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Chapter One: Bring Me To Life, With Coffee, That Is

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Matthew awoke to find the sun dazzling through his window. If this wasn't enough, something smelled distinctly like pancakes… Oh, that's right. Alfred had parked himself on Matthew's couch while old memories of Arthur slipped away from the American's one-track brain.

The phone suddenly rang, and Matthew lunged for it. Matthew had begun hanging out with some shady characters since Alfred had started dating Arthur, and Matthew was a bit ashamed now that Alfred was making his favorite meal for him down in his kitchen.

"Hello?" Matthew asked into the phone.

"Matvey?" A thick Russian accent graced Matthew's delicate ears.

"Ah, hello Ivan… good morning?"

"Da, Matvey, good morning to you too," Ivan replied.

"What is it?" the Canadian asked.

"Vhy deed I call you?" Ivan asked.

"Da—I mean, yes," Matthew replied.

"Feliciano, your neighbor, da? He told Ludwig, who mentioned it to Gilbert who told Francis and Kiku, and Kiku told me dat you were hugging Alfred last night… And you two disappeared inside your house together… ees this correct, little Matvey?"

There was a loud dinging noise as another call was being made to Matthew. Both the Russian and the Canadian ignored it.

"Yes, but nothing happened, okay?"

There was another dinging noise, and another voice sounded in Matthew's ear. "Mattieu! It cannot be true that you and Alfred did the dirty deed last night!"

"Morning, Francis," Ivan replied simply.

"Yes, morning, Franc…" Matthew said, "And for the last time! Alfred's simply crashing at my place so he can forget about his break-up with Arthur and go home!"

"Da? Ees dat his excuse?" Ivan asked.

"It's not an excuse! I saw the ring on his bedside table! He was going to propose, and something got out of hand and… bam! He's staying at my house… Do you want him to say so himself!?" Matthew asked, almost yelling into the phone.

"Mattieu, darling, we're simply trying to look out for you. You know that Alfred has never gotten along with us, and we don't want you getting hurt because of it…"

"Well… I don't need you to baby me… I've grown up, and I don't need you two telling me who I can, or can't date!" Matthew shouted, and hung up the phone. He lay on his bed for another moment, trying to regain his calm composure.

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"Wake up, sleepy-head!" Alfred cooed into Matthew's door. Matthew was woken from a rather short dream about Ivan ruling the world. Dreaming up the past again, are we, Matvey? The Russian was invading Matthew's brain and he didn't like it.

Matthew peeked at his rather small alarm clock and sighed. It was now only ten minutes after his terrifying call from Ivan and Francis. Maybe Matthew would tell Alfred about them and the American would do something about them. But Matthew couldn't do that… he simply groaned into the pillow as Alfred chuckled and opened the door, a tray of pancakes drizzled with syrup (and a warm cup of coffee…) on it in his large hands.

"Oh…" Alfred said, blushing slightly.

Matthew looked at him, then down at himself. It had been rather stifling last night (God damn those hot summer nights), so Matthew had thrown off his button down shirt and his jeans in favor of his favorite pair of boxer shorts (the one with the Canadian flags printed all over it. How embarrassing…). Under the one sheet, though, it looked like Matthew had gone to bed, as Arthur would put it, starkers.

"I'm wearing boxers, pervert," Matthew replied, throwing his pillow at the older boy. Alfred simply caught the soft projectile with a free hand and set Matthew's tray down in the bedside table.

"Mm, okay. Thought I'd show you how grateful I was for your taking me in last night… Pancakes and with real maple syrup still your favorite?" Alfred asked, sitting on Matthew's bed. Matthew didn't answer. "Your room hasn't changed much…"

"It sounds like you've been here before," a mini-Francis barked in the Canadian's ear.

Canada shooed the thought away, "When were you in here last?"

"I was looking for you when you were visiting your homeland," Alfred replied nonchalantly, leaning backwards, putting his hands over Matthew and looking down at him.

Matthew's heart fluttered when he noticed the nearness, but put his head back into the pillow to calm himself down.

"I forgot you weren't here, and looked all over for you. I needed you…"

Matthew looked at him again, "What for?"

"I had just broke up with Antonio, remember? He'd cheated on me with that Lovino boy…" Alfred told him.

Matthew sighed and thought, He really is an idiot. But out loud he said, "Feliciano's brother? Poor you…"

"Was that a hint of sarcasm, sleepy-head?" Alfred asked, his lips dangerously close to Matthew's visible ear. Matthew shivered and finally tried to push Alfred off the bed. But Matthew had always been the weaker of the two childhood friends.

"Damn you, Alfred…" Matthew said, losing the battle of the bed. He grabbed the tray, instead, and sat up, propping the pillow against the headboard and started eating. It was delicious, but Matthew was too stubborn to say so. He wouldn't perk up until the coffee was in his system… he took a sip, and the color seemed to return to his cheeks.

"T-Thanks you, Alfred," he finally said.

"I know you, Mattie… you're always so sarcastic until coffee breathes life into you…" Alfred replied, tapping Matthew's nose. Matthew blushed, but Alfred was out of the room by that time.

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Thank you for your comments! I didn't know this would be so popular... here's a first chapter for you. I tried to get Ivan's and Francis's accents in... but I failed, I think. I'll work more on accents and relationships in the second chapter. I hope you enjoyed yourselves, and please, keep the comments coming~

AR