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Matt is immensely grateful world meeting was held in France or he would have to explain why he's late to Francis' house.
Canada open the door with a spare key given to him a century or so ago. He took off his sunglasses as he entered inside. He could hear a little girl singing an old cartoon movie with American music but he couldn't hear the words clearly as the walls muffled her beautiful voice. Matt found her in a nursery while she's pretending wooden rocking horse is the real one. He knew right away that's his brother in a girl's body. He leaned against the wall and watch her play cowgirl. She twirled a lasso big as the room itself while her little cowgirl hat slowly slips off her head.
Since she is in Francis' care, surely she must know some French. She stopped her rocking motion on horse as she focuses on him with her wide, sky blue eyes.
"Bonjour Monsieur." That confirms his thoughts.
"Savez-vous qui je suis?"
"Oui, tu es mon frère aîné. Depuis quand avez-vous grandi sur vos cheveux?" He let out one of his rare smiles.
"C'est exact. S'il vous plaît appelez-moi Matt." She dropped her lasso and let it fall to the ground around her
"Oui Monsieur Matt." She jumps into his arms and hug his neck.
"I see you 'ave met our Little One." A familiar voice reaches their ears. The girl turns her head and smile broadly. "Papa!" She hugged him happily yet cautiously. "Avez-vous une bonne fille alors que je n'étais pas là?" She shook her head yes. Francis smiled and patted her head.
He vowed from then on he would help frère raise petite soeur as normal as possible. Now that he thinks about it, all of this will be déjà vu except England out of the picture. He intends to keep it that way until she's old enough to take her rightful place in this world.
"Matt," he lifted his head to meet hers, "combien de temps allez-vous rester ici?"
"Papa et moi devons discuter des plans futurs pour vous. S'il vous plaît attendre pour nous." He watches as Kumatachi distracted her and nodded in thanks.
"'e does not know about zis." Matthew closed his eyes.
"That's good. I would hate to see her cry." He opened his eyes just in time to see Francis gesturing to take a seat in dining room. He sat across from him. "Where should we start?"
"Obviously she likes you," Francis glances out the window to watch Canada's polar bear watching and listening to little girl talking animatedly, "so we take turns biannually and on the month of July we alternate between our 'ouses." Matthew saw conflicts with that arrangement. There's lack of meat in that arrangement and it would cause some arguments in the future. "Why don't you take spring and I'll have autumn. That way, whoever's house has July and the other have winter."
"Mon Dieu, vous vraiment pensé à ce, n'avez-vous pas?" Matt saw a flash of blonde peeking from outside the window.
"English."
A new problem popped into his mind. "World Conference and G8 meetings." Matthew pointed out. "Who will take care of her while we attend it?"
"Kirkland brothers." Francis waved it off. "Écosse doesn't bully Angleterre but just enough to get on 'is nerves."
"Scotland is in charge of teaching her English but don't let it bother you if she starts cussing."
France laughs whole-heartedly. "Before we do, we 'ave to let 'im know first."
There was no need to pull straws or flip a coin, he will do it. Though, he kind of dreads this since one of them have to tolerate eldest Kirkland at a far distance from Little One's ears while the other makes sure her curiosity does not ruin her innocence.
"'ello?"
"Allistor? It's Matthew."
He took his sister to Le tunnel sous la Manche. She grew so quiet that it took a lot of effort to make her talk to him. Some other passengers thought he is going crazy. Other times he almost lost her in the crowd. Twin telepathy would be good right about now. He shook his head. He had been reading too many fantasy books. "Qu'est-ce qui te tracasse, gamin?"
She looked out the window. "Je ne veux pas apprendre la langue anglaise. Tout me rappelle de lui."
He knew who she is talking about but it seems he is having trouble how she would know that detail. He brushed it off with a wave of his hand. After that short exchange, he never heard a peep from her again.
He took a rental car and drove her to Scotland's territory, hoping his former caretaker does not sense her. Canada dropped her off and only explained she's a country herself but never did he explain which one or why.
Allistor walked away, commenting her eyes look like England's. His sister visibly flinch.
Matt return two days later after a phone call. He look quite stunned and took in the sight of a toddler turning her head while blushing in embarrassment. The three adults stood behind her are beaten up with bandages and crutches and all. He sighed, refraining himself from pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let me get this straight: Ryleigh tried to teach her English but my sister went berserk and found you three as perfect punching bags to relieve her stress." Following that he would add she used a wooden leg from a chair that could easily mistaken as a baseball bat. And use that to beat up her tutors. He figured that would just ruin their pride, beaten up by a toddler.
"Aye." The other two echoed in agreement.
He turns to the toddler. "Pas plus l'anglais pour vous." Her face brightened up and hugged her big brother.
She turns her head to find France waiting by the car and happily jogs to his side.
"Mattie," he turned his head to see Allistor shifting his eyes worriedly, he has never seen eldest Kirkland in this state and that means trouble, "don' let t'at lass out of your sight. Far worst than Rusia." He doesn't know what his elder meant but he'll keep it in mind. "Will do."
He joins his other two family members with a smile on his face. Francis glances to the sky. "Il se fait tard. Nous devrions commencer à bouger maintenant."
Matt turns to his younger sibling. "Êtes-vous prêt à rentrer à la maison?" She nodded happily then a yawn escaped her lips.
He knew better than to leave her alone. The young brothers had been allies for twelve, short years taught him Alfred hates to be alone. He wished he could help America but his early years as New France drove a wedge in between their relationship. He wanted to amend it by doing this now. Though, baby-sitter hunting is quite challenging compared to humans. Is it so hard to ask for a country who can easily scare England away without raising any suspicions? He would have to discuss this with France once more.
France smiled as he opens door for young lady. She did not move away or towards the vehicle. She glances to her brother with uncertainty in her eyes. Why is she becoming so difficult? "Pénétrer à l'intérieur." She shook her head. He had no time for this. He shoved the child inside the backseat then slam the door. "Canada! Tu n'as jamais traiter une femme comme ça!"
He shrugged. "Elle prenait des trop sacrément longue."
"Vous n'êtes pas en Amérique. Qui tromper qui ici? Votre soeur ou vous-même?"
Both of them knew elder is right and that left him in passenger seat.
The ride back home is quiet. The little girl who loves to play air band to the music on the radio is deathly quiet and whenever he glances to rear view mirror, she sent glare daggers towards him. She scrolls down the window. Matt returns it back up.
Down.
Up.
Down.
Up.
Down.
After the fourth time, he heard her voice in his head. "Je te déteste! Vous savez que je n'aime pas ça et vous m'avez nourri de force de toute façon!" To add her point, she kicks the back of his seat. He grunted.
"'ey! Ne me fais pas y retourner!" Francis hollers from driver's seat.
"Je ne peux pas toujours prendre soin de vous. Vous savez que les."
"N'ai-je pas un mot à dire dans tout cela?! Que vous prenez mes droits loin de moi!" Matt returns it back up and put a child lock on. One of the few advantages from front row seat. "C'est assez, enfants." France muttered.
"I'm not taking her back to my place after that stunt."
"So does zat mean I get full custody of 'er?"
"No!"