It had been weeks, three and a half to be exact. Alfred went ahead and rounded it up to being a month since Arthur had last talked to him. His pearly whites kneaded into the inside of his cheek in the frustration of it all. This was ridiculous, sure he may have been the one to mention the war. He may have even been the one to drag the conversation out longer than what it should have been, but Iggy had forgiven him before. It took as long as two days, the earliest half a day when he turned on the baby blues. This time was different. Arthur would be the first at the world meetings as usual, but then oddly enough the British dude would leave the moment the meeting was over in a rush. Sometimes even suggesting that they end early much to everyone's surprise. It soon became a new habit of his which irked Alfred's sense of national duty, but the moment he would ask him about it the 'proper Englishman' would brush him off and berate Alfred for not listening to the meeting.
Alfred just couldn't put his finger on it, and when he suggested lunch, Arthur would brush him off yet again and rush to a cab to go home. As if he was late, but FOR WHAT?! Lordy, it was frustrating. The more frustrated Alfred got the more he started to pout about it as he pulled out his chair and plopped down into it in a large heap.
"Still haven't talked to him?" A quiet voice sounded from beside him.
Alfred jumped making his glasses tilt slightly askew on his perfect straight nose. "Bro! Warn me before you scare me like that! Jeez." He complained placing a hand over his heart. "I didn't even see you there." He teased his sunny smile coming out to play.
The owner of said quiet voice rolled his deep blue eyes as his blonde curl danced around in front of the round glasses his orbs hid behind. Alfred grinned. He loved messing with his little brother.
"Alfred." Matthew said in exasperation. "These rounds of meetings are going to end soon, ey." He said in his same soft tenor. "You know you don't want to leave on a bad note."
Just as quickly as his smile came it slowly dropped into a pout bringing his teeth to chew at the inside of his cheek once more as he glanced across the table seeing England anxiously check his watch before the meeting even began. A large release of air through his nose cut the silence between him and his brother before he looked back at him.
"How am I supposed to fix it when he's the one avoiding me?" Alfred complained. "Besides it's not even my fault." Alfred stated crossing his leather covered arms over his chest in defiance.
"Right, because nothing is ever your fault." Matthew smiled almost mimicking the teasing face Alfred had given him earlier.
"Well duh, I'm the hero." Alfred quipped cocky grin in place as he gave Matthew a thumbs up.
"Even heroes say they're sorry, especially to family." Matthew replied clearly not as charmed as what other people are at Alfred's wit. Sometimes they would be charmed speechless as they walked away shaking their heads.
Clearly, another story though, as he mulled Matthew's words around in his head letting it chew it over like a piece of gum as he expanded and thinned its sticky substance till he brought it back into a ball to blow the bubble of the thought and allow it to pop away. His blonde brows furrowed on his face as his teeth returned to the tender flesh once more. He hated it when Mattie was right, but it doesn't mean he has to admit it. His leg began bobbing up and down causing the heel of his boot to clack against the tiled floor adding to the American's agitation.
"Al-." Matthew began but before he could finish a large form covered in a long tan coat that went passed his knees pulled his chair back and sat down on top of him.
"Fredka, you look irritated, why is that?" The frost giant smiled leaning his arms against the table clearly in a joyful mood at the anger in Alfred's sky blue eyes.
His gaze drifted over to Matthew who was currently completely squished underneath Ivan's weight and pinned down into his seat. A small whisper of the word maple wafted to him making Alfred's mischievous grin grow much to Matthew's dismay. He could easily save Matthew like any and all heroes should, but the Canadian was acting a little villainous when he suggested that it was Alfred's fault. So he figured this punishment was only fitting for Mattie.
"Me irritated? Pshhh bro, I'm freaking sunshine and rainbows right now dude." He said forcing out a laugh. Alfred wanted to see the smug smile fall from Ivan's face, but instead it seemed to brighten the Russian's mood adding on to the nagging frustrated feeling in his gut. "Are you sitting with me during the meeting today?" Alfred finally asked changing subjects.
"Da. You will be most entertaining to watch today." He answered the corners of his mouth rising in joy.
"Awesome." Alfred groaned rolling his eyes.
True to his word Ivan kept his uncomfortably close proximity to the agitated American forcing people to look away in fear by the force of the bitter cold between the two nations. Things never got as bad as the Cold War between Ivan and Alfred but they did get icy at times like these. Alfred was about to change that, however, if Ivan didn't stop boring his amethyst eyes on his tanned face. He was always watching, always looking for a weakness, and today just had to be the day he saw everything that he wanted to see and more. Now Alfred felt somewhat bad for leaving Matthew in such an uncomfortable position but maybe he should have been nicer and Alfred wouldn't have left him in that kind of a situation.
"Fredka, we should do the hanging out now that you're not spending time with Arthur." Ivan whispered his faux innocence sending Alfred's teeth to meld together with how tight he grounded them together.
Finally the reaction Alfred knew that Ivan wanted from him as his sky blue eyes turned electric as they shot through the violet orbs next to him causing the Russian smile to curl up higher on his mock sweet face.
"Sure let me give you my number bro." He said back already grabbing the phone that Ivan had out on the table before crushing it in his hand with his immense strength.
Ivan didn't react much other than letting out a giggle where as the rest of the world froze at the deafening crack that came from the phone as Alfred handed it back with just as big of a smile on his face knowing he had gotten under the Russian's skin just as much from that action alone. Ludwig at the head of the table cleared his throat and started stacking his papers.
"I believe that is enough for today. You are all free to leave." He stated much to the relief of everyone in the room.
Alfred instantly stood up trying to follow the blonde haired Englishman to see if he could catch up to him and talk to him about hitting up a bar or two. Francis seemed to have the same idea as he stopped Arthur giving Alfred the perfect opportunity to talk to him.
"I will see you again soon Fredka." Ivan grinned before standing up to leave.
"Sure, just give me a call whenever." Alfred replied bright smile on his face as his quick wit caused the Russian's smile to break into a fit of giggles.
"That was good joke, mine will be better next time." He said in a manner that would freeze anyone's blood on the spot, but Alfred just took it in stride with everything else that Ivan through at him.
Besides Alfred didn't have time to freeze to the spot. He had a friend to bother into talking to him again. The closer Alfred got to Francis and Arthur the more he was able to start picking pieces of their conversation.
"—You never talk to me anymore, Angleterre. To think I'm actually starting to miss it. The tragedy!" Francis exclaimed pulling out a lacy handkerchief to blot at the corners of his perfect shade of blue eyes that the actor had perfected to look glossy enough to believe he would cry.
"Sod off Frog, as if I would believe such a bold faced lie." Arthur retorted clearly wanting to leave, but was torn between behaving like a gentleman and a pirate. "Your crocodile tears won't suede me. Now if you are quite done there is someplace I must be right now."
"Where?" Alfred asked jumping in as he used his large frame to his advantage and wrapped an arm around the bristling brit's slim shoulders.
Arthur's eyes shot daggers up at him as he attempted to shrug off the American's large lengthy arm. "That is none of your business." He huffed acting rather defensive in that moment.
The nagging feeling in Alfred's gut was just about ready to tear a hole through him with how antsy and irritated Arthur's avoidance with him was making. Ivan didn't help, but this was about to be the last straw when Francis's nasally laugh caught them both off guard as it continued completely distracting Arthur and Alfred into focusing in on what he was about to say was so funny.
"Oh Angleterre I've figured it out!" He beamed his eyes gleaming with mischief like one would if they knew your deepest darkest secret.
He laughed again causing Arthur to start breaking out in a sweat with how his pale face began glistening. Alfred's attention was caught at this point as he waited patiently for France to say what it is he knew despite the blood practically thrumming with energy in his veins.
"Figured out what?" Alfred asked eagerly causing Arthur to shoot him a traitorous look.
Alfred shrugged back, if he really didn't want Alfred to know he shouldn't have been avoiding him for the past month.
"Honhonhon Well Amerique, it looks like our dear Britain has found himself a lady friend." He grinned like a cat waiting for Arthur to confirm his suspicions.
Alfred was about to roll his eyes at Francis's nonsense. Everything to France had to deal with women. He turned his sky gaze over to England only to find that Arthur was actually blushing. The red tinge on his face was apparent in contrast with his skin so much that Alfred found himself baffled. Arthur had a girlfriend? Is this why he had blown him off so much? To see some woman he barely knew over his own broth—bro, friend, best friend in fact.
"Dude! I didn't know you date! Why didn't you tell me that shiz? Besides you're totally breaking the bro code." He complained trying to sound light hearted about it as he patted him on the back.
Apparently he had done it a little too hard as it caused Arthur to stumble a bit making his stubborn green eyes threaten to burn him alive as his thick brows narrowed nearly hiding the irises beneath them.
"Haven't you broken enough things today? Now if you'll both excuse me I'll be off." He snapped turning on his heel and storming off to try and catch a taxi.
Alfred's fists balled up by his sides, his legs already lifting to take off after him till Francis laid a soothing hand on his tensed shoulder. Alfred looked back at sympathetic blue eyes as the hand glided over to pull Alfred into a one armed hug. It was a little awkward because of height difference but just as comforting all the same.
"Come, I want to treat you and Mathieu to a good meal in this horrid place." He teased his smile infectious and calming towards Alfred's strained nerves.
Alfred took pause his weary eyes looking back to watch as Arthur finally got a black car to stop for him and climbed in allowing it to speed off.
"Yeah, sure bro. Food sounds good." He relented turning back to face Francis's bright blue eyes so full of excitement as he pulled both Alfred and Matthew into a big hug.
Wait. Matthew. When did he get here? Oh well, the Canadian had his ways. Alfred half listened as they rambled off in rapid French that Alfred admittedly was a bit out of practice with as his eyes were drawn once more toward the direction Arthur had left them as if willing the taxi to come back and with it…his brother.
