Sorry this took so long! New cover image was a secret santa gift from Xstubbornglaceon on DA!

Later on Francis was making lunch. Arthur sat on the counter, his eyes closed in thought.

Francis glanced over to him. "Something wrong?"

Arthur jumped, looking over at the French man, "N-no, why?"

"You looked like something was bothering you."

Arthur sighed, "Just trying to come to grips that everything will be back to normal..."

Francis stopped what he was doing and walks near him. He puts an arm over his shoulder. "But normal is different now right? We'll stick close to them this time."

Arthur looked down, and then back up at France. He sighs, then gave the man a small smile, "I suppose." Francis smiles back. Arthur nods, looking back down.

Francis pats his shoulder. "Go pull Alfred away from the game for lunch."

Arthur nods, jumping off the counter and walking to the living room, "Alfred. Put the game up, it's time for lunch."

The boys where sprawled on the ground trembling.

Arthur looked worriedly at them, "Boys, What's wrong?"

They didn't respond. The boys jerk and twitch growing slightly.

Arthur calls France to come in, he runs to them, gently comforting them. Francis comes running. Hastily picking one up when he sees them.

Arthur picks up the other, "I think they're growing."

The boys twitched and stretched for a few minutes before it stopped. They clung to the older's shirts breathing hard.

Arthur rocks the boys quietly, "Ssh... It's ok..."

After a few minutes they evened out and the tremors passed. Al sits up shakily and looks up at Arthur. He looked around five now. Arthur smiles lightly at the age increase.

Al looks at himself and Matt. "What happened?"

"You're getting older. I broke the spell, you'll be getting older progressively."

Al looks up not sure what to say. He hugs Arthur. Arthur nods, smug and hugs him back.

Matt clings to Francis. the latter giving Arthur an intrigued look. He wanted the whole story later. Arthur smiles lightly, and rocks Alfred back and forth comfortingly.

Francis holds Matt close for a few minutes. Finally he gets up. "Come on. Let's go eat."

Arthur nods lightly, "Let's go then." The boys follow along as well.

Arthur smiles, sitting at the table. Francis dished out plates and sits as the boys dig in. Arthur smiles lightly, eating quietly.

Soon enough the meal was finished and dishes taken care of.

Arthur picked up both Alfred and Matthew, walking to the living room. Al clung. He was kinda gonna miss being able to be held like this. Arthur chuckles lightly, pulling the boys closer.

Al glanced back to his game. Good thing he wasn't around enemies when that spaz attack hit.. Arthur sets the boys down, assuming Alfred wanted to get back to his game. Al glanced up as he picked up the controller and sits back next to Arthur. Matthew nearby as well. Arthur chuckled lightly, smiling as they sat next to him. He watched the game quietly.

Later on after Al had stopped playing, he stood looking himself in the mirror. Arthur looked at the other as he examined himself. His clothes where a bit smaller on him but they still fit for now. Probably best to switch to one of his old shirts and boxers later. Arthur continued to watch him, wondering if he was ok. Al turns seeing him. Arthur smiles comfortingly.

"Was I always this scrawny?"

Arthur tilted his head lightly, "When you were younger..."

Al pouts lightly crossing his arms.

Arthur tilted his head, "What's wrong?"

"I'm still puny looking as a grown up... Just taller.."

Arthur shook his head, "No you aren't..."

"Really?"

"Really."

Al sits for a minute before hugging Arthur. Arthur tilted his head, but hugged the other back as well. Al had always been a touch insecure about his looks, whether it was his dieting phases or the fact he had somewhat stringy arms.

Arthur silently held the other, "You look perfectly fine. Alright?"

Al sighs snuggling in. Arthur sighed again, petting his hair silently.

After a bit Al pulls back smiling slightly. Arthur looks down at the other, giving a small comforting smile. Al grins then goes off to find Matt. Arthur watches him leave, leaning back silently. Francis walked by. Arthur looks up at Francis, blushing as the other's actions returned to him, turning his head angrily.

He blinks at that.

"What?"

Francis shrugs watching him curiously.

"W-Why are you watching me so closely?!" he asked quickly.

"Why are you so flustered?" He grins slyly

"N-No reason!" he replied, crossing his arms, "J-Just... uh... "

He chuckles a bit moving to the den.

Arthur follows slowly, clutching his hands tightly behind his back. Francis glanced out the window seeing the boys in the yard and sits in a chair. Arthur sat next to the Frenchman, eyes fluttering lightly, yawning a bit.

He glanced to the Brit before picking up a book to read. Arthur closed his eyes, silently falling asleep. His head fell onto Francis's shoulder, his breath coming quietly.

Francis smiles softly at that hugging him gently. Arthur hummed quietly, cuddling lighting into the other's shoulder silently in his sleep. Francis smiles opening his book. Arthur cuddled into the other's arm again, his knees pulled up to his chest quietly. They sit there for a while cuddling.

Arthur eventually awoke a second time, rubbing his eyes. Francis glanced to him. Arthur looked up at him, immediately going bright red and jumping from the cuddling position.

Well he got some time with him at least.

Arthur turned to the side, avoiding the other's eyes, still bright red. Al just smiles turning back to the tv. Arthur tucks his feet under himself, fiddling with his fingers. Francis gets up going to make dinner. Arthur watches him leave quietly, sighing a bit. The boys smile climbing up to him. Arthur laughed lightly. They sit next to him smiling. Arthur ruffled both of their heads. The boys snuggle with him watching tv. Arthur smiles as they slowly fall asleep, laying them on the couch. He walks into the kitchen, fully intending to help the frog with dinner.

He glanced up smiling. Arthur waved, sitting on the counter next to him, "Need any help?"

"Chop the veggies?"

Arthur nodded, "Got it..." he muttered, taking the knife and starting to cut them. He glanced out the window, his face falling, "... It's raining..." he muttered,

"Probably wont last long."

"I know..." he mumbled, seeming lost as he stared out the window.

"You ok?"

"Huh?" he blinks a bit, seeming a bit out of it for a minute. He shakes his head, turning back to the vegetables, chopping them a bit.

Francis frowns walking closer.

Arthur glanced up, "What?" he asked, his large eyebrows scrunching together in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Arthur gave a nervous laugh, "Nothing at all." he replied quickly, going back to chopping the vegetables quickly.

Francis watched for a minute.

Arthur glanced up at him, "W-What? " he asked, raising an eyebrow, trying to drown out the sound of the pitter patter of the rain.

"Tell me whats bothering you."

Arthur sighs, shaking his head, "The rain just brings back bad memories, that's all." he replied, turning back to the vegetables, but not cutting them.

Francis frowns softly, "It's not like it'll happen again.."

Arthur scowled, "I know that." he replied coldly.

Francis sighs a bit.

Arthur raised an eyebrow, slamming the knife down, turning toward him crossing his arms, "What are sighing about?!"

"I'm just worried.."

"About what? I'm perfectly fine." he replied, turning away from him with a hmph.

Francis frowns.

Arthur glanced back at him, "If you want to say something, say it already!" he replied.

"Arthur.. Can't you just let it go?"

"W-What?" he replied, looking back at him, "Let it go? I have let it go!" he replied, turning away from him.

"Arthur.."

"What?!" he asked, turning back to him.

"..."

"Don't you think I've tried to let it go?! Hm?" he asked, crossing his arms tightly, "You don't bloody understand!" he grumbled.

"What don't I? Sure you pissed him off back then but he's forgiven you hasn't he?"

"Yes!" he glared at the other, "He has! But I haven't forgiven myself!" he yelled out, pausing quietly when it was out in the open.

Francis frowns sadly. "Is that why you never come to his birthday?"

Arthur looked to the side, tching. "Yes.." he mumbled, clenching his hands into fists, unaware that the boys had woken up and were listening. Al frowns at that. Matt hugs him.

Arthur sighed, putting his head into one of his hands, "It doesn't matter what I think, just... lets keep cooking." he replied, "It's not even any of your business."

Francis nods turning back to the stove. Arthur silently continued to chop the vegetables, occasionally taking glances out the window at the gray of the day. In the other room Al clings back to Matt.

Arthur sighs, finished with the chopping, "Now what?"

"...Get out a pan, put a little butter on it."

"Fine." he replied simply, doing so. They continue on.

Arthur quickly finished, crossing his arms again when he gazed out the window once again, silence echoing in the kitchen besides the clang of pans and such. Francis would glance to him occasionally. Arthur sighed lightly, shaking his head quietly, what was wrong with him?

Soon enough the food was finished. Arthur glanced silently round, setting his head in his hand at the table. Francis set out the plates. Arthur watched him silently, before returning his gaze to the window.

Francis finished up and sits down. Arthur fiddles with his food, barely touching it as he ate. Francis watched him for a minute before going to fetch the boys. Arthur watched him leave before turning back to the window, fiddling with his food.

Francis frowns softly seeing them they follow to the kitchen quietly. Arthur ate a bit, but his appetite seemed to have headed out. Matt and Francis were fine. Al eats rather slowly.

Arthur glanced at them all, "Are you ok, Alfred?"

"Yeah." Al looked up face perfectly normal.

"You sure?" he asked quietly.

Al nods. Arthur nodded quietly as well. They continue on. Arthur ate silently, his gaze flicking to them all in turn for about a second, before looking away.

The meal finished quietly, Francis taking up the plates Arthur silently stared at the table top, not saying a word. Al glanced at him before leaving, Matt followed after. Arthur watched them leave, sighing quietly.

Francis looks up at him.

Arthur looked at him, "What?"

"You alright?" he asks quietly.

"I'm. Fine."

He sighs mentally.

Arthur lays his head on his hand, simply looking out the window. Francis goes to wash the dishes. Arthur quietly watches, fiddling with him hands.

It was silent for a while. Arthur welcomed the silence, it gave him time to think without everyone in his ear. He knew they were worried, of course they were. He just felt tired... exhausted...

Francis finished the dishes glanced at him once more, then went to find the twins. Arthur laid his head on the table, taking a couple deep breaths. Was it really that bad?

Arthur sighed quietly, closing his eyes a bit. The storm continued on outside. Arthur pulled his arms tighter around his head, taking a couple deep breaths. He sits there for a while. Arthur sighed quietly, setting his head back on the table, simply watching the rain fall.

Francis comes back checking on him. Arthur glanced back at Francis, before glancing back at the table. Francis walks over sitting across from him. Arthur glanced up at him, and then back at the table once again.

"Arthur.."

"What?" The other asked irritably.

Francis sighs coming over to him. Arthur glanced up at Francis, a slight irk mark sitting on his temple. The Frenchman glanced at him. "Come on cheer up would you?"

Arthur rolled his eyes, "Says you. I'm perfectly cheery, thank you very much."

Que French pouty face.

Arthur raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"What would it take to get you to smile?"

Arthur gave a sarcastic smile, before plopping his head on the table, "I'm perfectly fine. This kind of weather just gets to me. My whole country is glum." He shrugged it off as just a matter of being a country, not like it would be any psychological thing. Of course not.

Francis wouldn't give up though, he reached over petting Arthur's hair. Which made Arthur slightly lean toward the hand, making a small hum in response. Francis smiled softly.

Arthur closed his eyes a bit, which normally would be taboo around the French nation, who knew what he could do or find in his house, but he was not really in the mood to care at the moment. Francis just continued. Arthur glanced to the side, but allowed the other to continue petting him, sighing a bit. They sat there a while.

Arthur raised an eyebrow, before putting his face quietly on the table once again.

"Arthur?"

"What?" He replied

"You know he still loves you right?"

"... I have no idea who you are talking about." He retorts, turning his head to the other side.

"I fought with him remember? He never wanted to go against you. He'd come into my tent at night crying from nightmares saying that you didn't want him. Compared to you he was just a bunch of scared ragtag farmers who got in over their heads. But he still fought to prove he could protect his people.."

"... I know that, bloody frog..."

Francis sighs. Arthur glanced to the side. Francis watched him with a pleading look.

"What?!"

"Just talk to him.."

"I can't." What Arthur didn't know is Al was standing in the hall listening. "... I don't want... my suspicions to be confirmed... that he absolutely can't stand me." He muttered, staring out the window again, and sighing once more, "Damn, I'm such a woman."

"You don't know that."

"... I don't want to know..."

Francs sighs petting his hair again. Arthur closed his eyes quietly at the soothing gesture, giving another small sigh.

Al frowns softly sneaking a peak. Arthur glanced out the window, simply watching the rain fall down the pane. Francis locked eyes with Alfred smiling sadly.

"..."

Al frowns creeping closer. Arthur closed his eyes, ugh... he hated these days. Al grips his pant leg.

Arthur jumped, turning around to face Al, "O-Oh..."

Al frowns watching him a moment.

"A-Al, I didn't... see you."

Al blinked up at him, then crawled up into his lap burying into Arthur's chest. Arthur blinked a bit in surprise, but held the boy, rubbing his back quietly. Francis smiles softly. The Englishman was completely confused, but he allowed the other to hug him quietly, a bit curious to why. Al hugged as tight as he could little arms missing their usual strength.

Arthur sighed quietly, and pet his hair gently, "What is it lad?"

"Don't be sad.."

"I'm far... from sad, what ever gave you that idea?"

Al hugs him tight.

"..." Arthur held the other quietly, not really knowing what to say.

"..I'm sorry.." It was hardly more than a whisper.

"W-Why are you apologizing?"

"I never wanted to hurt you.."

"I know that lad, you don't have t-to say it..." he replied,

Al nuzzled in. The Englishman smiled quietly, petting his hair slightly in an attempt to comfort him. Matt peared around the corner, worried about his twin.

Arthur glanced up, noticing Matthew before gesturing him forward. He walked over to them both. He offered his free arm to Matthew, smiling slightly. Matt was all to happy to join in.

Arthur quietly hugged the North American twins, closing his eyes slightly. "You might as well join in too Frog, I can practically feel your pout from here."

France chuckles coming over. Arthur moved a bit, letting Francis into the "hug" They all snuggled for a moment. Arthur sighed quietly, relaxing into everyone's hold. It was just what he needed.