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Matthew's favorite part of Canada Day had always been the morning. What's not to like? It's quiet, relaxing, and calm.
The rest of the house hadn't woken up yet, understandably. He leaned against the kitchen counter as the kettle whistled softly from the stove, signaling it had come to a boil. Kumajirou sat patiently besides the table, watching Matthew pour hot water into his favorite mug.
"Do you think everyone's still asleep?" He asked with a smile, setting a timer for 5 minutes (he had always believed steeping tea for 5 minutes was the best choice.)
Kumajirou blinked. "...Who?"
Matthew chuckled, carrying his tea out onto the front porch, settling into the old wooden chair placed there.
This, he thought, was the perfect way to start Canada Day. No crowds, loud music, overly pushy people, or, worst of them all- Alfred. All of those things combined into one. Without those three, his morning was perfec-
The front door slammed open.
"MATTHEW!" Yelled the voice of the one person he didn't want to hear. Way to put a damper on his mood. It was unfortunate to admit that did make Matthew jump. Luckily, he kept a tight grip on his mug so as to not accidentally fling it into the flowerbeds.
"HAPPY CANADA DAY!" Alfred screamed excitedly, bursting through the door way with an entire store's supply of miniature Canadian flags. One in his hair, the other attached to his shirt with a safety pin, several more falling out of his pockets.
Matthew stared. He had no words besides one... why. "...Morning." He muttered.
"I've been awake since five!" Alfred rambled, grabbing a giant flag from behind the door (how did he not notice that before?) and a bunch of double-sided tape. He walked by Matthew to the wall of the house, and, oh do not tell me he's taping that on the wall. That's never going to stick.
"I can tell." He murmured, watching Alfred practically hop from place to place.
"I've already started decorating!" He said excitedly, pointing behind him towards the road.
Matthew glanced over Alfred's shoulder to see what he was pointing at. "...Is there a flag on the mailbox?" He asked.
"Yep!" Alfred nodded.
"...The porch swing?" Matthew noticed.
"Mhm!" Goodness, where didn't he put a Canadian flag?
"...Kumajirou?" Matthew questioned warily, looking down at said bear.
At some point in the last thirty seconds, Alfred had attached a tiny Canadian flag to Kumajirou's collar. It would be impressive if not scary... how did he do that... "...When did you—"
"I work fast." Alfred's face darkened, almost making him jump out of his skin.
Matthew carefully removed the little flag off the collar and handed it back, making Alfred gasp in mock betrayal. "I don't think he really wants to wear it."
Arthur stepped out onto the porch, still tying the belt of his robe, his hair only half-combed and a mug of tea already in hand. Considering he just woke up, how did he make tea so fast?
He took one look at Alfred, then the flags, then Kumajirou. "Why...?" He asked.
"It's Canada Day!" Alfred motioned wildly.
"I gathered that." Arthur said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why is there a flag hanging from the porch light?"
"Oh! Wait until you see the living room." He chirped. Matthew hadn't even seen the living room and he wasn't quite sure he wanted to with how his brother was describing it...
"I'm afraid to." Arthur grimaced, narrowing his eyes.
The door creaked open again.
Francis stepped outside carrying a tray of pastries, somehow looking perfectly put together despite the early hour- a stark contrast to Arthur. "Good morning, my darlings!" he sang. "Happy Canada Day!" As he spoke, he set the tray down on the patio table before kissing Matthew gently on the forehead. "And especially to our guest of honor."
Matthew's ears turned pink. "I don't know about 'guest of honor'..." He whispered.
"Nonsense," Francis said, waving a hand dismissively and picking up a pastry from the tray. "Today is all about you."
Arthur nodded once, a rare sight of him agreeing with Francis. "It is."
Matthew looked between the three of them, confused. "...I thought we were just going to have dinner tonight."
The three exchanged glances. "...Dinner?" Alfred echoed, tilting his head.
"Yeah." Matthew responded.
Arthur frowned. "...No."
"No?" Okay, yeah, now he was really confused.
Francis smiled sweetly. "We're having breakfast."
"And lunch," Arthur added.
"And a barbecue!" Alfred chimed in.
"And dessert," Francis continued.
"And games, sparklers, and last but not least, photographs! Everything you can think of!!" Alfred finished.
Matthew blinked. "Oh."
Arthur took a sip of his tea. "You sound disappointed."
"No! Not disappointed, no, I'm just..." Matthew rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. "I wasn't expecting all that."
Alfred threw an arm around his shoulders. "Dude, it's Canada Day!"
"...I know." He really had no idea where Alfred was going with this.
"It's your day! You think I would really allow the celebration to be just a dinner?! No!"
"It is," Francis agreed. "Now, finish your tea while it's still warm. We have an entire day of celebrating ahead of us."
Matthew looked at the quiet backyard he'd been enjoying not that long ago. Then at Alfred, already sprinting off with another armful of flags. Genuinely where was he getting all of those? Then at Arthur, muttering something about "fire hazards." He was probably speaking of Alfred's sparklers... Then, lastly, at Francis, who was rearranging pastries to make them look more visually appealing.
It made him smile. Canada Day was supposed to be relaxing, right?
Though it seems he found he wouldn't mind as much if it wasn't.