A/N: Welp, after a few years, I've finally revisited this fic and rewritten it/have it mostly completed. I should be updated this once a week on Thursdays! Hope you enjoyed this version, I feel that it's a lot better than the first version I wrote back in like, what, 2012? lol.
Thanks for reading in advance!
Chapter Two: September 24th
Matthew quietly laughed to himself, pausing the video he was watching to roll over and look up at the ceiling. He had only watched a few, but was already feeling an itch to get up and do something that involved going outside. He glanced at the window, watching a few leaves flutter past from one of the trees planted around the dormitory building.
That was all it took before Matthew decided to stand up and grab his oversized sweatshirt off the desk chair, pulling it over his head and over his somewhat wrinkled school uniform. Swinging his book bag over his shoulder, he walked towards the door only to stop when he realized his keys were still on his desk. Mentally scolding himself for being prone to forgetting them, he picked them up and made sure to hold them until he was out of the door. He had made that mistake so many times he was sure that Lovino would get mad if he called him to get the door opened. Especially now that he was with Antonio getting lunch. That just spelled out 'annoyed Lovino.'
Once he was all the way outside of the dorm, he placed his keys in his pocket and took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air. It was nice and peaceful outside, very few students wondering around since there were currently classes in session. The trees were already turning golden and falling off of branches onto the ground below. The campus was already very pretty with its brick buildings and gray stoned dormitories, but Matthew thought that it looked its best during autumn, when the colors seemed to melt together, and things started to get ready for their rebirth in spring.
Maybe a long walk around campus would sate the need to do something. If he found a nice quiet place to sit, he could people watch a bit.
After a few minutes he left behind the dormitory area and passed a small rose garden that was between the last dorm and a dining hall. The roses looked to be in their last moments, the petals of some already having fallen while the final ones were turning black at the edges and withering. Among the roses were white marble benches, a pretty white gravel path leading the way to them. According to some of the girls he knew, they were a perfect place to give a love confession to someone. To him, it was just a nice quiet place to rest and think for a while.
Although there were enough benches for quite a few people to sit at, he decided to give the two people currently sitting in the garden some privacy. There were other areas further ahead that he could sit at.
Letting his feet take him down the path he had memorized to the main buildings, Matthew pulled out his headphones from his bag, plugging them into his phone to listen to music. The cool breeze felt nice against his face as he slowly made way across the campus, a small, soft smile gracing his features as the music filled in the silence around him.
He reached the small area between the library and a common area for the students to relax in, sitting down on a wooden bench and setting his book bag off to the side. There would be another 20 minutes of silence before class was out and students would rush to the next one or back to their dorms for the day. It was nice to just have some time alone to think.
Matthew closed his eyes, letting the warmth of the sun contrast with the breeze and letting his thoughts run free in mind. He didn't know how long it had been, but after a while the feeling of warmth was gone, confusing him to the point of opening his eyes. There hadn't been clouds in the sky, had there? It had been clear all day.
When he opened his eyes, he was met with the sight of red eyes looking at him and startling him into dropping his phone.
"Gilbert?" he asked in a slight panic, "what are you doing?"
"Wondering what you're doing out here almost asleep," came the snickered reply from the boy in front of him. Gilbert was in the same year as him and was also one of his cousin Francis's friends. Matthew blushed, only able to watch as the other bent to pick up his phone and hand it back, but not before looking at the screen. "You listen to this band, too?"
Matthew could hear his own heart pound a bit faster. "Yeah, the music is a nice tone to it…"
"Hm…" Gilbert stroked at an imaginary beard, "it is an awesome band."
He didn't always talk to Gilbert, mainly because they were in mostly different classes and had a different set of friends. Sometimes it was just awkward to talk to him, like now when he wasn't expecting it at all. Still, when they did talk it was amazing at how much attention Gilbert paid to him despite not having much in common.
"Anyways, enough about that! I noticed you here and was going to ask if you wanted to go get coffee." Gilbert said loudly, pointing at him. "Antonio's MIA and Francis has a class at this time, so I thought it'd be good to grab lunch with you."
Confused, Matthew sputtered out "Actually, Antonio's eating lunch with Lovino. I'm sure there's other people you can eat with…"
"Naw, I'm asking you, Mattie."
"Mattie?"
Gilbert smiled, and held up a peace sign. "It fits you, doesn't it? Plus it's cute." Matthew sighed, letting him call him that. Gilbert was oddly fascinated by cute things though he didn't know or understand why. "So, how about it? There's this quiet little café just off of campus that makes the greatest donuts and other yummy pastries!"
"Okay…" he answered hesitantly. Matthew grabbed his book bag and stood up, glancing at Gilbert as he did so. "Which way?"
"Awesome! It's down this way. We just have to pass the dorms and once we get to the light we just have to cross the street and turn left." Gilbert grabbed his wrist and started walking quickly, making him stumble and have to play catch up. He laughed, before letting go and turned towards Matthew. "Why don't we race?"
Already slightly panting, Matthew stopped and shook his head. "No way, I don't even know where this place really is!" He watched as Gilbert tried to go through with the race before he stumbled on a root and barely caught himself making Matthew laugh. "See?"
"That didn't happen," he replied waiting for Matthew to catch up. He just smiled a little, and nudged Gilbert to lead the way to the café.
Gilbert hadn't been lying when he said the café was just off campus. It was a little place nestled between a bank and an antique shop, just about a block off of the main road to campus.
"Here we go," he said, holding the door open. Matthew just blinked, blushing a little before hurriedly going inside.
"You didn't have to do that."
"I was just trying to be polite, you know."
Matthew sighed a little, deciding to look around the café and unconsciously followed Gilbert to the ordering counter. It was very cozy looking, the walls painted a mocha color and all the furniture made of wood with cushioned seats.
"Mattie?"
"What?" He glanced at Gilbert, embarrassed that he hadn't heard the other, lost in taking in the place.
"I'd asked what you wanted." He gave a sly smile, effectively making Matthew blush a bit. He quickly looked up at the menu looking at what they had to offer before picking one of the simple orders under the 'favorites' list.
"A mocha latte and donut…" Was the quiet answer, a glance cast to the mocha colored tiles under them.
"Make that a maple bar instead of the donut. He hasn't tried them from here before!" Gilbert said, adjusting his order. Matthew just stared at him, wondering if he really wanted him to try them that badly.
"Right. That'll be a mocha latte, a vanilla latte, and two maple bars." Matthew's gaze snapped back up to see a middle aged women standing behind the counter. She had graying hair and wore a plaid cooking apron over what seemed to be a sky blue dress; she looked like she should have been in a book. "It'll be right out, Gilbert." She said warmly and retreated to making the coffees a ways away from the counter.
Gilbert led them to a small table and they sat down sitting opposite of each other. "How does she know your name?"
Gilbert laughed, leaning over to ruffle his hair. "I always come here! I'm like one of those preferred customers." Matthew ducked down, fixing his hair and taking a moment to let his cheeks stop being red. He was about to respond when the lady from the counter came over bearing two cream mugs filled with steaming liquid in one hand, and the two maple bars in the other, both on their own plates.
"Now, who's this Gilbert? Boyfriend?" She asked.
Blushing a bit and laughing, Gilbert answered a little subdued, "he's just a friend, Pam. This is Matthew."
"Well, if you say so. Enjoy the coffee boys."
After she went back to the counter, both of them stayed a bit quiet. Gilbert coughed, making Matthew look up quickly. "She's kind, but you shouldn't think too much of what she says." Matthew just nodded, understanding what he meant.
Trying not to meet Gilbert's eyes, he tentatively sipped at the coffee, it had a creamy and delicious taste he was certain he hadn't tasted in another drink. He smiled and took another sip of the warm liquid. "So do you like it?" Matthew looked up at Gilbert studying him with a playful smirk on his face. He just nodded again. Gilbert laughed and picked up one of the maple bars, tearing off a piece. "Now, you have to try this maple bar! It's the best I've ever had!"
Gilbert held out his hand. Matthew was about to reach forward and grab it, but he held it out of reach. "Nu-uh." He laughed waggling a finger. Shooting him a confused look, the Canadian moved his hand back.
"You just told me to try it, though?"
"I'm going to feed it to you!" He said like it was obvious that he was going to do so.
"…eh?"
"Come on! I don't bite." Matthew made a small noise and wrinkled his face. "Unless you want me to that is…"
"Gilbert!"
He laughed slightly at the other's face. "Fine, fine. It was only a joke, ya' know…" He popped the piece of donut into his mouth, chewing a bit before motioning towards Matthew. "Go on, try it!"
"I will, I will." Gilbert smiled and placed his chin in his hand. Matthew grabbed his own maple bar and lifted it up to take a bite out of it. The maple bar was delicious, its texture almost close to butter in his mouth.
"So, is it not the greatest maple bar ever?"
He mumbled incoherently for a bit, still chewing on a bite of donut before swallowing to answer. "It is, how did you find this place?"
"I knew you'd like this place!" Gilbert smiled, taking a long sip of his own coffee. "I found it by coincidence. I was just roaming around, looking for a music store when I first got here and ran into this place. I was kind of thirsty so I decided to drop in and I just fell in love the place." Gilbert stopped, almost as if he had remembered something. "Wait, earlier you said Antonio was with Lovino?"
Matthew nodded, "he came to our dorm and asked Lovino then."
"Damn, he's still after that Italian?"
"Huh, what do you mean?"
Gilbert sighed, "You do know how long they've known each other, right?"
"Since last year? Isn't that when everyone met each other."
"Most of us, yes. And some of us, kind of knew the others, family and that sort of thing. But Antonio and Lovino knew each other from childhood. Like, little, little kids."
Matthew just stared at him. Had they really known each other that long? "So they're childhood friends?"
"Yup."
That was something Matthew didn't know. But now that he did, he felt like he had to do something about it. "Hey, Gilbert?"
"Hm?" He was taking a sip, but quickly set down the cup.
"What if we sort of… pushed them together? Just helped a little to start dating?"
"Antonio with Lovino?"
Matthew nodded, it seemed like they both liked each other. And it would probably make Lovino feel happy.
"Count me in, I'd love to help a friend. But wouldn't it be better focus on your own love life?"
Blushing, Matthew shook his head, "No! I don't even have someone I like that way!"
"Really…" Gilbert studied his face, but seemed okay with the answer and sighed, "Okay, but we'll have to plan this…"