Here's the follow up piece to Death do us Part.
Some notes I'd like to address beforehand... this takes place approximately 5 years after Norway dies (only noting this because Denmark had lost track of how much time has passed). Secondly... honest to god, Denmark does make an effort (and that is noted) but at the same time, part of him still hangs on very strongly to Norway's memory. Part of the reason he becomes this way should become fairly obvious as soon as Sweden and Finland get mentioned in the story, the other reason is when I see how a lot of people characterize Denmark after the end of things like the Kalmar Union or the Napoleonic Wars, I can't imagine Denmark completely making a rebound, at the same time, I didn't want to characterize him completely wallowing in misery (but I suppose it would be normal to do so in such circumstances). Lastly, a bit of England POV because he worked best for the scene I had in mind.
Also warning for vague character death(s).
As always, Hetalia is not mine.
Immortality doesn't mean everlasting.
Denmark has learned that much from all this. Nations often considered themselves immortal, yet the knowledge that they could die or disappear was always there.
It has become even more apparent during this disaster. If they truly were immortal, so many wouldn't have died. He wouldn't have lost Iceland and Norway.
And yet, here they were, down to a handful of nations that had survived.
Denmark tried, he truly did, to get things to go back to normal after Norway's death. He tried so hard to treasure the Norwegian's memory by getting everything to stop. But it wasn't like him screeching and yelling at the other nations solved anything. They were only nations after all. Beings that only existed as the embodiment of the country, fated to live long lives and stop existing at any moment. Fated to watch as humans fought and ruined lives. Humans, whose life spans were only a small fraction compared to a nations, live and die and fight and stop and repeat their mistakes over and over again in an endless cycle. Nations were fated to exist and suffer, as humans did as they like.
He wasn't the only one who suffered, though.
No, other nations too watched as their friends, family, lovers ceased to exist.
They were all just sick of it. They just wanted it to stop already.
It was rather bittersweet, really. He tried so hard to meet the demands Norway had left him with, and yet, all his efforts were in vain.
How desperately he tried to change things. How he tried to help fix things. In the end, none of it mattered. Nothing changed.
When he had received indication that Finland and Sweden were still alive, he did what he could to travel there as quickly as possible. He had expected to find a happy family, thriving. Not two nations, broken and clinging to what remained of what they had once called their family. The letter from Iceland and the news of Norway seemed to have only further depressed them.
And one day, months later, they too had died, passing in their sleep. He is not sure it was a natural death- it seemed too uncanny to be natural. Both nations were curled up in each others arms, satisfied smiles (or the closest thing he'd ever seen to a smile in Sweden's case) on their faces.
His 'home'- if he could still call it that anymore- was big and lonely after that, and, having lost hope in the world, he isolated himself from the rest the best he could.
Mr. Puffin, who had stuck around him after Norway's death, was his only constant companion at that point. Of course, an animal's lifespan is even shorter than a human's, and nothing to a nation's, and eventually the bird died as well. Just like the rest of them.
He makes arrangements to take a boat out to where Iceland once existed, simply placing the Puffin's body in the water. He is sure the bird would have liked to be buried with his original master, and this is as close as he can get to doing so.
The world felt empty. He felt empty.
And so very lonely.
Denmark had lost track of exactly how much time had passed since this whole disaster started. Since Iceland, since Norway, had died. Since he had found Sweden and Finland dead.
How long it had been since he became alone in the world.
So many countless days, months, years passed in a blink of an eye. He didn't bother keeping up with the news, nothing that would be considered breaking news was ever on. He was more likely to be disappointed with whatever news there was.
The only thing that he could do to help pass the time was visit the place he had made Norway's grave. Because no matter how much he tried to move on, no matter how much the Norwegian would want him to let go, he couldn't. It was what kept him still sane.
He wondered, if Norway could, by chance, still see him from whatever afterlife existed for them... he wondered if he was proud of him. Even if he couldn't really keep to his expectations, he wondered if Norway would tell him that it was okay. That he did enough.
Something told him that Norway would tell him it was okay.
He felt tired, pulling out a piece of paper he made if the occasion had ever called for it.
He smiled, leaning back as he slid his eyes shut. He took in a deep breath.
And he never breathed out.
England sighed, motioning for Prussia to lower the body into the hole they had just made. Another nation, dead. Denmark might have been distancing himself from the other nations for quite a while, but he always made it clear- for the most part- that he was still alive. For him to suddenly become so quiet had tipped them off that something was wrong.
And that's how he and Prussia ended up flying out to visit Denmark (because apparently they were the closest to him- distance wise as well as in terms of acquaintance). Although, England himself considered himself merely just a drinking friend of Denmark's, and if anything else than that, acquaintances through Norway.
"England, are you done making that tombstone yet?" Prussia asked, leaning against a shovel, done buring the Dane's body. He glanced down at the untouched piece of stone.
"Almost." He lied, picking up his wand once the Prussian turned away, and carved the words, 'Here lies the Kingdom of Denmark. R.I.P.' on it.
He put the stone down into a wedge in the ground, taking a step backwards to admire his handiwork.
"Just the way you wanted it, right?" He murmured, more so to himself than the grave or the Prussian.
Upon breaking into Denmark's house, the two nations found the Dane dead and clutching a piece of paper to his chest. All that was written on it was an apology and a request to be buried next to Norway. Which was easier said than done, since the Danish nation was the only one who actually knew where the Norwegian was buried. A few compromises (and some coaxing) later, his fairies had found and led them out to the place.
He felt a gentle pull (courtesy of one mischievous fairy) at his hair, and he glanced up, a small smile tugging at his lips at the sight he saw.
A short, rather familiar looking figure was yanking on his companion's arm, dragging him in the direction where five others were waiting in the far distance. Even this far away, England could tell the other nation was smiling widely as always, locking their arms together. He tore his gaze away from the happy scene at the sound of his name being called.
"England! Are you coming?!" Prussia yelled, already halfway across the field. He didn't say anything farther, getting up and heading after the Prussian.
Perhaps... if he died... it wouldn't be so bad of a thing after all.
"Norge! Are you leaving now?" Denmark yelled, struggling to catch up to him.
"Ja... I don't belong to you no longer, so I did not see the point in informing you I was leaving." Norway said coldly, not slowing his pace down.
"Oh...right... take care then, I suppose." Denmark says, tone a bit too cheery for the situation. Norway is able to catch something else underlying his tone, and turns around. He sighs as he notices the tears the Dane is struggling to hold back, and patiently waits until he has caught up to him.
"Stop making such a big fuss about it. It's not your country that's being handed over." Norway says, reaching up in an attempt to wipe away his tears. "It's only temporary. You will see me again, brother."
"Everything will change though. You can't be sure how long it'll be until we can see each other again." Denmark grumbles, resting his head against Norway's.
"Perhaps not. Shall we promise on it, then?"
"Hm?"
"What, can you not understand something that simple?" Norway asks, rolling his eyes. "I promise, no matter what, no matter how many times we get separated, I will wait for you until we can reunite again. Got it? Now quit your crying, you'll stain my suit."
"Right! Vi ses, Norge." Denmark said, immediately straightening his posture.
"I do believe farvel would be more fitting for the situation." Norway's eyes shine with amusement, but he returns the saying nonetheless.
"Vi ses, elske."
Last couple of notes:
-I feel as though nations wouldn't have any political or military say in wars, and they just have to put up with what their boss/country rulers decide. In these kinds of scenarios, humans are usually viewed as foolish beings that can't stop fighting and don't learn from history. I tried to incorporate that kind of thinking into their viewpoint.
-Didn't want to outright state it, but it's implied that Sealand and Ladonia were living with Sweden and Finland (were living because they died at some point), and they were still rather grief stricken over losing their 'children' when Denmark found them.
-Left this detail out, but the place Denmark and Norway are buried is deep in a forest. Denmark had Norway buried there because Norway's fairies are always hinted to be earth based in fanon, and a lot of mythical creatures in Norse mythology and such are similar.
-If you couldn't guess, the first two figures England see's is Norway and Denmark being reunited. The five nations standing farther off are implied to be Finland, Sweden, Sealand, Ladonia, and Iceland.
-The reason England can see them is simply because since most of the time, England sees things like fairies and unicorns, I expanded on that to include spirits and ghosts, thus why he can see the Nordics.
-The little thing at the end is a flashback of the end of the Kalmar Union. I wanted to put this in earlier, but I thought it fit at the end better. I wanted it to reflect on the previous scene in England's POV.
- Vi ses, Farvel, and Elske are all Danish words. Vi ses is something you say for a short parting, akin to saying see you. Farvel is usually used for a longer parting, usually translated to saying goodbye. Elske is one of the forms of saying love (so literally Norway is saying 'See you (later), love.')