Kids are Brats

The door swung shut and three men seated at the bar turned to let out a ruckus of noise. Francis hooted and waved over the blonde gentleman who just entered. "Arthur! What fate that we picked the same pub! Sit with us!" It was Friday, the trio's choice day for drinking. They picked an English pub this time, it being neutral territory and a little exotic next to the German beer and French wine as of late. Although many people already crowded inside, the night only just started and it seemed they weren't the only ones planning to drink it away.

Arthur froze in the doorway. "Seriously. You had to pick my favorite watering hole?" The man snorted before he strode inside. Although he looked at the trio with distaste, he took the proffered stool next to Francis. "But if you insist…" Thirty minutes later, the four of them acted like best buds.

"Gilbert!" Francis and Antonio wailed. The said man slid on his knees against the smooth wood surface, screeching with his air guitar solo.

"Get the hell off of my bar!" Arthur grabbed him by the shirt and yanked the inebriated man down. He stumbled a bit, but continued to air guitar like he didn't notice the change of location. Arthur gaped with his brows bushing together. "Do you have no sense?!"

Gilbert really didn't. "But this is my favorite song!" he yelled. Though he stumbled, he wasn't the only red-faced drunk in the bar. Arthur looked just as glassy eyed, so when Gilbert stood on tip-toe with challenge, he returned it. "You're just jealous that I won the drinking contest!"

Arthur gasped. "T-that's because you cheated, twit!" He tried to land a drunken punch, but somehow, Gilbert ended up biting his hand instead. Arthur wailed while the other two grabbed Gilbert from behind and tried to plant him back in his seat.

"What did I tell you about biting people?!" Francis exclaimed. Gilbert just snorted with laughter.

"You luuuv it!"

Francis made a whine-ish short of noise and turned bright red. They stared at him for a second before Gilbert used the chance to escape his friends' hold. Flailing, he jumped away and right into Arthur. Losing hold of his beer, it went sloshing right onto the other man's shirt. Gilbert didn't even have the sense to look repentant. No, he continued to barrel forward without a notice or care. "Let's all bite Francis!"

A heartbeat passed, silent to everyone except the oblivious Gilbert. Then Arthur outright screeched. "That's it! Britannia angel attack!" Arthur threw a hand into the air and magic sparked around him. In a puff of smoke, he turned into the winged and toga wearing angel they'd all come to fear. Antonio's eyes went wide as he cursed and grabbed Francis' arm to drag him away, abandoning their other friend to his fate. Only then did the wild albino pause and blink at Arthur. "Since you act like a brat, why don't you become one?!" With that, he jabbed his star wand at the other man and smoke filled the bar.

Francis and Antonio waved their hands to clear away the rather floury smelling stuff clouding the air. A small cough alerted them to Gilbert's position and they shuffled forward, curious about what fate befell him. "Uh…where?" For a second, they didn't seen anyone. Then they heard another cough and shrill words.

"Why is everything so big?!"

Francis' eyes darted down. There, holding himself up against a barstool, stood Gilbert—at about age five. Francis screamed. Antonio squealed with delight. "Oh my god he's so cute!"

"Well, I'll take my leave then. Have fun you suckers!" Arthur exclaimed then ran out into the street, sandals, toga, and all.

"W-wait…you've got to be kidding me! You do this then leave us to deal with him?!" Francis gasped. The entire bar stared and he couldn't blame them. Antonio dropped onto his knees next to Gilbert and grabbed him up with a pout.

"But won't it be fun? Look at these big shining eyes." Indeed, Gilbert stared around him with the biggest child eyes they'd ever seen. Just when Antonio got his arms around the kid though, all hell broke loose.

"You deign touch me fool?! No! Leggoleggoleggo!" Gilbert's yell split their ears. With both hands, he grabbed fistfuls of Antonio's hair and yanked. The older man cried out as tears sprung to his eyes.

"Wah! Get him off me!" Small teeth latched onto his arm and Antonio wailed again, trying to shake the boy off. Francis grabbed him from behind and together they managed to pull Gilbert away. Once Antonio hid behind Francis, the two of them shared a look.

They forgot how annoying this brat could be!

Before he could create any more havoc though, the little body froze. A shudder ran from shoulders to toes before Gilbert curled over, both hands clamped over his mouth. An actual whimper escaped as he whispered. "I feel sick…" They realized his face flushed a deep shade of red as sweat rolled down his neck. The glassy film over his eyes could only mean one thing. This was what happened when you turned a grown, drunk man into a kid. For the first time, they got to see Gilbert unable to handle his drink.

With hesitation, Antonio gathered the kid in his arms, holding him at arms length. The boy looked so distressed that he almost forgave his brattiness. "What should we do? He is just a kid after all. It'd be wrong to leave him here." Gilbert looked like he'd throw up any second and that kept him quiet. For a moment, Francis stood there with a hand on his hip. His blue eyes regarded the other two before he sighed.

"…Well, we've taken care of kids before." He gathered their things from the bar and helped wrap Gilbert better in his now oversized shirt. The rest of his clothes, Francis wadded up and stuffed under an arm. The motions felt familiar in a way. Looking at the ill child, memories of the past swept through him so that a brief smile flashed over his face. He liked kids. They both did. "I suppose it would be fun to play parent again. I mean, how hard can it be?"

xXx

At eight in the morning, Antonio pressed Ludwig's doorbell. He carried an overnight bag and Francis held Gilbert who kept up a constant chatter. The boy only allowed this after two blocks of walking and then he demanded they carry him lest his little legs start kicking their precious bits. They complied.

Before Antonio could get really desperate and start jabbing the bell multiple times, the sound of the lock chinked behind the dogs' barking. Ludwig opened the door with a curt morning. Francis and Antonio explained the situation a few hours earlier and asked if he wanted to experience a younger Gilbert he'd never get to see otherwise. Although he didn't understand why they offered him, who lacked skills with children, such an opportunity, he felt he couldn't say no. Seeing the two older men now though, he started to understand. Judging by his looks, Francis tied his hair back without brushing it and random fly-aways arced out of the tie. An orange stain took over the right side of Antonio's shirt. Bite marks purpled against his tanned skin and a bandaid marred Francis' forehead.

"Gilbert. Just like we promised," Francis announced. Before Ludwig could even protest, Francis pushed the boy into his arms. Familiar and yet strange ruby eyes looked up at him. Antonio looped the bag over his other arm and the two said their hurried goodbyes.

"We'll be back for him tomorrow morning. Don't call us for emergencies and most of all, have fun!" A second later, the two men fled down the street. Well, he could understand, but Ludwig dealt with his brother on a daily basis. Surely he could manage a smaller him easier. And really, Gilbert did look a bit…cute. Was this how Gilbert felt when he held him as a kid? The second he closed the door and settled the small body against his hip though, a foot connected with his thigh.

"I wanna ride on your shoulders!" Gilbert whined. "Just because I'm a kid doesn't mean I should be shorter than you and I'm hungry. Make me pancakes!"

Ludwig gaped at him. "…But you're normally shorter than me," he pointed out. Of course Gilbert never made sense, but now he just whined. Surely his personality didn't revert back to a child's too. Ludwig mentally chided himself. What am I thinking? He never grew up! As if to prove it, Gilbert swung his leg again and Ludwig barely managed to maneuver him to a safe position. For a second, the two brothers stared at each other, one defiant and the other baffled and searching. In the end, Ludwig lowered his eyes first.

Just because Gilbert turned into a kid didn't mean he couldn't order his brother around. Sighing, Ludwig turned and headed for the kitchen with Gilbert on his shoulders. "Yes, yes. I understand…"

Size determined nothing about one's destructive power. Ludwig decided that after a few hours. If anything, being small amplified Gilbert's ability to get into trouble. But he was calm. Oh, Ludwig remained calm because this was Gilbert and he knew how to deal with it. Something to this degree wouldn't make him snap. Yet.

Gilbert stood alone in the living room, staring up. He couldn't reach the tv remote. Growling at the top of the tv didn't work, so he kicked the stand. He tried to climb up it, but the resulting crash of a bowl of popurie left him plopped on the floor, arms crossed and a lecture still echoing in his ear. 'Just ask for help if you need it!' But how could Gilbert do that? A sniffle nearly made it out of him, but he forced it back. What was so fun about being a kid if you couldn't do anything? This big place was too big, because he refused to say he turned too small.

One of the dogs eyed Gilbert from a couple feet away. "What? Even you're going to look at me like a stranger?!" he snapped. The dog whined and dropped onto his belly, head tilted to the side. Gilbert pouted and stuck out his hand. "Don't you know me even if I'm a kid?" A wet nose pressed against his palm before the dog scooted closer until he stood over Gilbert. Only then did he comprehend Berlitz' size. Paws landed on both side of him as the dog shoved his face into Gilbert's hair. "Ah! Down Berlitz! I know I smell like Francis' shampoo, but-!" His tirade ended in a squeak as a giant pink tongue licked his face. Gilbert hissed in disgust, but a second later, wrapped his arms around the German Shepherd's neck. "At least I'm still Gilbert to you."

As he played with Berlitz, Gilbert felt something change. He could never play with a dog like a dog before, down on the ground, on equal footing. He knew Ludwig worked in his office, door cracked open, but the freedom of no watching eyes let him loosen up. Furniture that looked practical before now morphed into a jungle. Everything looked new—new and wondrous like nothing he ever experienced. How long ago did childhood end? And even then, he never played like this, never found time for it. Though tiny, he felt no fear in holding a sword twice his size and joining the army. None of that existed anymore though. Only this place he called home. For a minute, Gilbert stood there, remembering the past and how wonderful he'd been, so strong and fearless. Really, he'd stood on top of the world. A tiny smile flickered over his face before Gilbert scrabbled up the couch. He kept climbing until he stood on the back, arms outstretched, and just like that, a laugh bubbled up.

Gilbert clapped a hand over his mouth. What? How could this excite him so much? But, looking down at the room spread out like a whole kingdom under him, he felt on top of the world. What harm would come from playing teutonic knight again? Gilbert let himself snicker before he apprised his stuffed panda, Ludwig's cellphone, and the three dogs with his gaze. "I am the king of Prussia and you are my subjects. Now bow down before me!"

A small woof served as answer. The eldest dog scratched his ear and the rest did nothing. Gilbert's face fell. Well, he could work on that. Spying a duster, he hopped down to fetch it. After one heft, he decided the thing resembled a sword, so with it, he advanced toward Berlitz again. "Now come on…I know you want to be my steed…" The 'steed' only managed a single low whine. A minute later, they tore through the house, Gilbert astride the dog.

Carpet became roads, the couches cities and houses. Until somewhere in his mind, the carpet turned into a raging river. He needed to jump great chasms between cushions or he would fall to certain death. "I am awesome! Whoopie!" Gilbert yelled as he jumped the three foot distance between the window sill and a wall of pillows. He'd just slaughtered an entire army of pissed off Hungarians and tripled his territory. If he could figure out how to get to the chair on the far side of the room, he'd own this entire land. Before he could make the appropriate calculations though, the door to Ludwig's office creaked open and he rushed to safety.

"Gilbert?" He plopped his butt down on the couch and grinned up, innocent as could be. "What have you been doing?" Ludwig asked with his eyes narrowed in suspicion. Gilbert pointed at the tv.

"Watching football."

Ludwig spied the duster nearly kicked under a table and his eyes narrowed more. "And the noise?"

Gilbert's little legs kicked back and forth as he stared studiously ahead. Ludwig didn't miss how long it took him to answer though. "…I got very excited."

"How so?" Ludwig asked with a glance at the screen. "These are just reruns."

Before he could ask anymore questions, Gilbert's face twisted to look very much like his upset adult one. "Shut up, West! Just because you've got a stick shoved up your ass doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself! I am perfectly capable of looking after myself! Right Berlitz?" Ludwig doubted that very much. The dog, hiding under the table, gave a whine as if he agreed. Ludwig sighed and resigned himself to not knowing the extent of Gilbert's trouble. He rubbed his head against the ache forming there and then walked into the kitchen. There, he stopped dead on the hardwood floors.

"What happened here?!" Utensils littered the floor. Water coated the counters. The wrappers never quite made it into the trash can, but rather the floor in front of it, and horrible, horrible little hand prints smudged all the surfaces orange. Ludwig's outrage couldn't even find proper words. He just stood there stuttering with horror. The simple response he received sent a dagger right through his OCD heart.

"I got hungry."

Don't strangle him, don't go into the other room and wrap hands around your brother's neck. That would be wrong. Fine if he's your older brother, but he's a kid and he'll hold that over you for centuries. Drinking parties: 'My lil bro is the worst. He tried to kill me over a few smudges'. But even with that reasoning in mind, Ludwig shook as his hands wrung empty air. It shouldn't be this hard to watch over one kid. What did he do wrong? He tried to treat him like an adult. He tried to reason with him and play with him and ignore him. But Gilbert just got into trouble anyway. A disaster would happen like this and if Gilbert destroyed his brand new tv, then he better prepare his little heart. No mercy.

The second Ludwig left the room, Gilbert jumped right back up and continued his game. Since his stealth skills ponned all, he managed to hop from couch to table without alerting any attention. He grew bolder with time. Since it sounded like Ludwig started cleaning, Gilbert guessed safety would last ten minutes at least. He did leave an epic mess behind after all and part of him did it just to piss Ludwig off. Though, he really couldn't reach the facet right. If he spilt, it was the fault of this stupid house's design. Chuckling to himself, Gilbert started up the bookshelf. The armchair lay opposite and jumping into that wonderful, cushioned seat would show off the best skills yet.

Frantic barking sounded from the tv room. Ludwig grabbed the broom he'd just set down and took off toward the epic mess he expected to find. What he saw had him dropping the broom all over again. "Brother!"

Gilbert turned his head just as he kicked off from the bookshelf, not giving him enough time to even curse in his head. He soared a foot short of his cushioned landing and Ludwig barreled right for him. Gilbert let out a piercing scream. Half a second later, he crashed into his brother's chest and a mouthful of shirt muffled his scream. His body stung for a second, but he didn't fall. Big, like really huge arms kept him aloft. He seriously needed to talk to Ludwig about his body building secret because they looked like tree branches to his child self.

"What are you thinking?!" Ludwig screamed at the child in his arms. "No more trouble. Just, no more, Gilbert! Must I teach you common sense?!" All reason flew away, or maybe reason took over. He'd been worried about his tv? He should have worried more about Gilbert. Didn't this guy realize he couldn't do the same things he did as an adult? His mind made up, Ludwig lifted his brother so they could look eye to eye. "If you want to be treated like an adult, how about you act like one. Or must I punish you like a child?" With his tone grim and scathing, he dropped onto the couch and pushed Gilbert onto his stomach against his knees. A buzz of alarm went through Gilbert. Before he could voice it though, Ludwig's palm smacked into his bottom.

"Ouch!" Another spank sent him flailing, tiny body trying its hardest to get the hell away. Ludwig's strong arms held him down though. "What are you doing?! Stop! No, ow!" Gilbert howled as spank after spank rained down on him. "This isn't fair!"

"It's exactly fair!" Ludwig snapped back. No matter how Gilbert kicked his legs or bit his arm, his grip didn't waver and nor did his hand. "Since I know you're mentally an adult-" Hardly, he thought to himself, but continued. "and you've always been strong, it should be fine to hit you hard right?" So he did exactly that. This Gilbert didn't need coddling like a kid since he already knew well enough the benefits of punishments. The euphoria Ludwig felt at spanking his useless, irritating, troublesome older brother? He told himself revenge had nothing to do with this. Gilbert deserved it.

Only when the boy's shrieking threats ended and turned into blubbering apologies did Ludwig stop. Carefully, he lifted Gilbert up and set him stomach down on the couch. For one second, he just pet the soft white hair and frowned at his brother's tears. "Are you truly sorry for what you've done?"

Gilbert nodded his head once. Ludwig left his hand on the boy's hair for one more second before he stood. As much as he wanted to scoop Gilbert up into his arms and apologize for making him cry, he knew from books that it made the punishment useless. If he stayed, he'd say Gilbert did nothing wrong, so he walked back to the kitchen. This filled him with both horror and relief, but mostly horror. He felt so humiliated, defeated, and like a child all over again. And strangely, repentant. He regretted his action more than he regretted anything in a very long time and that as much as anything else brought tears to his eyes. He made Ludwig dislike him didn't he? All he wanted to do was have fun. He didn't want to scare his brother, to make him angry. Ah really, what should he do now? Being a child sucked after all.

Ludwig sat down on the couch again, making Gilbert jump. He'd resigned himself to sulking alone, but Ludwig just set down the bowl of cereal he failed to get himself earlier, as if he somehow knew. "You know it's not just because I'm angry, right?" he muttered. Words never came easy to him, but he managed somehow. He couldn't let Gilbert think he hated him, because as much as he was an adult, his tears were those of a child. "I'm trying to keep you safe."

Neither said anything for a minute, but Gilbert settled down. It wasn't like he didn't understand, deep down where he didn't want to admit it. "If I promise to watch a movie with you later, will you sit here and behave now?" Ludwig asked.

"Yeah…" Gilbert muttered. Ludwig still needed to work a little more, but before long he moved to the couch and the day went by with much less strife. Gilbert was still Gilbert, but a manageable one now. And that night, with Gilbert asleep on top of his chest, he decided it was worth it.

xXx

Francis and Antonio arrived the same time the next morning, just like planned. "So, how was it?" Francis asked, ready to hear less favorable reviews of the day. After all, they dumped Gilbert so quick for a reason. Ludwig just handed over the bag full of child things as Gilbert said good bye to the dogs. Glancing over his shoulder, he smiled. "I'm glad. I got to see something I wouldn't normally." The fondness lasted only a second though. He shoved Gilbert forward and out the door, his smile harried. "As much as you were right though, please take him back! Better yet, keep him, even if he grows up again," Ludwig added with a snort. "Assuming he can grow up."

"Eh? Do I sense underlying tensions between you two?" Antonio whined. "But we were totally kidding when we said you'd get something out of it. We just didn't want to keep Gil." His words left Gilbert trying to kick the older man's shin. Ludwig dropped a hand on top of his head though and the brat froze as something unspoken passed between them. Francis and Antonio shared a look before turning to Ludwig for an explanation.

One corner of the blonde man's mouth twitched up in a smile. "Spanking does wonders for his personality." The words left the other two snorting and Gilbert seething, but still compliant.

"Wow, I bet you've been waiting half your life to do that. Good for you, Ludwig," Francis snickered. With a hand behind Gilbert's back, he led the way back to his car. "Shall I try it too?

Gilbert snapped away from his touch and hopped into the back of the car. "Not unless you want to die, beardy."

xXx

Whatever happened at Ludwig's place, it did them all a lot of good. The second day of Gilbert's exile to childhood left them figuring out how to deal with it reasonably. Secretly, the older two returned to their initial elation. They didn't know how long it would last though and playing dress up in the store only pleased them. Gilbert's interest died after the dress Antonio forced him into, swearing it wasn't a dress. Still, walking hand in hand down the boardwalk, watching the spinning lights of the fair, it felt good.

Gilbert used the other two's arms to jump up and down, listening to the thump of sneakers on wood. Francis whined in response. "Stop that! You're heavy, you know!" Gilbert swung himself again, nearly dragging Antonio down when he didn't prepare for it.

"Aw come on, big brother," he whined. Francis winced at the emphasis on his nickname within Europe. "Haven't you done this with America? I bet I don't weigh half as much as that kid did!" Gilbert laughed and so did Antonio, his head thrown back with joy. Francis just glared at them and considered leaving Gilbert at the top of a ferris wheel to see how well he fared then.

"That was an entirely different thing."

"Why?" Antonio continued to pester. "Because you were young back then? Old man!"

Francis stammered, turning red. Reaching across, he pinched Antonio's cheek with a high pitched whine. "Aren't you old too then?! Look at these wrinkles. The horror!" Antonio squawked and clapped a hand over his stinging cheek.

"What?! I don't have wrinkles. Look in the mirror yourself!"

An expression of pure horror passed over Francis' face. By then, the voices of other passerbys reached them. Whispered comments, the chuckles, the embarrassed faces. Gilbert snorted with disgust.

"Ew, quit it you two. We look like a family!"

Francis and Antonio looked down at him, then back over to the people that stared. A second later, both whipped their gazes away to stare furiously ahead. "Yeah…because that would be the most awful misunderstanding ever," Antonio muttered with a roll of his eyes, just a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Not that the other two noticed, since he didn't often speak in such a manner.

They held dinner reservations at a place by the fair and walked into the restaurant only a little in distress. Gilbert simply felt hungry and grouchy. Francis lost too many of his golden hairs to be comfortable with. Could he glue them back on? To Antonio though, the day passed like something from a dream, pleasant and a little unbelievable. He wore a smile as they sat down and his two companions tried to mimic the happy expression.

"I think Arthur did something right for once," he hummed as they ordered their drinks.

Francis turned to look at him, brows furrowed. "Er…" Gilbert didn't even dignify that with a reply. When Francis turned to him though, his expression changed, going soft around the edges. It made Gilbert squirm in his seat. "But we don't know how long this is going to last." Maybe another minute, maybe days, or weeks, or years. What if Gilbert never regained his normal self? How would they deal with that? But even then, he should grow into an adult with time, though that normally came as a nation grew. Gilbert wasn't exactly a nation anymore.

The said ex-nation must have seen something in Francis' expressions because he smacked his little hand onto the table. "Stop enjoying this so much! It's not permanent! I-it's not."

"But Gil…isn't this fun?" Antonio asked. As much as they were friends, Arthur didn't lie. This guy's annoying points at least looked cute now. Antonio missed this kind of closeness that went beyond drinking buddies and occasional late night calls. Why shouldn't he want more? They fell into the roles so perfectly.

"T-that's…I'm not really…" Gilbert stammered back.

Just then, the waiter came back with their drinks, Gilbert's in a little styrofoam cup with a blue straw. "How's the kids menu, little man? Want some crayons?" the man asked, leaning down to smile at him. Gilbert burned bright red at the words and the other two chuckled at him, making cute noises.

"Stop," Gilbert whispered. No one heard him though.

Francis smiled at the waiter, all charm and amusement. "Yes, he'd love that. Should we order some appetizers?" he asked, turning to Antonio. "Ah, but there's nothing really kid friendly on this list. Never mind. Can you come back in a few minutes to take our order?" The waiter nodded and left them to their peace. Gilbert shook in his chair though, not at all smiling like his best friends.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Antonio asked when he glanced over. Gilbert's face just got redder. What was wrong? Didn't they get it? Crayons, styrofoam cups? And earlier when Gilbert wanted to ride the roller coaster, the operator told him, 'grow another four inches.' Francis threatened to really spank him and they went on their merry way, no tantrums uttered. But his power ranger shirt, the blue straw, and those fucking looks Antonio and Francis kept giving him—looks he understood because he'd been an older brother too, but hated.

"Stop."

They just stared in confusion. "Stop what?"

The question made him snap. Gilbert shot up in his chair, his hand fisting in the paper kids menu. "Stop treating me like a kid! I don't want crayons!" he screeched, wadding up and throwing the menu. "Why isn't anyone fucking listening to me?!"

The restaurant hushed and people stilled, staring. He stood on top of his chair, red and seething. Antonio turned a look of chastisement to him. "Gilbert! Don't use language like that. Look, we just…" But Gilbert wouldn't let him finish his excuse. Without pause, he snatched up his drink and hurled it at the other man.

"I'll talk however I damn well please 'cause I'm not a kid! I don't want this stinking menu! Give me the normal one!" He stomped his foot as coke dripped out of Antonio's hair who just sat there looking stunned. Francis only managed to rouse himself when Gilbert reached for a fork. He grabbed the boy's hand, forcing him to let go of the weapon.

"I'm sorry, Gil. Just calm down!"

"No! I won't calm down! I don't wanna play this game anymore!" Francis reached for him, trying to gather the boy into his arms. "Gah! Let go, you bastard!" Gilbert shrieked again when Francis succeeded in picking him up. He met Antonio's eyes and received a nod. Then, casting apologetic looks over the audience, Francis hurried toward the door. Gilbert struggled against him the entire way. It took all of Francis' attention to keep the flailing bundle in his arms and he ignored every kick, bite, and scratch, even when Gilbert grabbed hold of his hair.

"Stop treating me like your kid!" he yelled. Tears burst in his eyes and he yanked on Francis' hair, hard, before his voice got even shriller. "Let go! You're not my daddy!"

A look of pain crossed over Francis' face and he held the squirming child tighter. "I know Gilbert, I know…"

Antonio watched them hurry out the door from where he sat at the table, still soaked in coke. After Gilbert's cries cut off, the room felt oppressively quiet. "Sir," the waiter murmured. His whispered word made Antonio jump. Turning, he saw the proffered napkins and took them, wiping his face without paying it much attention.

"I'm sorry. Can I settle the check real quick? This isn't going to work out after all…" The words hung in the air, too real and heavy to mean just dinner as Antonio stared at the door. The waiter just looked at him with pity.

"Yes, of course." Antonio gave Francis' credit card, which he 'borrowed' earlier for cotton candy, and chased the other two out the door as soon as he could.

Francis walked to a bench and sat, still murmuring senseless comforts. Gilbert's howling only calmed a little, but now he felt the wetness of tears. Even when Gilbert yelled such hateful things, his fists clenched tight to Francis' shirt like he couldn't let go. "It's alright. Shush, Gil. Just calm down, okay?" he kept murmuring as he rubbed the boy's back.

"I want to be an adult again," Gilbert blubbered. "I hate it, really hate it! I'm not me!" Fists feebly hit his chest. "Turn me back, Francis. Turn me back!"

"Mon ami, you know I can't do that," Francis whispered. Staring at the fair lights again, he tried to think of something to say. Gilbert didn't break down like this, but here sat Francis with a child freaking out in his lap. As much as the situation rung familiar, the speaker did not. Every child he'd raised threw a tantrum and cried like this at some point. Every child screamed that he wasn't their dad, and he wasn't. But couldn't he take care of anyone, child or not? This had nothing to do with Gilbert's child state.

A small whimper escaped. "I want to hold a sword again and drink beer. I want to sit in the front of the car, a-and reach the tv remote." He pulled back to look Francis in the eye, standing on his legs so their heights matched. "I want to be as tall as you and normal and me!" A smack to Francis' head accented the words. He just winced though because Gilbert didn't try to hit him again. Coming from a pint-sized Prussia, the smack hardly counted as an attack, but more of a reprimand. Francis kept staring at him.

"Aren't you still you?" he whispered in the barest voice. "I thought you liked playing as a kid again."

Gilbert's lip quivered in a pout. "Even if I'm the cutest and coolest brat in the world, I don't have a kid's innocence! I-I see and think and want to do things I should be able to! How can I live like that?! Fuck this! Fuck everything to hell!"

Multiple eyes turned to them, startled by the five-year-old's language. They shifted away and Francis winced. Before he could figure out what to say though, Antonio ran up and held out two ice cream cones. He shoved the chocolate one into Gilbert's hands and licked the vanilla before handing it over to Francis.

"I'm sorry, Gil. You were just so cute!" Antonio exclaimed as he gave the boy a quick hug. He squatted down to look between his friends, an odd, serious look taking over his face. "We're not going to play family anymore okay. It's about time we fix this…" He met Francis' eye. The man didn't quite catch on, so Antonio picked up Gilbert who still shook occasionally with the vestiges of his tantrum. "Or rather, make Arthur fix his magic. We learned our lesson right? Come on! Gilbert's had enough."

He started for the train station and Francis blinked at him, still seated. Hadn't Antonio enjoyed this the most? And yet he was the first to give up on it. Maybe Francis enjoyed the game more than he thought. It'd just been so long since he got to hold a child that he denied they knew how to change Gilbert back. Of course they all knew from the start that the best solution was to threaten Arthur to undo his drunken damage, but they pretended they didn't. They all did until now.

Francis took off after Antonio. "Yeah, it's about time we got our friend back."

xXx

The time just passed seven when they reached the countryside English estate. Antonio held Gilbert up and he jabbed his finger into the doorbell again and again without waiting for a response. It left an alarm-like constant buzz echoing from behind the door. Almost immediately, someone cursed and started yelling back. But Gilbert's eyes narrowed and he jabbed the button another fifteen times.

"Must you act like children!?" Arthur snapped.

"Yes!" all three yelled back in answer. The word silenced Arthur until the doorbell started again and he devolved into bitching. Before he could reach the door, Gilbert's finger stopped and he let out a low whine.

"U-uh wait…I feel weird!" Gilbert exclaimed. Francis and and Antonio traded looks of horror.

"Weird? Weird how?!"

"Like…" But Gilbert didn't have a chance to respond. A second later, he coughed up a cloud of floury white-ness and before Antonio could react, a full sized Gilbert nearly knocked him back.

Arthur opened his door to see Antonio just about falling over backwards, Gilbert still in his arms. Francis' own eyes looked ready to fall out of his face and that alone made opening the door worth it. Arthur raised one eyebrow. "I see you're back to normal. Now would you kindly remove yourselves from my premises?" A second later, he slammed the door closed on them.

"W-wait…Don't tell me? Since the bar, it's been…48 hours," Francis murmured.

Antonio echoed him. "Exactly 48 hours."

Gilbert jumped up and whirled on the door, giving it a massive kick. The door rattled in its frame, but somehow stayed attached. His face turned the brightest shade of red with his anger though. "You could have told us the time limit from the start!"

Arthur's words echoed out after him. "But then this wouldn't be any fun."

(I am so sorry for this story. But not really. *shameless guilty pleasure*)