[fanfic] Wanderlust - 6
Title: Wanderlust
Part: Zes
Characters: Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, assorted 'Family', 'Friends', and European Nations
Rating: Teen
Warning: Humor, Family, (slight) Romance, OC warning, questionable/suggestive language, unbetaed mind dribble
Summary:
When the Philippines and Vietnam discover Taiwan's envy at their 'worldliness', the two older sisters take her on a trip through some of the most prominent cities in the Western World for the first time. This is a story of three sisters, several cities, the nations they meet, and a good dose of wanderlust.
Preview:
"Danny...," he shook his head. "How could you?"
Australia's mouth dropped. "Wha...wha...," he stammered. He shook his head. "Wait a moment!" Alfred had no reason to be angry at him! His own eyes narrowed. "You don't own Maria! I can't help it if I like her!"
"Competition," Alfred said as he narrowed his eyes. "Fine...if that's how it's going to be."
"Alfred, stop it-"
"I trusted you," Alfred repeated. "Like a brother."
Daniel gave him a deadpan look. "We are brothers."
"Like a brother!" Alfred stressed.
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Wanderlust
Zes
By DamageCtrl
*All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own anything other than the plot and OCs. Even then, they're not that creative.
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"Netherlands!" a voice yelled from the mouth of the alley, echoing off the walls as Taiwan whirled around and watched a black ballerina flat fly through the air and slam into Jan's forehead. "I told you to stay away from my sister!"
A moment later, a blur of black hair zoomed past Mei and tackled the tall Dutchman to the ground. "Maria!" another voice called. Anh Linh was trying to catch up with her sister, but wasn't fast enough.
"God dammit, Jan! What are you doing here!?" Belgium cried out. "I told you to go home!"
"What is that in your hand?" Maria demanded as she leaned forward. Anh Linh walked past her and plucked the small box from the Netherlands. "What did you put in there? Drugs?" the island nation growled as she grabbed his collar and shook him. "Are those 'special' chocolates, Jan!? Are they!? How could offer something like that to-"
"Maria," her older sister said as she chewed on one of the chocolates before swallowing. "It's just regular chocolate."
Jan looked up the angry woman on top of him and watched as her face reddened with embarrassment. "But...are you sure?" Maria asked as she looked up at her sister. Anh Linh took another piece from the box and put it into her mouth.
"Deep taste...slightly bitter, smooth consistency. I'd say it was Swiss," she deduced as she ate the last one. "Yes...Swiss chocolate."
There was a moment of silence as Maria's eyes slowly returned to the man she was on top of. "Oh...," she let out a small cough and began to slip off of him "Uh...Sorry, Jan. My mistake."
"Mei," Belgium asked the youngest of the sisters gently as she noticed the brunette standing stiffly in her place, her eyes locked on to two on the ground.
Inside Mei's inner mind theater, the act of Maria's defense of her was viewed as an act of love for the Netherlands. Aside from the hugs Maria occasionally gave, she never would run up to an actual nation and tackle-hug them. To the ground...and then straddle them. Taiwan's brown eyes crinkled up.
Did her Jie-jie love him that much? Was there really nothing she could do to stop it?
Tears rimmed her eyes. "Wahhhhh!!!"
"Mei!" Several pairs of eyes turned to her as she lifted up the long sleeves of her shirt and began rubbing her eyes. A stream of incoherent Taiwanese left her mouth as choked on her tears as she realized that her earlier assumption may have been truer than she thought.
Instantly, Maria forgot about Jan and rushed to her sister's side. "Mei!?" Maria asked. "Are you alright? Did he scare you?"
The youngest sister sniffled as she wrapped her arms around Maria's body and buried her face in the Philippine's cleavage, clinging to her. Behind them, the Netherlands rose from the ground and dusted himself off.
"Why does she blame me?" he asked the remaining sister. "I did not do anything wrong."
"You lured an unsuspecting young woman into a deserted alley way with chocolate," Anh Linh stated, as if it were obvious. "Don't you think that such an action is at least somewhat creepy?"
"I wasn't planning on doing anything lewd-"
"Yes...I know...I'll tell him," Belgium's voice sounded, cutting him off. He turned to see his younger sister on her phone, nodding before turning to him and holding the mobile device out. "It's Luxemburg," she stated. "She wants to talk to you."
Inwardly, he cringed. He took the phone carefully and brought it up to his ear. "Hello?"
Vietnam and Belgium cringed as they heard Luxemburg's low, typically sultry voice, chastise her brother from doing something 'weird' and 'disturbing'.
"Ate, Bel," Maria said as she looked over her shoulder. Mei still hadn't stopped clinging to her. "Mei and I are going to head to the train station. We're going to try to get different seats."
"What?" Belgium wrinkled her nose. "Why? It's a little late to be doing that."
The Philippines's eyes instantly narrowed and shot a glare at the tall, chided nation across from them. "You know why."
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He let out a heavy sigh as he looked at the beautiful, curvy brunette in front of him. She was raised a bit off the ground, waving and batting her eyes at him from behind a wall of glass. Her straight, dark hair only served to remind him of what was missing.
"Al?" Daniel asked as he reached his brother's side and gave him a questioning look. He glanced from the blond and to the brunette they were standing in front of and back. "Al, you've been staring at her for five minutes, mate. If you're not going to buy some of her time, I reckon you shouldn't stand there gawking."
Alfred let out another heavy sigh. Dramatically, he turned his head away and began to cross the street. "It's not the same, bro," America told him sadly.
Daniel raised one bushy brown brow and went after him, but not before giving an apologetic look to the prostitute in the glass for having wasted her time. "What are you talking about now?"
"All these girls are pretty, I'll give them that," Alfred stated. "But none of them are Vietnam or the Philippines."
Daniel narrowed his eyes critically. "You understand that you just compared them to night walkers, yea?"
"You get what I'm saying," Alfred stressed. "No one in this world can compare to them. Their dark hair, their deep eyes. Maria's laugh and Anh Linh's stern, but affectionate voice. Maria's soft hands and Anh Linh's firm ones...." His eyes glazed over in happiness at the memory.
Daniel laughed. "You know you can only have one, yea?"
"Once you've had the patty and the bun together, it's difficult to have them apart," Alfred gave an analogy. Daniel rolled his eyes...a hamburger analogy. How fitting.
"Do they even know that you've had...relations," Daniel chose his words carefully. "With their sister?"
Alfred looked at him, as if he had just said something odd. "Of course they do!" he snapped as they continue to walk down the Red Light District. "It's kind of hard for them not to since they were both there at the same time."
Daniel abruptly stopped in his tracks. A pair of green eyes narrowed and slowly hardened. He had always thought it was possible - he wouldn't put anything past America. He had more special relationships with more countries than should've been allowed. Still, to hear it from his mouth....
"I hate you so much sometimes."
Alfred merely tossed back his head and let out a laugh before coming back and looping his arm around his brother's tense shoulders. "Don't be jealous, little bro," he assured him. "Things were different then. We were all high strung. There was a war; our heads weren't on right. We just needed to let off some steam." Sexy steam, he mentally added. "Besides, if it helps, I didn't touch Taiwan. She's a nice little girl and Maria's Asian Puerto Rico," he pointed out. He knew that she was protective of her younger sisters. Besides, neither Puerto Rico nor Taiwan liked him around the Philippines and would suddenly get very abrasive or do something to regain their sister's attention when he was near-by. He was starting to suspect that they had sister complexes, but Mexico assured him it was all in his head. "I'm not stupid enough to go there."
"I'm not here because of Taiwan," Daniel seethed before he could stop himself.
Alfred's loose arm around his shoulders suddenly tightened. The blonde's smile didn't leave his face as one hand seemed to claw into Daniel's shoulder. "I'm sorry, bro," he beamed as they stopped on the edge of the street. "Did...did I just hear you say that you're not here for Taiwan?"
His brother's eyes doubled in size. "What?" Australia mentally swore. "No! I-"
He winced as Alfred's arm grew tighter around him. "Because, that would mean that if you're not here for Taiwan, then you're here for one of her sisters." There was a long pause. "Which. One."
The brunette swallowed a lump in his throat. "Neither! I'm here to see all three girls! That's what I meant, yea!" he shouted nervously. "I mean, think about it, mate. The four of us are on that side of the Pacific and we share a lot of trade and all. I reckon since their brothers aren't here, I should at least try to...um...be a gentleman and...uh...escort them!" Please believe that. Please believe that....
Alfred's death grip loosened a bit, but before Daniel could let out a sigh of relief, he was whirled around met Alfred's blue eyes. "Taiwan," he stated. Daniel looked confused. Alfred looked more determined. "Vietnam." Daniel still didn't understand what he was doing and continued to look lost. Alfred frowned. "Philippines."
The brunette's tan face reddened before he could stop himself.
"Bingo," America said in a low voice. He released Daniel and took a step back, his blue orbs looking a mixture between hurt and disbelief. "Danny...," he shook his head. "How could you?"
Australia's mouth dropped. "Wha...wha...," he stammered. He shook his head. "Wait a moment!" Alfred had no reason to be angry with him! His own eyes narrowed. "You don't own Maria! I can't help it if I like her!"
"Competition," Alfred said as he narrowed his eyes. "Fine...if that's how it's going to be."
"Alfred, stop it-"
"I trusted you," Alfred repeated. "Like a brother."
Daniel gave him a deadpan look. "We are brothers."
"Like a brother!" Alfred stressed. "Like I told Mexico over this very same issue that one time," America said as he locked eyes with Daniel. "Be prepared for a fight...because I'm a America and I. Hate. Losing."
Daniel let out a heavy breath and ran his hand down his face. "I'm not ready for this...," he sighed. "Can we just go get a smoke?"
Alfred glared at him, determined, a moment longer. "Yes."
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He had a plan. After it became clear to him that the Philippines did not trust him within a meter...or five...of her younger sister, Jan realized he needed a better plan and spent the entire train ride home and the night at his flat trying to find the best way to spend some time with Taiwan.
Not that he was going to do anything obscene to her, of course. To simply walk down the streets with her, take her out to eat, and possibly hold her hand and take her to a park or something was all he wanted to do. Yet, Taiwan's older sister was one to be reckoned with, though it was better the Philippines than Vietnam.
Vietnam would rip his throat out if she felt he posed a true threat to her sisters. He shuddered at the thought. Luckily, Vietnam wouldn't kill him so long as he didn't cross any lines. The first part of Jan Van den Berg's plan was to separate them and he would start with Anh Linh Nguyen.
"Do you want to wait here?" Belgium asked as she looked up at her brother. They stood in the lobby of the modest hotel where the three sisters were staying. "Maria probably won't want you to go up to their room...or know which one it is...," she trailed off weakly.
He tried not to be hurt. "I will wait here," he said as he looked around for a place to sit. "Take your time, I will call Claude to confirm the session."
"Thanks, Jan!" Belgium headed in to the direction of the elevators and Jan took a seat. Phase one: distract Anh Linh. His unwitting assistant was his sister and the distraction was an impromptu risqué photo session in his famed Red Light District. It was something his sister had casually brought up on the train ride over, when Maria took Mei had sat several rows away from the other three.
Belgium and Vietnam had joked about taking photographs there and he had asked why they couldn't. There were plenty of closed and repossessed 'windows' that they could try to rent for a few hours. He knew the right people to talk to. Anh Linh had looked particularly interested and by the time they arrived in Amsterdam two and a half hours later, everything had been prepared.
Of course, the Philippines had refused. He suspected she thought it was a ploy to get Mei. Instead, he offered her something that she knew she wanted. Something that he knew she had been wanting to do for years.
"The tulips are in season," he had mentioned coolly. "Why do the three of us go on a ride in the country side? We can rent some bikes and pass by the flowers. I'll get a guide to help with a little tour." They would meet his sister and Anh Linh, who had no interest in tulips, in the evening for dinner.
His eyes had settled on the Philippines, watching her eyes widen and then seemingly narrow as she tried to find an ulterior motive. When nothing seemed to come up, she accepted.
"I think we should get breakfast first," a voice reached his ears. Jan lifted his head and rose to his feet. "We had a small breakfast already, though."
"It's fine, Bel," the over-protective, in his opinion, sister replied. "We had breakfast here, earlier."
"Good morning, Netherlands!" Mei greeted as she noticed him. Vietnam gave him a nod of her head and the Philippines shot him a glare.
He didn't care. His eyes were focused on the petite brunette in the pink baby-doll dress. He felt his cheeks heat up. "Good morning, Taiwan."
Belgium mentally groaned. "Alright, since we've all eaten, we can split up. Anh Linh and I will head to the district and you two will go with Jan to rent bicycles. We'll see you three at dinner."
She looped her arm with Vietnam's and began to drag the eldest of the sister's away. It left awkward silence between the lolicon, the young woman, and the glaring older sister.
"Well," Maria began as she lifted her chin up. He mentally gagged at the sight of her chest protruding and being displayed from a low cut tank top. He never liked large breasts. "I suppose we're following you. Lead the way, Jan."
"Yes, of course," he nodded his head vaguely. Phase two of his plan was longer, but it was about to begin.
Target number two: Maria dela Cruz.
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They were hungry. Hungrier, rather.
Alfred heard his stomach growl and sat up in bed, his eyes still half-asleep and his hair a mess. "I've got the munchies...," he mumbled.
A grumble sounded beside him and he looked down at his brother who was sharing the other half of the bed. Daniel was sprawled out on his half, face down in a pillow. One arm was hanging off the bed as the blanket that they shared barely covered his bare butt. Alfred let out a snort.
"Dude, do you know that you're naked?" Alfred said as he gave his brother a slight push.
"You're naked, too," Daniel mumbled in a muffled voice. He tilted his head to the side and glared at Alfred. "You tried to jump into the river."
"No, I didn't," Alfred said as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and felt the cold floor. He looked down. "Oh...," His clothes were gone. His brows knit together. "Where are my clothes?"
"Down river."
"Shut up."
"I'm serious," Daniel said as he finally pushed himself up. "You were so high last night, you took some stupid dare and tried to jump in the river. You stripped and I barely managed to get to you and bring you back here before you were arrested."
"Oh...," Alfred nodded. "I'm glad we locked up our important stuff this time."
"Yeah, well, we learned from last year," Daniel sighed. "Let's get something to eat and then head to the train station. We need to book our train for this afternoon."
The brothers slowly dressed and gathered their things. With their backpacks on and Alfred missing one set of clothing, they dropped off their hostel keys and headed out. "What do you feel like?" the blond yawned.
"Coffee."
"To a cafe," Alfred nodded. They rounded a corner that was quiet that early in the day. Later in the afternoon and in the evening, the lights would be on and women would be posing at the windows.
"Hey, Alfred," Daniel said as they continued walking. "Will you be mad if I date Maria?" Now that they were calmer, he hoped to get a truthful answer.
"Yes."
Okay, Daniel grimaced to himself. That was more truthful than he wanted. "But, that's not fair-"
"Dan, it's nothing against you, bro," Alfred clarified. "I'm not saying that I own her or that no one else can have her, but in general, I'll be mad if she chose someone over me."
"Oh," Daniel nodded. Perhaps it wasn't simply just lust. "So, you'd be more like heartbroken-"
"Don't call it that," Alfred frowned. "I don't get 'heartbroken', Dan," he told his brother arrogantly. "Use 'injured' or something more manly."
"I reckon they're not the same thing," the brunette commented. "Besides, there is still her sister, Vietnam, yea."
"She's dating Thailand," Alfred stated. "On and off, have been for years."
"Wait," Daniel frowned. "If you know that, then why are you after her!?" he exclaimed.
"A guy can wish, can't he?" Alfred grinned.
"I hate you sometimes, Alfred...," Daniel grumbled to himself. Alfred laughed and put his arm around his brother's shoulders.
"If you give up now, I'll understand," Alfred grinned. "After all, you're up against me." Daniel snorted.
He pulled himself away from his brother and shot Alfred a glare. "Oh please," the brunette lifted his nose. "Do you think that all you need to do is hold your arms out and they'll come running to you?" he scoffed.
Alfred smirked. "I don't know," he shrugged and held out his arms mockingly. "Let's see-"
"Alfred?" a surprised voice gasped. The duo turned around, their eyes widening at the sight. One of the doorways they had passed had opened and standing on the front step was a lingerie clad Asian woman, looking equally surprised at seeing them. She stepped out into the street, balancing well in tall, black stilettos. "What are you doing here?"
"Vietnam?" Australia choked. She was in lingerie...lingerie..., his mind echoed. There was a brief pause. Where is Maria? Was she in lingerie, too? Please, let her be in lingerie, too.
America merely tilted his head back and looked up at the clear, blue sky. "Thank you, God."
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She had her doubts, but as she felt the wind rush through her hair, she let out a happy yell and pumped her legs harder. Some people may have gone to Amsterdam to smoke pot. Others may have come to take in the pleasures of the Red Light District, but her...Maria had always wanted to bike down a country road, surrounded by tulips and with windmills in the distance.
As much as she didn't want to admit that the Netherlands had made it happen for her, he had and she was thankful. She was starting to think that perhaps he wasn't a Mei-obsessed lolicon...at least not to the degree she initially first thought.
"Hehehe...," Taiwan giggled as she peddled a good distance behind her sister. "Jie-jie really is enjoying this."
"Yes," Jan nodded as he kept at her pace beside her. His face didn't show it, but he was pleased. Maria was so absorbed in the bike ride that she didn't notice that they were falling further and further behind. Keeping up with Maria and essentially acting as their guide was a local tour guide who was explaining the importance of tulips in Dutch culture. "I'm glad she is enjoying herself."
"It's such a nice day, too," Mei beamed. "You can see all the way down this road!"
"Yes, yes," Jan nodded, trying to hide his happy smile. "There is a nice place to eat near-by, too. It is an old cottage that has been converted to a small bed and breakfast and restaurant."
"Oh!" Mei looked excited at the prospect. "Jie-jie would like that!"
"First, though, Hans is going to take her to one of the windmills," the Netherlands began. "I'm a bit worried about how long it will take."
"Why?" Mei asked. "It shouldn't take too long."
"Ah, yes," Jan let out a disappointed sigh. "But, you see, the cottage is very popular with locals and tourists, so it tends to get full very quickly. They don't take reservations, so you need to be there early to get a seat. If we go to the windmill, we'd probably have to wait an hour or two at the cottage before we can be seated."
Mei's face fell. "Oh no! And we still have to make it back to town!"
"Yes, quite a pity," the Netherlands nodded. He paused. "That is, of course...unless, we, the two of us, go to the cottage and get a seat and wait for your sister and Hans."
"But...that means we won't get to see the windmill!" Mei pouted. Jan bit his lower lip. She looked so adorable.
"Then, I suppose, we'll have to wait. Poor Maria...," he added, sounding disappointed. "She will be so hungry after her bike ride, too."
Beside him, Taiwan's eyes crinkled up. He made a good point. Her sister would get hungry after biking so happily for so long. She didn't want to have to have her sister wait, but if she and the Netherlands waited instead.... Her eyes went wide. Wait...if she and the Netherlands split from the group, then that meant that the Netherlands wouldn't be around her sister!
"You know," Mei began, her big eyes bright. "I think you have the right idea. I would hate to have Jie-jie wait. We should skip the windmill and go to the cottage."
An odd look was on Jan's face. Target number three: Be alone with Taiwan.
"Wonderful."
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"They went where?" Alfred choked, looking shocked as a Belgium put a cup of coffee in front of him and Daniel.
"Why aren't you with them?" Daniel asked, confused. "I thought you three were traveling together!"
"And I thought you two were traveling with Matthew," Anh Linh said coolly. "Instead, I hear he's gone to Ukraine's."
"How'd you know that?" Daniel asked.
"Russia is one of my oldest allies," Vietnam reminded them. Alfred let out a small snort. That meant that Russia knew his sister was being visited by Canada. He only wished he could be there when the two met. "Still, you're saying that France told you we had gone to a German-speaking nation?"
"He was very vague about it," Australia admitted. "But I guess he didn't lie. After all, German is spoken here and in Belgium."
"Why didn't he just tell you that they had gone to visit me and were headed this way?" Belgium asked as she took a seat on the other side of the table, beside the Southeast Asian nation.
A wry smile crossed Anh Linh's face. "I can only imagine," she murmured. She placed her cup down on the table. "Now, why exactly are you two chasing after us? We're perfectly grown nations, we can take care of ourselves."
"Well...we thought that...since...you know...," Daniel stammered, his face turning red.
"I wanted to hang out and thought it would be fun," Alfred cut him off. "I haven't see you and Maria together for a while."
"America, that was a one time thing," Anh Linh narrowed her eyes at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking about. "I thought we discussed that while it was enjoyable, we'd never do it again."
Belgium's eyes flickered from Vietnam to America and then her mouth made a silent 'o' as she understood.
"I know, I know...," Alfred sighed. "And you're seeing Thailand."
"That's right."
"But Maria is still free," he pointed out. He paused and looked at Vietnam questioningly. "She is...isn't she?"
Daniel was staring at Anh Linh, as well, waiting for her to either confirm her sister's single status or deny it and crush their hearts. Vietnam pretended to be mulling over the question while knowing full well that the Philippines was not seeing any at the moment. There were plenty of choices, however, with whom her sister could possibly be paired up with.
There was Mei's favorite, Mexico, of course, but America was too close to Mexico and he could easily get confirmation of that. There was England, but the blond wouldn't play along and quickly deny it, despite probably secretly wanting it to be true. France was out of the question. The countries that would've gone along with her she wasn't sure if she wanted to bring along. Denmark, Korea, and Turkey would get clingy.
"Anh Linh?" Belgium's careful voice said as she nudged her gently. "You didn't answer their question," she pointed out. "Is Maria seeing someone?" She was curious, too.
The brunette glanced over. "I wouldn't say that it's official," Vietnam measured her words carefully. "But...she is going to Germany for a reason." Belgium furrowed her brows.
"But, Anh Linh-" A hand swept down, below the table and squeezed Belgium's thigh, as if to tell her not to say a word. The two exchanged a silent glance and Belgium nodded.
Alfred sucked in a sharp breath, as if someone punched him in the stomach. Daniel paled and felt light headed. "So...she left the city."
"Yes," Vietnam nodded.
"She's going to Germany?" Daniel choked.
It wasn't a lie. They were going to go to Germany...just not yet. "Yes."
"We can't sit around," Alfred said as he shot out of his chair. Germany. How could he do such a thing? And when? The two hardly ever talked and when they did, he was sure it was because Northern Italy was around and Maria was attached to the twins.
"We have to get going," Daniel added as he reached into his pocket. "Please let us pay for the coffee."
Alfred slammed a fifty Euro on the table; far too much for coffee, but it was all he could get to in his rush. "Let's go, Dan!"
"R...Right!"
"Thanks, ladies! Tell Jan hi for us!" The two brothers raced out the door, presumably heading for the train station.
As soon as they were out of sight, Bel turned to the coffee-drinking brunette beside her. "Is Maria really seeing Germany?" she asked, surprised.
"Psh...no," Anh Linh sorted. "He thinks she acts too much like his brother and she thinks he has problems expressing emotions."
"Then, why did you tell them that your sisters already went to Germany?" Belgium asked, confused. "You could've just told them that you didn't want to travel with them."
The dark-haired woman demurely took a sip of her coffee. "I like messing with them."
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She was furious. All the adorable tulips and picturesque windmills in the world could not subdue the terror she felt when she got off her bike and looked around, noticing for the first time that Taiwan, and to a lesser extent, the Netherlands, were not behind her.
Hans, their tour guide, had to call Jan, who told her that they had gone to the cottage to reserve a table for lunch. She had torn the phone from Hans's hands and threatened numerous sorts of bodily harm to Jan if he touched Mei. She was then sure that Hans was in on the plot - that's what she called it - when she got off the phone and discovered that he had turned in their bikes to be locked up for their hour long tour of the windmill.
It had been an excruciating hour waiting for their bikes and once they got them, she had biked like she had never biked before to get to the cottage.
There, she found, Mei sitting beside Jan at a table and he had his arm around her. He wasn't exactly touching her; he was resting his arm around the back of her chair, but that was enough for the Philippines. She would end his weird infatuation with her sister the only way she knew how.
"Jie-jie! How do I look?" the youngest sister bounced out of their hotel bathroom dressed in her older sister's clothes. A dark, triumphant look filled Maria's face.
She had wedged herself between Jan and Mei upon arriving at the cottage and then made a point to stay by Mei's side on the way back to town. Sure, the Netherlands had a look of success on his face. He had managed to gain a few hours of alone time with Mei without the presence of the evil older sister, but no one messed with the Philippines and got away with it.
It didn't take much to talk Mei into wearing one of her dresses for their dinner cruise on Jan's boat through the canals of the city.
"Let me see," Maria said as she rose from the edge of the bed and looked over the short, curve hugging little black dress that made even Mei's youthful, and somewhat flat chested, body look as filled out as hers. "You look like a beautiful woman."
Mei gleefully squealed and admired herself as she looked in the mirror. Inside, Maria was laughing almost evilly. "I can't wait until I show the others!"
Maria smirked. "I can't either."
The two of them gathered their bags and headed out the door to meet the other three in the lobby. Anh Linh was wearing a casual ao dai while Bel wore a flattering yellow dress. Jan had gone home and changed into a nice suit, his scarf still on.
"You look happy," Belgium said as she looked at her brother critically. "Did something...happen?"
The Netherlands opened his mouth to reply only to have Vietnam quickly tell him that she did not want to know. She hadn't received any angry messages from her sister explaining in detail what had happened that day, so she assumed everything was fine.
"Sorry to take so long," a voice said from the elevators. "Mei was just getting dressed."
"Look at me, Anh Linh-jie-jie!" Mei called as she skipped out in front of her sister. Vietnam raised one brow. Mei's hair had been tied up into a sophisticated bun and make-up had been carefully applied, making her look older. Then there was her dress. "What do you think?"
"Mei! You look very beautiful!" Belgium smiled.
"You look like Maria," Vietnam stated blandly. She looked over at the smirking island nation. "This is your doing?"
"Yes," the brunette replied, almost proudly. "Yes, it is."
Mei let out another squeal, taking the comment that she looked like her sister as a compliment. "Thank you! I was worried that the dress wouldn't fit since Jie-jie has a bigger body-"
"I'm not fat," Maria snapped.
"Bigger here," Mei said, holding her hands up to her chest, earning her an annoyed look from Maria. "But, I'm glad it fit!"
"Well, you look very beautiful," Belgium assured her once more. She looked at her brother. "Doesn't she, Jan?"
Several pairs of eyes turned to the tall, lone male in the group. Jan had paled. His eyes were low and melancholy, looking at Mei as if something terrible had happened to her.
Maria let out a small laugh. "I win."
Not catching her comment, Belgium announced that Jan's boat was ready for them and began to lead the group out. Maria lingered behind with Jan, wanting to gloat.
"You made her wear your clothes," he said quietly before she could come up with the perfect comment.
"No," Maria pointed out. "You made her have to wear my clothes," she said in a low voice, so the others wouldn't hear them. "I didn't want to have to go there, but you left me no choice."
"I didn't mean to make you angry," the Netherlands said. "I just wanted to spend some time with her."
"She's not a little girl, Jan. She's just young," Maria told him.
A small smile graced the Netherland's lips. "You sound like your brother."
"What are you talking about?" she frowned. "Kuya Indonesia? Kuya Malaysia?"
"And Nueva España," Jan told her. "One day, Taiwan will grow up and lose her innocence and her naïve sweetness," he said. He paused as they saw one canal coming into view. "Just like you did." He quickened his speed and looked over his shoulder, giving her a small smile as she glared at him. His next words nearly knocked her off her feet. "That was the part of you I loved the most."
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It was their last day in Amsterdam and Maria stepped out into the lobby of the hotel, ready to take on their last day in the city.
"Yay!" a cheerful voice said behind her. "I get to wear Maria-jie-jie's clothes again, today!" Mei skipped out, pleased that, while slightly loose, Maria's clothes fit her well enough. She couldn't help but feel sexy and adult in her low cut shirt and her flattering skirt.
"You look very adult in them," Maria assured her as she held back a small smirk. "So much more sophisticated with your hair pulled back in a bun, too."
Vietnam raised a brow as she reached them. "You look like a mini-Maria," the eldest commented as she took a sip of an iced coffee she had gotten at the hotel bar. "Leste would be jealous."
Mei blushed. Maria dug into her purse to pull out her map. "Let's see...we'll be taking the train to Copenhagen tonight...so we have one more day here to enjoy Amsterdam before we leave."
"I want to take another canal tour!" Mei piped excitedly.
"Mei, we took several already," Anh Linh frowned. "One in the day time and one at night."
"But I want to take one again...," Mei pouted. "They're fun."
"Let's try to do something else today. On the first day we went out of town to the near-by villages to go biking," Maria recalled. "The second, we went to some museums, including the Rembrandt one Ate wanted to go to, and poked around the Red Light District."
Anh Linh snickered. "Heh...poked."
"Ate, please," Maria rolled her eyes. "We went on a gastronomy binge with Jan and Bel yesterday."
"No more Dutch food," Vietnam frowned as she held one hand up. "I've eaten way too much. It's going to make me fat."
"I agree...there has to be something here. Didn't we see an Indonesia place near-by?" Mei asked hopefully.
"I don't think it's open this early, Mei," Maria said. She flipped over to the backside of her map. "There are some smaller museums we can check out."
"No more museums...," Vietnam sighed. "We still have a dozen or so to go to on this trip."
"Can we go to one of those coffee shops?" Two pairs of eyes turned to the youngest of the group. Innocent looking brown orbs stared back at them hopefully. "I just want to try a little...," she smiled.
Anh Linh narrowed her eyes. "Mei...you know what those 'coffee shops' are, right?"
Mei nodded. "I read about them in my guide book."
"Ate, what do you think?" Maria looked at the eldest. "I'm not sure I feel comfortable with her smoking."
"Mei," Anh Linh frowned. "We won't be taking you to a coffee shop."
"Eh?" the youngest piped, looking concerned. "Why not!? I'm of age!"
"You're still our little sister and we told China that we would take care of you," Anh Linh told her firmly. "If you want to go to a coffee shop again, you can come back some other time when you travel on your own."
"But, Jie-jie!" Mei whined. She bit her lip. "Can't I just go into one and look? What's the worst that can happen if I just go in one?"
Anh Linh and Maria looked at each other. There were many possibilities. "I suppose it couldn't hurt if she just looked around in one."
"The smoke may get to her," Anh Linh pointed out. "I think we should bring Jan with us."
Maria frowned, her cheeks slightly reddening. "I think he's had enough of us. He said he's see us off tonight, so let's not bother him."
Anh Linh raised a brow. It seemed that Maria and Jan had come to some sort of truce their first night as Jan stopped trying to get time alone with Mei and Maria stopped glaring at him. Still, the middle sister had acted oddly, unable to meet Jan in the eye. There was only one reason the eldest could think of and that was what Belgium had told her in the middle of their photo shoot the first day.
"Mei actually reminds my brother a lot of Maria when she was that age," Bel had said as they reviewed some of their last photos.
"What do you mean?" Vietnam had asked as she pressed one of the camera's buttons to the next photo.
"Ah, not many people know," Belgium had chuckled. "But my brother really liked Maria when she was a colony. He'd always send his ships past her, but you know...Boss was really strict about who she could see and couldn't see."
"Is that why he likes little girls?" Anh Linh had asked, looking confused. Was the nation's complex the result of her sister? Sometimes, she wondered just how Maria was able to do such a thing.
Belgium had shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she had admitted. "Maybe he does because they remind him of her."
If that were true, and the two weren't completely sure if it was, then it would explain Maria's reactions to Jan. It was also kind of romantic and Anh Linh had filed the knowledge away for a time when she could either use it against the Netherlands or to shock Taiwan.
"I guess we can go in by ourselves...," the Philippines mused. She cringed. "I'm not exactly sure what to do, though."
"I know England has a lot of tourists that go!" Mei piped brightly.
"We're not going to call England and have him come all the way up here just so you can check out a coffee shop," Vietnam told her. She let out a tired sigh and rubbed her forehead. "I'm starting to wish I didn't send America to Germany."
"What?" the Philippines looked at her sister, confused.
"I mean, I wish Belgium didn't return home," Anh Linh replied quickly. Maria gave her an uncertain look.
"Too bad Gilbert's too far," Maria mumbled. Sometimes, her bromance with him surprised even herself. "Who else...?"
"I'll go with you three," another accented voice greeted. The three sisters turned just as a pair of heavy arms fell over Maria's shoulders. "What do you say?"
Mei's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Why the hell was he there?
Maria didn't seem to bat an eye and allowed him to lean heavily against her, languidly letting his arms rest over her shoulders as she felt his chin rest on her head. He still had to bend slightly forward, as he was rather tall.
"That's fine, but what are you doing here?" Vietnam said, cocking her head to the side.
"I had an great idea," the tall, beaming blond told them. "Instead of taking the train, why don't we take a ferry from here to Esbjerg?" he suggested. "Like a mini-cruise!"
"And you came all the way from Copenhagen just to suggest that?" Maria rolled her eyes. She felt him laugh behind him as his arms crossed over hers, locking her against him.
"Well, what better guide there than me?" he said as he happily nuzzled the top of Maria's head. Mei's eyes only grew darker as she began to fist her small hands at her side. "So...what do you say?"
"I think a mini-cruise would be nice," Anh Linh added. "Mei?"
"Let go of Jie-jie...," the youngest said in a low, threatening voice. Vietnam rolled her eyes.
"She's interested in one, too," she mused. "But we didn't set aside a budget for it."
"Not a problem!" the blond assured them. "I got Norge and Sverige to pitch in to get you guys some tickets, since we'll be using it to get to Oslo, too!"
"We?" Maria stated. She felt him give her a squeeze. "You're coming with us, Soren? Do they know?" She was sure that if they did know, they wouldn't have wanted him to.
"They won't mind!" he smiled. All three sisters silently called him a liar. "So...are you interested?"
"On one condition," Maria stated. He nodded. "Get your arms off of me before I rip them out," she growled. "Denmark."
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Omake Postcard
From: Taiwan
To: Puerto Rico
Dear Ana,
I have successfully warded off the Dutch threat. (Aren't you proud of me? Hehe.) Unfortunately, we're going to Denmark; land of the hugging Dane. I know that we always pair him up with Norway and he's very touchy-feely, but I still don't like him. He's not like France. France knows when to stop, but this guy...I'm not so sure. Looks like I'll have to keep working for the cause.
Jie-jie says she'll send you some chocolate she got in Belgium and also sent you a post card. I'll send you the FB picture link when we get home! I got so many great shots of Maria-jie-jie. <3
Sincerely,
Mei-Mei
PS - I hope you like this card of the canals. There are a lot here. Amsterdam has a weird smell, too.
PPS - What did you think about my fanfic? I know our trade was for historical smut, but I'm not that good at it.
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A.N. - Thank you for reading! Yes, Al and Dan were so close. So close, they could almost touch her, but they didn't. Will they try to make their way back to Amsterdam or will they stay in Germany and wait to intercept them there? Next up, the sisters are off to Scandinavia with their unwanted 'escort'!
I also tried to find the common fan names for Norway and Denmark, but what was suggested didn't really hit me (Mathias is okay, but I can't see Denmark as a Mathias). So, I went online and checked on Danish and Norwegian names. Denmark is Soren Jorgensen and Norway can be Erik Christiansen. Yes, I went with the traditional -sen surnames.
Ugh...anyway, sorry for the late update. I know that I've been aiming for one chapter a week, but I've been so busy at work. So busy, that I don't have time to write FANFICTION. O_O I've barely begun the outline notes for EoGs and I wanted to get at least 2 chapters to viva by next week. In addition, I freaking injured my hand. Or rather my thumb area. Woke up with my hand clenched in such an odd manner one morning and my left ring finger had muscle strain; then a few days later, I pulled a muscle on my thumb and now if I grab on to something wrong, it hurts like a mofo. I'm finding it difficult to not use it.
It's my freaking thumb....=_= I pray for my quick recovery. T_T
Part: Zes
Characters: Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, assorted 'Family', 'Friends', and European Nations
Rating: Teen
Warning: Humor, Family, (slight) Romance, OC warning, questionable/suggestive language, unbetaed mind dribble
Summary:
When the Philippines and Vietnam discover Taiwan's envy at their 'worldliness', the two older sisters take her on a trip through some of the most prominent cities in the Western World for the first time. This is a story of three sisters, several cities, the nations they meet, and a good dose of wanderlust.
Preview:
"Danny...," he shook his head. "How could you?"
Australia's mouth dropped. "Wha...wha...," he stammered. He shook his head. "Wait a moment!" Alfred had no reason to be angry at him! His own eyes narrowed. "You don't own Maria! I can't help it if I like her!"
"Competition," Alfred said as he narrowed his eyes. "Fine...if that's how it's going to be."
"Alfred, stop it-"
"I trusted you," Alfred repeated. "Like a brother."
Daniel gave him a deadpan look. "We are brothers."
"Like a brother!" Alfred stressed.
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Wanderlust
Zes
By DamageCtrl
*All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own anything other than the plot and OCs. Even then, they're not that creative.
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"Netherlands!" a voice yelled from the mouth of the alley, echoing off the walls as Taiwan whirled around and watched a black ballerina flat fly through the air and slam into Jan's forehead. "I told you to stay away from my sister!"
A moment later, a blur of black hair zoomed past Mei and tackled the tall Dutchman to the ground. "Maria!" another voice called. Anh Linh was trying to catch up with her sister, but wasn't fast enough.
"God dammit, Jan! What are you doing here!?" Belgium cried out. "I told you to go home!"
"What is that in your hand?" Maria demanded as she leaned forward. Anh Linh walked past her and plucked the small box from the Netherlands. "What did you put in there? Drugs?" the island nation growled as she grabbed his collar and shook him. "Are those 'special' chocolates, Jan!? Are they!? How could offer something like that to-"
"Maria," her older sister said as she chewed on one of the chocolates before swallowing. "It's just regular chocolate."
Jan looked up the angry woman on top of him and watched as her face reddened with embarrassment. "But...are you sure?" Maria asked as she looked up at her sister. Anh Linh took another piece from the box and put it into her mouth.
"Deep taste...slightly bitter, smooth consistency. I'd say it was Swiss," she deduced as she ate the last one. "Yes...Swiss chocolate."
There was a moment of silence as Maria's eyes slowly returned to the man she was on top of. "Oh...," she let out a small cough and began to slip off of him "Uh...Sorry, Jan. My mistake."
"Mei," Belgium asked the youngest of the sisters gently as she noticed the brunette standing stiffly in her place, her eyes locked on to two on the ground.
Inside Mei's inner mind theater, the act of Maria's defense of her was viewed as an act of love for the Netherlands. Aside from the hugs Maria occasionally gave, she never would run up to an actual nation and tackle-hug them. To the ground...and then straddle them. Taiwan's brown eyes crinkled up.
Did her Jie-jie love him that much? Was there really nothing she could do to stop it?
Tears rimmed her eyes. "Wahhhhh!!!"
"Mei!" Several pairs of eyes turned to her as she lifted up the long sleeves of her shirt and began rubbing her eyes. A stream of incoherent Taiwanese left her mouth as choked on her tears as she realized that her earlier assumption may have been truer than she thought.
Instantly, Maria forgot about Jan and rushed to her sister's side. "Mei!?" Maria asked. "Are you alright? Did he scare you?"
The youngest sister sniffled as she wrapped her arms around Maria's body and buried her face in the Philippine's cleavage, clinging to her. Behind them, the Netherlands rose from the ground and dusted himself off.
"Why does she blame me?" he asked the remaining sister. "I did not do anything wrong."
"You lured an unsuspecting young woman into a deserted alley way with chocolate," Anh Linh stated, as if it were obvious. "Don't you think that such an action is at least somewhat creepy?"
"I wasn't planning on doing anything lewd-"
"Yes...I know...I'll tell him," Belgium's voice sounded, cutting him off. He turned to see his younger sister on her phone, nodding before turning to him and holding the mobile device out. "It's Luxemburg," she stated. "She wants to talk to you."
Inwardly, he cringed. He took the phone carefully and brought it up to his ear. "Hello?"
Vietnam and Belgium cringed as they heard Luxemburg's low, typically sultry voice, chastise her brother from doing something 'weird' and 'disturbing'.
"Ate, Bel," Maria said as she looked over her shoulder. Mei still hadn't stopped clinging to her. "Mei and I are going to head to the train station. We're going to try to get different seats."
"What?" Belgium wrinkled her nose. "Why? It's a little late to be doing that."
The Philippines's eyes instantly narrowed and shot a glare at the tall, chided nation across from them. "You know why."
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He let out a heavy sigh as he looked at the beautiful, curvy brunette in front of him. She was raised a bit off the ground, waving and batting her eyes at him from behind a wall of glass. Her straight, dark hair only served to remind him of what was missing.
"Al?" Daniel asked as he reached his brother's side and gave him a questioning look. He glanced from the blond and to the brunette they were standing in front of and back. "Al, you've been staring at her for five minutes, mate. If you're not going to buy some of her time, I reckon you shouldn't stand there gawking."
Alfred let out another heavy sigh. Dramatically, he turned his head away and began to cross the street. "It's not the same, bro," America told him sadly.
Daniel raised one bushy brown brow and went after him, but not before giving an apologetic look to the prostitute in the glass for having wasted her time. "What are you talking about now?"
"All these girls are pretty, I'll give them that," Alfred stated. "But none of them are Vietnam or the Philippines."
Daniel narrowed his eyes critically. "You understand that you just compared them to night walkers, yea?"
"You get what I'm saying," Alfred stressed. "No one in this world can compare to them. Their dark hair, their deep eyes. Maria's laugh and Anh Linh's stern, but affectionate voice. Maria's soft hands and Anh Linh's firm ones...." His eyes glazed over in happiness at the memory.
Daniel laughed. "You know you can only have one, yea?"
"Once you've had the patty and the bun together, it's difficult to have them apart," Alfred gave an analogy. Daniel rolled his eyes...a hamburger analogy. How fitting.
"Do they even know that you've had...relations," Daniel chose his words carefully. "With their sister?"
Alfred looked at him, as if he had just said something odd. "Of course they do!" he snapped as they continue to walk down the Red Light District. "It's kind of hard for them not to since they were both there at the same time."
Daniel abruptly stopped in his tracks. A pair of green eyes narrowed and slowly hardened. He had always thought it was possible - he wouldn't put anything past America. He had more special relationships with more countries than should've been allowed. Still, to hear it from his mouth....
"I hate you so much sometimes."
Alfred merely tossed back his head and let out a laugh before coming back and looping his arm around his brother's tense shoulders. "Don't be jealous, little bro," he assured him. "Things were different then. We were all high strung. There was a war; our heads weren't on right. We just needed to let off some steam." Sexy steam, he mentally added. "Besides, if it helps, I didn't touch Taiwan. She's a nice little girl and Maria's Asian Puerto Rico," he pointed out. He knew that she was protective of her younger sisters. Besides, neither Puerto Rico nor Taiwan liked him around the Philippines and would suddenly get very abrasive or do something to regain their sister's attention when he was near-by. He was starting to suspect that they had sister complexes, but Mexico assured him it was all in his head. "I'm not stupid enough to go there."
"I'm not here because of Taiwan," Daniel seethed before he could stop himself.
Alfred's loose arm around his shoulders suddenly tightened. The blonde's smile didn't leave his face as one hand seemed to claw into Daniel's shoulder. "I'm sorry, bro," he beamed as they stopped on the edge of the street. "Did...did I just hear you say that you're not here for Taiwan?"
His brother's eyes doubled in size. "What?" Australia mentally swore. "No! I-"
He winced as Alfred's arm grew tighter around him. "Because, that would mean that if you're not here for Taiwan, then you're here for one of her sisters." There was a long pause. "Which. One."
The brunette swallowed a lump in his throat. "Neither! I'm here to see all three girls! That's what I meant, yea!" he shouted nervously. "I mean, think about it, mate. The four of us are on that side of the Pacific and we share a lot of trade and all. I reckon since their brothers aren't here, I should at least try to...um...be a gentleman and...uh...escort them!" Please believe that. Please believe that....
Alfred's death grip loosened a bit, but before Daniel could let out a sigh of relief, he was whirled around met Alfred's blue eyes. "Taiwan," he stated. Daniel looked confused. Alfred looked more determined. "Vietnam." Daniel still didn't understand what he was doing and continued to look lost. Alfred frowned. "Philippines."
The brunette's tan face reddened before he could stop himself.
"Bingo," America said in a low voice. He released Daniel and took a step back, his blue orbs looking a mixture between hurt and disbelief. "Danny...," he shook his head. "How could you?"
Australia's mouth dropped. "Wha...wha...," he stammered. He shook his head. "Wait a moment!" Alfred had no reason to be angry with him! His own eyes narrowed. "You don't own Maria! I can't help it if I like her!"
"Competition," Alfred said as he narrowed his eyes. "Fine...if that's how it's going to be."
"Alfred, stop it-"
"I trusted you," Alfred repeated. "Like a brother."
Daniel gave him a deadpan look. "We are brothers."
"Like a brother!" Alfred stressed. "Like I told Mexico over this very same issue that one time," America said as he locked eyes with Daniel. "Be prepared for a fight...because I'm a America and I. Hate. Losing."
Daniel let out a heavy breath and ran his hand down his face. "I'm not ready for this...," he sighed. "Can we just go get a smoke?"
Alfred glared at him, determined, a moment longer. "Yes."
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He had a plan. After it became clear to him that the Philippines did not trust him within a meter...or five...of her younger sister, Jan realized he needed a better plan and spent the entire train ride home and the night at his flat trying to find the best way to spend some time with Taiwan.
Not that he was going to do anything obscene to her, of course. To simply walk down the streets with her, take her out to eat, and possibly hold her hand and take her to a park or something was all he wanted to do. Yet, Taiwan's older sister was one to be reckoned with, though it was better the Philippines than Vietnam.
Vietnam would rip his throat out if she felt he posed a true threat to her sisters. He shuddered at the thought. Luckily, Vietnam wouldn't kill him so long as he didn't cross any lines. The first part of Jan Van den Berg's plan was to separate them and he would start with Anh Linh Nguyen.
"Do you want to wait here?" Belgium asked as she looked up at her brother. They stood in the lobby of the modest hotel where the three sisters were staying. "Maria probably won't want you to go up to their room...or know which one it is...," she trailed off weakly.
He tried not to be hurt. "I will wait here," he said as he looked around for a place to sit. "Take your time, I will call Claude to confirm the session."
"Thanks, Jan!" Belgium headed in to the direction of the elevators and Jan took a seat. Phase one: distract Anh Linh. His unwitting assistant was his sister and the distraction was an impromptu risqué photo session in his famed Red Light District. It was something his sister had casually brought up on the train ride over, when Maria took Mei had sat several rows away from the other three.
Belgium and Vietnam had joked about taking photographs there and he had asked why they couldn't. There were plenty of closed and repossessed 'windows' that they could try to rent for a few hours. He knew the right people to talk to. Anh Linh had looked particularly interested and by the time they arrived in Amsterdam two and a half hours later, everything had been prepared.
Of course, the Philippines had refused. He suspected she thought it was a ploy to get Mei. Instead, he offered her something that she knew she wanted. Something that he knew she had been wanting to do for years.
"The tulips are in season," he had mentioned coolly. "Why do the three of us go on a ride in the country side? We can rent some bikes and pass by the flowers. I'll get a guide to help with a little tour." They would meet his sister and Anh Linh, who had no interest in tulips, in the evening for dinner.
His eyes had settled on the Philippines, watching her eyes widen and then seemingly narrow as she tried to find an ulterior motive. When nothing seemed to come up, she accepted.
"I think we should get breakfast first," a voice reached his ears. Jan lifted his head and rose to his feet. "We had a small breakfast already, though."
"It's fine, Bel," the over-protective, in his opinion, sister replied. "We had breakfast here, earlier."
"Good morning, Netherlands!" Mei greeted as she noticed him. Vietnam gave him a nod of her head and the Philippines shot him a glare.
He didn't care. His eyes were focused on the petite brunette in the pink baby-doll dress. He felt his cheeks heat up. "Good morning, Taiwan."
Belgium mentally groaned. "Alright, since we've all eaten, we can split up. Anh Linh and I will head to the district and you two will go with Jan to rent bicycles. We'll see you three at dinner."
She looped her arm with Vietnam's and began to drag the eldest of the sister's away. It left awkward silence between the lolicon, the young woman, and the glaring older sister.
"Well," Maria began as she lifted her chin up. He mentally gagged at the sight of her chest protruding and being displayed from a low cut tank top. He never liked large breasts. "I suppose we're following you. Lead the way, Jan."
"Yes, of course," he nodded his head vaguely. Phase two of his plan was longer, but it was about to begin.
Target number two: Maria dela Cruz.
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They were hungry. Hungrier, rather.
Alfred heard his stomach growl and sat up in bed, his eyes still half-asleep and his hair a mess. "I've got the munchies...," he mumbled.
A grumble sounded beside him and he looked down at his brother who was sharing the other half of the bed. Daniel was sprawled out on his half, face down in a pillow. One arm was hanging off the bed as the blanket that they shared barely covered his bare butt. Alfred let out a snort.
"Dude, do you know that you're naked?" Alfred said as he gave his brother a slight push.
"You're naked, too," Daniel mumbled in a muffled voice. He tilted his head to the side and glared at Alfred. "You tried to jump into the river."
"No, I didn't," Alfred said as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and felt the cold floor. He looked down. "Oh...," His clothes were gone. His brows knit together. "Where are my clothes?"
"Down river."
"Shut up."
"I'm serious," Daniel said as he finally pushed himself up. "You were so high last night, you took some stupid dare and tried to jump in the river. You stripped and I barely managed to get to you and bring you back here before you were arrested."
"Oh...," Alfred nodded. "I'm glad we locked up our important stuff this time."
"Yeah, well, we learned from last year," Daniel sighed. "Let's get something to eat and then head to the train station. We need to book our train for this afternoon."
The brothers slowly dressed and gathered their things. With their backpacks on and Alfred missing one set of clothing, they dropped off their hostel keys and headed out. "What do you feel like?" the blond yawned.
"Coffee."
"To a cafe," Alfred nodded. They rounded a corner that was quiet that early in the day. Later in the afternoon and in the evening, the lights would be on and women would be posing at the windows.
"Hey, Alfred," Daniel said as they continued walking. "Will you be mad if I date Maria?" Now that they were calmer, he hoped to get a truthful answer.
"Yes."
Okay, Daniel grimaced to himself. That was more truthful than he wanted. "But, that's not fair-"
"Dan, it's nothing against you, bro," Alfred clarified. "I'm not saying that I own her or that no one else can have her, but in general, I'll be mad if she chose someone over me."
"Oh," Daniel nodded. Perhaps it wasn't simply just lust. "So, you'd be more like heartbroken-"
"Don't call it that," Alfred frowned. "I don't get 'heartbroken', Dan," he told his brother arrogantly. "Use 'injured' or something more manly."
"I reckon they're not the same thing," the brunette commented. "Besides, there is still her sister, Vietnam, yea."
"She's dating Thailand," Alfred stated. "On and off, have been for years."
"Wait," Daniel frowned. "If you know that, then why are you after her!?" he exclaimed.
"A guy can wish, can't he?" Alfred grinned.
"I hate you sometimes, Alfred...," Daniel grumbled to himself. Alfred laughed and put his arm around his brother's shoulders.
"If you give up now, I'll understand," Alfred grinned. "After all, you're up against me." Daniel snorted.
He pulled himself away from his brother and shot Alfred a glare. "Oh please," the brunette lifted his nose. "Do you think that all you need to do is hold your arms out and they'll come running to you?" he scoffed.
Alfred smirked. "I don't know," he shrugged and held out his arms mockingly. "Let's see-"
"Alfred?" a surprised voice gasped. The duo turned around, their eyes widening at the sight. One of the doorways they had passed had opened and standing on the front step was a lingerie clad Asian woman, looking equally surprised at seeing them. She stepped out into the street, balancing well in tall, black stilettos. "What are you doing here?"
"Vietnam?" Australia choked. She was in lingerie...lingerie..., his mind echoed. There was a brief pause. Where is Maria? Was she in lingerie, too? Please, let her be in lingerie, too.
America merely tilted his head back and looked up at the clear, blue sky. "Thank you, God."
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She had her doubts, but as she felt the wind rush through her hair, she let out a happy yell and pumped her legs harder. Some people may have gone to Amsterdam to smoke pot. Others may have come to take in the pleasures of the Red Light District, but her...Maria had always wanted to bike down a country road, surrounded by tulips and with windmills in the distance.
As much as she didn't want to admit that the Netherlands had made it happen for her, he had and she was thankful. She was starting to think that perhaps he wasn't a Mei-obsessed lolicon...at least not to the degree she initially first thought.
"Hehehe...," Taiwan giggled as she peddled a good distance behind her sister. "Jie-jie really is enjoying this."
"Yes," Jan nodded as he kept at her pace beside her. His face didn't show it, but he was pleased. Maria was so absorbed in the bike ride that she didn't notice that they were falling further and further behind. Keeping up with Maria and essentially acting as their guide was a local tour guide who was explaining the importance of tulips in Dutch culture. "I'm glad she is enjoying herself."
"It's such a nice day, too," Mei beamed. "You can see all the way down this road!"
"Yes, yes," Jan nodded, trying to hide his happy smile. "There is a nice place to eat near-by, too. It is an old cottage that has been converted to a small bed and breakfast and restaurant."
"Oh!" Mei looked excited at the prospect. "Jie-jie would like that!"
"First, though, Hans is going to take her to one of the windmills," the Netherlands began. "I'm a bit worried about how long it will take."
"Why?" Mei asked. "It shouldn't take too long."
"Ah, yes," Jan let out a disappointed sigh. "But, you see, the cottage is very popular with locals and tourists, so it tends to get full very quickly. They don't take reservations, so you need to be there early to get a seat. If we go to the windmill, we'd probably have to wait an hour or two at the cottage before we can be seated."
Mei's face fell. "Oh no! And we still have to make it back to town!"
"Yes, quite a pity," the Netherlands nodded. He paused. "That is, of course...unless, we, the two of us, go to the cottage and get a seat and wait for your sister and Hans."
"But...that means we won't get to see the windmill!" Mei pouted. Jan bit his lower lip. She looked so adorable.
"Then, I suppose, we'll have to wait. Poor Maria...," he added, sounding disappointed. "She will be so hungry after her bike ride, too."
Beside him, Taiwan's eyes crinkled up. He made a good point. Her sister would get hungry after biking so happily for so long. She didn't want to have to have her sister wait, but if she and the Netherlands waited instead.... Her eyes went wide. Wait...if she and the Netherlands split from the group, then that meant that the Netherlands wouldn't be around her sister!
"You know," Mei began, her big eyes bright. "I think you have the right idea. I would hate to have Jie-jie wait. We should skip the windmill and go to the cottage."
An odd look was on Jan's face. Target number three: Be alone with Taiwan.
"Wonderful."
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"They went where?" Alfred choked, looking shocked as a Belgium put a cup of coffee in front of him and Daniel.
"Why aren't you with them?" Daniel asked, confused. "I thought you three were traveling together!"
"And I thought you two were traveling with Matthew," Anh Linh said coolly. "Instead, I hear he's gone to Ukraine's."
"How'd you know that?" Daniel asked.
"Russia is one of my oldest allies," Vietnam reminded them. Alfred let out a small snort. That meant that Russia knew his sister was being visited by Canada. He only wished he could be there when the two met. "Still, you're saying that France told you we had gone to a German-speaking nation?"
"He was very vague about it," Australia admitted. "But I guess he didn't lie. After all, German is spoken here and in Belgium."
"Why didn't he just tell you that they had gone to visit me and were headed this way?" Belgium asked as she took a seat on the other side of the table, beside the Southeast Asian nation.
A wry smile crossed Anh Linh's face. "I can only imagine," she murmured. She placed her cup down on the table. "Now, why exactly are you two chasing after us? We're perfectly grown nations, we can take care of ourselves."
"Well...we thought that...since...you know...," Daniel stammered, his face turning red.
"I wanted to hang out and thought it would be fun," Alfred cut him off. "I haven't see you and Maria together for a while."
"America, that was a one time thing," Anh Linh narrowed her eyes at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking about. "I thought we discussed that while it was enjoyable, we'd never do it again."
Belgium's eyes flickered from Vietnam to America and then her mouth made a silent 'o' as she understood.
"I know, I know...," Alfred sighed. "And you're seeing Thailand."
"That's right."
"But Maria is still free," he pointed out. He paused and looked at Vietnam questioningly. "She is...isn't she?"
Daniel was staring at Anh Linh, as well, waiting for her to either confirm her sister's single status or deny it and crush their hearts. Vietnam pretended to be mulling over the question while knowing full well that the Philippines was not seeing any at the moment. There were plenty of choices, however, with whom her sister could possibly be paired up with.
There was Mei's favorite, Mexico, of course, but America was too close to Mexico and he could easily get confirmation of that. There was England, but the blond wouldn't play along and quickly deny it, despite probably secretly wanting it to be true. France was out of the question. The countries that would've gone along with her she wasn't sure if she wanted to bring along. Denmark, Korea, and Turkey would get clingy.
"Anh Linh?" Belgium's careful voice said as she nudged her gently. "You didn't answer their question," she pointed out. "Is Maria seeing someone?" She was curious, too.
The brunette glanced over. "I wouldn't say that it's official," Vietnam measured her words carefully. "But...she is going to Germany for a reason." Belgium furrowed her brows.
"But, Anh Linh-" A hand swept down, below the table and squeezed Belgium's thigh, as if to tell her not to say a word. The two exchanged a silent glance and Belgium nodded.
Alfred sucked in a sharp breath, as if someone punched him in the stomach. Daniel paled and felt light headed. "So...she left the city."
"Yes," Vietnam nodded.
"She's going to Germany?" Daniel choked.
It wasn't a lie. They were going to go to Germany...just not yet. "Yes."
"We can't sit around," Alfred said as he shot out of his chair. Germany. How could he do such a thing? And when? The two hardly ever talked and when they did, he was sure it was because Northern Italy was around and Maria was attached to the twins.
"We have to get going," Daniel added as he reached into his pocket. "Please let us pay for the coffee."
Alfred slammed a fifty Euro on the table; far too much for coffee, but it was all he could get to in his rush. "Let's go, Dan!"
"R...Right!"
"Thanks, ladies! Tell Jan hi for us!" The two brothers raced out the door, presumably heading for the train station.
As soon as they were out of sight, Bel turned to the coffee-drinking brunette beside her. "Is Maria really seeing Germany?" she asked, surprised.
"Psh...no," Anh Linh sorted. "He thinks she acts too much like his brother and she thinks he has problems expressing emotions."
"Then, why did you tell them that your sisters already went to Germany?" Belgium asked, confused. "You could've just told them that you didn't want to travel with them."
The dark-haired woman demurely took a sip of her coffee. "I like messing with them."
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She was furious. All the adorable tulips and picturesque windmills in the world could not subdue the terror she felt when she got off her bike and looked around, noticing for the first time that Taiwan, and to a lesser extent, the Netherlands, were not behind her.
Hans, their tour guide, had to call Jan, who told her that they had gone to the cottage to reserve a table for lunch. She had torn the phone from Hans's hands and threatened numerous sorts of bodily harm to Jan if he touched Mei. She was then sure that Hans was in on the plot - that's what she called it - when she got off the phone and discovered that he had turned in their bikes to be locked up for their hour long tour of the windmill.
It had been an excruciating hour waiting for their bikes and once they got them, she had biked like she had never biked before to get to the cottage.
There, she found, Mei sitting beside Jan at a table and he had his arm around her. He wasn't exactly touching her; he was resting his arm around the back of her chair, but that was enough for the Philippines. She would end his weird infatuation with her sister the only way she knew how.
"Jie-jie! How do I look?" the youngest sister bounced out of their hotel bathroom dressed in her older sister's clothes. A dark, triumphant look filled Maria's face.
She had wedged herself between Jan and Mei upon arriving at the cottage and then made a point to stay by Mei's side on the way back to town. Sure, the Netherlands had a look of success on his face. He had managed to gain a few hours of alone time with Mei without the presence of the evil older sister, but no one messed with the Philippines and got away with it.
It didn't take much to talk Mei into wearing one of her dresses for their dinner cruise on Jan's boat through the canals of the city.
"Let me see," Maria said as she rose from the edge of the bed and looked over the short, curve hugging little black dress that made even Mei's youthful, and somewhat flat chested, body look as filled out as hers. "You look like a beautiful woman."
Mei gleefully squealed and admired herself as she looked in the mirror. Inside, Maria was laughing almost evilly. "I can't wait until I show the others!"
Maria smirked. "I can't either."
The two of them gathered their bags and headed out the door to meet the other three in the lobby. Anh Linh was wearing a casual ao dai while Bel wore a flattering yellow dress. Jan had gone home and changed into a nice suit, his scarf still on.
"You look happy," Belgium said as she looked at her brother critically. "Did something...happen?"
The Netherlands opened his mouth to reply only to have Vietnam quickly tell him that she did not want to know. She hadn't received any angry messages from her sister explaining in detail what had happened that day, so she assumed everything was fine.
"Sorry to take so long," a voice said from the elevators. "Mei was just getting dressed."
"Look at me, Anh Linh-jie-jie!" Mei called as she skipped out in front of her sister. Vietnam raised one brow. Mei's hair had been tied up into a sophisticated bun and make-up had been carefully applied, making her look older. Then there was her dress. "What do you think?"
"Mei! You look very beautiful!" Belgium smiled.
"You look like Maria," Vietnam stated blandly. She looked over at the smirking island nation. "This is your doing?"
"Yes," the brunette replied, almost proudly. "Yes, it is."
Mei let out another squeal, taking the comment that she looked like her sister as a compliment. "Thank you! I was worried that the dress wouldn't fit since Jie-jie has a bigger body-"
"I'm not fat," Maria snapped.
"Bigger here," Mei said, holding her hands up to her chest, earning her an annoyed look from Maria. "But, I'm glad it fit!"
"Well, you look very beautiful," Belgium assured her once more. She looked at her brother. "Doesn't she, Jan?"
Several pairs of eyes turned to the tall, lone male in the group. Jan had paled. His eyes were low and melancholy, looking at Mei as if something terrible had happened to her.
Maria let out a small laugh. "I win."
Not catching her comment, Belgium announced that Jan's boat was ready for them and began to lead the group out. Maria lingered behind with Jan, wanting to gloat.
"You made her wear your clothes," he said quietly before she could come up with the perfect comment.
"No," Maria pointed out. "You made her have to wear my clothes," she said in a low voice, so the others wouldn't hear them. "I didn't want to have to go there, but you left me no choice."
"I didn't mean to make you angry," the Netherlands said. "I just wanted to spend some time with her."
"She's not a little girl, Jan. She's just young," Maria told him.
A small smile graced the Netherland's lips. "You sound like your brother."
"What are you talking about?" she frowned. "Kuya Indonesia? Kuya Malaysia?"
"And Nueva España," Jan told her. "One day, Taiwan will grow up and lose her innocence and her naïve sweetness," he said. He paused as they saw one canal coming into view. "Just like you did." He quickened his speed and looked over his shoulder, giving her a small smile as she glared at him. His next words nearly knocked her off her feet. "That was the part of you I loved the most."
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It was their last day in Amsterdam and Maria stepped out into the lobby of the hotel, ready to take on their last day in the city.
"Yay!" a cheerful voice said behind her. "I get to wear Maria-jie-jie's clothes again, today!" Mei skipped out, pleased that, while slightly loose, Maria's clothes fit her well enough. She couldn't help but feel sexy and adult in her low cut shirt and her flattering skirt.
"You look very adult in them," Maria assured her as she held back a small smirk. "So much more sophisticated with your hair pulled back in a bun, too."
Vietnam raised a brow as she reached them. "You look like a mini-Maria," the eldest commented as she took a sip of an iced coffee she had gotten at the hotel bar. "Leste would be jealous."
Mei blushed. Maria dug into her purse to pull out her map. "Let's see...we'll be taking the train to Copenhagen tonight...so we have one more day here to enjoy Amsterdam before we leave."
"I want to take another canal tour!" Mei piped excitedly.
"Mei, we took several already," Anh Linh frowned. "One in the day time and one at night."
"But I want to take one again...," Mei pouted. "They're fun."
"Let's try to do something else today. On the first day we went out of town to the near-by villages to go biking," Maria recalled. "The second, we went to some museums, including the Rembrandt one Ate wanted to go to, and poked around the Red Light District."
Anh Linh snickered. "Heh...poked."
"Ate, please," Maria rolled her eyes. "We went on a gastronomy binge with Jan and Bel yesterday."
"No more Dutch food," Vietnam frowned as she held one hand up. "I've eaten way too much. It's going to make me fat."
"I agree...there has to be something here. Didn't we see an Indonesia place near-by?" Mei asked hopefully.
"I don't think it's open this early, Mei," Maria said. She flipped over to the backside of her map. "There are some smaller museums we can check out."
"No more museums...," Vietnam sighed. "We still have a dozen or so to go to on this trip."
"Can we go to one of those coffee shops?" Two pairs of eyes turned to the youngest of the group. Innocent looking brown orbs stared back at them hopefully. "I just want to try a little...," she smiled.
Anh Linh narrowed her eyes. "Mei...you know what those 'coffee shops' are, right?"
Mei nodded. "I read about them in my guide book."
"Ate, what do you think?" Maria looked at the eldest. "I'm not sure I feel comfortable with her smoking."
"Mei," Anh Linh frowned. "We won't be taking you to a coffee shop."
"Eh?" the youngest piped, looking concerned. "Why not!? I'm of age!"
"You're still our little sister and we told China that we would take care of you," Anh Linh told her firmly. "If you want to go to a coffee shop again, you can come back some other time when you travel on your own."
"But, Jie-jie!" Mei whined. She bit her lip. "Can't I just go into one and look? What's the worst that can happen if I just go in one?"
Anh Linh and Maria looked at each other. There were many possibilities. "I suppose it couldn't hurt if she just looked around in one."
"The smoke may get to her," Anh Linh pointed out. "I think we should bring Jan with us."
Maria frowned, her cheeks slightly reddening. "I think he's had enough of us. He said he's see us off tonight, so let's not bother him."
Anh Linh raised a brow. It seemed that Maria and Jan had come to some sort of truce their first night as Jan stopped trying to get time alone with Mei and Maria stopped glaring at him. Still, the middle sister had acted oddly, unable to meet Jan in the eye. There was only one reason the eldest could think of and that was what Belgium had told her in the middle of their photo shoot the first day.
"Mei actually reminds my brother a lot of Maria when she was that age," Bel had said as they reviewed some of their last photos.
"What do you mean?" Vietnam had asked as she pressed one of the camera's buttons to the next photo.
"Ah, not many people know," Belgium had chuckled. "But my brother really liked Maria when she was a colony. He'd always send his ships past her, but you know...Boss was really strict about who she could see and couldn't see."
"Is that why he likes little girls?" Anh Linh had asked, looking confused. Was the nation's complex the result of her sister? Sometimes, she wondered just how Maria was able to do such a thing.
Belgium had shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know," she had admitted. "Maybe he does because they remind him of her."
If that were true, and the two weren't completely sure if it was, then it would explain Maria's reactions to Jan. It was also kind of romantic and Anh Linh had filed the knowledge away for a time when she could either use it against the Netherlands or to shock Taiwan.
"I guess we can go in by ourselves...," the Philippines mused. She cringed. "I'm not exactly sure what to do, though."
"I know England has a lot of tourists that go!" Mei piped brightly.
"We're not going to call England and have him come all the way up here just so you can check out a coffee shop," Vietnam told her. She let out a tired sigh and rubbed her forehead. "I'm starting to wish I didn't send America to Germany."
"What?" the Philippines looked at her sister, confused.
"I mean, I wish Belgium didn't return home," Anh Linh replied quickly. Maria gave her an uncertain look.
"Too bad Gilbert's too far," Maria mumbled. Sometimes, her bromance with him surprised even herself. "Who else...?"
"I'll go with you three," another accented voice greeted. The three sisters turned just as a pair of heavy arms fell over Maria's shoulders. "What do you say?"
Mei's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Why the hell was he there?
Maria didn't seem to bat an eye and allowed him to lean heavily against her, languidly letting his arms rest over her shoulders as she felt his chin rest on her head. He still had to bend slightly forward, as he was rather tall.
"That's fine, but what are you doing here?" Vietnam said, cocking her head to the side.
"I had an great idea," the tall, beaming blond told them. "Instead of taking the train, why don't we take a ferry from here to Esbjerg?" he suggested. "Like a mini-cruise!"
"And you came all the way from Copenhagen just to suggest that?" Maria rolled her eyes. She felt him laugh behind him as his arms crossed over hers, locking her against him.
"Well, what better guide there than me?" he said as he happily nuzzled the top of Maria's head. Mei's eyes only grew darker as she began to fist her small hands at her side. "So...what do you say?"
"I think a mini-cruise would be nice," Anh Linh added. "Mei?"
"Let go of Jie-jie...," the youngest said in a low, threatening voice. Vietnam rolled her eyes.
"She's interested in one, too," she mused. "But we didn't set aside a budget for it."
"Not a problem!" the blond assured them. "I got Norge and Sverige to pitch in to get you guys some tickets, since we'll be using it to get to Oslo, too!"
"We?" Maria stated. She felt him give her a squeeze. "You're coming with us, Soren? Do they know?" She was sure that if they did know, they wouldn't have wanted him to.
"They won't mind!" he smiled. All three sisters silently called him a liar. "So...are you interested?"
"On one condition," Maria stated. He nodded. "Get your arms off of me before I rip them out," she growled. "Denmark."
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Omake Postcard
From: Taiwan
To: Puerto Rico
Dear Ana,
I have successfully warded off the Dutch threat. (Aren't you proud of me? Hehe.) Unfortunately, we're going to Denmark; land of the hugging Dane. I know that we always pair him up with Norway and he's very touchy-feely, but I still don't like him. He's not like France. France knows when to stop, but this guy...I'm not so sure. Looks like I'll have to keep working for the cause.
Jie-jie says she'll send you some chocolate she got in Belgium and also sent you a post card. I'll send you the FB picture link when we get home! I got so many great shots of Maria-jie-jie. <3
Sincerely,
Mei-Mei
PS - I hope you like this card of the canals. There are a lot here. Amsterdam has a weird smell, too.
PPS - What did you think about my fanfic? I know our trade was for historical smut, but I'm not that good at it.
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A.N. - Thank you for reading! Yes, Al and Dan were so close. So close, they could almost touch her, but they didn't. Will they try to make their way back to Amsterdam or will they stay in Germany and wait to intercept them there? Next up, the sisters are off to Scandinavia with their unwanted 'escort'!
I also tried to find the common fan names for Norway and Denmark, but what was suggested didn't really hit me (Mathias is okay, but I can't see Denmark as a Mathias). So, I went online and checked on Danish and Norwegian names. Denmark is Soren Jorgensen and Norway can be Erik Christiansen. Yes, I went with the traditional -sen surnames.
Ugh...anyway, sorry for the late update. I know that I've been aiming for one chapter a week, but I've been so busy at work. So busy, that I don't have time to write FANFICTION. O_O I've barely begun the outline notes for EoGs and I wanted to get at least 2 chapters to viva by next week. In addition, I freaking injured my hand. Or rather my thumb area. Woke up with my hand clenched in such an odd manner one morning and my left ring finger had muscle strain; then a few days later, I pulled a muscle on my thumb and now if I grab on to something wrong, it hurts like a mofo. I'm finding it difficult to not use it.
It's my freaking thumb....=_= I pray for my quick recovery. T_T