A/N: Happy Thanksgiving! I know that other countries celebrate their harvest festivals and what not on different days and in different ways, but this is how my American family celebrates. Minus certain details (coughFranciscough)
Warning: Genderbending Ahead
"So…why are we here again?" Alistair asked looking over at the rest of the United Kingdom.
Cai opened his mouth as if to say something, but Eily beat him to it.
"I think this was Arthur's fault…actually," the Irishman said, looking to the short blonde man next to them.
Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing.
"It was all Amelia," he said finally, "This is one of her holidays, apparently."
"Holidays?" Dylan asked mildly.
"Yes!" Arthur exclaimed, "Like that bloody Columbus day! Sure, celebrate a stupid Italian, why don't you? Do you have a Jamestown day?"
"Or an 'Arthur Kirkland is amazing' day?" Eily mocked.
Dylan laughed as Alistair clapped the blonde's shoulder.
"'Sokay, we all know you're just annoyed cause she's celebrating how thankful she is to be away from you," Alistair teased. Arthur rolled his eyes, "We're dating, you git."
The Scotsman spread his arms, "All the more reason for her to be thankful to get away from ye!"
The door in front of the UK swung open to reveal Francis lounging against the door frame.
"Are you five just going to stand there all day, or are you coming in?" he asked.
"Frog!" Arthur exclaimed, backing up a bit, "Why are you here!"
Francis smirked at him, "Because there's no such thing as 'fashionably late'."
"Iggy~!" called an all to familiar voice.
Arthur tensed as all one hundred and some pounds of America crashed into him.
"Ameli-mmhff!" Arhtur gasped as his girlfriend smashed her lips against his.
The Amrican only pulled apart when Alistair wolf-whistled and Francis had "Honhonhon~"ed at least three times.
"You're late!" she exclaimed, grabbing Arthur's hand and dragging him inside.
Alistair muttered something that sounded like "Whipped~" but Arthur ignored it.
Immediately inside the door, the Englishman was greeted by Mattie and Gilbert, who winked at him *shudder*, Michelle, who smiled as Francis rejoined her in the kitchen, Feliciana and Lovina, who were arguing about something pasta-related in the kitchen, and Antonio trying to make small talk with and increasingly awkward Ludwig.
"Why didn't you tell me there was cooking?" Arthur demanded as the smells from the kitchen overwhelmed him.
At the blonde's outburst, the Italians had turned and Feliciana was cowering behind Lovina.
"B-back! Get back, eyebrow bastard!" the southern Italian exclaimed, trying to be fierce.
Antonio ruined the tough facade by tackle-hugging Lovina with a "Lovi~! You're so cute when you're trying to protect out health~!"
"Geroff, bastard," Lovina muttered half heatedly, face beet red.
And that was how Arthur became officially banned from the kitchen
Alistair had been banned too, after he suggested making haggis, and was now pouting at the table while Dylan read a book in the corner.
Cai and Eily had been put in charge of the mashed potatoes which, in retrospect, maybe wasn't the best plan.
Francis and Mattie were busy making multiple things for dessert that smelled fantastic and Feliciana had moved on to the turkey, leaving Lovina to make the stuffing.
Arthur learned several things that afternoon.
The first was that no matter what, don't let your girlfriend eat raw stuffing because it doesn't taste nearly as good before it's cooked and in no way exceeds expectations.
The second is that that stuff at the bottom of the turkey pan is pure fat and you should not, under any circumstances, let your older brother (who has been complaining for the better part of two hours how hungry he is) eat it with a spoon. No one will want to use that spoon anytime in the foreseeable future.
Third, among others, is that, apparently, one of America's absurd holidays is all the excuse Francis needs to try and molest you with food even after you have reminded him multiple times that you are dating someone and he is dating someone and WHERE ARE YOU PUTTING THAT PASTRY, FROG?!
But when everyone was seated around Amelia's rather large table in very mix-matched chairs about to dig into the strangest meal Arthur had ever seen, he felt rather...happy.
Everyone was serving themselves large portions of everything, Arthur included. He piled his plate with pasta, stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes (avoiding the wurst and leeks, wait, hadn't Dylan been banned from the kitchen too?), various cheeses, multiple kinds of bread (seriously, Francis, how many kinds if bread did one meal need?), pancakes, maple syrup (Matilda was right, this stuff really was delicious) more pasta, turkey, something Amelia revealed was a "Green bean cass roll! Or something like that~!" *cue cute Amelia wink* (though he refused to eat the fried French onions on top) and so much cranberry the Englishman lost count.
Another useful thing he learned was that mashed potatoes were rather adept at hiding Lima beans and Brussels sprouts.
Then came dessert, with cakes and pies and that icing is an unnatural green color, Amelia, why is it glowing?
Some cakes and at least a gallon of apple cider later, everyone was full and (thankfully) still alive.
Everyone was sprawled on couches or the living room floor or *shudder* Francis's lap when Amelia announced that they should all go in a circle and say what they were thankful for.
"I'll start!" she decided.
"Well, I'm thankful for Arthur and Mattie and no, Gilbert, I still hate you, and Feli and Ludwig is cool sometimes I guess," Lovina snorted at the description of the German as 'cool', "And Lovina, you curse a lot but that's okay, cause you make amazing pizza and we really bonded in the twenties, ya know? and Scottie and Dylan, you guys were really nice to me growing up and Cai and Eily you guys are pretty awesome too–shut up Gilbert–and Michelle you're really sweet and I guess youre all right, Francis, when you're not trying to molest me, ahahaha~ I have a boyfriend! and Antonio, you're a really cool dude too!"
The nations were all staring at the American as she continued to ramble, "And I guess what I'm saying is that I'm really glad you guys put up with me because I've done a lot of really mean things to you guys but I'd be really lonely without you so I kind of hope you could forget about that stuff, but at the same time I'm glad you haven't because I need you to keep me from repeating my mistakes! So thanks!"
Ignoring the stunned silence, Amelia turned to Arthur expectantly.
"W-well, I guess," he stuttered, "All of us, as nations, have done stupid, evil things in out past that we regret. And I know I was one of the worst," here Arthur directed a particularly...sorry look to Antonio, but both Francis and Gilbert grimaced, "So I'm glad that we've moved past the point of wanting to kill each other in the bloodiest, most painful way imaginable–" Francis laughed, "Speak for yourself, cher," but he was smiling, "–and can be not only civil around each other but possibly...enjoy each other's company?"
Amelia smiled, curling herself in a ball and nuzzling Arthur's neck. The other countries must have said something but all Arthur could think was how good Amelia's hair smelled and how much he absolutely loved her.
Francis suggested truth or dare and Arthur refocused.
When Gilbert asked the Englishman, he promptly picked 'dare' and shuddered at the look in the albino's eye.
"Kiss Francis."
"Wha-? No way."
"Kiss Francis. C'mon, you don't have to French him or anything. No offense, Frani."
"None taken."
"No way in hell. Fine, I choose truth."
Gilbert whined but complied anyway.
"All right," he mused, "Out of all the nations you know, who do you think you'd be most willing to sleep with. Other than you girlfirend, of course."
Arthur winced, but considered it.
"Umm..." it would have to do, "Probably Japan."
Feliciana stared at him wide-eyed and Arthur thought Ludwig's eyes would pop out of his head if his eye lids widened any further.
"Why?" Gilbert pressed.
Arthur rolled his eyes, "Well, its not really something the bloke would spread to the whole world and we already-"
"My turn!" Amelia interrupted, cheeks as red as a tomato.
Bloody hell, he'd been spending to much time with that bastard Spaniard.
"Truth or dare?"
Amelia rolled her eyes, "Dare, obviously."
"Eat an entire bowl of brussel sprouts."
"Eww!"
"Hey!"
"Sorry, Cai, sorry Eily."
But the American had already stood and was three spoonfuls into a bowl.
The gathered nations watched with a sort of morbid fascination as she finished the bowl.
"How'd you do that?" Lovina asked in astonishment.
Amelia grinned, "Ketchup!"
Alistair groaned beside Gilbert.
The American returned to her seat and turned to Dylan.
"Truth or dare?" she asked excitedly.
The Welshman thought about it before replying, "Truth."
"What's your favorite part of the turkey?"
"You've been waiting to ask that all day, haven't you?"
As the game continued, Arthur wrapped his arms around Amelia, only thinking how grateful he was to have agreed to come to this weird holiday.