So this story has turned into a good distraction for me. Sadly my sister end up back in the hospital with a collapsed lung. They end up finding, once they were inside, that she also had a hole in her bowel so she's been leaking septic into her body. So now she's in ICU. Thankfully after three surgeries they were able to clean her up, but it's going to be a long road forward. They even took her off the ventilation system this morning so that's a step. So I'm going to use this story as a means of thinking of other things. Excuse the venting. 3 You all are my unintentional ears.
Anyway, this chapter will be a bit longer than the others as well, which is why it took longer to get out (among other things). That and the 't' on my computer is broken so I'm having to compensate by pounding the now glued-on key. Guess what I glued it on with. NAIL GLUE.
Oh yes.
Win.
:/ MEEHHH.
Ps. This is all past!
Once again Gilbert found himself avoiding the avid questioning of his younger brother, hurrying to throw clothes into a large suitcase on his nearly abandoned bed.
"I'm going on vacation, bruder! Don't worry about it, I know you'll miss me, but I'll be back before you know it!" he teased, giving Ludwig a light shove as the man stood a little too close, arms crossed over his well-muscled chest. Feliciano stood behind him, dancing uncomfortably from foot to foot, looking for all the world like he was trying to come up with something to say.
Ludwig rolled his eyes at the statement, an irritated expression on his face. "You are always on vacation, Gilbert. I thought dat after last time you would have been more serious about taking care of the country matters you are so 'desperate' to be involved in."
Gilbert simply shrugged, tossing another shirt into the bag before zipping it up. "Look Luddy-" an answering growl of irritation made him roll his own eyes, "I've got some important stuff of my own to take care of und you've got little Feli to look after here, so I'm just going to get out of your hair for a few weeks is all!" His cheery answer, however, did not seem to sate his brother in the least and the man followed him out to the front room.
"Two months is hardly a few weeks! It's nine to be exact! Und you haven't even given a date or time in which you will return!" Ludwig's complaints seemed to fall on deaf ears, however, as Gilbert dragged his items out to the backseat of his car.
"Und that will give you two time to get to know each other better!" he grinned, dodging a swing at his head from a heavily blushing Germany. Feli, however, seemed to take this as an opening and clung to Ludwig's arm.
"Ve~ Ludwig, he's right! We can finally go on picnics and go swimming and have lots of fun! I'll make us pasta! You can make wurst if you want, but I won't eat it. "
And once again, Gilbert was ever so grateful for the small Italian man clinging to his brother as the attention was immediately turned away from him to sate the smaller man. As Ludwig chided him about how their time is better spent in training and Feliciano whimpered unhappily, Gilbert took the time to quickly toss the rest of his items into the car and lock himself inside, much to the annoyance of his brother.
Ludwig shook his finger at his brother through the window, trying to yell over the now blaring radio. Gilbert mouthed out his inability to hear the other man due to the music and waved at him cheerefully before pulling away.
He watched in the rear-view mirror as his siblings angered form steamed. He knew he was shirking his responsibility again. He had indeed complained to Ludwig time and again about being unawesomely unimportant in the scheme of their country. It wasn't his fault that the blonde tank decided to break down and allow him to help after the fact. He'd given up on most of the idea of being involved over the last year since he'd become closer with Matthew. And he didn't have time right now to argue with his hot-headed brother about such thing. He had more important places to be.
Nearly a week ago, as he'd been leaving Matthew's house, the younger man had stopped him at the door, a strange expression covering his face. For a long moment he'd simply stood there as though mentally debating whether the following words to come from his mouth were a smart idea or not. Finally, he sighed, his shoulders stiffening up.
"Hey, um, Gil?"
"Hn?" the taller man answered absently, checking his pockets for the keys to his rental car.
"Well I know you might have plans or something, but summer is coming up and Alfred was going to come by but he's super busy so I really won't have much to do and…well, I mean if you don't have anything planned, I'd um…I'd like it if you wanted to stay the summer. Here. With me." He sputtered out, looking for all the world like a teenager that just asked his crush to prom.
Gilbert looked up at him, raising his eyebrows before putting on a teasing smirk. "Oh I see, so I'm your second choice, huh?" Inside however, his heart had begun to pound just a little faster and harder in his chest.
"No! Uh, no." came the quick response, Matthew shaking his head. Once he saw the look on Gilbert's face however, he relaxed and sighed. "Of course not. I'm just saying that he wouldn't be around to bug us as much as he normally would so we could just have time to do whatever. There's some nice places that I haven't shown you yet that I'd like to and I figured since you're here a lot anyways you might want to stay and-"
"Of course I want to!" Gilbert laughed, patting Matthew on the head, which earned him another swat.
"Don't patronize me."
"Yeah yeah. I've got one condition though, birdie."
"What's that?"
The albino took the moment to lean against the doorframe, crossing his arms and nodding towards the couch with a clearly disgusted expression on his face. "That damn thing kills my back. I get to share the bed."
"Okay. I mean….I'm sure we can work out the sleeping arrangement. I mean…I can share….the couch isn't comfortable so…." Matthew's face lit up red when Gilbert's eyebrow twitched upwards. He may have responded to that a little too quickly. Oh and that little self-satisfied smirk wasn't helping any either. Damn Prussian.
"A little eager there, Birdie?"
"No! I'm just…the couch isn't comfortable and…it's my house! I'm offering to share my bed, you utter ass!" Matthew huffed, pretty sure the embarrassment was going to cause him to hyperventilate.
"Now Mattie, I know I've got some wiles of my own, but you're just going to have to resist the temptation of the awesome me when we're in the bed." He chuckled, earning a fairly hard swat to his arm.
"Now see, that could be classified as spousal abuse."
"Oh my god, go home. " Matthew laughed, shoving the man down his porch. "Go pack your bags and get back here before I change my mind, you idiot."
"See you in a week, honey." He teased. "Wait, does that make you the stay-at-home wife?" he laughed, ducking into his car to dodge a flying shoe, laughter following him all the way down the drive.
Matthew wasn't sure how long he stood in the door, a wide grin on his face, his foot getting chilly before he shook himself out his stupor, wondering what was coming over him and going to fetch his shoe.
He wasn't exactly sure why his heart was racing or his cheeks felt flushed. Or why his entire body filled with a rush of energy at the thought of Gilbert spending and entire summer with him. It wasn't as if he'd been planning on asking him for a while. Or planned out places he would take the man. Or gotten a little bit terrified at how his mind went a little too far in imagining Gilbert in swim trunks. Not to mention the shiver that ran up his spine…he was going to stop that thought process right there.
Shaking his head, Matthew turned to reenter his house, ignoring the fluttering in his chest as he remade the bed. The pillow case still smelled like Gilbert.
Gilbert had arrived late in the afternoon in the first week of June. The weather had been beautiful and so before putting his clothes away in a drawer that Matthew had cleared out (which had once again prompted a marriage comment and a slap), they'd taken an early dinner out on the deck again, talking over plans for the summer. Matthew had, of course, not made a list, but was ready with suggestions. He knew he wanted to take Gilbert to a lake nearby that he'd always been fond of. It was a lovely little spot that was secluded enough to keep away most tourists and would give them the chance to hike the area and see the wildlife in peace.
He planned to show him around a few of the larger towns, take him to a festival if there was one going and maybe to a hockey game, though he almost feared for Gilbert's safety since he'd be sitting next to him. He could get…adamant.
Other than that, they were fairly good at keeping themselves occupied. They would often go for walks in the forested area just past his yard or sit for hours just talking about nothing at all. Sometimes they would venture down into the small town just at the base of the hill and wander through the stores, perhaps having a late lunch at one of the small diners or café's along the way before heading home for the evening. One thing was certain; they were never bored with one another. Even if there was nearly nothing to talk about, they would sit in comfortable silence watching the television. Though neither would comment on how odd it may seem that though the couch was large, they sat so closely. Or how utterly normal it felt to have half of Matthew's chest of drawers now full of Gilbert's haphazardly-folded clothing.
Matthew was severely grateful, as the evening closed in and they began pulling down the bedcovers, that the whole event of settling in for the night was far less awkward than anticipated. Sure Gilbert had stayed in his bed already, but at that point both were too tired to truly appreciate the gravity of the man sleeping next to them. This time they were both wide awake and fully aware that they would be sharing a bed for the next two months. Instead it almost seemed…natural. Not that he was going to tell Gilbert that, but the small smile that their evening together had left on his friends face told him that he was feeling at least comfortable with the entire situation.
Like they'd been doing this their entire lives, they tugged the large blanket down together, settling each of their pillows into place, light conversation flowing between them. Matthew moved to turn the light off; listening in the dark as Gilbert shucked his t-shirt off, dropping it nearby on the floor. Matthew himself opted to leave his own on, knowing it could get chilly in the room at night even in the summer.
The bed dipped on either side as they slid in under the heavy comforter, each pulling their side up respectively. After a bit of shuffling and a few soft comments, they settled in fully.
Matthew sighed, closing his eyes and focusing on drifting off. It was a little warmer than normal and another body breathing next to him was different, the man's physical presence felt even on the opposite side of the mattress. But again, a moment that should have been awkward slipped away and instead, with a sigh and two tired 'good night's, both men drifted off into a comfortable sleep.
Two weeks later found both men with matching smiles on their faces. Neither could remember a time when they'd been so content with their lives. They'd spend the first half of June wandering around the region of the country that Matthew lived in. They'd taken many walks and hikes through the wooded areas, often times spending hours just talking and laughing, tossing sticks off into the distant wilderness or watching the wildlife in quiet appreciation. Each morning they awoke with matching grins, working together to make breakfast and each evening they would sit out on Matthew's deck, watching as the sky shifted through hues of pinks and oranges into nightfall, stars glittering in the darkened horizon when they finally retired for the night. Sleep came easily for both, though a few times they had to laugh off the fact that the morning light found them snuggled up against one another.
And so it was on a mid-June morning that Matthew drove them down the long, narrow dirt road that lead right up to the edge of the water. Gilbert's eyes were wide and glittering with excitement making the smaller blonde man chuckle.
"Birdie, this is awesome!"
A chuckle answered his excited outburst and Matthew pulled the car into a spot just beside a large dock. The well crafted planks laid out across the lake thirty feet or so. Along either side stretched beachfront, the sand a pale beige, small bits of light glimmering off the grains. Trees surrounded the outer edges of the banks, secluding the area from passer bys. The day itself had already begun nicely, the sun warming the air to a cool 65 degrees. They'd arrived just past ten in the morning to give them ample time to enjoy the lake before it became too hot out.
Still, Matthew had bothered Gilbert until he'd put on sunscreen just in case to which Gilbert had laughed, stating that his awesome albino skin would not burn because of some stupid sun. Matt just rolled his eyes, going to pack their picnic lunch as the other man readied the items they would need for the rest of the trip.
Much to Matthew's amusement and slight embarrassment (mostly because his heart beat a little faster), Gilbert shucked his shirt, tossing it in the back of the car. He stretched his arms above his head, allowing Matthew a very unnecessary but silently appreciated view of the man's tall slender torso. And try as he might, he younger country could not help but glance at him from the corner of his vision while he sat the basket full of food on the table. In the bright light of the sun his skin was even paler than usual. But rather than looking strange it gave him a sort of marble air, the lean muscle built underneath stretching. His chest was bare of any hair growth but just below his navel strung a while trail of that continued down-
Matthew's face flushed a bright red and he turned to put the blanket out over the top of the picnic table. His mind had fled straight into the gutter with no pre-warning and he was finding it very difficult to get it back out.
Alfred naked doing the hula in winter. Alfred naked doing the hula in winter. Alfred naked doing the hula in winter.
Bingo. Any libido that had began to rise immediately died down at the thought of his brother in a grass skirt flopping things he did not want to see everywhere. With a sigh, he shed his own shirt, glancing back over where Gilbert stood just at the edge of the dock, staring over at him expectantly.
The walk out on the dock wasn't as precarious as he thought it might have been. In fact it looked as though the caretakers of the lake may have replanked most of the extension, likely to maintain the safety of the few visitors that did come here to swim. Perhaps their children or grandchildren…
The thudding of feet and a loud war cry alerted him only seconds before he was swept up from behind into a pair of pale arms. Moments later he was falling, still wrapped in Gilbert's grasp as the man laughed, launching them off the platform and immersing them into the warm lake with a hefty splash.
Matthew surfaced, sputtering indignantly, and glared from under his soaked bangs at the laughing Prussian now circling him in the water. "That was mean!"
Gilbert only laughed, reaching over to dunk the man again only to be pulled under himself when Matthew latched onto his waist. The two continued in this fashion as the sun rose slowly overhead. One would dunk the other; they would circle each other challengingly; heavy splashing would ensue until one or both would break down into laughing fits. They slowly migrated closer to the beach, eventually finding solace on it's shores. Gilbert had thought it hilarious to chase Matthew around, lifting the smaller man over his shoulder before tossing him back into the lake, following after him with a roar of victory, which sent his smaller friend into a fit of laughter. Matthew thought he'd never laughed so much in all his life. In fact he was pretty sure he'd never even smiled so much either. But the Prussian was good at bringing that out in him.
A few hours later when the sun was well and truly high overhead, they settled on the bench to eat their lunch.
"Man this place is awesome, Mattie, we definitely have got to come out here more! " Gilbert's comment was partially obstructed by the multitude of sandwich stuffed in his face.
Matthew licked the cheese from his chips off of his fingers before replying. "Alfred said he was going to be out here today, too, but he's not exactly punctual. We could all come back again though. And it's open all the time. Once the day cools down the water is still warm, we could come back. Swimming at night is pretty neat too."
The affirmative response was completely muffled this time as Gil shoved a handful of chips in to mingle with his sandwich, Matthew shaking his head. Moments later the loud rumble of an engine broke the silence, a large red truck cresting over the hill.
"Speak of the devil."
Loud, what he could only assume was rock as the windows were up, music thudded from the tinted windows of the truck as it pulled into the spot next to Matthew's own much more economic vehicle. Give it to Alfred to never do anything half-assed and that included driving a car.
His American brother jumped from the driver's side, grabbing a cooler on his way around and waving to the two excitedly. "Hey! The hero is here so the fun can begin now!" The grin split his face widely, arms easily hauling the large container over to the table where he dropped it on the ground with a thud. "I brought beer! Hey Mattie!" he greeted, reaching over to scratch at his younger brother's head, who dodged in favor of ducking to get a beer from the cooler.
Alfred shrugged and turned his attention to Prussia, clapping him on the back. "Hey Gil! You guys look like you got started without me!" he laughed, eyeing Gilbert's face. "Damn dude, you're gonna be burned!" he snickered at the light tinge of pink already having taken shape on Gilbert's cheeks.
The other man shrugged just slightly, grabbing the beer that Matthew tossed his way. "Na, it never stays. I usually just tinge and it fades off by the next day. I'm not too worried. Plus your boy over there made me put on some of that disgusting smelling crème." Again Alfred laughed as Gilbert's face scrunched up.
"Yeah he does that. He always makes me put it on too." Shrugged the American, tugging his own shirt off over his head. And of course, his swim trunks, while Matthew and Gilbert had chosen basic colors and designs, were a large motif of the American flag.
"Speaking of, did you?" Came the mocking response from the smaller country. Alfred sighed exaggeratedly but nodded.
"Yes mom."
"Hey!"
Gilbert snickered, polishing off his first beer and standing to pat Alfred's arm lightly. "Hey, at least he's looking out for us ja?" though the glare that he received told him Matthew was less than happy to be noted as the caretaker of the two.
"I'm just responsible. Because last time Alfred didn't put sunburn on he turned into a giant tomato and I was the one who had to sit there and put lotion on him because it hurt too much to move. He's a big baby when he's in pain. Some hero, huh?" The Canadian snarked, standing from the table as well as the three moved back towards the dock.
"Hey! That's not fair Matt!" Alfred pouted, shoving lightly at Matthew's shoulder, who simply chuckled back at him, the dock creaking under their feet.
The boards felt nice and warm under the afternoon glare of the sun and for a few long moments, the men stood on the deck, idly chatting about Alfred's last row with Arthur and how many burgers the man could, in fact, eat in one sitting. Which was determined to be far less than he claimed to be.
Alfred leaned over the water just the slightest, frowning cautiously. "You sure there's nothing in here like snakes or whatever cause that so wouldn't be cool, dude. I do not want to get bit by a snake. Or a fish."
There was no time to respond, however as a firm hand met with his back and he tumbled forward with a yell into the water, having enough sense to grab onto his glasses as he met the surface.
Behind the fallen man in the lake, Gilbert laughed, eyeing Matthew's satisfied expression with a hearty smirk. "Good job there Birdie! About time someone put him in his place." He snickered.
Matthew felt a rush of pride at the words. He rarely ever did spontaneous unless he was with his brother and then Alfred just seemed to bring it out in him. Alfred was one of the few people (though Gilbert was quickly climbing that ladder) that he was able to let go and fully relax with. He trusted him with everything and knew that no matter what happened, he would always be right behind him. So in turn, he decided he should return the favor. Though, in this case it wasn't quite the same.
He was about to reply with his own snide remark about putting the Prussian in his place when he found himself lifted in the air once again. This time, however, he was facing his assailant and much to his extreme embarrassment, his legs automatically wrapped around the other man's waist. His mouth moved without sound, hands clutching at Gilbert's shoulders, time seeming to stop.
He could see the light flush on the albino's cheeks, though he couldn't be certain as to whether it was due to the sun or the position he currently held him in. Slowly a little smirk, something he might later come to realize was a knowing grin, began to cross the man's face and once again, Matthew found himself falling towards the water, Gilbert's face in his vision the entire time.
He could hear Alfred's laughter as they emerged from the water, another vicious splashing fight soon ensuing. They spent the next few hours enjoying the water and laughing. Gilbert would randomly lift Matthew over his shoulder, running away as Alfred tried to save his younger brother, usually to find themselves thrown back in the water as this seemed to be one of Gilbert's new found favorite pastimes. Matthew would retaliate by jumping on Gilbert's back to chase down his brother together followed by burying Alfred to his head in the sand. All the while the happy flush on the Canadian's cheeks never fading despite the lack of sunburn.
*July 1st*
Matthew's birthday. The day that Matthew himself was least fond of.
Matthew tended to avoid most of the day each year, though he wouldn't turn down Alfred when he demanded to take him out to lunch or dinner. This year, however, he'd managed to wrangle his way out of it andkeep Alfred and Prussia from banding together to throw a surprise party, which both had fully intended to do. The last time Alfred had attempted it a few years back had been a complete disaster. Besides the fact that he'd set his oven on fire trying to bake him a cake and no one but Alfred himself had shown up, the poor man had fallen from a step ladder while trying to hang a banner and broken his arm. And that was the way Matthew had found him, oven smoking, banner fallen and whimpering pathetically from the floor. He'd appreciated the effort, but after that he'd vehemently argued against any more surprise parties.
The usual gifts had come in from Francis, Arthur and of course Alfred (who always sent him more than one gift demanding he be spoiled on his day). This year however, he'd also received a package from Italy. That in and of itself had surprised him. He wasn't too awefully surprised, however, when he opened the paper wrapping to find a box of Italian pasta inside. The man did have a one track mind. But he couldn't deny that it was nice to be thought of by more than his immediate family and he made a mental note to send the little Italian a 'thank you' note.
Gilbert had disappeared into the shower nearly half an hour prior, after cooking him a hearty breakfast. Matthew had woken to the smell of bacon and eggs and surprisingly good pancakes. Though he supposed with as often as he and Gilbert made them, the man was bound to pick up on his skill sooner or later. After wandering into the kitchen, he'd been pleased to see his friend making him a birthday breakfast. He was soon informed that he was being taken out for a birthday dinner as well and the two had eaten peacefully at the breakfast table.
Gilbert had also prodded at him for a gift idea since the smaller man had neglected to tell him that it was his birthday. In fact, the Prussian would go so far as to say he was a little peeved that he had to find out only when Alfred had the evening before, screaming it through the phone.
'HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY MATT! I KNOW IT'S TOMORROW BUT THE HERO WANTED TO BE THE FIRST!' the over-enthusiastic scream had come through the phone and Gilbert had nearly dropped the wurst he was ready to place in his mouth, eyes wide and expression a little hurt.
'Tomorrow is your what?' Needless to say, Gil had been a little put out that he hadn't been told. He'd thank Alfred later.
So he would just have to pay him back the littlest bit for keeping that information from him. He'd get a gift alright, but maybe not one he'd be expecting. If Mattie deemed it important to keep things like that from him, maybe it was time to shake things up a bit.
The only things he'd told him, after he'd argued that breakfast and then dinner were enough, were only small things. A pair of new sunglasses, a new spatula, all items that he really didn't want but gave him an out from giving any sort of real answer. This, of course, wouldn't do. Gilbert had then put him through the embarrassing trial of asking if he wanted to go to a strip club and the other man would buy him a lap dance, to which Matthew had violently shook his head no, deeming he had no interest. He then proceeded to ask if it was the women that he didn't want the dance from or just the dance in general. To Gilbert, the short but red-faced pause that followed that comment answered for him and he smirked to himself, checking away that information. Matthew had rambled on about being in a public place filled with smoke and drunkards with half nude women dancing on him and how it was not on his list of things he wanted to try anytime soon.
And so Gilbert had excused himself from the room to take a shower and get dressed for the day, leaving Matthew to plop down on the couch, reading up on the current events of the week around the world.
He'd been reading an article about an observatory that had reported a new star being found when he heard it. It started low at first, just a light beat in the background, so much so that he figured it was just Gilbert's cell phone. However, the sound of the music soon grew louder and louder. Loud enough for him to realize it was actually moving towards him. Motion from the left of his peripheral vision alerted him to the fact that, yes, indeed, Gilbert had returned to the living room. And he'd brought that cd player with him, placing on the ground next to the hall entryway. The other thing that Matthew noticed, tightly biting his lips together to stop his grin, was that Gilbert was dancing. And by dancing he meant gyrating in an inappropriate and unfortunately for the Albino, hilarious manner.
Now he knew Gilbert could dance, he'd seen him doing it drunkenly on a few occasions at the two or three parties he'd attended over the last couple of decades. But this, this was purposefully cheesy. This was…beyond purposefully cheesy. And by the brightly grinning and mischievous expression on his face, that's exactly what his friend was going for.
Much to Matthew's embarrassment, the elder country continued his gyrations, but decided to move farther into the room, adding a few pelvic thrusts on his way. His grin stayed firm on his face, hands running obscenely over his body and Matt had to clench his teeth together to stop from laughing, taking a deep breath before he could speak.
"Gil, what the hell are you doing, eh?"
"Giving you a birthday gift, Mattie!" Gilbert chuckled, playing with the bottom of his shirt and winking at his friend. "And what better gift than a lap dance from the awesome me!"
Again Matthew had a hard time holding in his laughter as his friend moved closer to him, playfully lifting his shirt. "No, no no no no." Matthew giggled.
The Canadian, himself, reached out to try and keep the shirt down but Gilbert frowned, batting away the hands and shaking a finger. Instead, he turned to face away and began rubbing his butt on Matthew's knees. The smaller man's hands again raised, pushing against his back, Matthew's body shaking with his silent laughter. His face was lit up bright pink, though he'd finally allowed a smile to cross his face. Oh god, of all the things to do!
Gilbert turned back around with the beat, slowly pulling his shirt off and winking down at the other man again, who shook his head, trying desperately not to stare at the newly exposed flesh. He just had to take that damn shirt off, didn't he? He'd already had a hard time not staring at him at the lake and now here he was just a couple feet from him and the thought that he might reach up and unconsciously touch the other man's chest sent his head reeling. Gilbert, however, didn't seem to notice. Instead he slid forward, straddling his friend, chuckling as the other man leaned away in embarrassment before grinding down on his legs. "N-no…"
Unfortunately for Matthew, his friend had no intentions of letting up on his lewd actions. If anything, the expression on his birdie's face was enough to make him continue going. The flush on his cheeks was adorable and the way he futilely attempted to move away back into the cushions of the couch only spurned the albino on further.
Matthew himself was desperately trying to move away as this entire situation, because as silly as it was, it was beginning to give him a problem. A problem he really did not need when his Gilbert was so close. HIS Gilbert? Oh god, don't even go thinking that! Every time the taller man ground down against him, every time he leaned in towards him Matthew's entire body seemed to flush warmer, his cheeks got brighter, his hands sweat a little bit more. And Gilbert, that damned smirk on his face, seemed to take joy in his discomfort.
As physically uncomfortable as the whole thing was, however, Matthew couldn't help but appreciate the humor. Of course Gilbert would take his entire stripper statement to heart. He should have known he wouldn't be able to get away from it so easily. Not with the persistent Prussian around.
Matthew's face was drawn together tightly, lips captured between his teeth to keep the silent chuckles from making their way into the open air. Gilbert settled himself comfortably against Matthew's knees, wiggling against him provocatively though the ridiculous look on his face was anything but serious. Then, tongue between his teeth, the taller man grasped Matthew's hands in his, moving them to the beat before reaching around and slapping them firmly against either side of his jean encased rear.
At that point, Matthew lost it. His head fell back, laughter bubbling up from his lips, loud and unchecked. He laughed so hard that tears began to form at the edges of his clenched eyes. His entire body shook, the house filled with the happy sounds of his amusement. Gilbert's smile, too, widened slowly until he was chuckling.
Finally the older man fell off of his giggling friend, dropping down beside him on the couch, eyes focused on the laughing face of his best friend.
"Oh my god, Gilbert! What the hell!" the younger man exclaimed, hearty laughter still pouring from him, wiping his eyes with the back of his wrist, glasses lifting to his forehead with the motion. Matthew finally cleared the moisture from his eyes enough to glance over at his widely grinning friend. The man was slumped down beside him, laughing quietly as well.
"That was too good, Mattie. You should see your face! It's all bright pink." He chuckled, reaching out to wipe away some of the stray laughter tears that had streaked down Matthew's face. It had been obvious that he'd been trying the entire time to hold it in, but it was a losing battle and Gilbert had used that to his advantage. After all, what were friends for?
Matthew shook his head disbelievingly at the other man. "That was embarrassing is what that was. You are so weird Gil. Sometimes I don't know what goes through your head." He snickered, his chest burning from the intensity of the outburst. With a heavy sigh he relaxed back into the couch, still shaking his head.
A smirk formed on the albino's lips, a quirk of self-satisfaction. "But it was sexy right?" he nudged him teasingly with the corner of an elbow.
A pair of rolling eyes met his question. "Yeah, yeah. So sexy I could hardly contain my laughter." He snickered, earning him a good natured shove. A silver-haired head dropped onto his shoulder and he flushed deeply as Gilbert's bare shoulder brushed his arm. "Thanks Gil."
Gilbert's head rolled to look upwards at the smaller man, smiling genuinely at his friend. "You're welcome, Birdie. Anything to see that beautiful smile of yours."
The sentence seemed to come from his mouth unchecked and in an instant Gilbert wished he could simultaneously take it back and say it again. Matthew blinked, staring down at his friend, his face so close to his own. His cheeks lit up again a bright pink and he bit back the smile. He thought his smile was beautiful? Though he maybe should have been offended at such a feminine statement, he found he just couldn't be. It set his heart fluttering the slightest bit faster. His breathing hitched just a little and it took him a moment to return the smile, seeing the startled and uncomfortable look Gilbert's own face had taken on. And he didn't think he'd ever seen the man blush…
"Thanks Gilbert." He repeated, a little softer this time. "No one has really ever done anything like that for me. Not the stripping thing…not that anyone has!-" he stuttered, watching as the white eyebrows on Gilbert's forehead rose slightly at each word. "I mean..you know, something silly…t-to make me…happy."
Gilbert seemed to allow the words to sink in, eyes never leaving his friend's face. In an instant's decision, his arms engulfed the younger man, pulling him against his bare chest, hugging him tightly. He could feel the Canadian's breathing increase, his heart pounding in his chest against the other man, but he didn't let go. "Yeah well…" he spoke quietly after a long moment, feeling Matthew's arms carefully circle his torso to return the embrace. "You're worth it Matthew. Don't know how everyone else cannot see that." He said quietly, holding his friend against him.
He could feel his own heart thudding beneath his ribcage, threatening to burst. And he honestly could not understand. How could anyone forget this man? He was sweet and funny and a damn good cook to boot. He gave and gave, fought battles that were not his own and stood up to those who would hurt the ones he loved. Gilbert felt things with him that he hadn't with other friends. Gratitude. Appreciation. Things that others would demand from him, Matthew never even thought of asking for. They could spend an entire day talking or walking the small town below and neither would expect more than the other's company. But there was more. A thing Gilbert could not quite yet fathom. Something just within his grasp of understanding that had not yet fully surfaced. He was aware of it, that sensation, that inkling lingering just below the surface. It grew each time he was with the Canadian and even more when he was away, though at those points it was almost a desperate, burning need to return to Canada and be near his warmth. And he was well aware of the fact that the moment he stepped foot onto Matthew's property, his entire body seemed to relax. He knew. He knew exactly what was lying there, just under the friendship he clung to so tightly these days. He just wasn't ready to face it yet…
Matthew let his head drop onto the Prussian's shoulder, ignoring the warmth spreading through his cheeks, hands pressing tightly against the bare skin of the man's back. It took everything in him to bite back the tears that threatened to fall at Gilbert's words. They struck home for him, his heart clenching painful in joy. "You're the best, Gil."
"I know."
Matthew laughed, breaking the spell that had fallen over the friends and pushed back slightly, slapping a hand against a bicep. He glanced into the amused crimson eyes, quickly giving up. A little voice inside his head said to pull away and clear his throat nervously before this got awkward. The rest of him kindly flipped that voice off and launched himself at Gilbert again, hugging him tightly with a soft chuckle.
*July 4th*
As he did every year, Matthew drove down to see Alfred for his birthday. His brother claimed that without him there, it just wasn't the perfect day. They usually grilled out- just the two of them, then joined the large crowds of American's gather on a large green in central park to watch fireworks together. This year, however, Gilbert was accompanying him. He'd been slightly nervous about running it by Alfred as he'd never brought the other man into his country, but his brother had surprised him by being more than accommodating. In fact, he'd damn near insisted that Gilbert join them for his birthday celebration. Not that Matthew would complain, he loved having Gilbert around him. It was just strange of his brother to want the man around. Sure they got along fairly well, but it had always been their day.
Matthew had always secretly been pleased that Alfred's day was also a day put aside for just them. His brother never invited England (for obvious reasons) or France (again for different obvious reasons) but insisted that his birthday be shared with just the two of them. Perhaps Alfred understood how much their friendship meant to him, or perhaps he just wanted to give Matthew a day that he didn't' have to share or feel ignored by the rest of the world. Either way, he was eternally grateful for his normally dense brother's sensitivity. If he could share no other holiday, he was perfectly content with sharing the day of Alfred's independence. He'd always secretly been very proud of his brother for taking that stand against Arthur. Though they both loved their parents, each had a difficult time letting go of their respective children. Arthur more so with Alfred as he'd coddled the man most of his life. Even now he tended to treat him as a child.
But Alfred, for all his faults and egotistical triads still held respect for the elder man. Arthur would never admit it to his face, but he loved that Alfred still turned to him in his greatest times of need. In fact, Matthew was pretty sure that inside he was gloating and relishing in the sub sequential neediness that Alfred would have for him. The younger man clung to him like a life raft and Arthur adored it. Sure, he was rough and rude with the overly confident America, but Matthew had seen them together when Arthur thought no one was looking and Alfred was pressed into a difficult time. His father would clinging to him just as tightly as the taller man would, brushing a hand over his hair lovingly, reassuring him that everything would be alright.
Matthew would be lying if he said he wasn't just the slightest bit jealous. Maybe that Alfred didn't come to him, maybe that he knew he couldn't go to Francis expecting the same reaction were he in the same position, maybe because Arthur would never treat him like that. In fact, it used to make him sad, thinking that he truly had no one to turn to like Alfred did. Someone that would take care of him if he asked; someone that would listen unconditionally to any issue he had and consol him; someone who cared without needing something in return.
Glancing to the man in the passenger seat beside him, currently rambling on about the hockey game they had watched the night prior. Matthew felt any residual jealousy melt away. Here, this most unlikely person rambling on about his own awesomeness and beer and wurst and everything that Matthew would have never imagined he'd find interesting to listen to, this person was the one man he knew, knew he could turn to. Despite all his faults and his loud abrasive behavior, Gilbert never failed to be there, listening intently whenever Matthew spoke of his troubles. He seemed to know the instant something was off with the younger country, prying and prodding at him until he eventually caved. This man brought his walls tumbling down like no one else. And it was in such an unexpected way that it took Matthew's emotions by storm.
He didn't hesitate to speak about the issues he'd had as well; dealing with the loss of his country and the undermining of his role in current German issues. And Matthew was, too, more than happy to listen and consol his friend. They spent hours finding solace in one another's company. When Gilbert left, the world seemed to slow to a painful crawl of boredom and silence. Matthew often found himself wandering into town or cleaning the house simply to make the time go by faster. And when the Prussian returned, the world began to turn normally again. His life became a whirlwind of smiles and laughter, of beer and pancakes and his heart somehow always seemed lighter.
It was then that Matthew realized with startling clarity that he could not imagine the rest of his life without Gilbert Beilschmidt.
Alfred, like every year previously, had gone all out. The refrigerator was stocked full of ribs, hamburger patties, bratwurst (strangely enough he'd thought of Gilbert, too!), hotdogs and chicken. He'd wrapped up ears of fresh corn and kabobs in tin foil and out in the backyard the grill was fired up, flames rising over the bars in preparation. Beer and soda filled a large cooler out by the back screen door, propping it open for the fresh summer air to filter in.
It was a beautiful summer day this time around, the wind just cool enough to take the edge off the heat, a soft humidity left over from a rain storm only days before. Clouds still lingered overhead blocking off any direct sunlight and nicely shading the over sized back yard. One thing that America seemed to take away from his time with Arthur was a well groomed exterior. No matter how cluttered and unorganized the inside of his home got, he always made sure the landscape was perfect. The deep green grass freshly cut and the vines and flowers well groomed. If nothing else, which there was always something else, America took great pride in the appearance of his home.
"Matt!" he crowed, pulling his reluctant brother into a tight embrace. "About time you guys got here! I was getting ready to put everything on the grill! There's a football game on too, it's supposed to be good!" he chuckled, pulling away to pat the smaller man on his head. Matthew swatted at the hand good naturedly, then watched with great amusement as his brother promptly embraced Gilbert as well.
"Gil! Dude, I'm glad you could make it! " Gilbert laughed, returning the hug without hesitation, patting him on the back. He and Alfred had found, over the course of their meetings and holiday gatherings with Matthew, that the two had quite a lot in common. Their personalities were strikingly similar and they often times found themselves sharing stories of the younger country. Alfred would tell Gilbert all about their times as children and Matthew as he grew, a treasure Gil was more than happy to store away inside his head. He found the more he knew about the small country, the more he wanted to know.
"Yeah, well I can't miss all this awesome food, ja?" he teased, pulling away to wrap an arm around Matthew's shoulders, the smaller man not even flinching at the motion. Alfred smiled to himself just the slightest. Well wasn't that interesting. Matthew had a hard time being comfortable with his touches but it seemed Gilbert had broken that barrier fairly easily. He couldn't say he wasn't pleased.
"I know, right? I mean, I've got all this great food and as much as I love to eat, I can't put it all away on my own!" America laughed, nodding for the other two nations to follow him into the backyard.
The afternoon was spent cooking and laughing, sharing stories of past birthdays and plans for upcoming ones. Alfred could honestly say that he was glad Gilbert had become a part of Matthew's rituals. It was about time the man had a break from his life and started actually living. And who better to do it than a former country with more than enough time and motivations on his hands. It was painfully obvious that the two enjoyed their time together and Alfred would be lying if he said he didn't begin enjoying Prussia's company as well.
"Did you guys have a good ride out? I hear the traffic has been killer this year!" Alfred commented, tossing the first few burger patties and a slab of ribs onto the grill. The flames roared to life for a few moments, the seasoning on the meats popping as they began to cook.
"Yeah it wasn't too bad, we just took most of the back highways. Avoided all your interstates. I knew those would be backed up." Matthew nodded, tossing a baby carrot from the vegetable tray in his mouth. He took the offered can of beer from Gilbert, abscently watching his brother do the same. "Any ideas on where we're going this year?"
"Going for what?" the Prussian interjected, sipping at his open can.
"Fireworks dude!" America laughed, taking the offered beverage and poking at the ribs with his spatula. "We always go watch fireworks!"
"It's the big thing that the people do for his birthday every year. They do these huge fireworks shows. We like to go out and sit with them. Alfred always knows the best spots." Gilbert smirked, watching the excited smile light up his friend's face.
"Well, now that you mention it, they're supposed to have this great spot all set up just outside the city limits about seven miles. A bunch of the local dairy farmer families are going to be heading up there so I figured we might join them. It's a pretty decent spot and we can do a few little ones of our own. I even got some sparklers!" Alfred's voice held a distinct note of excitement and looking between the two brothers, it seemed the feeling was mutual.
"That sounds great, Al! Oh Gilbert, you'll love it. It's always a blast. Al's people always know how to throw a party if nothing else."
"Hey, we do other things well too!" Alfred poked, nudging his younger sibling with the handle part of his spatula before turning the ribs over once.
"Yes yes, I've heard it all before." Matthew teased, leaning in to nudge Prussia just the slightest.
"Mattie, you're so mean to me, Bro."
Both Matt and Gilbert chuckled at the put-out tone the American gave off, a false pout on his face. Soon Alfred snickered, dropping his offended act and turned the burgers, an easy conversation starting between the three.
As the afternoon wore on, they ate burgers and barbeque over beer, watched a college American football game (which Gilbert enjoyed very much) and spent the day enjoying one another's company. Before they knew it, the light had begun to sink into the horizon and twilight settled in on the content crowd.
Alfred drove them all up to a large hill just outside the city were a couple dozen people were gathered, many laid out on blankets or in lawn chairs awaiting the arrival of the fireworks in the clear sky above. Children chased one another in circles while parents and grandparents shared happy conversation. Many of them were setting off little fireworks and sparklers, lighting up the evening with color.
"Here, hold this and don't drop it." Matthew commanded as he placed the wooden end of a large sparkler in Gilbert's hand. The taller man's brows dipped together in confusion until the end of the stick met the flame of a lighter and the tip began to spark in a random pattern.
Matt backed away, lighting up his own stick with a wide smile, moving it in circles in the air to initiate the spark. Gilbert watching in fascination as the tip of both of their sparklers began to flicker then burst into life, a wild stream of light and flickering from the end.
"Like this!" Gilbert watched in rapt fascination as Matthew twirled the stick through the air, making patterns and shapes. He spun it swiftly, a circle of light forming in it's wake followed by a few strange symbols and letters.
Carefully the Prussian swung his, slowly at first, then faster, a large grin crossing his face as shapes began to take form in the air before him. Moments later Alfred ran past, circling the two and laughing loudly. In his hands he had what looked to be at least ten of the sparklers, flinging them every which way, his body lit up by the residual light from the fireworks. "This is so cool!"
Gil laughed, moving closer to Matthew. For a few moments they made shapes together, chasing each other's path of light and flicking the sparks towards their feet, sharing quiet chuckles until the sparklers died out.
"Come on, let's get a good seat. Alfred, stop playing with those kids and help us find a spot!" Matthew shouted back at his brother, who had the gall to look at least a little ashamed before he rushed to catch up with his other two companions.
The trio decided on a decent sized open area just on the slope of the hill not more than thirty feet from the truck, Alfred setting their cooler and blanket out on the ground. Excitedly, Matthew dropped to the grass, stretching his legs out and raising his eyes in anticipation. He did love this part of the evening, when the sky lit up in bursts of colors, reminding him of Alfred's well-earned independence.
Gilbert himself had stood, surveying the area and the sky as well, enjoying the evening breeze when he felt a nudge. His eyes turned to meet the crisp blue eyes of the birthday man himself.
He looked as though he wanted to say something, as though the words were on the edge of his tongue but after a moment's pause, he simply smiled and jerked his head towards his preoccupied brother.
Gilbert frowned slightly, uncertain of what the American was gesturing to and the younger man replied with a sigh. "Matt looks a bit lonely by himself over there. I'm just gonna run and get another blanket. Go keep him company will ya?" he urged, nudging the man again.
For being an older country, it sure took the man longer than necessary to understand what was being said. His expression was still one of confusion as he looked from one brother to the next.
Sighing a little heavier, Alfred leaned in close. "Go sit with him, dude! He'd totally appreciate it! He always sits by himself and that's so not awesome right?" he urged again, wagging his eyebrows suggestively at the elder.
This time Prussia received the message loud and clear. His face flushed just slightly and for a long moment it seemed as though he were pondering what to say or do. Protest ran across his face for a long moment. Then, as if he realized exactly what Alfred had implied, his eyes widened just slightly and he grinned over towards his younger friend. With a nod and a reassuring pat on his back, Gilbert rushed over to join Matthew, surprising him when he dropped down behind the younger man, legs bracing on either side of his. He tugged at the Canadian's elbows until he was up flush against his chest.
Alfred noticed, with great amusement, that Matthew blushed heavily and turned to look up at his grinning albino friend, but did not protest the strange physical attention. Instead he gave a soft return smile and after a moment of awkward movement, settled his weight back against him comfortably.
Gilbert's arms settled comfortably over his friend's hips just as the fireworks began, bursting in bright colors in the open sky overhead. Their attention was drawn upwards as the first flash covered their vision in a spray of rainbow light.
Alfred observed the two from a few feet away as he returned, blanket under his arm. Matthew seemed to relax just fine back against the other man, settling against him as the fireworks lit up the sky in honor of America's freedom. Gilbert would lean in to say something, his mouth right up next to the smaller man's ear. Matthew's cheeks would flush just the slightest and he would turn to reply, a smile shining on his face.
These two, they were so stubborn, or maybe they were just oblivious to what should have been glaringly obvious. At least to Alfred it was.
Watching the two of them interact always made him smile. They would get close, blush the slightest or tease one another, then just like that they had backed off into what the American considered the 'friend zone'. He knew by watching their faces that neither wanted to go back there, that they both must have subconsciously known they were teetering on the edge of this wonderful unknown, but maybe it was fear or maybe it was safety that reeled them back in each time.
It was frustrating to watch. The more he'd grown to know Gilbert over the past year, the more he'd realized just how perfect the guy was for his brother.
He stood up for him. He got angry or frustrated on his behalf and even when it baffled his brother, it sent a streak of pride through Alfred himself. Matthew had always been on the back burner, whether by accident or his own choice but with the Prussian, he came first. Gilbert always made certain of that. When they were together for holidays or birthdays or just hanging out, he would always put Matthew first. What did he want to eat. What did he want to watch. What did he think about a certain subject. And for Matthew, who's consideration always came last, it was a strange thing to become used to.
But it wasn't just Gilbert, it was his little blonde brother as well. He made sure that Gil was invited to events, that he was included in their gatherings. He also noticed more than just that. Whenever the albino man was away, Matthew seemed to drag. His interest in much else dimished significantly and he preferred to stay home. The moment that the egotistical albino reappeared, however, he seemed to perk up, coming out of a sort of hibernation and into the world again.
Now Alfred had never been the brightest crayon in the box, even he would attest to that. But it was hard to ignore the sparks that flew between the Prussian and Canadian. Where Matthew was reserved, Gilbert pulled him from his shell. Where Gilbert was loud and sometimes anxious, Matthew calmed him. On their own they seemed oblivious to the signs and signals. The small glances, the pink that flushed on their cheeks when they leaned in close to share a private joke or conversation, the subconscious touches. As much as Alfred hated to be left out, he couldn't help but feel privileged at being left in this time, even if they didn't quite know it yet.
He'd noticed quite a while ago, hell, before Christmas even came around, just how well the two worked together. He'd laid subtle hints here and there, pushing them a little closer together in his secret hero way. Because he'd be damned if the romantic tension in them lead to anything other than their own happy ever after.
Plus they both deserved it. Sure, he had his own nation to worry about but that didn't mean he didn't notice the others as well. Especially family. Matthew deserved more than to be forgotten and ignored. He deserved to feel like he was the center of someone's attention. To be shown just how great he was and to go on adventures he never thought possible. He deserved to be pampered sometimes, to be taken places and have someone who would always be there for him. Someone who would never turn their back on him and give him all the attention and support he needed. Someone that would fight on his behalf and understand all his needs and faults and recognize all the wonderful things about him. Someone that would give anything and everything to see them happy.
In short, Matthew deserved Gilbert.
And Gilbert deserved Matthew.
And Alfred was just the hero to show them that.
Holy ever loving crap. So there you have it! Mind you, I've had to type this up with a freaking broken 't'. It's killing my finger to pound that stupid thing every time! And omg, I never realized just how OFTEN 't' is used. So it's not NEARLY as long as I wanted but i'll be adding that into the next chapter once I get this fixed.
Anyways,
Thanks to everyone so much for the well wishes and the reviews and alerts and favorites! You are all awesome for it! And I adore you each. Please please review! It makes my day brighter, I promise! 3 3