Caretakers

 Perhaps it was because he had been under the table.

Lithuania, Toris being his human name, had been one of the select few in this particular meeting between specific countries. Not everyone was here today at the world meeting, only those who needed to speak. It was, even in its smaller number of countries, a disaster as usual. Everyone had been shouting, fighting, getting into heated debates, things were being thrown into the air…

That was one of the reasons why he had ducked under the table. Lithuania’s pen had been stolen by Poland, who had thrown it across the room at Russia. Toris had bent down to pick up another one that had been tossed at his head (and hit…), when he heard the sudden booming voice of Britain.

And then a bright flash of light made him go under the table all the way.

He only stayed under there for a few moments, and a glance to his left revealed that China, Sealand, and Wy were under here hiding too, before the heartbreaking sound of babies crying filled the entire room with their booming voices.

The four people under the table quickly stood to find that every nation, including Britain, had either turned into toddlers or very young children.

So, these kids were divided into groups until Britain’s spell wore off and Yao could get a hold of his own Chinese magic to help the process along. Yao himself took care of half the room with Wy as his helper, and Toris took care of the other half with Sealand as his helper.

Right now the Lithuanian was patting a sobbing Matthew’s back; he had been locked outside again for a good ten minutes before Toris noticed his frantic pounding and could get to the door. God bless his little heart, he had been playing with Wy and a few others outside when one of these kids locked the door. Peter was playing paddy-cake with Latvia, but the Nordics were mostly hanging around that corner of the room too. A few of the nations were napping (Greece and Japan were snuggling, Germany and Italy too, and a few others), a few were playing (Denmark had built a pillow fort for everyone), and a few were begging for attention. Poland was trying to paint his nails, but the poor boy was yawning.

Once Matthew had calmed down, Toris sent him off to play with Gilbert and Alfred, who were more than happy to see their brother and friend. However, to his surprise, England and Russia were two out of the handful of kids practically begging for attention.

“Towis?” Little Arthur kept trying to tug at his pants, and finally Toris sat down so both could crawl into his lap.

“Yes, Arthur?” The older man rubbed both of their backs.

“E-ego sum—”

“Arthur, speak English. You don’t need to speak Latin, Rome isn’t alive anymore.”

“Oh…I am lonely!” Arthur finished in English. “Where awe my bruthas?”

“...” Jesus that was cute. Toris couldn’t resist kissing the tiny Brit’s cheek before a toddler France came up. “I don’t know, darling.”

“Arthuuuuur! Let’s plaaaay!” The French toddler tugged at his arm gently.

Arthur mumbled unhappily, but reluctantly got off of Toris’ lap to simply hug France. The Lithuanian suspected that Britain’s tough exterior was formed over many, many years of dark history. As of right now he was just a lonely baby though, and Francis giggled and lead the younger boy off to play.

That left Russia in his lap, being a quiet little angel.

Estonia squealed when he saw his brother and came running into Lithuania’s back for a hug. “TOWIS! When’s dinner?!”

“Hey sweetie,” Toris sighed. “Soon, I promise. Soon.”

Yao was trying to start on dinner. It had been nearly three days since these nations had become toddlers, and they were ALWAYS hungry. Wy was off dealing with her brothers and those who always insisted on playing outside. So, Toris and Sealand were on their own in the living room.

“Aw,” The boy pouted and adjusted his baby glasses before going off to play with Raivis, Feliks, and Peter.

“Towis?” Young Ivan asked in his lap.

“Yes, love?” Toris thought the same of his former boss as he did Britain, now that he, an adult, could see Russia, now a child. Ivan had been very shy and awkward in making friends with the others. His sisters were not among those who had been turned into toddlers, and they would not be informed of the situation if Russia’s safety was a concern.

“I wanna play!” The young boy, who appeared to be three or four, sat so that his back was against Lithuania’s chest and lifted his arms. He looked up at the older man with a hopeful smile that could not be ignored.

“Oh, you wish to play this game again?” He giggled and began to tickle the toddler’s tummy and sides. The cute little devil liked to be tickled...But so did the others. “The Tickle Monster has arrived!” He announced to the whole room.

Many squeals from nearby children could be heard, and even though many children ran away from the adult (and Peter, who quickly laughed and began to tickle every toddler he could reach…so the Nordics, Latvia, and Estonia), just as many ran towards them just to have fun and tickle each other.

Francis and Britain began to tickle each other, and even the nappers woke up and got into a big tickle fight—Feliciano was surprisingly a good tickler as a baby. Toris could hear Luddy squealing from across the room. Kiku and Heracles took turns giving each other ticklish belly rubs, Elizabeta and Gilbert attacked Roderich with glee, and so on it went.

Toris was laughing and laughing too, and he eventually collapsed to the ground because Spain and Poland lead a tickle mutiny against him. The toddlers had him pinned on the ground laughing so hard his sides hurt; they were tickling him everywhere and being adorable and it was killing him—

“Dinner!” Yao shouted over the squealing, giggling, and laughing mass of kids and nearly crying adult.

Immediately they took off for the kitchen, and Toris was left alone with Sealand. The boy had been tickled silly by his family and friends too, and he crawled over to where Lithuania laid panting on the ground. “Th-that was fun!” The boy grinned.

“You never realize how much they need to laugh,” He shook his head. “They’re so old, you know…And being kids again, they just want to have fun with each other and play. They don’t need to worry about politics, citizens, anything.” He sighed and shut his eyes.

Childhood was something he would have missed had it not been hell back then. Selfishly, he almost wished that he had been a part of that spell so he could have a second chance, even for a few days like everyone else, to experience true innocence and joy.

“Yeah,” Peter broke him out of his thoughts. “Papa Sweden gives me a great home life now, but I wish that Arthur had been around more when I was actually a kid. It got lonely.”

“…I forgot you were born during WWII.”

“Everyone does.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Yeah, lemme go get Wy and the others!” He scrambled up and ran out the door as Toris got up to help feed the many, many children.

Even if he couldn’t be one of them, it was still fulfilling enough to give these nations a second chance at childhood innocence. That was enough for him to be satisfied, up until the seventh day of the spell being cast.

That was when the nations reverted back to their adult forms . . . While Lithuania, China, Wy, and Sealand turned into toddlers who were shown the most special love in return for a great week of laughter and innocent childish fun.