I am so sorry that I got this done as late as I have. My hard drive got shot and I had to get a new one. (Also, I'm a shitty human being and school is kicking my ass.) There's this class that really doesn't like to let up on me. Mathias is also having trouble keeping up with it. -Lukas.

"Mattie is gonna be so happy, bro." Alfred smiled. He had boxes in the bed of his truck (he had to take his car in for repairs.) He had the tailgate down to make the removal of certain items easier.

Lovino hopped up and grabbed a box, grunting a little under the weight. He could handle it. "What the fuck do you have in here?"

"Just a few fireworks!"

Arthur looked at Alfred, his eyes widening. "No."

"It's fine, dude. I made sure it was legal. I'll make sure to keep it all in your yard. We'll stop before eleven."

"No. I don't want them set off at all."

"Dude... please?"

"No."

Lovino left the box alone. He decided that if Arthur wanted to use fireworks, he could.

Alfred pouted before grabbing another box. "Fine. No fireworks. How about... sparklers?"

"...fine. We can do sparklers." Arthur picked up a rather light box. "What's in this?"

"Decorations!" Alfred closed the bed of the truck after the last needed box was brought in. He began to open each, assigning someone to each task.

"Lovino, you wrap the presents. Antonio and Gilbert, you two put up decorations. Arthur, tell them where to put everything. Francis, help me make his cake."

Francis followed Alfred into the kitchen. "...are you sure they will be okay in there?"

"I'm pretty sure they're going to be fine." Alfred had brought ingredients they needed into the kitchen. He put them on the counter. Francis stayed away from the oven and stove.

"Okay, so..." He grabbed his phone and pulled up Google. He looked up how to make a cake, then handed the phone to Francis. "Follow those instructions and you'll be fine." He walked out of the kitchen.

"...wait..." Francis said, but Alfred was gone. "...fuck."

Two hours and half a box of confetti later, Arthur's house was ready for Alfred's brother. Alfred was so excited- he couldn't help but fiddle. Fiddle with the hem of his shirt, fiddle with an unlit candle on the table, fiddle with his glasses.

Lovino sighed softly, picking up some of the discarded wrapping paper that he didn't use. He put it in the trash, keeping his eyes off everyone else.

Lovino was sore. His bones ached. He kept himself so busy with his sculpting that he didn't notice what it actually did to him. His hands were rough, his eyes had bags under them, he had an almost permanent slouch. His muscles were burning. Now that he had had a day off... He went into Arthur's bathroom, taking a look in the mirror. He frowned a little. "I look like shit." He muttered to himself.

Antonio was getting a little worried. Lovino had been acting a little different. He was a little more... subdued. When Gilbert had bumped into him when he was wrapping presents, he didn't spare him a second glance. He followed Lovino into the bathroom.

"You do not." Antonio frowned. He hated hearing Lovino put himself down like that.

"How do I not?" Antonio wrapped his arms around Lovino.

"You... you're always gorgeous. Let's go back to the living room. Mathieu should be here soon, and I don't want Alfred to get angry at us for not being there." Neither of them made a move to go into the living room. Lovino rested his head on Antonio's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Antonio ran his fingers through Lovino's hair.

"Yes. I'm just sore. It hurts to move." He closed his eyes, savoring Antonio's touch. "I never really realized what my occupation did to my body."

Alfred walked by. "Mattie will be here within ten minutes." He walked into the kitchen... "...what have you done?!"

Francis looked at Alfred sheepishly. "I tried to follow the instructions..."

Alfred opened the oven door and pulled the gooey mess out of it with oven mitts. "You should have put in a cake pan, not on a cookie sheet!"

"You shouldn't have let me cook! I don't know how this stuff works!"

"Ugh... just... clean this up. I'll go get a store-bought cake really quickly. Alfred grabbed his car keys and drove to the store.

Mathieu didn't know what to expect. He was a little worried when Alfred had told him to go to Arthur's house. He was worried he had forgotten his birthday... again. He gently knocked on the door.

Arthur opened it. "Come in."

Mathieu stepped inside. He looked around at the decorations. He smiled softly. "You guys didn't forget!" He hugged him.

Arthur rubbed his back. "There are a few people here I would like you to meet. This is Lovino. This is Antonio, his boyfriend."

Lovino sputtered indignantly. "That is not true!"

Antonio laughed and patted the top of Lovino's head. "It could be."

Lovino blushed hotly.

"That is Gilbert. That is Francis." He pointed to each of them in turn.

"Where'd Al go?"

"To the store. He forgot something."

"When does he not?" Mathieu muttered. He sighed softly. "Goodness... it's been a long week."

Arthur nodded. "It's been long for me, too."

Francis lightly hit Gilbert. "Stop staring."

"Sorry..." Gilbert looked at his boyfriend. Francis looked at him.

"We need to talk. Come with me."

Gilbert got nervous. He followed Francis to the kitchen.

"Gilbert, I don't think this will work out."

"...oh... I see."

"You think so too. It used to be amazing between us, but... I think we've just... split apart a little. Don't you think so, too?"

Gilbert nodded. "We can still be friends, right?"

"Of course."

Oh, lordy. Again, I'm sorry. We'll try to update over breaks in school, but we can't guarantee anything. We love reviews!