It was a cold November's day; a day that might've seemed normal. Everyone was busy today: mothers walking around the streets, whilst their young children ran in front.
Different smells from many cafés and restaurants filled the streets: sweet, savory or spicy aromas flowed elegantly as one through the air, getting rid of the foul smells from the petrol and gas that usually filled the atmosphere.
It was in fact a month before Christmas, since it was rarely this busy during late November in the town of (hometown). Some small businesses were already beginning to put up Christmas decorations outside their windows, lovely bright fairly lights decorated the windows, giving the image of the stars shining outside in the night's sky.
Apart from the fresh aromas from different diners, the musky and almost fruity smell of pine floated around in the air, giving the true feeling of Christmas being just around the corner.
But some people didn't exactly take time to take in the Christmas spirit. One in particular was actually dashing along the sidewalk, accidentally bumping into people occasionally, before hesitantly blurting out a quick 'sorry'.
The young woman's H/C H/L bounced with every step she took, the shoes she wore didn't help her get to her destination any faster, as she almost tripped a couple of times due to her own clumsiness.
The woman, Y/N L/N, was late, very late in meeting up with a close friend, and it didn't help at all that she had preoccupied her time in finding small gifts for her family and friends.
Y/N was a very shy, introverted 20 year old. With just finishing high school two years ago, she went to college for only part-time, since she could barely find time to spare for her free time.
She wasn't someone who enjoyed going out to parties or clubs, unlike some of her close friends, but instead spending her free afternoons or evenings reading a good novel, baking or knitting.
Y/N was a kind and loving person, that's what many of her friends described her as. She was also very intelligent, creative and had a bubbly personality when with small groups of her friends.
She clutched tightly onto her bags that held all of her presents, as she sped walked in a panic state towards her car. "I hope he doesn't kill me." She muttered to herself as she got in her car, chucking the presents in the back seat, before turning the engine on and driving off.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
"The bloody hell is she?" Murmured the young man that waited just outside of the already busy coffee shop. He had looked down at his watch a couple of times to see just how late his friend was going to be, making him sigh heavily.
"S-Sorry I'm late!" He looked up, his bright green eyes spotting the wild hair of H/C rushing quickly towards him. Once his friend finally arrived just next to him, she took the time to finally catch her breathe.
"You're 10 minutes late Y/N." The man bluntly, his clear crisp British accent cutting the air to become more sour than Y/N expected it to of been.
"I-I... I know Arthur. I g-got caught in traffic." She breathed out heavily, the cold air drawing out her breathe in front of her. She met his eyes, keeping the eye contact as she continued, "I'm sorry."
Arthur saw the sincerity in her E/C eyes as he sighed heavily, letting out a brief chuckle. "I accept it love. Anyway, if you don't mind, I would like to get my arse inside before it freezes." Y/N giggled half-heartedly at her friend's honesty, since he was British and very sarcastic, she knew he didn't do it on purpose.
"Sure thing Artie." She linked arms with him as they entered the café, the small ding indicating their presence.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
"And the git left me outside for 15 minutes in the rain!" Y/N rolled her E/C eyes teasingly as the Brit rambled on about his story, "That's something typical of Alfred." She muttered, quietly sipping her coffee.
Arthur scoffed himself at the thought of his brother, "I tell you Y/N, I swear he gets it from Francis." He took a gulp of his earl grey. "Anyway, enough ranting about my life," he shifted to look at her from his side, "how have you been love?"
She paused, not expecting her friend to suddenly ask about how she had been. She quickly settled her cup on the table, "G-Good. I mean, lately, it's been tiring. My parents have been worrying more about me than ever before." She softly chuckled at the fond memory.
"I-I'm also seeing Lukas and his brothers this weekend. They promised me I could stay over for a couple of days, since the last time I saw them was at Mathias' birthday. And that was back in June." She lightly tapped on the table with her fingernails.
Arthur nodded himself, "Well, tell Lukas I said Hello. And his brothers. God, I don't know how that man manages to live with all of them. Especially that Dane." Arthur said, making Y/N smile herself. "Yeah, the same here."
The two didn't say anything for a while, listening contently to the sounds of people talking in the background, the strong smell of ground coffee brought calmness to Y/N and in soothing her usual stressed out state.
"Y/N." She looked up surprised, meeting Arthur's worried green eyes, "I heard from someone that you had been stressed out. Over college, am I correct?" He asked. Y/N slowly nodded, fidgeting with her hands, "Who told you that?"
"I-I can't exactly say." he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. She thought for a while, thinking of the many different people she was friends with. "It was Michelle{1}, wasn't it?" She asked. Arthur grew quiet, a trait that Y/N learnt that meant that he was correct.
"A-And I might've told the others." He mumbled. Y/N almost dropped her cup to the ground from hearing that news, "W-Who? Arthur tell me!" She quietly pleaded, gaining a few looks from other customers.
The Brit sighed in defeat, "Lukas and Tino." Y/N sighed shakily, running a hand through her H/C locks, "T-That's why they want me to come over! So then they can just baby me." She muttered angrily.
Arthur awkwardly patted her shoulder in a way of calming her down, "Love, they're worried about you. We all are." He said, "J-Just... see it as a way of relaxing for a couple of days." He said.
Y/N contemplated on the thought, "I'm 20 years old Artie, not 5." She said as Arthur shook his head, "I know that. But we need you to just take a break for once. Please Y/N. Just a day or two and we'll leave it be." He faced her properly, "You haven't been the same since starting college, we just want to know that you're okay." He replied humbly.
Y/N rubbed the side of her head, a small headache already beginning to grow, "Fine, I'll take a few days off." She replied to the Brit. Arthur smiled sincerely, something that was so rare of him, "Thank you Y/N. I appreciate it."
"I know Artie. I know." She said as the two paid and left the shop shortly after.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
By the time Y/N got back to her apartment, it was around early afternoon, meaning that she had enough time to finish work and then relax for the rest of the evening. She finally took off her dreadful shoes, her feet feeling sore and painful, taking off her winter coat and placing it on the hanger, she walked inside her small living room.
"Typical of Michelle, telling everyone my problems. Sure, it means they care about me, which is nice. But I really don't need that." She placed her handbag and presents on the dining room table, before walking over to the sofa.
She almost leaped onto it, laying there motionlessly for a while before turning the TV on, watching whatever was on. She decided it would of been best to rest a while before starting work, but the sleep she was missing was beginning to slowly catch up.
"N-No... *yawn*... I n-need t-to go do s-some work." She was already feeling her eyes close as she quickly lost the will to stay awake, allowing sleep to take over.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
*Ring!*
*Ring!*
The sudden loud ring brought Y/N out of her sleep, making her nearly fall of her small sofa and onto the floor. "Urgh... the hell?" She rubbed her tired E/C eyes of the sleep that was still there as she looked briefly at the clock: 6:30pm.
"Great, so long for doing work." She told herself off, as she stood to her feet, the ringing from her home phone had stood as soon as she got towards it. "Sh*t." She looked down at the calls, "8 missed calls." She picked up the phone to look at the ID, recognising the numbers.
"Why on earth is the Nordic brothers calling me?" She pondered briefly, not even later did the phone begin to ring again, making her yelp, the loud clatter ringing along the walls as soon as it hit the wooden floor.
"Crap." She fumbled but managed to pick it up immediately. "Hello? Is anyone there? Hello??"
"Y/N?"
Y/N was taken back by the voice on the other end of the line. She recognised the voice, but she was surprised at how high pitched and softly-spoken it sounded. "Tino? Is that you? Are you okay? Why did you try to call me-"
"Y/N! You need to come over!" His voice sounded frantic and almost like a whisper. "T-Tino, I can't hear you. What's happening? Are the others okay?" You quickly asked you Finnish friend.
There was a sudden loud crash, followed by small shouts and something in the background of 'Lukas stop fighting Mathias.' followed by crying and small screams, "Tino?? Tino?! You there?!" You frantically called out for anyone.
The line was suddenly cut off, the small beeps indicating that the call got cut off. Y/N stood there for a few seconds, before quickly rushing around her apartment to get dressed and rush out in hopes that her friends were okay.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
The H/C haired female eventually got to the Nordic's house in under three minutes, since she tried her best to avoid traffic. She leapt out of her car, rushing towards the front door, knocking and ringing as many times as she could.
"Hello?? Tino? Lukas?? Anyone inside?" She feared the worse, a fire? A burglary? There was no coffee left??
She was almost thinking about calling the police or ambulance, before she remembered that they always kept a spare key under the rug. Hoping that she was correct, she flipped over the brown mat in front of her, as she saw the small key sitting there on the ground.
She didn't waste time opening the door, before running in, making it into the hallway. She thought everything looked the same, no broken glass, no blood, but she heard the loud noises coming towards the living room.
"Guys?" She asked, still no reply as she could only hear small and high pitched voices in the other room. She walked quickly towards the closed door, opening it to see something she was not expecting.
The five Scandinavian males were all there and alive, but instead of grown men, she was definitely not expecting young children there in their presence.
Yes, young children.
Y/N watched in utter surprise and bewilderment as she watched the scene that underwent by them: Lukas was somehow managing to choke Mathias on the ground, whilst the poor Dane tried to plead in his native tongue, Tino was frantically running around, whilst poor Berwald followed just behind, and little Emil was on the table- yes on the table- trying to get some liquorice from the help of Mr Puffin.
They all looked to of been transformed to the physical age of no older than 5, but they all looked to of been able to speak the same.
None of the three had even noticed Y/N's presence in their home either. So it was a startling surprise for them to of seen her just standing there. "What the hell is going on here?!" She suddenly shouted over them all, causing all disruption, screaming and shouting to a fast halt.
"Y/N!" Tino was the first to react, rushing over towards her, hugging her legs since he was so small."Y-Y/N!! H-Help me!" Mathias pleaded in aid as he was still being choked by the Norwegian man-I mean boy.
"Lukas, let go of Mathias please." The second Lukas let go of Mathias, the Dane managed to get up to his small feet, rushing towards Y/N, tears spluttering out of his blue eyes like a fountain.
"Y/N!" The poor child cried his eyes out, tears rushing down his cheeks as he clutched onto her jeans in comfort. Y/N was already bombarded by two small children that were already crying very loudly.
"Emil, you need to get off the table." She rushed towards the youngest of the bunch, who was now munching on a piece of liquorice. Y/N took away the sweets and picked the small Icelandic boy up and placed him on the floor and he immediately begun to cry.
Oh God, why. Y/N's stress levels were hitting the roof, as she now had three children crying, and she wasn't entirely sure if Berwald was going to join in either.
"G-Guys, please calm down." She pleaded herself as she knelt down in front of them. She wiped Tino's eyes first, then the other two, "I'm here now. It's o-okay." She hushed them as they finally begun to calm down.
She looked over at Norwegian, who was standing awfully close beside her, "Lukas, how did this h-happen?" She asked. "One of my spells went wrong." He said in his monotone voice, his dull purple eyes looking up into hers.
Y/N nodded her head of understanding, "When did this happen?" She asked. "H-He was m-making it this morning." Tino blubbered out quietly beside her. "I messed up on the spell when the stupid Dane came in a started to make a mess." Lukas continued, giving death glares towards Mathias, "W-What?! I w-was only trying to help!" He retorted.
Y/N rolled her E/C eyes tiredly, "Guys, I don't want to deal with this. Please just for once don't fight." The two didn't say anything after that, making Y/N smile softly in gratitude.
"Now, the only thing we have to think about is how we can break this spell." She said, "But how?" Tino asked, looking up with beady bright purple eyes, making Y/N's heart melt.
"I know." Lukas responded first, Y/N looked over at him, "I know some friends who can help me." He said, "Friends?" Mathias retorted in his arrogant ways, "The only friends you have are your trolls-ACK!" And not even a few minutes could go pass before Lukas was trying to strangle Mathias.
Y/N sighed heavily, standing in-between the two and pulling them gently apart. "Like I said, no fighting. If I have to baby-sit you all, then so be it." Lukas was about to open his mouth, but quickly shut it.
"But that means that you all follow the rules I make."
And immediately everyone groaned in protest.