100 words
Title: none, or multiple.
Character(s) or Pairing(s): any Hetalia pairing, but most likely at least one side will always be a Nordic.
Rating: no promises, there will be anything and everything here - NC-17 just to be on the safe side.
Warnings: all the warnings.
Summary: this is a collection of exactly 100 words ficlets. I began this to include a little bit of writing to my daily routine, and 100 words I can always manage. I may not be updating every single day, mind, most likely I'll collect the stories for a while and then upload them all. A new story will always be added to the top, so you won't have to scroll all the way down to see if there's any new content here or not.
Here goes!
(Most recent ficlets added 19th Feb. 2014)
26.
They sat on the pier in silence and the light turned cold, blueish, the shade of a summer night. Hours crept by and they didn't speak once, leaning their backs together and staring at the sky or the forest or perhaps nothing at all. Sweden thought she should maybe say something but decided against it: if Finland wanted to chat he would already be doing it anyway. Waves lapped at the shoreline drowsily and a lonely great own hooted somewhere deep in the woods. She yawned, stretched a bit and turned, pushing Finland down to lie on her lap instead.
***
25.
Once upon a time his people had lived here. No, not lived - survived. Now that he was here he thought he could almost remember it: the bonfires that alerted everyone of danger approaching, the men running up on the castle mountains barricading themselves in, the women, children and cattle scattered in the woods and perfectly hidden.
The people here today knew nothing of this of course. They thought this place had been a safe haven for everyone and would not understand the mechanics of war long past. Finland remembered it differently... this is where the attack came. Forests were safer.
Author's note: Finland is reminiscing the castle mountains that were built on higher grounds and used for defense in times of emergency. The other option was to run into the woods and hide until the danger had passed (it's near impossible to find anyone or anything in a Finnish forest). Many of the castle mountains show no system of transporting drinking water so it's assumed that they were only meant for the military, and that civilians would hide while the soldiers would fight the intruders.
***
24.
The hot water sent up steam as he poured it and the room was filled with a delicious scent of cocoa. He added some milk and, as an afterthought, a shot of vodka.
“Th-th-thank-y-you...”
“What the hell were you doing on the lake?”
Finland looked up, surprised. “Er - fishing?”
“In the winter?”
“Yeah?”
“By swimming after them?”
“I told you I fell through.”
Iceland thought about this for a while and shrugged. “Sure, just don't kill yourself here ok. That'd be embarrassing.”
“For you or for me?”
“You, duh.”
***
23.
“Do you ever think back and wonder if you had just kept up with some plan...”
“Hm?”
“Oh, nothing, just wondering... maybe if I'd made different choices - where would I be now? Who would I be?”
“You'd still be you, nothin' changin' that.”
“I suppose.”
“Anyway, yea I think of it.”
Sweden took a sip of coffee and it was obvious that had been his whole answer. Finland wondered fleetingly what he was thinking about and then returned to his own problem. It may be futile to speculate but then again, didn't everyone?
***
22.
“Are you doing any better today? Do you want anything?”
“Stop hovering. I'm fine.”
“Haha as if. You're in a pretty bad shape although I guess it's just a little cold -”
Iceland scowled at him: he had actually almost said the same, word to word. Instead he just huffed and finished his tea.
“But hey at least it's nowhere near as bad as that thing a few years ago right? We almost thought you were a goner.” Denmark re-filled his cup nonchalantly. “Anyways, lemme know if you need anything. I'll be in the kitchen.”
***
21.
He tapped his pencil testily against the paper. All these newfangled ideas - he wasn't sure he liked them at all. Technically speaking they sounded good but when you put them to the test they became clumsy, awkward, near impossible to execute in a satisfying manner. The worst part was how easy it was to make one's self misunderstood - to accidentally appear like one had some half-hidden, obscene motives... but to refuse to partake would have signaled total disinterest, coldness, even.
He sighed, erased what he had just written and tried again. “Happy Valentines' Day, Finland. From: Sweden.”
***
20.
They lay on a quilt with happy, yellow flowers printed on and a huge drop right in front of them. The day was unusually warm; “maybe it's 'cause you're visiting”, Iceland suggested, “your summers are kinda hot”.
Sea birds flew around and the sea thundered against the rocks far below. They watched the scene lazily, his visitor half-sprawled on Iceland's lap. It was hard to say if they were admiring the rock formations or the island Eldey that could be seen when the weather was clear. Finland replied: “I don't think so, you're warm too you know”.
***
19.
Afternoon rolled in with more glorious, hot sunshine which made them finally decide to quit working for the day, pack their things and head outside. One of them popped by a grocery store; having to wait for him annoyed the others but he was adamant that beer was a necessity. Meanwhile other two of them wanted to buy peas and strawberries and disappeared towards the market booths. After everyone was done shopping whatever they thought an extempore picnic needed they wandered to a park downtown, sat down in the grass and did absolutely nothing. It was a perfect day.
***
18.
The straw underneath prickled his skin, reminding him he was no longer home. Norway stretched, carefully to not dislocate his covers. The air in the room was chilly, no servant had yet lit the fire.
For a moment he just watched a small ray of light that seeped in through the opening in the roof of the main house and into the sleeping alcove. He thought he could hear the waves splash against his longship but that was just imagination. Iceland's breathing next to him was deep and calming, and he knew that if he only could, he would stay.
***
17.
He sat by the sea, staring into nothingness - or who knew, perhaps there actually was something he was looking at somewhere far beyond the horizon. Unusually somber, he thought again that it had been unavoidable, and how strange that both Norway and Iceland would take their leave the same way. Perhaps Iceland would follow the same destiny too.
Denmark sighed and turned to leave. For years he had tried to keep others closer to him, to keep them safe and happy and his. Now it seemed as if the only thing left to do was to let them go.
***
16.
Some people thought he had a box for all the letters Finland had sent him, but this was strictly speaking not true. He didn't hold on to every single one of them and of the ones that were important many had burned, one time or another, in situations quite out of his hands. Besides most of the letters he wrote him only had to do with politics, economy and the like, devoid of any hint of long-lasting importance.
Sweden only held on to the few ones that mattered. Although, of course, he knew every single one of them by heart.
***
15.
“Dear Sweden”
Finland quickly erased the title. It may have been a normal way of beginning a letter but in context it sounded weirdly intimate.
He tried again: “Hi,” and erased that, too. Too casual, too friendly.
“Sweden” also didn't work, it sounded like he was scolding him... he twirled the pen in his fingers, pondering how he'd ever get to the real part of the letter. “To whom it may concern” just felt like he didn't know the letter would definitely arrive to him...
In the end he just left a blank on the top.
***
14.
It was so different from the old days. Back then everything had been filled with desperation, knowledge that their time together would be short, as always, and that Norway would soon leave him for years again. Now he had left for good and that, for some reason, had made all the difference for Iceland. No longer did he have to prove him anything at all, he was all he was and did not need more. His back arched gracefully underneath him as he rocked into him slowly, gently. There was no rush. They had all the time in the world.
***
13.
Coldness seeped through his socks and made him shiver are he quickly tip-toed across the room to the kitchen and built a small fire. He set a coffee pan on the stove and tried to move as quietly as possible, ignoring the chill. The night had been bitterly cold, but there had been a fire in the stove the previous evening so a new one wouldn't take long, and sure enough there already was a faint glow from the oven. Soon the cottage would be warm and cozy with coffee and sandwiches waiting for Finland as he would wake up.
***
12.
The storm battered the side of his house that faced the sea but he hardly noticed it. Winds were so usual up here. He rolled open a curled-up book bound of old letters, the parchment darker than usual. Well, he thought, Iceland didn't have all the same materials they had on the mainland and had to therefore make do with what he did have.
It made reading difficult and his eyes water a little, though, he thought, rubbing his eyes, not even wondering how reading those same letters he had read a thousand times before could be hard at all.
***
11.
He decided to not go meet Norway at the harbour and turned around in bed. If he wanted to see him, well, the road went to both directions. He probably wouldn't see the trouble, staying instead in his ship if he didn't go welcome him... For all Iceland cared Norway could just turn around right away and return home. It was not like he even wanted him here. In any case he'd only be for a week, a month at most, and then he'd be gone for years again.
He sat up, dressed hastily and half-ran out of the door.
***
10.
Shush, shush, the comb seemed to say as it slid through her long hair with ease. Sweden looked at her reflection in the mirror but her mind was so full of other things she barely saw herself there. Why had she cut her long hair so short, the thought kept returning. It had been so beautiful although of course a bit coarse and prone to tangle... and now it was all gone. What a waste. She began to plait angrily. They had looked so similar with their long, golden plaits... now Finland looked like a stranger. She couldn't understand it.
***
9.
Finland was confused. This was not the typical way a captive was treated. He sat down to the place shown to him and stared at the table for a while. What a feast - meat and cheese aplenty, and his drinking horn filled to the brim. He lifted it, composed a poem in thanks and hated how unsteady his voice sounded like. He drank the whole horn in one go.
Sweden nodded approvingly, took a golden ring off of his arm and handed it to him. Finland accepted it full of disbelief. No, definitely not how captives were treated.
***
8.
Cold early morning light seeped into the room with bottles and clothes strewn all over, a bowl of snacks half-finished and the sound of sleep everywhere. The sauna outside was still lukewarm, small waves splashed against the shore. It would be a beautiful. sunny day and the five girls would wake up, complain about headaches and be careful to not mention the previous night. Instead they would look at each other warmly when they thought the other didn't see it, dress themselves slowly, make strong, bitter coffee and eventually leave. At the next Midsummer's Night they would return here again.
***
7.
Dhunk-dhunk-dhunk went the train underneath him and the smoke lay heavily somewhere above. For a while he felt wedged in between something, not entirely sure what.
He glanced out of the window to the fields streaming past outside. 50km/h, that was an insane speed. He hoped his people wouldn't be injured by it.
“This is amazing!” Finland shouted over the noise of the train. “Just imagine how quickly you could travel all across the country!” He didn't seem fazed by the speed, if anything he seemed excited, bouncing on the spot.
Sweden nodded, still gripping his seat tightly.
Author's note: when trains first arrived to the North people really did worry that the frightful speed of them could do damage to the travelers' health. :D
***
6.
Iceland yawned and wrapped the long, white cloth around her head. In the middle rose the headdress, like a hennin, curving slightly to the front. She was already dressed in her best and wondered fleetingly if it would seem like she was trying to impress, because that was the last thing she wanted. She pinched her cheeks and bit her lips to make them redden more without realizing the irony even once.
“Good day” someone called downstairs. “I hope I'm not disturbing.”
Iceland jumped up and half-slid down the stairs.
“First of all, Denmark, how dare you.”
***
5.
Denmark woke up with a yelp, drenched in cold sweat. For a moment he was still caught in the dream and stared wild-eyed into the darkness.
Someone on his side whispered “shhhhhh...” in a soothing tone. A cool hand found his face and stroked him gently, pulling him back down, gathering him into an embrace as if he were still a child. He thought he could remember this happening before.
“Just a nightmare. Wanna tell me 'bout it?” Denmark took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. “Nah, can't remember it”, he said, “but thanks, Sweden.”
***
4.
The day was scorching hot. Iceland was not used to it and it had begun to severely annoy him. Finland, however, did not seem to even notice and was cheerfully talking of something, whatever. Sweat rolled down his back and sides and there were dark patches under his arms.
His suffering was abruptly cut when he realized Finland had somehow stripped off all his clothes. Finland looked back at him, expectantly, nodded and leaped off the side of the path, landing with a huge splash. I see, he thought, noticing he had already began to take off his shirt.
***
3.
“CAN YOU NOT DO THAT.”
Norway didn't even bother to turn around; she knew Denmark would have already ran for safety and was well out of reach by now. She huffed to herself and wiggled her hands in the back of her shirt to re-do her bra.
“Got you!”
Except that this time Denmark had not escaped, instead she had stood behind her just waiting for the moment and once Norway's hands were safely out of the way she had helped herself to as much as fit in each palm. Norway sighed. Maybe she should just spank her.
***
2.
If he was asked about it Finland would probably speak of something else. He'd describe a beautiful day perhaps, or a taste of some favourite food of his, or maybe mention a cold beer after sauna while sitting outside, steaming and naked. That's what people do when you ask them such a difficult question after all, they reply with something special and unusual, whatever first pops into mind. And think of it, how easy would it really be to point out the best thing of a near eternal life?
Still, he'd be thinking of falling asleep, curled up against Sweden.
***
1.
“It's just ice y'know.”
Iceland didn't hear, or wasn't listening, either way it was annoying.
“You're scaring the birds.”
“As if. Nothing scares them, if something did I wouldn't have the goose poop problem.”
“Anyway, come back already, I'm freezing and shoe skating isn't that interesting.”
“Tjörnin freezes maybe once or twice a year, come on...”
“You've got glaciers all over if it's more ice you want.”
Iceland paused.
“It's - it's just not the same” he eventually replied defensively, took a few running steps and continued sliding across the frozen town pond.
Author's note: Tjörnin is a decorative pond in the middle of Reykjavík with teeming bird life, mostly swans, geese and ducks (they shit everywhere). Reykjavík had really mild winters so the pond, though shallow, doesn't often freeze but when it does half the population suddenly appears on it, skating, sliding around, just taking a short cut over the pond etc.
Character(s) or Pairing(s): any Hetalia pairing, but most likely at least one side will always be a Nordic.
Rating: no promises, there will be anything and everything here - NC-17 just to be on the safe side.
Warnings: all the warnings.
Summary: this is a collection of exactly 100 words ficlets. I began this to include a little bit of writing to my daily routine, and 100 words I can always manage. I may not be updating every single day, mind, most likely I'll collect the stories for a while and then upload them all. A new story will always be added to the top, so you won't have to scroll all the way down to see if there's any new content here or not.
Here goes!
(Most recent ficlets added 19th Feb. 2014)
26.
They sat on the pier in silence and the light turned cold, blueish, the shade of a summer night. Hours crept by and they didn't speak once, leaning their backs together and staring at the sky or the forest or perhaps nothing at all. Sweden thought she should maybe say something but decided against it: if Finland wanted to chat he would already be doing it anyway. Waves lapped at the shoreline drowsily and a lonely great own hooted somewhere deep in the woods. She yawned, stretched a bit and turned, pushing Finland down to lie on her lap instead.
***
25.
Once upon a time his people had lived here. No, not lived - survived. Now that he was here he thought he could almost remember it: the bonfires that alerted everyone of danger approaching, the men running up on the castle mountains barricading themselves in, the women, children and cattle scattered in the woods and perfectly hidden.
The people here today knew nothing of this of course. They thought this place had been a safe haven for everyone and would not understand the mechanics of war long past. Finland remembered it differently... this is where the attack came. Forests were safer.
Author's note: Finland is reminiscing the castle mountains that were built on higher grounds and used for defense in times of emergency. The other option was to run into the woods and hide until the danger had passed (it's near impossible to find anyone or anything in a Finnish forest). Many of the castle mountains show no system of transporting drinking water so it's assumed that they were only meant for the military, and that civilians would hide while the soldiers would fight the intruders.
***
24.
The hot water sent up steam as he poured it and the room was filled with a delicious scent of cocoa. He added some milk and, as an afterthought, a shot of vodka.
“Th-th-thank-y-you...”
“What the hell were you doing on the lake?”
Finland looked up, surprised. “Er - fishing?”
“In the winter?”
“Yeah?”
“By swimming after them?”
“I told you I fell through.”
Iceland thought about this for a while and shrugged. “Sure, just don't kill yourself here ok. That'd be embarrassing.”
“For you or for me?”
“You, duh.”
***
23.
“Do you ever think back and wonder if you had just kept up with some plan...”
“Hm?”
“Oh, nothing, just wondering... maybe if I'd made different choices - where would I be now? Who would I be?”
“You'd still be you, nothin' changin' that.”
“I suppose.”
“Anyway, yea I think of it.”
Sweden took a sip of coffee and it was obvious that had been his whole answer. Finland wondered fleetingly what he was thinking about and then returned to his own problem. It may be futile to speculate but then again, didn't everyone?
***
22.
“Are you doing any better today? Do you want anything?”
“Stop hovering. I'm fine.”
“Haha as if. You're in a pretty bad shape although I guess it's just a little cold -”
Iceland scowled at him: he had actually almost said the same, word to word. Instead he just huffed and finished his tea.
“But hey at least it's nowhere near as bad as that thing a few years ago right? We almost thought you were a goner.” Denmark re-filled his cup nonchalantly. “Anyways, lemme know if you need anything. I'll be in the kitchen.”
***
21.
He tapped his pencil testily against the paper. All these newfangled ideas - he wasn't sure he liked them at all. Technically speaking they sounded good but when you put them to the test they became clumsy, awkward, near impossible to execute in a satisfying manner. The worst part was how easy it was to make one's self misunderstood - to accidentally appear like one had some half-hidden, obscene motives... but to refuse to partake would have signaled total disinterest, coldness, even.
He sighed, erased what he had just written and tried again. “Happy Valentines' Day, Finland. From: Sweden.”
***
20.
They lay on a quilt with happy, yellow flowers printed on and a huge drop right in front of them. The day was unusually warm; “maybe it's 'cause you're visiting”, Iceland suggested, “your summers are kinda hot”.
Sea birds flew around and the sea thundered against the rocks far below. They watched the scene lazily, his visitor half-sprawled on Iceland's lap. It was hard to say if they were admiring the rock formations or the island Eldey that could be seen when the weather was clear. Finland replied: “I don't think so, you're warm too you know”.
***
19.
Afternoon rolled in with more glorious, hot sunshine which made them finally decide to quit working for the day, pack their things and head outside. One of them popped by a grocery store; having to wait for him annoyed the others but he was adamant that beer was a necessity. Meanwhile other two of them wanted to buy peas and strawberries and disappeared towards the market booths. After everyone was done shopping whatever they thought an extempore picnic needed they wandered to a park downtown, sat down in the grass and did absolutely nothing. It was a perfect day.
***
18.
The straw underneath prickled his skin, reminding him he was no longer home. Norway stretched, carefully to not dislocate his covers. The air in the room was chilly, no servant had yet lit the fire.
For a moment he just watched a small ray of light that seeped in through the opening in the roof of the main house and into the sleeping alcove. He thought he could hear the waves splash against his longship but that was just imagination. Iceland's breathing next to him was deep and calming, and he knew that if he only could, he would stay.
***
17.
He sat by the sea, staring into nothingness - or who knew, perhaps there actually was something he was looking at somewhere far beyond the horizon. Unusually somber, he thought again that it had been unavoidable, and how strange that both Norway and Iceland would take their leave the same way. Perhaps Iceland would follow the same destiny too.
Denmark sighed and turned to leave. For years he had tried to keep others closer to him, to keep them safe and happy and his. Now it seemed as if the only thing left to do was to let them go.
***
16.
Some people thought he had a box for all the letters Finland had sent him, but this was strictly speaking not true. He didn't hold on to every single one of them and of the ones that were important many had burned, one time or another, in situations quite out of his hands. Besides most of the letters he wrote him only had to do with politics, economy and the like, devoid of any hint of long-lasting importance.
Sweden only held on to the few ones that mattered. Although, of course, he knew every single one of them by heart.
***
15.
“Dear Sweden”
Finland quickly erased the title. It may have been a normal way of beginning a letter but in context it sounded weirdly intimate.
He tried again: “Hi,” and erased that, too. Too casual, too friendly.
“Sweden” also didn't work, it sounded like he was scolding him... he twirled the pen in his fingers, pondering how he'd ever get to the real part of the letter. “To whom it may concern” just felt like he didn't know the letter would definitely arrive to him...
In the end he just left a blank on the top.
***
14.
It was so different from the old days. Back then everything had been filled with desperation, knowledge that their time together would be short, as always, and that Norway would soon leave him for years again. Now he had left for good and that, for some reason, had made all the difference for Iceland. No longer did he have to prove him anything at all, he was all he was and did not need more. His back arched gracefully underneath him as he rocked into him slowly, gently. There was no rush. They had all the time in the world.
***
13.
Coldness seeped through his socks and made him shiver are he quickly tip-toed across the room to the kitchen and built a small fire. He set a coffee pan on the stove and tried to move as quietly as possible, ignoring the chill. The night had been bitterly cold, but there had been a fire in the stove the previous evening so a new one wouldn't take long, and sure enough there already was a faint glow from the oven. Soon the cottage would be warm and cozy with coffee and sandwiches waiting for Finland as he would wake up.
***
12.
The storm battered the side of his house that faced the sea but he hardly noticed it. Winds were so usual up here. He rolled open a curled-up book bound of old letters, the parchment darker than usual. Well, he thought, Iceland didn't have all the same materials they had on the mainland and had to therefore make do with what he did have.
It made reading difficult and his eyes water a little, though, he thought, rubbing his eyes, not even wondering how reading those same letters he had read a thousand times before could be hard at all.
***
11.
He decided to not go meet Norway at the harbour and turned around in bed. If he wanted to see him, well, the road went to both directions. He probably wouldn't see the trouble, staying instead in his ship if he didn't go welcome him... For all Iceland cared Norway could just turn around right away and return home. It was not like he even wanted him here. In any case he'd only be for a week, a month at most, and then he'd be gone for years again.
He sat up, dressed hastily and half-ran out of the door.
***
10.
Shush, shush, the comb seemed to say as it slid through her long hair with ease. Sweden looked at her reflection in the mirror but her mind was so full of other things she barely saw herself there. Why had she cut her long hair so short, the thought kept returning. It had been so beautiful although of course a bit coarse and prone to tangle... and now it was all gone. What a waste. She began to plait angrily. They had looked so similar with their long, golden plaits... now Finland looked like a stranger. She couldn't understand it.
***
9.
Finland was confused. This was not the typical way a captive was treated. He sat down to the place shown to him and stared at the table for a while. What a feast - meat and cheese aplenty, and his drinking horn filled to the brim. He lifted it, composed a poem in thanks and hated how unsteady his voice sounded like. He drank the whole horn in one go.
Sweden nodded approvingly, took a golden ring off of his arm and handed it to him. Finland accepted it full of disbelief. No, definitely not how captives were treated.
***
8.
Cold early morning light seeped into the room with bottles and clothes strewn all over, a bowl of snacks half-finished and the sound of sleep everywhere. The sauna outside was still lukewarm, small waves splashed against the shore. It would be a beautiful. sunny day and the five girls would wake up, complain about headaches and be careful to not mention the previous night. Instead they would look at each other warmly when they thought the other didn't see it, dress themselves slowly, make strong, bitter coffee and eventually leave. At the next Midsummer's Night they would return here again.
***
7.
Dhunk-dhunk-dhunk went the train underneath him and the smoke lay heavily somewhere above. For a while he felt wedged in between something, not entirely sure what.
He glanced out of the window to the fields streaming past outside. 50km/h, that was an insane speed. He hoped his people wouldn't be injured by it.
“This is amazing!” Finland shouted over the noise of the train. “Just imagine how quickly you could travel all across the country!” He didn't seem fazed by the speed, if anything he seemed excited, bouncing on the spot.
Sweden nodded, still gripping his seat tightly.
Author's note: when trains first arrived to the North people really did worry that the frightful speed of them could do damage to the travelers' health. :D
***
6.
Iceland yawned and wrapped the long, white cloth around her head. In the middle rose the headdress, like a hennin, curving slightly to the front. She was already dressed in her best and wondered fleetingly if it would seem like she was trying to impress, because that was the last thing she wanted. She pinched her cheeks and bit her lips to make them redden more without realizing the irony even once.
“Good day” someone called downstairs. “I hope I'm not disturbing.”
Iceland jumped up and half-slid down the stairs.
“First of all, Denmark, how dare you.”
***
5.
Denmark woke up with a yelp, drenched in cold sweat. For a moment he was still caught in the dream and stared wild-eyed into the darkness.
Someone on his side whispered “shhhhhh...” in a soothing tone. A cool hand found his face and stroked him gently, pulling him back down, gathering him into an embrace as if he were still a child. He thought he could remember this happening before.
“Just a nightmare. Wanna tell me 'bout it?” Denmark took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. “Nah, can't remember it”, he said, “but thanks, Sweden.”
***
4.
The day was scorching hot. Iceland was not used to it and it had begun to severely annoy him. Finland, however, did not seem to even notice and was cheerfully talking of something, whatever. Sweat rolled down his back and sides and there were dark patches under his arms.
His suffering was abruptly cut when he realized Finland had somehow stripped off all his clothes. Finland looked back at him, expectantly, nodded and leaped off the side of the path, landing with a huge splash. I see, he thought, noticing he had already began to take off his shirt.
***
3.
“CAN YOU NOT DO THAT.”
Norway didn't even bother to turn around; she knew Denmark would have already ran for safety and was well out of reach by now. She huffed to herself and wiggled her hands in the back of her shirt to re-do her bra.
“Got you!”
Except that this time Denmark had not escaped, instead she had stood behind her just waiting for the moment and once Norway's hands were safely out of the way she had helped herself to as much as fit in each palm. Norway sighed. Maybe she should just spank her.
***
2.
If he was asked about it Finland would probably speak of something else. He'd describe a beautiful day perhaps, or a taste of some favourite food of his, or maybe mention a cold beer after sauna while sitting outside, steaming and naked. That's what people do when you ask them such a difficult question after all, they reply with something special and unusual, whatever first pops into mind. And think of it, how easy would it really be to point out the best thing of a near eternal life?
Still, he'd be thinking of falling asleep, curled up against Sweden.
***
1.
“It's just ice y'know.”
Iceland didn't hear, or wasn't listening, either way it was annoying.
“You're scaring the birds.”
“As if. Nothing scares them, if something did I wouldn't have the goose poop problem.”
“Anyway, come back already, I'm freezing and shoe skating isn't that interesting.”
“Tjörnin freezes maybe once or twice a year, come on...”
“You've got glaciers all over if it's more ice you want.”
Iceland paused.
“It's - it's just not the same” he eventually replied defensively, took a few running steps and continued sliding across the frozen town pond.
Author's note: Tjörnin is a decorative pond in the middle of Reykjavík with teeming bird life, mostly swans, geese and ducks (they shit everywhere). Reykjavík had really mild winters so the pond, though shallow, doesn't often freeze but when it does half the population suddenly appears on it, skating, sliding around, just taking a short cut over the pond etc.