Convey [Hetalia]

❥ chapter II

Matthew almost dropped the box he was carrying when you suddenly emerged from the sea of people right in front of him. "O-Oh, hello, [Nickname]! If I'd known you were coming, I would've picked you up from the airport." His voice was as quiet and gentle as always. "How are you?"

You reached over the box in his arms to give him a hug. "Fantastic since I've seen you, especially after such a long time!" you warbled, which caused a delightful blush to appear on his cheeks. "And you?"

"Me too." He glanced past you, probably expecting Tim to be somewhere nearby, but when he couldn't find him, a confused frown crossed his face. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, where's your brother? He didn't tell me you would deliver the tulips in his stead—n-not that I mind, of course! I'm really glad to see you again." He offered you a shy smile that melted your heart.

"Oh, he's still on his way here because his flight got delayed. And to be completely honest with you"—you looked around in a conspicuously secretive manner, then leaned in, lowering your voice to a conspiratorial whisper—"I'm not even supposed to be here."

He looked genuinely surprised. "Why not?"

"Being the overprotective and at times overbearing brother that he is, he doesn't want me to get myself a boyfriend, and that's why he tried to prevent me from coming here and meeting someone he knows I have a crush on. But he can't tell me what to do, so here I am."

You could almost hear the wheels turning in his head as he considered your words and their implication. A look of realization dawned on his face, his eyes widening. At the same time, he broke out in a sudden (but not at all unexpected) blush. Immediately afterwards, his expression shifted, now caught between confusion and incredulity, as if he just couldn't believe his ears. He opened his mouth—

"Yo, [Nickname], dude!" Next thing you knew, someone slammed into you at full tilt, engulfing you in a bear hug so tight that you literally lost your breath for a second. "It's so good to see you again! We should really do a movie night again sometime. I bet you still got nightmares from that horror movie last time, don'tcha?"

You jabbed Alfred in the chest. "Look who's talking, dude! Wasn't it you who was shaking like a leaf during the entire movie? My hand was still sore the next day because you gripped it so tightly!" Laughing, you returned his hug. "But yeah, we totally have to!"

He pulled away, holding you by the shoulders at arm's length. "Dude, like, Allie called earlier and told me everything. I gotta say, she's got some balls to relieve your bro of his money and show him up like that!" He roared with laughter. "You really showed him! Proud of ya, [Nickname]!"

"You do realize that what you two did landed you in hot water, don't you?" someone said. You would recognize that British accent anywhere.

You lifted your shoulders in an indifferent shrug. "It's a small price to pay."

"I think 'e deserved it," another person chipped in, distinctly French. "'e dared to stand in the way of love and got what was coming to 'im, c'est aussi simple que ça."

"I don't care what you think, frog."

"[Nickname] does, though."

"Regrettably, yes."

Arthur and Francis walked up to the three of you. They were coming from the direction of Commissioners Park, apparently helping to bring the boxes with the tulip bulbs into the park where the bulbs would soon be planted on the shores of Dow's Lake. Arthur was scowling at Francis, who didn't pay him any mind and just smiled at you.