I don't own Hetalia okay? Thank you all who have stuck around this far. It really gets me motivated and really makes my day when I see that. I only have about a few more chapters coming up. Anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!
A nippy breeze blew as Alfred, Ivan, and Katyusha stood with the twins and Charlotte in a stroller getting ready to start their first Trick or Treat at Francis and Arthur's new house. The past month had been rather busy for both families. Between Kiku and Mei's wedding and Kyle's nearly every weekend offers to have a barbecue, there wasn't much time spent at the house for the Braginsky-Jones family on the weekend. Meanwhile, Matthew and Katyusha had offered to help Francis and Arthur move into their new house, much at Katyusha's relief. While being a great help with Charlotte when she was little, there were times he was just too obnoxious for her liking. She had told Matthew when Francis was finally able to stay with Arthur in the new house that it was finally quiet again, even with a newborn baby.
"Now I must get a picture of this." Francis said as Alfred and Ivan brought the twins over after hearing about the kind of neighborhood Francis and Arthur now lived in and what candy the neighbors had told them they were giving out, they called the twins over. "You two are certainly creative."
"That they are….." Ivan sighed. He did not want to get as into the costume part as Alfred did, who had finally conceded that the children did not want to do any of the family ideas he had. Alfred gave in only on the circumstance that everyone wear a costume. Ivan did not want to, but after enough begging, pleading and puppy dog eyes from the twins, he agreed to wear a sweater with a jack o lantern face on it. He looked over to Alfred who was delighted with the Batman costume he had gotten and then to the twins who were as Francis said creative. Nikita was in a princess costume but replaced the cone hat that came with it with her baseball helmet that Allen had given her on her birthday. Meanwhile, Dimitri had found an interesting dilemma when he was picking his costume. A dinosaur or ninja. He decided on both and got a dinosaur mask and ninja costume.
"Why don't we bring Katyusha and baby Charlotte in this as well?" Arthur asked. Even in adoption, Alfred's children remind me a lot of him…. makes me wonder the nature vs nurture debate even more…..
"If you want me to." Katyusha said as she was wearing a black dress and simple witch hat while Charlotte was in a polar bear onesie to go with the twins. Like Ivan she was reluctant to dress up, but she found the witch costume simple enough and saw it as a chance to bond with the twins. She knew that they had liked Natalya better than her and was accepting of that fact, but she also liked being around them. So, a quick witch costume and onesie made for Charlotte later, they were heading around Arthur and Francis's new neighborhood getting candy. Katyusha never quite understood the tradition, but it seemed like fun. "Walk don't run you three." Ivan sighed as Katyusha pushed the stroller behind them.
"You three?" Katyusha laughed.
"You know Fredka gets over excited." Ivan rolled his eyes walking up with his sister.
"That is true." Katyusha said as she adjusted her hat. "I do think part of the reason he went as Batman as so people won't mistake him for Matvey."
"He always goes as Batman for group costumes. Apparently he picked up that love from Francis. So, when they aren't pirate gangs, which he was Batman one time, they would go as other groups. One year Francis was Dorothy- "
"From The Wizard of Oz?" Katyusha asked as Ivan nodded continuing
"Matvey was the scarecrow and Arthur the cowardly lion and Fredka, 'The Bat'" Ivan said. "Next year they went as the band Kiss, surprising I know, but Francis Gene Simmons, hair," He added at Katysuha's confusion, Matvey Paul Stanley Arthur Ace Freely and Fredka…"
"The Bat." Katyusha said.
"Hey, are we getting candy or what?" Alfred said.
"Sure sure." Katyusha said. "And I will trade you some of ours for your ones with peanuts Dimitri." She smiled knowing about the young boy's peanut allergy. With this, Nikita ran up and pressed the doorbell.
"Trick or treat!" The twins smiled as the door opened.
"My my what do we have here?" The old lady smiled,
"I'm a baseball princess, my brother is a dino ninja and our little baby cousin is a bear." Nikita smiled.
"Well, the children are all so very adorable." She smiled as she placed candy in the bags. "You must be very proud of them."
"We are good citizen." Alfred said in a dark and menacing Batman tone. "Thank you for giving the children treats."
"YA lyublyu tebya, dorogoy, no inogda ty mozhesh' byt' takim smushchayushchim." Ivan sighed to himself as Katyusha laughed. "Just what is so funny?"
"You and Fredka. You're perfect for each other. Ever since you first met." Katyusha said. Ivan looked at her skeptically. "I know you two fought like cats and dogs when you first met but something told me that it wasn't really meant, and I saw how alike you and Fredka were."
"It took Fredka begging for me to even wear this silly thing." Ivan motioned to the sweater as they headed to the next house. "And I dread the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas for much the same reason." Katyusha raised an eyebrow as Dmitri took Charlotte's stroller and headed up with Alfred to the next house with them. "Do not get me wrong, I cannot wait to have our first Christmas as a family with these two, just Fredka's love of these things…."
"Thanksgiving….." Katyusha smiled remembering the year before. "I would say a lot has changed since last Thanksgiving, do you not agree?"
"Certainly." Ivan nodded.
"I am sure I have done so already but I want to thank you again for letting Matvey and I stay with you until we got on our feet and even helping us to do so. I know you begrudgingly allowed it at first, but if you had not, I don't think we'd be anywhere near the same spot we are not." She said with a few tears in her eyes.
"You're my big sister," Ivan smiled. "Why wouldn't I and I know Fredka sees you like a sister and would die before he would allow something bad to happen to his brother."
"You're right." Katyusha said. "Now be careful with the stroller you two!" Katyusha yelled as Alfred quickly steadied it while Nikita and Dimitri tried to push it along.
"I got them Katy, don't worry, little Charlotte is in good hands!" Alfred assured her.
Matthew had pulled into his father's driveway and headed inside. So, they aren't back just yet…He thought as he rung the doorbell and Francis came out. "Mathieu!" He smiled pulling his son in. "I am sorry to say that Katyusha isn't quite back yet but most of the children are heading home, so they should be back soon.
"Thanks Papa…." Matthew said as Arthur brought him a cup of apple cider. "Thanks Dad."
"So, how are things?" Arthur asked.
"Great." Matthew said as he sipped the cider. "Viewership is up, heck I have heard from Al that Kyle's safari thing is seeing more fall business than he usually got thanks to me. Some of the camera crew hadn't even heard of the place let alone knew it was still open. And Gilbert says that the animal shelter is seeing a wave of adoptions since I had that little special back in the summer."
"Because you have my charm." Francis said.
"I'm adopted Papa….." Matthew said.
"But some things are more than just genetics my dear boy." Francis said as Arthur rolled his eyes. "Ignore your dad, he's being a sourpuss." Arthur sighed as Francis ignored him. "But charm is only partially looks, it comes to things like mannerisms and general kindness and how you carry yourself."
"Which he learned how to be a gentleman from me." Arthur said as the door opened and Katyusha pushed in Charlotte while Alfred carried Nikita and Dimitri was carried in by Ivan, both trying to stay awake, despite the fact they were worn out and tired.
"You guys arguing again?" Alfred laughed as he set Nikita down on the couch and took off his Batman mask.
"Batman again Al?" Matthew laughed.
"At least I am going as someone." Alfred teased.
"Well, Matvey went as a handsome anchorman." Katyusha said as Ivan rolled his eyes and sat Dimitri next to Nikita. "But we have plenty of candy. And we will trade some of the ones we did get with any peanut candies Dimitri may get. I mean the people gave it to Charlotte, but she cannot have any yet where she cannot chew."
"Will be soon." Matthew said. "She's starting to teethe."
"Yes, I have been noticing that myself when I do feed her….." Katyusha sighed. "I am going to have to start weaning her soon because those little things poking through her gums hurt….."
"Okay kids," Alfred said, getting a little uncomfortable hearing about Katyusha's breastfeeding pains, "Let's sort your candy. We'll need Charlotte's too."
"Here you go Fredka." She said handing the plastic pumpkin to him so that they could do the agreed trading. She pulled Charlotte out of the stroller and then looked over to Matthew who picked her up and smiled. "She's really missed her daddy." Katyusha smiled.
"Then why is she looking at me like she's saying 'who are you'?" Matthew asked.
"You're being silly." Katyusha laughed.
Alfred and Ivan looked through the twin's candy and Charlotte's and swapped out any peanut candies Dimitri had gotten for one from Charlotte's that he would like. It was well known by everyone that it was Matthew and Katyusha who would be eating the candy, but no one seemed to mind. Nikita and Dimitri looked on, trying to stay awake while at the same time, wanting to put their heads into all the candy they had gotten. "Are you done yet Papa?" Dimitri asked nervously. "I want some candy…." He moaned while Nikita looked on practically drooling.
"Yeah…I want my candy!" Nikita pouted.
"Someone's getting cranky….." Alfred said.
"Am not….." Nikita said.
"Yes you are." Ivan said as he swapped out a Reese's cup for a sourball. "When your dad and I are done, we will let you have one piece then we have to take you home and you have to go to bed. You get to stay up late tonight but once we get home, you will brush your teeth and then head straight to bed. You nearly fell asleep when we came back to your grandfathers' house."
"Not sleepy…." Nikita said as she lay on Katyusha's lap.
"I think you are little one….." Katyusha said as she took off Nikita's helmet. "And that's fine. You're little and still growing."
"I'm not little." Nikita said as she turned on her side and held onto her aunt.
"I'm growing…." Dimitri added as he fell face first into Francis's lap.
"Oh dear…." Francis sighed. "Can you help me with this lapin?" He said to Arthur who had gotten up and gently lift Dimitri up and let Francis out and placed a pillow under Dimitri's head and gently took the dinosaur mask off.
"I have it." Arthur whispered. "Go tend to what you were baking."
"Yes, I have been making some cookies for the twins while they were out. I had to wait for Arthur to finish his pumpkin bread before I could. But it looks like I will have to send a care package with you as these two are just so sleepy." Francis said. "And as much as I do not mind them using their grand-père as a pillow, I do not want to make my cookies turn into Arthur's scones."
"What is wrong with my scones?" Arthur cast his husband an evil glare.
"They taste like petrified couch stuffing Dad." Alfred sighed as he put a few pieces of acceptable candy back into Nikita's bucket.
"Maybe I could try making them?" Katyusha said as she moved some of Nikita's hair behind her ear. "That will see if it is the recipe, which if that is the case it is not your fault."
"Well….." Arthur said skeptically. "I guess if you want to try."
"Stick to your pumpkin bread." Matthew sighed. "That's the only thing you can cook. I mean you set cereal on fire."
"That was not corn flakes but instant oatmeal in my extremely tired state I put on for too long not paying attention to the buttons I was hitting. So, it dried out and eventually burned and caught fire! It was something that could happen to anyone!" Arthur said. "But thank you for complimenting the pumpkin bread. I had wanted to try that recipe since a colleague of mine had given me their recipe to try." Arthur said.
"She must be new there then." Francis said. "Your scones are infamous among some of your other colleagues….."
"Shut up frog." Arthur sulked.
At this, Katyusha motioned for Matthew to come over closer to her and whispered something in his ear. They had been wanting to host one of the upcoming holidays at their house since last year they were hosted at Alfred and Ivan's for Thanksgiving and Arthur and Francis's for Christmas but did not know quite how to ask nor did they know anyone else's plans for the season as well. Matthew nodded and waited for Francis to come back in to begin. "So, guys, you have any holiday plans?"
"Haven't gotten everything quite worked out yet. Need to get what these two sleepyheads want for Christmas." Alfred said as he put the last few pieces of candy in Nikita's bucket and helped Ivan finish up Dimitri's as he was almost done but swapping the peanut candies out took a little while longer.
"Have they made their lists yet?" Katyusha asked.
"Not yet. But they'll get to work on it." Ivan said as he swapped the last piece of candy he needed to and sighed. "All done."
"Well Katy and I wanted to host one of the holiday gatherings and didn't know which one we should do. Because we have a place of our own now, it's time we return the favor your guys have done for us." Matthew explained.
"Thanksgiving." Francis said firmly.
"Excuse me?" Matthew asked.
"You heard me." Francis said. "As grandfathers, it is our duty to make Christmas magical for our grandchildren. You therefore can host Thanksgiving."
"Wow grand pear….." Alfred laughed, knowing how much Francis hated that name. He would hide his annoyance when Nikita and Dimitri said it simply because they were four years old. It was not going to be very likely they could speak any language clearly yet. Although he could swear that they were picking up on basic Russian pretty well and even heard a few Lithuanian words from them. I see those two can pick up on Slavic languages well, which I can see why with the Russian, which is their father and aunts' native languages so they would be able to pick it up better and are around it more. But Lithuanian? Come on! Francis thought.
"What?" Francis said. "The day that little Charlotte was born, and the adoption was final, I had made up my mind I wanted the children's first Christmas in this family to be hosted by Arthur and I." He said haughtily. "Is there a problem with that?"
"No, none at all." Ivan said. "But if you want to Matvey, I guess we can have you host Thanksgiving."
"You guys helped Katy and I at one of our lowest points when I thought all hope was lost." Matthew said. "Hell, if Al hadn't fallen asleep while it was on trash daytime TV, I wouldn't have even known of the job at the news studio. I was going to try at the school, but teachers get paid squat in public schools."
"And you are so much better and more charming than the mere American public school system." Francis smiled. Arthur rolled his eyes. He knew that Matthew had a point about the poor pay of the public schools and why he was glad he got a position at a college but to see that Matthew had a job that he was good at, brought his confidence out and paid well enough that Katyusha did not have to do any work she did not want to do, made him happier than if he were to follow into education like he did.
"Well, that point aside…." Matthew blushed. "I think since we have a house now we'd like to host, and you guys aren't that far away. So, what do you say?" he said mainly turning to Alfred, knowing how much he had liked to host family gatherings himself.
"If you want to bro." Alfred said as he got up and gave Matthew a noogie, who rolled his eyes and pushed his obnoxious brother off him. "Saves on dishes I have to do. You probably know just how much more dishes and laundry you have to do with children."
"Oh indeed." Katyusha looked down at the sleeping form of Nikita. "So does she still have her little bedwetting problem?"
"No." Ivan said. "And she's quite proud of herself for it and will be very happy when she wakes up and the sheets are dry."
"I'm happy too. Saves on laundry." Alfred sighed. "But we have to get these sleepyheads home. Maybe let them have 2 pieces tomorrow or something as they are too tired, and I don't want to wake them unless I have to."
"Seems fine with me Fredka." Ivan kissed Alfred on the cheek as he scooped up Dimitri and Alfred Nikita and they headed to the car to buckle in the twins.
"See you guys later." Alfred waved. "Oh, and Mattie, you have to at least let me bring something for Thanksgiving. I am the master of the foods after all."
"We'll talk about that later." Katyusha sighed. "I have always wanted to handle the main dishes of a Thanksgiving feast since I had yours last year."
"Come on Katy….." Alfred pouted.
"We will talk later." She said sternly as she picked up Charlotte. "You may want to put the twins in the car soon," she said smelling Charlotte. "Charlotte often starts crying loudly when she has a dirty diaper like she does now."
"We will talk later big sister." Ivan said as he pushed Alfred out. "Come on, the children need to go to bed."
"Fine." Alfred pout. "Call me Katy!"
"Come on." Ivan said as Alfred managed to carry Nikita, her candy and wave back to them at the same time.
"I will." Katyusha sighed. "Well, he certainly has your papa's love of family festivities….."
"Sure," Matthew said. "I guess."
Translation Guide
(Obtained via Google Translate)
YA lyublyu tebya, dorogoy, no inogda ty mozhesh' byt' takim smushchayushchim. Russian- I love you darling but you can be so embarrassing at times.
grand-père-French-grandfather
So how was that? Good? Bad? Short? Long? Let me know in a review. There is a Venture Bros reference to how Alfred wears Batman costumes when what was supposed to be a family group costume. It's from the opening of an episode from season 2 Love Behits. Look up Venture Bros and The Bat on YouTube and tell me you couldn't see Alfred just wearing whatever costume he wanted while the rest of the FACE family goes with a theme. Other than that, I love seeing you read, review and fave this. It gives me a rush of happiness I need now. Work is just awful. But I have a few more chapters planned and then a timeskip sequel story. So other than that, remember to read, well you just did, and to review. Ciao for now,
Otherrealmwriter
Aka
Realm.