A/N: To celebrate the last chapter, I am doing another kiriban-type thing. Reviewer 203 and the last reviewer to post by 12/27 will get their choice of fic. In case you didn't get a chance to read my last one, it's called "Cannon's Call." This is the end of the story; however, there are several more side stories I will be posting too :)
Matthew made flapping motions at Michelle like they would actually scare her off. She just pushed his hands away and peppered him with questions about what happened in the shed. Ivan silently crept up behind her before seizing her shoulders suddenly (causing her to squeak in shock) and shoving her off in the other direction.
"Alfred says it is time for presents." Ivan said with a peaceful look, like he hadn't just flung Michelle across the room. The girl in question had shot him a nasty look before flouncing out answerless. That probably pissed her off more than her twirl-bang into the couch did.
Matthew wasn't surprised that Alfred was so insistent on presents first thing in the morning. He had been like this ever since they were children. Matthew scooped up his cup of coffee and meandered after Ivan's broad back (and nice ass).
Still sleepy, he didn't even notice when Ivan stopped, just stopped behind him. That ended up with him scooped up against Ivan's chest and groggily sucking face under the mistletoe. Ivan only quit because Matthew ended up slobbering coffee practically up his nose. Ivan just made a disgusted noise and set Matthew back down. Matthew sleepily tried to burrow into his back. He wasn't a morning person at the best of times (and had a tee shirt proving it), but yesterday had been too stressful for him. And then he spent half the night trying not to crawl into Ivan's bed.
Ivan moved forward and Matthew dutifully followed like a pack animal. He even fell into Ivan's lap when Ivan sat down and lay there watching Alfred play Santa. Alfred energetically bounced from person to person delivering presents and grinning. Christmas was definitely Alfred's favorite holiday.
Matthew looked around and noticed that pretty much everyone was in the big living room. Roderich had lit the fire, so the room was nice and toasty. Roderich, Liz, Ludwig, and Sophie shared the big sofa across the room while Ivan and Matthew took up one of the chairs. Everyone else was spread out across the rest of the furniture and there was an empty space next to Natalia that was obviously Alfred's. Even Gilbert was sprawled out on the rug with the dogs in front of the fire looking just as disoriented and sleep-shocked as Matthew felt being up before noon.
Once Alfred had doled out the presents (somehow, once again, everyone was over at Roderich's lodge), he bounced back onto the ground by Toris with Katerina and Natalia on the couch behind them. And proceeded to tear into his stack of presents like a wolverine falls on a nest of baby rabbits. Everyone else sedately opened theirs. It was a cluster of happiness and warmth.
Matthew sluggishly opened his, lazily tossing the paper on the floor and mostly just enjoying lying on Ivan. He intended to bask in the glow of being newly sweetheart status as long as he could. Alfred paused slightly to inspect a new shirt and caught Matthew's eye over the shirt. He beamed and gave a thumbs up at Matthew. Matthew stuck his tongue out back at him, and Alfred snickered. He put the shirt down and said something to Toris. Toris looked up, his green eyes startled, then he whispered urgently back to Alfred. Then he realized he had been duped and looked cross. Matthew was so glad that Alfred was across the room; he was sure his brother said something very crude to make Toris jump like that.
"Hey, Matt-Man, can I have a moment?" Gilbert sauntered up, looking more awake than before. He gave Ivan a thinly disguised look of disgust, and Ivan merely smiled back, gloating. Matthew wasn't even going to get in the middle of that.
Matthew reluctantly climbed up and followed Gilbert into a side hallway.
"So Mr. Awesome, what do you have for me today?" Matthew joked and became curious when Gilbert fidgeted in response. He noticed Gilbert holding an awkwardly wrapped present to his side.
"Uh, Mr. Awesome isn't feeling too Awesome right now," Gilbert lamented with a slight smile.
Matthew's smile fell. He had a pretty good idea what this was about and he wasn't too thrilled to be standing here.
"Um, I guess, er, I'm sorry. I don't like Ivan; I think he's a creepy prick. And I think you're too good for him, okay?" Gilbert scowled then wiped his face, "Ya know I love you, man. And I mean that in an awesomely gay way by the way. And, uh, it's your choice if you want to be with that asshole. So I won't say anything else ever again… well, maybe a few times. But I'll try not to… where he can hear me anyway."
Matthew waited patiently. He knew Gilbert had to be giving it his all and that he was being uncharacteristically sincere. He had always been fairly open with Matthew, they had an easy relationship, but this must be killing him.
"Here. I made it myself. Uh, with Phia's help. It's not maple, sorry, dude, but that's too pussy for the Awesome me. But since I made it, it will be good, I promise you."
Matthew stared at the package warily, "What is it?"
"Ah, something Toni told me about. It's good!"
Unconvinced, Matthew gingerly opened it. It didn't look good.
"Did you taste it?"
Gilbert wrinkled up his nose, "Yeah."
"Liar!"
"I'm not lying…" Gilbert shot back and trailed off, "Just try it, okay? I put a lot of effort into it."
Matthew smiled and gave Gilbert a quick hug. He was tempted to slip the fudge into Gilbert's pocket and instead held onto it. He wasn't entirely sure it wasn't something nasty or prankish, but he couldn't give it back without hurting Gilbert's feelings. Instead, he'd let Alfred try it first. Alfred seemed to have no tastebuds from years of Arthur's cooking.
"Thanks."
Gilbert gave him a searching look, "If he hurts you, you tell me."
"If he hurts me, I'll kick his ass myself thank you very much." Matthew replied but without any acidity.
"I mean it. If he hurts you mentally, physically, or psychologically, tell me." Gilbert repeated seriously, "And I'll do more than just kick his ass."
"Got it." Matthew said, knowing nothing else would suffice. He was touched by the concern, and 100% sure Alfred would get to Ivan first if anything happened, so there wouldn't be much left for Gilbert anyway.
"Look lively there. Go have a good fuck; you need it. I'm tired of you raping the guy with your eyes." Gilbert grinned, a hint of humor in his eyes, and he gave Matthew his customary slap to the ass.
By the time Matthew got back to the main room most people had gone back to their rooms to get dressed and pack their presents and get ready for the last day on the slopes. Ivan and Alfred were having a huddled whisper conference in the corner. Matthew just stood and watched, guessing that Ivan was getting the flip side of the talk that Gilbert just had with Matthew. Except going by the way Alfred pointing and stabbing his finger at Ivan and the way Ivan's face was clouded over, Ivan wasn't getting the abbreviated version.
"Okay Alfred, that's enough."
Alfred stopped and looked at Matthew seriously, "I was just laying out the rules, Mattie. Since Dad's not here to do it." And Dad wouldn't do it anyway because in his mind Matthew would not be dating Ivan.
"Got it Ivan? Are we on the level?"
"I do not understand what that means, but I understand you very well." Ivan replied, still looking irritated.
"Awesomesauce. I'm off to get me some powder. Comin'?" Alfred asked as he clapped Ivan on the shoulder oblivious to Ivan's ire. He withdrew his fingers fast as a snake when Ivan made a grab for them and stepped out of reach.
"In a few minutes."
"Cool."
Matthew sat on the chair's arm and gave Ivan a chaste kiss and just held it.
"Sorry. I should've warned you or something." Matthew murmured against Ivan's lips and enjoyed it with Ivan rumbled with amused, "Matvey would not stop Alfred."
"No one can stop Alfred when he sets his mind on something. He's too stubborn." Matthew groused, remembering the time he tried to convince Alfred that putting a sled on the top of a fallen tree and riding it down the icy trunk was not a great idea. Alfred broke his nose and ate snow but still came up whooping with excitement.
"Perhaps this applies to Matvey too?" Ivan teased.
"Yeah, I'm pretty bad about it too. Good thing I didn't give up on you, right? Because you took forever to catch on." Matthew teased back, "Do that make you the girl since I asked you?"
Ivan scowled, "Neither of us is a girl."
"That's not… never mind." Matthew gave a huff and added, "I can't wait to get home when Alfred's not there."
Ivan nodded in agreement.