Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.
The rest of the drive was silent. Maddie did her best to not move or breathe too loudly, even though Feli seemed to have no trouble talking to Ludwig, even with his brother death-glaring at him.
The house they eventually pulled up to was large, ornate in a tasteful way, and utterly intimidating. Gilbert was friends with people here? The rest of the area around the house was immaculate and equally ornate. Delicate creepers on pillars, huge flowering bushes trimmed just so. There was a fountain. In the driveway. Okay, it seemed more like a courtyard, but the car was there? It was probably a driveway. There was a terra-cotta roof and white-washed walls.
Honestly, considering how long it had taken to get there and the lack of neighbors, Maddie was pretty willing to call this an estate. This place was practically out of a fairytale.
Ignoring it easily, Gilbert ran up the steps, and furiously pounded on the door. Maddie, Feli, Romano and Ludwig were just behind Gil when the door opened to a beautiful Spanish woman, who lit up like the sun when she saw them.
"Gilbert! I haven't seen you in so long~ How have you been, is school nice, did you bring that pretty girl of yours? You talk about her all the time, oh, hi!" The Spaniard turned her attention to Maddie, who suddenly felt very awkward and young next to this beauty. Who, apparently, could break ribs with her hugs. "¡Hola! My name is Isabel, you must be Maddie, Gil talks about you all the time, you're so cute, you're just as cute as Feli, do you know Feli? Hey! Feli!" Maddie was let go in favor of the younger Vargas, and tried not to be grateful. After all, Isabel was just trying to be friendly, and it's not like Maddie really needed to breathe all the time. Either way, she doubled over and massaged her sides. A hand pulled her arm from her side, and Maddie looked up to see Gil, faintly pink, twining his hand with hers.
"Yeah, uh, that's Izzy-bella, call her whatever you want, she doesn't really care. We should get inside." Gil's gaze drifted over to Isabel, who was being lectured by Romano, apparently on the necessity of being able to button her own shirts.
The shirt that Romano was now unbuttoning. Maddie squeaked and buried her head in Gil's chest as he snickered. She stomped on his foot. "Shit, ow, okay, okay." Gilbert hissed, then raised his voice. "Oi! I know you two haven't seen each other in a long while, but can we leave the public sex to Franny?"
"What? No, I wasn't, why would you think that?!" Romano shrieked. "She's just an idiot who can't button her own blouse, we aren't, weren't, GAH, I hate you you stupid potato bastard!" Romano shouted as he ran inside the house, followed closely by Isa calling after him, shirt still awkwardly flapping around.
"Ve~ if you keep doing that, fratello is going to draw a mustache on you in your sleep again." Feliciano observed.
"Mustache?" Maddie repeated, bewildered. Maddie pulled her hand away to fist them in her jean's pockets. This was getting very strange, very fast. It was obvious that she didn't know this group, or their in-jokes or strange anecdotes. Maybe it was better if she just sat in the car or something, no need to intrude on-
"Salut, mes amis, come in, come in, I haven't seen you in so long, Gil, you are looking as uncombed as ever, Ludwig!" Ludwig winced and did his level best to find cover as the strange man advanced on him. "Have you gotten bigger? Ah, youth!" The young man had wavy blond hair, and blue eyes, and the most lecherous expression on his face.
"Hey, get off my brother!" Gil shouted, but there was no heat in his words. Was this the last in their trio? Gil didn't usually take well to people molesting/talking to/dating his brother, so this had to be pretty common for the pale boy to not give a fuck.
"Ve, Maddie, that's big brother Francis, he's a little strange, and French, and Romano always tells me not to talk to him, because he's creepy, I don't think he's creepy, because he always has good advice, especially about pretty girls, which is nice because sometimes pretty girls don't like me being all naïve. What do you think?" Feliciano smiled at her.
"I-I'm not sure? I haven't really gotten a chance to talk to him, so, um..." Maddie let herself trail off, unsure if Feli would accept this as an answer.
"You're right, I didn't think about that. Ve~ FRANCIS, you've got to meet Maddie, she's Gilbert's girlfriend, and she's really pretty, and speaks French, and um, uh, ve!" Feliciano emphasized this by waving madly across the entire five feet separating the two little groups.
"Does she? Well, now you really have to be careful, Gil, or I might whisk her away from you." Francis teased. Frederick had unloaded all of the bags, and there was a moment of confusion as everyone tried to grab their bags.
Actually, Maddie was really glad her duffle rolled, it was making her life a lot easier. That was until there was a hand on her butt and her bag was being smoothly transferred to Francis' care.
"Ma cherie, let me show you to your room. Of course, there is an attached bathroom, and a wonderful walk-in closet." Francis looked down at her duffle, which wasn't exactly fit to burst with clothes and hair products, and pursed his lips in a moue.
"We shall have to take you shopping once we get into Rome proper, Isabel and I."
It was very, very hard for Maddie to squash her first instinct, which was to punch Francis in the face for his snooty tone.
"That sounds like fun, but I didn't really bring enough money with me to buy lots of clothes," Maddie apologized, hoping that was the end of that.
"Quoi? If course you would not pay for it! It would be like a gift, or a present. Besides, it's not like the family doesn't have the money to spare for one measly day of shopping." The confidence Francis spoke with said that he knew exactly how much money he had to spend.
"Th-that would be very kind of you, but I wouldn't want to impose, oh," Maddie lost her train of thought as they arrived in her room. It was large and airy, with two walls dominated by windows.
"Yes, I'd thought you'd like it, Gil mentioned you were something of an artist?" Francis wheeled her luggage to another door that led into the largest closet Maddie had ever seen.
For a split second, Maddie had the desperate urge to wire all of her money to her debit card and buy enough clothes and shoes and whatever else to fill this space.
"No imposition, ma chéri, in all honesty it would be our darling Gil's money anyways. He won't mind when he see what it went towards," Francis smirked.
Maddie blinked, as her focus shifted from the closet to Francis' words as she looked at him. Please, whispered some small part of her mind, please don't let him mean underwear.
As if he could read her mind, Francis' smirk seemed to intensify.
Oh God, he meant underwear. Maddie nearly shuddered.
"Madeline," Francis began, setting down her bag and losing all pretense at a French accent. "I do not know what you are here for. Romulus made sure to inform Isabel and I of the potential business connection you would try to make, but nothing else." He turned to face her.
"If that is true, and you have been manipulating our dear Gil to integrate yourself in the family, let me be the first to tell you well done."
Maddie blinked, confused, then flinched as Francis' smile turned cold. "And let me also be the first to tell you that I can and will make your life a living nightmare if you've been stringing him along."
Maddie inhaled sharply, squared her shoulders and looked Francis right in the eye. "Look, my father encouraged our relationship because of his ties with Romulus' family. Do you really think I'd date someone for this long without caring for them?"
Francis beamed and pulled her into a hug. "I always did want a little sister."
"What."
"I was worried, to be honest, Gil's stories of you practically sounded like fairy-tales. But it seems like you do care for him, so Isabel and I are delighted to welcome you to the family. Also, I must congratulate you on being his longest relationship." Francis let go and guided her around the room, waving a hand at the large windows and impressive bathroom.
"Well, he can be a little, uh,"
"Obstinate? Obtuse? Methodical? Rage-inducing?" Francis settled against a wall, all trace of hostility gone.
Maddie couldn't stifle her giggles as she replied, "I was going to say energetic, but okay, let's go with your words."
"Franny! No fair, you better not be fucking trying to steal my girlfriend!"
"Oh, ma petite chouchou, we must run away to Paris!" Francis said dramatically as held her to his chest, while the scent of his aftershave made her sneeze.
Gil's angry face began to break down, and his snarl transformed to a smirk, then to a smile. This was no doubt helped by Francis loud and plaintive wails about how he 'didn't understand their love' and how 'they must run away, to a place where their love wouldn't be questioned!"
"Is this a bad time to ask you if you're secretly thirty or something?" Maddie smiled, trying to take the sting out of her words.
Gil doubled over laughing, the remnants of his anger dissipating. "Okay, whatever. Izzy wanted me to tell you that she's going to make a little snack for us and then we're going shopping for dinner."
Thankfully, Francis had let go of her, eyes lighting up at the prospect of food. Honestly, he looked at lot like Gil at the moment, and with his coloring so close to Ludwig's, Maddie was wondering if they might be cousins of a sort.
"Did she say what she was making? Oh, she better not think I'm going to stay out of the kitchen!" Francis shoved up the shirtsleeves of his already rolled button-down.
Francis almost made it out of the room before Gilbert leant down to Maddie and whispered "The only reason any of us put up with his French ass is because he's an awesome cook. Though not as awesome as you of course." Gil kissed her temple and smirked at her blush.
Francis squawked, whipping around to grab Maddie's arm and yank her with him. However, growing up with a similarly grabby sister had Maddie's response instinctive. She yanked her arm back, pivoted on her heel and let go.
The only problem with this response was that Francis was lighter and weaker than her sister, and went flying into Gil.
There was silence, Francis and Gil in a heap on the floor, and Maddie had her hands over her mouth, horrified.
"Did I mention that my girlfriend is strong as a bull?"
"Somehow you forgot to mention that bit." Francis said dryly as he picked himself off the floor. "My apologies, Madeline, I shall make sure to ask, next time."
"N-no, I'm so sorry, my sister is usually the one who grabs me I'm so sorry, oh my God-"
"That's enough, Madeline, it's fine, though, your sister?" Francis quirked an eyebrow.
"Stronger than me."
"Ah."
"I can make pancakes?"
"Well, I would appreciate it, but I take my breakfast the French way, espresso and a pastry." Francis smiled as he led the way back, presumably, to the kitchen. "However, if you would be so kind, please so make yourself and cher Gilbert breakfast, as he is a terrible heathen and cannot wait to stuff himself in the mornings."
"The only reason you don't is because that sludge of yours is so strong it curdles your stomach."
They seemed to slide instinctively into French, and sniped at each other's eating habits so fast it had to be a well-trod argument.
Which didn't make it any less funny as they entered the kitchen, where Isabel was jotting down a grocery list with one hand while eating a piece of bread with a chocolate spread with the other.
Three more plates were nearby, one with two pieces of toast like Isabel's, one with bread and sausage, and one with one of each. Francis left his argument with Gil to have a new one with Isabel about dinner.
Despite the argument being in English, the dishes being discussed were either in French or Spanish, and her Quebecois French was having a hard time keeping up.
Somehow, they come to an agreement and the empty plates are washed and dried and put away. Then Romano walked in and the entire argument repeated itself.
Finally, everyone has managed to get out the door before realizing that there were six of them and a car that fitted four comfortably. Feli, who had followed after them like a hopeful puppy, looks crushed.
"Look, we've got unpacking to do, you can do the shopping." Everyone exchanged looks of horror at Gil's expression.
"I'll look after him, don't worry." Only Francis looked somewhat mollified, while Romano looked like he would rather have the house be destroyed by an act of God rather than let Gil stay alone or with his girlfriend.
Finally, it was decided that Gil would go, and Maddie and Feli would stay. The little Italian looked so dejected Maddie almost protested until she saw the little smile playing at the edges of his pout.
The reason for the smile was made clear when Feli led the way to a door with a Do Not Disturb sign in five different languages that he ignored and slammed open any way.
Ludwig paused whatever he was listening to, pulled off his headphones, set aside his papers, all in the span of time it took Feli to launch himself at his… friend? Boyfriend? With a shout of glee.
Maddie winced in sympathy as the rolling chair was almost sent straight into the wall.
"Madeline, I would be glad to assist you in unpacking while my son and his… friend," Frederick's face contorted for a moment in an unreadable emotion before continuing, "and answer any questions that you might have about this trip."
There was no arguing with that tone of voice and Maddie meekly followed him to her room, where she began unpacking and Frederick stood at the door like a terrifying sential.
"Uh, sir," Maddie had never really been comfortable talking to Gil's father, who was as cold and implacable as her Papa was warm and messy. "Why me? Why now? There's no reason for Romulus to even be thinking about making a contract with my family."
The tall blond shrugged, his long hair rippling like silk over his shoulders. "You're right. There's really no reason for Romulus to do this. In all actuality, this was probably just an excuse to get to meet you."
"What?" Maddie lifted her head from where she had been arranging her neatly folded pants into a drawer. "Me? What stories has Gil been spreading about me? Everyone's treating me like they half-expected Gil to have made me up!"
"I quite think they were," was Frederick's dry response, "my son does not exactly have a long history of successful relationships, so naturally, the entire family is curious to meet the girl who has so successfully wooed my son."
Maddie went beet red. "Wo-wooed? That's ridiculous. We're in high school for heaven's sake, it wouldn't be strange for either of us to not have a long-term relationship."
"Either way, you were a variable they couldn't figure out, what with you on an entirely different continent and all. To be honest, you'll impress Romulus just by being yourself, so don't worry. At the least, you can make the start of a better relationship between your family and his." And with that Frederick walked out of the room, having filled his talking-to-non-relatives quota for the month.
"I. Thanks. I guess." To be fair, it was a little comforting that Romulus wasn't expecting a great deal out of her or their talk. Dinner. Thing.
Maddie put the rest of her things away and laid on the bed, and tried to figure out how 'being herself' could get a man as powerful as Romulus to change his mind.
Hey, sorry I haven't updated in so long! To be frank, I over-thought myself into a corner, and I couldn't figure out how to continue the story with a ~reasonable~ and ~plausible~ plot. Also it's been some years, so if you're angry, I can totally understand that.
As a note: I actually know little to nothing of Italian/Spanish/French culture, and have cobbled together what I do know and the magic of Google to add some more authentic touches. If any of you would rather correct me or point out any irregularities, please feel free to PM me or leave a review. Also, the house is rather 'American' in design because Romulus got tired of everyone making subtle complaints about how small it was or cramped or whatever. Not every culture is used to spending evenings out actually doing things or talking to people.
Until next chapter!