[Fic] Mother's Day
Title: The Obligatory Mother's Day Special
Author: Me.
Characters/Pairings: Lithuania, America, Russia, Korea, Italy, Germany, China, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Ukraine, Belarus, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sealand, Sweden/Finland, Romano, Rome, France/England, Canada, Australia, Seychelles, Prussia, Hungary, Austria, mentions of Germania, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. So yeah, everyone.
Rating: PGish
Warnings: Language I suppose...Gilbert talks so yeah.
Summary: Happy Mother's Day! Everyone reflects on mothers only to realize none of them actually have a traditional one.
Part of this thing:
Ludwig's Family
Ludwig's Family's Drabbles
Feliciano's Family
Im Yong Soo's Family
Alfred's Family
Building a Family, FrUK Style Part I
Building a Family, FrUK Style Part II
Angelique
Ivan's Family
“So class,” Toris said as he addressed the numerous pairs of bright eyes looking at him, “since Mother’s Day is this weekend, I thought it appropriate that we spend some time making Mother’s Day cards for your mothers.” Who must be saints for putting up with you all for so long, but he didn’t add that.
Most of the class excitedly grabbed construction paper, markers, and glitter and got to work, while the table in the back was, well, the table in the back.
That’s right; Ludwig, Feliciano, Yong Soo, Alfred, and Ivan didn’t have mothers. God he must be the worst teacher ever for forgetting! Now they’re all depressed and sad and awkward and it’s his entire fault! Why else would Ludwig be looking forlornly out the window and Feliciano hide his shame by eating pasta after snack time while Yong Soo, Alfred, and Ivan worked on the assignment. Wait what?
“Mr. Lorinaitis! Mr. Lorinaitis!” Alfred shouted suddenly as Toris approached their table to see what was going on, “Mr. Lorinaitis, since my mother is a no good crack whore who’s probably dead in a ditch somewhere anyway, can I make a card for my Dad instead?”
“That’s right, you don’t have a mom do you Alfred?” a boy at another table smirked, “You’ve just got your two freaky dads and a bunch of weird siblings.”
“Pshaw, you’re just jealous that your mom’s been trying to get into my Papa’s pants since forever ‘cause your dad can’t satisfy like mine can.”
“Alfred! What have I told you about repeating things your parents say when you have no idea what they mean?”
“I’m sorry thatyoucaughtme Mr. Lorinaitis.”
“Billy, just because your parents are going through a rough patch in their relationship is no reason to take it out on Alfred.”
“Sorry…”
“Anyway, can I Mr. Lorinaitis?”
“Yes Alfred, you can make a card for your Dad instead.”
“Look, look, Mr. Lorinaitis!” Ivan handed him a heart-shaped card, “I made a card for you~”
“That’s…wonderful Ivan, but I’m not your mother…”
“Oh, but you’re close enough yes? You’re a part of my family yes?”
“Not…quite,” he vaguely wondered what Feliks was up to today, “You may not have a mother in the traditional sense, Ivan, but you do have a prominent female influence in your life, right?”
“…That’s why I gave you a card Mr. Lorinaitis.”
“I’m a guy Ivan…”
“Oh…should I make one for Yao then?”
“Hey! Yao’s my big brother!” Yong Soo shouted from across the table, “I get to make him a card!”
“Yong Soo, you’re brother is a guy as well…”
“So is Alfred’s dad, but you let him make a card for him, besides its cool, see? I invented Mother’s Day in the first place you know.”
“That’s an…interesting drawing you made there…well I suppose it’s alright, your brother probably is the most prominent feminine influence in your life anyway…”
“So I can make one for Yao too yes?”
“You can’t Ivan, Yong Soo’s right; Yao isn’t your brother. Your sister would be the biggest influence in your life wouldn’t she?”
“But it’s called Mother’s Day, not Sister’s Day.”
“Do you know what a mother is Ivan?”
“The lady who gave birth to you.”
“Yes, that can be part of it, but being a mother is much more than that. It’s about watching over and taking care of someone because you love them and want to make sure they grow up big and strong.”
“So then-”
“I’m your teacher; I can’t be your mother.”
“So, I should write a card for my sister? Will she mind?”
“I think she’ll be happy that you appreciate her.” Ivan smiled and got to work.
“Ve, Mr. Lorinaitis,” Feliciano said, unusually soft, “my mom is, um…”
That’s right, Feliciano’s mother died some time ago under mysterious circumstances. He was told by some of the older staff members who had had Lovino to “just not question the Vargas Family. Ever,” not that he went prying into his student’s backgrounds or anything…
“Well Feli,” Toris said as he knelt down to his eye level, “you can make her a card anyway, can’t you?”
“But…”
“She’s watching over you in heaven right? I’m sure she’ll see it and know you still love her.”
“Ve, really?” Toris nodded, causing the young Italian to smile as he set out to create probably the most elaborate Mother’s Day card ever.
“Ludwig,” Toris walked over to the last boy at the table, who hadn’t looked away from the window, “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t have a mother. She’s like Alfred’s a suppose; I’m not even sure about that though, just that she’d not around, and no one has stepped up to take her place like Arthur did.”
“That’s not true Ludwig. You have plenty of people that care about you.”
“Vati, when he’s home, but there’s Father’s Day for that. Gilbert is my brother and he’s not motherly like Yao is.”
“You have cousins that live with you too don’t you?”
“They don’t live with me. They’re just over a lot.”
“That counts. They’ve had a hand in raising you too haven’t they? I’m sure one of them could be motherly enough to act as your mother…”
Ludwig blinked before grabbing some paper and joining his classmates.
Toris smiled and walked around to help out the rest of the students when they called him over. It may have been stressful at times, but sometimes this job was rewarding.
***
Kiet opened the door and peeked inside before quietly shutting it and turning to face his siblings.
“Ana, is everybody ready?”
They smiled and nodded at him. Kiku was holding the tray of food they had all prepared together, Mei clutched the flowers she had picked out of her garden, Hong had a present of some sort that he had made himself, and Yong Soo held out a card, also handmade.
Kiet smirked before quietly opening the door and ushering them all in to surround Yao’s bed. He nodded at Hong, who understood the signal and set off a small firecracker.
“Wuzzat, aru?” Yao shouted as he sprung awake, “Are we under attack?”
“Happy Mother’s Day Yao!” They all shouted as Yong Soo, Hong, and Mei scrambled on the bed to shower him with hugs and kisses as per tradition. Kiet laughed joyfully as Kiku calmly smiled and kept the others from overturning the tray.
“I-is it that time of year already aru?”
“Yup! Yao, look at this, look at this!” Yong Soo weaseled his way into his brother’s lap and held out the card. “I made you a card!”
The man smiled and took it, patting his little brother’s hair as he did so. “Thank you, aru. I can see you put a lot of work into it.”
“Yup! Mine was totally better than Ivan’s, but Feliciano’s was still better than mine…but it’s cool. I taught him everything he knows.”
“You wish squirt!” Mei elbowed him out of the way and placed the flowers in Yao’s lap.
“These are lovely Mei. I see your garden in growing splendidly, aru.”
She beamed as Hong handed him his present, a dragon key chain. Yao thanked him and gave him a hug, which he half heartedly pushed away from, blushing a little.
With that out of the way, Kiku placed the tray in his brother’s lap as he and Kiet settled on the bed as well, talking about everything they had planned to do today.
“It’s great that you guys do all this for me,” Yao said in between bites, “and I appreciate it, but why don’t you ever do anything for Father’s Day, aru?”
***
“S-sister…”
Katyusha looked up from her knitting to see her siblings looking up at her with wide eyes, hands behind their backs. “What did you do now?”
Ivan nudged Natalia with his shoulder. The young girl stepped forward and held out a handmade card.
“For me?” Katyusha asked. Natalia nodded as Ivan stepped forward and handed her a card as well.
“It’s Mother’s Day you know…” Ivan explained.
“That’s sweet, but I’m not-”
“But, but,” Natalia interjected, “you’re always taking care of us and watching over us and stuff. Like a mother would.”
“Yeah,” Ivan agreed, “since General’s gone most of the time and we don’t have a mother…and Mr. Lorinaitis said that that was good enough! S-so…”
She knelt down to their level and wrapped them both in a giant hug. “I understand. I’ll be your mother for today. Thank you two so much.”
“Happy Mother’s Day sister,” they both said into her shoulders. She just laughed and hugged them tighter.
***
“Just do it Peter,” Mathis whispered.
“Yeah, go for it,” Tumi agreed.
“If you’re going to do it, you’d better do it soon anyway,” Nikolas added.
Berwald grunted, Hanatamago barked.
Peter inhaled deeply before exhaling and walking into the kitchen, stopping right behind where Tino was cooking and tugged on his apron to get the man’s attention.
“Oh, Peter,” he exclaimed, “breakfast will be ready shortly, what is it?”
The boy thrust a card into his hands and promptly looked away, shuffling his feet. “I know you aren’t my real mother, but…”
Tino blushed and glanced at the doorway in time to see four heads swiftly retract behind the wall and sighed.
“Peter, I’m not…” he looked down at the face of the boy he adopted, that he took in and started raising on Berwald’s insistence he’d make a great mother, despite the fact he was actually a guy, “used to these kind of gestures, but I’m happy you did so. Thank you so much.” He leaned down and kissed the delighted boy on the head. Peter beamed and ran out of the kitchen again to receive a high five from Mathis.
“Oh Berwald…” he called in a singsong voice that made everyone else in the other room bolt out of the house. Berwald slunk into the kitchen to face his smiling wife. “Did you put him up to that?”
“Thought it was a sweet gesture,” he shrugged and walked over to where Tino was standing to embrace him and plant a kiss on his forehead. “Always knew ya’d make a good mother.” Tino blushed but leaned into his touch, muttering something about being a guy.
Berwald just kissed him again.
***
“Hey Fratello…”
Lovino sighed and looked up from his pasta at his little brother sitting across the table, uncharacteristically not eating his pasta, instead finger some stupid card he made for Mother’s Day.
“What?”
“You remember Madre right?” yes, Feliciano was still only a baby when their parents died, but Lovino still had a few memories left of them, and grunted to tell him so, “What was she like? All I really remember was that she was warm and she smelled nice.”
“I…don’t really remember all that much…” A dark room, the smell of blood, gunshots, his mother hugging him tightly before Grandpa shoved them both in the closet.
“Please Lovino! Grandpa won’t tell me much…you at least remember what she looked like right?” Feliciano’s eyes, Grandpa’s hair, only much longer and in better condition and with that ever-present curl that seemed to curse their family, full red lips, always sad, always crying, at least when Lovino was around. She smiled around Feliciano, because of Feliciano. Lovino looked more like his father anyway.
“She was beautiful, I guess,” he admitted, “…you have her eyes I think.”
“Ve, really? Was she nice and kind and sweet and gentle?” A white room, their mother sitting in a rocking chair, smiling sweetly and singing soft lullabies to Feliciano, laughing when he made a noise, his father steering him away from the doorway, telling him it’s rude to eavesdrop, but he wants to hear his mother sing sometimes too…
“Yeah, I guess…”
“Ve~ what else do you remember Fratello?”
He remembers the car ‘accident.’ Blood, crying, screaming, his father trying to get him out, his mother shouting, screaming for Feliciano, making sure he was okay, but he wasn’t there was he? He was safe at home, you brought Lovino with you remember? Gunshots, he remembered the gunshots, and the man with the wide eyes and the bad breath that had the gun, who snatched him out of the wreck of the car, and Grandpa who got him away as the cars burned in the distance, and all he could think was why can't she love me too?
“She…loved you. A lot. I’m sure…if she was still around, she’d just love you all the more.”
“Really? Do you mean that?” Lovino nodded. His brother beamed at him and started eating his pasta with earnest. “Ve, I’m glad. Thank you for telling me.”
Lovino just grunted and resumed eating. He didn’t need to know the rest after all, it wasn’t important.
***
Arthur sipped his tea as he flipped through the morning paper, pausing when he thought he heard footsteps and giggles coming from somewhere behind him. After looking around and not finding anything out of the ordinary, he went back to reading the paper and drinking his tea. All of a sudden he heard Alfred shout “Now!” and he was bombarded with children, but they were his children, so it was okay. Matthew and Angelique were in his lap, Jake was on his head, and Alfred had climbed on top of the table so they were face to face.
“What’s all this about then?” he asked calmly as he continued sipping his tea. All four of them giggled.
“Happy Mother’s Day!” they shouted as they produced various handmade cards and handpicked flowers from various pockets.
“That’s sweet, but wouldn’t today be more appropriate for your Papa…”
“Don’t be silly,” Alfred laughed, “you’re more like our mom Dad.”
He heard Francis, that bastard, chuckle as he cooked breakfast. Arthur put his cup on the table away from Alfred and placed Jake next to his brother before smiling at his kids. “So I’m the ‘mother’ huh?”
“You bet!” Jake agreed, “Your always cleaning and trying to cook but failing and sewing and gardening and worrying ‘bout us and all that stuff.”
“Yes, but your Papa is French, spends hours on his hair, and always uses up all the hot water in the morning. That must count for something.”
“They’ve already made up their minds, mon cher,” Francis smirked, “we go through this every year and you’re still the ‘mother.’”
“Well, everyone knows the father is just a puppet figurehead anyway and that the mother has all the real power in any given household. Isn’t that right kids?”
“Yup!” they chorused together, causing Francis to splutter a bit and shoot a glare at Arthur, who just smirked.
“Now, what did you get me?”
“We found flowers!” Angelique said as she and Matt handed him some roses, which he was pretty sure were from his garden in the first place, but he’d let it slide today.
“Jake and me made cards!” Alfred said, bringing out said cards from inside his pocket somewhere.
“Jake and I made cards,” Arthur corrected.
“Nu-uh! It was Jake and me! Why would you make your own card Dad?”
“Hong also sent something over!” Jake pulled out a homemade teacup keychain from a pocket, “He sent some fireworks too!” Four pairs of eyes looked eagerly up at Arthur.
“Alright, go get them ready, but don’t even think of setting them off until I’m out there, understand?”
They nodded, cheered, and ran off, leaving the place in an organized mess.
“I still don’t see why you’re not the ‘mother,’” the Briton commented as he finished off his tea and stood up, “you’re clearly more feminine then me.”
“Says the man who still has a stuffed unicorn in his closet.”
“Th-that’s for Angelica! When she’s older and can appreciate such things!”
“She’s seven, mon cher, that excuse died a while ago.”
“I-it’s an antique…she’ll get it when she’s ten…”
“I don’t know why you complain about it so much, about the mother thing. You obviously love it.”
“Typical. You understand nothing about good Mother’s Day traditions.”
***
Ludwig peeked around the corner before blushing and retreating, running into Gilbert’s leg in the attempt.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.
“N-nowhere…outside, to play…with Heidi…”
“Heidi and Vash are out to brunch, you know. Why are you hanging around Roderich’s house anyway?”
“N-no reason…why are you hanging around Roderich’s house?”
“N-no reason…”
They both blushed and shuffled around awkwardly for a bit before Ludwig finally spoke again.
“We, um, had to make Mother’s Day cards in class, and uh, I made one for Elizaveta because, um…”
“Is that all? What’s the problem then? Did she scare you away with her ugliness?”
“No, it’s just…she’s not really my mother you know…”
“Oh, I see,” he sat down with his back against the wall. “You’ve never met our real mother, but trust me, it’s for the better.” Ludwig said nothing but sat down next to his brother.
“She was…interesting. Always liked to move around and could never stay in one place…always thought you and I were burdens. Then one day she just left.”
“There are kids in class,” the young blonde started, “who say that if you don’t have a mother you’ll turn out evil and stupid.”
“Those kids are assholes, Luddy. Don’t listen to them,” Gilbert sighed, “besides, Liz is like your mother, she sure frets over you like one, and to be perfectly honest, you’re lucky to have her. Trust me kid, you can do much worse as far as parental figures go.”
Ludwig turned the card over in his hands a few times before standing up. “You’re…a good parent figure too, bruder.” He ran off, but not before Gilbert caught the pink creeping into his face and smiled.
“What are you doing here?” Roderich said as he stared down at his cousin.
“Ludwig’s proposing to your wife. I figured I’d give him moral support.”
“You’re such a good brother, supporting incest like that.”
“She ain’t blood related so it’s all good,” he smirked, “besides, you’re opinion on that matter doesn’t count for shit, Mr. Only Child.”
“Is it Mother’s Day already?” Roderich finally concluded.
“You really need to buy a calendar Specs, seriously.”
He kicked Gilbert and peeked into the room to see Ludwig sitting in Elizaveta’s lap, watching her stitch up one of his old shirts while she smiled and told him something. She really is a great mother…perhaps they need some children of their own now?
Roderich shook his head and offered Gilbert a hand up. “Come on, I’ll buy you lunch or something.”
The albino smirked and took the proffered hand, “Drinks included right?”
“Only the first one, you're on own your own after that.”
“I’ll just borrow money from Vash the next time we see him.”
“You still haven’t paid him back for last time. You’re going to end up with a bullet in your head one of these days.”
“He wouldn’t do that. Ludwig would hate him if he did.”
Roderich sighed and shook his head. “You know, you could just unplug your house phone instead of coming over here if you really didn’t want to talk to her.”
“Yeah, but…” Gilbert blushed and scratched the back of his head, “she is our mother…I can at least offer her the courtesy of the answering machine. Besides, now I’ve got a free meal from you!”
“Remember, I’m only paying for the first drink.”
“That’s what she said!” he laughed before bolting out the door to Roderich’s car.
“That didn’t even make sense…” Roderich muttered before taking one last look at Ludwig and his wife, smiling, and following his cousin.
A/N: Yeah, Sealand's is in there just so I could sandwich Romano's angst in between some delicious family fluff. Germany's was also heading in that direction, but I stopped it, which is why the ending is a bit awkward. I'm not even sure where all that angst came from, silly Romano and your inferiority complex...
I know what you're thinking, "Wait a minute, didn't you heavily imply they all live in separate neighborhoods?" Yes, but remember Toris is still their teacher. Their school district is just that messed up and far reaching. It's possible, trust me. >_>
Author: Me.
Characters/Pairings: Lithuania, America, Russia, Korea, Italy, Germany, China, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Ukraine, Belarus, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sealand, Sweden/Finland, Romano, Rome, France/England, Canada, Australia, Seychelles, Prussia, Hungary, Austria, mentions of Germania, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. So yeah, everyone.
Rating: PGish
Warnings: Language I suppose...Gilbert talks so yeah.
Summary: Happy Mother's Day! Everyone reflects on mothers only to realize none of them actually have a traditional one.
Part of this thing:
Ludwig's Family
Ludwig's Family's Drabbles
Feliciano's Family
Im Yong Soo's Family
Alfred's Family
Building a Family, FrUK Style Part I
Building a Family, FrUK Style Part II
Angelique
Ivan's Family
“So class,” Toris said as he addressed the numerous pairs of bright eyes looking at him, “since Mother’s Day is this weekend, I thought it appropriate that we spend some time making Mother’s Day cards for your mothers.” Who must be saints for putting up with you all for so long, but he didn’t add that.
Most of the class excitedly grabbed construction paper, markers, and glitter and got to work, while the table in the back was, well, the table in the back.
That’s right; Ludwig, Feliciano, Yong Soo, Alfred, and Ivan didn’t have mothers. God he must be the worst teacher ever for forgetting! Now they’re all depressed and sad and awkward and it’s his entire fault! Why else would Ludwig be looking forlornly out the window and Feliciano hide his shame by eating pasta after snack time while Yong Soo, Alfred, and Ivan worked on the assignment. Wait what?
“Mr. Lorinaitis! Mr. Lorinaitis!” Alfred shouted suddenly as Toris approached their table to see what was going on, “Mr. Lorinaitis, since my mother is a no good crack whore who’s probably dead in a ditch somewhere anyway, can I make a card for my Dad instead?”
“That’s right, you don’t have a mom do you Alfred?” a boy at another table smirked, “You’ve just got your two freaky dads and a bunch of weird siblings.”
“Pshaw, you’re just jealous that your mom’s been trying to get into my Papa’s pants since forever ‘cause your dad can’t satisfy like mine can.”
“Alfred! What have I told you about repeating things your parents say when you have no idea what they mean?”
“I’m sorry thatyoucaughtme Mr. Lorinaitis.”
“Billy, just because your parents are going through a rough patch in their relationship is no reason to take it out on Alfred.”
“Sorry…”
“Anyway, can I Mr. Lorinaitis?”
“Yes Alfred, you can make a card for your Dad instead.”
“Look, look, Mr. Lorinaitis!” Ivan handed him a heart-shaped card, “I made a card for you~”
“That’s…wonderful Ivan, but I’m not your mother…”
“Oh, but you’re close enough yes? You’re a part of my family yes?”
“Not…quite,” he vaguely wondered what Feliks was up to today, “You may not have a mother in the traditional sense, Ivan, but you do have a prominent female influence in your life, right?”
“…That’s why I gave you a card Mr. Lorinaitis.”
“I’m a guy Ivan…”
“Oh…should I make one for Yao then?”
“Hey! Yao’s my big brother!” Yong Soo shouted from across the table, “I get to make him a card!”
“Yong Soo, you’re brother is a guy as well…”
“So is Alfred’s dad, but you let him make a card for him, besides its cool, see? I invented Mother’s Day in the first place you know.”
“That’s an…interesting drawing you made there…well I suppose it’s alright, your brother probably is the most prominent feminine influence in your life anyway…”
“So I can make one for Yao too yes?”
“You can’t Ivan, Yong Soo’s right; Yao isn’t your brother. Your sister would be the biggest influence in your life wouldn’t she?”
“But it’s called Mother’s Day, not Sister’s Day.”
“Do you know what a mother is Ivan?”
“The lady who gave birth to you.”
“Yes, that can be part of it, but being a mother is much more than that. It’s about watching over and taking care of someone because you love them and want to make sure they grow up big and strong.”
“So then-”
“I’m your teacher; I can’t be your mother.”
“So, I should write a card for my sister? Will she mind?”
“I think she’ll be happy that you appreciate her.” Ivan smiled and got to work.
“Ve, Mr. Lorinaitis,” Feliciano said, unusually soft, “my mom is, um…”
That’s right, Feliciano’s mother died some time ago under mysterious circumstances. He was told by some of the older staff members who had had Lovino to “just not question the Vargas Family. Ever,” not that he went prying into his student’s backgrounds or anything…
“Well Feli,” Toris said as he knelt down to his eye level, “you can make her a card anyway, can’t you?”
“But…”
“She’s watching over you in heaven right? I’m sure she’ll see it and know you still love her.”
“Ve, really?” Toris nodded, causing the young Italian to smile as he set out to create probably the most elaborate Mother’s Day card ever.
“Ludwig,” Toris walked over to the last boy at the table, who hadn’t looked away from the window, “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t have a mother. She’s like Alfred’s a suppose; I’m not even sure about that though, just that she’d not around, and no one has stepped up to take her place like Arthur did.”
“That’s not true Ludwig. You have plenty of people that care about you.”
“Vati, when he’s home, but there’s Father’s Day for that. Gilbert is my brother and he’s not motherly like Yao is.”
“You have cousins that live with you too don’t you?”
“They don’t live with me. They’re just over a lot.”
“That counts. They’ve had a hand in raising you too haven’t they? I’m sure one of them could be motherly enough to act as your mother…”
Ludwig blinked before grabbing some paper and joining his classmates.
Toris smiled and walked around to help out the rest of the students when they called him over. It may have been stressful at times, but sometimes this job was rewarding.
***
Kiet opened the door and peeked inside before quietly shutting it and turning to face his siblings.
“Ana, is everybody ready?”
They smiled and nodded at him. Kiku was holding the tray of food they had all prepared together, Mei clutched the flowers she had picked out of her garden, Hong had a present of some sort that he had made himself, and Yong Soo held out a card, also handmade.
Kiet smirked before quietly opening the door and ushering them all in to surround Yao’s bed. He nodded at Hong, who understood the signal and set off a small firecracker.
“Wuzzat, aru?” Yao shouted as he sprung awake, “Are we under attack?”
“Happy Mother’s Day Yao!” They all shouted as Yong Soo, Hong, and Mei scrambled on the bed to shower him with hugs and kisses as per tradition. Kiet laughed joyfully as Kiku calmly smiled and kept the others from overturning the tray.
“I-is it that time of year already aru?”
“Yup! Yao, look at this, look at this!” Yong Soo weaseled his way into his brother’s lap and held out the card. “I made you a card!”
The man smiled and took it, patting his little brother’s hair as he did so. “Thank you, aru. I can see you put a lot of work into it.”
“Yup! Mine was totally better than Ivan’s, but Feliciano’s was still better than mine…but it’s cool. I taught him everything he knows.”
“You wish squirt!” Mei elbowed him out of the way and placed the flowers in Yao’s lap.
“These are lovely Mei. I see your garden in growing splendidly, aru.”
She beamed as Hong handed him his present, a dragon key chain. Yao thanked him and gave him a hug, which he half heartedly pushed away from, blushing a little.
With that out of the way, Kiku placed the tray in his brother’s lap as he and Kiet settled on the bed as well, talking about everything they had planned to do today.
“It’s great that you guys do all this for me,” Yao said in between bites, “and I appreciate it, but why don’t you ever do anything for Father’s Day, aru?”
***
“S-sister…”
Katyusha looked up from her knitting to see her siblings looking up at her with wide eyes, hands behind their backs. “What did you do now?”
Ivan nudged Natalia with his shoulder. The young girl stepped forward and held out a handmade card.
“For me?” Katyusha asked. Natalia nodded as Ivan stepped forward and handed her a card as well.
“It’s Mother’s Day you know…” Ivan explained.
“That’s sweet, but I’m not-”
“But, but,” Natalia interjected, “you’re always taking care of us and watching over us and stuff. Like a mother would.”
“Yeah,” Ivan agreed, “since General’s gone most of the time and we don’t have a mother…and Mr. Lorinaitis said that that was good enough! S-so…”
She knelt down to their level and wrapped them both in a giant hug. “I understand. I’ll be your mother for today. Thank you two so much.”
“Happy Mother’s Day sister,” they both said into her shoulders. She just laughed and hugged them tighter.
***
“Just do it Peter,” Mathis whispered.
“Yeah, go for it,” Tumi agreed.
“If you’re going to do it, you’d better do it soon anyway,” Nikolas added.
Berwald grunted, Hanatamago barked.
Peter inhaled deeply before exhaling and walking into the kitchen, stopping right behind where Tino was cooking and tugged on his apron to get the man’s attention.
“Oh, Peter,” he exclaimed, “breakfast will be ready shortly, what is it?”
The boy thrust a card into his hands and promptly looked away, shuffling his feet. “I know you aren’t my real mother, but…”
Tino blushed and glanced at the doorway in time to see four heads swiftly retract behind the wall and sighed.
“Peter, I’m not…” he looked down at the face of the boy he adopted, that he took in and started raising on Berwald’s insistence he’d make a great mother, despite the fact he was actually a guy, “used to these kind of gestures, but I’m happy you did so. Thank you so much.” He leaned down and kissed the delighted boy on the head. Peter beamed and ran out of the kitchen again to receive a high five from Mathis.
“Oh Berwald…” he called in a singsong voice that made everyone else in the other room bolt out of the house. Berwald slunk into the kitchen to face his smiling wife. “Did you put him up to that?”
“Thought it was a sweet gesture,” he shrugged and walked over to where Tino was standing to embrace him and plant a kiss on his forehead. “Always knew ya’d make a good mother.” Tino blushed but leaned into his touch, muttering something about being a guy.
Berwald just kissed him again.
***
“Hey Fratello…”
Lovino sighed and looked up from his pasta at his little brother sitting across the table, uncharacteristically not eating his pasta, instead finger some stupid card he made for Mother’s Day.
“What?”
“You remember Madre right?” yes, Feliciano was still only a baby when their parents died, but Lovino still had a few memories left of them, and grunted to tell him so, “What was she like? All I really remember was that she was warm and she smelled nice.”
“I…don’t really remember all that much…” A dark room, the smell of blood, gunshots, his mother hugging him tightly before Grandpa shoved them both in the closet.
“Please Lovino! Grandpa won’t tell me much…you at least remember what she looked like right?” Feliciano’s eyes, Grandpa’s hair, only much longer and in better condition and with that ever-present curl that seemed to curse their family, full red lips, always sad, always crying, at least when Lovino was around. She smiled around Feliciano, because of Feliciano. Lovino looked more like his father anyway.
“She was beautiful, I guess,” he admitted, “…you have her eyes I think.”
“Ve, really? Was she nice and kind and sweet and gentle?” A white room, their mother sitting in a rocking chair, smiling sweetly and singing soft lullabies to Feliciano, laughing when he made a noise, his father steering him away from the doorway, telling him it’s rude to eavesdrop, but he wants to hear his mother sing sometimes too…
“Yeah, I guess…”
“Ve~ what else do you remember Fratello?”
He remembers the car ‘accident.’ Blood, crying, screaming, his father trying to get him out, his mother shouting, screaming for Feliciano, making sure he was okay, but he wasn’t there was he? He was safe at home, you brought Lovino with you remember? Gunshots, he remembered the gunshots, and the man with the wide eyes and the bad breath that had the gun, who snatched him out of the wreck of the car, and Grandpa who got him away as the cars burned in the distance, and all he could think was why can't she love me too?
“She…loved you. A lot. I’m sure…if she was still around, she’d just love you all the more.”
“Really? Do you mean that?” Lovino nodded. His brother beamed at him and started eating his pasta with earnest. “Ve, I’m glad. Thank you for telling me.”
Lovino just grunted and resumed eating. He didn’t need to know the rest after all, it wasn’t important.
***
Arthur sipped his tea as he flipped through the morning paper, pausing when he thought he heard footsteps and giggles coming from somewhere behind him. After looking around and not finding anything out of the ordinary, he went back to reading the paper and drinking his tea. All of a sudden he heard Alfred shout “Now!” and he was bombarded with children, but they were his children, so it was okay. Matthew and Angelique were in his lap, Jake was on his head, and Alfred had climbed on top of the table so they were face to face.
“What’s all this about then?” he asked calmly as he continued sipping his tea. All four of them giggled.
“Happy Mother’s Day!” they shouted as they produced various handmade cards and handpicked flowers from various pockets.
“That’s sweet, but wouldn’t today be more appropriate for your Papa…”
“Don’t be silly,” Alfred laughed, “you’re more like our mom Dad.”
He heard Francis, that bastard, chuckle as he cooked breakfast. Arthur put his cup on the table away from Alfred and placed Jake next to his brother before smiling at his kids. “So I’m the ‘mother’ huh?”
“You bet!” Jake agreed, “Your always cleaning and trying to cook but failing and sewing and gardening and worrying ‘bout us and all that stuff.”
“Yes, but your Papa is French, spends hours on his hair, and always uses up all the hot water in the morning. That must count for something.”
“They’ve already made up their minds, mon cher,” Francis smirked, “we go through this every year and you’re still the ‘mother.’”
“Well, everyone knows the father is just a puppet figurehead anyway and that the mother has all the real power in any given household. Isn’t that right kids?”
“Yup!” they chorused together, causing Francis to splutter a bit and shoot a glare at Arthur, who just smirked.
“Now, what did you get me?”
“We found flowers!” Angelique said as she and Matt handed him some roses, which he was pretty sure were from his garden in the first place, but he’d let it slide today.
“Jake and me made cards!” Alfred said, bringing out said cards from inside his pocket somewhere.
“Jake and I made cards,” Arthur corrected.
“Nu-uh! It was Jake and me! Why would you make your own card Dad?”
“Hong also sent something over!” Jake pulled out a homemade teacup keychain from a pocket, “He sent some fireworks too!” Four pairs of eyes looked eagerly up at Arthur.
“Alright, go get them ready, but don’t even think of setting them off until I’m out there, understand?”
They nodded, cheered, and ran off, leaving the place in an organized mess.
“I still don’t see why you’re not the ‘mother,’” the Briton commented as he finished off his tea and stood up, “you’re clearly more feminine then me.”
“Says the man who still has a stuffed unicorn in his closet.”
“Th-that’s for Angelica! When she’s older and can appreciate such things!”
“She’s seven, mon cher, that excuse died a while ago.”
“I-it’s an antique…she’ll get it when she’s ten…”
“I don’t know why you complain about it so much, about the mother thing. You obviously love it.”
“Typical. You understand nothing about good Mother’s Day traditions.”
***
Ludwig peeked around the corner before blushing and retreating, running into Gilbert’s leg in the attempt.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.
“N-nowhere…outside, to play…with Heidi…”
“Heidi and Vash are out to brunch, you know. Why are you hanging around Roderich’s house anyway?”
“N-no reason…why are you hanging around Roderich’s house?”
“N-no reason…”
They both blushed and shuffled around awkwardly for a bit before Ludwig finally spoke again.
“We, um, had to make Mother’s Day cards in class, and uh, I made one for Elizaveta because, um…”
“Is that all? What’s the problem then? Did she scare you away with her ugliness?”
“No, it’s just…she’s not really my mother you know…”
“Oh, I see,” he sat down with his back against the wall. “You’ve never met our real mother, but trust me, it’s for the better.” Ludwig said nothing but sat down next to his brother.
“She was…interesting. Always liked to move around and could never stay in one place…always thought you and I were burdens. Then one day she just left.”
“There are kids in class,” the young blonde started, “who say that if you don’t have a mother you’ll turn out evil and stupid.”
“Those kids are assholes, Luddy. Don’t listen to them,” Gilbert sighed, “besides, Liz is like your mother, she sure frets over you like one, and to be perfectly honest, you’re lucky to have her. Trust me kid, you can do much worse as far as parental figures go.”
Ludwig turned the card over in his hands a few times before standing up. “You’re…a good parent figure too, bruder.” He ran off, but not before Gilbert caught the pink creeping into his face and smiled.
“What are you doing here?” Roderich said as he stared down at his cousin.
“Ludwig’s proposing to your wife. I figured I’d give him moral support.”
“You’re such a good brother, supporting incest like that.”
“She ain’t blood related so it’s all good,” he smirked, “besides, you’re opinion on that matter doesn’t count for shit, Mr. Only Child.”
“Is it Mother’s Day already?” Roderich finally concluded.
“You really need to buy a calendar Specs, seriously.”
He kicked Gilbert and peeked into the room to see Ludwig sitting in Elizaveta’s lap, watching her stitch up one of his old shirts while she smiled and told him something. She really is a great mother…perhaps they need some children of their own now?
Roderich shook his head and offered Gilbert a hand up. “Come on, I’ll buy you lunch or something.”
The albino smirked and took the proffered hand, “Drinks included right?”
“Only the first one, you're on own your own after that.”
“I’ll just borrow money from Vash the next time we see him.”
“You still haven’t paid him back for last time. You’re going to end up with a bullet in your head one of these days.”
“He wouldn’t do that. Ludwig would hate him if he did.”
Roderich sighed and shook his head. “You know, you could just unplug your house phone instead of coming over here if you really didn’t want to talk to her.”
“Yeah, but…” Gilbert blushed and scratched the back of his head, “she is our mother…I can at least offer her the courtesy of the answering machine. Besides, now I’ve got a free meal from you!”
“Remember, I’m only paying for the first drink.”
“That’s what she said!” he laughed before bolting out the door to Roderich’s car.
“That didn’t even make sense…” Roderich muttered before taking one last look at Ludwig and his wife, smiling, and following his cousin.
A/N: Yeah, Sealand's is in there just so I could sandwich Romano's angst in between some delicious family fluff. Germany's was also heading in that direction, but I stopped it, which is why the ending is a bit awkward. I'm not even sure where all that angst came from, silly Romano and your inferiority complex...
I know what you're thinking, "Wait a minute, didn't you heavily imply they all live in separate neighborhoods?" Yes, but remember Toris is still their teacher. Their school district is just that messed up and far reaching. It's possible, trust me. >_>