I met Gilbert five years ago through a friend. Well I say a friend... I met him through Francis. He had insisted I go to some speed dating thing he'd organised. I remember thinking at the time that it would be stupid, pointless and no one would realise I was there anyway. I had been mostly right. I sat there silently while people milled around me, completely forgotten. Until him. A tall, athletic looking man had pushed his way over to where I was sitting and taken the seat opposite me. He was captivating.

He told me that his name was Gilbert Beilschmidt and that the awesome him had been made to go to the unawesome event by the less-than-awesome Francis. I think I just giggled and agreed with him, trying not to stare at his deep red eyes. When it was time to move on he didn't. We just sat talking for the rest of the evening.

I had to leave early to pick up Alfred from somewhere. I'd been really nervous and shy about putting a piece of paper with my phone number written on it onto the table before I left, not looking to see what Gilbert's reaction had been. I never actually expected him to call me. I was too easily forgettable and he must have had loads of people give him their number. He looked like the kind of guy who would have attracted a lot of attention.

Matthew didn't realise he was crying until a tear hit the paper. It hurt to have to remember, let alone find the words to write down everything that had happened between him and Gilbert. He wiped the tears from his eyes and sniffed, knowing he had to write more before Alfred came home from work so the notebook could be locked away from his brother's prying eyes. He hated the fact that Alfred would want to know everything about everything to do with his ex-relationship. Especially as he knew that all his brother wanted was more reasons to hate Gilbert.

I jumped when the phone rang. My phone never rang unless it was Alfred and that was rarely. I had frowned at the unfamiliar number before answering it. It was Gilbert. He'd remembered about me. We arranged to meed at a small café in town. As I hung up I couldn't believe that a man as popular and good looking as Gil had wanted to meet up with the bland, invisible me.

When I saw him that day I remember being flustered and nervous but he completely put me at ease. He talked mostly, I just sat and listened to him. After a while – when we'd finished out drinks – he grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the shop. We went to the movies. It was sweet in the kind of way the clichéd movies are where the couple sit at the back in the dark and get closer to each other as the film goes on. About halfway through he took my hand. I remember being fascinated by the way the light from the screen flickered across his silver – almost white – hair. I can't even remember what film we watched.

It was dark by the time the movie finished and he insisted on walking me home. He kissed me goodbye on the doorstep. He tasted of popcorn and cold and for a moment I never wanted to pull away.

His smiled told me he was thinking something along the same lines. Then he was gone and I moved into my warm house. I was already in love.

Matthew sighed as he read over what he'd written. It sounded cheesy as hell but that was how he remembered his first date with Gilbert. Checking the time he slowly stowed his writing things away and stretched, picking up his mug of long cold hot chocolate and going downstairs into the kitchen. He wasn't too happy about living with Alfred but until he recovered and found his own place he didn't exactly have a choice. "At least I get to go back to work next week," he murmured to himself as he poured the drink away and washed up the mug. He was looking forward to getting out of the house for a while. He hummed to himself as he went back upstairs to his room, in the kind of mood where trying to be constructive would probably end up having the opposite effect. He sighed and sat down on the bed, picking up his toy polar bear and looking at it sadly, "What am I going to do Kuma?"

Author's Note: Updates? What is this treachery! A nice fluffy chapter of them meeting. The thought of Francis making Mattie and Gilbert go speed dating was a far too amusing concept to not use.

I still don't own Hetalia.