Alfred didn't move Ivan's hand again. He could tell he was probably going to keep doing it and it wasn't really bothering him to much. Though he was sure that it wasn't something friends did. He'd let the Russian do what he wanted for now though. If it bothered him to much, he'd make him stop.

Matthew tried to keep his focus on the game. But he could tell just by watching that Gilbert wasn't really focus on it to much.

"Its my turn to play again!" Alfred suddenly exclaimed. He was tired of just sitting and watching. He wanted to be actually playing the game. It was way more fun.

Ivan pouted a little even as he felt glad Alfred didn't move his hand. But now what could he do? He was on the verge of sneaking a hand up under his shirt when Alfred made his declaration. Ivan's hand froze in it's place. "But you'll be scared..." he pointed out, his hand still hesitating just short of it's goal.

Gilbert decided he didn't mind, so he shoved the controller over to Alfred. He still needed to figure out this staring thing. All of a sudden, the revelation hit him and he jumped up in his seat so he kneeled on the couch cushions, facing Matthew as he pointed a finger. "That's right! You like me or something!"

Alfred scoffed. "Heroes don't get scared." he stated. He totally wasn't going to get scared anymore. He was used to the game now. Nothing can scare him! From this game at least. He was sure of it. He took the controller from Gilbert and began playing again.

Matthew flushed a deep red, embarrassed by Gilbert pointing it out. It was made even more embarrassing by Alfred pausing the game and turning to look at them. Well, he was glaring at the albino. Matthew glared slightly as well through the embarrassment. "N-No I don't! Who would like you anyway!" he exclaimed, getting up and leaving the room, to embarrassed to stay.

Ivan chuckled at Alfred in amusement and decided to give up his game, or at least until the other jumped into his arms. He'd just turned his attention back to the game when Gilbert let out his announcement. He turned to stare, letting out a little 'eh' in surprise. This was suddenly getting quite interesting.

Gilbert turned bright red when he realized what he said. But Matthew denied it so quick. "...You don't?" he asked in confusion. When the other left the room, he deflated down onto the couch, looking like an abandoned puppy. He didn't want Matthew to like him. Not really, but he felt hurt by Matthew's words. He denied it too quick. Gilbert stared after him, wondering if he should follow.

Alfred jumped to his feet and pulled Gilbert up by the front of his shirt to glare at him. "How dare you be so mean to my brother! I've been being nice to him tonight for his sake. But you just crossed the line." he said, his voice going cold.

Matthew went and locked himself in the bathroom. That had been so embarrassing! How could Gilbert say something like that in front of his brother and a guy he just met tonight?! If he wanted to talk about that, its fine. But he shouldn't have just blurted it out the way that he did.

Gilbert squeaked when Alfred grabbed him. "W-what the hell?" he stammered, having difficult snapping back. "Mean? I just asked if he liked me. I'm pretty sure he was meaner because he said no!" A little bit of bite came back to his voice. He was sick of Alfred acting so unreasonable to him. His anger didn't even make an ounce of fucking sense.

As amusing as Ivan found this all, he was starting to like all the people here and wanted them to be his friends. And he didn't much like that his one on one time with Alfred got interrupted. "Now, now, don't fight, little bunnies," he warned before he grabbed Alfred by the back of his shirt collar and yanked him away.

Alfred stumbled back when Ivan yanked on his shirt. "You can't just ask someone if they like you like that. That's why you were mean. You completely embarrassed him. Matthew is sensitive to things like that. If you can't tell that you hurt him by doing that, then you really are an idiot." he told Gilbert.

Matthew ran some cold water over his face. He couldn't hear what was being said in the living room, just muffled voices. He was contemplating just staying in here until Gilbert and Ivan left. He knew Alfred wouldn't tease him about his embarrassment. At least, not to much. And he'd rather face that with nobody else around.

Gilbert ground his teeth together. "Well maybe I'm sensitive too!" he snapped. Embarrassed? He didn't realize it, but he still didn't see how embarrassing someone was cruel. On no planet did that logic follow through. He was so done with this conversation though. "I need to work tonight, so I'm leaving." He snatched his jacket from where he ditched it over the back of the couch and stormed out.

Ivan pouted hard at Alfred as their little gaming party lessened by half. "In America, I guess this is how gaming parties go." He let out a dramatic sigh as if he weren't insulting anything. "I was having so much fun too." The fun seemed just about over though.

Alfred glared at Gilbert as the albino left. The his glare switched to Ivan at the insult to his party. "You may as well go too. This party is over and I need to check on Mattie." he told him. Without waiting for an answer, he went and knocked on the bathroom door. "Hey bro. Gilbert left. You going to be coming out of their anytime soon?" he asked through the door.

"Wasn't planning on it." Came Matthew's muffled reply. He was silent for another second. "Can I stay here tonight?" he asked.

"Of course you can stay. You don't even have to ask." Alfred assured him. He never minded when his brother slept over. It was always like they were kids again, sharing a room.

Ivan didn't bother with a goodbye and left, his disappointment clear in the downturn of his shoulders. He couldn't decide who needed to be punished more for ruining the good atmosphere, Alfred or Gilbert. Maybe he would make a plan for both and go from there. But no one messed up Ivan's happy times.

Gilbert sped home and his irritation hadn't disapated by the time he walked in the door, so that it hit the wall when he flung it open. After grabbing his work bag, he was out the door the next second, deciding to go to work early rather than sulk at home. He really regretted agreeing to this party. He knew it would turn out bad and his tenuous new friendship probably just got screwed up.

Matthew left the bathroom once he was sure that all the guests were gone. Alfred was still waiting for him on the other side of the door. They agreed without needing to speak to play some happier game for a while before going to bed. So they decided on Mario Karts, which Matthew completely dominated at and his brother didn't complain about before the two of them eventually went to bed at a time that was well past midnight, later than he at least would normally stay up. He wasn't sure about Alfred. But his brother didn't complain once when he lost and went to bed without arguing when he suggested it. He had to admit, it did make him feel better.

It took two days for Ivan to complete his plan for punishment. First step would be Alfred because they were friends and he was supposed to be more fun than this and possibly less oblivious. He needed to realize Ivan found him far more interesting than the other thought, and had since the night they danced in the club. He started it with an innocuous email--never mind that Alfred never gave him his email in the first place.

'Come to my place at six o'clock. Don't eat before.
-Your true friend, Ivan'

He included his address at the bottom, then turned his computer off to start preparing.

Alfred was both surprised and confused by the email he received. He couldn't remember whether or not he gave Ivan his email address. Or if the message was actually from him. He glanced at the clock and noticed it was about six now. Then to the burger he had been eating when he was checking his emails and shrugged, finishing it before going and taking a shower and getting dressed before heading out to the address he was told. Might as well go check it out, right?

Ivan paced in front of the door as he glanced at the clock. Only a few minutes remained until six and his house smelled wondrously of delicacies from his home country. He thought this plan out beautifully and had come to think of it as a date in his head. Hopefully Alfred would see it that way too. He twirled the object he hid behind his back as he waited for the doorbell to ring.

Alfred found the correct address and went up to the door. He rung the doorbell and waited for Ivan to answer. He wasn't sure what the Russian wanted when he invited him over, but he was sure to find out. Not that he minded being invited over to his house. He liked hanging out with his friends. This just seemed kinda sudden and he still wasn't sure if he had given the other his email or not.

Ivan flung open the door the instant the bell wrung. "Hello, friend!" he exclaimed in an excited voice. His other hand still hid behind his back. The second Alfred walked inside though and the door had been closed, Ivan pounced on him and had the younger man's hands locked up in a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs before he could react. Still holding Alfred's hands by the handcuffs, he smiled even brighter. "We are going to have fun tonight!"

Alfred was startled when he walked through the door and Ivan pounced on him. He felt something being put on his wrists and looked down. He was confused by what he saw. He looked from the handcuffs to Ivan a few times before his gaze stopped on the Russian. "Uhh... Dude?.. Why am I wearing handcuffs?" he asked, clearly confused by what was going on.

"I'm punishing you!" Ivan continued to smile as he dragged Alfred into another room where a haunting melody came--the sound of tetris music. He'd borrowed the game system from one of his coworkers and had it set up in a dark room where a lone chair sat. "Since you ruined our last party with your overprotective nature, I'm going to teach you to be considerate by playing what I want to play and eating what I want to eat!"

"For what!" Alfred exclaimed as Ivan dragged him through the house. "Dude, if there was a game you wanted to play or something you wanted to eat, you should have just told me! And I'm not the one who ruined the party. That was Gilbert. I was just standing up for my brother. And none of that explains the handcuffs!" he exclaimed.

Ivan dumped Alfred in the chair before he pulled a roll of duct tape out of one of his many pockets. His smile brightened even more as he a strip out to display his intentions. "If you keep talking like that, I've come prepared!" he threatened. He almost dared Alfred to keep saying he didn't need to be punished. Maybe then he would have a chance to say the things he wanted to say. Ivan wouldn't do that yet though. "You are both at fault and today you will accept that." Setting down the tape in sight, he looked down at the handcuffs. "Because I wanted to use them."

Alfred's eyes narrowed when Ivan pulled out a roll of duct tape. "Dude, I'm pretty sure we talked about you being creepy and this is definitely creepy. And tying up your friends like this isn't a good way to keep them as your friends." he told him. He was still confused about what was happening. This really wasn't expecting for this to happen when he came over. If he had known, he would have stayed at home.

Ivan pouted, his face all childishness and innocence. "Maybe it isn't a friend I want," he said before grinning away and shoving one of the game controllers into Alfred's hand and sitting on the floor next to him. He didn't show much reaction to being called creepy, but he didn't deny it either. He just turned the game on with an excited, "Let's play!"

"If you don't want a friend, then why am I here?" Alfred asked. He took the game controller that was handed to him. He noticed the game that was on the screen and groaned quietly to himself. He didn't want to play this! It was boring. There were no zombies or monsters or anything.

To Ivan, it was all quite obvious. Why invite Alfred and just Alfred over to play with him? No, he wanted more than a friend. It was the same reason for the handcuffs. He liked Alfred in them. "Isn't this so much fun?!" he asked as they continued to play, clearly enjoying every second of the game. He didn't seem to notice Alfred's own dislike.

"I'd be having more fun if I wasn't handcuffed." Alfred responded. He'd also have more fun if they were playing one of his games. But he kept that to himself. He just kept playing this game, bored out of his mind by it, and it was obvious he wasn't really trying to hard. He wasn't going to complain about it to the crazy guy who handcuffed him for no good reason.