( A/N: This thing is 2381 words, shorter than my usual chapters [lol] but it's not a real 'chapter' per se, just an omake. This is set a few months in the future, after the band trip [ I don't think it's a spoiler to reveal that they go. That's kind of the secondary plot. The real question is how they make it.] um, is there anything else I need to point out. . . Alfred's pen-pal seems like she comes out of nowhere, but I really did plan her out beforehand. My sister and roommate both ship Alfred/ fem!Japan, so I changed that for them. I'll let you guys decide who she originally was. Btw, I LOVE the FACE family. Just so you know. Lolz. I hope you enjoy this! Think of it as a cross between a (early) Hobbit!Birthday present, and a late Halloween treat.)
"Hey! Artie! Francis!" Alfred called, immediately separating from his brother after the bus dropped them off for band practice. The two in question were debating furiously over something or another, but put aside their argument for now since Alfred sounded upset. He pulled them aside. "I need your guy's help." His gaze flickered to Matthew who was politely (if stiffly) explaining something to Felicia who was hanging off of Ludwig's arm.
Arthur rolled his eyes. "Did you two have another row?" he sighed. "What did you do to annoy Matthew now?"
"Nothing!" Alfred was a little louder than he meant, and the older boys both noticed that his eyes were a little shinier than normal.
"Calm down" Francis made soothing gestures with his hands. "Just tell frère what happened."
Alfred swallowed. "Yesterday when we got home I noticed that there was a postcard in the mail. My parents sent a birthday card from Serbia."
Both seniors winced. "Your birthdays are in July." Arthur growled.
"That's not what got Mattie so wound up." Alfred said, not meeting either of their looks. "It was only addressed to me, and at the end . . . they said that they knew it must be hard on me staying home alone without them, but they'd try to come home soon." Arthur and Francis were both speechless. Sure Alfred's mother was Matthew's step-mom, but how could either of them just forget about Matthew's existence?
"He's pissed, I can tell, but he won't talk about it to me. Please mom, dad. He'll explode if he keeps it bottled in." it might have been the please that got to them, but it was probably the mom and dad. Neither of them knew which one of them was 'mom', but they were reminded that it had basically been the tow of them who had raised the only two people in band from North America.
"Oh course, Cher." Francis ran a hand through his (long, shiny, gorgeous) locks and turned to Arthur who rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I think we're long overdue for a family game night."
After practice he and Arthur herded a confused Alfred and Matthew to Francis' van.
"What are you two doing?" to a casual observer, Matthew's outburst would have sounded like pure exasperation and confusion, but the three males around him were the ones who knew him best, so they were able to pick up how upset he actually was.
"We're taking you two out. We'll go to the park, the diner, and then to the arcade." Arthurs tone left no room for argument.
Matthew huffed and glared at Alfred. "You told them about the card, didn't you?" without giving his brother a chance to answer, he turned to his parent figures.
"I'm fine. It doesn't matter that Dad and Stephanie forgot about me. I'm used to it. So what if the only adult who remembers my birthday is Mom? She sends me cards and letters all the time from Canada!"
"She sends them from jail." Francis pointed out gently.
Matthew twitched and Alfred's eyes went wide and started frantically making shushing gestures behind Matthew's back.
Arthur sighed. Why couldn't Francis learn any tact? After the Canadian boy's parents divorce, the father had gotten custody. A few years ago, after he had forbidden Matthew from spending Christmas with his mom, she blew up and had several rows with him over the phone. He refused to relent, and Matthew's mom threatened him. He pressed charges, and the police found drugs in her apartment. She was currently serving time in a women's prison.
"You think I don't remember that dad got my mom arrested?!"
"He didn't mean it like that, Mattie. We just want to spend some quality time with you, because you're obviously upset, and we care about you." It was very rare that Arthur used endearments with Alfred or Matthew, and it placated the Canadian boy enough for him to get in the van.
It was an unseasonably warm sunny afternoon so the park was full of families playing on the equipment, yuppies playing tennis in the courts, couples smooching under the trees, old people sunning themselves on benches or playing chess by the fountain, and health nuts jogging or running on the paths. A few people had brought their dogs, who were sniffing everything and occasionally fighting with each other.
They goofed off for a while, first feeding the ducks by the pond (Alfred pushed Arthur in, and Francis somehow pissed off a goose that chased him up a tree. It took the combined efforts of the other three to make the goose leave.), playing catch with a ball Francis rummaged from the back on the Fran-van (Alfred couldn't understand why none of the others wanted to quit so soon. The others were cursing themselves for not remembering just how hard Alfred could throw. He had never understood his own strength), and killed time until they felt hungry enough to go to the diner. All of them were relieved that no one seemed to recognize them from all of the news about 'the band of illegal immigrants that cheated their way to the international band meet'. Alfred supposed fate gave them a freebie pass every now and them to help balance the scales.
After a while, Arthur pulled Alfred aside while Francis and Matthew wandered over to the duck pond. "So how are you feeling about all this?" Alfred shrugged one shoulder.
"I'm pissed at my parents, and I'm worried about Mattie, but he's doing better now." He glanced over at Arthur. "I'll tell Francis too, but it'd really mean a lot it you two could stop fighting tonight." He rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "You know what a bleeding heart he his."
Arthur rapped his ear gently, "Don't call your brother that. If you would stop getting into fights he would stop getting you out of them. And I won't start anything tonight if Francis doesn't."
"C'mon, Artie, you know the kids hate it when mommy and daddy fight." He grinned and dodged Arthur's playful slug on the arm. The Brit talked the talk, and he definitely prided himself on being a gentleman, but Alfred knew that deep down Arthur loved fighting just as much as Alfred did.
They goofed around for a bit more before Francis whistled for them, trying to herd them into the Fran-van. On the way to the diner, they chatted about the documentary Alfred was making. The diner was a relic from the fifties that Arthur and Francis wouldn't normally touch with a ten foot pole because of the (deplorable, fattening) food and the (ugly as sin, tacky) décor. The North Americans loved it however, because of the jukebox, the secret burger recipe, and the all-day breakfast menu with real maple syrup, so they telepathically decided to grin and bear it. Alfred and Matthew slid eagerly into a booth by the window. Arthur eyed the worn greasy looking vinyl apprehensively before sitting with his innate grace, and Francis shuddered slightly before sitting stiffly, letting no unnecessary part of his clothing touch the dirty fabric more than he could help it.
The waitress was a friend of Katyusha's boyfriend who gave Francis a tentative smile while she took their orders. Alfred and Matthew ordered their usual. (Hamburger and fries with a chocolate shake, and the pancake breakfast with orange juice). Arthur got potatoes au gratin which made Francis smirk (the younger two assumed it was some kind of in-joke and didn't question it) and was relieved to see tea on the drink menu.
"Sweet or un-sweet?" the waitress asked. Her name tag identified her as Mary-Beth and Arthur blinked at her confused before answering tentatively. "Unsweet. And no milk or lemon, please."
Now it was Mary-Beth's turn to be confused, but she wrote down his order. Francis and Alfred glanced at each other them bit their lips. It would be amusing when the drinks came. Matthew was staring at something out the window, eyes fixed on nothing in particular. When Mary-Beth dropped off the drinks, she was called away to another table before Arthur could form words. Since she wasn't there to complain to, Arthur gestured to his drink and asked Francis
"What is this?"
"Your tea, mon petit lapin." It was a testament to Arthur's shock that he let the stupid pet-name slide.
"But why is there ice in there?"
"It's iced tea. Really, Arthur, you've been living in America for years. Haven't you figured out how they make tea yet?" Francis let the barb slip accidentally. He hadn't meant to fight with Arthur in front of Matthew today. Thankfully, Arthur didn't raise to the bait for once, but stared in horror at his iced tea.
"That's barbaric!"
Alfred couldn't hold himself back anymore and started laughing. This broke whatever tension was left between them.
Eventually the conversation drifted to Alfred's pen pal he had gotten in middle school. Alfred bored them all with a long talk about how he and Sakura had started playing a Portal 2 co-op together on-line. Apparently she was the brains of the operation, to no one's surprise.
"Um, so what should we do next?" Matthew asked while he painstakingly buttered his pancakes and applied liberal amounts of pure genuine maple syrup to his meal, Arthur and Francis both paused. Arthur's brothers might be home, and Francis didn't have board games or anything like that. Alfred perked up.
"Oh! They got a couple of new machines at the arcade on States Avenue!" Alfred seemed excited, and Matthew was at least interested, so Arthur and Francis agreed. It was at least some kind of game, and they supposed that family game night didn't necessarily have to be with board games.
The boardwalk was just starting to come to life in the dusky twilight. Tourists was staring, taking pictures, and getting their pockets picked. Carnival lights were flashing, street performers were warming up, and the air was fresh with the smell of grease and frying foods. Since it was a nice night, and there was a change machine about half-way down the board walk, the four decided to wander around and enjoy the sights. Arthur and Matthew were examining a dunking booth when Alfred noticed Francis wave at someone. When he looked across the way his breath caught for a moment.
Antonio and Lovina were also taking a walk, the three dogs staying close by with their eyes and ears constantly roaming around. Lovina was turned away, though Antonio spotted Francis and Alfred. He smiled and waved, not paying attention to the hundreds of people between them on the dock. Francis used gestures and facial expressions to ask if Antonio and Lovina wanted to meet up with them, but Antonio just grinned wider and shook his head. He tapped on Lovina's shoulder and gestured to a funnel cake he was carrying. She turned her famous red and shook her head violently. Instead of being deterred, Antonio's grin just grew wider and he kept coaxing until she relented and stole a bite, her head darting forward and back fast, like an animal stealing a handout.
Antonio's smile practically blinded most of the people around him. Lovina hesitantly smiled back, and Antonio led them away. Francis patted Alfred's arm. "Do you still have a crush on her, Cher?" the question was oddly gentle.
"Nah, I mean, I'm mostly over her. Besides, if Antonio's who she wants, then it'll just have to be my job to kick is ass if he ever hurts her. Anyway, lately Sakura's been dropping hints." His cheeks colored and he looked away.
Thankfully, Francis dropped it and the group headed to the arcade. Alfred grabbed Matthew by the elbow and drug him to a shooting zombie game, cackling evilly. Arthur and Francis didn't think too much of it, until the kill score rose dramatically when both boys got into it.
"C'mon, Mattie! Grab the higher ground and get me some cover fire!"
"I don't see you helping! For heaven's sake, drop your melee and grab the shotgun!" Matthew snapped back at his brother.
"Um. . . did something happen at school you want to tell us about?" Arthur ventured. He was met with two blank states. Finally Matthew spoke up.
"Uh, I made a B on my math test today? I guess I could have done better, but Feliks was annoying. Why?"
Francis chuckled. "No reason."
If you asked Matthew, he would tell you that he was annoyed with his family for nosing in and making him go through this family game night. That was a lie. Matthew always had fun if he was with his brother, or Francis and Arthur, who were like a strange combination of older brothers and parents. Having them all together like this was a blast. The guilty amounts of attention they paid him was also a nice change and oddly reassuring. Matthew was dreading having to go back to that too big empty house with Alfred and see that ugly birthday card that was thrown in disgust on the coffee table.
Matthew clanked at his wrist watch and grimaced. The arcade would be closing, and them Arthur would start making noises about sending everyone home since they had school tomorrow. Arthur followed his gaze. "It looks like we have time for one more game." He caught the slightly exasperated look from Francis and defended himself.
"Tomorrow is a school day! Who's going to set a good example for the boys if we don't?"
Francis shrugged his shoulders elegantly but gave up the argument with a sigh.
"Fine them. Let's do this one." Francis drug Arthur by the elbow to a two person operated crane game. While Alfred egged them on and heckled them, and Matthew laughed, Alfred wished he had his camera with him, that way he could record this memory and keep it forever and show it to all of those jerks who insisted that Arthur and Francis were like oil and water.
At the end of the evening, Arthur and Francis had successfully gotten a large polar bear stuffed animal and had given it to Matthew, who couldn't seem to remember just what he wanted to call the thing.
It was a good night