Alfred protested loudly as Minnesota and Michigan carried him inside the house.

"I can make it to the couch myself! For the last time, put me down!"

Minnesota and Michigan looked at each other, and grinned.

"No, wait! I changed my mind! Don't put me down! Don't put me-...ow!"

Matthew winced as he watched them drop Alfred unceremoniously on the floor. It looked painful, but he doubted it hurt as much as his pride. They had all agreed that they wouldn't mention how he had sprained his ankle at the hospital.

"Mon Dieu! Alfred? What happened to you?" Francis, who had been walking out of the kitchen, hurried over.

Oh right. He hadn't had a chance to tell Alfred that Francis was coming for dinner yet.

"Al, Papa is-"

"L'idiot se fait une entorse à la cheville. Il se promenait dans une robe et des talons."

Leave it to Québec. Matthew pinched the bridge of his nose as the province walked out to the kitchen, lighting a cigarette.

"We weren't going to say anything! I know you're upset that Mattie doesn't like you as much as he likes me, but that's no reason to take it out on the idiot!" Ontario followed him and Matthew sighed. He'd have to separate them before something broke in there.

He looked back to Francis, who had gotten a devious grin on his face as he leered near a pale Alfred.

"Une Robe? Des talons? Could it be that little Alfred is wearing one of those lovely white gowns that brides wear for the wedding?" Matthew groaned. This was bound to be the gossip point of next week's world meeting. Maybe he could just represent both of them? After all, Alfred would still be in that brace by then. No...then it would be like neither of them was there.

Jerks.

"What are you doing here, Francis?" Alfred tried to change the subject as he pulled himself up onto the sofa. "Don't you have better things to do? Like not being here?"

"Dear Matthieu invited me for dinner today! I've already started cooking it." Alfred was pissed. He hadn't looked at Matthew yet, but he could tell from the way his brow creased in that way he had to have picked up from Arthur.

Bless Alaska, because as Alfred turned to address Matthew the youngest state ran over to his father.

"You have to rest Daddy! I'll read you a story so you can have your nap!" Leaving no room for argument, Alaska turned and ran to his room, with Francis cooing after him about having to take off his coat inside. Alfred sighed, any anger gone from him.

"The others?"

Matthew shook his head as he sat down on the other side of the couch, lifting Alfred's legs into his lap, and taking off his other shoe.

"Virginia and Indiana are taking Hawaii to see California for a couple of weeks. Yukon and New Brunswick went home. I called Ivan. He's coming to get Alaska. Thankfully Arizona and New Mexico went home yesterday. You need to relax." Alfred pouted a bit. He looked so cute like that.

"But I like having them around! They turn into such bullies when they're older." He shot a glare at Minnesota and Michigan, who were too busy arguing over what to watch on TV to notice.

Matthew nodded as he recalled the two states when they were younger. They were just as adorable as the younger states now. Maybe he could convince Alfred to have another one. They would need somewhere to run the new government out of, anyway.

Alaska ran back out, nearly tripping on his blanket as he pulled it and his pillow over to the couch.

"Lift up your head, Daddy! You need my pillow!" Alfred laughed and let him put the pillow down before he scooped him and the blanket up, moving his arms around him.

"Can you read for Mattie, too?" Alaska looked at Matthew and smiled.

"Ok! I'll make sure I show all the pictures!" Matthew smiled, then blinked as the doorbell rang. Was Ivan here already?

Francis walked over and answered the door, blinking a few times, then smiled.

"Ah! Angleterre! What an unexpected surprise!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
French: The idiot sprained his ankle. He was walking around in a dress and heels.