FACE Mertalia

You can't google things underwater you asshat!

Alfred was really tired of swimming. The oceanscape got really boring after a while. He yawned and rubbed his eyes as he followed Ludwig. Veneziano swam behind him carry the pasta pot with Kumijirou sleeping inside. The little seal got tired and had to be carried as his little fins couldn't keep up with the bigger mermen.

Alfred had to say goodbye to Whale Dude when they left to go further north. He had promised to try and meet up with him again after he found Mattie. Needless to say there were tears when the two parted.

"Are we there yet?" Alfred whined, "I'm bored and tired ... and really, really bored."

Veneziano laughed and Ludwig sighed. Ludwig looked back at the grumpy merling. "Ve vill stop once ve have reached the rock arch mine bruder told me about."

Alfred pouted and yawned again. This time Ludwig saw Alfred's yawn and let a rush of bubbles out of his mouth. "If you are tired, say something. But ve still have a ways to go, so, ... do you want me to carry you?"

Alfred nodded and swam into the German's arms. "Umpf, ... you weigh more than you look." Alfred wrapped himself around Ludwig so his head rested on his shoulder and his tail gripped Ludwig's waist. It was the easiest position for Ludwig to swim in and carry Alfred at the same time.

"Thanks..." Alfred mumbled as he snuggled into the merman's chest and immediately fell asleep.

"Ve~ He's so cute when he's sleeping!" Veneziano said, coming up behind Ludwig.

Ludwig looked down at the merling in his arms, "Ja, he is pretty cute." The smallest smile slipped across his lips. Alfred started to snore lightly and mumbled in his sleep, "Hamburgers... Zzzzz.... Mattie... zzZZz... I do what I WANT BEYOTCH...!"

Both started at Alfred's outburst but Ludwig chuckled as Alfred continued to sleep. "Vell... that was interesting."

Veneziano gave a musical laugh and looked down at the seal sleeping in the pot he held. "I'm glad we're-a helping them Doitsu."

Ludwig nodded, "Ja, me too.... Vell ve still have a ways to go, come on." The two mermen swam on, carrying their tired companions.

----------------------

"Roma, we talked about this...." Antonio pleaded with his charge, trying to detach the merling from his shoulders.

"No, you jerk bastard, you talked about it! I didn't! So I'm not letting go!" Romano clung to the Spainard's back, in the perfect position that Antonio could not grab him. "You know what happens when you leave me alone! Besides, if anyone would be with the potato bastard it would be my fratello. I want to see him! Take me with you tomato bastard!"

Antonio stopped spinning around trying to reach Romano and sighed. "Fine, come with, but you have at least try to be nice, ... por favor."

Romano crawled up Antonio's back and wrapped his little arms around the Spainard's neck. "Fine, I'll try to be 'nice', ok? But no promises." Antonio sighed again. "Well, we're going to test that theory right now."

Antonio swam to the large rock spire where they were meeting up with Francis and Gilbert. Francis had called Antonio earlier to tell him Arthur was going to go ahead by himself to track down Alfred and he would meet them at the spire, their normal hangout, since it was relatively the same distance from each of their caves. Gilbert was already there, laying on his back, his eyes closed, flipping his pure white tail absentminded. The Prussian albino sprang up when he heard the two approach.

"Hola amigo, were you taking a siesta?" Antonio grinned as he teased Gilbert, making the albino laugh.

"Kesesesese, you vish you could catch the awesome me sleeping!"

Antonio only rolled his eyes, "Francis here?"

"No way he could beat the awesome me here, I'm too awesome!" Gilbert practically shouted. He finally noticed Romano clinging to Antonio. "Antonio, I think you have a barnacle stuck to your back- oh, wait! It's only Romano!" Gilbert started his signature laugh again as he swam closer to Antonio. "You don't go anywhere without him, Antonio, is he your boyfriend?" Romano turned red in the face as he started to cuss out the Prussian.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Romano, I thought we talked about being nicer." Antonio said, placing a hand on Romano's head. Antonio chuckled, "You are as red as a tomato, Romano."

"Don't touch me you bastard!" Romano snapped, but quieted down. At least until Gilbert came up and pulled his hair curl. "Kesesesesese, what is this anyway?"

"CHIGIIII!!!" Romano let go of Antonio and launched himself at Gilbert. "DONT YOU-A DARE TO TOUCH-A MY CURL!!!!!!" Romano head butted him in the stomach and smacked him with his fists, finding it hard to hit anything above his chest due to their height difference. He still managed to lay out a few good punches before Antono grabbed him and hauled him away, kicking and screaming bloody murder at Gilbert. "LET ME GO YOU DUMB BASTARD, LET ME GO!!!!! IM GONNA KILL THAT ALBINO POTATO BASTARD!!!!!"

Gilbert laughed but winced as the movement jostled his stomach, man, that kid sure had a hard head, both figuratively and literally. Of course, Francis arrived right as Antonio was forced to sit on Romano to physically restrain him from attacking Gilbert.

"Mon Dieu! Antonio, what are you doing sitting on Romano?!"

"Well, if the idiota over there didn't touch his curl this wouldn't be a problem." Antonio said as he let Romano up. Romano turned on Antonio, punching him as hard as he could. "Honestly, he hasn't really hurt anyone yet, he's completely missing- OW! Nevermind... he got me on that last one... I'll be feeling it any second now." Gilbert only laughed at them and slung an arm around Francis.

"So bro, you need the awesome me to help you out, I vill!"

"Merci, Gilbert, but first I think we should help Antonio with Romano, oui?"

At this point Romano was crying, and still pounding on Antonio, who only stood there, letting Romano wail. "You jerk, I'm only a little kid I need you to protect me!"

Antonio sighed and kneeled down in front of Romano, "Lo siento, Romano. I am trying, but this parenting thing is muy hard. Calm down, por favor."

"I think Antonio's got it covered." Gilbert laughed as Romano slowly stopped crying and clung to Antonio, who swam over to them. Romano poked his head out from Antonio's chest to hiss at Gilbert and flipped him off. Gilbert only smiled and returned the gesture.

"Don't encourage him, it only makes it worse." Antonio said, "So Francis, what's the next step?"

"Gilbert, you said that Ludwig asked about Ivan, right?"

"Ja, wanted to know vhere he lived."

Francis nodded. "Alfred was heading north, do you think they would be heading to Ivan's?"

"It would make sense," Antonio said cuddling Romano, "that would mean Alfred would be Ludwig then, no?"

"Oui, that would make the most sense. Alfred must have some need to get to Ivan's so Ludwig is helping him get there. My guess is Mathieu is with Ivan then, because otherwise, why would he specifically want to go there? Gilbert you know the way, can you take us?"

Gilbert shuddered, but slowly nodded, "Ja, but he's not the nicest guy."

"That doesn't matter, confronting Ivan about it will give us the start we need to find Mathieu." Francis said sternly.

"Sí, I agree."

"Ja, alright, ... vell come on losers, the awesome Gilbert's gonna help you out! Let's go!" Gilbert sped north with Francis and Antonio (carrying Romano) right behind.

A/N - Hey guys! So I wanted to clear this up, in case you were wondering, Romano is a little kid. Yes, I know he's older that Veneziano, but I think that it fits better in the story if he was the little brother. So.... Yeah.

Anyway, he's just too cute! I couldn't help myself! *fangirls* 

Hope you like it so far! Hang on cause we got some big action coming up in the next chapter! *cracks knuckles threatenly* (Not that I would do anything terrible to them, right?* mischievous smile*)

Hasta la pasta!

~Nightfury1010