~*~

Chapter Thirteen: Bells Are Ringing

~*~

Matthew thought it was going to be a peaceful morning, just him and Arthur, reading books and watching Gilmore Girls again… but, sadly, Alfred had just come home from Yao's that morning, quite earlier than usual.

"What the bloody hell, Alfie? Did you and Yao have a fight?" Arthur asked, standing up.

"No… but I had a really good idea and I wanted to go home to tell you guys…" Alfred replied.

"… I'm calling Yao and apologizing for you," Matthew replied, getting up to use the landline.

Alfred stopped him and said, "Wait! Lemme tell you of my awesome idea!"

The French-Canadian froze with his hand over the phone. Alfred smiled at him, and then turned to Arthur, "We have to have a Christmas party!"

"Absolutely not, Alfred," Arthur replied, quick as a chess-clock thumper.

"Why not, Mom," Alfred whined.

"Yeah, why not?" Matthew asked, coming into the living room a little more.

Arthur felt ganged up on. It was one thing for Alfred to have silly ideas, but now with Matthew as a tie-breaker… "All right… but on one condition. No inviting Francis."

"He's a friend of mine," Matthew said, "Take the stick out of your ass and invite him…" there was a kind of hostility in the French-Canadian's voice.

Arthur blinked, "Oh… okay…"

Alfred was very happy now that his idea was being put into motion, "Let me start inviting people," he said, taking the landline off the wall and getting the address book. "Hey, Mattie?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you want me to ask Natalia and Katyusha down?" Alfred asked.

Matthew was about to accept the idea, but then he remembered the voice from his dream. He still could not put a face to the name, but he knew that Ivan was the one that had taken Kat away from him mere months ago…

"No… I don't think she'll want to come…" Matthew replied.

"Of course she would. You're going to be there, right?" Alfred asked.

Arthur knew his housemate was pushing it. And after Matthew's whimpering reply to Alfred: "Her… her brother…." He put a hand on Matthew's shoulder to calm him and looked over at Alfred, "Don't push it, Alfie. If Mattie says not to invite them, then don't."

Alfred pouted his lips out a little, filing away the way Arthur defended Mattie. Not that he was going to do what Matthew and Arthur were telling him. He had liked the company of the girls, and maybe… maybe he would learn more about Matthew's past. The French-Canadian was certainly the most interesting person the American knew because of his mysterious past…

"Fine… now… Ludwig and Yao will definitely come, right?" Alfred said when he caught his housemates waiting for his answer…

~*~

"This party is wild!" Feliciano hissed, finding Matthew in the kitchen, handing out wine to those who were wanting it (Francis, Feliciano…)

"Alfred usually throws bigger ones," Francis replied as Kiku found his other Gilmore Boys. He smiled at the Japanese man before making his back into the living room.

"Where's Ludwig?" Kiku asked.

Matthew's eyebrows shot up, "Upstairs with Arthur…"

Feliciano giggled, "And how drunk are they?"

"Well… I think Her Majesty had her shirt halfway off last time I saw them…" Matthew replied, elbowing Kiku in the side and winking lightly.

Kiku blushed violently, "Oh dear…" he said, "I really have no chance with Ludwig, do I?"

Matthew went out from the counter and hugged his friend, just as a somewhat flustered Arthur came in, drunk as a skunk. Matthew helped his housemate to the table to sit him down. "Well… did you two have fun?"

"No… Ludwig went to the bathroom. Alfred… he put up mistletoe, but I think… I think I had a little too much to drink because I can hardly see in the dark…"

Feliciano grinned and pushed Kiku toward the living room and the stairs. "GO!" he hissed, "Mistletoe and Ludwig? You're dream come true, right?"

Kiku blushed again, but he was at once being pushed up the stairs at that point by Feliciano. He was already passed the point of no return, so he kept going even as Matthew pulled Feliciano back down the steps and into the kitchen again.

Kiku climbed the last of the steps and under the mistletoe. He pretended to look for the bathroom, just as Ludwig came out. He seemed a little less wasted than his boyfriend was downstairs, but as he glanced at the Japanese man and then at the mistletoe, it seemed he sobered up a little more.

"Hey, Kiku," Ludwig said, a slight blush across his face.

"Oh, hey, Ludwig," Kiku replied, a submissive air to his personality.

Ludwig stepped closer to Kiku. "You're… having a fun time, yes?" he asked.

"Of course. I am capable of having fun, you know…" was that an air of flirtatiousness in Kiku's speech?

Ludwig blinked and took a step closer, "I had no doubt."

They were nearly face-to-face now, Ludwig standing maybe six, seven inches taller than Kiku. Kiku was looking up, still pretending he wasn't seeing the mistletoe. Ludwig tugged at it lightly, "You're also under mistletoe…"

Kiku finally noticed (or pretended to finally notice, at least) that he was under the green and white plant, "Oh~" he said, going cute and innocent.

But Ludwig had leaned down and kissed the other lightly on the mouth. And Kiku had pushed up to meet him, making the kiss a little less… innocent.

~*~

Matthew was out talking with Kiku and Feliciano about Kiku's dream-come-true upstairs as Ludwig and him made lovey-dovey faces across the room from each other. Matthew was happy for Kiku, but it seemed Arthur might get hurt from it. Not that it mattered much to Mattie. The doorbell rang and, as the closest person to the door, he opened the door to…

Natalia and Katyusha. Matthew blinked, swearing to kill Alfred as soon as he got a chance. "Hey, Mattie~" Kat said, kissing Matthew's cheek.

She was soon introduced to the rest of the Gilmore Boys and then the rest of the party engulfed her. Feliciano excused himself to go to the bathroom, just as Lovino found his boyfriend and kissed his cheek in greeting. "Where did my brother go?" he asked, watching Feli as he jumped up the stairs two steps at a time.

"Bathroom, Lovi…" Kiku replied, tearing his eyes away from Ludwig to glance at the Sicilian.

Lovino nodded. He then tried to get into the conversation Matthew and Kiku were in: something about Mattie's past life, but he couldn't shake off the distraction of the mistletoe at the top of the stairs… and how he wanted to be caught under it with Feliciano and not Matthew

He whispered something about going to the bathroom, but no one really heard him. He then unlatched himself from Matthew's waist and climbed the stairs. The others were still too distracted. Lovino kept looking back as he… was he sneaking? Technically, yes he was. One last glance and he was on the top step and under the mistletoe, just as Feliciano bumped into him.

"Ow! Ow ow ow!" Feliciano hissed.

"I'm sorry!" Lovino replied. "What did you hurt?"

"My hair… ow!" Feliciano said, taking the hair that often stood out from Lovino's. Yes… they both had that one hair that just would not cooperate. Surely it was a coincidence… or perhaps it was the fourteen years they had lived together…

"Don't pull!" Lovino hissed.

They took a few more minutes to untangle the hairs before they breathed out at the same time, happy that the whole ordeal was over… then Lovino realized he was under the mistletoe… and then Feliciano noticed the situation, as well…

"Uhh… sorry about—" Lovino couldn't finish, as Feliciano had gone up on tiptoe to kiss his adopted brother on the mouth quickly. "—Whut?"

Feli shrugged and gave Lovi a cute little smile, "You're under the mistletoe."

"I…" Lovino was blushing madly, but Feliciano didn't notice it in the dim lighting. He simply waved cutely and dashed down the steps. Lovino soon followed him, but went to another corner from the Gilmore Boys, now very confused about his situation.

~*~

"Aren't you glad Alfred invited us?" Katyusha asked.

Natalia frowned. She had thought Matthew's new family hated them or something. But as she chatted with Feliciano and Kiku, and a little later, Francis (and Ludwig, who was there for the girls 'protection'), they felt more at home in Monde than they really ever had. She filed away this information in the back of her head, just in case.

Then she excused herself to go to the bathroom.

Katyusha was surprised at how quiet Nat was being. Katyusha was having fun, but she thought she was having fun for the both of them, and that made her very tired. So she decided to ascend the stairs and talk to her friend in a more private setting.

She climbed the steps and found herself in Matthew's new world. There were pictures going up the stairs, most of Arthur and Alfred, Alfred's face getting sillier and sillier… and then the last picture was of Matthew pouncing on both of his housemates as the 'end' of the picture sequence. It was adorable to the Ukrainian girl. Mattie was in good hands here in Monde…

Then she bumped into Natalia at the top of the steps. Kat fell back against the wall, and Natalia was just about to jump up when Kat saw the mistletoe and…

…Kissed her friend squarely on the mouth. Natalia's eyes widened as she ripped away from the situation, rushing down the steps and out the door to the car. Katyusha had the keys in her pocket. Perhaps it was time to go.

The car ride would surely be awkward though. Katyusha shook her head. It had been mistletoe for Christ's sake. And Nat had caught Kat under it. Try explaining that to her headstrong friend… Kat sighed and said goodbye to the Gilmore Boys, as well as Alfred and Arthur, before leaving the house to take her freaked-out friend home.

~*~

Arthur was tired. He was already feeling a hangover coming on. Both Ludwig and Alfred told him to go upstairs and sleep, and that Ludwig would allow him to get over his hangover, as long as he came in to the Cafe in the afternoon. Ludwig was saying goodbye at the base of the steps, and Arthur was trying hard not to jump his boyfriend's bones. Soon, Ludwig was leaving, and Arthur was climbing the steps slowly, trying not to knock the pictures down. And who should he bump into but one Francis Bonnefoy.

"Shit…" Arthur slurred.

"Don't you 'shit' me, Arthur. You're the one under the mistletoe," Francis said, tugging it lightly and giving the Brit a rather seductive look, "And you're drunker than Santa on Christmas."

"Tino or the myth?" Arthur asked. Francis was backing him into a corner.

"Both…" Francis replied after a time. Arthur was now cornered, his back to the hall closet, and Francis was pressing against his groin. If Arthur wasn't dating Ludwig, it would have been very… sexy. But as it were, Arthur's head ached, and he just wanted to get some sleep so he could see Ludwig and apologize profusely for his behavior.

"Francis… please. I'm dating someone right now and… it's just a holiday gimmick sent to us from Poppy Crafts…" Arthur said, moving his head to the side.

Francis simply took two fingers and made Arthur's face turn back to him. His breath was now on Arthur mouth, smelling of fermented grapes. "Ludwig isn't here, is he?" he asked, his voice low. Arthur had to admit he now felt a little… tight in his pants. "And it's a 'holiday gimmick' too pleasurable to pass up…" Francis had felt the happy camper in Arthur's pants, all right.

And it was Arthur who had initiated the kiss. Though he hoped to God no one would come up and see him like this… But Francis was pressing back on Arthur's lips, and Arthur was in high heaven, wondering why he was there in the first place. Then the kiss ended, mostly because of Francis. He had gotten what he had wanted. But there was something in the Frenchman's eyes that Arthur was too drunk to ask about. Why does Francis look… sad?

Francis let go of Arthur and at once disappeared. Arthur shook his head, looked in the direction where Francis had gone, and then went into his room, flopping onto the bed and falling asleep.

~*~

The party had wound down fast after Arthur had gone to bed and Francis had left without another word. Really… Arthur had gone up, and a few minutes later, Francis had rushed out the door without saying goodbye. A few more minutes later, and the house had emptied out successfully. Alfred and Matthew were left to clean up, so Alfred too the kitchen, and Matthew took the living room and the stairs.

Matthew started down stairs, picking up stray napkins and beer cans before going up the stairs. He saw the mistletoe and sighed, disappointed that he hadn't noticed it before… But Lovi was gone and… Alfred was coming up the stairs.

Matthew was had the mistletoe and was trying to pull it down when Alfred came up. The American smirked. "Hey… is that mistletoe?"

Matthew went to say something witty back, but he got so far as "No, it's a maple—" before Alfred had stopped him with a kiss. Matthew's eyes widened, but he went with it after a few moments, closing his eyes as he finally tore the stupid fake plant off the ceiling. He pulled away quickly.

"Good night, Alfred…" he said, and slipped passed the American down the stairs and into his room.

Alfred smiled, touching his lips. "Payback for when we met, Mattie…" he said. But he knew that kiss was for other reasons as well.

Je t'aime I love you.

~*~

-iz dead- Long-ass chapter is long-ass. But it was fun. Favorite scenes?

For me it was all of them. But mostly those involving the Gilmore Boys. They're so precious to me... Oh, and Arthur and Francis. Poor Francis, though. He knows he can't have Arthur... just yet.

Please review -poke, poke- or I'll poke you with something firey and sharp.

Adieu~

~Ana-chan~