Part 1. Roommate.
Matthew sighed, lounging on the couch in his apartment, fan spinning quickly above him and shirt discarded on the ground as he tried to overcome his lack of air conditioning. His blonde curls that escaped his hair tie hung in his face and he huffed uselessly at them. He stared at the droning TV, watching the news as he waited for that damn call to come by. His brother had left the apartment when he got a good opportunity to room with a co-worker named Kiku. Matthew told him he would be fine and, in all honesty, he was better off this way. But he needed someone to room with and this guy called, saying he would be there around this time.
"In other news," the British news anchor, Arthur Kirkland said, "the series of stabbings has claimed another victim. A 40-year-old male recently on the news for pulling money from a charity event." Matthew raised a curious eyebrow. "Is this just another crazed murder or is it vigilante justice?"
There was a knock at the door and Matthew swiftly stood up, replacing his shirt and his hair, before rushing to the door.
"Are you Gilbert?" Matthew asked, adjusting his skewed glasses as he looked at the person in front of him. He was pretty well built and stood with a cocky air about him. What startled Matthew was that the man was albino, but not like a normal one. He had ragged, snow white hair, incredibly pale skin that looked like it burned after just a minute in the sun, and shocking red eyes that stood out among everything else.
"You Matthew?" Gilbert laughed, his teeth just as white as his hair. Matthew looked him over, deciding he'd probably be good enough.
"Come on in," Matthew nodded inside of the apartment and Gilbert shrugged, walking inside as he was told. He looked around and Matthew blushed slightly at his lack of cleaning, but Gilbert didn't seem to mind too much.
"You're already better than my last place," Gilbert smiled. "My bruder was a total neat freak."
"Did he kick you out?" Matthew asked.
"Nah, I left," Gilbert shrugged, slumping onto the couch and Matthew almost laughed. He already looked so comfortable in the apartment, like he belonged there. "If you're worried about me having a job, I'm a bartender, late night. I sleep most of the day and I'm not usually very loud."
"I'm sure my own brother will kick my ass if I don't ask the basic questions," Matthew sighed. "I can tell when a person's lying, so answer honestly. You a felon?"
"Never committed a crime in my life," Gilbert answered honestly, shrugging easily.
"You own a gun?"
"Nope."
"How long have you had that job?" Matthew asked.
"Few months," Gilbert said. "Looks like I'll have it for at least a few more, or until I feel like quitting."
"…How do you feel about that killer?" Matthew asked, looking at the TV, where the news was interviewing a random police officer about said killer.
"Random question, but okay," Gilbert shrugged. "I'll play along. Obviously, killing's wrong, but I think he's doing a good thing. Everyone he's killed has been an ass, right? It's not like anyone's missing the people he killed."
"One more question," Matthew smiled slightly. "Can you pay the first month's rent in advance?"
"Cute guy like you?" Gilbert smirked. "Hell yeah, I can."
"Great," Matthew smiled with a nod. "Then, uh, I guess I'll see you when you move in."
"Oh, by the way, I'm gay, figured I should tell you before we have to go through that conversation," Gilbert said as he stood up. "If you're not gay, I won't put any moves on you. And, if you are, I won't do it without your consent."
"We'll save that awkward conversation for later, then," Matthew smirked. He was gay, too, sure, but he wasn't exactly comfortable about it like this guy was. "I can cook and I don't mind if we share groceries. As long as you don't eat too much."
"I work out, I eat too much," Gilbert confided. "I'll pay for some of the groceries, don't worry."
"There's no way you can eat more than my brother," Matthew laughed, walking Gilbert to the door. "But I do have full license to kick you out whenever I feel threatened. I have a hockey stick."
"I feel like I should be scared about that comment," Gilbert laughed as he walked backwards outside the door. "So I'm gonna be until you prove that you're not the hardened soldier you look like."
"I may look like I can't hurt a fly, but just because I'm Canadian doesn't mean I can't fight," Matthew smirked. "Now don't come back without money and your belongings."
"You trust really easily, Birdie," Gilbert laughed and Matthew scoffed, closing the door.
"Birdie?" Matthew asked, turning around. A roommate like that would be just fine. Gone during the nights and no intention to harm him. Alfred could fuss all he wanted about Matthew not being safe, but that could wait for later. For now…Matthew slumped back onto the couch to watch the news mindlessly until he fell asleep. He had work the next day, after all.
"So, I'm a late sleeper, I hate to be woken up, and I piss with the door open," Gilbert stated simply.
"I watch TV to sleep, I love mornings, and I like country music," Matthew explained.
"I like metal."
"I don't mind metal," Matthew shrugged. He was lounging on the couch while Gilbert was sprawled upside down, his head hanging just above the ground while the TV droned in the background. "Do you blast it?"
"I'm not rude to our lower neighbors," Gilbert laughed. "I can be rude to you because we pay the same shit. Oh, I piss in the shower."
"Who doesn't," Matthew snorted. He couldn't explain why, but he was just comfortable around Gilbert, despite hardly knowing anything about him. "I speak French when I'm mad."
"I speak German," Gilbert smirked, winking at him. "I think I scare more people."
"You don't think you'll be scared of seeing me mad?" Matthew laughed, poking at Gilbert's toned side with his big toe. "I make pancakes for breakfast every day."
"Awesome," Gilbert laughed. "That might just make me get up early. Make 10 for me!"
"I don't doubt you could pack it in," Matthew smiled. "When do you work out?"
"About three," Gilbert shrugged. "Come back at 4:30, take a shower, chill for a little, and go to work."
"How OCD are you with your scheduling?" Matthew asked, tilting his head to the side. "Sounds like you have everything down."
"I had to get something from my bruder," Gilbert laughed. "He's OCD about everything, I just have a schedule, no big deal. You OCD about anything?"
"Pancakes," Matthew smiled. "And the volume on the TV. Has to be a multiple of five."
"You take pancakes seriously," Gilbert laughed. "I expect great things from you tomorrow! Then you must teach me your awesome, pancake making ways!"
"It's a great art that may take years to learn, young grasshopper," Matthew laughed. "First you will have to wash my bike."
"Wax on, wax off?" Gilbert cackled and Matthew noticed that he had this weird, hissing laugh when he was laughing really hard. "Oh, I've got two friends and people call us the Bad Touch Trio. They may come over sometimes. Toni's nothing to worry about, but Franny's flirty as all hell, so feel free to hit him with that hockey stick of yours."
"So you're all just pervs?" Matthew raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Gilbert laughed. "You don't want 'em over, just say so and I'll take 'em to a bar or something."
"Nah, you're fine," Matthew shrugged. "I don't drink much but I keep some beer in the fridge. You drink it, you get some more."
"I'm not much of an alcoholic, but I know my beers well," Gilbert laughed. "What kind you got?"
Oh, my God, guys, it's October! My favorite month of all time! And so, I'm going to update a bunch of shit, staring with this, which has four parts and will be finished on Halloween Day. It's all written, but I wanna space it out for the sake of October!
So this is nice and calm, right? I don't promise the same for the next few chapters. I will say this now, if you don't like the idea of death or murder, you should leave now. If you don't like the idea of insanity, you should leave now. You might be able to make it into next chapter and it's not like I'm explicit, but it's all still there. Yes, there will be PruCan, but it's not nice and fluffy like you're used to seeing from me, so you have been warned.
I do not own Hetalia.