answers the phone, forgetting once again to look at the display to see who it was. Ah, modern technology... "Bonjour? This is Francis."

blinks when he hears him and smiles faintly. "Ah, hello, it's Matthew."

perks up a little when he hears the voice and grins. "Ah, Mattieu.~ How are you?"

smiles wider. "I'm fine, thank you. It's been cold, but I can manage. You?"

takes the phone with him to the living in and leans back in chair. "Fine enough.~" He fails to mention his little drunken breakdown, but_

Mattieu didn't need to know such things.

would probably worry if he knew. "I just thought I'd call. I haven't heard from you in a while so I thought we could catch up."

chuckles softly; he was always the one to think of those things. "Very well then.~ Though I'd rather do it in person... would you mind if I_

came over?"

shakes his head. "Not at all, that would be nice."

"Be there soon then.~" He hanged up and, after some time passed, found himself on the Canadian's doorstep, knocking on the door.

hangs up and straightens his house up a bit. It was eternally messy, but at least it was presentable. When he hears the door, he walks over_

and opens it. "Hello! Come on in."

"Merci.~" He leans over and gives a chaste peck to his cheek in thanks as he walks in. He had brought a bottle of wine, of course, he wasn't

a poor guest after all.

can't help but blush faintly at the kiss though he was used to it. He shuts the door and walks in after him. "I hope it wasn't too cold."

shrugs good naturedly. "A little cold never did anyone bad. I feel more like pitying you for this horrid cold though. You should visit me_

more often during the winter.~"

laughs faintly. "I'm used to it but maybe next time I will visit you. It's actually warming up, though."

"Really? It's warming up?" He never would have guessed considering how cold it was outside. "Oh, where would you like me to put this?"_

He held the bottle of wine up.

blinks at the bottle and takes a quick glance around. "Well the glasses are in the kitchen, so maybe there?" He starts to walk.

follows him to the kitchen, remembering that little fact now. "Oh, that's right."

opens a cabinet before pausing and turning towards him. "Do you want a glass now?"

chuckles. "You know me well.~ A glass would be appreciated."

smiles a little and pulls out two glasses, setting them on the counter. "Here we are."

pops open the bottle and pours some wine into the glasses before setting the bottle down on the counter.

watches him. "Thank you. For the wine and coming over to visit."

picks up both glasses and holds one out to him. "It's no problem at all, I've been wanting to anyway. So thank you for having me over."

takes the glass and shakes his head. "No need to thank me, I would never turn you away."

one of his bad thoughts at that last sentence but he puts it in the back of his minds. "Shall we take this to the living room?"

*mind

nods. "Sure, it would probably be more comfortable there, right?" He laughs faintly and walks to the living room.

| As he follows him, he begins to idly wonder why he's never let those thoughts go to fruition around Mattieu. The only reason he could_

come up with was that perhaps Mattieu is the one person he doesn't want to scare off... He sat in one of the chairs.

sits as well and takes a small sip of the wine. It had been a while since he had last had any as he was actually quite picky about it. He_

smiles faintly at Francis. "It's very good."

smiles back. "I'm glad that you think so, I know that you're picky with wine... so how have you been? Have a girlfriend or boyfriend yet?~"_

That was a question he asked every time he visited.

still gets flustered every time he hears it, though. "Ah, well, no, I haven't. But I'm quite fine with just Kitolo around. Plus Al and his_

counterpart have been visiting a lot."

chuckles. "You should find someone sometime. Everyone needs amor in their lives, oui?"

looks away from him. "I don't know about that, I'm doing just fine." He didn't want to mention that he was paranoid that if he became_

interested in someone, they wouldn't notice or remember his name.

sighs and leans over, ruffling his hair. "I didn't say now, but sometime. I'm surprised nobody has pursued you yet, you'd be quite the catch

.~"

backed away from his hand slightly. "I don't know, you're just saying that." He tried to give a nonchalant laugh.

frowns at this. "Non, I am not. You shouldn't underestimate yourself." Since he had moved away from the hand, Francis withdrew it back.

blushed faintly. "Maybe... maybe I just don't want to be pursued. I'm happy on my own." He would like to be with someone if he found a_

person he liked who would notice and remember him, but he didn't think it possible, so he contented himself to being alone.

sighs, but lets the issue drop there. He was concerned about Mattieu but it was clear that he was very set on his thinking. "Fine then."_

He took another sip of his wine.

glances at him and can't help but feel a little guilty for rebuking him. He sighed and stared at his wine. "Sorry..."

sighs. "Non, I shouldn't have pushed the subject. I care about you so I just get worried, oui?"

smiles faintly. "You don't have to worry about me, okay?"

did wonder why he was so adamant on the subject though... but decided that this day wasn't the day to push it. "As you wish."

can't help but frown slightly. He didn't like seeing Francis upset. He decides not to ask any questions to avoid just making things worse.

may be a bit buzzed now... true he'd only had most of this glass of wine, but he'd also had some before coming here. He stance became more_

relaxed. "So, aside from all that, how are you?"

nods a little, glad for the topic change. "I am doing fine. A little tired of the snow, but it won't last."

( =3= Francis-muse is thinking of drunk!hitting on Canada. Objections? *always checks just in case* )

(( XD Thanks for asking. Um, sure, I guess XD ))

(( o3o If he tries to go too far, let me know~ But he probably won't do this at this moment |D; ))

"That's true, spring is on the way, non? A very beautiful time of the year... lots of flowers everywhere."

nods and takes a sip of wine. "Spring is always nice. It's especially nice to have flowers after the snow."

"And the perfect time for... things. Things of a variety. A variety of things." He polished off his glass of wine.

glanced at him curiously. "What kind of things...?"

"Many things. Things that I enjoy doing.~" He was very cryptic because... well, just because he could.

didn't understand why the other was talking like this. "Like drinking wine?" He guessed.

"That, but other things as well.~"

laughs faintly. "I didn't mean that you only like drinking wine. I know that there must be other things you like."

"Wine... romancing people... bedding people... roses... flowers... good food..." He began to list some of his favorite things.

can feel the colour rising on his cheeks. "And these are only good in spring?"

about this for a moment. "... Non, those are good year round. Especially the second two."

pauses, trying to think of a way to respond to that. "Ah, well, I guess."

grins. "Do you know what else is fun? Flirting."

resists the urge to facepalm. "I would assume it is."

sets the glass down, still grinning. "No need to assume, I shall show you."

blinks quickly. "Y-you really don't have to, it's fine."

"Non, non.~ Allow me to demonstrate." He reaches forward and starts to twirl a piece of Matt's hair.

turns bright red and shakes his head a little. "No, it's really fine, you don't need to..."

"But I'd like to.~" He leans forward and enough to nuzzle his neck; he was fairly drunk to be honest, or he wouldn't be doing this to poor,_

innocent Matt.

backs away from him. "W-why?" He was so confused by Francis' actions, almost thinking that he was mocking him.

"Because I just do... I don't really know." He moves closer again, kissing his neck. "Does that seem strange?"

shivers a little and nods. "Yes, it does.." He didn't want to insult him and call it strange, though. "A little..."

kisses up his neck to his ear before whispering. "Tell me if I'm doing too much. I'm afraid I'm a little too drunk to tell."

blinks a little in surprise but in hindsight, he should have expected that this was the reason. Frowning, he moved away. "Stop. If the only_

reason you are doing this is because you are drunk, you've already done too much..."

pauses, looking at him for a moment with owlish eyes before he bursts out laughing. "Non, non! I should explain, it is alcohol that takes_

away the inhibition, but the motive is all mine, I assure you."

blushes and glances away, embarrassed. "Ah, I see.."

lies down on the couch, staring at the ceiling with a cattish grin on his face, almost like Beglium's. "Mhm."

can't help but laugh even though he was a little shaken still. "It's probably best you don't do anything lest you regret it later."

"I don't think I would regret it, only if you did." He stretched out like a cat before glancing at him with his grin.

"Now, I believe you and I need more wine!"

shakes his head. "No, it's fine, I think we've both had enough."

"Ah, if you insist. You've grown so much, you know." And now he was getting nostalgic.

laughs faintly again. "Well I can't exactly stay the same forever."

him a genuine smile from his perch on the couch. "Oui, but you've grown up be such a good young man. I'm proud of you."

scratches the back of his head, growing even more embarrassed. "Thank you..."

"You're welcome." He lied back down, sighing as some of his old regrets started to pester him.

watches him, curious as to what he was thinking but not wanting to be rude and ask straight out.

glances over and then looks back up, chuckling. "Just the regrets of an older nation, that's all."

simply nods at that, glad that he hadn't asked and though he wondered what regrets they might be, he doubted Francis would tell and he_

wasn't even sure that he wanted to know.

sits back up and faces him. "Here I am at your reminiscing about useless things. What a poor guest I am.~ How is Kumajiro?"

blinks. "No, it's fine, I really don't mind if you do. He's fine, same as ever."

wags his finger at him. "But I do care about being a good guest. Go ahead and ask a few questions! I've been the one asking most."

frowns a little. "I'm sorry, I probably should have asked questions before..." He paused, trying to come up with one that wasn't too nosy._

"Are you seeing anyone?" Okay, it was nosy, but Francis asked him all of the time, so it was only fair in his mind.

"Non, I am not seeing anyone." And he actually hadn't for a while. It was all one night stands that he had been getting tired of recently._

"The closest I would consider to calling 'seeing someone' would be Marianne, my counterpart, but I think that falls more under narcissism."

watches him. "If you like her for who she is it's not narcissism. Our counterparts aren't us."

glances at him. "I'm not sure if I like her or the incredible sex. Either way, I'm sure it would just be another amor-less fling."

may think that was a little more than he needed to know but pushes that aside. "I thought you liked flings..?"

stretches. "Am I the country of flings? Non, I am the country of amor. Flings are nice... very nice... but I need romance too. I crave it,

even."

pauses. "Well I am sure you will find it soon if you want it."

shrugs. "I suppose so, though the other night when I was much more drunk, apparently I had been yelling that amor was dead.... so said Sadiq

."

"I didn't know that you drink so much. I'm sure it isn't dead, though."

"I don't usually. Something's just been... off lately. I'm not a heavy drinker, really. I'm more of a single glass of wine person."

nods. "It's surprising that you are drunk, I don't think I've seen you drunk in a very long time if ever."

"I tried not to drink when you were younger, it would be a bad example. If I do get drunk, it's often in the privacy of my own house."

laughs faintly. "And you thought nothing of drinking before visiting me?"

"I was drinking before I had gotten the call, actually, and I wouldn't have if I had been expecting coming here."

pauses, now feeling a little guilty for saying it. "I'm sorry for interrupting you, then."

"Non non non. I should be the one apologizing for drinking more when I got here, otherwise I would be fine. I'm glad that you allowed me to

come over Mattieu."

shakes his head. "No, it is fine. I probably would have insisted you have a drink had you refused." He paused. "Of course I would have let_

you come over, even if you were drunk."

(( < 3 ...? ))

(( D8 Sorry. I was gone for a week. ;; ))

(( It's okay~ ))