Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

A/n1: This chapter is probably rather depressing near the ending. Well, bear with me!

A/n2: Already over 100 reviews! Whoa! You guys… you're amazing! ^^ Thank you so much for all the love and support!~

A/n3: Okay, there will be quite some names popping up in this chapter. Not sure if you all know/recognize them, so I'll try to make some things a bit clearer:
Daan = the Netherlands
Femke = Belgium
Matthew/Mathieu/Mattie = Canada
Emile = PruCan's son
Elise = Liechtenstein
Bas = NethLiecht's son (THAT'S RIGHT~)

~~ And Three Makes Five ~~

Chapter 6:

Not leaving: an act of trust and love, often deciphered by children.
Markus Zusak
(Australian author)

Now that the demon children had got dressed, they jumped around on the bed for a little while, babbling in their own weird little kid-language about the fantastic story I had told them earlier, while I watched Antonio putting on some clothes as well.

…

Indeed, all this time, he had only been wearing that shameless little towel.

…

He could be so attractively skanky.

Not that I cared, of course. I just hoped the boy-twerps hopping the bed behind me wouldn't automatically turn gay as soon as they saw what a hot piece of man Antonio was. Being gay wasn't a walk in the park, after all. Their life would become a lot more difficult.

'I'm impressed, Lovino!' Antonio suddenly said, waking me up from my thoughts.

'Huh?' I looked up and felt my heart jump up a bit as I saw Antonio's green eyes, looking at me with warmth and something that seemed to be newfound respect.

'That story,' he explained, pulling a shirt over his head, 'that was a really cool story! They all loved it! Oh, and I enjoyed it, too!'

'You did?' I smiled weakly. 'It had a lame ending, though.'

'Well, that's okay. You did it to please the girl and the other boy. That's good. I'm glad.'

And he really looked glad, too. Maybe this was a good chance for me to say I was sorry for my cowardly behavior earlier, when I had fled out of the room as soon as the kids started to howl like evil tiny wolfs.

'H-hey,' I therefore muttered, avoiding Antonio's eyes, 'I-I'm sorry. For not-helping you when the demon children started to cry and everything.'

'Demon children?' I heard he chuckled. 'That's a mean thing to say about those kids, Lovi.'

I jolted my head back up, frowning furiously. 'I-I told you I wasn't good with kids! I despise them and they despise me – I hope you realize that now!'

Antonio had just finished putting his pants on and shook his head, walking over to me. 'The only thing I realize now is the fact you are a funny storyteller that seems to know what kind of stories kids like to hear. You're even keeping their different personalities in mind - with the lame happy ending and all. That's a talent, Lovi!'

'Bullshit,' I solemnly said, but blushed anyway.

'You're better with kids than you think, sweetie.' Antonio now sat next to me and turned my face his way with just his index finger. 'I should reward you for that, don't you think so?'

You bet your ass I deserve a reward, I wanted to say – but then I felt the gaze of three children, and I turned pale when I noticed from the corner of my eye that they were fucking watching us.

'N-no, no,' I said, trying to push Antonio away, 't-they are watching, dammit, they'll notice!'

Antonio tilted his head questioningly, but didn't move away from me. 'Who're watching? What will they notice?'

'Th-the demon children, you moron!' I hissed. 'They'll notice our gayness!'

'And that's a bad thing?' Antonio asked, not judgingly, but seriously curious about my answer. He really didn't seem to think that anything was wrong with making out in front of three innocent young souls.

'We'll scar their minds!' I blabbered, still holding him at a safe distance.

Antonio had to laugh and simply pulled me closer. 'Ah, don't worry, Lovi – I only want to kiss you – not ruthlessly claim you in the name of my wonderful country!~'

I grimaced. 'Using that squiggly thing again, huh?'

'I'm drawing it in the air as well, see?~ Did you miss it?~'

'Stop it, you lunatic. You and your weird kissing plans drive me nuts.'

'Come on, Lovino.' Antonio smiled. 'A kiss won't kill or scar anyone.'

'Yeah, whatever.' I snorted. 'Just keep your tongue to yourself.'

'Okay.'

And so we kissed.

…

Yeah, I could make up a really hot and passionate kissing scene here, but it really was just a peck on the lips that lasted a few seconds longer than most pecks on the lips did and I don't want to sound like a hornbag that kisses Antonio to bits in front of children.

Deal with it.

\0o0/

Well, both Antonio and the demon children were dressed, so now, we could finally leave. Time for a very wacky meeting with very wacky countries, saying wacky things but doing nothing helpful at all.

Just another ordinary Tuesday.

'Okay,' I heard Antonio behind me say as I locked the door of the House. He was already standing next to the car with the runt gang and he looked troubled. 'I think we have a problem, Lovi.'

'No, we have three problems,' I mumbled under my breath, walking over to the car as well. 'What is it, what problem?'

'We don't have children's seats!' Antonio stared at me like he had just discovered a dead body inside the trunk. 'We can't drive like this! It's dangerous!'

'Oh no! I guess they'll have to walk, then. Well, see you in Belgium, twerps.'

Antonio glared at me.

I looked back, unfazed. 'Just kidding, Antonio. God, stop acting like such an old hag.'

Antonio's jaw dropped. 'I'm not an old hag!'

'Well you are old.'

'I look and feel as young as 25!'

'Good for you, gramps.' I smirked at him teasingly and looked through one of the windows of the car.

Even though there were at least three seatbelts in the back of the car – my (new) car, not Antonio's piece of crap – it indeed didn't look that safe at all. But we had to leave now. And we had to take the kids with us.

'Maybe one of us should sit in the back and keep an eye on them,' I suggested. And immediately after that: 'I'll drive.'

'What?' Antonio pouted. 'But I want to drive!'

'No way! You're more fond of those twerps than I am! So I should drive!' I pointed out.

He frowned. 'I know, but you drive like a madman, Lovino.'

'Is that all?' I made a "pfff" sound. 'At least I'm fast. We'll be in Brussels in no-time.'

'You'll get them sick.' Antonio gave me a menacing look, knowing he had found one of my weak spots. 'They'll get sick all over your nice new car seats and it'll stink awfully and you'll never be able to drive in your awesome car again without opening all of your windows.'

'Dammit,' I said, immediately admitting defeat for the sake of my car, and gave him my keys. 'Fine, I'll sit in the back with them.'

'Yay!' Antonio manly exclaimed, swatted me on the butt – why, just why would he do that – and got in the car faster than Germany would get out of a car after finding out Feliciano would bring them to their destination, which was like one street further and therefore very dangerous for his and everybody's well-being.

I turned to the demon children, all three of them already covered in dirt, because they were kids and kids were dirt magnets.

'Okay, you muddy bunch of dirt bags – get in,' I told them, holding the door.

It worked better than expected: Creepy Kid seemed to have taking a liking to me ever since I told him the pants story and obediently got in. Dumb Kid loved to mimic him and went in as well, but he made the ridiculous decision to get into the car backwards, which was really, really… well, dumb. As well to watch as it was to execute.

With the boys in the car, only Moody Kid was left to enter the vehicle – and oh, she knew it. She stood her ground extra firmly and folded her arms, something that had become her trademark over the past few hours, determined to stay put.

'Okay missy, you can choose,' I told her, not feeling like having another pointless fight with her, 'or you get into the damn car, or I'll tell everybody I know you like tickling. How's that?'

The girl looked at me, mortified, and hastily climbed into the car.

I snorted. 'Yeah, that's what I thought.'

Then I sat in the car as well and told Antonio we could go.

'You know she doesn't like tickling?' Antonio asked me as he started the car, amazed.

'Nobody likes tickling,' I decidedly said. 'I suspect it being a satanic ritual.'

He laughed, called me cute and funny, and stepped on the gas like only Antonio could step on the gas – barely.

I groaned as I forced the kids into their seatbelts – they barely fitted but oh well – and hoped the long ride to Belgium wouldn't take as long as I feared it would.

\0o0/

Naturally, we all know that nothing I hope ever becomes reality, because someone up there probably takes notes on everything I mention I don't want, before grinning to His divine work-angels and saying 'LOL well let's dojust that, then!'

So a couple of long and life-threatening hours later – in which I've been drooled on, kicked, bitten, scratched, stared at, ignored and encouraged (that last one by Antonio, that stupid "oh look at me, driving and not-being tortured by demon children" fag), we finally finally finally arrived at the meeting place in Brussels, were we were supposed to meet up with all the other countries.

And man, as Antonio dropped me and the kids off near the entrance of the congress building and went to park the car, it was like I was watching at a bunch of families visiting a theme park. Almost every single nation I saw had a four/five-year-old kid walking or skipping next to them. The kids looked happy and peppy – the nations, however…

…they looked like fucking zombies.

'Holy shit,' I mumbled, not-believing what I saw. 'What's going on?'

'That's what I'd like to know as well, mon chéri,' a familiar voice said.

I looked around and there was France, holding a small, blonde girl by her hand. She had a load of curls that would put Marie-Antoinette to shame and winked at Creepy and Moody Kid, who both backed off in fear. Dumb Kid wasn't that scared, though, and spontaneously started picking flowers, putting them in his own dark, curly hair.

…

I didn't get that kid at all.

'So,' I said to France – who looked like shit, by the way, 'I see you have a kid.'

'I see you have three of them,' France countered. 'You and Antoine have my condolences.'

'Thank you,' I bitterly said, meaning every word. 'But I'm surprised. Aren't you going to threaten me you'll steal one away from us, like you told Antonio when I was still a kid?'

France gasped in shock, melodramatic as always, and that was the moment I finally saw something of the old, perverted, fuckfaced France back.

'Mon dieu, Romano, how bad you know me! I'd rather jump off a building than steal a child that's got your evil genes in it!'

'What do you mean, my genes?' I asked him, irritated.

'You don't know? Ha! What an idiot!'

And there Prussia all of a sudden was, laughing at me like the albino-turd he was. He didn't have a kid with him, I noticed.

'Where's your bundle of joy?' I now also glared at him. 'Or are you such a sad excuse for a country that you didn't get one?'

'Of course me and Mattie got one too, Romano, you mean little fuck,' Prussia said, huffing and putting his hands on his hips. 'An awesome little boy. He looks just like his awesome father!'

'That poor kid,' I said.

'What about his normal father? Where is my lovely Mathieu?' France said, raising an eyebrow – and shaking his head at Dumb Kid, who had started to hand out his flowers to every single living being.

'Parking the car – ah, there he is! With our little boy!'

Prussia pointed to a very transparent, blond man, holding the tiny hand of a meek-looking and smaller version of Prussia – only his eyes weren't red, but purple-ish. I never understood why or how Canada and Prussia had got those insane eye colors, but maybe it's better not to think too much about it.

'You know,' Prussia proudly said to me, ignoring Dumb Kid's offered flower, 'I'm thinking about calling him Gilbert II, or Gilbert Junior. Awesome, right?'

'I feel sorry for both him and Canada.' I snorted.

'Gilbert,' Canada's soft, but surprisingly firm voice suddenly said, 'I thought we had agreed to name him Emile.'

'Yeah, but…' Gilbert vaguely said, '…Gilbert Junior as a nickname, I mean! An awesome nickname! How about that, honey!'

Canada smiled friendly at him. 'Let's discuss that matter over a nice game of ice hockey tonight, okay? The winner decides. I'll even give you some advantage.'

'Okay!' Prussia shouted, since he couldn't speak normally. 'You're going down, Mattie! Just watch!'

'You're so cute,' Canada said, endeared, and walked into the building, taking Mini Prussia with him. Prussia looked confused ('What did he mean with that?'), quickly said goodbye to me and France and sprinted after Canada and the kid.

'Looks like those morons have accepted that kid as their own,' I commented, watching them go inside the building.

'Well, it is their own.' The blond, bearded Frenchman gave me a mocking look. 'Just as much as this child is mine – and those three are yours. And Antoine's. I must say your grumpiness and his naive and sadistic mood traits make some interesting kids.'

'Oh, cut the crap. Our kids, your kid? Are you even aware of what you're saying? Hell, you don't even have a partner!' I protested.

France started to look sad. 'No – I guess he must have used my and some random Frenchman/woman's genes when he did his magic trick. I don't know whether to like that or not. Having a child is nice, but then I'd rather have a partner to take care of her with me as well. It's lonely.'

For the time being, I decided not to pay attention to his sorrowful expression, even though I did felt sorry for him – fuckface or not.

'You're talking about England?' I instead asked France. 'You also think he's behind all this?'

'Who else could be,' France said, shrugging – and then he just walked away. Marie-Antoinette skipped after him, now wearing a flower in her hair.

I looked down at Dumb Kid, how looked right back at me, grinning victoriously. Next to him, Creepy Kid and Moody Kid were also wearing flowers in their hair.

'You're weird,' I told him, narrowing my eyes. 'But you'd make one shrewd businessman.'

He just smiled and offered me a bruised daisy. His smile was just like Antonio's.

…

Okay – just… just look away and don't waste your thoughts on that, Lovino.

\0o0/

'Lovi, Lovi!'

After a few minutes, out of the blue, I (finally) heard Antonio's uplifting voice – and I was quick to snap my face up and look at him. There he was again, in front of me, all shiny and sparkly and humpable.

'Well, you sure took your goddamn time parking the car,' I said, ignoring that familiar "yay, my sweet and handsome lover is with me again, now I can take on the world!~" -rush that instantly took over my awkward and insecure feelings and almost made me blush in delight.

Antonio gave me an apologetic smile. 'Sorry – it looks like we arrived a bit later than I expected. Most good parking spots were already taken.'

'Okay,' I said, immediately wondering why the flying fuck I had said such an useless "okay", 'then let's get inside, before also all the best seats are taken.'

'Sure thing!' Antonio nodded. 'So where are the kids?'

I made a grumpy face. 'Can't you see? They're…'

I looked around me. Not a trace of the demon children in sight, not even the smallest hint of flower petal.

…

Oh.

Fuck.

'But-but there were here with me just a second ago!' I stammered, noticing the twitching movement of the corner of Antonio's smile. 'I swear! I-I just looked away for a moment, to greet you and your stupid sassy ass, and then… now they're just gone all of a sudden! Those little hiding dipshits!'

'Okay,' Antonio said, losing the "what the fuck, Lovino"-smile, thankfully, and sighing and scratching his head now instead. 'Where were they the last time you bothered to look at them?'

'Here! Right here! In front of me!' I pointed my finger to the spot in front of me like a motherfucking pointing-pro.

'Did you hold their hands?' Antonio asked, looking around me.

I stiffened. 'No.'

'Why not?' Antonio glared at me.

I looked away. 'I didn't want to.'

'Why not?'

'You know fucking well why not, dammit!'

'Lovino…'

Antonio groaned. I saw he wanted to say something else, too, but our unpleasant conversation was disturbed when all of a sudden, two blondes blocked our vision. One of them held up Creepy Kid and Dumb Kid by their collars, the other had her hands placed on the shoulders of Moody Kid.

…

Yes, I'm talking about Belgiu… I-I mean, Femke, and the Netherlands.

'Hi there! Were you two missing something?' Femke friendly asked.

'You're lucky. I almost stampeded right over these heaps of flesh,' her brother emotionlessly announced, looking at the flailing boys like they were filled with doom and despair, which was so very right.

'There you are!' Antonio exclaimed, snatching the boys from his former colony's evil claws – and beckoning Moody Kid to come to him as well, but in a much nicer way, since he did like Femke. 'Thank you so much!'

'You're welcome!~' Femke smiled.

'You owe me,' the Netherlands smiled as well – which was disturbing as fuck.

I wanted to comment on how much of an evil bastard the Dutchman was for saying something like that, when I noticed there was an unknown little boy he was holding, and an unknown little girl Femke was holding. The boy looked just like him – but he seemed to be terribly shy. The little girl had a lot more spunk, but she looked…

…she looked…

…oh my god, why did she look like Russia?!

'So, you and the Netherlands have got kids as well, huh?' I faintly heard Antonio say, who apparently had started to talk to them as I was busy gawking at the little Russian girl.

Femke smiled uncomfortably. 'Yes, Daan has a boy and I have a girl, but, as you can see, it's not like they represent a mix of me and my brother's genes.'

'And I should kick your face for thinking I would hook up with my sister,' the Netherlands said, giving Antonio a dark look.

'I never said I thought that!' Antonio defended himself, 'I was just kind of hoping that… well, that Lovino and I weren't the only ones to have more kids instead of just one.'

The Netherlands refrained from talking for a minute, staring at Antonio.

'I really should kick your face,' he then finally said.

Antonio looked horrified. 'But why! Why!'

'I don't know, I just want to kick it. Kick it like a football.' The Dutchman looked up to the sky, musing. 'Maybe my shrink's right. I should find a hobby.'

'Maybe you should spend more money on fun things,' Antonio suggested.

'No, I don't think my new King would want a war with Spain.'

'…what?'

Okay – I had enough of this weird conversation and butted in.

'Alright, Femke, Netherlands? About those kids… um, they don't seem to fully represent you – that boy is way too emotional to be completely you, Netherlands, and that girl… um…' I felt myself shiver just a little bit as the kid's green, but creepy eyes met mine, '…s-she looks like a crazy experiment.'

'I like to think Bas – that's what I called him – is the result of me and Elise's undying and fiery love for each other,' the Netherlands said. 'And Femke's kid is probably the result of the recent visits from that big nosed psychopath Russia.'

Femke just smiled a very complex smile that said "don't fucking ask", so I decided to not fucking ask.

'Anyway,' she said, sounding fresh and not-restrained at all, 'we're going inside, okay? We'll see you two later!'

'And try to keep an eye on your runts. I could do it for you, but I warn you. I'm an expensive babysitter,' the Netherlands snorted. 'Also, I still want those 10 euros, Romano.'

And they walked away.

I didn't know what surprised me more – the fact that the Netherlands still thought I should pay him back 10 euros, or the fact that his and Femke's kids looked…

…

…a lot like Liechtenstein and Russia.

But as far as I knew, the Belgian woman and her Dutch brother weren't in any relationships right now. Or were they?

So… what… why…

…

…goddammit, could someone please explain to me what the hell was going on already?