Author's note: It's turning a little longer than I expected…well, anyway xD

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Disclaimers: I don't own Hetalia nor the lyrics at the bottom

Song: Harlow's song (I can't dream without you) by Good Charlotte


"Papa, I don't want to share my room with Arthur, he's going to annoy me to death…" whined Francis, as the two were exiting the park "Francis, listen to me…" his father whirled around and knelt down so that now they were at the same level, his hands on Francis' shoulders, squeezing them as to put strength in them "Arthur is younger than you, and he never knew his mom. I know you lost your maman too, but this is different, you had precious friends to rely on who helped you go through it all, and your mother while still alive was present. He wasn't as lucky as you. So now what I'm asking is for you to behave like a good older brother. Can you do it?"

Francis sighed and ducked his head "So you're asking me to bear all his insults and violent actions, I don't have to beat him or yell at him?"

"No, you have to be patient, if he behaves violently and you respond him with violence, he'd never calm down. If he sees you behaving good instead, he'd be pushed to behave calmly as well. I know you can do it Francis, I trust you"

"Okay, papa"

Matthew hugged him tightly "What a good boy!"

While they were walking home Francis thought about how his friends behaved with their little brothers.

Well, Gilbert was constantly annoying the hell out of Ludwig, who just pretended to don't care, or gave him a good lesson, despite he was younger. Yes Gil's situation was the opposite of his. But Gilbert wasn't as aggressive as Arthur, he just liked some jokes, maybe played some stupid trick…and there was never to forget who their father was! The one who could make Gilbert shut up just with a look when he was angry.

He noticed how Alfred almost didn't reacted when his son hit him with the toys, something like that done to Rodereich would have meant the end of Gilbert's life. Once he was playing with the rope in the living room, despite his father was clear that it wasn't something to be done there, and broke one of her mother's favorite porcelain statues.

Gilbert didn't eat any sweets for a month and was allowed to go out just for two hours per day.

Antonio and Tim were different though. The little one loved to see the other making idiot things, or lifted him up.

There were times when both of them ended with a cut knee or a bruise somewhere for their idiot actions.

But anyway, Tim looked at his brother with shimmering eyes every day. Usually little brother are famous for being a pain in the ass for the older ones, sticking to them when they're with friends and such, Tim would just seat few meters distant and just watch them playing; on the other hand, Ludwig couldn't care less, the more distant he was with his brother and friends, the better he was.

What would it be like if Arthur was with them?

Francis shivered at the thought. He would be annoying the hell out of his friends, and when someone does that with Gilbert, it's never good!

*xXxXx*

Alfred was making Arthur wear clean clothes "Arthur, tonight behave well. Matthew is making us, and most of all you, a huge favor. So don't be mean with him"

"I will haunt the Frog!" he laughed

"And don't annoy Francis either!"

Arthur looked away, he wouldn't have listened to his father "While you're there, you need to listen to Matthew as he's a father for you, if you don't behave properly, I'm forced to bring you with me at work, understand?"

"Yes, yes"

Once Arthur was fully clothed, he ran towards the bedroom, screaming for Flying Mint Bunny and Alfred packed the clothes for the night.

He then looked at his wallet, and pulled a fifty dollars note out, folding and putting that in an internal pocket. He felt in debt with Matthew.

*xXxXx*

The doorbell rang "Francis, go open the door this should be Alfred, I'm coming in a minute"

As soon as he saw Francis, Arthur climbed off his father's arms just to jump on the other's back pretending he was a horse.

"Arthur! What did I say to you?" he scolded

"No, no mister Jones, it's fine" lied Francis, repressing his urge to shove the kid on the floor.

Matthew came out of the bathroom few moments later "Good evening" he smiled, Alfred handed him the bag "Here are the clothes for the night… thank you, I'm so sorry he misbehaves like this…"

He looked away in embarrassment, rubbing his nape.

"Don't worry, Francis said he's going to take care of him"

The two men looked at how the older of the children patiently taken all the insults, laughing (even if the fakeness of that was clear in his voice) and answering in jokes.

"You know, it's the first time Arthur behaves like this with another kid. I mean, he usually mistreat them and then goes away all alone. Instead now he's stick with Francis, he didn't even protest when I told him we were coming"

"Well, I'm happy he's okay with Francis"

Alfred pulled Matthew into a hug, causing him to burn bright red "Thank you"

"That's nothing"

Aware of the closeness, Alfred took a step back, bright red as well "I guess I'd better get going, I'll be late for work"

Matthew nodded "Fine, see you tomorrow"

*xXxXx*

Arthur was more out of control than how Francis expected, really, his behavior almost made Lovino look like a gentleman. Despite his patient behavior, the little Canadian wasn't spared from the insults and hits. He didn't know how long he could resist.

He suddenly got an idea, it was something Antonio used with Time every time this last one cried. He grabbed the kid, taking advantage of his height and flopped him backwards on the couch, tickling on his belly. Arthur exploded in a laugh "Stop it! Stop it! Frog!"

Francis smirked "I won't stop unless you promise you wouldn't hurt me anymore!"

" Ok, st…stop it!" tears were forming at the corner of his eyes, he had an heavy breath when Francis retreated his hands. the Canadian looked as the younger seemed to be calmed down, satisfied with his job, Francis went to his room to look for some stuffed animals to let Arthur play with.

He opened the container and pushed his body a little inside it to grab a stuffed unicorn, thinking that Arthur would have liked it. Francis was about o pull out, when someone kicked him from behind, making him fall inside the container "Hey!"

"That's for the tickle!" pouted Arthur

Francis jumped out of the toys case, throwing the stuffed yellow unicorn to Arthur "Play with it and leave me in peace!"

Arthur looked at the soft doll for a moment, he had one similar, his father bought him for his last birthday. He ran to where his night bag laid, taking out a green unicorn. Then he walked towards the couch, where the poor Francis was trying to watch some cartoons in holy peace.

Arthur threw the green unicorn on Francis face, the other grabbed the unicorn furiously just to notice it wasn't his. He looked down to cross eyes with the younger "It's green like a frog!"

Francis threw the received animal away "I told you to leave me in peace! Go play with my toys!" but the little guy just gathered the fallen animal to give it to Francis again, who this time looked at him confused "What do you want me to do with this?"

"Yours!"

Now it was clear, the kid must have thought that Francis gave him his puppet because he want one in exchange; he misunderstood it all, Francis didn't play with the dolls anymore, they brought them just because there was no one to give them to. The Canadian gave the offered object back "Keep it, I don't want anything back. I don't play with this stuff anymore"

Arthur looked down at the two toys in bewilderment, he hugged them tight and secured them in his rucksack.

"Francis! Where's Arthur?" scolded Matthew, seeing his son lying lazily on the couch "I gave him a doll, he must be playing in the other room"

The man hurried to check on the little American, who luckily was safe, but he couldn't succeed to put the bag back onto the bed. Matthew helped him and lifted him up, surprisingly, the boy didn't protest, on the contrary he was all clingy.

The vision wasn't surely well accepted by Francis, who growled behind his teeth

It's just for tonight Francis, just one night and tomorrow he'll be gone

Francis chanted into his mind, hoping to get a hold of himself.

Matthew settled Arthur near Francis, kissing his forehead "I need to prepare you something for dinner" he then directed himself to the kitchen.

Francis pretended to not notice the gesture, but he was jealous to the bone, and the little devil didn't calm down at all. As soon as Matthew was out of sight, he started pinching at his older mate's nose, who desperately turned his head so he was facing the back of the couch.

"Froggy is tired!"

"Don't call me like that, I don't like it!" mumbled the Canadian, with his face completely sunk in the material.

"Why?" the other laughed, now poking his shoulders. Francis turned over once again, giving a letting a long lasting breath out, he need to stay calm and cool, this nightmare would have faded away by the following morning.

"Papa, may I help you in the kitchen?" he hoped for a positive answer, but the little devil put the mouth in before Matthew could even open his "I'm coming too!"

"No guys, the both of you wait there, I can do it by myself, thanks for the offering anyway"

Francis groaned, now desperate, he didn't think hours could last that long.

"Look, I am a capapult!" before the Canadian could even realize what a capapult was, the other was already jumping on his back, making him twitch in pain

"Hey! That hurt!"

Arthur laughed his lungs off "Hit the frog! Hit the frog!"

Well, if the little brat put it like a game, all Francis could do was making him quit by playing as well. He stood on his knees grabbing the smaller one and lifting him up "You're an asteroid now!" he didn't predict that he wasn't strong enough to maintain the weight up, besides Arthur kept on moving and kicking, so they both fell from the couch, Francis hitting his head and the other landing over him

"Ouch! Merde!"

Matthew came running from the kitchen "What happened?"

He found Francis on the carpet holding his forehead and Arthur sat beside looking at him like he was stunned "We were playing and I fell.."

"Let me see..what did you hit against?"

"The foot of the couch" his father moved the hair aside, noticing the area was becoming violet, he lifted his son up and brought him some ice "How many times do I have to repeat you not to play dangerous games?"

He scolded "You can also have broken your head, you know that!"

His kid looked down "I'm sorry, I didn't think I would have fallen. I just lifted Arthur up and…"

"What? Francis! You can't play such these games with him! You two could be seriously hurt!" he turned immediately to the younger one "Are you fine Arthur?"

The boy nodded grinning from ear to ear "Now Froggy has a bump!"

"Guess whose fault it is…"

"You lifted me up!"

"If you weren't so per—"

"Francis! What did you promise me?"

"Right…I almost forgot"

Once the medication was over, Matthew took Arthur in his arms and headed towards the table "Come on Francis, dinner is ready"

The kid followed without a word, glaring at the little devil who was sticking his tongue out and making faces to him.

Despite what Matthew believed, the little Arthur didn't need to be feed by hand, neither he made a mess with the soup.

Francis turned the mushrooms and cheese mix several times, holding it with his spoon and making hit fall in the plate again. The pain on his head was reduced to a little throbbing issue. But this just wasn't important. He had to find a way to revenge against Arthur that didn't turned against him, and he was harder than he expected. Seemed that every time he was close to the victory, he always mistook something. According to papa Matthew, the kid was just sociable in his way. According to Francis, the word sociable couldn't even be put near Arthur.

Francis was getting mentally ready to sleep on the couch, Matthew said they had to share the bed and could just imagine how it would end: one way or another he would have found himself on the floor, with another lump, while Arthur would be comfortably laying on his bed.

"Tomorrow you'll meet the baby sitter, I left her a paper on the counter, make sure she notices it"

Francis nodded absently, still playing with his soup.

"Francis, are you ok? Does your head still throb?"

"No papa, I'm fine. Just tired. Do you mind if I do the washing up tonight?"

"If you want.."

"Me too! Me too!"

Matthew smiled "You can dry them off"

Once again, Francis pretended to not notice as he turned the water on, emptied what was left of the food into the bin and ran a sponge with lemon smelling foam onto the surface of one plate, while Arthur, who was still on the chair was helped to accomplish the task by Matthew who was all smiles and cuddles with the little caterpillar.

After dinner they watched a bit of television, Francis could barely keep his eyes open. All the fuss and the stress the little caterpillar caused him in just one day was even worse that the whole moving thing! Just when he was becoming familiar with the new place!

And that friend his father met. Why he did never see him? And he couldn't remember Matthew saying anything about him, when did they met?

His papa's best friends were Elizabeta, Rodereich, Romano and Bella, as far as he knew; and even if they were his father never hugged anyone of them like he did with Alfred.

Someone back from school? But Matthew was born in Canada and had always lived there. Well there were work trips of course like that time he had to fly to Russia or the Baltic Nations. But he didn't recall any names like Alfred being mentioned afterwards.

Once his father travelled to the USA as well, but…no, Alfred wasn't present in the report of the voyage.

Well, he once was reported about a blond with glasses, but he remember him being described as scary, tall, cold and quiet. No, it couldn't be the same thing.

"Berwald! That's it!"

Francis noticed two puzzled faces staring at him "I was thinking about that tall blond man with glasses you once described me…and couldn't recall the name because it was a strange one"

Matthew smiled "Oh yes, he's a colleague from Sweden"

Yes, he wasn't Alfred at all.

"Ber…brewdald…how odd, I can't say it!" protested Arthur, causing the elder to chuckle "You'll learn, don't worry, see, Francis' doing just fine."

"Hey! I did the washing up for you! So much for just fine! And I can speak both English and French!"

Arthur laughed "French is stupid!"

Francis pulled up to a sit position crossing his arms over his chest "At least at your age I already spoke both in a certain manner!"

Matthew took a breath, saw the late hour he was supposed to bring the two kids to the bed. He knew children could be unhandled when they were tired. He lifted Arthur up and stretched his hand to Francis

"Come on you two, it's time to have some rest"

Arthur yawned "But I'm not sleepy!"

"Yes, yes, sure you're not!" replied Matthew ironically

"Francis, go change your clothes I'll deal with him in the meantime"

"Is he sleeping with me?" asked Francis, eyes wide for the disgust

"Of course he is."

The young Canadian slapped his face "I will never be able to sleep tonight!" he screamed into his head. Well he could always travel to the couch if the demon was too annoying.

He changed with the speed of a flashlight, throwing the discarded clothes apart with the other dirty ones and moved back to his room, just to see Matthew buttoning up the collar of Arthur's pajama and pulling him under the covers.

Francis stood beside his father, giving him a kiss on the cheek "Good night papa."

"Good night mon cher" the other cooed, standing up and leaving the children alone; not completely closing the door. Just to be sure.

*xXxXx*

It was an hour since Matthew left, Francis was tired to the bone, all he needed was a profound, peaceful sleep; but as he suspected, the task wasn't easy at all. Arthur kept on kicking and whining.

When he fell he couldn't hand it anymore, the Canadian stood up, bringing a pillow as well

"Frog! Where are you going?"

"Somewhere to sleep in holy peace, and I can't achieve that with you kicking and whining all the night long!"

Arthur got off of the bed and followed Francis who threw his eyes to the ceiling desperate, he swallowed the urge to kick that little brat for the hundredth time that day and attempted to explain the situation

"Well, I am moving because you don't allow me to sleep. If you come after me, I will not be able to close an eyes the same. So now you stay there on the bed while I'll be fine on the couch"

"But I can't sleep! Dad always sings me a song!"

"So is this all? You just need a lullaby?"

Arthur nodded.

Francis peeked out of the door "Papa is already sleeping I can't ask him. You have to be fine with what I sing."

"What? Frog sings a song?"

"Yes, yes. Now, do you mind go back to bed? If papa discovers us he's going to get angry."

Arthur took place on the bed waiting for Francis to make him company.

The smallest stretched his arms towards his companion, who just grunted "What now?"

"Rock me! Stupid frog!"

"How much you need!" he grunted, lifting the younger up and settling him on one of his legs, rocking him gently. Francis thought about some lullaby he may knew. Well, he didn't knew lullabies, so he went with the first thing that came into his mind which most looked like a lullaby.

"When you close your eyes and go to sleep tonight, I'll be right outside your door. Dreams will come and they'll take you away, let them bring you back to me"

Arthur yawned loudly, eyelids half closed as his nape rested on Francis' arm which cradled him back and forth.

Francis was jumping of joy inside, he should sing to him more often if that was the effect!

"And tomorrow when you wake up I'll be next to you, the protection from the day, when the tears fal down on your face like morning dew, I'll be there to put a smile on your face, and I'll say"

Arthur's breath had gone slower, he was almost asleep, also Francis could feel him slowly loosening, letting Orpheus take control over him .

"I don't wanna live this life without you, I don't wanna spend the night without you, I don't wanna know what it's like, I can't dream without you, I can't dream without you…"

The Canadian sang lowering his voice once every while, until his mate was completely asleep; he leaned Arthur down and puller the covers over them.

Finally some deserved sleep!