[fanfic] Wanderlust - 7
Title: Wanderlust
Part: Syv
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:
"So, Maria," Denmark smirked proudly. "It's come to this, has it?"
Across from him, on the other ship, the island nation met his gaze proudly. "Yes, it has Soren. Prepare to lose!"
Anh Linh snorted as Mei switched her camera to video and pressed the record button. The trio watched as Denmark and the Philippines took their seats. One of the park exhibit officials gave a nervous yell for them to start and suddenly, paddles were in the air and slamming into the water.
Cheering was heard from the shores as the boats cut through the cold, murky water, blindly going forward under the demanding yells of Maria and Soren.
"One! Two! One! Two!" Maria shouted rhythmically, as if in dragon boat.
"Faster! Don't let her win!" Soren yelled to his crew. It was less encouraging.
Mei looked past her camera's display screen and narrowed her eyes at a small protruding island. "Don't they see it coming?"
"No, Mei," Anh Linh said as she watched the crew row furiously under the demands of their victory driven taskmasters. "No, they don't."
Mentally, Vietnam and Norway counted down as the workers on board the ships began yelling for them to stop, but were drowned out by Maria and Soren. Within moments, the rebuilt Viking vessels slammed into the island, jarring people out of the seats, screaming as they ran aground.
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Wanderlust
Syv
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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They had to leave on the privately chartered yacht, which apparently belonged to Sweden and had been "borrowed" by Denmark. Technically, they could have left at any time, but Soren Jorgensen, former Viking and warlord, insisted on leaving at sunset. He claimed it was the best time for photographing their departure and that had sold Mei on the idea.
Vietnam and the Philippines had insisted on taking the train after they realized that there was no regular direct ferry from Amsterdam to Esbjerg that they could take. It had been too late, however. Denmark had already had their bags put on board and Sweden had sent them a nice message with "enjoy your trip; lock the cabin door at night to keep him out".
He had only been around them for less than twelve hours and already he had earned two slaps and a punch to the jaw, the later from Maria. Still, nothing seemed to faze him.
The youngest sister was giggling and clinging on to the Philippines as she glared daggers at a somewhat apologetic Denmark, who was holding a cold can of soda against his jaw. A few paces away, two pairs of eyes watched the trio.
Jan raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong with Mei?" he asked. He had come to see them off, as promised, though had been somewhat surprised that they were taking the sea-route instead of the land one.
Anh Linh let out a heavy breath. "She wanted to see a coffee shop, so we went with her. While Maria and I weren't looking, Soren gave her some weed." A squeal and a sharp gasp seemed to drill the point home as Mei pointed to a seagull and exclaimed that it was flying, as if such a thing were out of the ordinary. Anh Linh narrowed her eyes. "Now she's a bit out of it."
Jan looked back at the Dane, who was nursing an injured jaw. That would explain why he had it in the first place. "It was well deserved," he decided.
Anh Linh nodded. She turned to him and extended her hand. "Well, Netherlands, thank you for your hospitality these last few days," she said as Jan nodded and shook her hand. "Mei!" she called over her shoulder. "Mei, come and thank Netherlands for being such a good host!"
"Okay!" Mei shouted cheerfully as she stumbled from her other sister and made her way over. Beaming, she stretched out her arms as she approached Jan. "Netherlands!" she cried out as she flung herself into his arms. Jan barely had time to react and catch her before she fell.
"Ah...," he smiled slightly, though was more concerned about the effects of the temporary drugs on her.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Mei said as she hugged him. "You know," she said as she looked up at him and smiled widely. "It was nice doing business with you."
He furrowed his brows. He didn't understand. "What?"
"Okay, Mei," Anh Linh sighed as she reached forward and pried her sister off the tall Dutchman. "That's enough. If you keep hugging him, Maria will get jealous and leave you."
Mei let out a sharp gasp and immediately released her hold on Jan. She withdrew her arms back and shook her head furiously. "No! I love Jie-jie the most!"
"Of course you do," Anh Linh assured her as she patted her shoulders and lead her away. They passed their sister on the way towards the ramp up to the ship.
"You two board before me," Maria said. "I'd like to speak to Jan for a moment."
Vietnam nodded. "Just don't kill him."
"I can't promise anything," Maria muttered back. She approached the scarf-wearing nation and stood beside him, waiting until both Anh Linh and Mei had disappeared on board the white vessel. She took a deep breath and turned to face him. She lifted her hand and waved for him to follow her around the back of a sign that held up a map and ferry time tables. Dutifully, Jan did was what was instructed, but kept his distance. He wondered if she were leading him away from the public eye in order to maim him. "Thank you for your help while we were here, Jan," she began. He opened his mouth to assure her it was not a problem, only to be cut off quickly. "Even though you're a creepy lolicon, you weren't a bad host," she added. He gave her a blank expression, unsure of how to take her words. Maria bit her lips inward for a moment and then let out an acknowledging sigh. "And, I'm sorry for being so rude to you."
His eyes widened just a bit, obviously not having expected the apology. "You are allowed to be concerned for your sister, Maria," he acknowledged politely. "Though, I assure you, I did not plan to do anything harmful to Mei."
She nodded her head slightly and bit her lower lip once more. A question had been lingering in the back of her mind for some time now, but she wasn't sure how to ask it. Mentally shaking her head, she figured she needed to let it out now before it was too late.
"Did you mean what you said?" she asked suddenly, lifting her head to meet his eyes with unsure brown ones. "That night before we got on your boat?"
Maria tried to read his face, but couldn't find anything that expressed what he was thinking. Jan seemed to be studying hers for a moment and hesitated answering immediately. He inhaled a deep breath.
"It was...," he began carefully. "A long time ago."
She wasn't sure if she should've been hurt by his words or not. One hand, he didn't confirm it. On the other, he didn't deny it, either. Her mind was made up.
She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. "I don't normally do this," she told him firmly. "But I feel like I owe you something, especially considering how badly I've treated you lately, and to be honest, I haven't been able to get what you said out of my mind. This may be the only chance I have to get this off my chest," she rambled.
Jan prepared to take a step back. She was going to slap him, he just knew it.
"Anyway," Maria continued on as her hands balled at her sides. "I'm sorry in advance and I know you're going to be disgusted with this, because that's how lolicons would feel, I guess."
He cocked his head to the side. What was she talking about? He saw a movement in her arms and prepared himself for a slap. She was faster than he thought and he was unable to escape her.
Her hand shot up and grabbed the collar of his coat. She pulled his head down to her level and pressed her lips against his.
His eyes widened as his mouth opened, by no real order of his own, and allowed her inside of him, succumbing to her easily as she held on to him firmly, keeping him against her as she kissed him.
Jan couldn't move. He stood rooted in his spot, tense and almost overwhelmed as the female nation's warm, moist mouth conquered his in an oddly tender way, as if she were both stealing his kiss and apologizing for doing so.
Before the full intensity of it could be felt, her hands released him and shoved him back. She pulled herself away and gasped for a breath, panting a bit as she looked at his stunned face. There. It was out of her system...and she couldn't believe she had actually gone through with it. Her cheeks began to heat up, embarrassed.
"Well...I hope that wasn't too bad...sorry," she mumbled stupidly. She quickly licked her lips and looked anywhere but at him. "I should go."
She turned on her heel and prepared to march back to the awaiting boat when a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist tightly. She snapped her head back, her eyes narrowing as Jan pulled her back behind the sign and barely had time to cradle her with one arm before she slammed her back against it. For a moment, her heart shot to her throat, surprised and slightly frightened by his sudden rough treatment. Was he angry? Did she cross the line?
He watched as a flicker of fear shot through her eyes as she met his gaze. That was not what he wanted to see in her.
His lips were hot and slightly chapped, but they were firm over hers and she found herself melting against him as her mouth opened and welcomed him inside of her. Her eyes closed, heavy as the Netherlands kissed her deeply, and finally reaffirming what he had told her just a few nights earlier. Once upon a time, he did want her...and a small part of him possibly still did.
Pressed against the signs, with her arms wrapped around him, running through his hair as his kept her firmly in place pinned against him was how Denmark found them. He rounded the sign, drinking his soda would he caught the unexpected sight. He nearly choked on his caffeinated beverage as he saw them.
He had known the Netherlands for centuries and he'd never seen him that intimate with a woman. He almost couldn't believe what he was seeing. Also, didn't Jan have a thing for little girls?
Before he could figure out what exactly was happening, Jan pulled away from Maria, leaving the island nation on shaky legs as she leaned back against the sign board, flushed and breathless. Her head was spinning, trying to come to her senses as Jan kissed the top of her head before he stroked the side of her face gently.
"You are not what you were three hundred years ago...a little bigger...," the Netherlands told her softly as he took a step back. "But...it's better than I thought it would be."
Denmark watched as her eyes widened and her face seemed to redden more at whatever words the Netherland had told her. She merely nodded, acknowledging what had just happened, as she stumbled away from the board and past Jan. She made it three steps before her legs gave way and she found herself sitting on the ground, confused.
Soren let out a sigh and shook his head. He tossed his can into the nearest recycling bin and waved Jan away before he could reach Maria. "It's alright, I'll take it from here," he assured the other male nation as he bent down and put his arms beneath Maria's knees and under shoulders. He picked her up with ease and turned around, heading towards the walkway to the boat. "So," he began as they reached the halfway point. "Was that a good-bye kiss?" he asked cheekily. He got a glare in return. "And will I be getting one, too?"
Maria snorted indifferently as he carefully put her down on the deck of the boat. "You'd be lucky if I gave you a good-bye drowning."
Denmark merely tossed his head back and laughed as he prepared to help the crew set sail. Maria made her way towards the side of the ship, where Anh Linh was leaning forward, against the metal railing, and watching the dock below.
"Where's Mei?" Maria asked.
"On the stern, taking pictures," her sister replied coolly. "So don't worry," she smirked knowingly. "She didn't see your impromptu make-out session with Jan."
Maria merely shrugged her shoulders, welcoming the cool sea breeze against her warm, flushed face. She leaned forward and looked down at the tall man standing on the edge of the dock. "It wasn't really anything."
Anh Linh's lips curled up into an amused smile. "But was it good?"
The boat began to move and Maria's eyes met Jan's once more. He lifted a hand and gave her a small wave as a tiniest hint of a smile graced his face. The Philippines felt her own lips mirroring his.
"It was quite a high."
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"How many times must I tell you," Germany said, exasperated as America stood in his living room with arms crossed and lips pursed into a thin line. "I have not seen Maria!"
Blue eyes only grew more determined. "Vietnam said she came here, Ludwig."
The other blond ran his hand down his face. "America, I know that the girls are coming, but they haven't arrived in Germany, yet," Ludwig insisted. "I would know if they had. My brother and I were going to show them around the country before seeing them off to Austria and Hungary for their sleep over."
Behind Alfred, Daniel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I think he's telling the truth, mate," he conceded hesitantly.
"I am telling the truth!" Ludwig insisted. "What reason would I have for lying about such a thing!?"
Alfred narrowed his eyes. "If that's the case...why would Vietnam lie to us?" Daniel stared at his brother with a dead pan expression. "Okay, fine. So she has her reasons...."
"I can call around to see where they are," Ludwig offered. "If that will help-"
"Whoa, there, West!" a voice interrupted from the hall. Three pairs of eyes turned towards the entryway, where Prussia had appeared, snacking on a banana. "That'll just bother the girls. I'm sure by now, they're with another country being given elaborate tours of palaces or something."
Ludwig furrowed his brows. "Well...that is true...," he admitted.
Prussia beamed and tossed his banana peel on to the table, much to his brother's annoyance, and walked over Alfred and Daniel. He put his arms around their shoulders and grinned. "Why don't you guys let us take you around for a bit?"
America shrugged off his arm. "No offense, Gilbert, but we don't trust you."
"What?" Gilbert pretended to be hurt.
"And with good reason...," Ludwig mumbled under his breath, earning him a glare from his brother. Prussia opened his mouth when he heard a rapid knocking on the door. "I'll get it," the blond sighed.
Gilbert looked at the other two as his brother headed to the door. "What do you mean you don't trust me? I'm trustworthy!" The two siblings merely exchanged glances. "I am!"
"Alfred, Daniel," Ludwig called as he reappeared. "You have a visitor."
"Huh?" America watched as Ludwig stepped aside and revealed a worn looking Canada. "Mattie?"
"Mattie, what are you doing here?" Daniel asked, confused. "I thought you were with Ukraine."
"Oh...Ukraine," Gilbert perked up. He gave Matthew a thumbs up. "Nice."
"I called France to see where you were and he said you were going to Germany, so I came here," Matthew replied as he let his backpack hit the ground.
"Yeah," Alfred nodded. "But, why are you here?"
Canada lifted his head and met his brother's eyes. "Russia...," he explained. Daniel gave an understanding nod and Alfred furrowed his brows. "I don't know how he found out that I was there, but he wouldn't leave us alone. The first night, I was sleeping on the couch and when I opened my eyes, he was there, standing above me. Katya said he was just trying to be nice and welcome me, but he wouldn't leave us alone, Al!"
"I see where this is going," America sighed. "Couldn't you get Ukraine to talk to him? He's her brother."
"She doesn't like telling him to leave!" Canada exclaimed. "I didn't want to make her uncomfortable! I could've lived with him being there, but then he cornered me and asked me to go with him on a trip."
"So...," America narrowed his eyes. "You wet your pants and ran away?"
"No!" Canada flushed. "Katya was suddenly called away and it was either I come here or stay with him!"
"Pussy," Prussia snorted. His brother shot him a glare.
Daniel crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, I reckon you got what you deserved...leaving us like that."
"You're one to talk!" Matthew retorted. "I don't see you two doing any better! I don't see three Asian girls here, do you?"
"Oh, and I suppose you're doing so well with Katya-"
"You're the one who ran away from Russia-"
"I don't think you're in any position to judge-"
Three English-speaking voices filled the house as the three brothers began to argue. Ludwig lifted his hand and rubbed his forehead. Why, out of all the places in the world, did they have to end up as his house? He could hear his brother adding fuel to the argument every now and then and silently cursed him. How could things get any worse?
"Ve...," a dazed, but cheerful voice beamed from somewhere in the hall. "Thank you for letting me become, Hungary! I'll be glad to bring some food for the sleep over!"
His voice drew Prussia out of the conversation. His brows knit together as he shoved past the brothers and intercepted the Italian wandering their halls. "Hey, Italy, give me that," he said as he snatched the phone from the smaller country's hand.
"What? Oh, Prussia. It's-"
"Hey!" the white-haired former empire demanded on the phone. "Why does the kid get to come, but I can't?" he asked, a frown on his face. Everyone could hear Hungary's muffled voice coming out of the phone. "Feliciano isn't a girl, either!" Gilbert yelled. "You're such a heinous bitch, I don't see why you have to be so...hello? Hello?" he held the phone away from his ear and glared at it. "She hung up on me! Can you believe that!?"
Ludwig could only crinkle his eyes as he looked at his older sibling with a mixture of confusion and horror. "Brother, why do you want to go to their sleep over-"
"It's the principle of the matter!" Gilbert insisted as he shoved the phone into Italy's hands. He pointed to the three Anglophones. "You three! Get some rest today! Tomorrow, we're going east for some answers!"
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It was their second day in Denmark and nearing the end of their first full day in Copenhagen. Denmark had drive them from Esbjerg, across his country, and to the bustling city of Copenhagen the day before. It was an entertaining road trip with Maria and Soren arguing about the scenery. He insisted it was peaceful. She found it "flat and boring". She kept asking why he didn't have any real mountains and he kept defending himself, saying it wasn't the size that mattered.
After a nice dinner in the city, Soren took them on the obligatory boat ride before dropping them off at their hotel. The next morning, he had dutifully picked them up and took up the day showing off his rich royal heritage with visits to landmarks and tours of a palace. He capped off the day with one his favorite places in town to relax.
"Tivoli Gardens is the first of its kind here in Europe," he told them proudly. "It's older and better than Disneyland," he added.
The girls weren't paying attention. They had long since learned how to ignore him. They were busy trying to figure out what to do first as the sun set and the park began to light up. "I want to ride this one," Mei was saying as they stood off to the side and pointed to the swinging ride behind them.
"That's a bit too much excitement for me," Anh Linh replied. "I'd like to walk through this area. Maria?"
"I heard there was some jazz played here. I was going to grab a seat and listen for a while," the island nation replied.
"Hey...," Soren looked at them, feeling ignored. "Are you guys listening?"
"Maybe we should split up," Anh Linh said. "Mei, can you handle yourself-"
"I'll meet you later!" the youngest was already shouting as she darted away from her sisters and headed for the line to the ride.
Anh Linh narrowed her eyes. "Alright...."
"I'll go and get a seat on the grass," Maria patted her sister's shoulder. "Come by when you're done and we'll get a snack."
"Sounds good," Anh Linh said as she lifted her wrist and checked her watch. "I better get going. I need to meet someone there."
"Hmm?" Maria gave her sister a questioning look, but received no answer as Vietnam stepped to the sided and joined the steady crowd that headed towards the direction of the displays she wanted to see. Shrugging, Maria headed towards the sound of music.
She found a nice patch of grass to sit on and leaned back against her arms as a jazz band began to play in front of her. It was a nice way to unwind after a whirl-wind tour of Danish buildings.
"Hello, pretty lady," a familiar voice said behind her. Her relaxed look shifted into a frown. "May I have this dance?"
"No," she answered instantly.
"I thought you'd say that," Denmark took a seat beside her and handed her an ice cream cone. Maria silently accepted it. "Maybe later, then?"
"You dragged us through a maze of palaces and had us bike across the city with you all day," Maria told him in between licks. "I'm tired and just want to relax."
"Fair enough," he shrugged. "So, how are you liking Europe?"
"It's fine and old," Maria replied curtly.
"Which country do you like so far?"
"I'll judge when the trip is complete."
Soren paused in the middle of licking his ice cream and looked at her, almost smirking. "You know that out of the three you'll be going to, Denmark is the best, right?"
Maria rolled her eyes. "I'm going to tell Norway and Sweden."
"But it's true!" he insisted. "I bet you money that your sisters will have a better time here, in my country, they will at the others."
Maria paused and narrowed her eyes. "Soren, how can you even bet something like that? You don't know what Ate and Mei are interested in."
"But I do know that they'll have the most fun here," he insisted. He took another lick of his ice cream and gave her a challenging look. "Want to make a bet?"
"Alright," Maria gave in. "After we leave Sweden, we'll ask Mei and Ate which country they liked most. If either one of them say Denmark, you win. If neither of them say Denmark, I win. "
"Sounds fair," Soren agreed. "If I win, you owe me your company and one whole night of beer, on you."
"What!?" Maria exclaimed, narrowing her eyes. "Are you serious? Do you know how expensive taking you out to drink is?"
"Well, what do you want if you win?" Soren asked coolly.
Maria thought for a moment. "The next time you visit my country, you won't come by my house and bother me...for the next hundred years."
Denmark rolled his eyes. "Are you still angry about that pottery I broke the last time?" he sighed. "They're just some old plates and-"
"They were expensive pieces from Imperial China and Colonial Mexico that my brothers gifted to me, you selfish idiot!" Maria hissed. "They were irreplaceable!"
A second later, his face was covered in cold, sticky, melting vanilla. Maria was off the lawn and stalking away, leaving Soren to wipe the cream off his face.
A voice sighed in from the lawn above them. "Here," Anh Linh handed a small wad of money to Norway. "I thought she'd have more patience than that and would last at least another hour before telling him off."
The blond beside her chuckled to himself as he used the money to order some beer for the two of them. "It is not Maria who lacks patience," he assured her. "It's just that Denmark is very, very annoying."
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The corner of his purple eyes twitched as he was shoved aside by a determined white-haired former-empire invading his home. Gilbert didn't seem to have any problem with coming into Austria's house as if he owned the place and literally moving the other country aside so he could enter. "Finally! Some food!" the red-eyed idiot released a tired breath. "Hey, Roderich! Get into the kitchen and make us some sandwiches!"
The musician's eye twitched once more as he looked back out the door and saw three confused faces and on exasperated one. "What are you all doing at my house." It was more a demand than a question.
"I'm sorry, Roderich," Ludwig apologized at once. "We tried to stop him, but you know he wouldn't take no for an answer."
"He said something about getting answers from you and Hungary and then shoved us on a train here," America admitted. Even they weren't sure what was going on in Gilbert's diabolical little mind.
"But don't worry!" Matthew assured him as he lifted up a map that he and his brothers were hovering around. "Once we find hostel, we'll be out of your hair-"
"Just get inside," Austria's low, irritated voice ordered. The rest of the group quietly obeyed. None of them had been planning to visit Austria and were a bit surprised when Gilbert knocked on his door, confidently assuring them that 'Old Roddy wouldn't turn us away'.
"We're very sorry," Canada said as he slinked past.
The door closed behind them and Austria took a deep breath. He would be a good host, even if his guests were unwanted. "Please have a seat in the parlor," he instructed as he waved to a room off the side of the foyer. "I will bring you something to drink." He turned around just as Gilbert shouted.
"Bring me some cake, too!" Prussia grinned. "I know you have some!"
"You can get your own wretched cake!" Austria growled back before quickly recomposing himself and marching to his kitchen.
"Brother," Ludwig sighed. "Perhaps we should join America and his brothers at the hostel, so as not to bother Austria."
"It's fine," Gilbert assured him as he dumped his backpack on the carefully kept sofa. "Besides, we'll only be here for a day or so before we go to Budapest to wait for the sleep over."
Ludwig only dumbfounded at him. His brother would be the death of him, he was sure. Behind the couch, Matthew was looking up at the wall. Paintings and photographs lined the impressive old house and Daniel let out an impressed whistle.
"Look at all these famous musicians," the brunette said in awe. "I didn't know he knew so many."
"I'm surprised that he actually has pictures of Prussia in here, too," Alfred said from the hall, where he was taking his time looking at some old paintings. There were portraits of several other nations, including a young Italy, some stoic looking blond kid in black, Switzerland, and a few portraits of Austria and Hungary.
Gilbert smirked. He stepped out into the hall and waved for them to follow him. "If you think that's interesting, you should see his study."
"Brother...," Ludwig warned in a low voice. "That is not our place-"
"He's actually really sentimental when it comes to women," Gilbert told him knowingly. "His whole private study is covered with portraits of his 'favorites'."
Despite knowing better, the three sons of England began to follow him to a door at the end of the hall. Gilbert reached into his pocket and took out his key ring. He casually went through until he found a small key and stuck it in the lock. America and Canada exchanged concerned glances.
A small click was heard and Prussia pushed open the door. He grinned as the a light from the open window filled the hall and momentarily blinded them.
"Brother, I don't think-" Ludwig began, only to feel Gilbert's hand pulling him in.
"Whoa...," Alfred's jaw dropped. Portraits, both paintings and photographs, lined Austria's walls. There were clearly wealthy European noble women, countries, and some regions that even he could identify.
"Well, it's kind of sweet that he still keeps a picture of his ex-wife," Australia nodded. He looked at the half wall dedicated to Hungary. "Or a wall...."
"Luxemburg...Slovenia...Slovakia," Matthew mumbled as he went through the photos. He froze and his eyes went large. "Uh...Al...Dan...."
The two brothers walked over to where Matthew was standing by Roderich's rather messy desk. Smiling at them from a small portrait on the table was the Philippines. Alfred's eyes crinkled up. "I feel faint...."
"I'm hallucinating...," Daniel mumbled.
Prussia let out a whistle as he looked over their shoulders. "For a guy so up tight, he sure does get around a lot."
"Thank you," a low, clearly irritated voice said behind them. Aside from Prussia, everyone else in the room felt a sense of foreboding as they slowly turned towards the door and saw Austria standing there stiffly, holding a tray of coffee and pastries with tightened, white hands. "What are you doing in my study."
Gilbert didn't bother to answer the question. Instead, he picked up the picture of Maria in an evening gown and sitting in a balcony at an opera house up. "When did you score with my bro, Ria?"
Austria's eye twitched. "I did not 'score' with her, as you so crudely put it," he hissed. "We went to an opera performance together."
"Oh...," Prussia smirked. He put the photo down and made little air quotes with his fingers. "So that's what you're calling it now - 'opera'."
Austria's glare hardened. "Get out of my house."
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"They applied their vast knowledge of ship building to their building on land," Norway said as he stood beneath the towering staves of an old, relocated stave church with Taiwan. "You can see the carving detail on the wood is very intricate, like the carvings on Viking ships."
"Wow...it's very beautiful," Mei said as she zoomed in with her camera. She took a picture and squinted. "Are those dragons?"
"Yes," Norway smiled, happy that someone noticed. "Those are dragon heads carved into the wood. I'm glad you pointed them out."
"Yao-ge-ge has dragons carved into some of his old buildings structures, too," Mei nodded. "They're different dragons, but still dragons."
Norway continued to smile. "It seems that we are not so different."
The little brunette stared at him a moment longer, taken in by the soft smile on his usually stoic face. "Wa...Erik, you are so pretty," Taiwan sighed contentedly. The blond beside her smiled weakly.
"Thank you, Taiwan...again...." She had complimented him on how 'pretty' he was five times since they met.
Mei beamed and looped her arm around his. "Let's take a picture!" she beamed. Erik chuckled and they brought their heads together as Mei lifted her camera. She frowned. "Wait, let's take it outside! The lighting is better."
She began to drag him out and the blond chuckled and nodded. As soon as they stepped out of the reassembled house in the cultural village, they noticed groups of people crowded by the water's edge.
"What's going on?" Mei asked as she cocked her head to the side.
"Mei! Mei, come here!" Anh Linh waved over her sister from a spot by the shore. Still pulling Norway's arm, the youngest sister rushed forward. The eldest was smirking. "Get your camera ready. I have a feeling this is going to be good."
Erik squeezed between the crowds and automatically narrowed his eyes. On two replica Viking ships were two separate crews of other park visitors, all decked in life jackets and stationed by oars. What caught his attention wasn't just the normal scene of visitors about to take part in a Viking ship experience, but the two visitors wearing cheesy Viking helmets and located at the bow of the ships.
Norway glared at Denmark, knowing he had driven their guest to where she was now. "I don't know what is it about him that just makes others join in on his stupid ideas."
"So, Maria," Denmark smirked proudly. "It's come to this, has it?"
Across from him, on the other ship, the island nation met his gaze proudly. "Yes, it has Soren. Prepare to lose!"
Anh Linh snorted as Mei switched her camera to video and pressed the record button. The trio watched as Denmark and the Philippines took their seats. One of the park exhibit officials gave a nervous yell for them to start and suddenly, paddles were in the air and slamming into the water.
Cheering was heard from the shores as the boats cut through the cold, murky water, blindly going forward under the demanding yells of Maria and Soren.
"One! Two! One! Two!" Maria shouted rhythmically, as if in dragon boat.
"Faster! Don't let her win!" Soren yelled to his crew. It was less encouraging.
Mei looked past her camera's display screen and narrowed her eyes at a small protruding island. "Don't they see it coming?"
"No, Mei," Anh Linh said as she watched the crew row furiously under the demands of their victory driven taskmasters. "No, they don't."
Mentally, Vietnam and Norway counted down as the workers on board the ships began yelling for them to stop, but were drowned out by Maria and Soren. Within moments, the rebuilt Viking vessels slammed into the island, jarring people out of the seats, screaming as they ran aground.
An hour later, Maria and Soren were sitting on a bench outside the gates of the park, waiting for the other three to complete their walk through the cultural village.
"I can't believe you got us kicked out," Maria seethed as she sat with her knees pulled up to her chest and a scowl on her face. "You embarrassed us and got us banned from the outdoor museum! Ugh! I knew we should've left you back in Copenhagen!"
"Oh, come on...you know you liked it," Soren grinned. She shot him another glare. He smirked to himself and leaned back against his arms. "Well, at least we know that Mei is having a wonderful time here in Norway, considering that her favorite sister isn't there with her...."
As his voice trailed off, Maria's eyes grew wide. She snapped her head in his direction and gave him a gaping look. "You set me up!" she screamed.
Soren chuckled. "Well, you did help."
"You got me in trouble so that Mei would have a terrible time and say that Denmark was her favorite!" the brunette accused.
"And to think, we still have to go through the fjords, too...I wonder what I can get us kicked out of there...," he trailed off coolly.
Maria shoved him off the bench, sending him sputtering to the ground as she shot up and dug through her pocket for a phone. "You little son of a...."
"Ow...," Soren grumbled as he rubbed his head. He looked at her and grinned. "Hey, I'll let you out of the bet if you give in and go grab some beers with me."
"Screw you, Denmark," she grumbled. He tilted his head to the side and gave her a questioning look.
"Who are you calling?"
Maria didn't answer. She turned her back to him and waited until someone picked up. "Hello? Tino?" she began. "Is your husband there?"
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He hung upside down off the edge of his bunk, staring up at the concrete ceiling above their shared hostel room. He had been in a daze ever since they left Austria's house and he had seen a picture of her in Austria's 'favorites' room.
"I thought I was special...," Alfred said to no one in particular. Several pairs of eyes darted from each other to him, somewhat concerned. "I knew she was always popular...how could she not be...but I never thought that there were so many others...," his eyes crinkled up. "That there were so many others...."
His voice trailed off into a whimper as Daniel looked up from the bunk across from him. "Al...," he began carefully as he watched his brother curl into a ball and turn his back to the rest of them. He crinkled his eyes. "Al, are you crying?"
"It's just my allergies!" Alfred choked out, heartbroken.
Another bunk away, Prussia rolled his eyes. "Hey, don't go thinking that she's a loose woman or anything. She only has a lot of love to give," he defended. "I know because I'm the closest one to her out of all of us," he added proudly.
Ludwig was face down on his pillow, in the bunk under Gilbert. He merely grumbled in response. Alfred, seemingly wiping his eyes, argued against that. "No, you're not!" he insisted. "I'm the closest...at least...," he sucked in a heavy breath. "At least that's what I thought...maybe I should've listened to her more. Maybe I should've been more patient. Maybe I-"
"We're good friends, you moron! We hang out without any oppressive sexual tension!" Gilbert snapped. "She's my best friend's daughter! How sick do you think I am - don't answer that Ludwig," he added quickly. His brother rolled his eyes. "I know more about her thank you think. For instance, I know that Maria likes watching dramas from all over the world because it helps her with pronouncing words in other languages. I know she only goes to the beach when someone is visiting or when she wants to be alone. I know that when she's stressed , she goes to church and just sits there because the atmosphere calms her," he told them proudly. "I know that even though she lives in the city, she's still a good country girl and doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. I know she's needlessly self-conscious about her dark skin sometimes and, even though she's damn good at it and has a fridge stocked with beer, she rarely drinks. Did any of you know that?"
No one really answered for a while. "I knew about the dramas," Alfred said quietly. "And the beach; Mex told me not to bother her when she goes to the beach alone." He didn't know about the church or that she got self-conscious. He couldn't think of a reason why she would be.
"Listen, Kinder," Prussia said as he rolled on to his side and faced them. "She dates a lot, but she doesn't love all of them, and of that group, she's slept with far fewer. As her friend, I think that if you want to date her, great. You can't go wrong. But," he stressed. "My Maria isn't one to settle down so easily."
"Brother, don't say it like that...," Ludwig sighed heavily.
"Gilbert," Daniel said hesitantly from his bed. "Do you think I have a chance?"
The white-haired man shrugged. "She does like brunettes."
"Well...," Alfred said. "Do you know for sure if she is dating someone?" he asked. "If you're so close and all...."
Gilbert crinkled his eyes and thought for a moment. "I've heard of some rumors. I've been reading a lot of fanfiction about it recently."
Ludwig narrowed his eyes more so as he looked at his brother, as if he were an idiot. "Fanfiction," he spat out. "You get your news from fanfiction?"
Prussia gave him a dismissing wave of his hand. "It's actually a great way to learn about things," he told his brother. He jumped down from his bunk and stretched his arms. "Get up, let's get some cake," he told his brother. Begrudgingly, Ludwig did as he was told. "You three want to come?" he asked over his shoulder as they reached the door.
The three brothers merely groaned and remained on their respective bunks, all emotionally drained and physically tired. "I will bring you back something to eat," Ludwig told them sympathetically. He and Gilbert headed out. "Brother, you do not really get your information from fanfiction, do you?" Ludwig asked, concerned.
"I told you, West, it's a good source of random information," Prussia assured him. "By the way, do you know what a Nueva España is?"
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"Eh...?" Feliciano's face dropped as he sat at the table in his brother's kitchen, looking disappointed as Romano dropped some pasta into boiling water. "Why aren't you going?"
Lovino rolled his eyes. His brother had arrived that afternoon for no other reason than to pay him a visit. Luckily, Feliciano had arrived just before he started cooking for dinner and Lovino was able to add more to what he had initially prepared.
"Why would I go?" he snorted.
"Because it's a sleep over," Feliciano replied innocently. "Weren't you invited?"
"Of course I wasn't invited!" Romano snapped as he looked over his shoulder and shot his brother a look. "I'm not a woman or part of their stupid book club!" he informed his younger twin loudly. "Besides, I have my hands full here in Rome." Secretly, he was rather jealous that his brother had been invited.
"Oh!" Feliciano's face lit up. "Is it because Maria's coming?"
Lovino whirled around, his eyes wide and his expression panicked as he brought his finger up to his mouth and tried to silence his brother. "Shut-"
"Qué?" a voice asked from the doorway into the kitchen. Feliciano turned towards the voice and Lovino swore as he slammed his hand on the counter and ran the other down his face. Spain stood at the threshold with a confused look on his face. "Maria?" he asked carefully. "Mi Maria?" he stressed. "She is coming here?"
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Omake Postcard
From: The Philippines
To: China
Dear Kuya Yao,
First, let me assure you that we are safe and the flight was uneventful. Our plans have changed a little, since now all the countries here have come to meet us and show us around - so we're on super safe guided tours. See? No reason to worry. We're perfectly safe and no one is here to take advantage of us.
Second, we're sending back a package of chocolate to Kuya Kiku. We've instructed him to distribute it to you guys fairly, so keep a look out! We have a ton of pictures that we can't wait to show you!
See you soon!
Maria
PS - Stay off my islands. You know which ones. >: (
PPS - Ate Anh Linh says "ditto"...and then something I can't repeat. =_= (It's not nice.)
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A.N. - Thank you all for reading! So, what has Denmark done that makes Piri so competitive? He just keeps bugging her...and he wreaked some of her (expensive, irreplaceable, and emotionally special) property. Meanwhile, The Bros have reunited, along with two other bros, one unwilling. Jan gets the best good-bye kiss ever, and (el gasp) Papa Spain has been tipped off. What will happen now?
Anyway, since Lixi and I are pretty much taking our sweet time with EoG, I can use another project to distract me from the stresses of work right now. So...FIRST COMMENT gets a FREE FIC REQUEST. Should be just a one shot; try to be specific in your request.
Thanks for reading!
Part: Syv
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:
"So, Maria," Denmark smirked proudly. "It's come to this, has it?"
Across from him, on the other ship, the island nation met his gaze proudly. "Yes, it has Soren. Prepare to lose!"
Anh Linh snorted as Mei switched her camera to video and pressed the record button. The trio watched as Denmark and the Philippines took their seats. One of the park exhibit officials gave a nervous yell for them to start and suddenly, paddles were in the air and slamming into the water.
Cheering was heard from the shores as the boats cut through the cold, murky water, blindly going forward under the demanding yells of Maria and Soren.
"One! Two! One! Two!" Maria shouted rhythmically, as if in dragon boat.
"Faster! Don't let her win!" Soren yelled to his crew. It was less encouraging.
Mei looked past her camera's display screen and narrowed her eyes at a small protruding island. "Don't they see it coming?"
"No, Mei," Anh Linh said as she watched the crew row furiously under the demands of their victory driven taskmasters. "No, they don't."
Mentally, Vietnam and Norway counted down as the workers on board the ships began yelling for them to stop, but were drowned out by Maria and Soren. Within moments, the rebuilt Viking vessels slammed into the island, jarring people out of the seats, screaming as they ran aground.
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Wanderlust
Syv
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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They had to leave on the privately chartered yacht, which apparently belonged to Sweden and had been "borrowed" by Denmark. Technically, they could have left at any time, but Soren Jorgensen, former Viking and warlord, insisted on leaving at sunset. He claimed it was the best time for photographing their departure and that had sold Mei on the idea.
Vietnam and the Philippines had insisted on taking the train after they realized that there was no regular direct ferry from Amsterdam to Esbjerg that they could take. It had been too late, however. Denmark had already had their bags put on board and Sweden had sent them a nice message with "enjoy your trip; lock the cabin door at night to keep him out".
He had only been around them for less than twelve hours and already he had earned two slaps and a punch to the jaw, the later from Maria. Still, nothing seemed to faze him.
The youngest sister was giggling and clinging on to the Philippines as she glared daggers at a somewhat apologetic Denmark, who was holding a cold can of soda against his jaw. A few paces away, two pairs of eyes watched the trio.
Jan raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong with Mei?" he asked. He had come to see them off, as promised, though had been somewhat surprised that they were taking the sea-route instead of the land one.
Anh Linh let out a heavy breath. "She wanted to see a coffee shop, so we went with her. While Maria and I weren't looking, Soren gave her some weed." A squeal and a sharp gasp seemed to drill the point home as Mei pointed to a seagull and exclaimed that it was flying, as if such a thing were out of the ordinary. Anh Linh narrowed her eyes. "Now she's a bit out of it."
Jan looked back at the Dane, who was nursing an injured jaw. That would explain why he had it in the first place. "It was well deserved," he decided.
Anh Linh nodded. She turned to him and extended her hand. "Well, Netherlands, thank you for your hospitality these last few days," she said as Jan nodded and shook her hand. "Mei!" she called over her shoulder. "Mei, come and thank Netherlands for being such a good host!"
"Okay!" Mei shouted cheerfully as she stumbled from her other sister and made her way over. Beaming, she stretched out her arms as she approached Jan. "Netherlands!" she cried out as she flung herself into his arms. Jan barely had time to react and catch her before she fell.
"Ah...," he smiled slightly, though was more concerned about the effects of the temporary drugs on her.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Mei said as she hugged him. "You know," she said as she looked up at him and smiled widely. "It was nice doing business with you."
He furrowed his brows. He didn't understand. "What?"
"Okay, Mei," Anh Linh sighed as she reached forward and pried her sister off the tall Dutchman. "That's enough. If you keep hugging him, Maria will get jealous and leave you."
Mei let out a sharp gasp and immediately released her hold on Jan. She withdrew her arms back and shook her head furiously. "No! I love Jie-jie the most!"
"Of course you do," Anh Linh assured her as she patted her shoulders and lead her away. They passed their sister on the way towards the ramp up to the ship.
"You two board before me," Maria said. "I'd like to speak to Jan for a moment."
Vietnam nodded. "Just don't kill him."
"I can't promise anything," Maria muttered back. She approached the scarf-wearing nation and stood beside him, waiting until both Anh Linh and Mei had disappeared on board the white vessel. She took a deep breath and turned to face him. She lifted her hand and waved for him to follow her around the back of a sign that held up a map and ferry time tables. Dutifully, Jan did was what was instructed, but kept his distance. He wondered if she were leading him away from the public eye in order to maim him. "Thank you for your help while we were here, Jan," she began. He opened his mouth to assure her it was not a problem, only to be cut off quickly. "Even though you're a creepy lolicon, you weren't a bad host," she added. He gave her a blank expression, unsure of how to take her words. Maria bit her lips inward for a moment and then let out an acknowledging sigh. "And, I'm sorry for being so rude to you."
His eyes widened just a bit, obviously not having expected the apology. "You are allowed to be concerned for your sister, Maria," he acknowledged politely. "Though, I assure you, I did not plan to do anything harmful to Mei."
She nodded her head slightly and bit her lower lip once more. A question had been lingering in the back of her mind for some time now, but she wasn't sure how to ask it. Mentally shaking her head, she figured she needed to let it out now before it was too late.
"Did you mean what you said?" she asked suddenly, lifting her head to meet his eyes with unsure brown ones. "That night before we got on your boat?"
Maria tried to read his face, but couldn't find anything that expressed what he was thinking. Jan seemed to be studying hers for a moment and hesitated answering immediately. He inhaled a deep breath.
"It was...," he began carefully. "A long time ago."
She wasn't sure if she should've been hurt by his words or not. One hand, he didn't confirm it. On the other, he didn't deny it, either. Her mind was made up.
She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. "I don't normally do this," she told him firmly. "But I feel like I owe you something, especially considering how badly I've treated you lately, and to be honest, I haven't been able to get what you said out of my mind. This may be the only chance I have to get this off my chest," she rambled.
Jan prepared to take a step back. She was going to slap him, he just knew it.
"Anyway," Maria continued on as her hands balled at her sides. "I'm sorry in advance and I know you're going to be disgusted with this, because that's how lolicons would feel, I guess."
He cocked his head to the side. What was she talking about? He saw a movement in her arms and prepared himself for a slap. She was faster than he thought and he was unable to escape her.
Her hand shot up and grabbed the collar of his coat. She pulled his head down to her level and pressed her lips against his.
His eyes widened as his mouth opened, by no real order of his own, and allowed her inside of him, succumbing to her easily as she held on to him firmly, keeping him against her as she kissed him.
Jan couldn't move. He stood rooted in his spot, tense and almost overwhelmed as the female nation's warm, moist mouth conquered his in an oddly tender way, as if she were both stealing his kiss and apologizing for doing so.
Before the full intensity of it could be felt, her hands released him and shoved him back. She pulled herself away and gasped for a breath, panting a bit as she looked at his stunned face. There. It was out of her system...and she couldn't believe she had actually gone through with it. Her cheeks began to heat up, embarrassed.
"Well...I hope that wasn't too bad...sorry," she mumbled stupidly. She quickly licked her lips and looked anywhere but at him. "I should go."
She turned on her heel and prepared to march back to the awaiting boat when a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist tightly. She snapped her head back, her eyes narrowing as Jan pulled her back behind the sign and barely had time to cradle her with one arm before she slammed her back against it. For a moment, her heart shot to her throat, surprised and slightly frightened by his sudden rough treatment. Was he angry? Did she cross the line?
He watched as a flicker of fear shot through her eyes as she met his gaze. That was not what he wanted to see in her.
His lips were hot and slightly chapped, but they were firm over hers and she found herself melting against him as her mouth opened and welcomed him inside of her. Her eyes closed, heavy as the Netherlands kissed her deeply, and finally reaffirming what he had told her just a few nights earlier. Once upon a time, he did want her...and a small part of him possibly still did.
Pressed against the signs, with her arms wrapped around him, running through his hair as his kept her firmly in place pinned against him was how Denmark found them. He rounded the sign, drinking his soda would he caught the unexpected sight. He nearly choked on his caffeinated beverage as he saw them.
He had known the Netherlands for centuries and he'd never seen him that intimate with a woman. He almost couldn't believe what he was seeing. Also, didn't Jan have a thing for little girls?
Before he could figure out what exactly was happening, Jan pulled away from Maria, leaving the island nation on shaky legs as she leaned back against the sign board, flushed and breathless. Her head was spinning, trying to come to her senses as Jan kissed the top of her head before he stroked the side of her face gently.
"You are not what you were three hundred years ago...a little bigger...," the Netherlands told her softly as he took a step back. "But...it's better than I thought it would be."
Denmark watched as her eyes widened and her face seemed to redden more at whatever words the Netherland had told her. She merely nodded, acknowledging what had just happened, as she stumbled away from the board and past Jan. She made it three steps before her legs gave way and she found herself sitting on the ground, confused.
Soren let out a sigh and shook his head. He tossed his can into the nearest recycling bin and waved Jan away before he could reach Maria. "It's alright, I'll take it from here," he assured the other male nation as he bent down and put his arms beneath Maria's knees and under shoulders. He picked her up with ease and turned around, heading towards the walkway to the boat. "So," he began as they reached the halfway point. "Was that a good-bye kiss?" he asked cheekily. He got a glare in return. "And will I be getting one, too?"
Maria snorted indifferently as he carefully put her down on the deck of the boat. "You'd be lucky if I gave you a good-bye drowning."
Denmark merely tossed his head back and laughed as he prepared to help the crew set sail. Maria made her way towards the side of the ship, where Anh Linh was leaning forward, against the metal railing, and watching the dock below.
"Where's Mei?" Maria asked.
"On the stern, taking pictures," her sister replied coolly. "So don't worry," she smirked knowingly. "She didn't see your impromptu make-out session with Jan."
Maria merely shrugged her shoulders, welcoming the cool sea breeze against her warm, flushed face. She leaned forward and looked down at the tall man standing on the edge of the dock. "It wasn't really anything."
Anh Linh's lips curled up into an amused smile. "But was it good?"
The boat began to move and Maria's eyes met Jan's once more. He lifted a hand and gave her a small wave as a tiniest hint of a smile graced his face. The Philippines felt her own lips mirroring his.
"It was quite a high."
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"How many times must I tell you," Germany said, exasperated as America stood in his living room with arms crossed and lips pursed into a thin line. "I have not seen Maria!"
Blue eyes only grew more determined. "Vietnam said she came here, Ludwig."
The other blond ran his hand down his face. "America, I know that the girls are coming, but they haven't arrived in Germany, yet," Ludwig insisted. "I would know if they had. My brother and I were going to show them around the country before seeing them off to Austria and Hungary for their sleep over."
Behind Alfred, Daniel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I think he's telling the truth, mate," he conceded hesitantly.
"I am telling the truth!" Ludwig insisted. "What reason would I have for lying about such a thing!?"
Alfred narrowed his eyes. "If that's the case...why would Vietnam lie to us?" Daniel stared at his brother with a dead pan expression. "Okay, fine. So she has her reasons...."
"I can call around to see where they are," Ludwig offered. "If that will help-"
"Whoa, there, West!" a voice interrupted from the hall. Three pairs of eyes turned towards the entryway, where Prussia had appeared, snacking on a banana. "That'll just bother the girls. I'm sure by now, they're with another country being given elaborate tours of palaces or something."
Ludwig furrowed his brows. "Well...that is true...," he admitted.
Prussia beamed and tossed his banana peel on to the table, much to his brother's annoyance, and walked over Alfred and Daniel. He put his arms around their shoulders and grinned. "Why don't you guys let us take you around for a bit?"
America shrugged off his arm. "No offense, Gilbert, but we don't trust you."
"What?" Gilbert pretended to be hurt.
"And with good reason...," Ludwig mumbled under his breath, earning him a glare from his brother. Prussia opened his mouth when he heard a rapid knocking on the door. "I'll get it," the blond sighed.
Gilbert looked at the other two as his brother headed to the door. "What do you mean you don't trust me? I'm trustworthy!" The two siblings merely exchanged glances. "I am!"
"Alfred, Daniel," Ludwig called as he reappeared. "You have a visitor."
"Huh?" America watched as Ludwig stepped aside and revealed a worn looking Canada. "Mattie?"
"Mattie, what are you doing here?" Daniel asked, confused. "I thought you were with Ukraine."
"Oh...Ukraine," Gilbert perked up. He gave Matthew a thumbs up. "Nice."
"I called France to see where you were and he said you were going to Germany, so I came here," Matthew replied as he let his backpack hit the ground.
"Yeah," Alfred nodded. "But, why are you here?"
Canada lifted his head and met his brother's eyes. "Russia...," he explained. Daniel gave an understanding nod and Alfred furrowed his brows. "I don't know how he found out that I was there, but he wouldn't leave us alone. The first night, I was sleeping on the couch and when I opened my eyes, he was there, standing above me. Katya said he was just trying to be nice and welcome me, but he wouldn't leave us alone, Al!"
"I see where this is going," America sighed. "Couldn't you get Ukraine to talk to him? He's her brother."
"She doesn't like telling him to leave!" Canada exclaimed. "I didn't want to make her uncomfortable! I could've lived with him being there, but then he cornered me and asked me to go with him on a trip."
"So...," America narrowed his eyes. "You wet your pants and ran away?"
"No!" Canada flushed. "Katya was suddenly called away and it was either I come here or stay with him!"
"Pussy," Prussia snorted. His brother shot him a glare.
Daniel crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, I reckon you got what you deserved...leaving us like that."
"You're one to talk!" Matthew retorted. "I don't see you two doing any better! I don't see three Asian girls here, do you?"
"Oh, and I suppose you're doing so well with Katya-"
"You're the one who ran away from Russia-"
"I don't think you're in any position to judge-"
Three English-speaking voices filled the house as the three brothers began to argue. Ludwig lifted his hand and rubbed his forehead. Why, out of all the places in the world, did they have to end up as his house? He could hear his brother adding fuel to the argument every now and then and silently cursed him. How could things get any worse?
"Ve...," a dazed, but cheerful voice beamed from somewhere in the hall. "Thank you for letting me become, Hungary! I'll be glad to bring some food for the sleep over!"
His voice drew Prussia out of the conversation. His brows knit together as he shoved past the brothers and intercepted the Italian wandering their halls. "Hey, Italy, give me that," he said as he snatched the phone from the smaller country's hand.
"What? Oh, Prussia. It's-"
"Hey!" the white-haired former empire demanded on the phone. "Why does the kid get to come, but I can't?" he asked, a frown on his face. Everyone could hear Hungary's muffled voice coming out of the phone. "Feliciano isn't a girl, either!" Gilbert yelled. "You're such a heinous bitch, I don't see why you have to be so...hello? Hello?" he held the phone away from his ear and glared at it. "She hung up on me! Can you believe that!?"
Ludwig could only crinkle his eyes as he looked at his older sibling with a mixture of confusion and horror. "Brother, why do you want to go to their sleep over-"
"It's the principle of the matter!" Gilbert insisted as he shoved the phone into Italy's hands. He pointed to the three Anglophones. "You three! Get some rest today! Tomorrow, we're going east for some answers!"
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It was their second day in Denmark and nearing the end of their first full day in Copenhagen. Denmark had drive them from Esbjerg, across his country, and to the bustling city of Copenhagen the day before. It was an entertaining road trip with Maria and Soren arguing about the scenery. He insisted it was peaceful. She found it "flat and boring". She kept asking why he didn't have any real mountains and he kept defending himself, saying it wasn't the size that mattered.
After a nice dinner in the city, Soren took them on the obligatory boat ride before dropping them off at their hotel. The next morning, he had dutifully picked them up and took up the day showing off his rich royal heritage with visits to landmarks and tours of a palace. He capped off the day with one his favorite places in town to relax.
"Tivoli Gardens is the first of its kind here in Europe," he told them proudly. "It's older and better than Disneyland," he added.
The girls weren't paying attention. They had long since learned how to ignore him. They were busy trying to figure out what to do first as the sun set and the park began to light up. "I want to ride this one," Mei was saying as they stood off to the side and pointed to the swinging ride behind them.
"That's a bit too much excitement for me," Anh Linh replied. "I'd like to walk through this area. Maria?"
"I heard there was some jazz played here. I was going to grab a seat and listen for a while," the island nation replied.
"Hey...," Soren looked at them, feeling ignored. "Are you guys listening?"
"Maybe we should split up," Anh Linh said. "Mei, can you handle yourself-"
"I'll meet you later!" the youngest was already shouting as she darted away from her sisters and headed for the line to the ride.
Anh Linh narrowed her eyes. "Alright...."
"I'll go and get a seat on the grass," Maria patted her sister's shoulder. "Come by when you're done and we'll get a snack."
"Sounds good," Anh Linh said as she lifted her wrist and checked her watch. "I better get going. I need to meet someone there."
"Hmm?" Maria gave her sister a questioning look, but received no answer as Vietnam stepped to the sided and joined the steady crowd that headed towards the direction of the displays she wanted to see. Shrugging, Maria headed towards the sound of music.
She found a nice patch of grass to sit on and leaned back against her arms as a jazz band began to play in front of her. It was a nice way to unwind after a whirl-wind tour of Danish buildings.
"Hello, pretty lady," a familiar voice said behind her. Her relaxed look shifted into a frown. "May I have this dance?"
"No," she answered instantly.
"I thought you'd say that," Denmark took a seat beside her and handed her an ice cream cone. Maria silently accepted it. "Maybe later, then?"
"You dragged us through a maze of palaces and had us bike across the city with you all day," Maria told him in between licks. "I'm tired and just want to relax."
"Fair enough," he shrugged. "So, how are you liking Europe?"
"It's fine and old," Maria replied curtly.
"Which country do you like so far?"
"I'll judge when the trip is complete."
Soren paused in the middle of licking his ice cream and looked at her, almost smirking. "You know that out of the three you'll be going to, Denmark is the best, right?"
Maria rolled her eyes. "I'm going to tell Norway and Sweden."
"But it's true!" he insisted. "I bet you money that your sisters will have a better time here, in my country, they will at the others."
Maria paused and narrowed her eyes. "Soren, how can you even bet something like that? You don't know what Ate and Mei are interested in."
"But I do know that they'll have the most fun here," he insisted. He took another lick of his ice cream and gave her a challenging look. "Want to make a bet?"
"Alright," Maria gave in. "After we leave Sweden, we'll ask Mei and Ate which country they liked most. If either one of them say Denmark, you win. If neither of them say Denmark, I win. "
"Sounds fair," Soren agreed. "If I win, you owe me your company and one whole night of beer, on you."
"What!?" Maria exclaimed, narrowing her eyes. "Are you serious? Do you know how expensive taking you out to drink is?"
"Well, what do you want if you win?" Soren asked coolly.
Maria thought for a moment. "The next time you visit my country, you won't come by my house and bother me...for the next hundred years."
Denmark rolled his eyes. "Are you still angry about that pottery I broke the last time?" he sighed. "They're just some old plates and-"
"They were expensive pieces from Imperial China and Colonial Mexico that my brothers gifted to me, you selfish idiot!" Maria hissed. "They were irreplaceable!"
A second later, his face was covered in cold, sticky, melting vanilla. Maria was off the lawn and stalking away, leaving Soren to wipe the cream off his face.
A voice sighed in from the lawn above them. "Here," Anh Linh handed a small wad of money to Norway. "I thought she'd have more patience than that and would last at least another hour before telling him off."
The blond beside her chuckled to himself as he used the money to order some beer for the two of them. "It is not Maria who lacks patience," he assured her. "It's just that Denmark is very, very annoying."
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The corner of his purple eyes twitched as he was shoved aside by a determined white-haired former-empire invading his home. Gilbert didn't seem to have any problem with coming into Austria's house as if he owned the place and literally moving the other country aside so he could enter. "Finally! Some food!" the red-eyed idiot released a tired breath. "Hey, Roderich! Get into the kitchen and make us some sandwiches!"
The musician's eye twitched once more as he looked back out the door and saw three confused faces and on exasperated one. "What are you all doing at my house." It was more a demand than a question.
"I'm sorry, Roderich," Ludwig apologized at once. "We tried to stop him, but you know he wouldn't take no for an answer."
"He said something about getting answers from you and Hungary and then shoved us on a train here," America admitted. Even they weren't sure what was going on in Gilbert's diabolical little mind.
"But don't worry!" Matthew assured him as he lifted up a map that he and his brothers were hovering around. "Once we find hostel, we'll be out of your hair-"
"Just get inside," Austria's low, irritated voice ordered. The rest of the group quietly obeyed. None of them had been planning to visit Austria and were a bit surprised when Gilbert knocked on his door, confidently assuring them that 'Old Roddy wouldn't turn us away'.
"We're very sorry," Canada said as he slinked past.
The door closed behind them and Austria took a deep breath. He would be a good host, even if his guests were unwanted. "Please have a seat in the parlor," he instructed as he waved to a room off the side of the foyer. "I will bring you something to drink." He turned around just as Gilbert shouted.
"Bring me some cake, too!" Prussia grinned. "I know you have some!"
"You can get your own wretched cake!" Austria growled back before quickly recomposing himself and marching to his kitchen.
"Brother," Ludwig sighed. "Perhaps we should join America and his brothers at the hostel, so as not to bother Austria."
"It's fine," Gilbert assured him as he dumped his backpack on the carefully kept sofa. "Besides, we'll only be here for a day or so before we go to Budapest to wait for the sleep over."
Ludwig only dumbfounded at him. His brother would be the death of him, he was sure. Behind the couch, Matthew was looking up at the wall. Paintings and photographs lined the impressive old house and Daniel let out an impressed whistle.
"Look at all these famous musicians," the brunette said in awe. "I didn't know he knew so many."
"I'm surprised that he actually has pictures of Prussia in here, too," Alfred said from the hall, where he was taking his time looking at some old paintings. There were portraits of several other nations, including a young Italy, some stoic looking blond kid in black, Switzerland, and a few portraits of Austria and Hungary.
Gilbert smirked. He stepped out into the hall and waved for them to follow him. "If you think that's interesting, you should see his study."
"Brother...," Ludwig warned in a low voice. "That is not our place-"
"He's actually really sentimental when it comes to women," Gilbert told him knowingly. "His whole private study is covered with portraits of his 'favorites'."
Despite knowing better, the three sons of England began to follow him to a door at the end of the hall. Gilbert reached into his pocket and took out his key ring. He casually went through until he found a small key and stuck it in the lock. America and Canada exchanged concerned glances.
A small click was heard and Prussia pushed open the door. He grinned as the a light from the open window filled the hall and momentarily blinded them.
"Brother, I don't think-" Ludwig began, only to feel Gilbert's hand pulling him in.
"Whoa...," Alfred's jaw dropped. Portraits, both paintings and photographs, lined Austria's walls. There were clearly wealthy European noble women, countries, and some regions that even he could identify.
"Well, it's kind of sweet that he still keeps a picture of his ex-wife," Australia nodded. He looked at the half wall dedicated to Hungary. "Or a wall...."
"Luxemburg...Slovenia...Slovakia," Matthew mumbled as he went through the photos. He froze and his eyes went large. "Uh...Al...Dan...."
The two brothers walked over to where Matthew was standing by Roderich's rather messy desk. Smiling at them from a small portrait on the table was the Philippines. Alfred's eyes crinkled up. "I feel faint...."
"I'm hallucinating...," Daniel mumbled.
Prussia let out a whistle as he looked over their shoulders. "For a guy so up tight, he sure does get around a lot."
"Thank you," a low, clearly irritated voice said behind them. Aside from Prussia, everyone else in the room felt a sense of foreboding as they slowly turned towards the door and saw Austria standing there stiffly, holding a tray of coffee and pastries with tightened, white hands. "What are you doing in my study."
Gilbert didn't bother to answer the question. Instead, he picked up the picture of Maria in an evening gown and sitting in a balcony at an opera house up. "When did you score with my bro, Ria?"
Austria's eye twitched. "I did not 'score' with her, as you so crudely put it," he hissed. "We went to an opera performance together."
"Oh...," Prussia smirked. He put the photo down and made little air quotes with his fingers. "So that's what you're calling it now - 'opera'."
Austria's glare hardened. "Get out of my house."
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"They applied their vast knowledge of ship building to their building on land," Norway said as he stood beneath the towering staves of an old, relocated stave church with Taiwan. "You can see the carving detail on the wood is very intricate, like the carvings on Viking ships."
"Wow...it's very beautiful," Mei said as she zoomed in with her camera. She took a picture and squinted. "Are those dragons?"
"Yes," Norway smiled, happy that someone noticed. "Those are dragon heads carved into the wood. I'm glad you pointed them out."
"Yao-ge-ge has dragons carved into some of his old buildings structures, too," Mei nodded. "They're different dragons, but still dragons."
Norway continued to smile. "It seems that we are not so different."
The little brunette stared at him a moment longer, taken in by the soft smile on his usually stoic face. "Wa...Erik, you are so pretty," Taiwan sighed contentedly. The blond beside her smiled weakly.
"Thank you, Taiwan...again...." She had complimented him on how 'pretty' he was five times since they met.
Mei beamed and looped her arm around his. "Let's take a picture!" she beamed. Erik chuckled and they brought their heads together as Mei lifted her camera. She frowned. "Wait, let's take it outside! The lighting is better."
She began to drag him out and the blond chuckled and nodded. As soon as they stepped out of the reassembled house in the cultural village, they noticed groups of people crowded by the water's edge.
"What's going on?" Mei asked as she cocked her head to the side.
"Mei! Mei, come here!" Anh Linh waved over her sister from a spot by the shore. Still pulling Norway's arm, the youngest sister rushed forward. The eldest was smirking. "Get your camera ready. I have a feeling this is going to be good."
Erik squeezed between the crowds and automatically narrowed his eyes. On two replica Viking ships were two separate crews of other park visitors, all decked in life jackets and stationed by oars. What caught his attention wasn't just the normal scene of visitors about to take part in a Viking ship experience, but the two visitors wearing cheesy Viking helmets and located at the bow of the ships.
Norway glared at Denmark, knowing he had driven their guest to where she was now. "I don't know what is it about him that just makes others join in on his stupid ideas."
"So, Maria," Denmark smirked proudly. "It's come to this, has it?"
Across from him, on the other ship, the island nation met his gaze proudly. "Yes, it has Soren. Prepare to lose!"
Anh Linh snorted as Mei switched her camera to video and pressed the record button. The trio watched as Denmark and the Philippines took their seats. One of the park exhibit officials gave a nervous yell for them to start and suddenly, paddles were in the air and slamming into the water.
Cheering was heard from the shores as the boats cut through the cold, murky water, blindly going forward under the demanding yells of Maria and Soren.
"One! Two! One! Two!" Maria shouted rhythmically, as if in dragon boat.
"Faster! Don't let her win!" Soren yelled to his crew. It was less encouraging.
Mei looked past her camera's display screen and narrowed her eyes at a small protruding island. "Don't they see it coming?"
"No, Mei," Anh Linh said as she watched the crew row furiously under the demands of their victory driven taskmasters. "No, they don't."
Mentally, Vietnam and Norway counted down as the workers on board the ships began yelling for them to stop, but were drowned out by Maria and Soren. Within moments, the rebuilt Viking vessels slammed into the island, jarring people out of the seats, screaming as they ran aground.
An hour later, Maria and Soren were sitting on a bench outside the gates of the park, waiting for the other three to complete their walk through the cultural village.
"I can't believe you got us kicked out," Maria seethed as she sat with her knees pulled up to her chest and a scowl on her face. "You embarrassed us and got us banned from the outdoor museum! Ugh! I knew we should've left you back in Copenhagen!"
"Oh, come on...you know you liked it," Soren grinned. She shot him another glare. He smirked to himself and leaned back against his arms. "Well, at least we know that Mei is having a wonderful time here in Norway, considering that her favorite sister isn't there with her...."
As his voice trailed off, Maria's eyes grew wide. She snapped her head in his direction and gave him a gaping look. "You set me up!" she screamed.
Soren chuckled. "Well, you did help."
"You got me in trouble so that Mei would have a terrible time and say that Denmark was her favorite!" the brunette accused.
"And to think, we still have to go through the fjords, too...I wonder what I can get us kicked out of there...," he trailed off coolly.
Maria shoved him off the bench, sending him sputtering to the ground as she shot up and dug through her pocket for a phone. "You little son of a...."
"Ow...," Soren grumbled as he rubbed his head. He looked at her and grinned. "Hey, I'll let you out of the bet if you give in and go grab some beers with me."
"Screw you, Denmark," she grumbled. He tilted his head to the side and gave her a questioning look.
"Who are you calling?"
Maria didn't answer. She turned her back to him and waited until someone picked up. "Hello? Tino?" she began. "Is your husband there?"
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He hung upside down off the edge of his bunk, staring up at the concrete ceiling above their shared hostel room. He had been in a daze ever since they left Austria's house and he had seen a picture of her in Austria's 'favorites' room.
"I thought I was special...," Alfred said to no one in particular. Several pairs of eyes darted from each other to him, somewhat concerned. "I knew she was always popular...how could she not be...but I never thought that there were so many others...," his eyes crinkled up. "That there were so many others...."
His voice trailed off into a whimper as Daniel looked up from the bunk across from him. "Al...," he began carefully as he watched his brother curl into a ball and turn his back to the rest of them. He crinkled his eyes. "Al, are you crying?"
"It's just my allergies!" Alfred choked out, heartbroken.
Another bunk away, Prussia rolled his eyes. "Hey, don't go thinking that she's a loose woman or anything. She only has a lot of love to give," he defended. "I know because I'm the closest one to her out of all of us," he added proudly.
Ludwig was face down on his pillow, in the bunk under Gilbert. He merely grumbled in response. Alfred, seemingly wiping his eyes, argued against that. "No, you're not!" he insisted. "I'm the closest...at least...," he sucked in a heavy breath. "At least that's what I thought...maybe I should've listened to her more. Maybe I should've been more patient. Maybe I-"
"We're good friends, you moron! We hang out without any oppressive sexual tension!" Gilbert snapped. "She's my best friend's daughter! How sick do you think I am - don't answer that Ludwig," he added quickly. His brother rolled his eyes. "I know more about her thank you think. For instance, I know that Maria likes watching dramas from all over the world because it helps her with pronouncing words in other languages. I know she only goes to the beach when someone is visiting or when she wants to be alone. I know that when she's stressed , she goes to church and just sits there because the atmosphere calms her," he told them proudly. "I know that even though she lives in the city, she's still a good country girl and doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. I know she's needlessly self-conscious about her dark skin sometimes and, even though she's damn good at it and has a fridge stocked with beer, she rarely drinks. Did any of you know that?"
No one really answered for a while. "I knew about the dramas," Alfred said quietly. "And the beach; Mex told me not to bother her when she goes to the beach alone." He didn't know about the church or that she got self-conscious. He couldn't think of a reason why she would be.
"Listen, Kinder," Prussia said as he rolled on to his side and faced them. "She dates a lot, but she doesn't love all of them, and of that group, she's slept with far fewer. As her friend, I think that if you want to date her, great. You can't go wrong. But," he stressed. "My Maria isn't one to settle down so easily."
"Brother, don't say it like that...," Ludwig sighed heavily.
"Gilbert," Daniel said hesitantly from his bed. "Do you think I have a chance?"
The white-haired man shrugged. "She does like brunettes."
"Well...," Alfred said. "Do you know for sure if she is dating someone?" he asked. "If you're so close and all...."
Gilbert crinkled his eyes and thought for a moment. "I've heard of some rumors. I've been reading a lot of fanfiction about it recently."
Ludwig narrowed his eyes more so as he looked at his brother, as if he were an idiot. "Fanfiction," he spat out. "You get your news from fanfiction?"
Prussia gave him a dismissing wave of his hand. "It's actually a great way to learn about things," he told his brother. He jumped down from his bunk and stretched his arms. "Get up, let's get some cake," he told his brother. Begrudgingly, Ludwig did as he was told. "You three want to come?" he asked over his shoulder as they reached the door.
The three brothers merely groaned and remained on their respective bunks, all emotionally drained and physically tired. "I will bring you back something to eat," Ludwig told them sympathetically. He and Gilbert headed out. "Brother, you do not really get your information from fanfiction, do you?" Ludwig asked, concerned.
"I told you, West, it's a good source of random information," Prussia assured him. "By the way, do you know what a Nueva España is?"
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"Eh...?" Feliciano's face dropped as he sat at the table in his brother's kitchen, looking disappointed as Romano dropped some pasta into boiling water. "Why aren't you going?"
Lovino rolled his eyes. His brother had arrived that afternoon for no other reason than to pay him a visit. Luckily, Feliciano had arrived just before he started cooking for dinner and Lovino was able to add more to what he had initially prepared.
"Why would I go?" he snorted.
"Because it's a sleep over," Feliciano replied innocently. "Weren't you invited?"
"Of course I wasn't invited!" Romano snapped as he looked over his shoulder and shot his brother a look. "I'm not a woman or part of their stupid book club!" he informed his younger twin loudly. "Besides, I have my hands full here in Rome." Secretly, he was rather jealous that his brother had been invited.
"Oh!" Feliciano's face lit up. "Is it because Maria's coming?"
Lovino whirled around, his eyes wide and his expression panicked as he brought his finger up to his mouth and tried to silence his brother. "Shut-"
"Qué?" a voice asked from the doorway into the kitchen. Feliciano turned towards the voice and Lovino swore as he slammed his hand on the counter and ran the other down his face. Spain stood at the threshold with a confused look on his face. "Maria?" he asked carefully. "Mi Maria?" he stressed. "She is coming here?"
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Omake Postcard
From: The Philippines
To: China
Dear Kuya Yao,
First, let me assure you that we are safe and the flight was uneventful. Our plans have changed a little, since now all the countries here have come to meet us and show us around - so we're on super safe guided tours. See? No reason to worry. We're perfectly safe and no one is here to take advantage of us.
Second, we're sending back a package of chocolate to Kuya Kiku. We've instructed him to distribute it to you guys fairly, so keep a look out! We have a ton of pictures that we can't wait to show you!
See you soon!
Maria
PS - Stay off my islands. You know which ones. >: (
PPS - Ate Anh Linh says "ditto"...and then something I can't repeat. =_= (It's not nice.)
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A.N. - Thank you all for reading! So, what has Denmark done that makes Piri so competitive? He just keeps bugging her...and he wreaked some of her (expensive, irreplaceable, and emotionally special) property. Meanwhile, The Bros have reunited, along with two other bros, one unwilling. Jan gets the best good-bye kiss ever, and (el gasp) Papa Spain has been tipped off. What will happen now?
Anyway, since Lixi and I are pretty much taking our sweet time with EoG, I can use another project to distract me from the stresses of work right now. So...FIRST COMMENT gets a FREE FIC REQUEST. Should be just a one shot; try to be specific in your request.
Thanks for reading!