The (Not-So) Scary Misadventure of Denmark and Iceland
...Or When Scary Puffins Attack
Summary: Denmark is babysitting a young Iceland while Norway is away. Shenanigans and tomfoolery occur and the two nations bond over the silliest of things.
Pairings: hints of DenNor
Dedicated to my lovely KG, who is my Iceland! ILU Issy ^_^
Disclaimer: Axis Powers Hetalia (c) Hidekaz Himaruya
Denmark sighed and looked away. Moments later, he turned to look at the small, white-haired child once more. It was always like this with Iceland! Such a disconcerting stare…
"Hej, Ísland," Denmark began.
Silence was his reply.
"Hej! Hallooooo!" The Dance waved a hand in front of the child's face, trying to prompt a reaction out of him.
The blond harrumphed in annoyance. He hadn't known that taking care of this kid would be so frustrating! Then again… He'd been so excited that Norge had asked him in the first place that he hadn't really considered anything else.
Presently, Iceland blinked.
Iceland hadn't been any trouble so far, though. Typical, seeing as how he and Norway were attached at the hip ever since they'd found him. No wonder they act so alike.
"Don't you ever say anything?!" The blond exclaimed.
But Iceland just sat there, on his couch, and stared at the older nation. In fact, all he had done since Norway had left that morning was stare.
Denmark ran a hand through his already messy hair. He paced across the living room, as a wild animal would, locked in a cage.
"Alright, look here, Nils," the blond stopped and addressed the younger Nordic, using the name that Norway had given him. "Norge is away and I'm watchin' over you. This is my house and my rules. So… you'd better start talkin' …or else!" Iceland didn't respond, but it seemed to Denmark that the little white-haired boy shrunk into his couch and those big, icy-blue eyes got even bigger.
…But in reality, he was just sitting there and staring as he had been.
Denmark didn't notice.
Instead, he looked fondly on the little nation, feeling quite full of himself. "Well, I can see that you're intimidated. As you should be! After all, I am the King of the North! Nevertheless, I can't have you just sitting around!" He stopped his one-person dialogue and looked at Iceland expectantly.
"Oh, I give up!" The blond collapsed reluctantly next to the little island nation. He crossed his arms over his chest and pursed his lips—mind you, it definitely wasn't a pout! Kings do not pout!
"What do you do all day?!" The so-called King began another tirade. "Is it because you want something from me?! Help me out here! I'm just trying to figure you out, Ice, but I'm clueless! I—hej! Where're you going?"
The boy had gotten up off the couch and was headed towards the kitchen.
"Hej! If you wanted something to eat, you should've just said something!" Denmark's voice became increasingly louder as he followed.
But Iceland was a self-sufficient boy (especially at Denmark's house). He grabbed a chair from the dining room and set it next to the counter. Although he was dwarfed by the chair, Iceland climbed atop it and reached for the cupboard.
"Hej! Hej! Hej! That's my nice furniture!" The Dane's expression was that of surprise and horror. "And you could get hurt!" He rushed over and plucked the boy from his perch and set him on the tiles.
"Now, what can your totally cool big-brother Den get you?" he asked with a smile.
Iceland just glowered a little—he could do these things on his own!—and toddled over to the glass door that led outside from the kitchen.
"Now where are you going?"
But! As soon as little Nils had disappeared through the door, he dashed back inside and was cowering behind the tall blond's legs.
At first, Denmark was merely confused. What had spooked the kid? Then he smiled down at the boy. He crouched down to eye level with the little nation.
"Hej," he said gently. "What's wrong Nils?"
The boy pointed towards the door. Denmark made a shushing gesture, putting a finger to his lips, and playfully tiptoed, still hunched over, to the door. Iceland followed, copying his movements.
When Denmark peeked through the door all he saw was his open yard, which faced the ocean. The sun shone brightly, a breeze rustled the grass and the tops of the trees from the nearby forest, and a lone black bird was perched on a nearby rock, preening its feathers.
Denmark was puzzled; he straightened up and walked out the door a still-frightened Iceland clinging to his pant legs trailing behind him.
"Aw, come one, Ice. Don't tell me you're just pullin' my leg." He looked down at the cowering nation, whose eyes were transfixed on the bird. The blond followed his gaze and his light blue eyes sparked with mischief.
He stooped to pick up his young charged and retreated quickly back into the house.
Back in the kitchen, he set Iceland on his feet and kneeled once more to the child's eye level.
Leaning forward conspiratorially, the Dane whispered, "Okay, Ice. Here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna lure it to us, see." And as he explained his plan, Denmark couldn't help but find the boy's expressions hilarious.
Nils hesitantly stepped towards the strange, black bird. Uneasily, he looked back at the Dane waiting by the door, who, in turn, motioned for him to continue forward. Iceland did so, clutching a bag of bait with small, sweaty hands. When he was a few feet away from the rock where the bird stood, he threw some small fish and bits of bread from the bag at the animal.
The avian creature stopped its grooming and fixed its sad-looking eyes at the white-haired boy. It hopped down and scooped up the food with its odd beak. The young nation furrowed his white eyebrows and took a few steps back as the bird approached.
Suddenly the bird took flight! It landed on Iceland's head, causing the boy to drop his bag and take off running towards the house.
"Uwaaaaaaaaaah!!"
"Ísland!"
Denmark quickly ran to catch up with Iceland, who came barreling into his outstretched arms. The boy buried his face into his protector's shirt.
The older nation looked around and spied the bird sitting innocently nearby. He glared at the creature, as though it had wronged him personally.
"Shoo!" The Dane shouted. "Go away!" He stomped his boot-clad feet at the bird, which refused to budge. It flapped its wings, hovering for a moment or two, and alighted on the ground. Then, as if to mock the Dane, the bird flew up and landed on the blond's spikes.
"Hej!" He shouted and tried to swat the bird away with the arm that wasn't cradling Iceland. Still, the bird refused.
"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!" The bird had begun to peck Denmark's head. The boy looked up and giggled at the comedic sight. Iceland stretched out his arms and grasped the bird gently with his little hands and hugged it to him. The bird fluffed up its feathers and snuggled contently in the boy's arms, making a happy peeping noise.
"Oh, so now you're friends. I see how it is." But Denmark saw the young, normally-stoic nation's small smile as he petted the creature and couldn't help but smile himself.
He, being a totally cool big brother and all, settled Nils on his shoulders and allowed the boy's new friend to sit on his hair ("Just don't leave any presents while you're up there!"). He headed back into the kitchen. "How about some lunch, eh, Nils?"
"Mmhmm." Came the boy's reply.
Even though his plan hadn't gone exactly as it was supposed to, it still ended up awesome.
That's a good place to end the story isn't it? *shot*
Actually, there's an epilogue… because I love you guys…
But really, I just love writing the DenNorIce family ^_^ So cute!~
So, here's your stinkin' epilogue you beggars!
Epilogue
When Norway returned to Denmark's house, he was surprised to find a quiet and empty living room.
"D-danmark? I've returned," he called out tentatively. "Ísland? Nils, where are you?"
"Ssssh!"
The small sound had come from behind the couch. Norway looked on in bewilderment.
"Ssh! Be quiet, Haldor! Big Brother Den will hear you!" Some shuffling could be heard and a head of white locks popped up from behind the sofa.
"Ísland, what—?"
"Niogfyrre… Halvtreds! Ísland, I'm coming to get you!" The Dane's deep voice shouted from up the stairs. A few doors were opened and closed loudly until Denmark's loud boots were heard stomping down the stairs.
The noisy blond appeared and looked in surprise at the newcomer. "Norge! When did you get here?"
"A f-few minutes ago. Danmark, I demand an explanation!"
"Not now, Norge! I'm kind of the middle of something." As he said this, he kept on looking: in the closet, in the kitchen, under the dining table.
Norway followed. "Why is Ísland hiding from you? What did you do to him?" The shorter blond stood glaring at the other, his arms askew with his hands planted on his hips.
"Nothing," The Dane smirked. He halted his searching for the moment and grabbed Norway by his slim waist. "You worry too much." He tapped Norway's endearingly small nose.
"S-S-Søren?!" Norway sputtered, his face turning rosy.
"Now…" The Dane continued searching for the young nation in the living room
----
"He'll never find us here," Nils whispered to his bird, which cooed in response.
"Got you!" Denmark's face appeared over the edge of the sofa.
"Eyaaaaaaaaah!!" Nils took off running to the kitchen. Denmark, laughing, followed. He chased the boy around the dining table until finally the younger nation ran behind Norway. He peeked around his caretaker's legs and stuck his tongue out at his playmate.
Denmark blew a raspberry and moved to grab him but was stopped by an angry Norwegian.
"Don't you dare," he growled.
"Nooorge," the Dane purred.
"Don't you "Norge" me," he emphasized his point by poking Denmark's chest.
"Norgey, I know you like playing the hero for little Nilsy but we were laying hide-and-seek. It's just a game."
Norge pressed his lips together tightly. He looked down at Iceland, who stepped out form behind his legs and toward the taller of the two blonds. Without need for prompting, Denmark picked the boy up and put him on his shoulders.
"It's true, Haldor," Nils finally spoke. "And this is Puffin!" The boy added, cuddling his avian friend.
Norway was thoroughly surprised at the two and wondered exactly how they had gotten so close, but decided to let it go.
-----
Later that evening, the blonds tucked the youngest Nordic into bed. When they had gotten out of earshot (from Iceland's room), Denmark hugged Norway from behind.
"We're not having any more kids, 'kay?"
"Ah! Din perverse kjeltring!"
That night Denmark slept on the couch with an angry red handprint on his face that stung until morning.
Well, that's the real ending. The whole point of that was that, while I was writing the whole story, I could not get that line out of my head: "We're not having any more kids". XD Oh you, Denmark. He thinks that kids are cute but they're too much work for him. Also, how is it that my Norway sounds less like stoic Norway and more like an angry housewife? XD
Nation names that I use:
Nils = Iceland
Haldor = Norway
Søren = Denmark.
Ísland is how you say Iceland in Icelandic.
Norge is how you say Norway in Norwegian and Danish.
Danmark is how you say Denmark in Danish and Norwegian.
Translation:
Ah! Din perverse kjeltring! – Ah! You perverted scoundrel/rascal! (thanks to snappygirl for the correction!)
Hej! – Hey!
Niogfyrre – Forty-Nine (49)
Halvtreds – Fifty (50)
Danish furniture is really nice, so that's why Denmark is upset when Iceland starts climbing on top of the chair.