Switzerland was woken from his nap on top of some economic reports by a loud knocking on his front door. He was currently on sick leave and working from home and wasn't expecting any visitors. He frowned. 'Liechtenstein?' he asked, still sleep dazed. But it couldn’t be Liechtenstein; she would have phoned him if she was visiting, and wouldn’t knock so loudly before she visited. He checked his messages just to make sure he hadn't missed anything, then picked up his gun and headed to the door. Whoever this stranger was they had better be ready to run.
He opened the door, then closed it again on principle. There was a curse as the door slammed shut on the visitor’s foot. ‘Switzerland, please don’t be so cruel as to lock out your neighbour.’
Switzerland relented and opened the door, mainly to tell France to remove his foot from the doorway. ‘France, remove your foot from my doorway. You should be working on solving your own woes, rather than bothering me at my house.’
‘Solving my “current woes” is the reason why I am here! We had a meeting today, which I had stayed up all night preparing for, only to arrive at your office and have your boss tell me that a junior minister would have to take the meeting because you were off sick.'
Switzerland's frown lightened somewhat. He had had a meeting scheduled with his neighbour for today, concerning the very economic papers he had fallen asleep on. 'Very well. Though that does not explain the home visit; I'm sick, and not ready for any meetings.'
France laughed and pushed his way inside the house, ignoring Switzerland’s gun. 'In all the centuries we've known each other you've never missed a meeting. You even barged into my house when I missed a meeting in bed with recession flu, and you were sicker than me!'
Switzerland frowned at France’s back, seriously considering changing his "no shooting inside the house" rule, and just tossing France's dead body back over the border, to hell with diplomacy and staining the carpets. 'As I said, I'm sick. Now get out of my house before I shoot you.'
'But I brought coffee.' France shook the bag of grounds, inviting himself into Switzerland's kitchen.
Switzerland followed France into the kitchen. He should kick the other nation out but... France was a very important neighbour for him, and also a very generous guest. He had brought a very good brand of coffee with him, which he would then leave behind, allowing Switzerland to have good coffee without having to pay for it. Once again, frugality won out over common sense, though he would not allow France to remain for long 'As I said: I'm feeling sick and so couldn't go to work today. Your visit will have to be short.'
'Your economy must be worse than we imagined for you to miss work for two weeks.' France had dug the French press out of the depths of Switzerland’s cupboards and was carefully measuring out the coffee into the flask.
'My economy is-' Switzerland’s brain caught up with the sentence. ‘How do you know it’s been two weeks?'
'Oh, just something your boss said.' France shrugged, feigning nonchalance and watching the coffee steep. 'But Liechtenstein has been visiting you, hasn't she? I don't imagine she would leave you alone if you were sick.'
Switzerland scowled at France's back. 'I asked her to leave so she wouldn't catch my illness.'
'Of course.' There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, until France set two cups of coffee down at the table. 'You do look very tired though.' France reached out and touched Switzerland's face. 'You know you can always ask big brot-' There was a sharp crack as the fingers that had been touching Switzerland were broken.
Re: Untitled- chapter 7, part 1/2
Switzerland was woken from his nap on top of some economic reports by a loud knocking on his front door. He was currently on sick leave and working from home and wasn't expecting any visitors. He frowned. 'Liechtenstein?' he asked, still sleep dazed. But it couldn’t be Liechtenstein; she would have phoned him if she was visiting, and wouldn’t knock so loudly before she visited. He checked his messages just to make sure he hadn't missed anything, then picked up his gun and headed to the door. Whoever this stranger was they had better be ready to run.
He opened the door, then closed it again on principle. There was a curse as the door slammed shut on the visitor’s foot. ‘Switzerland, please don’t be so cruel as to lock out your neighbour.’
Switzerland relented and opened the door, mainly to tell France to remove his foot from the doorway. ‘France, remove your foot from my doorway. You should be working on solving your own woes, rather than bothering me at my house.’
‘Solving my “current woes” is the reason why I am here! We had a meeting today, which I had stayed up all night preparing for, only to arrive at your office and have your boss tell me that a junior minister would have to take the meeting because you were off sick.'
Switzerland's frown lightened somewhat. He had had a meeting scheduled with his neighbour for today, concerning the very economic papers he had fallen asleep on. 'Very well. Though that does not explain the home visit; I'm sick, and not ready for any meetings.'
France laughed and pushed his way inside the house, ignoring Switzerland’s gun. 'In all the centuries we've known each other you've never missed a meeting. You even barged into my house when I missed a meeting in bed with recession flu, and you were sicker than me!'
Switzerland frowned at France’s back, seriously considering changing his "no shooting inside the house" rule, and just tossing France's dead body back over the border, to hell with diplomacy and staining the carpets. 'As I said, I'm sick. Now get out of my house before I shoot you.'
'But I brought coffee.' France shook the bag of grounds, inviting himself into Switzerland's kitchen.
Switzerland followed France into the kitchen. He should kick the other nation out but... France was a very important neighbour for him, and also a very generous guest. He had brought a very good brand of coffee with him, which he would then leave behind, allowing Switzerland to have good coffee without having to pay for it. Once again, frugality won out over common sense, though he would not allow France to remain for long 'As I said: I'm feeling sick and so couldn't go to work today. Your visit will have to be short.'
'Your economy must be worse than we imagined for you to miss work for two weeks.' France had dug the French press out of the depths of Switzerland’s cupboards and was carefully measuring out the coffee into the flask.
'My economy is-' Switzerland’s brain caught up with the sentence. ‘How do you know it’s been two weeks?'
'Oh, just something your boss said.' France shrugged, feigning nonchalance and watching the coffee steep. 'But Liechtenstein has been visiting you, hasn't she? I don't imagine she would leave you alone if you were sick.'
Switzerland scowled at France's back. 'I asked her to leave so she wouldn't catch my illness.'
'Of course.' There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, until France set two cups of coffee down at the table. 'You do look very tired though.' France reached out and touched Switzerland's face. 'You know you can always ask big brot-' There was a sharp crack as the fingers that had been touching Switzerland were broken.