Luciole [part 8/??]
anonymous
December 9 2009, 22:59:37 UTC
It isn’t long before Taiwan notices something feels wrong with her body. Eight weeks later, and she can not deny the significance of her symptoms, the nausea and weight gain and mood swings and bizarre food cravings. She has been around long enough to know that nations simply do not beget other nations like humans do, so she confirms her state, several times, before making the dreaded call.
“France, if you get this message, please, please, come see me as soon as you can, I’m sorry to bother you, but it is important, and I need to talk to you. Goodbye.”
Then, and only then, Taiwan starts to cry.
He does come to Taiwan, almost immediately after he checked his voice messages and requested a vacation from his boss, and the worry he feels only increases during the taxi ride to her home in the outskirts of Taipei. When France knocks on the door, calling out Taiwan’s name softly, she flies out and throws her arms about him.
“Ma cherie, what is the problem? How can I help you?”
Through tears and sniffles, Taiwan reveals that she is possibly, most likely, pregnant with his child. France blinks and gapes at her in confusion, starts to say something, shuts his mouth, and starts again.
“I do not want to doubt a woman’s intuition, but this sort of thing is… it is impossible, Taiwan.”
“Well, I didn’t want it to happen either!” she snaps back heatedly. Taking a deep shuddering breath, she continues, “But… let us say that I really am pregnant. What do we do?”
“The first thing we are going to do… is sit down and get something to drink and eat.”
France steers her carefully towards the kitchen, and he makes her sit at the table, quickly brewing some tea and finding some biscuits to eat. Finally, Taiwan seems to have calmed down and France gently broaches the subject again.
“What do you want to do?”
“I… can’t keep the baby,” Taiwan murmurs. “I am too young, I would make a terrible mother, I just… can’t do it.”
“And… the other options?”
She stares at him and then shakes her head miserably, wringing her hands within her sleeves. “I am even more afraid.”
“Then don’t even think of it,” France whispers, reaching out to pat her soothingly on her back. “I am here now, dearest, and I will help you and the baby. You are not alone.”
“Honestly, I would have never expected it of you,” Taiwan says at last, smiling slightly.
“Ah, I even surprise myself sometimes.” France sighs, and then declares that their child will at least be incredibly good looking, to her amusement.
That night, France stays with her instead of at a hotel, and she is grateful for his comforting presence in her bed. Taiwan watches him doze off as she gradually tries to relax, her mind too full of racing thoughts for her to fall asleep right away.
“Hmm?” France mumbles, blinking sleepily. “Are you still awake, Taiwan?”
“Ah, I am sorry, I can’t stop worrying. A-am I keeping you up?”
He yawns and stretches, then winks at her suggestively. “Yes, but now that I am awake, I feel obliged to help you relax before I can go back to sleep.”
“You are so considerate, France,” she whispers back, before he leans over and kisses her tenderly.
Luciole [part 9/9]
anonymous
December 9 2009, 23:11:21 UTC
With France’s help, Taiwan attempts to put her life into order, taking things one step at a time. The worst part was informing her older brother of her pregnancy, and China is stunned by the news, showing only a brief flare of anger at France - the intruder, the traitor - before retreating back into a state of polite disbelief. China senses that the pregnancy was unexpected, yet he fears that this partnership, despite its outward innocence, could result in even more unrest between him and Taiwan. However, Taiwan tells him that he would be an uncle soon, and he mulls over that thought, slightly mollified.
“Aiyaa… you know how my leaders would feel about this, mei-mei. But… as your brother, I am happy for you.”
“Thank you, brother.”
Japan and Korea look thunderstruck when they are told some weeks later, and Vietnam is noticeably torn between delight for her sister and fury at France, of whom she could believe anything terrible. After a brief awkward silence, they suddenly ply Taiwan with questions, how long before she is due, what will she name the child, etcetera, and she laughs nervously and tries her best to answer them. At her side, France squeezes her fingers gently, and she soldiers on, accepting their well-wishes with solemn grace, promises them news as often as she could.
Even though it is supposed to be unofficial, France still buys her a ring, white gold with an array of tiny sparkling diamonds. It is prettier than the arms he once promised to her government, Taiwan decides, and she kisses his cheek in thanks.
The implications of their closeness do not go unnoticed at the next conference, and Holland and England decide that they will beat up France later, so as to not disturb Taiwan’s delicate constitution.
But it is when elderly grandmothers and independent young women alike smile at her on the streets and wish her the best with her pregnancy, that she realizes how much a small part of her misses the sound of a baby’s laughter, a lover’s arms around her, all that could help fill up the emptiness she created in her struggle to overcome her status as a nation-state and prove her worth on the world stage. She had not expected to be a mother, yet it was not unwanted. When she tells France this later, he looks at her affectionately.
“Love has a way of teaching us what we do not want to know, but should.”
“...Do you know how obnoxious you sound when you are right?”
[Sorry for the lame ending, I had no more ideas. But I hope you enjoyed it, my first time writing an Asian or het, so I probably bumbled a lot. Taiwan is not officially recognized as a nation by France (or nearly any European country), but the two do have a fairly significant history of unofficial economic and culture ties. The final paragraphs were based on the recent article on Taiwan's low birthrate, which is the lowest in the world.]
“France, if you get this message, please, please, come see me as soon as you can, I’m sorry to bother you, but it is important, and I need to talk to you. Goodbye.”
Then, and only then, Taiwan starts to cry.
He does come to Taiwan, almost immediately after he checked his voice messages and requested a vacation from his boss, and the worry he feels only increases during the taxi ride to her home in the outskirts of Taipei. When France knocks on the door, calling out Taiwan’s name softly, she flies out and throws her arms about him.
“Ma cherie, what is the problem? How can I help you?”
Through tears and sniffles, Taiwan reveals that she is possibly, most likely, pregnant with his child. France blinks and gapes at her in confusion, starts to say something, shuts his mouth, and starts again.
“I do not want to doubt a woman’s intuition, but this sort of thing is… it is impossible, Taiwan.”
“Well, I didn’t want it to happen either!” she snaps back heatedly. Taking a deep shuddering breath, she continues, “But… let us say that I really am pregnant. What do we do?”
“The first thing we are going to do… is sit down and get something to drink and eat.”
France steers her carefully towards the kitchen, and he makes her sit at the table, quickly brewing some tea and finding some biscuits to eat. Finally, Taiwan seems to have calmed down and France gently broaches the subject again.
“What do you want to do?”
“I… can’t keep the baby,” Taiwan murmurs. “I am too young, I would make a terrible mother, I just… can’t do it.”
“And… the other options?”
She stares at him and then shakes her head miserably, wringing her hands within her sleeves. “I am even more afraid.”
“Then don’t even think of it,” France whispers, reaching out to pat her soothingly on her back. “I am here now, dearest, and I will help you and the baby. You are not alone.”
“Honestly, I would have never expected it of you,” Taiwan says at last, smiling slightly.
“Ah, I even surprise myself sometimes.” France sighs, and then declares that their child will at least be incredibly good looking, to her amusement.
That night, France stays with her instead of at a hotel, and she is grateful for his comforting presence in her bed. Taiwan watches him doze off as she gradually tries to relax, her mind too full of racing thoughts for her to fall asleep right away.
“Hmm?” France mumbles, blinking sleepily. “Are you still awake, Taiwan?”
“Ah, I am sorry, I can’t stop worrying. A-am I keeping you up?”
He yawns and stretches, then winks at her suggestively. “Yes, but now that I am awake, I feel obliged to help you relax before I can go back to sleep.”
“You are so considerate, France,” she whispers back, before he leans over and kisses her tenderly.
Reply
“Aiyaa… you know how my leaders would feel about this, mei-mei. But… as your brother, I am happy for you.”
“Thank you, brother.”
Japan and Korea look thunderstruck when they are told some weeks later, and Vietnam is noticeably torn between delight for her sister and fury at France, of whom she could believe anything terrible. After a brief awkward silence, they suddenly ply Taiwan with questions, how long before she is due, what will she name the child, etcetera, and she laughs nervously and tries her best to answer them. At her side, France squeezes her fingers gently, and she soldiers on, accepting their well-wishes with solemn grace, promises them news as often as she could.
Even though it is supposed to be unofficial, France still buys her a ring, white gold with an array of tiny sparkling diamonds. It is prettier than the arms he once promised to her government, Taiwan decides, and she kisses his cheek in thanks.
The implications of their closeness do not go unnoticed at the next conference, and Holland and England decide that they will beat up France later, so as to not disturb Taiwan’s delicate constitution.
But it is when elderly grandmothers and independent young women alike smile at her on the streets and wish her the best with her pregnancy, that she realizes how much a small part of her misses the sound of a baby’s laughter, a lover’s arms around her, all that could help fill up the emptiness she created in her struggle to overcome her status as a nation-state and prove her worth on the world stage. She had not expected to be a mother, yet it was not unwanted. When she tells France this later, he looks at her affectionately.
“Love has a way of teaching us what we do not want to know, but should.”
“...Do you know how obnoxious you sound when you are right?”
[Sorry for the lame ending, I had no more ideas. But I hope you enjoyed it, my first time writing an Asian or het, so I probably bumbled a lot. Taiwan is not officially recognized as a nation by France (or nearly any European country), but the two do have a fairly significant history of unofficial economic and culture ties. The final paragraphs were based on the recent article on Taiwan's low birthrate, which is the lowest in the world.]
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment