I BELONG TO YOU

Matthew ran through the airport, heart beating frantically as he gasped for air. He looked around his surroundings to try and figure out where he went. As soon as the young nation thought he had figured it out, he bolted again. All he could hope for was that he wasn't too late.

48 hours ago

"Coming!" Matthew yelled when he heard a knocking at the door. He was in the kitchen preparing. He had spent all day preparing in fact, and now that his guest had finally made it, he felt nowhere near ready.

Matthew opened the door and was greeted by a brilliant smile.

"Francis! How was the flight? I hope it went well. Please, do come in!" Matthew began to ramble on, and flushed in embarrassment when he realized how idiotic he must have sounded.

The only response he received was a deep chuckle from the French man.

"Oui, mon Mathieu. Everything was parfait." Francis said as he shrugged off his coat.

Matthew scrambled towards the jacket and luggage the Francis had just put down.

"I'll just go set you up in the guest room, eh?"

"C'est magnifique. And what is that delectable aroma?" Francis enquired, heading towards the kitchen.

Matthew shifted, readjusting the weight of the luggage to make it easier to carry. "Oh, well I just figured you would be hungry from your trip so I just whipped up a little something up. It's not much though, just a maple glazed salmon, and some mushroom couscous on the side." Matthew explained lamely.

"Mon Mathieu, you are too modest. It sounds fabulous." Francis mollified. "Why don't I pour us some wine while you are trying to sort out the sleeping arrangements." He proposed with a twinkle in his eyes.

Matthew nodded. "Sounds good. I shouldn't take too long."

Matthew walked up the staircase and turned into the first room on his right. He gently placed the luggage on the bed that he spent the last two days searching for the perfect silk sheets for. He inhaled deeply. Francis visited often enough, so Matthew couldn't understand why each time always turned into such a big deal. He sighed and headed back towards the kitchen.

When Matthew reached the kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of Francis sitting at the table, with dinner already served. By the looks of it, not only had Francis found the wine but also the candles, the good table cloth and his best dishes.

"Francis! What is all this?" Matthew spluttered, amazed that the other nation could put the scene before him together so quickly.

"Ah well, you see my dear Canada," Francis purred, "At my house a beautiful meal is served with a beautiful setting. N'est pas?"

"Oui..." Matthew stammered, mentally kicking himself for forgetting. He was clearly spending too much time with Alfred at various McDonald's he surmised.

As soon as Matthew sat down, Francis raised his glass.

"À ta santé, Mathieu. You seem to grow more and more each time I visit. And I can only hope you remain healthy." Francis toasted as he took a sip of his wine.

Matthew wanted to respond with an equally eloquent toast but he seemed to have lost the function of his voice so he just sipped on his own glass of wine instead.

They ate in a comfortable silence and it wasn't until they finished their meal that Francis spoke again.

"Absolutely delicious. If there is one thing I am truly grateful for is that you did not pick up that awful Englishman's cooking habits. Shame I couldn't say the same for Alfred really."

Matthew chuckled. He definitely had his share of eating both Alfred's and Arthur's cooking. Thank goodness for ice cream to help with the awful after taste of those meals, he thought to himself. And then he froze. Ice cream... Dessert... He had forgotten to pick up dessert for that night! He couldn't believe he was so forgetful. And silently he began to panic. He wanted the night to be perfect, but with a mistake like that, it was no longer going to be as perfect as planned.

Francis must have sensed his panic because he placed his hand over Matthew's. "Is there something the matter?"

Matthew's cheeks pinked. "I- I forgot to get us some dessert.." he mumbled back, eyes staring intensely at the ground.

"This is not a problem!" Francis exclaimed. "I'm sure there is a lovely café open somewhere. We can get dessert there, non?"

Matthew's face heated up even more, and never had he been more thankful for sitting in the candle light where Francis wouldn't notice his blush and how prominent it must have become. Once again he had over reacted. Matthew finally looked up to see Francis grinning expectantly. Matthew grinned in return.

"Feel like going for a walk?"

They had managed to find a café just as Francis had suggested and Matthew truly enjoyed himself and the time he was spending with Francis. They each ordered a coffee and decided to split a large slice of a rather delectable looking chocolate cake. While they ate their dessert, they talked about nothing in particular, merely enjoying the company of one another.

Afterward they went back to Matthew's house and decided to wind down with a movie. Francis had insisted that they watch Matthew's favourite movie on the idea that it would help him get to know Matthew even better. Which is how Matthew wound up on the couch sitting right next to Francis, and they were watching The Rocket (Francis was insistent that it was his favourite movie). Normally the movie got him really riled up with all the drama and the action but that night Matthew was exhausted. He had worn himself out with all the prep work he did for Francis' visit.

So when Francis leant over and whispered, "Just let yourself relax, cher." Matthew slumped over an he fell asleep almost as soon as his head reached Francis' shoulder.

36 hours ago

When Matthew woke up, he blinked sleepily a couple of times before he realized where he was. He was on his couch, still in his hoodie and jeans, and he was cuddled right into Francis' arms. A light blush was already creeping up his face when he realized their close proximity.

"Bon matin, Mathieu." Francis all but purred out.

"Bon matin." Matthew responded in like. "Have you been awake long?"

Francis shook his head in response. "Non, but even if you were to sleep longer, it would not have been a bother. What would be a bother is to disturb your peaceful sleep."

It's way too early to be blushing so much. "Thank you." Matthew mumbled. "And sorry for falling asleep on you."

"Nonsense mon cher. But now that you are awake, perhaps we could make some breakfast before we go out for the day?" Francis chuckled deeply.

Matthew grinned in response, nodding. "Of course. "

24 hours ago

Francis and Matthew were sitting in a cozy restaurant in Ottawa enjoying a delicious dinner after their long day out in the city.

They had spent the day touring most of Ottawa, or at least as Matthew could show in a day. Matthew was determined to at least cover the very best of what his capital had to offer. And in the art gallery Francis had even managed to slip his arm around Matthew's waist as they walked through the building. Matthew was blushing profusely, but he made no move to pull himself away. He was comfortable and he just assumed that this was just Francis' way of being friendly.

When they arrived back at Matthew's house after dinner (which was delicious, but Matthew was still trying to pay Francis for at least his portion of the meal, because it was too expensive for Francis to pay for it all, and he wouldn't allow for it since Francis was the guest after all, but Francis just continued to laugh and tell him that it was nothing, especially in comparison to his own restaurants back home), they decided to retire to bed early. After all, Francis was to leave early the next morning. He had been called that afternoon to return home for an urgent business matter and a flight was already booked for him.

"Bonne nuit, mon petit Mathieu." Francis said softly as he placed a swift kiss on Matthew's forehead.

Matthew simply nodded in response and walked to his own room trying to figure out why Francis kept making him blush so much during his stay.

12 hours ago

Matthew was standing in his doorway with Francis making sure that nothing was being forgotten in terms of luggage.

France insisted that he had everything, and that Matthew should learn to worry less. "And besides, even if I were to forget something, that would give you an excuse to come visit me, non?"

Matthew couldn't help but smile. "I'll visit you soon. I promise."

And before he even realized what was happening, Francis had already had his hand on Matthew's chin, tilting his head back delicately so he could place a lingering kiss on Matthew's lips.

When Francis pulled away, Matthew was left speechless. Francis merely grinned, but his eyes were clouded with an emotion that Matthew couldn't quite name.

"À ta santé." Was all he said before he left, getting into the cab and being driven away, leaving the Canadian standing in his doorway gobsmacked.

10 hours ago

Matthew had spent the last two hours sitting in his living room trying to figure out what had just happened that morning.

He kissed me.

Yeah, well he's kissed you before, plenty of times.

But never like that, on the lips. And I'm not a child anymore.

So what did he mean by it? Maybe it's meaningless.

Then why do I feel like this? Is this why I've been blushing so much, and desperate to please him?

You're just delusional. There could never be anything between you two.

I have to find out.

Matthew thought long and hard before deciding to make a phone call. He picked up his phone and dialled, praying that they would answer. As soon as he heard the phone being picked up on the other end, he didn't even give them a chance to talk.

"Alfred, I need your help."

Present.

Matthew was running through the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris searching desperately for Francis.

Matthew was lucky that his brother was so interested in planes and piloting that as soon as he decided what he needed to do, Alfred was quick in helping him get to Paris as fast as he could. They took one of Alfred's faster planes, with Alfred doing the flying himself, and there was no doubt in his mind that Matthew would manage to catch Francis in time.

Once they arrived at the airport, Matthew made quick of his thanks to Alfred, while Al wished him good luck and he ran off through the terminals trying to find which one Francis had gone through. He didn't want to waste any more time.

Francis had already arrived at the airport and if Matthew was lucky he would still be at the baggage claim. But when Matthew got there, Francis was nowhere in sight.

Matthew ran through the airport, heart beating frantically as he gasped for air. He looked around his surroundings to try and figure out where Francis went. As soon as the young nation thought he had figured it out, he bolted again. All he could hope for was that he wasn't too late.

He raced to the doors where a bunch of taxis were lined up, and as he got there he could see the back of a blond head get into a cab and pull away. He nearly cried out, just missing him.

"Mathieu? Is that you? What are you doing here?"

Matthew's head snapped quickly in the direction that he heard the voice coming from. And he sobbed in relief at seeing the familiar face. "Francis!" he cried out.

"Mathieu.. Je ne comprends pas.." Francis started to say as he pulled Matthew into a calming hug but stopped as he heard Matthew mumbling.

"Verse-moi, verse-moi l'ivresse. Réponds à ma tendresse, réponds à ma tendresse."

"Mon cher, what are you mumbling about?" Francis enquired concern lacing his voice.

Matthew finally gathered enough courage to look Francis in the eyes, and smiled. "I figured it out.. I belong to you. I don't know how you feel for me, but it doesn't matter, because my heart will always belong to you."

Francis grinned back. "How could you not know? I thought I made it very clear when I left your house this very morning. But with you not saying anything, I thought I had made my move too soon on you. Mon Mathieu."

And before Matthew could even respond, Francis' lips were back against his own, and nothing in the world had ever made more sense.

I can't find the words to say,
But they're overdue.
I've travelled half the world to say,
I belong to you.