For Each Ecstatic Instant (5a/10)
anonymous
January 10 2010, 09:47:23 UTC
“Alfred, may I ask you something?”
America looked over at Lithuania, smiling. “Sure, Toris. Shoot.”
Lithuania hesitated a moment. He looked down at the thin, dirt path they were following through America’s back garden, watching ants scatter under their shoes. “Alfred, why did you come to rescue me?”
America stopped and stared at him, eyes wide and mouth open. He seemed completely caught off guard, and Lithuania quickly wished he could take back the question, no matter how much it had been eating away at the back of his brain.
America looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets and shrugging. “That’s a stupid question, Toris. You were in trouble. I mean, Russia was… he’s unstable. He would’ve really hurt you if you hadn’t gotten out of there. I hadn’t heard from you in a long while, I knew you were in trouble. I just helped. It’s what anyone would’ve done.”
Lithuania didn’t would have liked to have left the issue there, but something dark inside himself compelled him to continue, “But, well, you’re the one who did it. I suppose, what I mean is, why then and not… before?”
There was a pause. A bird Lithuania couldn’t identify screamed from faraway. “He might have killed you,” America said finally. He didn’t look at Lithuania as he added. “I should’ve helped you earlier.”
“You did,” Lithuania said immediately. The unwonted remorse in America’s voice was unnerving. Lithuania regretted ever bringing it out, and wanted to make it go away as fast as possible.
America shook his head. “Not enough.”
Lithuania wasn’t sure what to say that would assuage America’s guilt. Finally, he decided to simply go with exactly what he had felt over those many years, expressed as nearly as it could be in words. “It was enough for me.”
That worked. America somber expression was dissipated by a small smile that filled Lithuania with elation instantly.
“I missed you,” he said simply.
“So did I,” Lithuania responded.
America laughed and sped up a bit, and Lithuania had to jog to catch up to him, before he disappeared around a large pink rose bush.
“How are you liking the book?” America asked, clearly changing the subject.
Lithuania went along. “A lot. There are some wonderful poems in there.”
“You can have it if you like.” America looked over his shoulder at Lithuania, grinning happily.
“I couldn’t-”
“Oh, I’ve read each of those a hundred times. You’d get way more out of it than I will. Take it.”
America looked over at Lithuania, smiling. “Sure, Toris. Shoot.”
Lithuania hesitated a moment. He looked down at the thin, dirt path they were following through America’s back garden, watching ants scatter under their shoes. “Alfred, why did you come to rescue me?”
America stopped and stared at him, eyes wide and mouth open. He seemed completely caught off guard, and Lithuania quickly wished he could take back the question, no matter how much it had been eating away at the back of his brain.
America looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets and shrugging. “That’s a stupid question, Toris. You were in trouble. I mean, Russia was… he’s unstable. He would’ve really hurt you if you hadn’t gotten out of there. I hadn’t heard from you in a long while, I knew you were in trouble. I just helped. It’s what anyone would’ve done.”
Lithuania didn’t would have liked to have left the issue there, but something dark inside himself compelled him to continue, “But, well, you’re the one who did it. I suppose, what I mean is, why then and not… before?”
There was a pause. A bird Lithuania couldn’t identify screamed from faraway. “He might have killed you,” America said finally. He didn’t look at Lithuania as he added. “I should’ve helped you earlier.”
“You did,” Lithuania said immediately. The unwonted remorse in America’s voice was unnerving. Lithuania regretted ever bringing it out, and wanted to make it go away as fast as possible.
America shook his head. “Not enough.”
Lithuania wasn’t sure what to say that would assuage America’s guilt. Finally, he decided to simply go with exactly what he had felt over those many years, expressed as nearly as it could be in words. “It was enough for me.”
That worked. America somber expression was dissipated by a small smile that filled Lithuania with elation instantly.
“I missed you,” he said simply.
“So did I,” Lithuania responded.
America laughed and sped up a bit, and Lithuania had to jog to catch up to him, before he disappeared around a large pink rose bush.
“How are you liking the book?” America asked, clearly changing the subject.
Lithuania went along. “A lot. There are some wonderful poems in there.”
“You can have it if you like.” America looked over his shoulder at Lithuania, grinning happily.
“I couldn’t-”
“Oh, I’ve read each of those a hundred times. You’d get way more out of it than I will. Take it.”
Reply
Leave a comment