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What Are Brothers For?

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What Are Brothers For?

June 30th 1997
Matthew walked through the long halls of his house trying to figure where he had packed away his favourite flag, the first he had made with the maple leaf on it. He was feeling pretty cheerful since Alfred had actually remembered his birthday this time and was now sleeping over alone with the rest of Matthew’s guests. He hoped he’d bought enough cake for everyone and that he’d have enough time to zip off to the beer store to grab something. Alfred would enjoy that since he was actually legal in his younger brother’s country (not that the American didn’t have a fake ID when he needed it.) Arthur would probably be pretty pleased too because Matthew knew how his father liked to drink. Whenever he visited, he would sneak a look into Matthew’s fridge, make a rude comment about how he prefers his own beer, but then ends up drinking half of the young Canadian’s supply without permission. Gilbert wasn’t much different either although he didn’t make fun of the alcoholic beverage.
Actually, Matthew was getting a bit upset with Arthur recently. This was one of the few times he was able to get him to come to his birthday. Arthur always made the same excuse: “If I go to your birthday party, Alfred will be there and ask me to go to his and then I’ll have to because three days isn’t enough time to get sick.” Matthew thought it was pretty ridiculous that he still avoided Alfred’s Independence Day with all his might. Matthew was finding the Empire’s clingy lifestyles pretty fucking selfish.
Especially now that he only had one colony left, Hong Kong. Matthew knew that this year, England’s contract with China was expiring but Arthur was still doing his best to extend it. He called Yao nearly five times a day to try negotiations, to the point where the Asian nation probably left his phone off the hook to avoid him. Arthur was disturbingly desperate and it was actually this distraction that allowed Matthew to get him to join his celebrations this time because he just had fly over to London and nag him while he was on the phone until he said ‘yes’. And now he and Leon were sleeping over.
On his way to the storage room, Matthew would pass by the room Leon was staying in so he decided to stop and see how he was doing. When he knocked, he was let in by the young sulking colony.
“Hi,” Matthew said smiling. “I’d just like to thank you for coming over. I usually don’t get so many guests at my birthday party.”
“Arthur made me,” Leon said. “But you’re pretty nice so I didn’t mind.”
“I see. Well that’s kind of you. How do you like it here?” Matthew asked. “Is the room cool enough? It can get pretty hot this time of year, despite what some think.”
“It’s fine.”
“Okay…” Matthew was finding he didn’t have much to talk about with Leon. “Uh, um… You seemed a bit blue since you got here.”
“I’m fine.”
“Ah… Alright.” Matthew scratched his head. “If you need anything, just ask me, okay?”
Leon nodded and then Matthew left to find what he needed. When he got the tattered old flag, he carefully took it down to the living room and draped it over his fireplace. It was still only morning so some guests were still sleeping in so he was shocked when he was tackled from behind and kissed forcefully on the cheek.
Turning around in shock, he smiled. “Gilbert, good morning!”
“Morning, Birdie,” the Prussian said squeezing his boyfriend tightly. “Happy Birthday!”
“Nice try, but it’s tomorrow.”
Scheiβe, I thought I got it right this time…” Gilbert shrugged. “It’s easy to forget what day it is in the summer, don’t you think?”
“It is… Once my brother thought it was already his birthday on mine,” Matthew said. “It was pretty frustrating.”
Ja? Maybe you shouldn’t have gotten independence in the same month,” Gilbert suggested.
“My birthday isn’t my independence day, it’s the day my provinces formed a dominion,” Matthew said.
“Well, there’s your problem. You should have made it your independence day so that it isn’t so close to your brother’s.”
“Too late for that. We already celebrate Dominion Day way more and people think it is my Independence Day,” Matthew said. “It just wouldn’t work out.”
“Alright, alright,” Gilbert said. “Well, I’ll get it right tomorrow, I promise.”
“I trust you.”
Gilbert kissed him again, this time on the lips and then hoisted him into his arms bridal style.
“Wh-what are you doing?!” Matthew asked.
“Let’s go swimming,” Gilbert said.
“Oh no, Gilbert! Please, I’m fully dressed!”
Gilbert ignored him before running out of the house. Sprinting to the lakefront, he chucked the Canadian into the water. When he came up for breath, Matthew swore in both his languages, shivering as he tried to swim back to shore. Unfortunately, his clothes weighed him down so Gilbert jumped in and stopped him from getting out.
“Gil, you suck!” Matthew complained. “Let me out!”
“No, it’s nice!” Gilbert said, his teeth chattering like crazy. “Fuck, it’s cold…”
“Yeah, so let’s get out!” Matthew said doing his best to get out of the Prussian’s grip. “Polar dipping is evil.”
“Wuss. I think a true Canadian could handle this…” Gilbert taunted. “Maybe, you’re not Canada… Maybe I’m Canada, how about that?”
Matthew stopped struggling and glared at him. “I’m. Canada.”
Gilbert smiled maliciously. “Prove it.”
Matthew paused and then began to strip.
Ja! That’s what I’m talking about!” Gilbert said, following example. They both tossed their shirts onto the shore. “Come on, pull off the shorts…”
Matthew took them off and flung them to the grass as well. Then Gilbert dove under and pulled the Canadian’s boxers off, causing him to squeal.
“No! Gilbert!” Matthew resisted but it was too late. Gilbert pulled the rest of his own clothes off and tossed the heap to the shore.
“Yup, you’re Canada,” Gilbert said. “Now, hold me… It’s cold…”
Matthew snickered and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend in a stark naked hug. Then he kissed him passionately, pushing them both down underwater. When they came up, Gilbert grinned like a lunatic. “I think there is one thing we could do to make it even warmer…”
“Oh yeah?” Matthew said. “What’s that?”
“You’ll see…” Gilbert kissed him again.
However, seconds later, someone yelled “Cowabunga!” and both lovers were pelted by a large splash.
While Gilbert sputtered from accidentally swallowing water, Matthew glared at the new swimmer to join them. “Alfred, come on!”
The American grinned as he pushed his wet hair out of his face. “Why didn’t you tell me we were going skinny-dipping this morning?”
“Because it’s a private swim,” Matthew sighed.
“More like a privates’ swim,” Gilbert added before Matthew pushed him under the water.
“Man, polar dipping sure is fun,” Alfred said, ignoring what they said and swimming around. “Hey, I’ll race you to that island over there!”
“Yeah, no,” Matthew said thinking about how he would look, swimming with his naked butt in the air. “I’ll pass.”
Matthew decided Gilbert was feeling stupid today because the Prussian accepted the challenge and the two of them went to get ready at the dock. At Matthew’s signal, they started and Alfred took off like a torpedo. Gilbert was left behind quickly and gave up a quarter of the way there, casually swimming back to his boyfriend like nothing happened.
“Embarrassed?” Matthew asked.
Nein,” Gilbert said. “Now we have time to ditch him.”
“I see.”
They grabbed their clothes and went back in the house to get dry. They had to sneak around to avoid anyone who was waking up because they didn’t want to put wet clothes back on. However the trip back to Matthew’s bedroom was once again past Hong Kong’s room and Leon was just leaving it when they walked by.
“Gah! Leon!” Matthew said covering his private area with his drenched clothing. “I’m sorry! We were just… I’m so sorry!”
Leon just shrugged and walked down the hallway in the opposite direction. Matthew watched him go and turned beat red before grabbing Gilbert by the arm and running down the hall to his bedroom. Slamming the door shut behind him, he panted. Gilbert flopped onto the bed still completely exposed. “Well, he was weird…”
“I don’t think he was the weird one in that situation,” Matthew said pulling open his drawers to find underwear. “Put your clothes on.”
“Aw, I’m still in the mood,” Gilbert said pointing down at himself.
“How can you be after that? Do you have no sense of humility?”
“No, probably not.” Gilbert rolled over and went through his suitcase to find something to wear. “But you have to admit, that kid was a bit strange.”
“Well, he’s a bit down today I think, so just don’t pester him, okay?” Matthew asked pulling on his clean boxers. “He lives with England so he’s kind of like a brother to me.”
“I see. Than that’s maybe his problem. I’d probably be down too if I lived with that tight ass.”
“Gilbert, that’s my family you’re talking about, so be careful,” Matthew ordered.
Ja, I know, okay? Geez…” Gilbert put on a pair of pants and then dried off his hair. “Matt, don’t put a shirt on; it’s too hot.”
“My body or the weather?” Matthew asked.
“Cheeky… Both.”
“Why thank you. But I’m putting a shirt on,” Matthew said. “I look too scrawny compared to you.”
“You do not. You look cute.”
Matthew pouted. “I’m not cute. I’m a man.”
“You’re cute. And I love that about you.”
Matthew blushed but pulled on a T-shirt anyway. “I’m going to make breakfast. Put a shirt on.”
Nein.
Matthew rolled his eyes and trotted downstairs to the kitchen, his shirtless partner following right behind him. When he got there, Leon was already at the counter trying to figure out how Matthew’s coffee maker worked.
“Oh, Leon! If you wanted coffee, you could just ask me to make it,” he said. “I was about to brew some for all of us,” Matthew said.
“You don’t know how to make it,” Leon said.
Matthew tilted his head. “Of course I know how to make coffee.”
“Not my kind,” Leon said.
“And what’s that?”
“Yuanyang. Arthur calls it ‘coffee tea’. He doesn’t like it.”
“Oh,” Matthew said. “What’s it made of?”
“Coffee and milk tea,” Leon said. “Do you have condensed or evaporated milk?”
“Uh… Yes, actually! For camping trips,” Matthew said going to his pantry. He pulled out a can. “Here you are. If I make the coffee part for you, could you make me some, um, ying…”
“Yuanyang,” Leon said smiling a bit. “Sure.”
“Me too,” Gilbert said. “Uh, please.”
Leon nodded and started the tea part while Matthew made black coffee. Gilbert sat at the kitchen table watching them work. Eventually, the beverage was made and passed around.
Matthew took a sip. “Oh, this is quite tasty!”
“It’s good,” Gilbert said.
Leon’s smile grew a bit. “Really?”
“Yeah, I’m serious,” Matthew said. “It’s delightful! Thank you. Can it be served cold?”
“Yeah, like, definitely,” Leon said. “I totally prefer it that way sometimes.”
“Well I’d like to try it that way sometime too,” Matthew said smiling.
“Me too,” Gilbert repeated.
Leon looked pretty delighted but fell silent again as he sipped his drink.
Soon Alfred came back inside, wrapped in a towel. “Hey, dudes! You completely ditched!”
“Sorry, Al,” Matthew said. “We came in to try Leon’s coffee tea.”
“Coffee tea?” He took a sip of Matthew’s cup. “Huh. That’s interesting…”
“You don’t, like, have to like it,” Leon said.
“Naw, it’s cool,” Alfred said before going into the fridge. “But I’d rather have a beer right now…”
“Alfred, it’s eleven in the morning!” Arthur said walking in to the kitchen behind him. “That would be terribly irresponsible.”
“Oh look who’s talking, you… Oh man, what’s that word you said, Mattie? Um… Hoser! That’s it!”
Matthew smirked a bit.
“I’m not an alcoholic, Alfred,” Arthur said. “I’m not the German in the room.”
“Prussian,” Gilbert corrected. “And I know my limit…”
“Yeah, your limit is when the clock strikes noon the next day,” Arthur scoffed.
“Is not!”
“It is so.”
“No fighting!” Matthew said. “Not on the eve of my birthday!”
“Okay, okay…” Arthur turned and only just noticed his colony. “Leon! Just the boy I wanted to talk to… Could you call Yao for me?”
“No.”
“But he hangs up if he hears my voice…”
“Your fault.”
“Leon, call him now please.”
Leon glared at the Englishman before standing and walking over to the home phone. To Matthew’s dismay, he pounded the number in and waited. After a few seconds it was answered. “Hey, teacher? Yeah… Like, England wants to talk to you…” He turned to Arthur and shrugged. “He hung up.”
“Well of course he did! You weren’t supposed to say I wanted to talk to him,” Arthur said.
“Oh.” Leon called again. “Yeah, England doesn’t want to talk to you… I don’t know… It’s actually totally warm in Canada… Oh, you’ve been here?,,, British Columbia…Okay, I’ll visit there maybe. Yeah, bye.”
Arthur glared at him. “You were supposed to ask about the contract.”
“You didn’t tell me to.”
Arthur just stared at him for a few seconds then turned and walked away.
“Wow…” Alfred said breaking the awkward silence. He slapped a hand on Leon’s back. “I like this kid.”
“Arthur really bothers you, doesn’t he?” Matthew asked Leon. “Well, you only have little while left with him, don’t you?”
Leon nodded. “That’s if he doesn’t manage to extend it…”
“Oh, chin up, Leon,” Matthew said. “We had you smiling a while ago. It was a relief.”
Leon gave a small smirk.
“There it is…” Matthew said beaming. “Now, I’m going to start breakfast, Alfred’s going to put some pants on and Gilbert can wake our other guests, alright?”
“Got it!” Alfred said before he and Gilbert ran upstairs. As soon as breakfast was finished, more of Matthew’s friends and family joined them in the kitchen: Russia, Denmark, Ukraine, Netherlands, France, Australia, New Zealand and Cuba. Breakfast was eaten and then most of the day was spent lounging around, swimming, and briefly playing some Canadian trivia in which Matthew didn’t play and everyone gave up on within fifteen minutes. Alfred was feeling pretty glad because he was the only one to answer a single question right, by randomly guessing ‘Wayne Gretzky’ on a hockey question. After a while of playing video games after that, it was getting pretty late so most of the jetlagged nations headed off to bed. Matthew however took a little excursion without telling anyone before returning home and going to sleep.

July 1st 1997

The next morning’s breakfast was many servings of pancakes accompanied with maple bacon and a tall glass of McIntosh apple juice. Not a single taste bud went unsatisfied and Matthew was ever so content just having so many people at his breakfast table. Just to see the reactions, he suggested playing the trivia game again, but there were unanimous grunts and polite declines. Instead, they took boats out to the island Alfred had raced to the day before. Setting up a picnic and a fire to roast lunch, the group spent most of the time swimming again and exploring a bit. The first unofficial birthday gift was given by Gilbert to Matthew behind a tree on the other side of the little island and when they returned to the camp with their hair a bit ruffled, there was a faint ‘hon hon hon’ from one side of the fire.
“Gift time!” Alfred declared once everyone had sat down after retrieving their presents from the boats. “Open mine first, Mattie!”
“Oh, okay,” Matthew said receiving the box. Opening it he tilted his head. “Assassin’s Creed 3. Uh… Al…”
“Yeah?”
“I made this game.”
“Really?!”
“Yes, we’ve discussed this.”
“No we haven’t. Why would you make it all about me?”
Matthew just sighed and thanked him for the gift before putting it aside. He then received a scarf from Russia and Ukraine, Danish beer from Denmark, a XXXXX for XXXXX from France, a life sized stuffed sheep from New Zealand, a model windmill form the Netherlands, a boomerang from Australia, and three sweater vests from England.
“My gift is in your freezer,” Cuba said.
“No way,” Matthew said, his eyes lighting up. “Ice cream?”
“What else could it be?”
“Thanks so much!” Matthew said giving him a hug.
“My gift for you is back at the house, too,” Leon announced. “I didn’t want it too, like, fall out of the boats and get wet.”
“Oh, really?” Matthew said. “We should go back… But actually, I think the island has a gift.”
Everyone stared at him like ‘you creepy tree hugging mofo, what are you talking about?’ (except Australia who was pretty one with nature himself.) Matthew stood up and pulled a shovel out of a boat and started digging in the sand a few meters away. Suddenly, he reached into the hole and pulled out a box.
“Here we are,” he said sitting back down at the fire. “What could it be?”
He opened it and pulled out a plane ticket.
“You bought yourself a vacation?” Gilbert said. “I thought your brother and France were the narcissists…”
“Hm…” Matthew checked the box dramatically. “Oh dear, this isn’t for me… ‘From Matthew, to Leon’.”
Leon’s eyes widened. “For me?”
Matthew gave him the ticket and Leon read it. “A ticket home?”
“Within the last week,” Matthew said, “Many of you asked me what I wanted for my birthday. But I didn’t really know so I left it to you. But now I know what I want I hope you,” he looked at Arthur, “can grant this wish for me.”
“Me?” Arthur asked.
“Yes,” Matthew said placing a hand on Leon’s shoulder. “I want you to let Leon go home. That’s my birthday wish.”
Arthur gaped. “But, Matthew… This has nothing to do with you.”
“Of course it does,” Matthew said. “Look, ever since Alfred left you, you’ve been seriously possessive over anyone who comes under your rule and it really needs to stop. You let the rest of us go, so why cling so hard to Leon? Not only does he deserve separation like us, he has family back home that are waiting for him. The rest of us didn’t even really have to deal with that; I had Alfred and Australia and New Zealand had each other. This isn’t fair to him.”
“Matthew, you really don’t have to do this for me,” Leon said.
“Yes. I do,” Matthew said. “Because the second Arthur took you in, you became my brother and I can’t stand around while my family is subject to this. Arthur, see reason.”
Arthur stared at him for a minute. Then he stood and paced around the camp. He stopped by the fire again and looked from Matthew to Leon and back again before closing his eyes.
“Alright, fine…”
“Fine what?” Matthew asked.
“Fine, he can go home. I won’t try to extend our contract.”
“Yes!” Matthew said standing and hugging him. “Thank you, Dad!”
Arthur sighed and patted his back. “I hate you right now…”
“I know but it’s alright.” Matthew turned around grabbed a bucket of water and doused the fire. “Let’s go back, ‘kay?”
Everyone agreed and they went back to the house. Once there, Leon went to fetch his gift to Matthew which was in a large long box.
“What’s this?” Matthew asked as he unwrapped and looked at the foreign writing on it.
“Fireworks,” Leon said.
“You didn’t have to. I have fireworks,” Matthew said.
“You don’t have Hong Kong fireworks,” Leon said smirking.
“Are those even legal?” Arthur asked sceptically.
Leon shrugged.
“Well, thank you so much, Leon,” Matthew said giving him a hug. “Let’s have dinner and then light these babies up!”
As soon as the night sky was visible, the birthday party camped outside in backyard to start the show.
That night, everyone had to agree that they were watching one of the best firework shows they had ever witnessed.
Ship featured: PruCan

This is a late Canada/Hong Kong Day special fanfic I made that is terribly historically incorrect but really just meant to be cute. Took me way too long to write but here it is. Happy... CanaKong Day?

NA Brother's Birthdays: [link]

All Hetalia characters (c) Hidekaz Himaruya
© 2013 - 2024 Lupoartistico
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Prowls-little-angle2's avatar
this is absouletly amaizng