You guys rock so hard. I'm almost terrified of the sheer numbers this story has captured. To everyone who fav'd, put this story on their alerts, and reviewed, I'm so grateful. I hope that this chapter satisfies you all and that its a decent follow-up to the previous ones.

Here's to hoping I didn't muck it all up.

Just a note. Kiku's exes are Sadiq and Heracles. The girl was Portugal (yeah, she's fem). Yes, it was Antonio who Arthur fought with XD.

Pairing: Alfred/Matthew, Arthur/various mentioned, eventual FrUk.

Matthew stared in disbelief at his elder brother, lavender eyes wide and mouth a little slack.

Alfred, leaning against the arm of the couch and arm wrapped around his boyfriend's shoulders, blinked and slowly said, "…You said what?"

Arthur, a vivid scarlet handprint on his cheek, looked away, face contrite. "…That if the Indians didn't like the British, they should've fought a little harder…"

Matthew's hands clenched and unclenched, and he took a deep breath to steady himself. Eyes fluttering shut, the blond man rose gracefully to his feet and spoke, in a level voice. "I'm going to go scream into a pillow." His eyes opened slowly and locked on a wary Arthur. "And if you're still here when I return, so help me Arthur…" Matthew trailed off pointedly, turning swiftly on his heel and disappearing down the hallway to the master bedroom.

When the door slammed shut behind the young man, Alfred, finally managing to find his voice, stated. "You're not even trying, are you?"

"Of course I am!" Arthur snapped vehemently, bristling slightly at the skeptical look the other man gave him.

"Somehow, I don't believe that." Alfred shot back, lips curling into a sneer.

The sandy-haired man returned the look with a frigid glare. "The date began just fine and then the stupid bird brought up imperialism. Was I just supposed to sit there and listen to her blather on ignorantly?"

"Yes!" Alfred exploded. "That's how you handle with women! You just nod your head and agree with every single that comes out of their mouth—no matter how retarded it is!"

"So, just as Matthew handles you?"

"Ye—Fuck you!" Alfred snarled, catching himself. "At least I have a stable relationship and a sense of tact—"

Arthur snorted. "'A sense of tact'?" He shook his head. "Git, you spew verbal diarrhea and sodomize the English language on a daily basis without a second thought. You are the most tactless, moronic—"

"And you're a stuck-up, selfish asshole—"

"—childish, nosy—"

"—limey nerd—"

"—fat—"

Alfred gasped, hand flying unconsciously to his stomach. Arthur grinned victoriously from where he had stood during their argument.

"Tell me, Alfred." The green-eyed man smirked. "When was the last time you and Matthew shagged?" He looked too smug and Alfred's jaw dropped.

"I knew it! I fucking knew it!" He pointed at the other man. "You cock-blocking son of a bitch!"

Arthur just continued to grin smugly at the younger blond, who only grew angrier by each passing second.

"Maybe Matthew no longer finds you attractive." Arthur tossed out casually, feeling a flash of self-satisfaction at the way Alfred's eyes narrowed.

After the disastrous date earlier that day (he did NOT start the argument—gentlemen do not fight with ladies) and the previous altercation with that French bastard, Arthur was more than happy to take out his rage and stress over his failed dates out on someone who had always been a source of irritation for him.

(What Matthew saw in the bloody Yank, he'd never understand. He just attributed it to Matthew's quiet stubborn streak—the same one that resulted in his impromptu decision to learn French despite their parents' horror.)

The other blond's pacific blue eyes sharpened behind his glasses. Alfred, sick and tired of Arthur and unbelievably frustrated (sexually and otherwise), refused to back down.

"Fine, I'm a childish, manner-less idiot." He began heatedly. "But you know what? I still managed to land an amazing man who loves me—just the way I am! Know what else? I'm going to grow old and have a wonderful life with Matthew, but you're going to be lonely and bitter forever! Who would want someone like you?" Alfred gestured at the other, making an unimpressed noise. "You're critical, OCD, and old-fashioned. You're high maintenance and a complete jerk. You can't even accept help! Poor Matt's been running himself ragged trying to find you a soul mate and you're just making it harder on him! You don't deserve a brother like him and one day you'll lose him because he'll realize just what a bad person you are! Then you'll be alone—just like you want! You'll die alone and bitter because no one could love a…a…" Alfred fumbled for his words, vision clouded by fury. He finally gave up and settled for glaring at the dead silent man with blistering eyes.

"Alfred…" Matthew's voice reached his ears and the blond whirled around to see his boyfriend staring at him in horror. His boyfriend just shook his head in disappointment before turning his attention to his older brother. "Arthur, he doesn't mean that—"

Alfred, still not in control of his voice, argued, "Yes I do."

"Alfred—"

"Its okay, Matthew." Arthur said suddenly, green eyes a little too bright. "Perhaps it would be best if I left."

"No, please Arthur…" Matthew rushed forward, grasping his elder brother, pleading.

Arthur just shrugged off his hand and managed to give him a small reassuring smile. "Thanks for all you've done, Matthew. But you needn't worry, anymore." He squeezed the younger man's shoulders affectionately before letting go and making his way to the door. "I will see you soon, don't worry."

"Arthur, please—"

But the sandy-haired man quietly slipped out, door shutting softly behind him. Matthew stared at the door for a few moments longer before he looked back at Alfred with furious plum-colored eyes.

"How could you?" He hissed, anger coloring his words. "I've never heard you be so cruel."

"Did you even hear what he said to me?" Alfred asked harshly. "It was self-defense Mattie."

"That was my brother, Alfred! And you disrespected him. He's the only family I have over here—"

"Some family." Alfred snorted. "You'd be better off flying back to Europe to see your mom and dad."

"My mom and dad," Matthew gritted out, "were too busy vacationing everywhere from Goa to Switzerland to Brazil to give a damn about raising me. Arthur is more of a parent to me than either of them!"

"He tried to cock-block me! He hates me and he pretty much admitted it!"

"Would it kill you to stop thinking about sex?" Matthew snapped. "And couldn't you at least try to make nice with him? For me?"

"I've tried, Matt. You know I have. But your brother is more stubborn than an ox!" The American said defensively. "And I don't see you scolding Arthur. Its always 'Alfred don't say that' or 'Alfred be nice'."

"He's my brother—"

"So that means he has the right to be a douche?"

"You told him he'd never find love!"

"And he won't! Not if he keeps being himself!"

"Oh? So he should be something he's not?" Matthew rolled his eyes.

"Yes!" Alfred huffed out. "This is why you should've just agreed to—"

"I'm not selling my brother into prostitution!"

"So he should keep interfering with our relationship? Because he clearly has zero interest in dating—"

"It was the girl's fault—"

"Oh please. You don't think Arthur couldn't have stopped the argument from happening?" Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Do you think he has such little self-control, Matt?"

God help him, Alfred adored Matthew but he was really getting sick and tired of the other's constant excuses for his brother's behavior and his annoying need to side with the bad-tempered man.

Matthew said nothing, biting his lip and just glaring at his boyfriend.

"Face it, he doesn't care and he's just going to keep meddling and you're too much of a—" Alfred suddenly stopped speaking, eyes widening as Matthew's eyes narrowed.

"Too much of a what?" He asked lowly.

"Nothing." Alfred said quickly. "Babe, lets just forget this fight—"

"No, babe, I think I want to hear what you have to say."

Alfred, realizing that he was already on the couch for at least a month, just sighed. "You're a pushover, Mattie. You just let him run roughshod over you. He doesn't want a relationship—or at least he's not taking it seriously. You never set up any boundaries with him and now he's all up in our business because he has no life. You can't even find it in you to tell him to leave us alone."

Matthew regarded him with impassive eyes, a layer of ice settling over the rich purple hue. Alfred reached out to him, puling the unresisting man into his arms and nuzzling his temple, trying to soften his words and soothe away the other's temper. "You're a fantastic brother, Matthew. But you have to draw the line. It's not about the fact that we haven't had sex in a while—one week and four days and thirteen hours and twenty minutes exactly, by the way. It's about the fact that I'm dating you, not you and Arthur. I don't appreciate him constantly butting in and I just wish you'd take my side for once."

"I signed him up for an online dating site, just so Arthur could date and give us time to ourselves." Matthew said moodily. "I didn't really want to…but I thought it'd be for the best."

"But you still were too busy worrying about Arthur's date instead of us." Alfred pointed out, trying to keep his temper in check. "Is it too much to ask for a little attention, sweetheart?"

Matthew said nothing, expression hidden by his curling bangs. Wordlessly, he pulled out of Alfred's embrace.

"That doesn't make what you said right." He said softly, walking away and pulling open a draw, snatching up a pair of car keys and fixing his boyfriend with a stern look.

Feeling his anger return slowly, Alfred, voice painfully quiet and dangerous, said, "You're really going to let your brother come between us?"

Matthew gazed at him defiantly. "Did you even see his face when he left, Al?"

Alfred's expression tightened. That was it. He had tried being patient. He had tried reasoning with his boyfriend. But it seemed that Matthew just refused to listen. "Fine." He continued, in that same emotionless voice. "It seems that you and Arthur really aren't so different."

Matthew's eyes widened fractionally, hurt sparking in his gaze, before his face cleared. "I guess so." He shrugged and made his way to the door. "I'm going to make sure he's okay."

"C'mon Matthew!" Alfred shouted. "He's just as much to blame! And he called me fat."

"You are getting a little pudgy around the middle." Matthew noted flippantly.

Alfred flinched. "Matthew, if you step outside that door, then don't you dare come back." He said icily, certain that Matthew would see how serious he was and back down.

The sharp sound of the door opening, followed by a heavy thud of it slamming shut, was Alfred's only response.

Okay, well that did not go the way he had hoped.

But Alfred, stubborn himself and less likely to admit he was wrong, just said aloud to himself, "He'll be back. He'll come crawling back."

He repeated it a few more times, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut.

"Matthew…" Arthur trailed off helplessly, hand wavering near his younger brother's shoulder as the other sobbed, curling in on himself on his older brother's couch. "I'm sure he didn't mean it."

Matthew didn't respond, just started crying harder. "I-I've r-ruined e-everything…" He choked out, pressing the heels of his hands harder against his eyes to stem the flow of tears.

"Now that's not true." Arthur said comfortingly, finally wrapping his arm around his brother's shoulders and pulling him close. "He loves you. He worships the very ground you walk on. He was just angry." At me, he added mentally, feeling guilt wash over him, and he took it out on you, Matthew.

No doubt, he had pushed Alfred just a tad too much. He deserved those harsh words.

The git was right. He'd never find anyone to put up with him.

"B-but…that doesn't…g-give him the right to…b-be such a j-jerk!" Matthew murmured.

"I'm sure he regrets it, dear heart."

Baby come back, any kind of fool could see,

There was something in everything about you

"Matthew, I'm sorry!" Alfred wailed, curled up on their shared bed, clinging to the other's pillow, burying his nose into it and inhaling wisp of the other's shampoo as Player lamented in the background. "Baby come back!" He sang along, words punctuated by hiccups and sniffles. "You can blame it all on me~~~"

"You'll get past it, I'm sure."

Matthew's cries began to quiet down as Arthur rubbed comforting circles on the others back.

"There there Matthew. Hush now." He whispered, just barely refraining from just rocking the other just as he did when they were younger.

"We fought over you." His brother admitted hesitantly. "He…he thinks you're butting in on purpose. But…but you're not, right?" He asked, looking up at Arthur with reddish eyes. "I mean, you don't like him and you admitted to interrupting us sometimes, but you don't really mean it, right?"

Arthur stilled, feeling a renewed sense of guilt. Honestly, he had only meant to ruffle the other's feathers a bit. He hadn't meant to drive a wedge between the two lovers.

"Of course not, Matthew. Of course not." He said softly. "Its just a misunderstanding."

Clearly I've overstepped my welcome, he thought ruefully.

"Go back to him, Matthew." Arthur said suddenly. "He loves you. You two are perfect together."

"But he told me to never come back…"

When Arthur called Alfred, the other man sounded exhausted.

"I'll back off." Arthur said briskly.

"Lies." Alfred hissed. "Lulling me into a false sense of security. Matthew might believe in your innocence but I—"

"Shut up, twat." Arthur said coldly. "He's sobbing in my living room. Come and whisk him away and take care of him. If you love him half as much as I think you do, you'd—"

He was interrupted by the sound of the dial tone and the Englishman couldn't help but smile a bit.

When Alfred rushed into his apartment and Matthew threw his arms around him, Arthur watched quietly from the hallway.

When Alfred kissed his younger brother, hands cradling his face gently, before leading him out of his flat, Arthur smiled fondly.

When both men had left, Arthur sighed and quietly conceded that, maybe, just maybe, he wanted something special like that.

And he swore to put forth more of an effort.

Edit: "Baby come back" is actually by Player, not Hall & Oates. Thanks to Nivell for pointing that out! I really appreciate it.

Both Alfred and Matthew are stubborn idiots. Arthur didn't realize how much he was hurting the two's relationship, mostly due to Matthew's passiveness and Alfred's ...Alfred-ness. The girl mentioned in the beginning is India XD.

Because its not me if there isn't a little bit of angst. But it was brief, so yay?

So, after this chapter, is this story still worth continuing? Or did I just drop the ball and now this sucks?