Boots

Thirty

"So, how did you and Feli meet?" Matthew asked Ludwig as he downed his fifth beer. He was feeling buzzed and it was nice. The last time he had gotten this drunk was when he brought Gil home that one time.
"It was a few years ago in college. Gilbert and I went to this coffee shop and he was there. Bruder was the one to point him out to me and..." Ludwig blushed, "well, it was love at first sight."
"Awe! Luddy!" Feliciano kissed Ludwig on the cheek.
"And what about Lovino and Antonio?"
"It's a dumb story." Lovino sighed.
"I'll tell it!" Antonio grinned. "Gilbert threw a party and invited Feli and Ludwig and me and Feli invited Lovi and then we got plastered and made out in Gilbert's hot tub."
"That's some Shakespeare shit." Matthew took another sip of his drink. "So, Gilbert hooks people up, then?"
"Why? Are you looking?" Gilbert asked, laughing loudly.
"I'm not."
"Cuz I am a love guru."
"For everybody but himself." Antonio teased.
"Hey! I dated Roderich since high school. We were engaged."
"And then after you broke up you hooked everybody else up. See?"
"Ugh."
"Honestly, bruder, I think Roderich was the best you ever could have done." Ludwig stated.
Matthew felt a twist in his stomach at those words and he didn't know why.
"Nah. We weren't gonna work out anyway. He was too stuck up."
"He kept you out of trouble. Nobody's done that before."
"Nobody's tried."
"Anyway, Matthew, I'm sorry for saying all this in front of you." Ludwig apologized. "How did you meet Gil?"
"Oh...I...Uhm..." Matthew stammered. "We're not...actually...Uhm...we're not dating."
"Really? I thought you were!" Feliciano chirped.
"Why?" Matthew asked, feeling angry.
"It's the way he's been eyeing you all night."
"What?! Nein!!!" Gilbert put his face down but Matthew could still see the flaming blush on his cheeks.
"Well, it's getting late. I'm going to bed. Gut naught." Ludwig stood, taking Feliciano by the hand.
"Gut naught."
"Buenos noches."
"Buon notte."
"Uh...night." Matthew muttered. "Bon nuit."
"We should crash, too. Right Antonio?" Lovino turned to his Spaniard, lifting an eyebrow suggestively.
"Si. I'm always a slut for a siesta."
"You better be a slut for something." Lovino pulled Antonio down the hall to their room.
"What about you?" Gilbert asked Matthew.
"I want to get a few more beers in me first." The Canadian admitted. "Do you have any food?"
"Luddy did some baking so we've got enough cupcakes to feed the German army."
"So...not enough cupcakes to win a World War?"
"Ow. But Ja. You're right."
"Who cares if it's not enough for that. It's enough for me."
"I'll get you some."
Gilbert left for the kitchen and Matthew finished off his beer, reaching for another one. By the time he had opened it on the coffee table, Gil had returned with a heaping plate of cupcakes.
"Those do not look like something Ludwig made."
"He has a soft side, Matthew. He's not muscles to the core."
"He looks like muscles to the core."
"That's because I taught him to work out."
Matthew smirked, reaching for a cupcake. He took one and ate it in two bites.
"You can fit quite a bit in your mouth, can't you?" Gilbert whistled, impressed.
"Rrrrr." Matthew growled, swallowing the mouthful begrudgingly.
"You've got icing on your cheek." Gilbert reached out and dabbed the icing off, licking it from his finger.
Matthew felt his face go hot and his breath hitched.
"Thanks..."
He couldn't ignore the tension between them, the strong force pulling them together. Gilbert put one hand on Matthew's cheek and the other on his stomach, gently pushing him onto the floor. Their lips locked in an electric kiss that lasted far longer than Matthew should have allowed.
They pulled away, breathless and panting.
"We shouldn't do this." Matthew whispered.
"You're right." Gilbert's words were reluctant. "I'll take the couch for the night. You can have my bed."
"Yeah..." Matthew got up, heading toward the bedroom. "I'll see ya in the morning."
"Sleep well."
"Will do." This was a bad idea, indeed.