A/N: Here we are again with another chapter. Big shout out to GreyLand1575 for the nice review. My goal for this story is to update at a decent pace but I ask for your patience because break is over and back to work I go.
Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 2: Canada to the Rescue
It was nearly two hours later before Arthur reemerged from the basement with a stack of books and covered in dust. The Brit found most of the 'child' nations moping around in the living room. If he was being honest, he was surprised that the house was still standing and not on fire.
The Hungarian girl was laying across the couch staring at the ceiling with a grumpy looked on her face. Across the room, Alfred and Lovino were tapping away on their phones with their backs to Elizabeta, obviously avoiding her fury. In front of his fireplace sat Vlad and Lukas chatting and putting wood in. The loud Prussian was nowhere to be found.
"Where is Gilbert?" The Englishman asked.
"In timeout," Elizabeta huffed. "And he can stay there all night for all I care." She sat up and stomped off in the direction of the kitchen.
With a heavy sigh, Arthur inquired. "What did he do this time?"
"Told her to stop being a baby and cook us something. She got mad and hit him with the book that was on the coffee table, multiple times, then dragged him off somewhere." His Norwegian friend explained.
"Don't worry, Iggy. There was no blood," Alfred assured his older brother. "At least the last time we saw him there wasn't."
"I'll take care of that later. Are you chaps hungry?" Arthur asked.
There was a collective affirmation from all of the nations. However when they saw the Brit heading for the kitchen, they all began to protest and freak out.
"Scone ba… You are not cooking! I am not going to die here." Lovino objected.
At the same time the American was ranting, "I am not doing that again. Do you know how long it took me to get over the nightmare your cooking put me through. I had to have years of counselling."
"I'd rather have Nikola see me like this than eat your cooking." Vlad remarked.
"My cooking isn't that bad," Arthur snapped. "Maybe I should let all of you figure out how to turn yourselves back if you are going to be like that."
Before anyone could protest further there was a soft knock on the front door. Everyone froze. After a few more silent seconds there was another soft knock. The transformed nations all hid while Arthur went to answer the door.
"Good evening, Arthur," came the small peep of his younger Canadian brother. "I'm here."
Arthur stared at him for a moment before he realized, it was the fourth Wednesday of the month. Matthew always came over on the fourth Wednesday as a sort of check in and they always had dinner together. "Uh… Good evening, Matthew."
"Don't tell me you forgot again." A frown formed on the younger male's lips.
"O-of course not!"
"Well, then can I come in?"
"About that… I don't think this is a good time. Could we have lunch during the world meeting and catch up then?" Arthur was trying to figure out a way to keep the Canadian out.
Ding.
Matthew pulled out his phone to check the message that he just received. As he read it his eyes grew wide. "What's going on?"
"What do you mean?" Arthur laughed nervously.
"I just got a text from Gilbert saying that he is locked in your pantry." The young blond showed his brother the message.
Gil: Save me, Birdie! I'm unawesomely trapped in Arthur's pantry… I think the cow put me here.
The bushy browed man let out a sigh. "He's fine. I think he is just drunk again."
Before Arthur could further his attempt his goal of getting the Canadian to leave, Elizabeta walked into the living room in full view of Matthew.
"H-Hungary… What happened?" Matthew stuttered.
The color drained out of the young girls face as she realized that she had been caught. The rest of the nations that were trapped in children bodies emerged from their hiding spots. As they came out Matthew's eyes grew even wider.
"What did you do?" His violet eyes looked accusingly at the Brit.
"Why the bloody hell are you blaming me instantly?" Arthur snapped back.
"You're the only one who isn't a child and you're the one who practices black magic." Matthew knew all about his older brother experiences in magic because as a kid he witnessed many mishaps. "Wait… does that mean Gil is a kid too?"
"Well, you see…" Arthur trailed off.
From behind him there was a high pitched laugh. "Dude, you're boyfriend is a kid. So that makes you a pedophile."
"H-he's not my b-boyfriend," the Canadian sputtered, his face turning a deep shade of red.
"And I'm a girl." Alfred retorted. "You can't lie to me about that. I saw you two on a date last weekend."
"N-no you didn't. And you could be a girl. I mean you did wear dresses when we were kids." Matthew said trying to change the subject away from his love life.
Little Alfred stomped his foot and glared at his brother. "You know that was not by choice! It's all Uncle Allistor's fault."
With a pout Alfred headed back to the living room. Matthew was about to ask about who was all changed to kids but his phone dinged and distracted him. With a sigh he pushed passed his older brother and headed towards the kitchen.
Arthur followed close behind to see what was about to take place. He silently watched as the Canadian untie the belt that was holding the pantry doors closed. As soon as the blond was done the doors flew open and the small albino child jump up and nearly tackled Matthew.
"Birdie, you are so awesome. I knew you would come and save me from that beastly cow." The Prussian cried.
"Umm.. An-any time Gil."
"We have a problem now though. We can't go on our totally awesome weekend getaway because I'm a kid and my passport doesn't match my appearance." He pouted. Then he realized that Arthur was in the room and he swallowed hard. "I mean… I can't go out of country by myself."
The Brit folded his arms and eyed his younger brother and the white haired child. Matthew let out a heavy sigh.
"Fine. Oui. I am dating Gilbert but I don't think now is the time to discuss that. We have a bigger problem on our hands," he pointed to Gilbert. "How are we going to change him and Al back to adults? And how many kids are there?"
Arthur huffed in frustration. "I'm trying to, you git! However, I keep getting interrupted by the little things. They can't get along and every time I turn around I have to rescue that one." He pointed at Gilbert. "Because he has done something to make Elizabeta mad."
Of course, the Canadian wasn't thrilled to hear this. He knew the ongoing feud between the nation and ex-nation, but lately it had been ridiculous. Matthew folded his arms and stared at the albino child.
"What?" Gilbert shrugged. "It's not my fault the cow gets offended so easily."
"Gil." The Canadian growled. In all honesty, Arthur was surprised to hear that kind of tone come from his younger brother.
"Alright, alright. I will stop messing with her, Birdie. It is not awesome when you are mad." Gilbert put his hands up in surrender.
The lavender-eyed blonde nodded in approval and turned back to the Brit. "I'm sorry he's been causing you trouble. How many have been turned to children?"
After thinking for a few minutes, Arthur announced, "As far as I know only six."
"Six?!" Matthew squeaked. Counting on his fingers he named the ones he knew. "Alfred, Gil, and I'm assuming Liz. So, who are the other three?"
Before Arthur could even get a word out all of the children nations came running into the kitchen.
"So, Alfred was telling the truth for once," Vlad laughed.
Behind him Alfred let out an irritated huff. "I tell the the truth almost all of the time."
"Sure you do, cheeseburger idiota," the child Italian smirked.
Peeking his head in, the Norwegian waved before heading back to the living room where he had been looking though some of Arthur's magic books.
"What's Matthew doing here?" Elizabeta asked as she sat down.
Gilbert stuck his tongue out at her. "To save the awesome me from your craziness. Birdie is super awesome."
"Gil, don't make her mad again," Matthew warned. "I originally came to have my monthly check in dinner with Arthur."
"You still do those? Well anyway maybe you can help is out then," Elizabeta smiled as she clapped her hands, as if she had some amazing plan.
"How can I do that?"
"We're all too short to safely cook and we've all agreed that we don't trust Arthur's cooking," the Hungarian girl stated. "Now don't you dare give me those looks Arthur or maybe I should call Francis and tell him that you need his help."
"NO!" Arthur screeched. "Don't you dare."
Letting out a sigh, Matthew decided to do something that wasn't like him. "Enough!" He raised his voice. Although it was still on the quiet side, everyone turned and looked at him. Now that the attention was on him, Matthew started feeling his anxiety levels rising. "Uh…" He took and deep breath. "Please stop arguing. I'll stay and help. I can cook everyone meals and keep things under control until Arthur figures out how to change everyone back."
After a few minutes of silence, everyone agreed that was probably the best course of action. Arthur told Vlad that he should finish helping Lukas look through the books that were in the living room. Alfred and Lovino left to watch a movie in the family room. Shortly after Elizabeta choos to check on Vlad and Lukas to see if they had made any progress.
As Arthur was leaving the kitchen he overheard part of the Prussian and Canadian's conversation.
"No, Birdie, you did amazing. They won't be mad."
"But I was being bossy and…" Matthew's breath sounded as if he were about to hyperventilate.
There was a child's laugh. "That was not being bossy. That was taking control of a situation that was only going to get worse. That was also letting people know your opinion." After a quiet whisper from the Canadian, he only heard Gilbert's tender reply. "I'm proud of you, Birdie."
At that moment, Arthur decided that he wasn't against his brother dating the Prussian. If anything this relationship was bringing out the best in both of them. He even became more determined to fix this whole mix up.
A/N: If you feel like it review.