One of his guests had found the living room. Whoever it was had started watching and flipping through channels which Alfred wouldn't usually mind. The thing is that that guest had decided it was a good idea to turn it up all the way. Which caused more whining. He paused his work in the kitchen and went to see who it was.

He wasn't at all surprised to see Ivan sitting on the couch with a content smile. The guy was a sadist through and through. Alfred only sighed and snatched the remote away from Ivan. He turned it down to a more regular volume and gave Ivan a quick glare. He took the remote with him to the kitchen and placed it on top of the microwave for good measure. All the other nations (the exception of course being Toris) are basically children. The majority of them are older than him too so it was much more irritating. Insane how one of the most mature is also one of the youngest. Ludwig gets a pass for being so aloof and still so young. Though it slightly made Alfred want to sock Gilbert in the face for raising the poor guy like a soldier.

Everyone else didn't have an excuse at all. They have all lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. Their past experiences should have made them much more mature. They've all lived through terrible things and harsh wars. Which really pissed Alfred off because they would all call him immature. Which was terribly wrong. He was trying to be fun. Life was stressful, after all. He liked to joke around for his own sanity. Of course, they wouldn't understand that since they had their heads so far up their asses. All of them just pissed him off so fucking much.

"Alfred, don't cut your fingers off." Toris' voice had him freeze up. The knife in his hand half a centimeter away from hitting his fingers. With a sigh, he set the knife down and leaned on the counter in slight shame. "You won't last a day with that attitude."

"I know." He sighed again and turned around. "They're just so annoying."

"Well, don't take out your frustrations on the vegetables."

"What do you mean?"

"You were practically slamming the knife on them."

"Oh."

"We're basically done so you want to go take a walk or something you can go ahead." Toris flashed a reassuring smile made for him to forcibly accept the offer.

"Alright."

He went out through the back door, the back porch looking more overgrown than the front. A small black and decorated metal table sat with two matching chairs. He sat there. A small breeze lightened the head of the sun. He still felt kind of hot anyway so he pulled up his shirt sleeves. He looked at the ashtray on the table. Semi-recent cigarette buds lay in it. He licked his dry lips with a semblance of craving washing through his mouth.

He tended to smoke while he was here. It completed that feeling that it was like the old days. Another sigh and he was pulling the cigarette pack forever lived in his pocket. A box a matches too. The matches were clearly more practical. It was insane to think how popular these little sticks had been in the past. They costed practically nothing as they were seen as an essential. Alfred admittedly like the term of 'cancer-stick' that it was given in recent years. He couldn't help with the occasional cigarette for that reason. He was thrill-seeking in the coward's way with these things.

He pulled one out, slipping it into his mouth. He lit it with a match quickly and threw the match into the ashtray after putting it out. There was something calming about the repetitive action of smoking. It brought upon the slightest bit of control and Alfred would take what he can get. He stood up and made his off the porch. A puff of smoke slipped from his lips and he held the cigarette at his side.

The backyard was nice at always. A rather large oak tree with a tire swing loomed over closer to the bit of forest that surrounded the back of the house. The pool where his whale resided lay in the sun a few feet away from the tree. It's a ridiculous idea to even own a whale, but it was like owning a large puppy that just so happened to live under water. He would and pet it if he didn't have a cigarette in hand.

He put the cigarette back in his mouth, put his hands in his pockets, and started his little walk around the backyard.

"What are you doing?" He heard above him in the oak tree he leaned on. He looked up to find Arthur sitting on one of the thicker branches.

"What are you doing up there?" Alfred asked instead of answering.

"Answer my question first." Arthur frowned at him.

"Taking a break."

"Is being in there like job or something?"

"Kind of." Alfred shrugged. "Now answer my question."

"I'm reading."

"In a tree? Like a child?"

"I didn't ask you to comment on it."

"Well, you commented on my thing so it's only fair that I say something about yours."

"You're the worst."

"Says the guy who keeps trying to get my attention."

"What?!" Something between shock and anger mixed onto Arthur's face.

"I've noticed it all, you know. It's kind of cool, honestly. I love getting free stuff."

"I hate you."

Alfred merely laughed. "Sure you do, darlin'." He shook his head in amusemnt and pushed himself off the tree. "Dinner's in a few minutes!" He said finally and walked back to the back porch.

Quickly, he put the cigarette out in the ashtray and made his way in to the kitchen.

"Welcome back, how was your trip." Toris said playfully, while spilling food onto a plate.

"What's a synonym for boring?"

"Well, if you don't want to be bored anymore, go set these on the table." He handed Alfred two plates with delicious smelling food. "Get everyone down to eat while you're at it."

"Alright." He went to the dining room and set the plates down on the decorated wood table. He took a big breath in preparation.

"Dinner!" He yelled, his voice booming. He heard a few thuds and suddenly someone was rolling down the stairs with rhythmic thuds. Francis came in first looking disheveled. A big bruise forming on his cheek. "Did I scare you?" Alfred asked with a smirk.

"I fell down the stairs because of you."

"Were you already coming down?"

"I was because I couldn't resist the smell of freshly made food!" Francis' mood shifted pretty quick at the idea of food.

"Then sit down and eat." And Francis did. In seconds he was in a seat ever so elegantly eating. Slowly the rest came down and sat down as Alfred set the plates on the table. Eventually they were all there sitting silently eating.

Alfred and Toris sat at opposite ends much to Alfred's dismay. Though it did make sharing glances much less noticeable.

"I didn't expect to see a normal portion of food." Kiku spoke up next to Alfred.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked, thick brows furrowing more in confusion.

"Last time I was staying over, Alfred had a huge pile of food that he expected me to it."

"That's because Toris wasn't there." Alfred chuckled. "I have no self control without him."

"You have no self control anyway." Toris added in.

"That's true." Everyone around them hummed in agreement. "Well," Alfred tapped his hands on the table. "I have to go do something important." He and Toris shared a quick glance of understanding and he stood up. All the nation's watched him walk out of he room, most with curious looks. All except Toris, of course. Once the footsteps were faded enough, they all looked at him. He grew a bit nervous but kept a small smile.

"What is he going to do?" Ivan asked with genuine curiosity.

"Feed the whale." Toris simply answered.

"Whale?" Ludwig questioned.

"Yes, there's a whale in the pool in the backyard."

"Is it cute?" Feliciano suddenly grew interest in the conversation.

"Depends on what you consider cute. She is very fond of me though."

"Oh, right, I remember." Ivan smiled at Toris. Nothing hostile or suspicious to it, just a plain old and kind of dopey smile. Toris's anxiety disappeared then and his smile strengthened. It never failed until he made it to bed.

He dropped it as soon as he stepped into Alfred's bedroom with a big sigh. He was annoyed with the fact that Alfred abandoned him to entertain the other nations. And that man wondered why Toris would mother him. He deserved it sometimes goddamnit. Another sigh as he went to the bed to get his suitcase from under it. Opened it up, he looked through it for some clothes to sleep in. The creak of the floorboards sounded in the distance. He decided a shirt and a pair of shorts would suffice.

He turned around and found Alfred walking with a click of the door and creak of the wood beneath their feet. Alfred didn't say a word. He acted instead, almost impulsively. Not that Toris really minded. It was a nice embrace, a clear apology.

"Sorry to leave you alone with them." Alfred said as he leaned back to look at him, he still kept their faces close.

"It was nothing I couldn't handle."

"I still feel bad at about it though." Alfred leaned in closer, a message Toris didn't really have to think to get the message. He pulled back so Alfred would pause his movement.

"Your breath smells like cigarettes."

"Oh, sorry." Alfred leaned back with a frown.

"Just brush your teeth and then I'll kiss you."

"So picky." He shook his head in amusement.

"No, it's just a bit of revenge."

"You're evil!"

"As if it isn't torture for the both of us."

"True." Alfred pulled him in for another quick embrace. "Thanks for the help, darlin'."