I dunno about other Canadians, but I know every year me and my family pick crabapples and make pie and whatever else. XD

"Like, totally thanks for inviting me and Liet over," said Feliks suddenly late in the afternoon, beaming at Matthew as he adjusted the basket in his arms. In actuality, Matthew had originally just asked Alfred, but the excited American had immediately put forth the idea of inviting Lithuania and with him came Poland. The Canadian didn't mind, though. It was nice to see the two other men, and he got along with Feliks well. He visited sometimes to check up on his people who lived in Canada.

"It's nothing," Matthew replied with a smile, "it's nice to have some others to help pick apples. Actually, I should be thanking you for coming…" Feliks flapped a hand dismissively at him, grinning.

The crabapple trees were full of fruit. They had grown behind Matthew's house for many, many years now. He remembered planting them when he was still young, along with the maple trees, and they were the oldest trees in Ottawa (he was fairly certain, and he was rarely wrong when it came to anything about his country). Nevertheless, there seemed to be hundreds of fruit to knock down each year, and it was tough on his own—Gilbert wasn't exactly keen on picking them, either. 'So lazy,' he thought fondly.

"I want to make some crepes," Feliks commented as he raised his stick, knocking a few apples down into his basket. Nearby, Alfred was holding the bottom of a stepladder as Toris got some down from the top of the tree.

"Crepes are good—I make a lot of pies and give most of them away to whoever wants them. Gilbert said he'd make some cider," Matthew said, smiling over at the other blond. "He made some last year—it was great."

"Oh yeah?" Feliks cocked an eyebrow with a grin. "You two are, like, so in love, aren't you?" His voice was teasing as he knocked down some more apples, Matthew mimicking him with a slight blush rising to his cheeks.

"I don't know how well that applies," he replies modestly. "Gilbert's…well, Gilbert. And I'm…me."

"Prussia's totally himself, all right," Feliks said good-naturedly, rolling his eyes skywards. "Anyway, you two are totally cute together." He winked with a broad smile. "Well, whenever I notice you." He laughed sheepishly and adjusted the basket again, hitching it up slightly.

Matthew smiled quietly at that, not bothered. Lately it seemed as though he was being seen more and more as himself rather than Alfred, so he didn't mind the times where he was unnoticed so much. He shifted over towards the bags they were filling with apples once the baskets got topped up. He dumped the contents of his basket in it, looking thoughtfully up towards the clear, pale blue sky, breathing in the cool air.

"Careful!" he heard Alfred calling to Toris, who chuckled quietly at the American's worrying.

Straightening up and turning to go back to the tree, he let out a soft "oof" as he bumped into something. He glanced up with surprise at Gilbert, who flashed him a cocky smile. He'd crept up quite soundlessly—Matthew hadn't even heard the back door to the house opening.

"Yo," he said, "looks like you got a ton so far; more than enough for my awesome Apfelwein. And it looks like that Pole is good at something besides cross-dressing, eh?" Said Pole made a face over at him but didn't reply, distracted with catching apples in his basket that Toris was tossing down to him.

"What're you doing out here?" Matthew asked bemusedly. "I thought you said you weren't going to come out and help us."

"Eh, who said I was helping?" Gilbert said, grinning. His fingers grazed the back of Matthew's neck where his hair was pulled back as much as he could manage into a tail, out of his face. "I just came to grace you with my awesome presence since you haven't seen me all day."

A pair of blue-violet eyes rolled at his words. "Thanks for that," he replied dryly. He squeaked, however, when Gilbert leant over and pressed a kiss against the exposed back of his neck, breath warming the skin.

"S'getting cold out," he commented as he drew back. "Come in soon." He grinned, raising his eyebrows. "I'm hungry and I want some food."

"I'll get right to that," sighed Matthew, though he was smiling, his cheeks slightly flushed red. Gilbert grinned, leaned in at the same time as the other, mouths pressing together briefly, though warmly. It drove away the chill in the autumn air and Matthew placed a palm lightly against the man's chest, fingertips curling slightly into his shirt before Gilbert drew away.

"There's your incentive to come in soon," he said, grinning cheekily with gleaming red eyes. Matthew laughed and the ex-nation smirked before loping back towards the house, hands stuffed into his pockets.

"You two totally gave me cavities," complained Feliks, though he was grinning in amusement.

"Eww," Alfred said, his hands placed over his eyes. Toris had a hand over his mouth to hide a smile, his eyes glittering. "Dude, I don't need to see my brother making out with his boyfriend."

Matthew threw an apple at him.

"The hell," Gilbert said roughly, his mouth pressed to the back of Matthew's shoulder, body warm and solid draped over his. "How d'you smell like apples even under your clothes? I think you even fucking taste like them."

"I don't – ngh – know," Matthew said with a breathy laugh. He flinched, ticklish, as Gilbert's hands roamed up over his sides, nails scratching lightly over his skin, trailing across his ribs. Gilbert grinned and bit the back of his shoulder, shifting his hips forward abruptly and the laugh abruptly gave way to a soft, long groan.

"Fuck," Gilbert muttered hoarsely in appreciation, breath coming in short pants. His mouth slid across, teeth biting down on the back of Matthew's neck in an animalistic, possessive gesture. The metal of his iron cross dug between Matthew's shoulder blades and the younger man reached back blindly to clutch at one of his hands, entangling their fingers together.

Pressing a kiss to his tousled hair, Gilbert shifted slightly, his hands sliding down along his hips. Tilting them slightly, he pressed in deep and Matthew buried his face into the blankets with a noise that was muffled. "Hey," said Gilbert roughly, grinning with a slightly flushed face, hair sticking to his forehead, "don't be quiet. It's just us here." His hand slid down along Matthew's stomach and the blond groaned at the touch of his fingers, rough and familiar.

It seemed to end far too soon, with the tightening of a warm, calloused palm around him and hot breath puffing a low oath into his ear.

Matthew settled in close to Gilbert afterwards, sighing contentedly and curling into his side, fingers splayed slightly over his chest. A muscular arm tightened briefly about his shoulders, nose brushing his forehead, nosing strands of hair aside, before lips pressed against it gently. The Canadian's eyelids flickered open and he blinked up at the man questioningly, the gesture surprising him.

"You did that, once, when you thought I was asleep," Gilbert said with a grin, drawing back slightly. "Before…" He waved his hand vaguely, then settled it back against the curve of Matthew's spine, fingers stroking idly in a way that made the younger country wriggle slightly.

"Y-you were awake?" Matthew spluttered a bit when the words registered, embarrassed, cheeks reddening. He buried his face in Gilbert's chest with a groan, and felt the vibrations of a laugh, fingers combing idly through his hair, nails scratching slightly across his scalp.

"Yup." Gilbert's mouth pressed against his ear, grinning against it. Matthew could practically feel his ears growing hot and curled his fingers against the man's strong sides, feeling the vibrations of another chuckle, though it didn't escape into the air. "Hey, what're you embarrassed about? We've done worse than that now." Teeth nipped his ear and he made a little noise in response.

"Still," Matthew mumbled.

Gilbert laughed again, wrapped Matthew up in his arms, pulling him close to his chest. The Canadian glanced up, saw his grin, and sighed a little with a smile. "I'm tired," the man declared. "Let's sleep."

"Okay," Matthew said, a bit sleepy himself. Fingers swept his hair slightly to the side, allowing lips to press against his forehead in the same spot as before. He could feel another flush coming on and willed it back, closing his eyes.

"Goodnight, Matthew," were the low words.

"Goodnight, Gilbert," Matthew murmured.