"I said I wasn't doing this bro."

"And I said you have to at least try little bro." Matthew gives his twin a kind smile gliding out on to the ice, "Come on Alfrie it's just you and me."

Alfred looks around the empty ice rink before turning back to his brother who's proudly wearing his favorite jersey with his hair pulled back tightly. "Okay but…just for ten minutes." Slowly he slides out on to the ice before gripping Matthew's arm for dear life, "Oh God why did I agree to this!?" Can't we just play I don't know baseball or something?"

Quickly Matthew balances them before both can fall back on the hard ice, "Alfred it's the middle of winter."

"Actually winter started on the twenty second."

"Don't be a smartass or I'll let you go." He's just teasing him but Alfred holds on tighter, "Al it's like riding a bike just calm down and steady yourself." He says calmly helping his twin to stand. "Great now should we play a quick game?"

Alfred just glares at him, "Really? So you can whoop my ass? Hell no I'd rather loose with some dignity at video games." He holds tight to the side of the rink until his knuckle is white, "Can't we just skate around the rink a few times then go home?"

"You sure you don't want to at least try?" Alfred can tell Matthew's in his hockey frame of mind and not much will get him out of it.

So he gives him a smile, "I'm sure I'm sure Mattie but we could have a race around the rink." Carefully he let's go to of the side and slowly inches closer to his twin. "Even though we both know who would win." He gives Matthew a quick smirk to seal the deal.

Matthew returns his smirk, "Alright. Ready…set…" He's off in a flash the moment they both yell out go and while normally he would have kept going but he stops instantly hearing a loud thud behind him, "You okay Al?"

Alfred manages a weak nod as he winces, "Yeah but my ass hurts now." Quickly Matthew helps him to his feet, "Thanks bro."

"You're welcome." Carefully they skate around the rink in harmony for what seems like an hour before Matthew speaks again, "You ready for tomorrow?"

The younger nods slowly trying hard not to blush, "Did you finish your homework?" Alfred says trying to change the subject, "Cause I'm just about done with mine."

"Oh? And what did you pick to do yours on?" Matthew will just play along until the moment comes when he can bring the subject up again.

"I did a poem…" He chuckles lightly, "It's been a while since I've done one and since it's just Ms. H that's going to read it I thought why not. So what about you?"

Matthew thinks for a moment as they finally leave the ice, "Well I'm doing a…kind of speech."

"Speech? You?"

Matthew shoves him once they're on the bench to take of their skates, "Yeah a speech but like you said only Ms. H is going to read it so it's fine and you act like I couldn't give a speech."

"Well…" Alfred pauses as he takes off one of his shakes, "You're so quiet normally…"

"You're one to talk."

"It's true! Dude when we were kids you couldn't talk in front of five people let alone a whole room filled with them."

Matthew smirks, "Yeah and you wouldn't shut up if you had an audience of like three people or more…" He stops lacing up his boots, "Now you don't talk at all."

"I talk."

"Just to me and Gil and your um friends but not to anyone else Alfred." He loosens his pony tail and lets his hair fall. "What are you going to do tomorrow when you have to talk to Sakura?"

"I'll talk to her!" Alfred sighs shaking his head, "I will in fact I'll…hell I'll tell her a poem."

Matthew looks over at him as they walk out to the jeep, "A poem? Like what a Shakespearian one or a haiku?"

"Well I was thinking…of I don't know forget it." He says cramming his cold hands into his jacket pockets, "It was just an idea."

Matthew takes his arm, "No it's a good idea…what poem did you have in mind?"

Sliding into the seat Alfred thinks for a moment, "Well I like Robert Frost but I don't know if she's into the whole road less traveled thing." As his brother starts the car Alfred chuckles, "Laugh and the whole world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone. For the sad old earth must borrow its own mirth, but has trouble enough of its own. Sing and the hills will answer; sigh and it's lost on the air. The echoes bound to a joyful sound, but shrinks from voicing care."

Matthew looks over, "That doesn't sound like Frost."

"It's not it's Ella Wilcox."

"What's it called?"

"Solitude."

Matthew lets out a deep laugh, "Don't tell her that one no matter how well you know it."

"Aww." The other snickers, "Fine I won't but it's a good poem."

It's late by the time a lone blue car crawls to a stop in front of the small home. Arthur opens his door and grabs his bag before slowly walking up the door. He's filled with mixed emotion and half of him wants to get back in the car and drive to a hotel for the night but the other part of him wants to sleep in his marital bed once again. Just as he reaches for the door knob the door swings open as his older brother motions to be quiet.

Looking past his brother he can see a white haired teen asleep on the couch, "That's Gilbert and he's staying for a few more days." Allistor whispers leading the way upstairs, "And the twins are in bed…I thought you weren't going to show."

"Well to be honest I wasn't sure myself." The blonde man says as soon as they walk into his bedroom, "…it looks like I never left."

Allistor nods picking up his bag, "You seem surprised that they wouldn't touch it." He slings it over his shoulder, "They know I'm leaving but they don't know that you're here so I'll let yah do that tomorrow morning."

"What? Allistor you can't leave now I…what the bloody hell do I say to them?"

The red haired man chuckles warmly, "Simple little brother…start with good morning then go from there but just let them cook breakfast." With that he walks out and into the cold night.

Arthur sighs as he opens his bag not sure if he can say that or if they'll even want to speak to him at all. He looks down at the two stuffed animals staring up at him before he picks them up and carries them out. Slowly he opens Alfred's door and peaks in at his sleeping face. Without saying a word he slips in and places the small grey rabbit into his son's arms before sneaking out again to Matthew's door. Alfred opens his eyes as the door closes to find his rabbit, "Fluff?" He says sleepily instantly knowing what the old rabbit means... his father is home.