Part 4

Mathias

One moment he's cracking jokes at Antonio and the next he's watching Eiríkur rush out of the room after Antonio. What the hell? Was that Eiríkur's voice begging Antonio not to leave? Why? What the heck was going on? He had heard Valentine's Day got a little weird when it came to Antonio, but for the last couple years he's been a bit too hazy to remember most of the details. He had heard from a few others about what goes on, but it changes slightly every year. Something about the chocolate, and Antonio, and love potion? It all just sounded too weird, so he never thought about it again after it was done being talked about.

But just as soon as Eiríkur was out of the room, Peter immediately followed. He went for shooting a look from Tino to Berwald, one which was in complete surprise and the other growing more intimidating as his former Ebay purchase jumps up onto Antonio's back, wraps his legs around his waist, his arms around his neck, and proceeded to put his face eerily close to the Spaniards ear to shout a child's version of affectionate pleas.

Just. What, the hell was going on.

Antonio

Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh NO, OH NO! THIS AGAIN! NOOOOOO! Why, this really can't be happening AGAIN can it? He could have sworn he had made sure that this weird event didn't happen again this year. He went to extra lengths to assure that NOTHING he did in the last few years he did this year. From when he woke up, the clothes he wore, the ingredients for the chocolate he made, hell he even went so far as to buy all new body wash and shampoo just to make sure it wasn't his scent! But, it's happening, and if it's these two, who else would be after him again?

Some thoughts should really just go unthought-of. Right as the last word crossed his mind urgent knocks assaulted Berwald's door. He didn't want to think who it was, he began to wish with all his heart it was Lovi, who got tired of waiting and came to get him and take him out on their date. He wanted nothing more than to beg Berwald not to answer the door, but unfortunately it wasn't in his favor today, as Tino went to open it. And sure enough, there they all were.

Aye, Dios mío.

Tino

The moment he did it, he regretted it. But how was he supposed to know nearly half of the worlds nations would be standing outside of Berwald's door? Despite hearing stories, he was usually a participant like Mathias, so is this what it's like to be on the other end now? To be someone not affected by this 'love potion'? Did he ever look as goo-goo eyed as these people do now? God he hoped not.

How did they all get affected? Antonio was normal, nothing out of the ordinary with him. . ."It's in the chocolate" Ah, that's right, Børre said something about that last year. And the year before that it was in the churros Antonio made for the party Alfred threw for Valentine's Day, and the year before that it was, the salad with tomatoes, Antonio's prized tomatoes had been tampered with. But it all just sounded so ridiculous, because how can tomatoes get compromised? He just picks them off of the vines, slices them up and puts them in a bowl of lettuce with dressing added! And churros? How!

Oh.

Berwald

It was just too odd. He remembers how this goes. 5 years and still people hadn't caught on that on this day, the ONE person you shouldn't accept food from is Antonio. He's not one to believe in magic, but he can't deny seeing with his own eyes members of his own family gush and coo for Antonio on these crazy Valentine's Day antics. Especially not when he can't get the image of Mathias on his knees last year wrapped around Antonio's legs crying for him not to leave him. It haunted him for months and it was not something he wanted to remember.

And yet due to it being a different food every year, it's not too much of everyone's fault that they accept his gifts. Only last year was it the chocolate as well, he guessed they thought it would be something different this year. Due to Antonio making both chocolate and a food due to events being held normally, this year it was decided nothing would be held, so all he could do was make chocolates and pass them out.

Berwald knew that if it wasn't Børre who used his weird abilities, then the only other culprit was Arthur. And yet despite a good portion of people who knew about all of this, these people still managed to fall for it. It was mind-boggling. And they all had eyes on Antonio, Peter, Eiríkur, Francis, Gilbert, Angelique, the Axis, the Baltic's, the Eastern European's (minus a few), a few Asian countries, a few Central Europeans and behind all of them, pretty much every South American country. The poor fool was the target of one long line of bad jokes, Arthur sure was relentless against his former pirate empire.

After he was done feeling a bit of pity for Antonio, Berwald thought now would be a good time to take care of this issue before it got as crazy and weird as it has in previous years. First things first, peel Peter and Eiríkur off Antonio, shut and lock the door before everyone tried to grab Antonio and get Børre on the phone to see if there was ANYTHING they could do to reverse this magic.

He left the phone call to Tino, as well as Peter who fought pretty hard against him, but Berwald still managed to get him off and in Tino's arms as he rushed out of the room. Berwald then went to getting Eiríkur off now, which was harder, because Eiríkur was not a kid and was pretty strong himself, but in terms of strength, there wasn't anyone (except for Tino) who was stronger than him. And Antonio helped too, which made the struggle shorter, and as soon as he was off, Ber tossed him in an open room and closed the door on him, at the same time Antonio grabbed a chair from the kitchen which Ber used to block Eiríkur in.

This was madness.

Børre

He had done absolutely nothing all day. The serenity of solitude he wouldn't trade for anything in the world. He made a cup of coffee and opened a package of cookies and just sat down and read. It was like heaven. And he enjoyed it long enough until his phone started to ring. He knew who it was and what the call was about, and he felt what he could have called interest to hear all the details from Tino. Who would be flustered and in desperate need of a solution to a growing problem, as a bunch of love-sick fools tried to reach the object of their affection through Berwald's walls.

Ordinarily he would have just tried to ignore it, they all should reap what they sow and deal with their own misfortunes. But he also knew that if Berwald and Tino found out he did such a thing, not even his own magic would help win against their combined wrath.

So he answered.

Mathew

He had been rejected by both Katyusha and Gilbert (well, he counts it as being rejected seeing as he couldn't even get a hold of him), but Lars and Allistor both accepted the invitation. What he didn't expect was that he'd get two extra guests, Arthur and Alfred. Both of whom showed up before the other two, and he could tell right away that nagging feeling in his heart had been right, something was happening, and that he had made the right decision to stay home. What confirmed all this was that Arthur did not walk into his home, he was carried, and the look on his brother's face said Arthur was not sleeping, and the one who put him in that state was himself.

What on earth had Arthur done to make Alfred knock him out?! Maybe he should have just done nothing, because now he had an unconscious man in his home with guests on the way, this was a disaster.

The love struck

All they wanted was Antonio. Why the hell Berwald thought he had any right to keep them from their most beloved Spaniard infuriated them all. Ivan and Natalia both opted to burning the house down, but Kiku and Feliciano said that would endanger Antonio as well. Gilbert and Ludwig decided the best plan was to break through the windows and rescue their fair prince from the Nordic monsters. This was an agreeable decision, and they all panned out to search for items they could use to shatter the glass that separated them from their precious Spanish lover.

Francis was the one that found the axe, he was very proud of himself for having found the item that would make him the victorious one to the prize of his delectable dish. Love does some strange things to people, and he was quick to take the item back to the front of Berwald's house, and without even thinking about it, he brought the axe straight down into Berwald's front door.

Tino

It turned out Børre was of absolutely no help. Which was more than irritating. He was their only hope to perhaps fix everyone before things got too out of hand. It was already bad enough he had to have such a terribly tight grip on Peter, but the yells he could hear from Eiríkur were really upsetting. This was absolutely crazy and the only person who could help was Arthur! And who knew where he was? The only thing he could think to do was call Alfred, he was the only other person he thought would know where Arthur was. And of not? Well then, he supposed perhaps Mathias could release some of that holiday energy and start tossing people off Berwald's property. What the heck was he thinking!

He picked up the phone one last time and started to dial Alfred's cell.

*CRACK!*

Ohyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Mathias

"I-is that an axe? IS THAT AN AXE IN THE DOOR? What the hell!" he had no clue what was happening, it kind of reminded him of a scene from a zombie film, all that was missing was the smell of corpses and some blood and burnt stuff everywhere. And all this for Antonio? Jesus, he's not THAT good-looking, not enough to make someone destroy another mans house! At least he thought so, but given the situation, that's how everyone was looking at Antonio. Desire so strong they were literally trying to destroy Ber's house, an axe in his door and a crash from the kitchen that sounds like someone broke a window. This was insane, but given what was happening he couldn't just sit around and stare in wonder. Obviously something needed to be done NOW, and he had just the idea.

Ignoring the scream from Tino in the kitchen, and another loud thunk where Francis began to chop down Berwald's door, he grabbed hold of Antonio and lifted him in his shoulder and began to make a quick dash to the back door. Berwald shot him a quick, alarming look, more from the damage being done and not so much about Mathias leaving with Antonio, but it disappeared long enough to give him a reassuring nod.

In swift steps Mathias was soon out the door, Antonio in tow and as soon as his feet hit the road, he started to run.

Arthur

He has a splitting headache, what the bloody hell happened? Oh right, though his head hurts he can still recall Alfred hitting him upside the head! Wanker! He'll pay for that! Why on earth had he hit him anyway? He'd better have a decent explanation, no, to hell with that, he's make him hurt 10 times more for this!

After rubbing his temple for a bit Arthur finally began to take in where he was. As he recalled he and Alfred were at a park having just finished the deli sandwiches Alfred had bought them for lunch. Now it appeared though that he's at Mattie's? Why Mathew's place of all places? What could Mathew have to do with anything. Uhg, what the bloody hell was happening right now! Nothing makes sense and his headache is only growing. Someone better show up and explain what's going on or he'll make sure no one has a pleasant Valentine's day for as long as he's a nation!

Right as he got up from the couch where he had been placed, he turned at the sound of a click. The doorknob turned and the door gave a grave creak and one of the last people Arthur ever wants to see, but unfortunately has to deal with, his brother, Allistor.

"What's going on, Little Brother?"