Chapter Thirty-Two: Thawing

The count-down to the wedding was set, now, at one week. This time next week, Matthew would be standing next to Toris, watching as his first girlfriend and best friend got married to the love of her life, the wedding being Skyped to Ivan and Yao in Ivan's cell over at the mental home in Fou.

Kiku would be giving Kat away, walking her down the isle. Toris was assigned to walk Bella down the aisle, while Matthew was assigned Heidi. Francis was the minister, and Arthur was assigned to take Sesel down the aisle and sit in the front row. Gilbert had the same route with Elizabeta. All they needed was the colors and the catering, even though the reception was at the Café Rose.

But Matthew wasn't thinking about the wedding. He was staring contemplatively at his boyfriend, who was snoring lightly on the couch. He wondered where they stood. Sure, they lived alone together now and had all the privacy they wanted. Alfred was kind to him and loving and all things Matthew had wanted in his relationship. He just didn't know some key elements: Should they get married? Even if it was way in the future, Matthew wanted to feel special to Alfred.

Matthew finally moved from the doorway to the kitchen and sat down next to Alfred. Alfred was startled awake, but as soon as he realized it was Matthew, he gave the French-Canadian a smile.

"Hey, Mattie. What's up?" he asked.

"Not much. I still can't believe Her Majesty left us…"

"Yeah, well… she's in love with the French King, so they decided to run off together," Alfred replied, chuckling.

Matthew smiled for a minute before he remembered what he wanted to talk to Alfred about. "Uhm… Alfred?"

"Yeah?"

"Where… where do we stand?" Matthew asked.

Alfred looked shocked. "Well… we're sitting right now… but if you want to stand at the foot of the stairs, I can stand at the kitchen door, and then we'd have covered more ground…" he said.

Matthew glared at him slightly, "Don't be cute right now, Alfred."

"I can't help being cute! It's an extra gene my father gave me!" Alfred replied, really panicking now.

Matthew rolled his eyes and stood up, "Look, if you're not willing to communicate with me, then I don't want to be around you anymore. Call me when you actually want to talk…"

And with that, he went up to his room (or Arthur's old bedroom) and slammed the door. Alfred followed him a few seconds later, knocking on the door. "Mattie! I don't know what to say!"

He listened for a moment, hearing rustling and zipping and unzipping and finally footsteps coming toward the door. Matthew opened the door, in his hand a small duffle. "I'm going over to Feliciano's. Only talk to me when you have something to say to me that isn't funny."

And with that, he left.

Alfred spent the rest of the weekend moping. When he finally dragged his butt to work on Monday, Matthew ignored him. And Alfred figured out quickly that he could not live without Matthew. So he did the best thing he could for himself.

He visited his old housemate, Arthur.

Sesel was the one who opened the door. But as soon as Francis noticed the depressed look and the fevered blue eyes searching out for Arthur, Francis ushered Alfred inside and into the living room, where Arthur was looking over some bills.

"Alfred!" Arthur said, "What's wrong?"

"Matthew won't talk to me, if you haven't already figured that out," Alfred replied glumly.

"I have noticed, but you haven't actually spoken to him either…" Arthur replied, putting the piece of paper down on the coffee table.

Francis came in with a tray of cups, no doubt a job Sesel was to do, as she glared at her master from the kitchen. Francis ignored her as he set down a teapot and three cups, one filled with coffee. Ah, Alfred had missed Arthur's tea.

Arthur poured his friend and himself a cup, handing one to Alfred and then picking up his own. "Want to talk about it, or did you just come here for the company?"

"Both, really. Matthew asked… he asked where we stood and I… freaked out, as I usually do…" Alfred explained.

"Ah… I remember that well," Arthur replied, "But you seem to have grown up about it, if you realize that sometimes you can be a complete ass."

Francis scoffed into his coffee, "Cheri, you're really no help."

"I know," Arthur said, "It took me a while to realize that you were my love, didn't I?" he asked of the Frenchman.

Alfred rolled his eyes a little, but stopped acting like a teenager with his lovey-dovey parents when Francis cleared his throat to speak. "Matthew wants to know that you are willing to go above and beyond for him. He wants to know that you are indeed the better choice for him."

Alfred blinked, "So… he's having second thoughts about us as a couple?"

Arthur nodded, "That's the best diagnosis we can offer you."

"The treatment is simple. Talk to him. Remind him of your affections. Communication is the key to every relationship, whether between old friends," here Francis paused to look from Arthur to Alfred, "or to a couple."

Alfred nodded slowly, drinking the rest of the cup before setting down carefully and standing. There was a slight showdown between them, neither knowing what exactly to do. Finally, on her way to the door, Sesel simply pushed Alfred into Arthur, the Brit having to stand and catch the America so they shared a brief hug before Sesel lead Alfred back to the door.

"Are you and Mattie doing all right?" she asked in her thick accent.

"We'll be fine by Kat and Nat's wedding on Saturday," Alfred replied.

Lovino, Feliciano and Matthew were playing a rather tedious game of Monopoly (so far, Lovino was taking money illegally from the bank, as he was also the banker, and Feliciano owned the most real estate. Matthew had gone to jail five or six times and he was seriously behind on his taxes) when Alfred knocked on the door.

Matthew, several boxes behind Lovino and Feliciano, got up and opened the door. He had forgotten to look through the peephole or any of the windows, as he was simply having too much fun (even though he was losing hardcore to the Italians).

"Oh…" Matthew said, and nearly slammed the door on Alfred's face, but the American put a hand on the door and his strength was too much for the French-Canadian.

"I'm here to talk seriously, Mattie," Alfred replied.

Matthew looked back at his friend and friend's boyfriend before grabbing a sweatshirt and following Alfred outside.

The first thing Alfred did was sweep Matthew up in his arms and kiss him. The next was, "I love you."

Matthew blinked at him dazedly, "I… love you too…"

"And we stand right here. Together," Alfred went on to say.

"Together?" Matthew asked, still a little shocked.

"Yes. Mattie… I've wanted to be yours since I met you! How many times do I have to say it? If you wanted me to leave the country with you, I would. If you killed somebody, I would hide you in the basement until the police called the case unsolved. I would do anything for you."

Matthew blinked and Alfred saw tears form in the corner of the violet-blue pools he had fallen in so long ago.

"I love you too. And… I'm sorry for freaking out…"

"It's okay. Do you want to come home now?"

"Yes," Matthew replied, and kissed Alfred before running back inside to get his stuff and thank Feliciano for keeping him sheltered.

One more chapter to go~ And then a sequel.

Don't forget about Clowns and the sequel to My Junk, those are still being worked on, even though this one is winding down.

Wow... it took a long time for me to finish this one. Not like the five months it too to finish My Junk.

Please review~!

Ana