Birdie and the Beast

Chapter 9: Transformations

Matthew wept over Gilbert's limp body. His heartbeat had not stopped and neither had his breath, but both were slowing.

Francis, Arthur, Antonio, and Lovino looked sadly at each other and at the dead cornflower, knowing they were doomed to remain enchanted for the rest of their lives.

The rain continued to fall, yet as it fell, it began sparkling in shades of blue and pink, scattering light onto the balcony. Matthew looked up from Gilbert's chest and gasped in amazement when he saw the magical rain. He felt Gilbert's body shift from underneath him and Matthew withdrew from Gilbert as his body began to rise from the ground. Gilbird took flight and settled on Matthew shoulder as if frightened by what was going on.

Tentatively, Matthew reached out to touch the rain and one of the falling lights hit his hand. It stung a little and Matthew was astonished to see the small cuts on his hand had healed.

Eyes wide in wonder, Matthew watched as Gilbert floated in the midst of the rain, his cloak swirling around him. Then, Gilbert's body emitted a bright golden glow that almost blinded Matthew. Mist drifted up from the ground, hiding Gilbert from view.

A few moments later, the mist cleared and the rain returned to normal. Matthew saw a figure wrapped in Gilbert's cloak descend slowly to the ground as if sinking through water. Matthew inched forward toward the cloaked person but it moved and Matthew backed away.

A very naked young man lay in the folds of the cloak, curled in a fetal position. The moonlight gave his pale skin an almost pearly glow and Matthew's eyes automatically traced the curves of the body and the lean muscles moving under transluscent skin as the man struggled to get up.

The man gasped aloud when he saw his hands, and looked at his feet. He grabbed a foot and wiggled his toes as if to make sure they were real. He finally turned around to reveal that the man was extremely handsome, with bright red eyes and hair as white as snow even though the man was only about two years older than Matthew.

"Birdie!" the man exclaimed, his voice rough and familiar. He threw his arms around Matthew, a broad grin on his face. "It's me!"

"H-huh?" a flabbergasted Matthew stuttered as he backed away from the man. Matthew's eyes and ears were telling him one thing, but his logic and mind was telling him another. It couldn't be Gilbert; he had been dying in Matthew's arms just moments ago. And yet…

Stepping toward the man again, Matthew uncertainly touched his white hair, exactly like Gilbert's fur in color and feel. His face shared some features with Gilbert, but the most telling detail were his eyes, which were precisely the same shade of red as Gilbert's.

The voice, the hair, the way he acted, and his eyes, left little doubt in Matthew's mind. Gilbird flew around the two, and chirped before settling in the man's hair erasing all doubts. Gilbird only did that for one person.

"Vhat? Can't stop looking at my awesomeness?" Gilbert smirked. "Kesesesese," he laughed before Matthew almost knocked him over as he hugged him tightly, crying and laughing at the same time.

"Gilbert, it IS you! And you're naked… But how? I don't understand."

Gilbert smiled and returned the embrace. "Five years ago, I angered a vitch because I was not as awesome zhen as I am now. I refused to let her take shelter in my castle und she turned me into a beast. I could only break zhe spell if I could love somevone und be loved in return. Und you, Birdie, vere the only person awesome enough to love me back und free me despite how unawesome I looked."

"I don't care how you look, Gilbert, but things will be a little easier this way." Matthew told him before pulling him into a kiss. Gilbert responded and the two threw themselves passionately into the kiss before breaking apart for air. "Like that for instance. I couldn't do that when you didn't have lips."

Gilbert sneezed suddenly, startling both of them, making Matthew realized that Gilbert was wet from the rain. He picked up the cloak from the ground and wrapped it around Gilbert's shoulders.

"Danke. Ve should probably go inside though, ve're getting soaked and zhe rain hasn't stopped." The two hurried inside the West Wing, which had undergone a vast transformation, as well as the whole castle. The castle still retained its Gothic architecture but appeared newer and full of life. Much to their amazement and wonder, the dead cornflower had revived and was in full bloom. Four men, all of whom resembled the talking objects that Matthew had befriended, ran toward Matthew and Gilbert.

Francis, who had formerly been the candelabra, now had wavy blond hair and blue eyes and a little stubble on his chin. Arthur the former clock was a slightly shorter man with scruffy blond hair, green eyes, and thick eyebrows. Antonio was tanned with bright green eyes and curly brown hair. He was grinning at Lovino who was now a young man with hazel eyes and dark brown hair with an odd curl on the left side, similar to when he had been a coffee mug.

Lovino marched right up to Gilbert and as if the words were paining him said. "Thank you potato bastard for freeing us. And I hope you appreciate how much it hurt my pride to have to say that to you you damn jerk. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat some tomatoes for the first time in five years!"

"Hey wait for me mi tomate." Antonio called as he hurried after him.

"Don't call me that!"

"But you look just like a tomato when you blush!"

Matthew shook his head with a smile and turned back to Gilbert. "YOU need to put on some clothes."

"Vhat? I vas was valking around vith my five meters hanging out for five years und you never minded."

Matthew rolled his eyes. "That's because you were covered in fur."

"Fine."

The two walked out of the West Wing holding hands leaving Francis and Arthur behind.

"Ah, la'amore." Francis sighed, before seeing Arthur beginning to walk away, leaving Francis free to check out his ass. "Ohonhonhonhon."

"FRANCIS!" Arthur yelped when he felt a hand grab his butt. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just reminding you zat I'm 'ere…and we're both human…" Francis winked, and Arthur blushed furiously.

"What about Michelle?"

"She was merely a fling. Arthur, no one will 'ere for a while."

"Frog." Arthur grumbled in an almost affectionate tone.

"Limey." Francis returned smoothly before kissing Arthur's cheek.

And then the two commenced doing unspeakable things to each other that would leave their lower halves aching for hours afterwards.

Many things happened over the next few days. The servants began getting used to being human again and not being afraid of setting curtains on fire by touching them or breaking if they fell.

The castle had been transported back to its rightful place in Gilbert's country (fortunately Alfred and Kumajiro had been in the castle grounds at the time). Kumajiro still never remembered Matthew, but he didn't mind. Alfred eventually befriended an alien but people were still skeptical about his claims. Gilbert was finally reunited with his brother Ludwig, and Ludwig's husband, Feliciano, a hyper Italian who happened to be Lovino's brother. Lovino was not happy when he found out his brother was married to "the damn potato eater's fratello."

Much to Gilbert's surprise, Matthew was the one who proposed to him. The two were married in a relatively small ceremony (and even then some people had a hard time remembering one of the grooms' name).

But Matthew and Gilbert didn't mind. As long as they had each other, they would live happily ever after through all of life's difficulties.

And do you know what? They did.