~*~

Chapter Eight: An Improvised Engagement, pt 2

~*~

And that's when all hell broke lose…

Feliciano waited seconds after Lovino's choked upon "Y-Yes, Antonio, oh God yes!" before he jumped into Ludwig causing him to crash into the floor, right as Ivan and Francis walked in, so Ludwig and Feliciano crashed into the Frenchman and the Russian. Alfred breezed past the two newly engaged men to Matthew and quickly pulled the Canadian away from Arthur, holding him close as he slapped Arthur across the face. Satisfied with the Englishman's shocked expression, he took Mattie to the other side of Antonio and Lovino to clap the Spaniard on the back, not letting Matthew out of his gentle grip.

Ludwig was helping Ivan and Francis up to their feet, "Did Antonio just… just propose to Lovino?" Francis asked.

"He did indeed~" Feliciano replied.

"Félicitations!" Francis shouted, giving Antonio a hug. Lovino and Matthew exchanged kisses on the cheeks, and so did Feliciano and Lovino, Feliciano whispering into his brother's ear. Lovino blushed and said something in Italian back to him.

Kiku stood in shock. That or he was trying to assess the situation as best he could. He noticed everything that went on, even if it was random and all at once. Kiku was just that good. Finally, he said, "What the hell just happened?"

A drunk raised his hand and said, "Well… that fellow over there just proposed to that boy there, just as those two poofdas came in. The littler one crashed into the bigger one, causing them both to come down on the poofdas, and when our barmaid acknowledged you, he accidently crashed into our bartender, making them get into a some-what sexy pose, but that other blond didn't like that, and just slapped our bartender silly."

Kiku nodded at the drunk, "So all in all, there's going to be a wedding?"

"I love weddings!" the drunk replied, "Drinks all around!"

"You need to sober up first, Ernie!" Arthur shouted, getting off the counter finally.

"Makes you really deenk, doezn't eet?" Ivan said, first looking at Ludwig, then at Alfred.

"Who knew that Lovino would be the first of our little group to get married, eh?" Matthew twittered to Feliciano. He meant him, Lovino, and Feliciano.

"Ja, I remember when you were boys you often dressed up as brides. Feliciano or Matthew would always be ze bride, and Lovino alvays vanted to be the bridesmaid," Ludwig replied, smirking at the three. Antonio helped put the ring on Lovino's right ring finger, but the Italian brother blushed anyway.

"Now we get to be the bridesmaids, yes?" Feliciano asked, gently pulling Matthew away from Alfred. They looked at Lovino with puppy dog faces until Lovino sighed and nodded his head, still too shocked to speak again.

Arthur sighed and said, "Matthew! Help me get some drinks for everyone. On the house~"

There were several yells from the other drunks, chorused with shouts from the group of excited friends. Matthew was about to go behind the bar with Arthur when a hand enclosed around his. He looked behind him at Alfred, then back at the two hands. He felt a blush creep onto his face, but Alfred spoke:

"Are you and… are you and Arthur…?" he asked.

"No! If you need to, you can get back together with him…" Matthew spat bitterly, trying to take his hand back. Alfred squeezed it.

"I can't, I just… wanted to know… be careful, okay?" Alfred said.

Matthew gave in to Alfred's sincerity and Alfred let go of his hand. Matthew put the hand Alfred held to his chest when his back was turned and then grabbed the tray of drinks that Arthur was handing him.

~*~

Arthur decided to close the Pub to everyone except the small group. He kicked everyone out, telling them to go to one of the other pubs, of which all of the people obliged, being drunker than sparrows in cherry season.

They sat around the bar, talking about old times, especially when Antonio and Lovino met, which brought up painful memories in Alfred, but he kept his happy face on, every once in a while checking on Matthew, who was on drink duty with Arthur.

Arthur didn't seem to mind the fact he wasn't making any money, but he kept Matthew working anyway (and maybe the Englishman would give the younger boy his own special 'tip,' if Alfred wasn't around, which was likely since Arthur had caught the young Canadian earlier in the evening).

Francis, getting quite bored (Matthew and Ivan swore he had ADD sometimes), got up and began walking around the room. Only Matthew and Ivan noticed, being the closest ones to him (both physically and emotionally), and they watched him as he went to a tiny stage in the corner and took an enormous blanket off a very old-looking piano. The group had become silent, watching as Francis uncovered the rather large treasure.

"Careful of that, Francis!" Arthur shouted, rushing up to him. Francis put out a hand and stopped him. He ran a hand over the old wood and said:

"I know how to handle a beauty such as this, Arthur…"

"Hey… anyone up for a song, eh?" Matthew asked, winking at Feliciano, who stood up and smiled.

"Ve~ A little nostalgic for our days rehearsing for Spring Awakening, Mattie?"

"Well… we've all got our junk…" Matthew replied, shrugging.

"Who remembers the song?" Feli asked. He took his brother's hand anyway, remembering Lovino had played young Georg in the musical.

"We are planning on doing 'My Junk' from that darling little show, oui?" Francis asked.

"Oui," Matthew replied, nodding, "You know the piano score, right?"

"Of course, mon cheri… I was in the pit, playing the French horn, mind you… but the piano was my first instrument…" Francis said, opening the piano with such care that Arthur couldn't help but… shiver?

Arthur then looked over at Alfred, who was getting up on the stage with Lovino, Feliciano, and Matthew. "I was in the audience, but I do remember loving that song…"

"Great! Lovi, Mattie and I will play the girls, while you and Alfie can play the boys~" Feliciano cried.

Matthew remembered something from the musical, "Umm… Alfred? Not that you weren't great in the song… but please don't do the masturbation part… can you just sing?"

Alfred sighed, "I'll try to just sing, Mattie…"

"T-T-Thanks," Matthew replied, blushing as he turned to the front. Francis started the tune on the piano. The piano was surprisingly in tune…

Matthew began singing: "In the midst of this nothing

This miss of a life

Still there's this wanting

Just to see you go by…"

Feliciano smiled and began to sing next, taking Lovino and Matthew's hands and swinging them, "It's almost like lovin'

Sad as that is…"

Lovino took up the tune next, singing, "May not be cool,

But it's so where I live…"

They all began to sing next, "It's like I'm your lover

Or more like your ghost

I spend the day wondering

What you do, where you go

I try and just kick it

But what can I do

We've all got our junk

And my junk is you!

See us, winter walking after a storm

It's chill in the wind but it's warm in your arms

The stop all snow line, may not be true

We've all got our junk, and my junk is you!"

Arthur began to sing, trying hard to remember if it truly was him who was supposed to sing. The other singers made gestures for him to go on, so he did: "Well, you'll have to excuse me

I know it's so off

I love when you do stuff

That's rude and so wrong!"

Alfred sang next, wanting so hard to do the action, but knowing he wasn't actually playing the part anymore, "I go up to my room

Turn the stereo on

Shoot up some you

And the you is some song!"

Matthew sung alone next, "I lie back just driftin'

And play out these scenes

I ride on the rush

All the hopes, all the dreams…"

Feliciano sang next, dropping both Matthew's and Lovino's hands. He jumped of the stage as he sang: "I may be neglecting

The things I should do

We've all got our junk

And my junk is you…"

Arthur moved quietly over to Matthew, but Alfred did as well, so Arthur kept his distance. Lovino moved after Feliciano down to the little audience, sitting quietly on Antonio's lap. Feliciano moved so that he was on Ludwig's lap. They all were still singing: "See we still keep talkin' after you're gone

You're still with me then feel so good in my arms

They say you go blind, maybe it's true

We've all got our junk, and my junk is you

It's like we stop time

What can I do?

We've all got our junk

And my junk is you

My junk is you

My junk is you

You

You

You!"

Francis stopped the piano after a few more bars, and cheering rang out through the small crowd. Those still on stage jumped off, getting hugs from people.

"Well… it does make sense why you like that song," Kiku pointed out.

The singers looked at him, but he didn't say much else, just simply smiled at the group.

Arthur checked his watch, "Yikes. We should close up… it was lovely to see you all."

There was some murmurings of thanks as the group piled out. Alfred was the last to leave, looking over his shoulder at Matthew before ducking out into the midnight air.

~*~

Translations: "Félicitations!" -- means "Congratulations!" en Francais.

The lyrics are from Spring Awakening, under the same name as this fic. Yes... it is an unrequited love song with some masterbation and erotic fantasies thrown in just for a lark. That's the whole basis of this fic, too... there, you have an explanation for the rather interesting title.

Oh, and just to tell you, Alfred shouldn't have left poor Matthew alone with Arthur~

Until next chapter, eh? Until then, please review~

~Ana~