"So why are we here again?" Gilbert asked in a low harsh whisper from the privacy of their navy blue camping tent. His childish whine was ignored by the blond that was unrolling their sleeping bags. Outside there were two other navy blue tents, one for Alfred and Arthur, and the other for Kiku and Heracles. They where somewhere deep in the woods of Michigan; far from any road, human life, and running water. Alfred had called it Operation Green, aka, getting in touch with nature, aka , finally get the balls to ask out Arthur. Alfred had this planed out for a few years. He had all kind of things planed in his mind for them to do. He even had a few secret ideas planned just for the Brit. "What's for dinner?" Gilbert mumbled and gave Matthew's thick wavy hair a small playful pull.

"Hey," Matthew smacked Gilbert getting him to let go of his hair, "I have no idea. Arthur said he would cook for us during the trip." the German's face fell and he became a ghostly pale. Matthew took one look at his face before laughing. "I was only kidding Gil. But I really don't have any idea what we're going to do for food. Al told me not to worry." He gave him a playful shove and Gilbert tackled him down to the floor. At that exact moment as Gilbert held down his wrists down the zipper of their tent was ripped down and they were pulled out. Matthew yelped in panic only to find his brother staring at him with a overconfident look in his blue eyes.

"Come on me and you are getting some fire wood." Alfred said ad pulled his brother off out of Gilbert's sight. The German look to see Kiku shoving a pole into his hands. He stared down at it puzzled. Kiku was holding one also, as well as the strong Greek man at his side. He look at the pole again as saw it was a fishing pole.

"What the hell am I going to do with this thing?" Gilbert said backing up in the open space between two of the tents that made a 'c' around a small nest of gray stone that would later become their fire pit. For some strange reason there weren't any bugs nipping at their skin around the tents. And past the pine and cottonwood trees was a large lake that had a good size island in the center. There was also a small stream hidden by some lovely willow trees that was filled with all kinds of fish. Heracles loop a arm around Gilbert and dragged him along to the stream.

"Your getting dinner with us." He said very slowly as he yawned slightly .

Alfred pulled and yanked his poor younger brother along deeper and deeper into the thick bundle of fully grown trees. Once he felt that they were far enough away from the others that they would be heard he stopped and faced his brother. "This year will be the year. I'm positive this time." Alfred smiled smugly. Matthew freed his arm and rolled his eyes. Alfred seemed so sure of himself like always.

"You've been saying that since you met him. What makes this time any different from the times you told me in middle school and high school and even the random phone calls in the middle of the night when we were going to collage." Matthew said remembering the long school years of his brother's little crush and every waking moment of having to hear 'today will be the day bro, I'll tell him this time.' And every time he got even close to asking Arthur out on a date he would just end up teasing him about his accent. Alfred pouted his lower lip out.

"But it is different this will be my first time trying to ask him as adult and not some hormonal teenager fighting a war against acne. It'll be easier after all we haven't seen each other since high school when he moved back to England." Alfred told him in a matter-of-fact kind of way. Matthew laughed remembering how his brother had locked him self in the room they share and just sat in the dark. He didn't come out for three days. "I mean Mat I'm not a kid anymore I think I know how to ask a person out on a date."

"I bet you the fifty buck in my pocket right now that once this trip is over both you and Arthur will be leaving just as single as the day you got here."Matthew said a smile coming across his face. He felt like he was finally going to win one of their stupid bets that they sometimes would make. However Matthew had just unknowingly played right into his brothers twist little game.

"I take your bet with one of my own." Alfred said with a smile and a poker face to kill for. Matthew lifted a eyebrow. "If I win then you have ask out that damn Nazi you brought with ya. Its totally obvious you have the hots for him bro. I mean really you could try to hide it a little more. Really why did you bring him along." Alfred said and chuckled to himself. Matthew blushed and look away and grumbled something.

"We have a deal. And don't call him a Nazi...and I don't like Gil! I'm only accepting the bet cause I know I won't lose!" He yelled and Alfred laughed louder at him.

"Dude you do, just admit it. I mean this whole camping trip I told you was a couple thing...you didn't have to bring someone with you. If it helps you any I think he might like ya but is to much of a pussy to ask you seeing that Francis would fucking murder his ass!" He laughed until his rib cage hurt like it was being pulled a part by a bear. Matthew felt his heart skip a beat at what his brother said. The though of him and Gilbert sharing the same feelings was just to much for him to handle. How was he going to sleep next to that man knowing that he might like him back. " In fact I'm more then sure he likes you...Kiku stole his diary. Man you should have read that thing it was like a bad romance novel that mom used to read."

Arthur sat behind the wheel of his car driving down a path made only by the wheels of other cars driving over the thick weeds for him. A cup of cold tea was the only thing he had keeping him awake. Grumbling cuss word lazily under his breath as the wave of to many restless nights were finally getting to him at last. He wasn't able to sleep with thoughts and dreams of Alfred creeping into his mind like the unwanted hugs from the grandmother who chases you with her teeth. Only his thoughts and those wicked dreams weren't as unpleasant as the creepy grandmother. No they where just teeth rotting sweet so sweet that he couldn't take it. Now he was paying the price for his native child like crush. "Its not like I'm a kid anymore." Arthur told himself biting his lip. He remembered being in school and hearing rumors that Alfred was going to ask him out and he remembered how painful it was when each day Alfred had only poked fun at his accent.

He drove deeper into the woods until he had found the tents. Giving a sigh of relief that he had reached here without getting lost to many times. Arthur got out of his car and found the camp to be empty. "Where the bloody hell are they?" More importunately where was that damn git. Arthur peeked inside one of the tents and found two sleeping bags and a red sweatshirt, he took a look into the other tent and found once again two sleeping bags and this time a dirty manga that was left wide open. Blushing he zipped the first two tents up. He gulped and looked over at the last tent and walked over to it. "Well Matthew and Kiku are here. If Kiku is here then that Greek that's always with him is too. I wonder." He reached a hand out and toughed the metal zipper of the last tent. Slowly he pulled it down and just like before there where two sleeping bag, one had a McDonald's cheeseburger next to it. "Oh god...oh god" Arthur said and zipped the tent up.

The color drained out of his face and he sat on the ground feeling sick. The gears in his brain where working full speed. Kiku and Heracles were sharing a tent, Matthew was sharing with someone, that left him in the same damn tent as Alfred. His heart seemed to stop beating in his chest as he realized. All the old teenaged feelings came back to him. All the pain and heartache and that bittersweet bliss of just being near him. Arthur rested his forehead on his knees. "I can go through this again."

Alfred and Matthew came out of the wood with their arms full of small branches. Alfred dropped his sticks into the fire pit and ran to Arthur. "Hey Artie! Its about time you got here!" He pulled the Brit up and embraced him in a tight hug that both thrilled and startled the other man. Arthur didn't know if should hug back or shove him away and start yelling. Matthew rolled his eyes at them an dropped his sticks into the pit. A small part of him started to worry about the bet. "Man your still the same height you where freshmen year. Looks like your still thin." Alfred said showing no hint of letting him go.

"I see you gained some. Have you ever heard of a diet." Arthur grumbled and shoved him away only to feel the hardness of the firm muscles that the black shirt kept hidden. Soon his cheeks filled with a evil warmth and he knew that he was already blushing as he wondered what it looked like under the fabric. Alfred ruffled the other man's hair and laughed.

"What's wrong Arthur your all red." Alfred teased. Arthur slapped the hand away from him and turned away to sew the others coming back. Gilbert lifted up a large trout and laughed. The German ran to Matthew to show him the fish.

"Dinner is served!"