Off to Cannes and a reunion long overdue

[i_got_5_meters]

After having slept for the entirety of their flight from Sweden to France, Gilbert found himself finally awake enough for the excitement to sink in completely. The gang was going to be back together again for the first time in FOREVER. It was going to be himself, Francis, and Antonio with their significant others plus Eeva and Linus in CANNES! FOR

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[i_got_5_meters]

Gilbert, Eduard, Eeva and Linus arrived back at the chateau just as Etienne was opening the door for Antonio and Lovino. Gilbert could tell it was them because he could hear the familiar Italian curses emanating from the interior of the sleek, black vehicle. Gilbert grew up with Lovino, and they were effectively family, so he could understand everything that was being verbally hurled out the door. That didn't last long though before Antonio stepped out with that same doofy smile that had eased Gilbert through many a difficult time.

"Tony!" Gilbert shouted excitedly across the courtyard, grabbing Eduard's hand before making a bee-line for the Limo and a best friend he hadn't seen since new years (and even then he hadn't seen much of him). "Fuck yeah! Haven't seen your sweet brown arsch in forever." He greeted, letting go of Eduard's hand long enough to hug his old partner in crime. Oh man...there were so many stories to be told of the things him, Francis, and Antonio had become infamous for. Their friendship went a lot farther than that, but the world at large only seemed to know of the "awesomeness". Gilbert could already hear his Vati preparing detention slips all the way back on the island.

"Oh...ja, Tony." Gilbert chuckled, taking a step back to straighten himself out after receiving a good whack on the arm from Lovino. He let his arm rest over Eduard's shoulders to try and ease some of his boyfriends nerves at all of the commotion. "It's about time you meet the manwife. Tony, this is Eduard. I don't know what Franny's told you, but he's even more awesome than that."

[tomatesespanol]

Etienne opened the door to the limo and Antonio gently nudged Lovino awake. He had been reluctant to do it because he always thought his little Italian looked so adorable when he was asleep. For once it wasn't Antonio who had been napping as he was far too eager to see his friends again. A few choice curses were hurled out the door as the two climbed out of the extravagant vehicle. It was no more than a heartbeat before Antonio found himself being shouted at by a different voice and corralled into a massive hug.

"Gil! Mi hermano!" Antonio excitedly hugged back. "I could say the same for you. I have not seen you since you snuck away from the winter holiday with the family...although I have heard what happened when you got to Paris." The spaniard joked before his attention fell on the bespectacled blond standing next to his old partner in crime.

Antonio looked Eduard up and down, noting with a smile how Gilbert kept him close and the way he would look at him fondly every so often. "So Francis is right. You HAVE found the amor at last." He commented to Gilbert before extending a hand to Eduard. "Hey there, Eduard. I'm Antonio. Here's something that might help you out, amigo." Antonio grinned, whispering something into Eduard's ear which promptly caused the Estonian to blush the most vibrant shade of red. That earned him a smack from Lovino at which point the spaniard took his boyfriend by the hand and shuffled him forward for an introduction. "And this is my Lovi. He curses a lot, but I think you will like him."

Introductions were continued and there was a lot of excited catching up as the group made their way into the chateau and past Madam Toquay's toll before being ushered up to the pool and hot tub area where Francis and Arthur were waiting to spring the biggest surprised of the entire vacation on them.

[tino_suomi]

Eeva needed little invitation for introductions. She gleefully accepted a hug from the Spaniard after Gilbert introduced them. (Even if he had introduced them as; The Souvenirs I picked up when I was North of here. It was all in good jest.) Linus was, once again, painfully shy next to these more dominant personality types and seemed to recede into himself a little, sticking close to Eeva and Eduard. Like minds. People he felt most safe around. He wasn't rude. Of course he was polite and shook hands, though he did seem startled that some of the people here had the very Southern European practice of greeting people with a kiss on the cheek. Eeva didn't seem to mind. He felt a little unprepared to be kissed, even in greeting. He'd adjust though. It was just a new situation. A little bit of his stutter returned. It seemed not to be an actual speech impediment, but came when Linus was nervous (it didn't help that he was feeling self conscious that his accent was heavy or at least wasn't as smooth and nice as the French, Spanish, and Italian ones that he was now surrounded by. He apologized profusely for his 'bad English' while Eeva made sure to slap him on the arm for and remind him that his English was even better than her's now shut up and make some friends.

When they made it back to the pool area Eeva stopped and went straight for Arthur. "Oh, you must be Arthur. I can tell. Siguard told me so much about you these past few weeks." She cooed, shaking the Englishman's hand. Oh yes. There was magic in the air around this one. More like Siguard, less like their own family. He wasn't a real witch. He was Fae-Kin, most likely. How come Tino neglected to mention to them all the Fae-kin attending his school. "I'm Eeva Ahola, I'm Tino Vainamoinen's cousin and now apparently Gilbert's luggage."

[darth_eduard]

Eduard could definitely sympathize with Linus's awkward nervousness. The bewildered Estonian held onto Gilbert's hand for all it was worth as he was interrogated and examined. He gave Eeva and Linus a look of "ye gods, help me!" as the group made their way through the foyer of the chateau and the grilling continued. He supposed he had it coming to him, really. Gilbert and Antonio had been the best of friends (with copious amounts of benefits) all throughout their most reckless years, so when the spaniard finally got a chance to meet the person who managed to finally settle Gilbert down, well...he just HAD to get all of the juicy details. Eduard hadn't felt this dumbfounded and awkward since he was forced into coming out to his parents via skype call after they had seen Gilbert's bare ass.

When they made it up to the pool area and Francis was added to the mix as well...? Eduard simply gulped and straightened out his glasses, accepting the hug and very euro greeting of a kiss to either cheek about as easily as he accepted somebody butchering a good physics equation. He could tell these were all wonderful people in their own way and that Gilbert was still very much there for support, but it was all more than Eduard was accustomed to. Although he did recognize Arthur who was at the moment speaking with Eeva.

[mythicalengland]

Arthur rose and shook Eeva's hand with a slight gentlemanly bow. "Yes, I AM Arthur, as it happens. And how is Siguard, by the way? We haven't had a chance to speak directly in some time." They had other means of communicating, of course, but there was still something to be said for the simple human action of a face to face conversation. He wondered just how much Siguard already knew of the surprise Francis was about to spring on this unsuspecting group. "And blimey, you and Tino are most definitely related. I can tell. Don't let the pasty kraut bother you. He's usually just talking out his arse."

Arthur could feel the peculiar aura around the lone female member of their little group. There was a definite warmth and energy about here, and the faeries seemed to instantly take a fancy to her...whether she could tell or not. There was as much of a reluctant maternal instinct to this one as there was to Tino and Arthur could feel it as a palpable warm, comforting wave radiating from her. "I'm sorry if this seems forward or it sounds like I'm talking utter bollocks Eeva dear, but are you aware that you seem to be quite popular with the faerie folk? You're positively crawling with them right now."

Now, for most people a comment like that would make absolutely no sense, but Arthur had the distinct feeling about Eeva that she at least had some inkling of what went on in the unseen world around them. Francis, now with the clarity of sight that came along with the golden band he wore on his left ring finger, was beginning to see and understand such things himself, but was currently occupied with catching up with old friends and inspecting Gilbert's new significant other.

Something stopped Arthur in his tracks though when he caught sight of Gilbert and Eduard. Shaking his head, he did a bit of a double take and would have probably choked on his tea had he not set it down on the table when he rose to greet Eeva.

Bloody hell...the kraut really is in love. I can feel it from those two all the way from here. Wait...is that...a red string between them? I never thought I'd see GILBERT,that obnoxious git, of all people, fate-bound to somebody. From the feel of things it's only a matter of time before the besotted looney proposes...talk about surprises...

[tino_suomi]

Eeva chortled, the same sound Tino made, only at a higher, feminine register. "Well, in my own language I would be what is called a 'noita' but you're English so I suppose you would say-" And she leaned in to whisper, "Witch."

She grinned slyly as she leaned back into her polite conversational distance. "They're kind of hard to see, I've not reached the level of my Mummi or täti Essi, they're elderly now, and have completely broken through." And she continued to whisper; "They've even gotten their familiars already. My mummi's is a cat, a little slate great one named Savi and my täti Essi has owls. It's going to be so long until I get mine, it's almost not fair." She tsked. "You're not like me though, Fae-Kin right? Like Siguard?"

[pomodoro_focoso]

Lovino was still only partly awake, so he just listened to the rest of the introductions, only nodding or saying a few words when needed.

And what the hell was wrong with Gilbert? He seemed almost (with out such a dopey grin) like Antonio the way he hung on to and looked at the glasses guy... Eduard, right? It was strange, but Lovi figured he preferred a love-struck albino rather than how he was used to seeing him.

He gave a huff, stupid love making people act weird. He continued his mildly peeved thoughts and kept himself close to the Spaniard as he felt comfortable. Making sure an elbow was at the ready in case Antonio needed a reminder of personal space.

[viva_la_francis]

"Everyone Welcome!" Francis called out from the pool, naked as the day he was born as he walked out and grabbed a towel.

He walked over and hugged his friends, a towel barely covering the total lack of modesty he had.

Then a huge Grin spread across his face as he hooked an arm over Antonio's and Gilbert's shoulders.

"Congratulate me Mon Amis! I am MARRIED!!!!" Francis announced before showing his life long friends his wedding ring and watched the news register like a sledgehammer.

[pomodoro_focoso]

Lovino jumped back to give the predictably mostly nude Francis room.

Did he just say he was married? Francis got married?! What the hell was going on?!

He was honestly too shocked and his brain too overworked for an explanation to say anything intelligible as a retort. He just stood there, looking to the others for some kind of explanation that this was some joke or that there had been some law passed that allowed people to marry themselves.

[tomatesespanol]

"Dios mio!" Antonio gasped, far more phased by the news than by Francis' nudity. He had seen and experienced far more than that of the frenchman over the years. "Finally?? I am so happy for you, mi hermano!" The overjoyed spaniard hugged Francis tightly, lifting him off the deck before setting him back down again.

"Oh there is so much amor here! It is a beautiful thing, is it not, Lovi?" Antonio lovingly took hold of a very bewildered Lovino's hand, offering a comforting squeeze and a kiss to the cheek to let him know that even with all of the excitement, he wasn't neglecting him at all. If anything, all of the love in the air was contagious and had Antonio grinning an even more doofy grin than usual. The scenery was breathtaking, Francis' madre was cooking, he was surrounded by friends, and he had his Lovi by his side. Give him a hammock and his guitar and he would be in heaven.

[pomodoro_focoso]

Lovino didn't even make a movement to break away from Antonio's affections; he was starting to feel strange again.

Stupid brain for being all filled with all these swirls of emotions, and his body feeling all fuzzy and sick. His mouth felt like it was bone dry, and his stomach felt like it was doing some crazy acrobatics, and he was sure that his palms were getting sweaty. He hated it because he didn't fully understand why this was happening. He needed to distract himself, like hell he was going to make a scene here and make everyone get all nosy.

Hoping that if by some miracle Antonio noticed he'd be nice enough to not make a big deal of it in front of every couple here. He wanted to let everyone else at least have a good time.

Lovi chose to keep his mind off it's stupid thoughts by taking the time to marvel at his shoes.

[tomatesespanol]

While Antonio may appear to most to be no more than an oblivious, carefree doofus, he really deserved far more credit than that. He could tell when Lovino was on edge more than normal or when he needed that quiet, comforting hug. The way the Italian would grow quiet and withdraw into himself, looking everywhere and nowhere at once...Antonio could feel it. He was so happy to be spending time with his Lovi and he was also overjoyed for his lifelong best friend, but he could tell his boyfriend was feeling conflicted about something.

"Lovi? Are you okay, mi amor?" Antonio let a comforting arm rest at the curve of Lovino's back, thumb brushing soothing circles as he used the distraction of Gilbert's excited reaction to quietly question his lover. "If you are feeling sick, we can have Francis' madre make you some soup and take a little siesta somewhere."

[pomodoro_focoso]

Lovino reflexively stiffened at the touch, mentally berating himself for even *having* the thought that Antonio wouldn't notice. He slowly relaxed and nodded, "Si, grazie."

He glanced over at everyone else, then back to the Spaniard, hoping the quick glance would communicate part of what was on his confused mind.

[i_got_5_meters]

"Heilige scheiße!" Gilbert's jaw nearly hit the floor and he let go of Eduard's hand for the first time since their arrival to hug his best friend, giving him a giant smacking kiss on the cheek. "For serious? You're not shitting me, right?"

Gilbert's pasty face was split ear to ear with a massive grin and he couldn't help but laugh, not because he didn't take his friend's news seriously (in fact, he very much did...perhaps more than they would believe...), but because he was just so damned happy for Francis...he just had odd ways of showing it.

"So eyebrows finally said yes then...That's pretty fucking cool. Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Gilbert questioned, returning to linking hands with Eduard. Thoughts started to churn and tumble around in his head that had the albino feeling like he hadn't felt since his and Eduard's first date.

What the hell was going on with him? Well, really, he knew full well what was going through his head, but admitting things to himself was still a big step. First that he LIKED Eduard, then that he LOVED Eduard, and now that he honest to fucking gott couldn't imagine himself with anybody other than Eduard...ever.

Verdammt, Franny...look what you did...

[viva_la_francis]

"I am very much serious!" Francis began leading everyone over to the pool where Arthur was still relaxing and grinning like a Cheshire cat that had gotten into the cream and into ALICE at one point or another the past few days.

"It was spur of the moment, but most of Arthur's rather unique family managed to turn up at the courthouse." Francis said refraining from telling his best friends that the second that ring hit his finger and Francis now *SAW* ...... ****** EVERYTHING*******...... and that everything included his very NOT HUMAN well only partially human husband for that matter. Nor was Francis saying upon that new "Eyesight" he had taken one massive FAINT backwards in shock after his "I Do's"

He woke up with his head in Arthur's lap, faeries all around his face, his fat "Gaston" chiding him for fainting, and my god if he didn't roll his eyes backwards again.

It took Arthur smacking him to bring him around to accepting the truth (and waking him up.) His mother just teased him that after so many years the shock of Arthur saying Yes had done him in!

No, NONE OF THAT INFORMATION was being divulged to his friends.

Only that after the shock wore off, and their few days of private honeymoon here in the Chateau, Francis could readily admit.... Fucking a Sidhe Prince was pretty much #1 on his list of favorite things to do with his new hubby.

[mythicalengland]

"You should have seen the looks on your faces! Priceless stuff, that was." Arthur laughed between sips of tea. He had recovered from what he'd seen between Gilbert and Eduard and had been occupying himself in rather interested "witchy" conversation with Eeva. Arthur could most definitely see himself being fantastic friends with the adorable Finn. She was a peach and she seemed to understand a lot of his peculiarities. All conversation stopped, however, as Francis let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

Arthur's reaction started at a restrained smirk before bubbling up into a hearty peal of laughter. Francis postured like a peacock, proudly showing off his ring, and their guests all but dropped bricks into the seats of their pants. It was funny, really. Everyone they knew had viewed them as all but married for quite some time, but when news hit that they had actually made it official and were legally husband and...well...husband, everybody seemed so shocked.

Arthur indeed remembered his husband's reaction to the "veil" being lifted and his view of the world broadening with unexpected suddenness. Luckily, Julietta had caught her son in time before he hit the floor, or else Arthur would have had to make things much more awkward for their human guests with some sort of quick healing ritual or spell. The family and the fainting was more than enough for Julietta and Dulci to have to deal with. Beryl was already well familiar with the wildfolk and their ways and had had a bit of a laugh of her own that day.

Their private honeymoon had been wonderful indeed...the prince had conquered his share of human territory as well.

"I think their reaction went a lot smoother than yours, don't you think Love?" Arthur grinned as his husband approached. The group didn't need to know what happened that day, but Arthur still amused himself with a little dig.

"So," the smug Brit commented offhanded to their guests. "If you lot need anything from your rooms or if you're all steamed out and need to nip off for a bit of a snooze, your stuff should be ready for you. Otherwise, I think it might be time to eat in a bit."