050

[pinkplumblossom]

[On Sunday evening, the general populace of Mayfield is treated to the following phone call by Taiwan and Seychelles, who are both huddled around the telephone in the van der Bilt family's living room.  PURPLE text is Taiwan, BLUE is Seychelles.  Taiwan's the one on the phone, and Seychelles will be interjecting things from behind her as she talks

Comments

[a_gentle_boy]

. . . Miss Taiwan? Can't you just ask Mr. Netherlands?

[Is. She cheating on him. Sob.]

[a_gentle_boy]

Maybe they've cried over you, too . . .

[pinkplumblossom]

Lucas... it's not that I don't care about Netherlands. I promise. I'm not breaking up with him or trying to get a divorce or anything like that, all right? It's just... he's never really been interested in me as a woman.

[a_gentle_boy]

Oh. B-But he just came back . . . And if the two of you like each other, then . . .

[Lucas does not know what Taiwan means at all.]

[pinkplumblossom]

Relationships between nations are complicated. They're not the same as with humans.

[a_gentle_boy]

Y-Yeah. That's probably . . . It's why I thought it was kind of weird for you to want a human . . .

[pinkplumblossom]

It's a little more than just that. Nations live as people too. We all do. Sometimes we form unions with each other, but it's just as common for us to have relationships with regular people. Not all of us do things like that, but I have before, and I know Netherlands has, too. It lets us be more honest and free with ourselves and with the other person, since there's nothing like diplomatic relations or anything to get in the way.

[a_gentle_boy]

Really? If that's normal, then . . .

[There is a few moments of silence. In his simplicity, Lucas eventually decides that if it's OK for a person to think about a country like a father, it might be OK for a person to be a country's Significant Other, too. Also the thought of Mr. Netherlands with a human woman takes a few moments to digest.]

. . . I guess you know better than I do. Sorry. . . . But you and Mr. Netherlands are still good friends, right?

[pinkplumblossom]

[Her tone softens at this. Poor Lucas - he probably doesn't understand what's going on, or why she's doing any of this. He's just worried that she and Netherlands are having a fight. When she speaks again, it's in a comforting motherly tone, similar to the one she uses with Mindy.]

"Of course we are. I still love Netherlands a lot, and he probably understands me better than almost anyone in town aside from my family. It hurt me a lot when he got droned, and I'm worried he might not come out of it next time, but..."

[Her breath hitches a little. She wasn't expecting to break down on this point so quickly. Maybe it's a testament to how strongly she really does feel for him.]

"...I won't give up on him. I promise."

[a_gentle_boy]

[Lucas smiles a little, despite Taiwan's increasingly saddened tone. He feels a little bad that he's made her feel bad, but it was nice to hear her say something like that.]

OK. I'm sorry for butting in like that. It was probably none of my business . . .

Good luck with finding someone nice, Miss Taiwan, Miss Seychelles.

[pinkplumblossom]

Thanks, Lucas.