A/N : Late update again. Sorry about that! Thanks for the reviews guys. It's great to know that there are people out there enjoying this.

Chapter 10: Mounties and Cowboys

Around the time Matthew was finally giving in to exhaustion his alarm went off. He sighed in resignation and got out of bed. He showered, shaved and got dressed for the day with robotic efficiency and about as much enthusiasm.

He stepped lightly when he crossed the living room not wanting to wake Alfred.

Alfred who was running his fingers over his lips in his sleep.

Matthew smothered an small noise of distress at the sight. That did not bode well for him and the desperate prayers of 'Please let him be too drunk to remember it.' that he'd been offering up to the heavens all last night.

When he entered the kitchen he immediately went into loving brother mode. He poured Alfred a tall glass of cool water and placed it on the coffee table next to him with some pain killers for his headache.

Back in the kitchen he put on a pot of coffee and began heating a pan and making pancake batter.

He was finished cooking and cleaning the dishes before Alfred had even stirred.

He piled up a stack of pancakes, filled a dispenser with syrup and placed them on a tray with a cup of coffee. He snuck some maple syrup into the coffee before Alfred could protest that he liked it black.

Which was a complete and total lie. Alfred liked it with sugar, cream, odd flavorings and chocolate shavings. He just liked to pretend he took it black but Matthew had seen the things he ordered at Starbucks.

He carried the breakfast into the living room and placed it next to the water and pills he'd left before.

Well, he didn't want the pancakes to get cold so there was only one thing to do.

He shook Alfred gently by the shoulder.

"Alfred?" He spoke softly not wanting to aggravate the headache his twin surely had. "It's time to wake up."

Alfred groaned and pulled the blanket up over his eyes.

"Come on I made you pancakes." Matthew coaxed.

A single, bleary blue eye poked out from under the covers. "Pancakes?"

"Don't I always?" Matthew sounded exasperated. It would be nice not to make breakfast for once.

"With chocolate chips? Mickey Mouse?"

Matthew's brow furrowed. "Beggars can't be choosers, eh?"

"How about a Bacon-Egg smiley face?"

"Are you even hung over at all?" Matthew snapped, causing Alfred to hiss and grad his head.

"Well I didn't think I was but now I know better, thanks bro!" Alfred sat up on the couch and reached immediately for the water and pills.

Not wanting to stick around, lest a certain uncomfortable subject come up, Matthew immediately made an excuse for why he couldn't stay for breakfast.

"Well, it's sunday and you know I have tons of paperwork due at the office tomorrow so I'll be in my study. Probably all day. If you need anything just help yourself to it." He lowered his voice and shook his head. "Not like you wouldn't already."

Alfred laughed. "Stay and have pancakes with me! You can't have that much paperwork. Even I don't have that much paper work."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Matthew crossed his arms and stared down at his southern brother who was just cutting into his pancakes.

"Um, that I have more responsibilities and more work than you?" Alfred asked taking a syrup coated bite "Duh. You and Lichtenstein should get together and have tea and talk about your awesome lives."

"Give me back those pancakes." Matthew yanked the tray out from under Alfred's nose. "Don't compare me to Lichtenstein! I have plenty of work thank you, important work! And as for you! Your plate wouldn't be half as full if you didn't always go getting yourself into trouble."

"Mattie," Alfred looked up distressed. "I don't even have a plate. You took it!" His face turned to one of determination. "Give me back my pancakes!"

"No!" Matthew huffed. "This is what you get for waking up on the bitchy side of the sofa this morning."

Alfred got to his feet to defend himself . "Well maybe I wouldn't have if someone hadn't made me sleep on the sofa."

"Someone has a sense of entitlement." Matthew chided, dodging Alfred's attempts to reach the pancake tray. "Besides I didn't make you sleep on the sofa you were too drunk to move." The last bit was half a lie. He had been too drunk to move but Matthew would've made him sleep on the sofa anyway.

"PANCAKES!" Alfred told the pain in his head to go fuck itself as he let out a shrill battle cry and toppled Matthew to the ground.

The poor Canuck ended up straddled on his back with a face full of pancake and syrup as the tray flew from his hands and clattered across the floor. The plate had shattered from it's flip after depositing it's contents onto the surprised Matthew.

Alfred laughed and pulled the pancake off of Matthew's face and begun to eat it with his hands.

"Dammit Alfred~!" Matthew whined , wiping syrup off his face with his sleeve. "That's so gross! That was on my face. And you broke my plate!"

Alfred had scarfed down the pancake in no time and was happily smiling down at Matthew.

"I like your face." He cooed, leaning closer and licking a drop of syrup off of Matthew's cheek.

Matthew felt his heart beat quicken. Alfred apparently had not forgotten about last night, either that or he was throwing his entire 'Be a Gentleman' plan to the wind.

"W-what are you doing?" Matthew stuttered and felt himself trying to sink into the floor as Alfred continued to clean him. "S-stop that! Al!"

"Why?" Alfred pulled back licking his lips and looking at Matthew in confusion.

"I...I need to clean up this mess. Get off." He pushed at Alfred's hips without success.

"Oh? Is that all?" Alfred shrugged and went back to his work.

Matthew gasped. "I...I don't even have any syrup on my ear! Stop that! Quit sucking it!"

"But you have such a cute ear." Alfred pouted "And it's turning so red! It's practically begging for it!"

"Your breath reeks!" Matthew defended "Go brush your teeth!"

"If that's how it's going to be i'm gonna have to start keeping mints by the bed." Alfred pulled back but continued to touch Matthew's chest in ways that made the Canadian blush.

"Slow down Cowboy." Matthew propped himself up on his elbows and refused to meet Alfred's eyes. "What makes you think you'll be needing mints by the bed, eh?"

"Are you still playing hard to get after last night?" Alfred laughed and Matthew's stomach churned uncomfortably.

'Dammit. He remembers!' The one time Matthew thought he could do something reckless and impulsive and get away with it of course he couldn't.

"What are you talking about?" Matthew desperately wished he could turn invisible right now. Why was it no one could ever see him when he wanted them to but yet they always seemed to see him when he wished they would just look away?

Alfred slid off him and sat next to him on the floor. He was confused. Surely he hadn't dreamed it. He hadn't been that drunk.

"You kissed me last night. Didn't you?"

Matthew pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around himself protectively.

"I...You were drunk."

"So?" Alfred watched his brother's face carefully. "You weren't were you?"

Matthew briefly considered lying. He had been drinking and Alfred would trust him implicitly.

But that was just the problem...Alfred's trust was implicit and Matthew just couldn't bring himself to violate that.

"No." It came out as a miserable whisper and he buried his head in his arms.

Alfred felt his heart drop. Why did Matthew look so upset? They'd had a great time yesterday. Hell, they had a history of great times. No relationship was easy, either for Humans or Countries, they always had their black spots, but over all He and Matthew had a very successful friendship. And while Alfred had been worried that Matthew's reluctance was a simple lack of attraction, last night he had been the one to kiss him, and rather passionately at that.

So why was he so hesitant? Al knew Matt was a cautious person by nature but this obviously went beyond that.

"Mattie," He asked calmly trying to convey his seriousness "We're bros. We've been together since the beginning. Why don't you want to do this? I mean, I was worried maybe you just didn't feel that way about me, but then you kissed me. Are you worried what everyone else will think? I know I'm not the most popular guy right now."

Matthew shook his head. "I don't care what they think , Al. They probably couldn't remember me long enough to criticize me for it anyway."

Alfred waited patiently for Matthew to go on. He rocked silently in place and twiddled his thumbs to help him deal with having to sit still.

When no further response came from Matthew, Alfred went on.

"Why won't you be frank with me, Mattie?"

His brother's behavior was worrying him. Alfred had always counted on the fact that Matthew would always be there, open, honest (sometimes painfully so) and essentially loving. If Matthew wasn't comfortable talking to him then something must be wrong.

Matthew lifted his head to see that his brother's eyes were worried, sincere and...scared?

That wasn't an emotion Matthew often saw there. It helped to soothe his own worries. Alfred could be so intimidating, whether he was wielding a chainsaw or just being his usual brusque self. But it was impossible to be intimidated right now.

"I don't...I don't trust you not to hurt me." It felt good to get it out in the open and Matthew felt a knot that had been forming in his gut start to loosen at his words. "and I don't trust you not to forget about me or to give me an equal partnership."

Matthew's words hurt Alfred just in knowing that someway and somehow he'd given his brother cause to feel this way. He tried to play it off with his usual cheerfulness.

"Hey Matt, come on! What do you mean you worry about an equal partnership? You know i'm gung-ho for democracy! We can vote on everything!"

Matthew's frown twitch into a small smile in response to Alfred's grin.

"Alfie, how does democracy work with just two people?"

Alfred was struck dumb by the question. If there were only two people and they had differing votes how could they...? He shook his head. Of course democratic voting worked in every single instance. He just didn't know how yet. Surely they'd figure it out through trial and error.

"I dunno but I'm sure it does, dude. How could it not?"

Matthew laughed softly and Alfred proceeded to more serious matters.

"Look, you can trust me Mattie, heroes don't let people down. I'll be here for you when you need me, I promise."

Matthew knew Alfred was sincere. He believed he would always be there. He didn't realize how often he got bored or distracted and just ended up not being there when Matthew needed him.

"I'm just asking for a chance." Alfred put a hand on Matthew's shoulder. "If you don't want to do this, just tell me now and I'll back off." Lies, lies, lies, all lies and he knew it. "but if you want this then think of all the times I have been there, and trust me. I mean, come on bro, it's not like i'm asking you to marry me or anything. That's not even legal south of the border, yo."

"So what exactly are you asking of me?" Matthew asked, peering into his brother's blue eyes.

Alfred shrugged. "Just stop fighting this. Let it happen naturally, like last night. Do what you feel."

"I feel like telling you to clean up this mess and buy me a new plate."

Alfred laughed. It wasn't quite the response of 'I feel like letting you ravish me on top of this pile of spilled pancakes.' that he was hoping for, but he could run with it.

"You've got it, Princess." He stood suddenly scooping Matthew up into his arms. "Your knight in shining armor is on the case! But first let's get you cleaned up."

Matthew smacked the back of Alfred's aching head. "Knights in shining armor do not spill pancakes on people's faces."

Alfred groaned at the feeling of Matthew's hand colliding with his throbbing head but he continued walking towards the kitchen sink. He set Matthew easily on the counter.

"Hey most Princesses aren't low down dirty pancake thieves either." He ran warm water into a rag and began to clean the syrup off of Matthew's face in a manner that his northern twin found less offensive than before.

"I'm not a fucking Princess, eh!" Matthew kicked Alfred in the gut which really only caused Alfred to giggle.

"Heh! That tickles Mattie, do it again!"

Matthew pouted. "No!"

He noticed something out of the corner of his eye and leaned over the bar of the open kitchen to yell into the living room. "Kumajichi! Don't eat those! They've been on the floor!"

Alfred laughed again. "Your Bear is cute."

"Huh?" Matthew turned back to him. "Yeah, I guess he is."

Alfred finished cleaning off the last of the syrup and there was an awkward moment as he stood there waiting for Matthew to say something in response to his earlier prompt and being unsure of whether or not it was coming, he wondered if he should just clean up the mess in the living room and return to the topic then.

Matthew was growing uncomfortable under Alfred's expectant gaze. He tugged at the collar of syrup stained shirt.

"I should really get changed." He mumbled "and I do have paperwork."

"By all means, bro." Alfred gestured as if he expected him to strip in the kitchen.

"Oh come on," Matthew laughed "You know that isn't going to happen."

Alfred grinned "Yeah but I know it should happen. I'm a morally conscious man Matthew. I live in a world where should takes precedence over will."

"Morally conscious man, my ass! You're just a pervert."

"I'd love to be very conscious of your ass. Morally or otherwise."

Ah yes, that could be a touchy subject with Alfred and was best not addressed.

Matthew quickly changed the subject. He caught Alfred's hand.

"Look, if you want a chance, you can have it. Just don't make me regret this, all right?"

Alfred's smile looked like it might actually be stretching so wide it was tearing at the corners.

He very nearly broke into a 'YeeHaw!' before realizing Matthew would never let him live it down if he did.

"So I can kiss you now, right?"

Matthew brushed profusely "Well, I...I guess but..."

Whatever he had to say was lost because the minute Alfred had registered his consent he was on him like chili over cheese fries or the gravy in poutine.

Luckily, the taste of pancakes had chased away Alfred's morning breath and Matthew was able to relax into the kiss and enjoy the gentle, exploratory strokes of Alfred's tongue over his own.

When they broke for air, Alfred rested his forehead happily against Matthew's own and sighed in contentment wrapping his arms around his brother's waist.

Matthew hated to interrupt Al's quiet happiness but he hadn't been lying earlier he seriously did have paperwork and his clothes were sticky.

Alfred let him go, helping him down from the counter even though it was clearly not necessary as Matthew's feet were barely an inch off the ground.

"Okay." Alfred nodded. "Do your thing Matt. I'll clean up in the living room and then I'm going back to sleep." He tapped his head, "Before they start to feel this down in D.C."

"All right," Matthew tucked a stray lock of hair behind Alfred's ear. "I'll get you up by lunch time. I hope to be done by then."

As Alfred skipped off to the living room, Matthew made his way to the bedroom to change.

His stomach was knotted with anxiety and fear for the future but he'd done what he wanted to do.

Alfred wasn't the only one with a thirst for adventure. Sometimes a man just needed to follow his heart.

If he was lucky this would make Alfred calm down and leave off the dramatic displays.

Matthew snorted. Like hell that would ever happen outside of his dreams. Alfred was just that kind of a guy.

Matthew had realized last night that this relationship was going to happen whether he liked it or not.

No matter how much his head cautioned him against it, his treacherous heart was going to sell him out.

The best thing to do, he'd concluded, was to try and reconcile his head and his heart and go on the offensive.

It wasn't something he was used to doing, especially not where Alfred was concerned, but he was going to have to try to be a little more assertive. Otherwise he knew he'd wake up one day and realize he was in a relationship that he'd had no hand in making.

Matthew took a deep breath as he finished dressing and prepared to head out to his study.

The way his traitorous hands trembled might have been trying to discredit his determination

but anyone who believed them must have missed the hard glint in his eye.

Alfred could crack jokes about it all he wanted, but in the end Mounties did always get their man, so that cocky cowboy had better watch out.