“No.” Suddenly, things don’t seem so right anymore. Suddenly, the wall looks less like a wall and more like a jumbled heap of rubble. “Norway, please. No hell. Nobody needs anymore hell right now. I don't want it to be a big deal. It doesn't need to be a big deal. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s okay.” Iceland repeats the phrase stupidly, spewing it out like so much meaningless word vomit.
“Norway, please calm down!” cries Finland. “Ice… shh, don’t speak, we’ll take care of him.”
Should he have told everybody? It was a mistake, wasn’t it? It was a mistake, because now Norway’s upset even though Norway's never upset and now there’s going to be hell.
“Why should I calm down, Finland?” Norway demands. “So that Netherlands can keep up his mass delusion for another day? So that other small helpless countries that he may have molested have to keep suffering like Ice? I will not—”
“Nor. Stop.” Sweden stands, and his towering presence fills the room. He glares down at Norway. “You’re upsettin’ him.”
Norway blinks. He stands, frozen, breath heaving in his chest, and looks at Iceland. Iceland can’t look back at him. He buries his face in his hands.
“I…” Norway swallows. “I’m sorry. I lost myself. I lost my head. Ice… Ice, I’m sorry.” He takes a step towards Iceland, reaching out a hand, but not before a voice breaks in.
Denmark has been silent this whole time. Everyone’s head turns towards him as he speaks.
“I—I can’t believe it,” he stammers. “Netherlands? He would do that?” He stares around the room, his face like that of a child trying to understand why his dog is lying motionless on the side of the road. “We’ve been friends for ages… and I never would’ve guessed that… that he…..”
Less like rubble, more like shattered bits of broken concrete. “You don’t believe me?” Iceland asks flatly.
“It’s not… it’s not, no, no, I’m not saying…” Denmark stands unsteadily, still staring wildly about as though hoping the answer will pop out and smack him in the face. He opens his mouth, closes it, and then opens it again. “I’m sorry Ice. I’m really sorry. I… I love you. I need to leave.”
“Denmark!” Finland’s horrified gasp can’t keep Denmark in the room. Out of sight, the front door bangs. He’s gone.
The room is silent.
“I need to leave too,” says Iceland tightly. “Don’t follow me. Please. I’ll come back. I’ll come back, don’t worry.”
And he wrenches away from Finland’s embrace, and walks calmly out of the house, and once he’s out, he breaks into a run, not caring that night is falling, not caring that it’s cold, because he needs to be alone—alone, where he can shed as many tears as he wants and nobody will ever know or care.
---
Wow, that ended up being a really long chapter. Holy crap. SO MUCH ANGST.
Hygge: an untranslatable Danish word. It's like... coziness, calmness, peace, the presence of loved ones. Basically a very happy feeling. Lavvu: It's like a teepee, except Nordic. And you don't need rope to tie the poles together, they lean on each other to support the structure. WHAT A PERFECT METAPHOR.
Just a note—if any of you have any constructive criticism for me, I would greatly appreciate it. This is the first time I’ve written such dramatic stuff, and I dunno if I’m overdoing it. xD Any input is appreciated! Thanks!
Re: And Such Are The Consequences 4f/10
“Norway, please calm down!” cries Finland. “Ice… shh, don’t speak, we’ll take care of him.”
Should he have told everybody? It was a mistake, wasn’t it? It was a mistake, because now Norway’s upset even though Norway's never upset and now there’s going to be hell.
“Why should I calm down, Finland?” Norway demands. “So that Netherlands can keep up his mass delusion for another day? So that other small helpless countries that he may have molested have to keep suffering like Ice? I will not—”
“Nor. Stop.” Sweden stands, and his towering presence fills the room. He glares down at Norway. “You’re upsettin’ him.”
Norway blinks. He stands, frozen, breath heaving in his chest, and looks at Iceland. Iceland can’t look back at him. He buries his face in his hands.
“I…” Norway swallows. “I’m sorry. I lost myself. I lost my head. Ice… Ice, I’m sorry.” He takes a step towards Iceland, reaching out a hand, but not before a voice breaks in.
Denmark has been silent this whole time. Everyone’s head turns towards him as he speaks.
“I—I can’t believe it,” he stammers. “Netherlands? He would do that?” He stares around the room, his face like that of a child trying to understand why his dog is lying motionless on the side of the road. “We’ve been friends for ages… and I never would’ve guessed that… that he…..”
Less like rubble, more like shattered bits of broken concrete. “You don’t believe me?” Iceland asks flatly.
“It’s not… it’s not, no, no, I’m not saying…” Denmark stands unsteadily, still staring wildly about as though hoping the answer will pop out and smack him in the face. He opens his mouth, closes it, and then opens it again. “I’m sorry Ice. I’m really sorry. I… I love you. I need to leave.”
“Denmark!” Finland’s horrified gasp can’t keep Denmark in the room. Out of sight, the front door bangs. He’s gone.
The room is silent.
“I need to leave too,” says Iceland tightly. “Don’t follow me. Please. I’ll come back. I’ll come back, don’t worry.”
And he wrenches away from Finland’s embrace, and walks calmly out of the house, and once he’s out, he breaks into a run, not caring that night is falling, not caring that it’s cold, because he needs to be alone—alone, where he can shed as many tears as he wants and nobody will ever know or care.
---
Wow, that ended up being a really long chapter. Holy crap. SO MUCH ANGST.
Hygge: an untranslatable Danish word. It's like... coziness, calmness, peace, the presence of loved ones. Basically a very happy feeling.
Lavvu: It's like a teepee, except Nordic. And you don't need rope to tie the poles together, they lean on each other to support the structure. WHAT A PERFECT METAPHOR.
Just a note—if any of you have any constructive criticism for me, I would greatly appreciate it. This is the first time I’ve written such dramatic stuff, and I dunno if I’m overdoing it. xD Any input is appreciated! Thanks!