[fanfic] Harsh Realization
Title: Harsh Realization
Part: SUPER SHORT One-Shot (SSOS…sauce?)
Characters: OCPhilippines, Australia, Bente’s Leste, Spain, Vietnam, & extended family etc.
Pairings: Piri x Aussie(?)
Warnings: PG-13, Randomness, OC Warning, Un-betaed Mind Dribble
Summary: She was older than Leste. Years…no, centuries older. So why did a child-nation who’s idea of fun was climbing the shoulders of a continent-nation figure it out before her? Brown hair. Green eyes. Sun-kissed tan skin. Odd affinity for smaller, angry creatures? Oh, Lord, she was seeing her FATHER in AUSTRALIA.
Preview:
“Ate…Ate, my mind is melting! I’ve finally lost it!”
“…,” Vietnam narrowed her eyes and pressed her phone closer to her head. “Calm down. Take a deep breath.”
“Okay…,” a shaking voice replied on the line.
“Good…now what’s the problem?” the older female nation asked.
“He looks like Papa!”
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Harsh Realization
.one-shot.
By DamageCtrl
*All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own anything other than the plot. Even then, it’s not that creative.
.oOo.____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo.
She leaned against the doorway of her dirty kitchen, her brown eyes settled contentedly on the man who had volunteered to water her flowers after he noticed how busy she was. No, it wasn’t Alfred, who had begrudgingly been dragged by her brother to the bakery at the end of the street to pick up some pan de sal for meryenda.
Rather, it was Alfred’s brother. Alfred’s undeniably attractive and currently shirtless brother.
Maria didn’t know how long she was standing there with her shoulder pressed against the wooden doorway. She had gone out to check on him when she heard him yelp. Her hose wasn’t working perfectly and she had forgotten to tell him. By the time she remembered, he was standing on her cement walkway with his beige, buttoned up shirt drenched.
She had apologized and told him to forget about watering the plants, but he had merely unbuttoned his shirt and asked her to hang it up for him.
“It’s hot here, it’ll be dry in no time, love,” he assured her with a brilliant smile. She had continued apologizing as she rushed over to pin it to the clothesline on the other side of the yard. She had quickly prepared a snack for him - just some Tang and a banana - it was all she could fine until her brother and Alfred returned.
Then she saw him. His tan skin glistening with water from the hose as he stood in front of various clay pots with his thumb positioned carefully over the mouth of the hose to control the flow. She could make out every lean, taunt section of muscle beneath his smooth, sun-kissed skin. For someone who had a reputation for wandering the outdoors and having a perpetual bandage on his nose, the rest of his body was virtually flawless.
Her eyes raked down his fit figure, taking in the sight. His toned arms…his large hands…those muscles over his stomach and the shadows of his pelvis that led her eyes right down to the hem of his pants, the dark hairs faintly creeping up his abdomen, and the dark brown leather belt that kept the pants up.
A pink tongue darted from between her lips and ran across to moisten them. Maria looked down lower, admiring the way his relatively loose pants hung on his frame. He probably had a firm butt, just like rest of his finely sculpted body. She suddenly wished the pants were tighter…or better yet, she wished they had gotten wet, too. God, that would’ve been perfect.
He wasn’t wearing an undershirt or tank top beneath his buttoned up shirt. Maria felt her breath catch in her throat. Her eyes fell to his khaki clad midsection. Perhaps the same went for what was underneath his pants…
A small voice suddenly sounded beside her. “Ate Ria?” She felt a tug on the bottom of her shirt. “What are you doing with that banana?”
The older nation froze. Her eyes widened and focused on to the unpeeled fruit she was holding firmly with one hand while her tongue was paused halfway up it’s curve. Maria could feel her entire body heating up with embarrassment as carefully drew the banana away with a shaking hand.
“I…uh…,” she stammered nervously as her eyes quickly darted back out to her garden. She thanked God that Aussie was still watering her plants, oblivious to what she had been doing to the no-longer-innocent banana.
Leste wrinkled her nose. “It’s not a popsicle, Ate Ria,” the child informed her. Maria smiled weakly.
“Right!” she said, her face still tinted red. “I was just thinking about that! A popsicle!” She didn’t know whether or not she was happy or horrified that it was Leste who caught her. She quickly bit into the banana before any more questions were asked. “So,” she said with her mouth stuffed. “Did you need something, Leste?”
Leste wrinkled her nose once more and frowned. “Grandpa Tonio and Mr. Arthur got into an argument while Mr. Arthur was telling me a story,” Leste said tiredly. She looked down at the floor.
Maria frowned. “Did Mr. Arthur finish telling you a story?”
Leste shook her head. “No, and it was supposed to be for my nap!” she pouted, clearly irritated and hurt that they had forgotten about her story.
The older female nation’s lips were turned into a disapproving frown. She tossed the remains of the banana into the trash bin and extended her hand to the child. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go talk to them and find out what the meaning of this is.”
“Tell them to be quiet, too,” Leste nodded as she took Maria’s hand and followed her into the house. “I can’t sleep if they’re yelling at each other.”
“Grown nations…,” Maria grumbled under her breath. Honestly, sometimes her father was a completely different man from the one who raised her whenever Arthur and competition were involved.
She led Leste into the living room where two men were standing on either side of the coffee table, glaring each other down. Their snacks, comfy seats, and the thin blanket and pillow on the big couch where Leste was scheduled to take her nap were completely forgotten.
“It is not a stupid book, Inglaterra!” Antonio barked back. “It is a classic story!”
“He fights a bloody windmill!” Arthur shouted in response. “What kind of a hero goes insane and mistakes a windmill for a giant!”
“Oh yeah!?” Antonio retorted as he lifted his chin. Maria rolled her eyes at the sight. “Your most favorite writer liked little boys!”
“Oh, now that’s calling the kettle black!”
Maria looked back down at Leste, with a drained and defeated expression. “Anak, let’s just go upstairs, okay?” she suggested weakly. “You can sleep in my room. It’s the quietest.”
Leste took a step back from the living room and the terrifying scene inside. She nodded her head and followed Maria towards the stairs. Even as they climbed, they could hear the two ‘adult’ nations yelling at each other.
As they made their way down the hall, the voices began to die down. Leste allowed herself a yawn as they reached Maria’s room. The older nation opened the door and Leste pulled her hand from hers and headed for the bed in the center of the room.
She kicked off her slippers and climbed on to the bed.
“Do you want a blanket?”
“No,” Leste said as she situated herself in the very center of the bed and fluffed the pillow behind her. “Ate Ria,” she began innocently. Maria had her back to the child and was turning on the air conditioner.
“What is it?”
“Aussie doesn’t really look like his dad,” Leste pointed out as she lay down on the bed.
Maria nodded her head absentmindedly. “Well, he does have Arthur’s brows and his green eyes.”
“Yeah, but his hair is darker,” Leste pointed out. “And Mr. Arthur is so pale….”
Maria muffled a small snort. The air conditioner was quietly humming and she turned back to Leste. “Yes, I’m afraid he turns red in the sun.”
“That sounds painful,” Leste replied. Maria sat on the edge of the bed, right beside the child and leaned back against the headboard to make sure Leste fell asleep. The child rolled over on her stomach. “Aussie’s tan, like Grandpa Tonio.”
“Well, you know Aussie is out in the sun all the time-”
“And his hair is almost Grandpa Tonio’s color,” the child added.
Maria nodded her head. “That’s true, although I’d say it’s a bit lighter-”
“And he also has green eyes,” Leste yawned. Her eyes felt heavy with sleep. “Aussie looks more like Grandpa than Mister….” Her quiet voice trailed off into even breathing, signaling that she had fallen asleep.
Maria, on the other hand, had caught the child’s last sentence and sat frozen beside her. Slowly, her eyes crinkled up at the realization. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed it before.
She had always found Australia attractive. Perhaps she wasn’t head over heels in love with him - yet - but she wasn’t so blind as to not acknowledge his physical attributes. It was just that she never realized that those physical attributes were similar to her father’s.
.oOo.____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo.
She shut her window and, as an added measure, she pulled the curtains closed. The light of the setting sun still pierced her thin curtains, but at least no one would see her on the phone. As she gripped the small mobile device in her hand, she rushed back across the room to make sure the door was locked.
Leste was downstairs, planning her day for tomorrow. Luzon was supposed to come early the next morning and take her fishing. Arthur had been forced to return to a near-by hotel for the night and her father was helping Leste prepare Visaya’s old fishing pole for the next day’s use.
Her brother, Alfred, and Aussie were playing a video game and she had run upstairs to make a phone call. She had been jumpy all day and desperately needed to speak to someone. Someone who wasn’t male or had some sort of physical attribute she was attracted to. When she had a chance to slip away, she did so. She had been holding in her worries since Leste’s nap and needed to vent to someone.
Her fingers quickly found the number and she brought the phone to her ear just as it began ringing. Maria bit her lower lip an paced her room. Silently, she prayed for someone to pick up.
“Hello, Maria,” a female voice answered on the other line. Maria stopped her pacing and allowed the relief to flood her. Finally, someone she could talk to.
“Ate Vietnam, can you talk?” Maria asked quickly.
“Yes…,” the other female nation said curiously. She raised an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?”
Without warning, Maria unleashed the flood gates and began blabbering. “Ate…Ate, my mind is melting! I’ve finally lost it!”
“…,” Vietnam narrowed her eyes and pressed her phone closer to her head. “Calm down. Take a deep breath.”
“I…I am…,” a shaking voice replied on the line.
“Good…now what’s the problem?” the older female nation asked.
“He looks like Papa!”
Vietnam narrowed her eyes and slowly pulled the phone from her ear. She pursed her lips and shook her head before she moved the phone back to her ear. “I don’t understand,” she stated dully.
“What is there to understand!?” Maria demanded. “Ate, he looks like Papa!”
“Who is he?” Vietnam sighed at her sister’s incoherency. “And what’s the problem with that? Your father is a very attractive man.”
“He is Australia and…,” Maria’s voice trailed off and she stood up straight. “What did you just say about my father?” she asked as she narrowed her eyes.
On the other side of the phone, Vietnam let out a little cough and darted her eyes to the side. “Nothing,” she insisted. “Tell me what happened!” she added to try to steer away from her slip.
Maria chose to ignore the comment for the time being in favor of explaining herself. “Daniel is over with Leste-”
“You mean ‘the excuse’,” Vietnam grinned as she fell back against her sofa and crossed her legs.
“Shut up, Ate! He’s not using Leste as an excuse to come see me!” Maria flushed as she stomped her foot. “He’s just being nice!”
“Yes, ‘nice’,” her sister muttered knowingly. “So, how long as he been there, being ‘nice’?” she asked smoothly.
Maria felt her face heat up more so. “He arrived yesterday.”
“And what is he doing now?” Vietnam continued.
“Playing video games with Nueva and Alfred.” There was a pause on the other side. Maria waited for her sister to reply. “Ate? Ate Anh Linh?”
“…and it’s hot there right?” Vietnam asked softly. Maria’s brows furrowed.
“Of course! You know it is!”
“I see…,” she murmured. There was another pause. “What are they wearing?”
“Ate!” Maria yelled.
“Answer me…,” the elder sister encouraged. Maria sighed.
“I don’t know…shorts…tank tops…Nueva and Daniel weren’t wearing shirts when I passed by the living room,” Maria admitted. She lifted her free hand and fanned herself.
“You lucky girl.”
“Are you going to listen to me or not?” Maria fumed. She sat down on the edge of her bed.
“Alright, alright,” Vietnam grinned. “So what happened after he arrived?”
“Well, it started today. I was cooking and Nueva and Alfred went to the store. Papa was with Leste and Arthur-”
“Oh-ho-ho…!” Maria could almost see her sister sitting up straight and looking utterly intrigued. “So England is with you, too!”
“Ate!”
“Fine, you can talk about him later…,” she assured. “And what was our dear Aussie doing?”
“He was watering my plants.”
After deciding that it wasn’t so sort of double entendre, Vietnam nodded her head. “Go on....”
“And…his shirt got wet…so he took it off.”
“Oh…I like where this is going…,” Vietnam’s voice grew more curious. “And then you took him to that storage shed in the corner of your garden and…?”
“I didn’t do such a thing!” Maria shrieked, horrified and yet somewhat interested in the thought. She ran a hand down her face. “I took his shirt to dry on the line and he continued watering my plants shirtless!”
Vietnam sounded disappointed. “That’s it?”
“Almost,” Maria frowned. “I went out to offer him something to eat and then I couldn’t stop staring. He was glistening, Ate. Glistening!” Maria stressed. “His tan body was dripping with water and sweat and it was so smooth and…and hard….”
“Anh Linh,” a voice said behind the couch at Vietnam’s house. Thailand raised an eyebrow as he placed a tray of sugar cane juice in front of her. He gave her a curious look. “Your nose is bleeding.”
A pale hand was desperately trying to stop the bleeding while motioning for him to leave. “I’m having a private conversation with Piri!” Vietnam snapped. “Go outside or something!”
“Who’s that?” Maria asked.
“No one,” Vietnam insisted before returning to her phone call. “So he was hard?”
“His body was hard!” Maria corrected. What a horrible adjective to use. “Anyway, Leste came by and she pointed out something that I never even realized,” she continued, conveniently leaving out the banana incident. “I mean…have you seen Daniel? What color is his hair?”
“Brown with some dirty blond natural highlights,” Vietnam replied expertly.
“And his eyes?”
“Green. Sexy green,” Vietnam beamed. “You know I love that color.”
Maria rolled her eyes. “And his skin?”
“Tanned like a Greek god’s,” her sister concluded. There was a small gasp of realization. “Oh….” She trailed off knowingly.
“Exactly,” Maria slumped down. “Ate, he looks like my father.”
“I don’t see what’s so bad about that. Many women are attracted to men who remind them of their father,” Vietnam pointed out. “I mean, I heard from Taiwan who heard from Puerto Rico that you had a crush on your brother. That’s got to count for something.”
“What about Alfred?” Maria countered. Just how many people knew about her crush on Mexico? “He looks nothing like Papa and his Spanish is terrible.”
“Yeah, but he can be just as airheaded. Plus, you seen him when he’s pissed or at war. It’s almost conquistador-like,” Vietnam pointed out. “And you also have some sort of a hero complex.”
“I do not!” Maria insisted. She let out a groan. “What do I do, Ate? I can’t look at Aussie or Papa in the eye after what happened today.”
Vietnam sighed. “It’s perfectly normal to have perverted thoughts-”
“Ate, be serious!” Maria groaned. She fell back against her bed. “Every time I look at Aussie, I see Papa and every time I see Papa, I think of Aussie and…you know….”
Vietnam rolled her eyes and sipped on her juice. “Yes, it’s so horrible being you,” she said dully. “Being in a house filled with gorgeous, half-naked men, having a gorgeous brother, a gorgeous father, all while having a gorgeous continent going after you after years of repressed love.”
Maria narrowed her eyes. “Where do you get this stuff?”
“Korean drama,” Vietnam answered. She took a deep breath. “Do not think so much into it, Maria. They may have similar characters, but they don’t look identical or anything. I mean, we both have dark hair and eyes and we don’t look alike.”
“I know…,” Maria whimpered admittedly. “I just feel kind of…dirty, you know?”
“Dirty isn’t all bad,” Vietnam smirked. “Now, if you’re done, I’m going to grab some phó.”
“I’m done,” Maria sighed, defeated. “I guess you’re right. I mean, it’s not like I’m in love with him or anything.”
“Yeah, you’re far too fickle for that,” her sister replied. She could almost see Maria glaring at her. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Maria.”
“Bye, Ate….” The island nation hung up the phone and let it fall beside her as she stared up at her ceiling. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. She was blowing everything out of proportion. That was all. Shaking her head, she pushed herself up and headed to the door.
She made it to the top of the stairs when the doorbell rang.
“Maria!” Her older brother’s voice shouted from the living room, over the sound of zombie Nazis being killed. The doorbell rang once more. “Maria, get the door!”
She rolled her eyes and walked swiftly down the stairs. She quickly unlocked it and saw Arthur standing there, red-faced and looking tired. “Maria, thank God,” he gushed. “Did I leave my coat here? It has my wallet in the pocket! I got to the hotel and then-”
“Eh? You walked all the way back here?” an irritated voice said from the hall. “I told you not to come back!”
“It’s not your house!” Arthur snapped as he looked over Maria’s head.
Spain sneered. “If you just came back to get your wallet, why did you bring your bag with you?”
“I couldn’t very well leave it there!” Arthur insisted as he clutched his overnight bag against him.
“Arthur, don’t be ridiculous,” Maria said as she stepped aside and waved for him to come in. “We have spare rooms. Papa is staying with Leste and myself, anyway, so there is a spare bedroom ready.”
“Maria! Do not let this…this thing into your home!” Antonio balked. Maria frowned.
“Papa, it’s my house, I can let whoever I want in,” she told him. She turned back to the blond. “Follow me, Arthur, I think your jacket is in the living room.”
“Thank you,” the blond shot a triumphant look at Antonio as the later scowled. Arthur followed Maria into the living room just as the sound of a zombie dying filled the air.
“I told you to cover me, Gringo!”
“I did, but I switched to a knife!”
“What happened to your guns!?”
“I’m out of bullets!”
“I told you not to just shoot at random objects to see what would happen.”
“Shut up, Daniel.”
Suddenly, the screen paused. “What!?” Alejandro and Daniel shouted.
“I have to pee!” Alfred announced as he rose from his seat.
“I have to go, too,” Daniel said as he scrambled up. He rounded the corner of the couch blindly and slammed into Maria.
“Ah!”
“Sorry!”
“Hey, the wire! Watch it! You’re going to unplug the game!” Alfred shouted. Antonio peered into the living room and watched as the scene unfolded in horror.
Australia tried to steady Maria by pulling her back up. She had caught herself on the couch and was trying to push herself back up as well, but in the process pushed Australia back. The chords to the gaming console tangled around Daniel’s feet and as he fell back and his legs slipped up from under him, the plug and wires went up, too.
Mexico darted forward to try to catch his sister’s gaming sister, but shoved Daniel aside. The Australian tumbled back on to the couch, still holding on to Maria, who fell on top of him.
“Noooo!” Spain screamed as he paled.
Alfred’s jaw dropped and Arthur dropped his bag. Leste walked in, innocently eating a banana. She froze in the doorway between the dining area and the living room, her wide brown eyes staring at the two on the couch that had their lips pressed against each other.
Maria’s eyes widened as they met Australia’s. Now that she really thought about it, his eyes were slightly lighter than her father’s…and he was really good with his tongue.
.oOo.____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo.
“*hic*,” Spain’s hand, still loosely grasping the neck of a glass bear bottle, hung over the edge of the hammock. He was oddly quiet after he fainted from seeing his daughter land on and subsequently kiss Australia.
Maria had panicked after she finally realized what had happened…five minutes later. She had since refused to leave her room after her humiliating semi-public display of affection. Australia was trying to coax her out of her room and assure her it was an accident.
Alejandro had taken up drinking, followed quickly by Arthur, Alfred, and finally Antonio when he finally stirred from the floor where he had collapsed. Hours later, the two blondes were laying somewhere in the living room while Mexico was face down on the kitchen table.
Leste peeked outside and saw her grandfather on the hammock, mumbling and occasionally letting out choked cries. Clutching her stuffed koala and dressed for bed, she approached the hammock carefully.
“Grandpa Tonio?” she asked quietly
“Eh…? Maria?” he asked as he looked over the side of the hammock with blood shot eyes. “Estas mi hija?”
“Um…no…it’s Leste,” the child said, keeping her distance until she was invited closer. Antonio looked saddened but waved her over.
“Leste…Leste, don’t ever grow up,” Antonio whimpered pathetically. “You will break Grandpa’s heart if you grow up.”
“I don’t want to grow up, Grandpa,” Leste said. She felt his hands under her arms before she was lifted up and placed beside him. “Are you okay?”
Antonio sniffled. “Si, princesa, I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine,” Leste pointed out. “Is it because of what happened?” she asked innocently. Antonio looked like he was going to cry once more. Leste’s eyes filled with panic. “But it’s okay! It’s okay, Grandpa, because Aussie is really nice, and friendly, and strong! Just like Grandpa!” she added. “He’ll be very good to Ate Ria!”
He turned his head away and groaned. He didn’t need to hear that. “Leste…”
“He even looks like Grandpa, too! More than he does Mr. Arthur,” Leste continued to try to comfort him. “He has green eyes and brown hair and has a tan, like Grandpa. Maybe Ate loves Aussie, too,” she added. Spain felt as if he had been stabbed by the little girl at the phrase ‘Ate loves Aussie’. “Since Ate loves Grandpa Tonio.”
Wait a moment… He turned back to the child. “What did you say?”
“Ate loves Grandpa, and Aussie kind of looks like Grandpa, so maybe Ate loves Aussie, too,” Leste suggested. Spain’s eyes widened, as if he had just been enlightened. That had to be it.
The next day, he had woken up extra early and managed to catch Maria as she was leaving for the morning market.
“Hija-”
“It was an accident, Papa!” Maria insisted and she shoved her feet into her slippers. “I was confused and hit my head!” she shouted automatically.
“What?” Antonio furrowed his brows. “No…Maria, may I talk to you about Australia?”
She paled. She immediately shook her head. “I told you Papa, it’s-”
“If it is between him and Inglaterra’s…er…other son,” Antonio cut her off. “Then I would rather you…have relations,” he paraphrased. “With Australia.”
For a moment, Maria stood in her place on the door step, her plastic shopping basket hanging over one arm as she stared at him with wide brown eyes. “Papa…,” she began softly. Her eyes softened and she lifted her hand. “Papa,” her voice trembled. “Quieres ir al hospital?” she asked worriedly.
Immediately, Antonio’s lips frowned. “No estoy inferma!” he insisted. “I was just thinking that he seems more responsible and is closer geographically than-”
Maria couldn’t stop staring at him. “I will call for a doctor, then, if you do not want to go to the hospital.”
“Maria, I said I’m not sick!” Antonio scowled. What was she implying?
“You’re spouting non-sense, Papa!” Maria pointed out. “You must’ve hit your head last night when you fell!”
“I’m fine!” he insisted. “I’m just saying-”
“Stay right here,” Maria said. “And don’t go to sleep!” She said as she scrambled away from the doorway and rushed to her gate. “I will call someone to help you, Papa!”
Spain’s jaw dropped. The iron gate closed loudly behind Maria and he watched as she darted down the street. His eyes narrowed.
“You really have gone mad,” another voice said behind him. Antonio whirled around and saw Arthur standing by the living room in wrinkled khaki pants and a buttoned up shirt. “You’re actually approving of a man for your daughter? You must’ve hit the floor harder than we thought.”
Antonio shot him a glare. “My head is fine.”
“You’re still drunk then,” Arthur deduced. Antonio snorted and shoved past him.
“Is it so wrong for a father to approve of his daughter’s choices?” he asked as he walked into the living room. Light snoring could be heard from the couch, where Aussie had fallen asleep the night before.
“It’s wrong when it’s your daughter’s choice in men and you are the father,” Arthur pointed out. He followed Antonio suspiciously, slightly worried that the Spaniard really had lost his mind and was going to try to kill Australia while he slept.
“Clearly, no man is worthy of any of my daughters,” Antonio pointed out as he turned to Arthur. “However, if she needs a…a ‘companion’,” he stated, as if he were referring to a pet rather than a prospective boyfriend. “Then, given the choices, I would approve of this one.”
He motioned his hand to the sleeping Australia on the couch. Arthur readied himself to fly between them if Antonio made any slight, dangerous movements towards his brown-haired ‘son’.
“And…,” Arthur said as he took a step towards Australia. “May I ask why?”
“He’s reasonably close by, he’s never attacked her. He seems stable and,” Antonio lifted his chin proudly. “He is a fine specimen of a man.”
Arthur’s eyes crinkled up, unsure whether he should be concerned or simply utterly horrified that his rival had suddenly said something so out of character as to compliment someone he raised…and not on politics or ethics, but on physical appearance.
Panicked green eyes rimmed with long, blond lashes darted to the sleeping continent nation. They darted back and forth and the recognition became clear.
“Oh, bloody hell!” Arthur exclaimed as a look of disgust filled his face. “No!” he shouted. He shook his head profusely. “No!” he repeated with more denial.
Antonio looked triumphant. “Of course my daughter would want someone who looks like her esteemed Papa,” he bragged shamelessly. “Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if Maria fell in love with a man who is as gallant as I, like Australia!”
A crash came from the foyer, just outside the living room. Two pairs of green eyes darted to the door as they saw a young boy standing there. The plastic bucket he had been holding had fallen at his side. His fishing pole and the various objects that were inside the bucket began to roll out as he stared back at the two adults with wide, stunned brown eyes.
“Ah!” Antonio gushed as a loving blush filled his face. “Luzon!”
The boy was silent. Without a word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small phone. Barely able to control his shaking hands, he dialed a number and brought the phone to his ears.
“Hello?” a small, groggy voice asked on the other side.
“Vi, call Minda,” Luzon said quietly. “We have a problem.”
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A.N. - ...and so the saga of my pointless brain dribble continues.
silentside has ruined the following fruit for me: bananas and tomatoes. I fear what may come next. I’m mentioning nienia ’s LuzViMinda, for one day, I will actually write all of them into a fic. Does LuzViMinda have actual 'human' names? Suggestions?
I think I have a series of interconnecting one shots with the AussiePiri+Leste fics…they’re fun to write and make no sense.
Part: SUPER SHORT One-Shot (SSOS…sauce?)
Characters: OCPhilippines, Australia, Bente’s Leste, Spain, Vietnam, & extended family etc.
Pairings: Piri x Aussie(?)
Warnings: PG-13, Randomness, OC Warning, Un-betaed Mind Dribble
Summary: She was older than Leste. Years…no, centuries older. So why did a child-nation who’s idea of fun was climbing the shoulders of a continent-nation figure it out before her? Brown hair. Green eyes. Sun-kissed tan skin. Odd affinity for smaller, angry creatures? Oh, Lord, she was seeing her FATHER in AUSTRALIA.
Preview:
“Ate…Ate, my mind is melting! I’ve finally lost it!”
“…,” Vietnam narrowed her eyes and pressed her phone closer to her head. “Calm down. Take a deep breath.”
“Okay…,” a shaking voice replied on the line.
“Good…now what’s the problem?” the older female nation asked.
“He looks like Papa!”
.oOo.____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo.
Harsh Realization
.one-shot.
By DamageCtrl
*All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own anything other than the plot. Even then, it’s not that creative.
.oOo.____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo.
She leaned against the doorway of her dirty kitchen, her brown eyes settled contentedly on the man who had volunteered to water her flowers after he noticed how busy she was. No, it wasn’t Alfred, who had begrudgingly been dragged by her brother to the bakery at the end of the street to pick up some pan de sal for meryenda.
Rather, it was Alfred’s brother. Alfred’s undeniably attractive and currently shirtless brother.
Maria didn’t know how long she was standing there with her shoulder pressed against the wooden doorway. She had gone out to check on him when she heard him yelp. Her hose wasn’t working perfectly and she had forgotten to tell him. By the time she remembered, he was standing on her cement walkway with his beige, buttoned up shirt drenched.
She had apologized and told him to forget about watering the plants, but he had merely unbuttoned his shirt and asked her to hang it up for him.
“It’s hot here, it’ll be dry in no time, love,” he assured her with a brilliant smile. She had continued apologizing as she rushed over to pin it to the clothesline on the other side of the yard. She had quickly prepared a snack for him - just some Tang and a banana - it was all she could fine until her brother and Alfred returned.
Then she saw him. His tan skin glistening with water from the hose as he stood in front of various clay pots with his thumb positioned carefully over the mouth of the hose to control the flow. She could make out every lean, taunt section of muscle beneath his smooth, sun-kissed skin. For someone who had a reputation for wandering the outdoors and having a perpetual bandage on his nose, the rest of his body was virtually flawless.
Her eyes raked down his fit figure, taking in the sight. His toned arms…his large hands…those muscles over his stomach and the shadows of his pelvis that led her eyes right down to the hem of his pants, the dark hairs faintly creeping up his abdomen, and the dark brown leather belt that kept the pants up.
A pink tongue darted from between her lips and ran across to moisten them. Maria looked down lower, admiring the way his relatively loose pants hung on his frame. He probably had a firm butt, just like rest of his finely sculpted body. She suddenly wished the pants were tighter…or better yet, she wished they had gotten wet, too. God, that would’ve been perfect.
He wasn’t wearing an undershirt or tank top beneath his buttoned up shirt. Maria felt her breath catch in her throat. Her eyes fell to his khaki clad midsection. Perhaps the same went for what was underneath his pants…
A small voice suddenly sounded beside her. “Ate Ria?” She felt a tug on the bottom of her shirt. “What are you doing with that banana?”
The older nation froze. Her eyes widened and focused on to the unpeeled fruit she was holding firmly with one hand while her tongue was paused halfway up it’s curve. Maria could feel her entire body heating up with embarrassment as carefully drew the banana away with a shaking hand.
“I…uh…,” she stammered nervously as her eyes quickly darted back out to her garden. She thanked God that Aussie was still watering her plants, oblivious to what she had been doing to the no-longer-innocent banana.
Leste wrinkled her nose. “It’s not a popsicle, Ate Ria,” the child informed her. Maria smiled weakly.
“Right!” she said, her face still tinted red. “I was just thinking about that! A popsicle!” She didn’t know whether or not she was happy or horrified that it was Leste who caught her. She quickly bit into the banana before any more questions were asked. “So,” she said with her mouth stuffed. “Did you need something, Leste?”
Leste wrinkled her nose once more and frowned. “Grandpa Tonio and Mr. Arthur got into an argument while Mr. Arthur was telling me a story,” Leste said tiredly. She looked down at the floor.
Maria frowned. “Did Mr. Arthur finish telling you a story?”
Leste shook her head. “No, and it was supposed to be for my nap!” she pouted, clearly irritated and hurt that they had forgotten about her story.
The older female nation’s lips were turned into a disapproving frown. She tossed the remains of the banana into the trash bin and extended her hand to the child. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go talk to them and find out what the meaning of this is.”
“Tell them to be quiet, too,” Leste nodded as she took Maria’s hand and followed her into the house. “I can’t sleep if they’re yelling at each other.”
“Grown nations…,” Maria grumbled under her breath. Honestly, sometimes her father was a completely different man from the one who raised her whenever Arthur and competition were involved.
She led Leste into the living room where two men were standing on either side of the coffee table, glaring each other down. Their snacks, comfy seats, and the thin blanket and pillow on the big couch where Leste was scheduled to take her nap were completely forgotten.
“It is not a stupid book, Inglaterra!” Antonio barked back. “It is a classic story!”
“He fights a bloody windmill!” Arthur shouted in response. “What kind of a hero goes insane and mistakes a windmill for a giant!”
“Oh yeah!?” Antonio retorted as he lifted his chin. Maria rolled her eyes at the sight. “Your most favorite writer liked little boys!”
“Oh, now that’s calling the kettle black!”
Maria looked back down at Leste, with a drained and defeated expression. “Anak, let’s just go upstairs, okay?” she suggested weakly. “You can sleep in my room. It’s the quietest.”
Leste took a step back from the living room and the terrifying scene inside. She nodded her head and followed Maria towards the stairs. Even as they climbed, they could hear the two ‘adult’ nations yelling at each other.
As they made their way down the hall, the voices began to die down. Leste allowed herself a yawn as they reached Maria’s room. The older nation opened the door and Leste pulled her hand from hers and headed for the bed in the center of the room.
She kicked off her slippers and climbed on to the bed.
“Do you want a blanket?”
“No,” Leste said as she situated herself in the very center of the bed and fluffed the pillow behind her. “Ate Ria,” she began innocently. Maria had her back to the child and was turning on the air conditioner.
“What is it?”
“Aussie doesn’t really look like his dad,” Leste pointed out as she lay down on the bed.
Maria nodded her head absentmindedly. “Well, he does have Arthur’s brows and his green eyes.”
“Yeah, but his hair is darker,” Leste pointed out. “And Mr. Arthur is so pale….”
Maria muffled a small snort. The air conditioner was quietly humming and she turned back to Leste. “Yes, I’m afraid he turns red in the sun.”
“That sounds painful,” Leste replied. Maria sat on the edge of the bed, right beside the child and leaned back against the headboard to make sure Leste fell asleep. The child rolled over on her stomach. “Aussie’s tan, like Grandpa Tonio.”
“Well, you know Aussie is out in the sun all the time-”
“And his hair is almost Grandpa Tonio’s color,” the child added.
Maria nodded her head. “That’s true, although I’d say it’s a bit lighter-”
“And he also has green eyes,” Leste yawned. Her eyes felt heavy with sleep. “Aussie looks more like Grandpa than Mister….” Her quiet voice trailed off into even breathing, signaling that she had fallen asleep.
Maria, on the other hand, had caught the child’s last sentence and sat frozen beside her. Slowly, her eyes crinkled up at the realization. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t noticed it before.
She had always found Australia attractive. Perhaps she wasn’t head over heels in love with him - yet - but she wasn’t so blind as to not acknowledge his physical attributes. It was just that she never realized that those physical attributes were similar to her father’s.
.oOo.____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo.
She shut her window and, as an added measure, she pulled the curtains closed. The light of the setting sun still pierced her thin curtains, but at least no one would see her on the phone. As she gripped the small mobile device in her hand, she rushed back across the room to make sure the door was locked.
Leste was downstairs, planning her day for tomorrow. Luzon was supposed to come early the next morning and take her fishing. Arthur had been forced to return to a near-by hotel for the night and her father was helping Leste prepare Visaya’s old fishing pole for the next day’s use.
Her brother, Alfred, and Aussie were playing a video game and she had run upstairs to make a phone call. She had been jumpy all day and desperately needed to speak to someone. Someone who wasn’t male or had some sort of physical attribute she was attracted to. When she had a chance to slip away, she did so. She had been holding in her worries since Leste’s nap and needed to vent to someone.
Her fingers quickly found the number and she brought the phone to her ear just as it began ringing. Maria bit her lower lip an paced her room. Silently, she prayed for someone to pick up.
“Hello, Maria,” a female voice answered on the other line. Maria stopped her pacing and allowed the relief to flood her. Finally, someone she could talk to.
“Ate Vietnam, can you talk?” Maria asked quickly.
“Yes…,” the other female nation said curiously. She raised an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?”
Without warning, Maria unleashed the flood gates and began blabbering. “Ate…Ate, my mind is melting! I’ve finally lost it!”
“…,” Vietnam narrowed her eyes and pressed her phone closer to her head. “Calm down. Take a deep breath.”
“I…I am…,” a shaking voice replied on the line.
“Good…now what’s the problem?” the older female nation asked.
“He looks like Papa!”
Vietnam narrowed her eyes and slowly pulled the phone from her ear. She pursed her lips and shook her head before she moved the phone back to her ear. “I don’t understand,” she stated dully.
“What is there to understand!?” Maria demanded. “Ate, he looks like Papa!”
“Who is he?” Vietnam sighed at her sister’s incoherency. “And what’s the problem with that? Your father is a very attractive man.”
“He is Australia and…,” Maria’s voice trailed off and she stood up straight. “What did you just say about my father?” she asked as she narrowed her eyes.
On the other side of the phone, Vietnam let out a little cough and darted her eyes to the side. “Nothing,” she insisted. “Tell me what happened!” she added to try to steer away from her slip.
Maria chose to ignore the comment for the time being in favor of explaining herself. “Daniel is over with Leste-”
“You mean ‘the excuse’,” Vietnam grinned as she fell back against her sofa and crossed her legs.
“Shut up, Ate! He’s not using Leste as an excuse to come see me!” Maria flushed as she stomped her foot. “He’s just being nice!”
“Yes, ‘nice’,” her sister muttered knowingly. “So, how long as he been there, being ‘nice’?” she asked smoothly.
Maria felt her face heat up more so. “He arrived yesterday.”
“And what is he doing now?” Vietnam continued.
“Playing video games with Nueva and Alfred.” There was a pause on the other side. Maria waited for her sister to reply. “Ate? Ate Anh Linh?”
“…and it’s hot there right?” Vietnam asked softly. Maria’s brows furrowed.
“Of course! You know it is!”
“I see…,” she murmured. There was another pause. “What are they wearing?”
“Ate!” Maria yelled.
“Answer me…,” the elder sister encouraged. Maria sighed.
“I don’t know…shorts…tank tops…Nueva and Daniel weren’t wearing shirts when I passed by the living room,” Maria admitted. She lifted her free hand and fanned herself.
“You lucky girl.”
“Are you going to listen to me or not?” Maria fumed. She sat down on the edge of her bed.
“Alright, alright,” Vietnam grinned. “So what happened after he arrived?”
“Well, it started today. I was cooking and Nueva and Alfred went to the store. Papa was with Leste and Arthur-”
“Oh-ho-ho…!” Maria could almost see her sister sitting up straight and looking utterly intrigued. “So England is with you, too!”
“Ate!”
“Fine, you can talk about him later…,” she assured. “And what was our dear Aussie doing?”
“He was watering my plants.”
After deciding that it wasn’t so sort of double entendre, Vietnam nodded her head. “Go on....”
“And…his shirt got wet…so he took it off.”
“Oh…I like where this is going…,” Vietnam’s voice grew more curious. “And then you took him to that storage shed in the corner of your garden and…?”
“I didn’t do such a thing!” Maria shrieked, horrified and yet somewhat interested in the thought. She ran a hand down her face. “I took his shirt to dry on the line and he continued watering my plants shirtless!”
Vietnam sounded disappointed. “That’s it?”
“Almost,” Maria frowned. “I went out to offer him something to eat and then I couldn’t stop staring. He was glistening, Ate. Glistening!” Maria stressed. “His tan body was dripping with water and sweat and it was so smooth and…and hard….”
“Anh Linh,” a voice said behind the couch at Vietnam’s house. Thailand raised an eyebrow as he placed a tray of sugar cane juice in front of her. He gave her a curious look. “Your nose is bleeding.”
A pale hand was desperately trying to stop the bleeding while motioning for him to leave. “I’m having a private conversation with Piri!” Vietnam snapped. “Go outside or something!”
“Who’s that?” Maria asked.
“No one,” Vietnam insisted before returning to her phone call. “So he was hard?”
“His body was hard!” Maria corrected. What a horrible adjective to use. “Anyway, Leste came by and she pointed out something that I never even realized,” she continued, conveniently leaving out the banana incident. “I mean…have you seen Daniel? What color is his hair?”
“Brown with some dirty blond natural highlights,” Vietnam replied expertly.
“And his eyes?”
“Green. Sexy green,” Vietnam beamed. “You know I love that color.”
Maria rolled her eyes. “And his skin?”
“Tanned like a Greek god’s,” her sister concluded. There was a small gasp of realization. “Oh….” She trailed off knowingly.
“Exactly,” Maria slumped down. “Ate, he looks like my father.”
“I don’t see what’s so bad about that. Many women are attracted to men who remind them of their father,” Vietnam pointed out. “I mean, I heard from Taiwan who heard from Puerto Rico that you had a crush on your brother. That’s got to count for something.”
“What about Alfred?” Maria countered. Just how many people knew about her crush on Mexico? “He looks nothing like Papa and his Spanish is terrible.”
“Yeah, but he can be just as airheaded. Plus, you seen him when he’s pissed or at war. It’s almost conquistador-like,” Vietnam pointed out. “And you also have some sort of a hero complex.”
“I do not!” Maria insisted. She let out a groan. “What do I do, Ate? I can’t look at Aussie or Papa in the eye after what happened today.”
Vietnam sighed. “It’s perfectly normal to have perverted thoughts-”
“Ate, be serious!” Maria groaned. She fell back against her bed. “Every time I look at Aussie, I see Papa and every time I see Papa, I think of Aussie and…you know….”
Vietnam rolled her eyes and sipped on her juice. “Yes, it’s so horrible being you,” she said dully. “Being in a house filled with gorgeous, half-naked men, having a gorgeous brother, a gorgeous father, all while having a gorgeous continent going after you after years of repressed love.”
Maria narrowed her eyes. “Where do you get this stuff?”
“Korean drama,” Vietnam answered. She took a deep breath. “Do not think so much into it, Maria. They may have similar characters, but they don’t look identical or anything. I mean, we both have dark hair and eyes and we don’t look alike.”
“I know…,” Maria whimpered admittedly. “I just feel kind of…dirty, you know?”
“Dirty isn’t all bad,” Vietnam smirked. “Now, if you’re done, I’m going to grab some phó.”
“I’m done,” Maria sighed, defeated. “I guess you’re right. I mean, it’s not like I’m in love with him or anything.”
“Yeah, you’re far too fickle for that,” her sister replied. She could almost see Maria glaring at her. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Maria.”
“Bye, Ate….” The island nation hung up the phone and let it fall beside her as she stared up at her ceiling. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. She was blowing everything out of proportion. That was all. Shaking her head, she pushed herself up and headed to the door.
She made it to the top of the stairs when the doorbell rang.
“Maria!” Her older brother’s voice shouted from the living room, over the sound of zombie Nazis being killed. The doorbell rang once more. “Maria, get the door!”
She rolled her eyes and walked swiftly down the stairs. She quickly unlocked it and saw Arthur standing there, red-faced and looking tired. “Maria, thank God,” he gushed. “Did I leave my coat here? It has my wallet in the pocket! I got to the hotel and then-”
“Eh? You walked all the way back here?” an irritated voice said from the hall. “I told you not to come back!”
“It’s not your house!” Arthur snapped as he looked over Maria’s head.
Spain sneered. “If you just came back to get your wallet, why did you bring your bag with you?”
“I couldn’t very well leave it there!” Arthur insisted as he clutched his overnight bag against him.
“Arthur, don’t be ridiculous,” Maria said as she stepped aside and waved for him to come in. “We have spare rooms. Papa is staying with Leste and myself, anyway, so there is a spare bedroom ready.”
“Maria! Do not let this…this thing into your home!” Antonio balked. Maria frowned.
“Papa, it’s my house, I can let whoever I want in,” she told him. She turned back to the blond. “Follow me, Arthur, I think your jacket is in the living room.”
“Thank you,” the blond shot a triumphant look at Antonio as the later scowled. Arthur followed Maria into the living room just as the sound of a zombie dying filled the air.
“I told you to cover me, Gringo!”
“I did, but I switched to a knife!”
“What happened to your guns!?”
“I’m out of bullets!”
“I told you not to just shoot at random objects to see what would happen.”
“Shut up, Daniel.”
Suddenly, the screen paused. “What!?” Alejandro and Daniel shouted.
“I have to pee!” Alfred announced as he rose from his seat.
“I have to go, too,” Daniel said as he scrambled up. He rounded the corner of the couch blindly and slammed into Maria.
“Ah!”
“Sorry!”
“Hey, the wire! Watch it! You’re going to unplug the game!” Alfred shouted. Antonio peered into the living room and watched as the scene unfolded in horror.
Australia tried to steady Maria by pulling her back up. She had caught herself on the couch and was trying to push herself back up as well, but in the process pushed Australia back. The chords to the gaming console tangled around Daniel’s feet and as he fell back and his legs slipped up from under him, the plug and wires went up, too.
Mexico darted forward to try to catch his sister’s gaming sister, but shoved Daniel aside. The Australian tumbled back on to the couch, still holding on to Maria, who fell on top of him.
“Noooo!” Spain screamed as he paled.
Alfred’s jaw dropped and Arthur dropped his bag. Leste walked in, innocently eating a banana. She froze in the doorway between the dining area and the living room, her wide brown eyes staring at the two on the couch that had their lips pressed against each other.
Maria’s eyes widened as they met Australia’s. Now that she really thought about it, his eyes were slightly lighter than her father’s…and he was really good with his tongue.
.oOo.____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo.
“*hic*,” Spain’s hand, still loosely grasping the neck of a glass bear bottle, hung over the edge of the hammock. He was oddly quiet after he fainted from seeing his daughter land on and subsequently kiss Australia.
Maria had panicked after she finally realized what had happened…five minutes later. She had since refused to leave her room after her humiliating semi-public display of affection. Australia was trying to coax her out of her room and assure her it was an accident.
Alejandro had taken up drinking, followed quickly by Arthur, Alfred, and finally Antonio when he finally stirred from the floor where he had collapsed. Hours later, the two blondes were laying somewhere in the living room while Mexico was face down on the kitchen table.
Leste peeked outside and saw her grandfather on the hammock, mumbling and occasionally letting out choked cries. Clutching her stuffed koala and dressed for bed, she approached the hammock carefully.
“Grandpa Tonio?” she asked quietly
“Eh…? Maria?” he asked as he looked over the side of the hammock with blood shot eyes. “Estas mi hija?”
“Um…no…it’s Leste,” the child said, keeping her distance until she was invited closer. Antonio looked saddened but waved her over.
“Leste…Leste, don’t ever grow up,” Antonio whimpered pathetically. “You will break Grandpa’s heart if you grow up.”
“I don’t want to grow up, Grandpa,” Leste said. She felt his hands under her arms before she was lifted up and placed beside him. “Are you okay?”
Antonio sniffled. “Si, princesa, I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine,” Leste pointed out. “Is it because of what happened?” she asked innocently. Antonio looked like he was going to cry once more. Leste’s eyes filled with panic. “But it’s okay! It’s okay, Grandpa, because Aussie is really nice, and friendly, and strong! Just like Grandpa!” she added. “He’ll be very good to Ate Ria!”
He turned his head away and groaned. He didn’t need to hear that. “Leste…”
“He even looks like Grandpa, too! More than he does Mr. Arthur,” Leste continued to try to comfort him. “He has green eyes and brown hair and has a tan, like Grandpa. Maybe Ate loves Aussie, too,” she added. Spain felt as if he had been stabbed by the little girl at the phrase ‘Ate loves Aussie’. “Since Ate loves Grandpa Tonio.”
Wait a moment… He turned back to the child. “What did you say?”
“Ate loves Grandpa, and Aussie kind of looks like Grandpa, so maybe Ate loves Aussie, too,” Leste suggested. Spain’s eyes widened, as if he had just been enlightened. That had to be it.
The next day, he had woken up extra early and managed to catch Maria as she was leaving for the morning market.
“Hija-”
“It was an accident, Papa!” Maria insisted and she shoved her feet into her slippers. “I was confused and hit my head!” she shouted automatically.
“What?” Antonio furrowed his brows. “No…Maria, may I talk to you about Australia?”
She paled. She immediately shook her head. “I told you Papa, it’s-”
“If it is between him and Inglaterra’s…er…other son,” Antonio cut her off. “Then I would rather you…have relations,” he paraphrased. “With Australia.”
For a moment, Maria stood in her place on the door step, her plastic shopping basket hanging over one arm as she stared at him with wide brown eyes. “Papa…,” she began softly. Her eyes softened and she lifted her hand. “Papa,” her voice trembled. “Quieres ir al hospital?” she asked worriedly.
Immediately, Antonio’s lips frowned. “No estoy inferma!” he insisted. “I was just thinking that he seems more responsible and is closer geographically than-”
Maria couldn’t stop staring at him. “I will call for a doctor, then, if you do not want to go to the hospital.”
“Maria, I said I’m not sick!” Antonio scowled. What was she implying?
“You’re spouting non-sense, Papa!” Maria pointed out. “You must’ve hit your head last night when you fell!”
“I’m fine!” he insisted. “I’m just saying-”
“Stay right here,” Maria said. “And don’t go to sleep!” She said as she scrambled away from the doorway and rushed to her gate. “I will call someone to help you, Papa!”
Spain’s jaw dropped. The iron gate closed loudly behind Maria and he watched as she darted down the street. His eyes narrowed.
“You really have gone mad,” another voice said behind him. Antonio whirled around and saw Arthur standing by the living room in wrinkled khaki pants and a buttoned up shirt. “You’re actually approving of a man for your daughter? You must’ve hit the floor harder than we thought.”
Antonio shot him a glare. “My head is fine.”
“You’re still drunk then,” Arthur deduced. Antonio snorted and shoved past him.
“Is it so wrong for a father to approve of his daughter’s choices?” he asked as he walked into the living room. Light snoring could be heard from the couch, where Aussie had fallen asleep the night before.
“It’s wrong when it’s your daughter’s choice in men and you are the father,” Arthur pointed out. He followed Antonio suspiciously, slightly worried that the Spaniard really had lost his mind and was going to try to kill Australia while he slept.
“Clearly, no man is worthy of any of my daughters,” Antonio pointed out as he turned to Arthur. “However, if she needs a…a ‘companion’,” he stated, as if he were referring to a pet rather than a prospective boyfriend. “Then, given the choices, I would approve of this one.”
He motioned his hand to the sleeping Australia on the couch. Arthur readied himself to fly between them if Antonio made any slight, dangerous movements towards his brown-haired ‘son’.
“And…,” Arthur said as he took a step towards Australia. “May I ask why?”
“He’s reasonably close by, he’s never attacked her. He seems stable and,” Antonio lifted his chin proudly. “He is a fine specimen of a man.”
Arthur’s eyes crinkled up, unsure whether he should be concerned or simply utterly horrified that his rival had suddenly said something so out of character as to compliment someone he raised…and not on politics or ethics, but on physical appearance.
Panicked green eyes rimmed with long, blond lashes darted to the sleeping continent nation. They darted back and forth and the recognition became clear.
“Oh, bloody hell!” Arthur exclaimed as a look of disgust filled his face. “No!” he shouted. He shook his head profusely. “No!” he repeated with more denial.
Antonio looked triumphant. “Of course my daughter would want someone who looks like her esteemed Papa,” he bragged shamelessly. “Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if Maria fell in love with a man who is as gallant as I, like Australia!”
A crash came from the foyer, just outside the living room. Two pairs of green eyes darted to the door as they saw a young boy standing there. The plastic bucket he had been holding had fallen at his side. His fishing pole and the various objects that were inside the bucket began to roll out as he stared back at the two adults with wide, stunned brown eyes.
“Ah!” Antonio gushed as a loving blush filled his face. “Luzon!”
The boy was silent. Without a word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small phone. Barely able to control his shaking hands, he dialed a number and brought the phone to his ears.
“Hello?” a small, groggy voice asked on the other side.
“Vi, call Minda,” Luzon said quietly. “We have a problem.”
.oOo.____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo. ____.oOo.
A.N. - ...and so the saga of my pointless brain dribble continues.
silentside has ruined the following fruit for me: bananas and tomatoes. I fear what may come next. I’m mentioning nienia ’s LuzViMinda, for one day, I will actually write all of them into a fic. Does LuzViMinda have actual 'human' names? Suggestions?
I think I have a series of interconnecting one shots with the AussiePiri+Leste fics…they’re fun to write and make no sense.