"Forcing yourself on someone isn't a way to make them like you. It's a way to make them hate you forever and possibly get you arrested." Alfred told him. He was starting to feel bad about what he was saying to the guy. But, it was things that needed to be said. He needed to know the truth so that he would stop being such a creep. That would definitely help in getting friends. Not that it mattered to him if the Russian had friends. He was just trying to do the right thing here and be the hero! And the right thing would be to help the other guy understand what he is doing is the wrong way to do it.

Ivan wanted to point out that no one had ever liked him even when he was nice. He tried to be nice as a child and they ignored him. He tried to be nice now and they all suddenly needed to pee and ran to the bathroom. Or at least he assumed that's what happened. It didn't make a lot of sense to him since he was being nice. "I don't want to hear advice from you," he finally bit out. He told himself, he wasn't doing anything wrong. This was just the way things had to be. "Good day. Enjoy your candy." This time, he hurried away so nothing could get him to stop again.

Alfred watching him go, a bit confused by his reaction. He absently pulled out another candy and put it in his mouth only to remember what it tasted like and immediately spit it back out. Yep, definitely needed to give these to Matthew. He started walking again, intending on going home to play some video games to move past whatever just happened.

Once back at the office, Ivan peeked into the cubicles of the fellow eastern european's that his father had hired, perhaps to remind him of home. Seeing on one there, Ivan dropped little piles of candy on the desks and the toy on desk of one he knew had a small child. Wouldn't it be wonderful to share objects of the old world with the new generation! He made sure to leave a lot of Toris' desk because he knew the boy especially liked the candy. After all, they grew up together so he should know. After that, he threw himself into work just so he wouldn't have to think about what the American said to him. Otherwise, he'd end up feeling bad about himself.

Alfred was surprised when later that night Matthew had been the one to suggest they go out to the club. That was definitely different. So of course he agreed. He was in a good mood again. His brother was finally starting to break out of his shell! He met up with the other at the later's apartment and they headed to the club that night.

Antonio sat on the bar, playing with something in his lap when Gilbert walked into the club almost ten minutes late. He looked like he just rolled out of bed and it did not bode well to see Antonio grin so brightly. When he walked up to the bar, he realized the other man held a pair of bunny ears, but they were white and pink instead of his usual black ones. "Hi! 'Liza told me to make you wear these if you came late!" Gilbert just about melted into the floor. He had a feeling that he would need to get drunk tonight and despite his love of beer, he did not say that often.

"So, Mattie.... Any particular reason you want to get drunk tonight? Not that I'm complaining. But I normally have to beg to get you to come out with me." Alfred asked his brother, dying to know about this sudden change.

"Just wanted something different tonight, I suppose." Was Matthew's vague answer. They went into the club once it was open and went straight to the bar, taking their seats. Matthew was completely determined to ignore the dancer tonight. This was a test of self control. One he was going to get through.

"He's going to kill you when he realizes you lied," Francis said, but Antonio just grinned and reminded him just whose idea this night was. Francis glanced at the door and his eyes went wide with a giddy smile. He smacked Antonio in the arm. "Look there he is! I told you I can tell when customers will come!"

"Ooh, they're cute," Antonio hummed. Francis hit him again.

"Shut up. You have a boyfriend!"

Antonio pouted at him. "Not as cute as Lovi!" The two were too deep in their devious planning to argue on that now though. They'd decided that cupid needed to be more proactive. Poor Gilbert had no idea that his two friends whispered at the bar, all about him and the quiet blonde. Francis finally spun away to bring matthrw a beer with too bright of a smile.

"Here you are, dear. It's on the house!"

"Thank you..... But why?" Matthew asked. He took the beer and took a sip. He wasn't used to people giving him free drinks. If it was for Alfred he'd understand. That's happened before. Just never to him. Said brother in question pouted slightly that his brother got a free drink and he didn't. But he didn't really mind. He just ordered his own beer to drink.

Francis just winked in response. "Oh, let's just say it's a gift from someone who has their eyes on you." Or will when Francis was done with them. He chuckled with his eyes dancing. He barely gave the other twin a glance, but brought him a drink still. Francis needed to set the other kid up with someone too, but he would save that for another day.

Antonio was still at the bar when he slipped away. It was amazing Elizabeta never fired him. "Did you tell him it was from our favorite dancer?"

"It's more mysterious to make them wonder!" Francis swooned. "And don't you worry. I've got this way under control. Go do your job already!" Antonio whined and finally did so. Francis kept his eye on the twins.

Matthew sipped the drink, wondering who could have possibly gotten it for him. As far he was aware, there wasn't anybody interested in him at the moment. It was normally Alfred who got this sort of attention. Or any kind of attention really. He knew how to handle it. Matthew himself didn't know what to do. He figured whoever it was probably got him and his brother mixed up. That happens sometimes after all. Instead of focusing on this, he focused on what his brother was saying about his day.

Francis couldn't tell if his implication worked any. Was the kid dense maybe? Francis tapped a finger against his chin until someone called his attention and he jerked away fill the drinks. When he had a chance, he slid up to the twins again and indicated the beer with one finger. "So, any guesses as to the gifter?" he asked, trying to waggle his eyebrows and failing very much.

Matthew shook his head at the question. "No idea.." He stated. He glanced around the club, but nobody was looking at him. Or even at Alfred for that matter. So he really couldn't figure out who would send it or if it had meant to go to his brother. So he figured it was probably just someone messing with him. That was the only thing he could think of right now.

"Aw, don't play with me," Francis whined. Apparently the kid really was dense. And lacking in self esteem. "There's got to be plenty of guys who've got their eye on you. Who knows, maybe it's someone you've got your eye on." Hint hint, like a certain dancer who has no idea he's being set up. But honestly, this was going to be harder than he imagined between these two. Francis knew he shouldn't have started this. "Come on, tell your brother he deserves a good man!" He exclaimed, swatting the noisy twin on the arm.

Matthew blushed lightly at what the bartender said. He wished that it was the dancer. But he already knew the guy didn't like him. So if it was from him it would hurt more than coming from a stranger. He doesn't like when someone plays with his feelings. "Of course Mattie deserves a good man! But very few people are worthy enough to date him." Alfred stated. He had a list that he and his father made up for what type of person would be good for Matthew to date.

Now this was interesting. Francis found himself curious and quirked one eyebrow. "Oh? What kind of person would be worthy of your brother?" he asked. It sounded like this kid was protective of his brother and that made Francis' opinion go up. He wanted him on his side for this cupid game and he realized it probably wouldn't work if he didn't think the dancer was good enough. They already had enough opposition.

"I have a list." Alfred stated. He dug in his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. He handed it over to the barman. On it was a list of things that a guy needed to have in order to date Matthew. Basically it was saying they had to be a good person and like similar things. Things like that.

"Why do you have that with you?" Matthew asked, sighing slightly. He should have expected his brother to still have that stupid list. This was one reason why he could never get a date.

"So I can make sure only the right type of people are talking to you." Alfred explained to him.

"Um...might I point out this could be a bit much?" Francis asked as he eyed the list. Standards were good, sometimes absolutely necessary in a relationship. Too many gave no care for such things and what happiness came out of that? None. The list seemed like it'd been written by a sixteen year old brat with a fairytale version of love in mind though. "Love is..." Francis struggled to put his poetic thoughts in words as he handed the list back. "...spontaneous and passionate. It doesn't listen to lists and sometimes, the lists we place on ourselves...turn out to be exactly what we don't need." He sighed. Didn't he know it.

Alfred took back the list and put it back in his pocket, frowning slightly. "I just want to find the perfect guy for my brother... Or girl.. Doesn't matter. I just want him to be happy." he said. Why was his list wrong? He worked so hard on that. This list has been keeping creeps away from his brother for years. He obviously knew what was best if it meant protecting Mattie.

"I am happy, Al. And nobody is perfect. I'd be happy with anybody." Matthew told him. Well, maybe not anybody. But he would take anybody at this point.

"How about you two meet in the middle ground between perfect and anybody, okay?" Francis said. "Besides, love likes to creep up on people who aren't looking for it. And people surprise us, even if they seem very unattractive at first or like they hate us, or love another. Ah really, people are so dishonest!" He let out a whine with a dramatic gesture. "But I'll leave you two to your drinks for now!" Shaking his head as he walked away, he couldn't help but will the clock to speed up and be Gilbert's time to dance already.

Alfred and Matthew discussed what the bartender said for a brief moment before the louder twin continued what he had been saying about his day. Matthew on the other hand, was still thinking about what was said. He wished he could find love. The thought of finding it with someone who appeared to hate him made him think of the dancer. But he mentally shook his head. He refused to let himself get hung over on that guy. It wouldn't be worth the inevitable pain.

Francis had lost track of time, but Antonio's frantic waving alerted him. Was the weird grins and mouthing the other did supposed to mean anything, but Francis didn't have long to think on it because the show started. It all made sense the second Gilbert walked out onto the stage though. He was indeed wearing the cute ears. Francis suppressed a laugh even though Gilbert danced with jerkier motions than usual, looking somewhere between angry and awkward to be cute. It probably wasn't sexy, but it made Francis' day anyway.

The second the song ended, Gilbert wrenched the ears off his head and hurled them out into the crowd, much to the glee of many horny men. He flipped the crowd the bird, though Francis felt fairly sure it was meant for him and Antonio. Not that he was paying any attention to that. "Get the ears!!" he flailed, pointing madly at Antonio who was positioned right next to the stage with his equipment. The brunette understood and made a mad dash into the crowd, elbowing people in the face and howling like an insane person. When he held the ears up, Francis grinned. New plans were forming in his head.

When the music started, Matthew told himself that he wasn't even going to look at the guy. But, try as he might, he couldn't help but peek. He mentally gave a small squeal. Those ears made him look adorable~ The moment was ruined when he remembered what happened the last time he had commented that something the man was wearing was cute and his eyes went back to his drink that he quickly finished, feeling depressed again. He made a conscious effort not to look back at the stage again and was able to succeed.

Antonio passed off the ears and Francis grinned at them. "Tell that guy I have free beer for him." That would get Gilbert over to the bar. For at least a minute, Francis turned the ears this way and that, trying to find the best option. He could force Gilbert to wear them the whole night, or he could give them to Matthew. That aught to draw a few eyes. Ooh, he could make Gilbert give them to Matthew! Would that be believable? Drinking games with ears for the loser? He wasn't sure he could get them to do that though. There were so many options!

"Toni said you have free beer?" The voice startled Francis out of his thoughts. He hid the ears behind his back and put on his most innocent grin, the sort that most met with a dubious expression.

"Oh yes~" Francis hummed. "But there's only one free seat right now. The rest are reserved." He pointed to the space next to the quiet blonde and Gilbert trudged over to it after a half minute of hesitation. What the hell was Francis up to?

Matthew glanced up when someone sat down next to him. When he saw who it was, his eyes widened and dropped to the bar while he blushed slightly. Why did he have to sit directly next to him?! There were plenty of empty seats around the bar. He tried to focus on what Alfred was saying instead. But his mind was stuck on the man sitting next to him. He called for the bartender's attention. He was going to need another drink.