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Faux Paw	By : Florville Category: +G to L > Hetalia: Axis Powers Views: 3287 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The Monkey's Paw is property of WW Jacobs, and I only reference it in passing. Hetalia does not belong to me, and I do not make any money off the writing of this fanfiction.

Chapter List
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This chapter goes out to Compa 16 for being the first person to review my crazy whacked out new fic, and to my friend Inu because she was supposed to get the dedication on the next chapter of Dominant Nation, and it doesn't look like that'll be coming any time soon.

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Canada was having trouble getting used to the fact that his field of vision was not only incredibly expansive, but that he also had an annoying blind spot right between his eyes, so he had to turn his head slightly to watch Arthur out of one eye as the Englishman spoke.

Matthew’s ears pinned back in chagrin when he realised that Arthur recognized him, and he hung his head sheepishly for a moment in preparation for a scolding.

Then it suddenly dawned on him…Arthur had recognized him.

Ears pricked forward as Matthew’s head shot up, and a gleeful whinny escaped his throat. You knew it was me!!

“Of course I knew it was you, you silly sod, who else would turn into a unicorn with a great big white maple leaf on the forehead?!” Arthur snapped. “Now, I demand you change back at once!”

Oh…I…you see, it wasn’t…I didn’t think it would work, that’s the only reason I actually did it!!

One of Arthur’s green eyes narrowed slightly and he crossed his arms over his chest. “Didn’t think what would work?” He watched Matthew fidget, tapping his index finger against the crook of his elbow. “Come on, out with it, lad.”

Matthew shifted from hoof to hoof, then began to search around. The…monkey paw. I thought it was just a story, how was I supposed to know it would turn me into something magical?!

Arthur groaned and buried his face in his hands. “I knew it. Neither of my boys has a sodding lick of good sense,” he muttered, then dropped his hands and glared at the mythical creature before him. “There was a MORAL in that story, and put simply, it was that you should never wish on a bleedin’ monkey’s paw!!”

The unicorn flinched, his head and ears drooping as he ceased his search, doleful blue eyes turning back to where Arthur was standing. I’m sorry. I just figured that I had nothing to lose, so…

Sighing, Arthur began to search around, cradling his injured hand against his chest, as it was beginning to throb with his rising stress level. “Well, what did you wish for, that it did this to you? Wanted to be better with horses or magic or something? Wanted to curl up with a virgin, maybe?”

I did not! Matthew protested, stamping a hoof and then sagging again. I…wished that I would stop being invisible to you.

Arthur paused, looking up from where he’d been patting around under his desk. He was quiet for a long time, then grunted. “So the paw turned you into something only I can see…a magical creature. Tough luck on that…well, let’s find the paw so we can get you back to normal, then!”

Yeah…I’ll get right on that, Matthew replied dejectedly, I just can’t wait to go back to being invisible like I was before. Hooray.

“Don’t get stroppy with me, young man,” England scolded, straightening up again. “Surely you can’t want to stay in that form, going through life with only one person in the entire world who’s able to see you?”

As long as it’s the one person who matters to me, then yes! Canada replied, his psychic tone tense with frustration.

There was a moment of silence before Matthew realised what he’d said and backed up a few steps, while Arthur simply sat there, blinking at him in surprise.

“You…would seriously go through the rest of your life like that, for the sole purpose of me being able to see you all the time?” Arthur murmured, thick brows knitted together in puzzlement.

Canada sighed, looking towards the window. Is it really that surprising?

“You’d never be able to talk to Francis, or Alfred…or your Boss,” Arthur added this last as an indicator of the impracticality of Canada’s wish.

I would never be called “America” again. I’d never get scolded or yelled at in his place because of something stupid he’s done to upset you, the unicorn added, gazing sadly out at Arthur’s garden. You’d see me, and know it was me, instead of mistaking me for somebody else or simply not noticing me at all.

England was silent for a long time, then noticed something and stepped forward. “It’s…under your back hoof. There, lift it carefully,” Arthur muttered, moving over to where Matthew was standing. It didn’t take very close inspection to realise the paw had been trampled beyond repair, probably during Matthew’s earlier fright upon realising that he’d been transformed.

I’m sorry! I…I don’t have the hang of this body yet, I didn’t know, came the frantic apology as Canada shifted his back end, jumping in fright when he bumped right into the bookcase and sent several books toppling off the shelf.

“Oi, stand still!” Arthur barked, then sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “There’s more than one way to transform someone. Stay put, and try not to knock anything else down,” he instructed, murmuring a summoning word and drawing his wand from thin air. “Right, let’s get this curse reversed, shall we?”

England murmured a spell in a flowing dialect that was older than any Canada had ever heard, and he watched as Arthur lowered the end of the wand to the tip of his nose. There was a blinding flare of sparks and a sudden burst of cursing, and when Matthew could see properly again, it was still in that same expansive field as before, and England was on his knees tearing the smoldering bandages from his hand.

“Bloody ‘ell, that hurt!!” Arthur growled, grimacing when he saw the second degree burns forming on the skin.

Arthur?

“What?” he snapped, glaring at Canada peevishly, although he tensed when he saw a very sharp golden horn at his eye level. “Wait, what are you doing?”

I saw my reflection in the glass window. I saw what I am…I believe this will work, he said by way of explanation as he closed his eyes and touched the tip of his horn to Arthur’s hand. I believe I can do this… He envisioned England’s hand healing in his mind, looking as it had before, when he’d been watching him sorting through some papers at the last World Meeting.

England went quiet, deciding to allow the boy to try. It was a sweet sentiment, although he wasn’t sure it would work at all. However, when Matthew lifted his head again, not only were the burns nowhere to be seen, but all of the pain from the previous injury and the cuts from the broken glass were gone as well, healed flawlessly without a trace of scarring.

“Well, I never,” Arthur breathed, flexing his hand and inspecting it carefully to ascertain that no, it was not an illusion, but miraculous healing. “Percy never could get the hang of such a thing…I wonder why it’s possible for you to do it?”

Maybe it has to be given without you asking for it? Matthew ventured, nuzzling England’s hair and allowing him to use a hold on his mane to help himself to his feet. Or perhaps the unicorn in question needs to care very deeply about the person he’s healing, and want him not to be in pain with all his heart? He averted his gaze shyly when he realised how that must have sounded, shifting nervously from hoof to hoof.

Arthur smiled a little in spite of his own feelings of awkwardness at Matthew’s outright honesty, shaking his head and patting the equine’s shoulder. “You really ought to be more guarded, lad, or you’ll get hurt one of these days,” he muttered softly.

What do you mean? Matthew queried as he turned his head back, surprised when Arthur leaned against him and nuzzled his face into his neck. If he’d been in his human form, he most definitely would have been blushing.

“You’re too honest…wearing your heart on your sleeve like that makes it easier for people to break it, you know.”

Matthew draped his head over Arthur’s shoulder, his chin resting against the Brit’s middle back. I’m only like this with you, Sir…and you’re careful enough.

England snorted, soaking up the warmth radiating from Matthew’s large form, losing himself in it for a moment before realising that he was essentially cuddling with the younger nation and tensing. Slipping out from under Canada’s neck, England cleared his throat and motioned toward the door, where Kumajirou had just wandered back in and curled up on the wing backed chair as if nothing were amiss. “Anyway, until I can figure out how to change you back, let’s get you situated in the stable, shall we?”

You’re going to put me in a stable? Came the dubious reply, and Matthew remained where he was standing, regarding Arthur uncertainly through one eye.

“Not A stable, MY stable,” England assured him. “It’s well-kept, and a warm place for you to sleep, as I doubt you’d fit in any of my beds the way you are now.”

Oh… Matthew inspected himself as Arthur bent down to pick up his magic wand, following him to the door. But…how will I get down the stairs?

Arthur paused in the hallway, grimacing and putting a hand to his forehead. “Bollocks, I’d forgotten about that…and if you break a leg in that form, you’re pretty much done for.” Sighing, he looked at his wand for a moment, then shrugged a shoulder. “I could try a simple transport spell…since I’m not interfering with the magic from the paw, I don’t think it will backfire like it did before.”

Before Matthew could say a word of protest, Arthur had given a flick of his wrist, and he was looking up at him from the lower floor.

“As I thought,” England murmured as he slipped his wand back into the pocket dimension he usually stored it in, “I can’t undo the magic of the wish, but any other spells seem fine.”

Does that mean I’ll be a unicorn forever? Matthew queried, following England out the front door and hopping off the porch to land on the grassy lawn.

Arthur froze on the top step, his fuzzy brows knitting together as he averted his gaze and mumbled something he thought Canada wouldn’t be able to hear.

“I hope not.”
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Faux Paw