Can I just say before we begin, an enormous thank you to everyone who's reviewed, favourited or just read this story so far. You've honestly no idea how happy it makes me.

Disclaimer: Animerockchic does not own Hetalia or Beauty and the Beast, but oh, if I did...

"Couldn't keep quiet, could we? No, just had to invite them to stay, didn't we? Serve them tea...sit him in the master's chair." Arthur shuddered as he remembered how Antonio had reacted.

Francis spread his arms wide. "I was trying to be hospitable!"

"Rubbish!" Arthur scoffed.

"Ah, Angleterre, can you blame me for trying to maintain what's left of our humanity? Look at us!" He glared at Arthur, "Look at you!"

Arthur automatically looked down at himself and then looked back up and glared right back at Francis. "What about me, you cheese-eating surrender monkey?"

Francis laughed. "You always were insufferable. But every day you become just a little more... inflexible, a little more... tightly wound, a little more... ticked off, non?" Francis burst into a peal of laughter.

Arthur deadpanned. "Oh please. Spare me the stupid puns." Arthur moved to walk away.

Francis shouted after him. "At least we are not as far gone as some of the others. You saw what happened to Roderich!"

Arthur nodded. "The only thing that ever really mattered to him was his music and that's exactly what he's become."

Francis shrugged. "A grand piano."

"Pedals, keys, sheet music, the works!"

Francis sighed. "And poor Matthieu."

"...Who?"

Francis stared at Arthur, insulted. "Matthieu! You remember him! Very quiet boy, tended to fade into the background. People usually looked past him as though he was as clear as..."

"Glass?" Arthur interrupted.

Francis nodded. "A whole window of it."

Arthur frowned. "Markus is a window?"

"Matthieu and he's in the long hall." Arthur tsked.

"Oh, and you know Elizabeta, the cook?"

"Her? She was always swinging that frying pan around and hitting people, particularly your friend Gilbert with it. ...She's a frying pan, isn't she?" Francis nodded. "Perfect."

Francis looked at the candles that were once his hands and sighed. "It's happening faster with some of the others, but we are not far behind. Slowly but surely, as every day passes, we will all gradually become...things."

"But why the bloody hell did we have to get dragged into this spell business? It's not like we threw that beggar woman out on her ear!" Arthur said desperately. Francis nodded sadly. "But are we not responsible too? For helping to put Antoine on that track? For making him the way he is?"

Arthur sighed. "I suppose so."

Francis choked back a sob. "All I know is that I will gradually melt away into nothing. My only hope is that there will be something left of me if Antoine ever breaks the spell."

By now, both of them we crying. Arthur sniffed. "Hold on, old man. We've got to hold on."

They fell into each other's arms, weeping in earnest.

"Hello?" Lovino pulled his cloak closer around his shoulders. This place gave him the creeps. Plus it looked really shitty for a castle. Crap portraits and smashed statues stood sentry on all sides, seemingly watching him. He almost turned around to head straight home but the thought of his little brother, lost, hurt and crying kept him moving forward. Damn his over-protective older brother-ness.

"Is anyone home? I'm looking for my brother and grandfather. Hello?" He pushed open a door and went into the next room.

Francis had caught a glimpse of Lovino through his tears. "It...It's a boy."

Arthur looked behind him. "Yes, of course I can see it's a boy."

They stopped crying for a moment then leapt apart, shouting, "It's a boy!"

"Wait a minute Francis. What so great about there being a boy here?"
Francis beamed. "Antoine once told Gilbert et moi that he prefers les hommes to les femmes." Francis ran to the door that Lovino had just passed through.

"Yoohoo!"

"Wait a minute Francis. I think I should..."

"Garçon!"

"As head of the household I really should..."

Francis ran off yelling "Cher!"

"A word, just one word!" Arthur trotted after him.

~Scene Change~

"Auntie, Auntie, Auntie! You're never going to believe what I saw! Not in a million years! Not in a trillion-gazillion years!" Peter was jumping around like a rabbit on sugar rush.

Ciara smiled gently. "Alright pet, what is it?"

"There's a boy in the castle!"

Ciara hmmed. "Wouldn't that be grand? I mean, I don't one hundred per cent approve of that kind of thing, but, oh mo Dhia, wouldn't it be great."

"But there is! I saw him and everything!"

Ciara frowned. "Peter. Will you stop codding me and telling wild stories. You can't be getting people's hopes up like that!"

"Ms Murphy, Ms Murphy!" Ciara turned at the sound of her name to see Jeanne scurrying along as though her life depended on it.

"Did you hear?" She panted. "There's a young man in the castle!"

Peter smiled smugly. "See, I told you so! And I heard Francis saying he's really good-looking too."

Jeanne stiffened. "Well, I don't know about that!"

~Scene change~

Francis practically danced through the halls. "This is the one! I can feel it. He has come to break the spell!"

Arthur caught up to him, panting. "Let's not be hasty here."

Francis beamed at him. "Isn't it wonderful? Oh happy, happy day!" Francis kissed Arthur on both cheeks. Arthur spluttered and flailed, trying to escape.

Francis drew back and gasped. "We should tell the others, non?" He scampered off.

Arthur stood there slightly dazed. "Yes. I...I mean no. I mean, wait a minute, you frog!" Arthur dashed after him.

A/n:

Dude, the memories of doing this scene, they're coming back strong :) Any way, I'm thinking setting a proper update day (but whether I'll keep to it is a whole other kettle of fish entirely.) And just to let you know, the next chapter will be the big meeting between the main couple (about time right?)

Any who, hope you enjoyed, review, favourite flame, etcetera, etcetera

Ja!

-Animerockchic