Chapter 2
After everyone was properly tended to, they decided rest and relax a bit. "I know what we can do!" Astrid said running to the living room.
She ran to their video cabinet and pulled out the Hetalia movie: Paint it White. She popped it into the DVD player and turned it on. For the next hour and a half the nations and the siblings were watching the movie and laughing until the kids' parents came home. "You're all still up? It's almost midnight!" their mom said, looking at her watch.
"Aw, come on mom! We don't have school tomorrow!" Artemis said, suppressing a giggle as Romano made weird faces at their parents.
Astrid whacked the Italian on the back of the head resulting in a bit Romano's colorful language, which their parents thankfully couldn't hear. Their dad looked at her oddly. "Astrid? Did you just...hit the air?"
Astrid shot a quick glare at Romano, "Uh...I had a muscle spasm?" she tried, smiling awkwardly. Dad nodded slowly, a confused look on his face.
Their parents went to bed, and Artemis turned to her older sister, a huge grin on her face. "A muscle spasm? That's the best you could come up with sis?" she asked, trying her hardest not to laugh.
"How about you try coming up with something on the spot next time?" Astrid said, blushing a bit.
Soon, everyone was back to laughing and commentating on the movie. When the credits finally rolled everyone got up and danced the Bon Dance altogether. By the time it was over, Artemis and the chibis had fallen asleep on top of each other. Smiling, Astrid carried the three of them upstairs to Artemis's room. "That's what you get out of being hyper all day," she sighed.
"You know, the chibis look around her age actually." Takonna said as she came back downstairs.
Astrid nodded, and smiled as America started screaming. After the younger kids went to bed, she'd turned on The Blair Witch Projectfor them to watch. So far, she was surprised that Artemis and the chibi Italian brothers didn't wake up and come downstairs asking what all the screaming was. "Quiet down America, it's just a movie." she said, exasperated.
America clamped his hands hands over his mouth to muffle out his screams a little bit, causing Takonna, Astrid, and the other nations to laugh like crazy. But many times throughout the movie the two siblings found themselves curling up against America in fear as well.
After that fiasco ended Astrid and Takonna led the nations to the basement where they could sleep. They got ready for bed and went to sleep almost instantly, exhausted from their hectic day.
A few hours later, the house shook as thunder boomed outside. Astrid opened her window and found that a huge thunderstorm was happening outside. The rain pounded against the windows and the wind howled. just then, Astrid heard a whimper from her door. Astrid opened it and a terrified Artemis flew into her arms followed by two familiar chibis. Astrid carried them into the spare room and placed them on the double bed before climbing in with them. She tried to get them to fall asleep but the thunder happening every ten seconds was not helping. After an especially loud thunder blast, lightning flashed for a split second revealing Takonna standing in the doorway.
"Can you not sleep either?" Astrid whispered. Takonna shook his head in embarrassment and climbed onto the bed with Astrid.
"Hey, do you think the nations know about thunderstorms? I mean, they never happened in the show and they've probably lived in a studio all their lives," Takonna said. His question was answered when another loud crash was heard outside and all the nations stood outside the doorway with frightened looks on their faces.
After a moment of awkward silence Astrid smiled, "C'mere," she said motioning them inside and they all gathered around the bed. She imagined that part of the reason they were scared was the fact that they had watched a scary movie right before bed, but who really knows? It was strange enough that a bunch of grown men were scared of thunderstorms at all (Liechtenstein, Hungary, and Latvia were the only exception). The storm was still as strong as ever and Astrid could tell that soothing alone wasn't going to be enough. A loud clap of thunder caused everyone to jump and cuddle against whoever was closest to them in fright. She sat up against the wall and cuddled the chibis and her siblings close and began to sing a lullaby:
Little child, be not afraid, though rain pounds harshly
against the glass, like an unwanted stranger. There is
no danger. I'm here tonight.
Little child, be not afraid, though thunder explodes and
lightning flash illuminates your tear-stained face. I'm here tonight.
And someday you'll know, that nature is so, this same rain that
draws you near me falls on rivers and land, on forests and sand,
makes the beautiful world that you see, in the morning.
Little child, be not afraid, though storm clouds mask your beloved
moon and its candle light beams still keep pleasant dreams.
I'm here tonight.
Little child, be not afraid, though wind makes creatures of our trees
and its branches to hands, they're not real, understand.
And I'm here tonight.
And someday you'll know, that nature is so, this same rain that
draws you near me falls on rivers and land, on forests and sand,
makes the beautiful world that you see, in the morning.
For you know, once even I was a little child, and I was afraid,
but a gentle someone always came, to dry all my tears, trade
sweet sleep for fears and to give a kiss goodnight.
For now I am grown and these years have shown, the rain's
a part of how life goes, but it's dark and it's late, so I'll hold you
and wait 'till your frightened eyes do close,
And I hope that you know that nature is so, this same rain that
draws you near me falls on rivers and land, on forests and sand,
makes the beautiful world that you see, in the morning.
Everything's fine in the morning. The rain will be gone in the morning.
But I'll still be here in the morning.
The song ended and Astrid looked around to see everyone was sound asleep. Her siblings and the chibis were sound asleep around her and the nations were...well, everywhere. The storm had also calmed down as well. Astrid snuggled into the blankets and soon fell asleep.
'Lullaby for a Stormy Night' FTW! :D I know, this chapter was A LOT shorter than the last one, but nothing calms readers down like a nice fluffy family moment!
Before you ask, yeah, the nations have never seen a thunderstorm before considering they've lived in a studio where everything was fake all their lives...and seriously, wouldn't YOU want to sing this to your fav Hetalia characters? I bet you do...I BET YOU DO!
Anyway, please review!