Matthew stopped him, grabbing his shoulder and pushing him back towards his father. "No, you're not. You're going to spend Christmas with your family."
"But-"
"No, you're staying. Don't question it. I'll go find a hotel, call you in the morning, we'll do lunch." Matthew smiled at him, stepping closer and giving him a quick hug. He whispered a soft 'I love you', then stepped away, waving at Mister Jones. "Have a merry Christmas!" He called cheerfully, picking up his bag and turning.
He had to leave.
He couldn't stay here. Not with Alfred's father acting the way he was. That would just make Christmas hell for both of them. No, he didn't relish the idea of spending Christmas alone, but...It was just what had to happen. It was a tiny sacrifice he could deal with for one holiday.
Waving quickly Matthew walked down the street, his feet moving quckly against the pavement and putting as much ground as he could between Alfred and him.
Alfred stood at the door, chewing at his lip. As heartwrenching as it was he had to let him go...He owed his family at least one holiday...Kinda.
The two parted ways, Alfred spending the rest of the day with his family, enjoying their merryment and party.
Matthew trekked to a hotel, checking in and settling down. He tossed his clothes in a corner, slipping into his rather festive white and red pajamas. He poured himself a cup of something hot and settled in for the night, wrapping in a warm blanket and cuddling up on the couch.
As usual for this time of year all of the channels were showing those cheesy Christmas flicks, the ones with the clay-mation and make snow about love and friendship. He turned to one, letting himself get lost in the bright colors and jerky movements.
It was cute. Really cute. Nostalgic, almost...Heh, he remembered when he and Alfred used to curl up together the days leading up to Christmas and turn these on, watch them the whole day and eat their weight in maple-covered caramel corn.
Those were nice memories...If he turned the heat up high enough he could pretend Alfred was holding him, cuddling him and murmuring soft things into his ear...
A knock at the door ripped him from his pleasant fantasy, making him jump and spill his hot chocolate on the ground. He groaned, stiffly rising from his position and wrapping the blanket around himself, slowly walking to the door.
"Merry Christmas, Maple."
"...Al!? What are you doing here?!" Matthew gasped and jumped at him, wrapping him in a massive hug.
"You didn't really think I'd let you spend Christmas alone, did you?" Alfred chuckled, holding him close and nuzzling into the soft mop of hair.
"But what about your family?" He breathed out, walking them backwards and into the hotel room.
Alfred chuckled, lifting the man up and into his arms. "I think they've had enough of me." He grinned and laid them both on the bed, snuggling up to him and kicking off his shoes.
"You made an ass of yourself again, didn't you?" Matthew sighed, twisting their legs together and tutting softly. "Well, what was it this time? Spill the punch?"
"Worse. I thought Mom was pregnant...Turns out she just got fat." He chuckled and kissed him quickly, hardly touching their lips together.
Matthew laughed and shook his head, leaning their foreheads together. "You're the worst!"
"But you love me anyways~!"
"...Yeah."