::Face Family Drabbles, AU, baby America and Canada::

       Arthur lounged luxuriously on the couch, while a drama softly played on the telly.  A smile broke across his face and he closed his eyes, enjoying the experience of the far too rare sensation, of silence.   France had finally upheld his end of their bet and taken the children on an outing.  Leaving him all alone, in an empty house, with no one to talk to.  And he couldn’t have been happier.
It had been five hours since he’d bid them a fond farewell, and though worry pricked the back of his neck, he focused on the television, leaning on it for support of blissful idleness.  They would be back all too soon.

       “We have returned!” France boomed jovially as he held the door open for Mattew and Alfred to toddle inside.  Arthur started from sleep, blearily he looked over the couch at the new comers.
      “Welcome back,” he croaked and looked at his watch.  It was 6 pm, quite an outing.  He’d have to applaud Francis for his amazing stamina later. “Did you have fun?”
       “Yes, yes, yes!” chorused the boys.  “I saw the Zoo!”  America said brightly, holding up a T-Rex before making it zoom around the room.  
        “The Zoo?” Arthur asked the Frenchman, dumbfounded.
     “Oui,” Francis smirked, putting away the coats and stroller in the foyer closet.            “Impressed?”
     Rolling his eyes England focused on Matthew who was smiling and watching Alfred run around the room making airplane noises.  “And did you get anything at the Zoo, Matty?”
     Canada grinned and held up two polar bears.  Arthur’s smile faltered as he looked at the almost identical bears.  He knew Matthew’s old bear had been loved, but now that it was compared next to a newer version; he felt it was his parent’s duty to burn the old one.  Fore no amount of bleach and washing machine cycles was going to save it now.
Taking a step back, Arthur took a cleansing breath, he’d handle the bear later.  When there weren’t witnesses.
      “Boys?” France prodded, “what else did you see at the Zoo?”
     “Bea’s yions! Boslots Toetos. An Papa swimyina water ifa duck, dne a wishy..” America finished, beaming and holding his T Rex over his head.  Canada didn’t add or say anything, but he did nod emphatically in agreement.  Which was no help, for, whatever reason (he’d never admit it was his lack of patients) Matthews vocabulary was better than Alfred’s, as was his grammar and diction.  Had Canada told him what they had seen he probably would have understood. As it stood, it sounded like France had gone… swimming?
Looking up Arthur inspected Francis’ clothing, which seemed to be in order and not even damp.
     “Excuse me?”  France accused, lifting an eyebrow.
      “Uh… you swam in the water with the ducks?”
     “Not that I recall.”  
     “Papa nah swim, foggy did,” Canada piped up, helpfully.
    Both men repeated the word ‘fog’ to them selves, trying to decipher it’s meaning.  But it didn’t take long before England burst out laughing as France’s eyes widened in surprise and his frown grew fiercer.  
     “Are you happy now!” He hissed threw his teeth, “the boys are listening to you insult me!!”
    “They don’t understand.” Arthur explained, chuckling.
     “Ask me if I care!” With that France knelt in front of Canada, all sunshine and rainbows. “Thank you Matty, why don’t show your new toy your room?”  Canada obeyed with a smile, running off, hindered slightly by the two large bears in his arms.  “You too Al,” they watched as the boys scampered away happily.  Once they were out of ear shot Francis turned back on Arthur, his smile a thing of the past, “never again, you hear me?”
     “Awe come on,” Arthur whined in a mock plead, following France into the hallway “It’s cute.”
     “Non.”
      “Can I spell it?
      “Non! It is disrespectful, and undermines my authority.”
        “Then you have to stop insulting me.” England huffed, stopping in the middle of the kitchen to fold his arms.
      “I never insult you”
     “Oui, you do,” Arthur said laying on a thick Parisian accent “Zhe more you coook zhe worse you get.  Apparently practeece doesn’t make perrrfect.”
Both Countries eyed each other across the Kitchen Island, ready to start slinging all the insults they knew when, crying suddenly broke their concentration. In another second Matthew had burst through the door in tears.  Obviously distraught it took him a moment to attach himself to the right pant leg.  Though either would have worked, it was probably best that France calmed his charge since England was better equipped to handle his own.  Who would be arriving soon.  
     And in another second Alfred was zipping through the door with not only his new T Rex doll, but with Matthews new bear.  In a crash course, Alfred rammed his toys into dishes, fruit bowls, cupboards and chairs, knocking most to the floor (thankfully plastic-ware was the common dinning set in their home).
    Recognizing the glint of world domination in his sons eyes, Arthur snatched at the boy with little success.  He was down the hall and things were falling from side tables in a blink of an eye.
    “This isn’t over, Frog.” Arthur muttered under his breath, as he bee lined it for the conquering nation.
     Sighing France picked Canada up and began patting the boy’s back. “Whatever you say, Rosbif.”