A/N: Hello again! First I would like to thank everyone who has read this story so far. A big thank you to all of you who are following it. A super thank you to Punpredictablehuff for leaving such a nice review. I also want to apologize for posting this a day late. Friday was a super stressful day and by the time I go home and settled I wasn't thinking straight.

Francis: Mon cher, enough with the excuses. Just start the story.

snowflower: What about the disclaimer and other things?

Francis: If they want to see it they can go back to chapter one. Now please enjoy the story, you readers have been waiting long enough!

Chapter 2

"Hurry up, Alfred, or we are going to miss the bus," Matthew said running around the corner of the school to the back parking lot where the buses loaded.

Not too far behind, Alfred raced up the sidewalk toting a suitcase and his backpack. "We're fine we still have five minutes." The boys were in luck; Mr. Machado was putting the last suitcase in the bus' storage compartment.

When Mr. Machado spotted the boys, he looked at his watch. "Cutting it a little close there Jones."

"Yeah, but not late." Alfred and Matthew handed him their suitcases and boarded the bus. It was packed with future country representatives. There were only two spots left. Matthew quickly took the seat beside Gilbert. That left the seat next to Arthur.

"Hey, man," Alfred said as he plopped down next to the small sophomore.

"Oh, hi, Alfred," the Briton said. "That was close, wasn't it?"

"No way, dude! I had four minutes to spare." Alfred laughed.

Arthur sighed and put two fingers against his forehead as though he were trying to ward off a headache. "You're hopeless." Then he looked at Alfred who was giving him his goofy smile. He returned it with a small smile.

Suddenly there was a loud ruckus behind them. Alfred and Arthur turned around to see Lovino, Feliciano's brother, scowling at Antonio, who shared a seat with him. Across the aisle Matthew beside Gilbert with a tomato red face. Gilbert was laughing and had a hand on the Canadian's shoulder. Francis nudged Kiku and whispered something, which caused the Japanese freshman to take out his phone and started taking pictures of the fiasco.

"Calm down everyone," yelled the Cuban teacher as he boarded the bus. "Sit down and listen. When we get to the airport I will be handing out tags that will have you group color, your contact information, my contact information, and your parents' contact information. You will receive two. One will be for your suitcase and one you will need to keep on you. Now we are going to be on busy roads on the way to the airport, so if you don't want to die keep the noise down. That means you Gilbert and Antonio."

Mr. Machado took the driver seat of the bus and drove out of the parking lot. Alfred Pulled out his phone and sent a text to his brother.

Alfred: What was that about?

Matthew: Nothing.

Alfred: I don't believe you.

Matthew: Al, just drop it…

Alfred: You know I am going to ask you again.

Matthew: Fine! I will tell you on the plane.

When he looked up to see his step-brother, he met his purple-eyed gaze. His face wasn't tomato red anymore but it was still slightly pink.

"Sounds like they were having a jolly good time back there," Arthur commented.

"Yeah," the American said eyeing his brother suspiciously before turning back around. "Wanna play something?"

"Sure," said Arthur, delighted to be spending time with the freshman.

As the students boarded the large passenger plane, there was a large amount of confusion as to what seat numbers matched the ones on the tickets. Several students were not pleased to find out that they couldn't change seating. Arthur probably had to be the most dissatisfied. He was sandwiched between Francis and Natalia. The British student slumped in his seat and looked like he could just melt through it.

Meanwhile, Alfred sat down next to his brother getting ready to ask him twenty questions about the incident on the bus. Before he could the flight attendant got on the speaker and quieted everyone down. She told them to sit down and fasten their seat belts. The young woman explained all of the safety precautions and the usual beginning of flight things. As soon as everyone was seated, buckled in and accounted for the plane took off.

The Canadian snickered at his brother, who had a death grip on the arm rests. The turbulence made Alfred feel as though they were going to fall right out of the sky. When the plane stabilized, he loosened his grip and relaxed a little.

He turned to Matthew and asked, "How long are we up here?"

"Four hours," the Canadian said without looking away from his book. "And before you ask, no there aren't any pit stops."

Alfred groaned. Bzzt. It was his phone.

Arthur: How much trouble do you think I would be in if I pushed the frog out of the plane without a parachute?

Alfred smirked and replied.

Alfred: Oh, you know, maybe 40 years in jail, but you're cute so Bubba will take care of you.

Before he realized what he said, he hit send. Then, his face began to heat up as he reread his message. I just told Arthur he was cute, the American thought franticly trying to figure out what to do. He carefully peeked around his seat to see the Brit's reaction to his text. At first the boy was too busy grumbling at the French boy to notice the reply waiting for him. After about a minute of the two trading what could have only been catty remarks Arthur looked at his phone. Half way through it his eyes grew wide and his face began to glow pink. Just then he looked up and locked eyes with the blushing American. Alfred quickly turned back around in his seat.

As he turned, he noticed Matthew looking at him curiously.

"What was that about?" Matthew asked.

"Nothing," Alfred said a little too quickly and an octave too high.

"Sure," Matthew's word drip with sarcasm.

Then Alfred remembered the incident from the bus because the current conversation mirrored their earlier one.

"Weren't you going to tell me about what happened on the bus?"

"It's nothing really. Antonio just overheard Gil calling me that nickname he does. Then, Antonio said something about us being a couple with cute nicknames and Gil didn't deny it. So, I didn't say anything either. Then, Antonio said that he and Lovino have pet names for each other, which made Lovino mad for who knows what reason. I mean everyone knows they are a thing. But anyway, Gil told Antonio that I love his pet names and they started laughing and I could think of a good come back, so my face got all heated. That's when you turned around." Matthew let out a huff now that everything was out.

"Well, are you?" Alfred grinned.

The Canadian looked shocked. "Am I what?"

"A couple with Gilbert."

Matthew's face grew bright red instantly. He stumbled all over his words. "Um… uh… no… I don't know." He threw a half-hearted punch at his brother. "Mind your own business, would you? I don't question your relations with Arthur."

It was Alfred's turn to turn red. "What are you talking about? We have no relations."

"Oh, come on Alfred. I'm not stupid. I can see things that you don't notice or you don't think I notice. You can't live in denial forever." The purple-eyed brother said.

That sounded familiar. Something that Francis had said to Arthur.

"I've come to terms with my feelings." Matthew concluded.

"Yeah, yeah." Alfred said trying to get the conversation away from himself.

Matthew shrugged from and went back to reading his book. Alfred looked back at his phone to find a message back from his emerald-eyed friend.

Arthur: Well, I can't fit 40 years in my schedule right now. Guess I'll deal with the git for the next four hours. How are you holding up? I know plane rides aren't your cup of tea.

He didn't say anything about the cute statement, Alfred thought curiously. Well, what is there to say, I guess.

Alfred: As long as it doesn't shake, I'm good.

The American laid his head back and tried to rest. He hoped that if he went to sleep the flight would be over faster. However, sleep did com and he was left with the quiet chatter of the plane occupants and his thoughts.

About an hour later, after a lot of deep thinking on Alfred's part, he asked Matthew, "Why did you deny being a couple with Gilbert, if you have accepted your feelings?"

His brother sighed putting down his book again, "Are we still taking about this? If you must know it is because I don't know his feelings for sure. We also never agreed on being together anyway."

"Maybe you should ask him," Alfred commented.

"Well, maybe you should talk to Arthur about yours," the Canadian retorted going back to his book.

Alfred glared at Matthew and dug out his headphones. For the rest of the flight he zoned out to his music.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter.