"Merci beaucoup, Rome. I wouldn't know what to do if you 'ad not been 'ere to look after mon petite." Gaul stood before the equally strong nation, sword held at his waist as one hand kept resting on the handle and beside him was a slightly melancholic child with beautiful blonde hair and equally blue eyes as Gaul.
"It is no problem, Gaul! I love looking after my little nephew~" he cooed, tickling the little boys neck who in turn squealed and giggled, shying away from the attacking finger.
Gaul smiled at his son, resting a hand on the boys head and stroking his golden locks lightly, "I'm sure 'e enjoys being with you just as much," he noted before taking a knee to his sons height, "France.." he spoke up, carressing the boys chin to lift it which it did, "I won't be gone for too long, a week at the very most, Uncle Rome 'as promised to take very good care of you, you can play with little Italy and Romano and 'e promised to let you help 'im cook and 'e even 'as a little surprise for you," at hearing this, little France's eyes lit up excitedly to his papa, who in turn at seeing this gave a light hearted smile, "But you 'ave to promise papa to be a good boy for 'im until I come back, oui?" he asked and the boy quickly nodded in response to the question.
"I promise, Papa! I'll be good!" he exclaimed and with that Gaul gave the boy one last hug and smothered his forehead in kisses before he waved the child and adult nation a farewell as he went to take care of business elsewhere. The duo waved to the handsome man even when he was out of sight and Rome could see the sadness in the boys eyes, France was always very upset when his papa had to leave but that was why Rome was always sure to spoil the little boy with presents and love to keep him happy.
"My little France~" Rome called out and France turned his attention to his uncle, who held his strong hand out to the boy, awaiting for him to take it, "Come, Italy and Romano are very busy at the moment so we must not disturb them, however, that gives us the time to retrieve your present!" Rome said excitedly to which France bounced on his toes, taking hold of his uncle's hand.
"Where do we have to go, Uncle Rome?" he asked.
"Well, we're going to get you a present from the market, are you excited?"
"Oui! Can we get sweet things too! Like chocolate or cake!" he begged
Rome laughed and nodded, "Si! Only if we can get enough to share~" he winked to the boy who's perky attitude picked up again as he excitedly walked with his uncle, if with a little more hyperactivity. The duo truly enjoyed eachothers company, Rome loved hearing the stories of the games France and England would play, what his papa had got him or the mischevious acts he got up to with the maids and butlers around his mansion and in turn, France loved hearing the war stories Rome would tell and all of the recipe's he would teach him to make.
"Ah, here we are, go on, my little France, look around and pick out whatever it is you would like, maybe you want a new tunic? You've had that blue one for quite a while now," he offered but France shook his head.
"I like this blue tunic," France explained.
"Hmm, what about a new book to read?"
"Papa got me a lot of book last week, I don't want to lose something you got for me amongst them,"
"Si... Oh! I know, a teddy bear?" Rome offered.
France perked up and turned to him, "Oui oui!" he said excitedly.
Rome smiled, "Okay," he leaned against a building where they were and pointed off into the market, "Down by the fruits stand, there is a pretty lady selling toys," he said and placed a sachet of money in the boys hands, "Uncle Rome will wait right here for you and you know if you need help you come back and get me or if its urgent and you cant come back you shout for me, I am not that far," he reassured, Rome liked to leave the boy with a little independence, he knew most children liked that and it would also teach the boy a sense of maturity.
"Okay, Uncle Rome!" he said excitedly, rushing down through the street filled to the brim with mainly men and women collecting their groceries and homely needs, most looked at the boy with a smile the cute child without a single care in the world as he marvelled at the stands filled to the brim with everything a child could only beg their parents for.
"Eh- Ciao, little boy!" A young woman called out, noticing a boy in a blue tunic looking in awe at everything she was selling that day, "Can I help you?" she asked.
France nodded, "Oui!" he said, there was actually another stand that was selling toys too but this stand caught his eye for one thing and that was the biggest teddy bear he had seen so far in his little life, "Can I 'ave that teddy please?" he asked. The young woman glanced behind her at the toy France was pointing at and looked at the price tag, she came back smiling, saying the price to the boy who happily held up a sachet to her explaining his Uncle Rome was getting it as a present.
"Oh Mister Rome? I did not know you were France! You are much more adorable than I thought, I could just pinch those adorable little cheeks!" she squealed to which the little boy blushed lightly in response, all people knew of Rome there of course, all treated him and his grandsons with great respect for very obvious reasons and it seemed France was beginning to be to by how much Rome seemed to talk about his relatives.
"Ah.. It seems I have this one tied up! I'm really sorry to have to keep you waiting, France but it may take a little while for me to cut down this teddy, I hope I wont keep you too long?" she said as she took out a knife to cut the twine roped from the teddy.
"It's okay! Uncle Rome wont mind!" he said as he swung back and forth from heels to his tip toes, looking around at the other stands as the girl proceeded to try and cut through the ropes one by one. He noticed the stand next to hers, filled to the brim with beautiful fruits, "Oohh..."
He peeked over it, looking over the crowd of fruits that seemed to shine making them look even more ripe and tasty.
"Kid. You watch your filthy hands on my fruits, ah?" the grumpy maybe mid fourties man snapped at France who in response pouted at him.
"I'm not touching them, I'm just looking," he explained.
"Well stop leaning on that corner its weak."
"Non it's not."
Si! It is I had it fixed only temporarily yesterday!" the man snapped trying to shoo the boy away.
"Non its not! It's fine, look!" France snapped back, pressing all his weight against the corner of the stand and even jumping up and down to put more weight down to prove his point further. However, even as the man came around the stand to pull him away physically there was a sudden snap and the next thing everyone knew the stand was leaning on its side and the once ripe and shiny fruits on the stand were now covered in dirt and spread all over the floor.
The young woman cutting down the teddy had finally gotten the job finished and turned to see the sight before her and being in conversation with that grumpy man multiple times that afternoon she knew exactly what happened but that didn't stop her from letting out a few snickers and giggles.
"You... YOU WICKED BOY! I TOLD YOU NOT TO LEAN ON THE CORNER AND NOW LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! HOW ARE YOU GOING TO REPAY FOR THIS?!" the man practically screamed at the child who was now struggling not to wet himself. Groups of people stared in shock at what happened, some in concern for the little boy, others from pure curiousity.
"U-Uh, sir, I wouldn't do that if I were you that-" the young woman at the toy stand spoke up but was quickly cut off by the angry man.
"YOU HOLD YOUR TONGUE GIRL OR I WILL CUT IT OFF MYSELF!" he shouted at her and she instantly shut her mouth, France looked at him and shock, Gaul; his papa whom he looked up to, his Uncle Rome and even Britannia had taught him many times to respect ladies.
"AND YOU!" the man snapped, "HOW WILL YOU REPAY FOR THIS?!" he repeated.
"I-I only have the sachet of money for that teddy- ah! Give it back!" France squealed as the worn sachet was ripped from his hands, "That's my money and I don't want to buy your stupid fruit stand I want my teddy bear!" he screeched at the man who in response only glared at him, eyes dripping with anger as he looked at the boy.
"Sir! Surely you will not be stealing from a child especially- Ngh!" The young woman held her cheek in pain as she was swiftly slapped across the face by the back of the mans hand.
"What did I say about holding your tongue, girl!?"
France looked absolutely mortified and all those previous thoughts about respect that he learnt from the adult nations flooded back into his head again.
"My papa said you should never speak to a lady or hit her like that!" he snapped, walking up to the man and kicking him with as much force as he could into his shin. Instantly, the man was holding his shin in pain and hopping around like a rabbit, luckily for France he had dropped the sachet of money in the process and the boy was able to pick it up before the man could get to it again...
Unfortunately, France was not quick enough and the little boy found himself being yanked by his wrist to the man.
"AND I WILL TEACH-A YOU TO RESPECT YOUR ELDERS, LITTLE BOY!"
Suddenly, France found himself staring at the ground and his little tunic had been flipped over his back along with his little white bloomers being taken down he practically screamed in horror as he knew what was to come and the young woman looked even more horrified even though she had been slapped, she knew who that childs uncle was. The loud clinking of a belt came to France's ears and he wriggled as much as he could, and even bit the mans leg as hard as his little teeth would sink, gaining a scream of pain from the man but then a loud crack had silenced the area completely and then pain shot through him.
"Uwaaaaaahhhh!" the boy wailed feeling the harsh leather land against his backside. Then there was another crack and another and another and France was kicking his legs and wailing his little heart out.
"Waaahhh! Ow ow! Uncle Romeeeeeee- Waaahhhh!" the boy wailed, balling his tiny hands into fists and hitting them against the mans leg but it was only five seconds until a very livid looking man had appeared in the crowd of curious bystanders.
Just as the belt was lifted to be layed across the boys backside again, the man was halted when he felt a strong grip around his wrist, "You will let my little France go immediately," Rome practically growled like a bear to the now cowering man.
"M-Mister Rome- Ohh... Th-This is.. France-a? Mi-Mi dispiace, the little b-boy he destroyed my stall," he stammered.
"Put. Him. Down." he ordered and the man did, letting France run to his uncle who held his arms out to the boy who wailed all the way into his arms, his tunic falling back in place as he was lifted in his uncles arms. Rome felt his heart break more and more with each painful cry that France let out and that only added fuel to the fire as he glared at the man, rubbing the frightened and hurt little boy's back, "This gave you no right to treat a child so cruely, how dare you." Rome growled, the usually happy, friendly and kind man was now gone and this often happened when he felt himself or others he cared for threatened. Rome said no further as the man practically wet himself from fear.
"My little bambino..." he cooed to the boy in his arms who looked at him still crying heavily, "Did you pick a toy?" he asked, smiling gently to France who in turn nodded and pointed over to the young woman who was holding the teddy and rubbing her cheek in pain.
"Th-That 'HIC' nice ladyyyy,"
Rome made his way over to her, taking the sachet of money from France and handing it to her, taking the teddy in exchange, "Grazie for being kind to my little France." he thanked, smiling at the young woman who smiled in response.
"Grazie, Mister Rome but this is too much for the-"
"Please take it as a gift, I can see from your cheek the trouble you went through to try to protect him," he explained, before taking his leave, handing the teddy to France who wrapped his slender arms around both the teddies and his uncle Rome's neck, continuing to sob against him.
A little while down the journey home, Rome had stopped in a secluded area and looked to the crying boy, "Please... Bambino.. No more crying, it hurts your uncle to see you cry so much," Rome noted, wiping his thumb over his cheek to dry away the tears.
France sniffled and layed his head against his uncle.
"That-a nasty man..." he noted, "Hurting a bambino... What happened?" he asked
France instantly bursted into tears again, "You'll spank me!" the boy wailed, unhappily. Now it was true, Rome had given many little nations their fair amount of a lesson, France had learnt that many times usually when he had done something dangerous he was told not to do or he had decided to be very cheeky towards the older nations but he could never give France another spanking after that.
"No no no, my little France! Uncle Rome promises he will not, especially not after what that-a nasty man did, please?" he asked.
"I-I was waiting for that lady to cut down the teddy bear and I was leaning on the corner of 'is stand and it suddenly broke!" so maybe he did lie a little but it wasn't that big of a lie was it..?
"Oh my poor little bambino! Blaming his faulty stall on you!" Rome looked absolutely distraught as he cuddled the little french boy all the way back to his house, rubbing the boys back and smothering him in comforting kisses on his forehead and soon France did cheer up, falling asleep against his uncle and cuddling his new toy all the way back as he was spoilt.
