Antonio had shown up the next day, worrying over his Lovi and hanging around like a mother hen.

Gilbert himself was very unhappy. Antonio was his friend, but he was so obsessed with the bad-tempered Italian that it was annoying to see them together. Instead the pale man moped around on his living room couch while his brother flitted around, dusting hutches and mantlepieces. Perhaps he was being cynical, but everyone was annoying him today. He knew his brother got compulsive with cleaning when he was upset about something, but Gilbert had his own problems and didn't really want to talk to Westen about Ivan. Just thinkng about the Russian made his blood boil.

So instead he diverted his attention to a more deserving party: or particularly a Canadian highschooler. Matthew was in his senior year and would be out of school soon, and Gilbert had planned on taking advantage of that at his first chance. Of course, that was impossible now that both Francis and Mattie wanted nothing to do with him.

The confrontation last night had not at all gone as Gilbert had expected. Of course, he'd never expected Matthew to be the one he'd have to fight that night; perhaps England or that new Cuban kid. But when Matthew had shown up in the doorway, Gilbert had lost his resolve to win. All intentions of killing Francis and other Allied members had flown out the window the second his ruby eyes had met violet ones. Hell, when the Frenchman had provoked him he'd even dropped his knife and instead opted with a more personal punch to the face. The switchblade was so precious to him and yet with his Birdie in the room, it had become something so offending it was abandoned like nothing. This perturbed him greatly.

It was with this realization that Gilbert decided he should probably talk to Antonio. If anyone knew about unrequitted love, it was that man. The Spaniard was a neutral party anyways, keeping friendships intact with both him and Francis. Perhaps he could get a word in with the others if he understood the situation.

Of course, tearing Antonio from Lovino was a feat few could pull off. Gilbert, however, prided himself in his abilities, and after much whining and lots of yelling, the brunette was sat across from the albino on the couch. Ludwig, thankfully, left the room after fluffing the throw pillows. After making sure his brother was gone and couldn't hear any of the ensuing conversation, Gilbert got straight to the point. "I'm in love."

Antonio, to his credit, took this information well and simply stared. His mouth slowly dropped open and he eventually stated, "You're joking."

Gilbert rolled his eyes and scoffed. Really, was this so hard to believe? "I am not. I'm in love."

"Gilbert, you can't fall in love with a mirror." Antonio remarked, giving him a look that spelled dead seriousness. Honestly, was this so hard to believe? Sure, Gilbert knew he was a jerk and that he might have a slight ego complex, and that he also was a little perverted in the head when it came to both sex and violence, but he wasn't always an unfeeling asshole. Just most of the time.

"Goddamnit Toni, I'm talking about someone other than myself." Gilbert responded resolutely. The green-eyed man would believe him, once he realized just how deep this feeling ran. "It's... a bit of a problem. It's Canada."

Antonio was silent for a few seconds, filing through his memory. Eventually he sighed, looking apologetic as he admitted, "I'm afraid I don't recall who that is."

"He's an Ally."

This got Antonio's attention. He started forward on the couch, a noise of exclamation protruding from his mouth. "You're... oh man." Antonio shook his head back and forth and fixed his gaze on his old friend. He searched for a minute before finding what he was looking for. "You're serious." Antonio's eyes roamed over him for a few seconds more before he continued, "You're fucked, man. Who else knows?"

Gilbert sighed and reluctantly admitted, "No one. Maybe Francis. He's not happy about our friendship."

"Ok I hate to be that guy but Gil, I have no idea who this person is." This was said ruthlessly, and Gilbert found himself a little angry. Nobody seemed to know Mattie.

"His name's Matthew Williams. Looks like Alfred only not really, his hair's longer and a little wavier. Darker eyes." Gilbert explained, daydreaming for a second of the other's eyes. He loved them, they were so unusual, much like Gilbert's own. "And before you ask, they're not twins."

Antonio, still obviously lost, shrugged his shoulders and stood up from the couch. "Sorry, still no idea. I dunno if I can help you, man. I would say... give it up."

If Gilbert wasn't angry with Antonio's lack of knowledge about his own best friend's younger brother, he was angry at his last statement. "How can you possibly say that?" Gilbert spat, surging forward in his seat. "You still flirt with Lovino even though he rejects you daily! And yet you think you have the balls to tell me to just give up on this? No way. No fucking way."

Antonio held his hands up in surrender and backed up a step, right into the couch. "Sorry! But seriously, if Ludwig finds out about this he's not gonna be happy."

Gilbert's thoughts went intstantly to his little brother. The blonde loved him, that was for sure. They fought a lot and most of the time annoyed each other, but Ludwig still looked up to him. Infact, the German's unending devotion to him made Gilbert breifly reconsider his feelings for a certain Canadian. He'd known Mattie for 3 months, and that might be stretching it a little. There was no way he felt at all the way Ludwig did for him, and he'd known Ludwig his whole life.

But then he thought of Matthew's eyes, lips, and smile. And he knew what he wanted.

"I met him in gradeschool, when we were just stupid children. Gilbert wasn't very popular, I was... too frivilous, and Antonio talked to anything that moved. We all became friends easily." Francis started, sipping at the tea his husband had made for them while they chilled out in the sitting room. The laundry was, as always, running next door. Matthew had anxiously begged his older brother to tell him about Gilbert, and Francis couldn't say no to his little brother's adorable pouting face. "Gilbert, well... he's albino, you know? You can imagine childhood wasn't easy for him. People back home weren't as laid back as everyone here. And they weren't particularly nice to people who weren't exactly like them."

Matthew felt a pang of sadness in his heart. It must not have been easy for someone like Gilbert. "So anyways," Francis continued, gesturing with his cup, "He didn't take it well. I mean, for the most part he ignored the insults, but the occasional outburst gave away how much it really bothered him." Francis's eyes turned down to stare into his tea. "Me and Antonio didn't really pay it much attention though. I mean, he seemed fine, most of the time."

His eyes stayed on his beverage as he went on, a pained expression on his face. "He attempted suicide at 14. I never heard any of the details about how, but I heard he was found by his little brother. After that, well... Gilbert had always been brash and violent, which got worse after therapy. But Ludwig changed greatly. They were really close as kids, Gilbert looked after Ludwig more than their own father did. So you can imagine finding your role model broken and bleeding on the floor at the young age of 10 must have been traumatizing. And after getting out of the detention center, Gilbert didn't really... turn for the better. He became bitter, and developed this superiority complex. The Psychiatrist said it was to cover up how inferior he really felt, but you know how he is. He truly believes he's awesome and the world is at his fingertips. A year after his attempt, he formed a gang. I'm sure you've heard of the Teutonic Knights." Matthew had. They were well known back in his hometown for their acts against the law, which they considered justified for their mistreatment. "He led that gang for 1 and a 1/2 years. At the same time, Ludwig started getting into fights at school."

Matthew was surprised at this. Sure, Germany led the Axis and was pretty ruthless when it came to stealing Allied territory, but he was a calm and calculating kind of guy. He'd gotten angry at times, but it was always to keep order. Francis rose his eyebrows at his little brother's reaction. "Listen, don't let Germany fool you." He said seriously, looking his little brother in the eyes. "There's a lot of hatred in him for a regular 16 year old kid. You've seen him angry, but you've never seen him when he's really in action. The kid's ruthless, especially when it comes to his brother."

"...Speaking of ruthless, I need some suggestions." Francis said, perking up. He leaned forward a bit, his mouth getting close to Matthew's ear as he whispered, "Arthur refuses to try BDSM with me. And if we can't do that, how else am I supposed to spice up our sex life?" Matthew sat stunned for a while, and eventually he blinked twice before getting up and walking towards the door.

"Wait!" Francis cried, outstreching his arm towards the Canadian. "I'm sorry! Come back!"

Matthew settled back down on the couch and gave his brother a look of reproach before he let Francis go on. "Sorry." The Frenchman apologized again. "Anyways... all those fights Ludwig got into his freshman year were for his brother. Gilbert didn't know this, of course. As far as he knew or cared, Ludwig was turning out like him. When he did find out though, he didn't waste any time. He gathered the Knights and marched straight to the household of Ludwig's last enemy. Ludwig followed, insisting he had to be there. They couldn't fight the kid, he was underage and besdies that in the hospital because of Ludwig, so Gilbert took on the older brother: his senior by 4 years. Gil didn't know until too late, but apparently the guy had called for help from a gang in the city over. What was supposed to be a gangbang turned into a brawl."

The boy across from Francis flushed. Gangbang? They were going to beat and then rape the guy? While this shouldn't have been a surprise, it kind of was. The Teutonic Knights were filled mostly with ex-convicts, people who'd either been to jail or some juvenile detention center, his albino friend apparently included. Rape probably wasn't out of the question for some of them.

"The gang over didn't know who they were fighting. The Knights ripped them apart. However, at some point one of the members on guard for Gilbert's brother had deserted Ludwig. Traded his own safety for the kid's. After the fight, when his little brother was unaccounted for, Gilbert flew off the handle." Francis's eyes roamed over Matthew's body, judging how much information to divulge. "Let's say this. Gilbert's a creative guy, and at the time he'd wanted to try out water torture. Another member stood up for the victim, and Gilbert slashed him to bits. He'd murdered 2 guys and made a game of it; the gang wasted no time kicking their leader out. They may have been convicts, but they stuck together. Gilbert's actions were a serious offense to them."

"Ludwig was found the next day with some lesser known member of the other gang, Ivan. Yes, our Ivan. Ludwig was unharmed, but Ivan refused to let him go without some form of punishment. So Gilbert traded himself. Ludwig went home that day, but Gil was unnaccounted for for months. When he finally turned up, he took legal custody of Ludwig and ran here. Antonio and I visited him from time to time, and over the past 3 years that they've been here, I met and married Arthur. You know that at the time, Alfred, Arthur, and Yao held influence over this city." Matthew did know this. Alfred wasn't exactly angry or violent, but he had a hero complex that sometimes went out of control. Everyone in the city knew him and respected his authority.

"We weren't the only ones who followed Gilbert here, though. Ivan stalked Gilbert for a while, and finally found him here last year. Ludwig, of course, knew Ivan and everything he'd supposedly done to Gilbert. He didn't like being seperated from his brother for so long, and he detested the state at which Gilbert had returned in. I hate to say that you and Alfred are the reason for all this fighting, but when Ludwig saw you 2 playing hockey with Ivan 11 months ago, he quickly formed the Axis and declared war on Alfred and his friends."

The last statement caught Matthew off guard. He was the reason? That simply wasn't possible. Surely Ludwig had overreacted. But then again, Arthur had nearly lost his arm - Matthew had heard that Prussia had lit him on fire in a sick bout of curiosity and fun. Alfred and Francis had nearly lost their heads. If Gilbert had been harmed and Ludwig was really as fond as Francis described, was it really that far of a stretch that he'd be so enraged?

Just thinking about what Gilbert had done to his brothers terrified him. Matthew had experienced first hand a side of Gilbert that made him absolutely livid and scared stiff. But last night was so different from that. Last night Gilbert had seemed scared himself. And all the times before that other than the time in the alleyway, Gilbert had been fun and carefree.

Still, Gilbert was a murderer and a psychopath. His personality seemed unstable, and while Matthew felt safe at the moment, he wasn't guarenteed to stay on solid ground forever. Nobody knew when the next thing would set Gilbert off.

Matthew understood why Francis wanted him to stay away. And he decided that he would.

A/N :/ So, while PruCan used to be my OTP, I started liking Germancest more after I started this story. It's just so much more dirty and angsty. Sorry.
So what I'm trying to say is, take that as brotherly devotion or more. Whatever you want, this story is still PruCan.
Anyways, I think I'm done with disclaiming. Everyone gets the idea.
And um... my determination to continue this story is waning. Just so you know.