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Artistic

Austria had never understood children, even after taking care of several over his long life as a nation. Centuries of child rearing didn't always seem to mean something. Nothing seemed to make sense with them. They liked a certain kind of food one day but the next would act like it contained the plague. Feliciano was good for that. Or for little to no reason they would throw a on the ground screaming fit, such as Lovino was well known for. Even Holy Rome who had been the most mature had strange childish qualities, falling for little Feliciano, but never knowing what to do about it.

Never the less Roderick had at least tried his best with the care given to each one. Though he was a man that was very strict with rules and discipline, he did have a softer side in quiet moments. Only a select few had seen this side with the children, as he tried to remain strong always. France, admittedly spying through an open window, when Lovino had been too ill to do much more than whimper in bed for weeks and an overworked, exhausted Roderick sat and watched over him with paper work in hand. Gilbert even was surprised when he caught the sight of Roderick comforting, though a bit gruffly, and bandaging Holy Rome's large cut from an accident in sword training. Each time without realizing it, a soft caring rare smile would slide over his mouth.

Although, he was not sure just what he was going to do with his current charge Kugelmugel. The boy, as he found out only because with a lack of household maids with modern time to bath the child, was different from all the others. For the most part he was quiet and well behaved, but eccentric when it comes to art.

Austria had learned from his time caring for Feliciano that it was just easier to give children what they wanted to an extent. Freely the nation now handed over kid's panting tools, paper and other art materials to save his collections of art from graffiti. Though it didn't seem like it was enough this time. The man ran a finger over his precious grand piano where various colors were scribbled the side. The wall across from it had even more attention and covered a wider area. He sighed and congratulated himself for buying washable supplies. The man would chaise the child later, but the piano need his attention right then.

With a damp rag he gently took the paint off without damaging his instrument. There was little else in modern times that he placed above the piano. When it came to the wall though, he was more aggressive, but it wasn't coming off for some reason.

"Hey," a small voice whined from behind him.

The Austrian turned to the perpetrator of the crime, "Why did you do this?"

The child looked at him with a large pout. "Cause it wasn't pretty. You're ruining my art!"

With astonishing speed the child ran over and tried to get the rag out of the nation's hand. "I worked hard on it!" He whined, tugging at the man's sleeve.

Austria wasn't about to let the child win. He pulled his arm back, still keeping the old towel tightly in his fist. "No. It doesn't matter because it's on my walls and not your paper."

Kugelmugel stamped his foot and huffed loudly, giving up on physically stopping his guardian. His little face was scrunched up in a firm pout.

The man raised his eyebrow at this, this was a sure sign of a tantrum. Knowing he did not have the patience to deal with a little fit at the moment, he tried to steer the child away. "You're in enough trouble without the attitude." He warned in a carefully strict tone. "Perhaps you should go to your room." If the lad was smart he would take that opportunity and avoid more punishment.

"Why? I was making things pretty." Kugelmugel demanded to know. "It looked boring!"

Austria had a headache from this conversation already. "My wall does not need your artwork. At least not in this way." To please the child he had hung up a few on the fridge or in the hallway though. He was not very happy about that himself, but Hungary had convinced him that it was in fact for the best. Italy seemed to agree with her, wanting to see all of it while babbling that it was great that Austria had loosened up since he was a babino.

"But it's just white! You don't have enough color in here to feel the music." Kugelmugel yelled stamping more and glaring.

"Enough is enough," Austria said loudly, not allowing this behavior to go on any more. If his guess was right, the child was all of thirty seconds away from the highest level of tantrums. The nation took Kugelmugel by the wrist and none too gently dragged him towards his room. "I have dealt with a lot of little nations before you and all of them learned quickly that outbursts like this are not tolerated nor writing on my walls."

"Ehhh, let go." The child cried loudly in a whiny tone while wiggling all around. "You're hurting me."

Austria loosened is grip, not wanting to bruise the boy's wrist. Between what Hungary would say and the infernal whining from the child that would last days, it was simply not worth doing so even accidentally.

"You are going to stay in your room until it is time for lunch, and if you behave you will only lose desert tonight." This being of course very gentle punishment wise compared to what the Italian brothers would've received. Then of course it was more acceptable and expected to be very strict with rules and discipline. Now however, Hungary was softer and therefore forced Austria to bend with the times. Despite their marriage being long over with, she still wielded some level of influence on him. "I do not want to hear one peep out of you in the meantime, understand?" If he was lucky the child would take a much needed nap.

"I don't want to stay in my room!" Kugelmugel protested loudly. "I wanna go paint."

Austria got down on one knee, so that he was eye level with the child. "If you don't stay in this room or continue to argue with me, I can promise you that you shall receive a spanking." This threat was not empty by any means either.

The child placed his little hands behind him, covering his small bottom. "No!" He had his own share of spankings in the past and that was not something that he wanted.

"Then you shall obey me," Austria stated firmly, turning to leave. He still had yet to finish cleaning the wall. He closed the door firmly, wishing now that he could lock much like he used to. That was considered to be terrible parenting now though.

Austria took the time to finally clean, and not only the wall, children were rather messy to keep around. It was rather pleasant to finally be relaxed and have the house quieter, not that Kugelmugel was particularly loud. However it wasn't that uncommon for fellow nations to stop by. Regretfully Prussia, Italy, and Germany had all stopped by the day before. Germany had not been bad company, but the other two he could've done without. At the very least there would not still be pasta stains on his floor he hoped.

Humming softly to himself, the man went about preparing diner. That was another change that he simply did not like, having to do the cooking. While he was rather good at it, it was not something that he particularly enjoyed most days. Especially when Italians were visiting and demanded pasta, as if one whiny, picky child was not enough (it has to be pretty enough for a certain small person).

Yet, as peaceful as it had been he did need to check on the boy. Leaving the food to sit on the stove in an attempt to keep it warm, Austria strutted off to check on the boy. He got no farther than the hallway where Kugelmugel's bedroom was before he had to stop.

The man's eye twitch at the rainbow lines that went from one end of the hallway to the other end of the hallway. Oh, there were other pictures there as well. But, it was the deliberate disobeying that had the man so upset. That was the last straw, he had more than enough of this type of behavior.

Where was the little boy in question? Austria discovered him with a wide range of colorful markers near his bare feet once again in the music room. Already his hands were as colorful as a peacock's tail from the smearing. Little did the little one realize that his very cross guardian was right behind him.

"What is it that you think you are doing?" Austria snapped coming up behind the boy.

Kugelmugel dropped his blue marker and turned around, "Nuthing!"

The man picked up one of the markers, a purple one that was missing its cap, "It looks like you were drawing on my walls once again."

"No," Kugelmugel whined as he found himself being forced over a bent knee and his little purple shorts and underwear gathering around his ankles.

"Oh, then what were you doing?" Austria asked while giving the little one a sharp swat on his rear.

"Makin' it pretty, I told you!" The child still stuck to his argument.

Austria sighed in annoyance and simply continued to spank the child, not holding back nor being light. "And I have told you no to draw on my wall, I gave you paper for that. You directly and purposely disobey and continued with your little fit."

"Wahhhhhh, it hurts!" Kugelmugel cried out as the skin on his bottom went from white to red. "I'm sorry, stop!"

Not wishing to really hurt the lad that had obviously learned his lesson, Austria halted. Carefully he righted the child and fixed the clothing back into place. "Now you are going to stay in your room for the rest of the night. No argument. You shall bath in the morning." Typically baths were done only at night.

Kugelmugel rubbed at his red face still crying, "Yes, Mr. Austria."

"Good," He replied as straightening up and placing a hand on the child's shoulder to direct him to the bathroom first and then to the bedroom.

The child looked at him with large eyes as he was being tucked in, "What about dinner?"

"None for tonight, you are to go to sleep." Austria said stiffly. Meals weren't often withheld, it wouldn't hurt him at all.

With fresh tears Kugelmugel rolled over to stare at the wall. Austria did not feel any guilt over the punishment though, he had given far too many warnings. He certainly received the same quiet treatment from children in the past.

Returning to the kitchen the man had his diner in a rather quiet setting, for once with no whining from a certain little boy. Though the loner he sat there, more noticeable it was to him that he had gotten use to the company that Kugelmugel usually provided. He didn't often admit to it, but he did love having children around usually. With most of the nations going their separate ways anymore, he liked having someone around constantly. Kugelmugel was a good child in general, that day just seemed to be an off day for him. Perhaps he had let him stay up too late the night before without enforcing a nap.

Austria felt the need to check up on Kugelmugel after dinner, feeling a slight nagging guilt now. Peeking into the room he say the little boy was still up and was still sniffling.

"Mr. Austria?" he whined in that pitiful tone of voice.

"Yes?" The man said with a sigh, he knew shouldn't havewent in.

Kugelmugel fussed with his sheets looking down, "I'm sorry. Can I please have something to eat? I promise I will be good."

"Nnn… Very well," Austria submitted to the large eyes that pleaded with him. He would only make the child a light sandwich though to tie him over until breakfast. "Afterwards it is straight to bed. We may go to the Kunstistorisches Museum tomorrow if you behave." He added, not thinking very much about it, he had been planning the trip for a while since the boy loved art so much.

"Really?" Kugelmugel perked up instantly. "I'll be good!"

The night ended on a far better note than either had expected, though dessert still did not make an appearance. However, both went to bed in a pleasant enough mood and anticipating the events of the next day.