~*~

Chapter Twenty: How Love Becomes World War III

~*~

As soon as Kiku dropped off Lovino, Matthew and Feliciano as near to both houses as he could get without breaking the space-time continuum, Matthew was accosted by Alfred as soon as he opened his door.

"Are you all right?" Alfred asked, checking the younger man over.

"Fine, Alfred, why?" Matthew asked.

Alfred thought back to the phone call he received from Kiku only an hour before (and two minutes, 23 seconds… not that Alfred had counted those…). He shook his head, knowing that Matthew (and Feliciano) would kill him if Matthew knew that he and the others were trying to 'save' him from Ivan and Francis. Kiku had told him everything, from the plot to 'take Matthew away from Alfred' to the 'capture Feliciano's heart to capture Matthew's.' Having heard the news from Arthur, Ludwig had been over right before Kiku had dropped off the younger boys. They had discussed the matter in hushed tones, lest the neighbors hear them and tell Matthew (or Feliciano) about the meeting, in particular. Ludwig had left just moments before the car had turned onto their street to check on Feliciano.

Alfred took Matthew's hand absentmindedly, fondling it almost as if it was Matthew himself, and Alfred had finally told Matthew of his feelings for him. Matthew was too tired to blush or snatch his hand back, and instead, he simply crashed into Alfred and fell asleep. Alfred blushed, but wrapped his arms around the smaller male before picking him up like he was a child and setting him on the unmade couch-bed that he had forgotten to put away. Perfectionist Ludwig pointed it out, but to get out of making it, the two had went out to the porch to chat as one brother-in-arm would to another about the 'problem at hand.'

~*~

"Feli, Mattie… why don't you two go in the back and…" Arthur had no idea what the two boys could do.

"Do you have stuff for baking?" Feliciano cut him off when Arthur didn't finish his sentence.

"Uhh…" Arthur had no clue. He didn't usually cook in the back of his pub, especially since he had been told off about his cooking from several people, including Francis and Lovino.

Kiku smiled and held up a bag of groceries, "Lovi-chan called and asked me to pick up a few things…"

"Bon!" Matthew shouted as he grabbed the bag from the Japanese man and hugged him in the process. Feliciano then grabbed the bag from Matthew and raced his best friend into the back room.

"I wonder why they aren't even the least bit suspicious…" Antonio commented. He was sitting on a barstool, his arms around Lovino's waist. Lovino looked perfectly content to sit on his fiancé's lap.

"Please… sit… we're probably going to be here a while… if you need a drink please ask," Arthur said, shooing mainly Ludwig and Alfred into some of the chairs of the tables closest to the raised bar.

"So… Francis and Ivan have successfully asked Matt and Feliciano out on a date?" Antonio asked.

"Yes," Arthur replied.

"Where?" Lovino asked.

"That restaurant Katusya-san has opened downtown," Kiku replied.

There was a silence throughout the pub. Antonio finally spoke, "Are you guys all idiots?" he asked.

The others looked at him and Lovino. Lovino spoke next, "Almost everyone is going to that restaurant for its grand opening tonight!"

"Holy cow!" Arthur shouted, throwing his hands up.

"So… ve can essentially crash deir date by going dere as vell?" Ludwig asked.

"Si, mi amigo," Antonio replied, grinning.

"That's true… I don't think Francis-san and Ivan-san saw me while I was hidden behind that rack…" Kiku told them.

Arthur suddenly tightened the group to hash out some real plans. They sat around talking for a long time. Kiku even wrote down some of the ideas (because he's like that). The meeting was finally broken by Matthew and Feliciano's entrance. They had baked brownies, and it was time for them to be enjoyed.

"Treats for our knights in shining armor!" Matthew called.

Ludwig and Alfred tensed, thinking that maybe they knew about the group's plans, but Feliciano and Matthew served the brownies as if the group was there for some party. Feliciano looked up at the clock and yelled, "Oh my goodness! We're going to be late for our date!"

How can he not be scared of that concept?! Alfred shouted in his head.

"Do I look okay?" Matthew asked, "Katusya and I always got along, but goodness did she get picky whenever I was late, or had my shirt un-tucked…"

"Wasn't she Martha in Spring Awakening?" Feliciano asked.

"Yes… and you only remember that because her character had was supposed to have an unrequited crush on you…" Matthew replied.

"We'll see you at work tonight, Arthur, you too, Kiku!" Feliciano said, putting the palm of his head up against Matthew's cheek and pushing playfully.

"Hey, wasn't Natalia your actually 'lover?'" Matthew asked, as the two boys went to catch the bus downtown.

"Maybe, if I hadn't shot myself at the end of our solo… and thank god I shot myself… if I had to even touch Natalia, I would be scarred for life… locking myself in my room and rocking back and forth with…" but the other men in the pub wouldn't hear the last part, as the boys had disappeared onto the bus and away from them.

Alfred and Ludwig jumped up, "Let's go, guys!" Alfred shouted.

Arthur sighed, "All right… lemme get the bag…"

~*~

Mon Dieu! Sorry for the wait, but school has started, so don't expect fast updates. I have the weekends and other such breaks, and that's about it. But its my last year of high school, so wish me luck, and I will keep writing chapters until this thing is done (it needs to wind down... seriously).

And if you couldn't tell, the bag is Arthur's 'disguises.' I wonder who he'll go as this time?

Filler chapters FTW~ non?

Oh, and here's the cast list for the production of Spring Awakening the town did, if you're curious:

Melchior - Vash (Switzerland)

Wendla - Heidi (Liechtenstein)

Moritz - Feliciano (N. Italy)

Adult Men - Roderich (Austria)

Adult Women - Elizabeta (Hungary)

Ilse - Natalia (Belarus)

Georg/Dieter - Lovino (S. Italy)

Martha - Katusya (Ukraine)

Ernst/Reinhold - Matthew (Canada)

Otto/Ulbrecht - Ivan (Russia)

Anna - Maya (Mexico)

Hanschen/Rupert - Alfred (America)

Thea - Bella (Belgium)

Fanmade names FTW, aussie.

Review, sil vous plait. A heartfelt 'Grazie' to those who have (religiously or otherwise).

Ciao~

~Ana~