Giggles, clipped remarks and hearty laughter wafted through the salted air that surrounded the great sea fort. A flower bespeckled girl and a slightly older young man lingered behind the sandy sailor suited boy. Peter turned and grinned at his two fellow micronations announcing their arrival.
"Here we are! The great Principality of Sealand!" beamed Peter huffing with pride.
The girl exhaled a bit after scanning the area analytically , "its rusty,but...nice."
The elder boy returned Peter's smile and grinned, "Your place is bene magnifico!"
Peter's chest swelled at hearing his friends compliments. It wasn't everyday that your two best friends in the world came over to visit. Visitors out here were highly unusual, being stranded in the middle of the ocean and all.
"Thank you! Now come this way you two!" chirped Peter with glee. "We've got to walk on a thinner piece of this iron contraption so take my hand Paula!" Peter warned taking the girls hand in his, "Same to you Sebo!" Immediately the girls eyes flickered with embarrassment at his request "W-why exactly must we ALL hold hands? Can't we just-" but before she could respond the two boys had already seized her hands.
"Don't be so cold to us Paula!" whined Seb jokingly , "by now the three of us are close enough to hold hands piacere!"
Peter nodded vigorously looking back once again to smile at the scowling Paula and cheery Sebastion. Paula pursed her lips and muttered something under her breath. She wouldn't admit it to them outloud but on the inside it made her heart soar to know that these two fools trusted and actually liked her that much. She'd never really been all that good at fraternizing with other people much less other nations. Just a few weeks ago all she'd ever known was painting, visiting Austrialia's home every now and then and tending to her garden. That is until a certain hyperactive boy and ketchup spattered teenager barged into her life. Paula sighed "How much longer do we have to walk?"
"Just a little bit more" replied Peter now tugging their chain of hands up a narrow set of stairs. At the top of the flight their chain was released as they looked upon a trove filled room with Sealandic delicacies. The walls were painted a delightful ocean blue spattered with framed newspaper clippings, official looking documents, old letters, everything. Anything that was related to Sealand's history, lineage and merchandise even, was in that room. Paula and Seb peered at Peter a bit uncertain but then relaxed when he motioned for them to take a look at the rooms contents. Wistfully the visiting micronations wandered from frame to frame, T-shirt to sealandic title, every now and then politely asking Peter a question here and there.
They didn't dare make a rude comments or snide remarks to what Peter was allowing them to set eyes on. The minute that he'd led them to the hidden passageway a jolt of understanding zipped through their bodies. Peter was sharing the pride of his country, the little parts of him that represented the qualities of the country he resided as. Although his country was not well known and to be straight to the point he was technically not recognized like the other two, they considered him one.
After their mini sized tour was over the trio regrouped near the exit.
"Your countries history seems complicated! Pero interessante!" said Sebastion thoughtfully. Peter nudged Sebo on the shoulder in appreciation which evolved into a headlock nuggie combination until Paula wrenched the chuckling pair apart.
Paula huffed, " You sure do have a nice assortment I will say!" stepping away from the scuffle. Again Peter found himself grinning ,"Thanks, It means allot "Wy"," he said teasingly adding the careful pronunciation of her countries name. "Peter!" scolded Sebo and Paula in unison.
"I thought we pacted on only using our "human" names when we hung out with eachother mio amico!"
"I was under the same impression!" said Paula a bit crossly. It was another one of the little things that they all mutually appreciated about eachothers company. The names that were thought up and bestowed upon the countries were put into use when it was just them. Just people, just kids, not countries, not nations.
Peter turned trying desperately to keep a giggle from escaping his lips ," I know I know, I just wanted to hear you two say my name already! This whole time we've been here and neither of you have said it once!" Sebo's eyebrows twinged a bit with amusement and Paula's brows furrowed despite her slowly growing smile.
"D-Dont be so self centered! Wait you!" called Paula half walking half chasing Peter as he ran out of the doorway. Sebastion followed suit, "Aspettiamo, You're not getting off that easy!"
They sped down the staircase completely forgetting the cautionary words Peter had spouted earlier. As soon as Paula had pounded full speed to the bottom she'd lost her balance. Paula's eyes flashed towards the awaiting sea that seemed so eager to swallow her and she closed her eyes for impact.
But the fall didn't happen. Peter was already waiting at the end of the stairwell catching her in his arms, while Sebo had simultaneously caught a handful of her bright pink coat. Time stood still for a second after the near avoidance of Paula plummeting.
"Are you alright?" inferred Peter his voice full of concern. Sebo released his hold on her coat and walked towards them equally concerned. Paula stood up slowly before finding herself locking eyes with Peter. He noticed her reposition and gazed back slightly confused.
She'd never noticed how blue his eyes were.
Sebo's eyes flickered knowingly between the two until coughing, "Paula, mio caro?"
Paula jumped at being brought back to her senses. She quickly released herself from Peter's grasp her face rushing with heat. Peter stepped back inquisitively, smiling a bit, relieved that she seemed fine. "I'm plenty alright thanks to you two!" she let out rapidly "That still doesn't let you off the hook though!" Paula turned on him grabbing their hands and leading them back the way that they once came. "Wait Paula! Do you want me to lead instead?" cried Peter already trying to struggle ahead of the stubborn girl. "No!" she retorted harshly. Sebo turned to Peter and shrugged half heartedly knowing that once Paula'd made a descion it was final.
"I told you i should have gone first." complained Peter accusingly.
"Shut. . Peter." growled Paula struggling to stay afloat
Sebo swum in circles around the two children "It was hot out anyway! Divertire!"
Peter kicked his feet a bit and floated onto his back " Well I guess you can say you've gotten the tour of the ocean of Sealand!" his voice hinting at sarcasm
Paula narrowed her eyes "Stuff it Peter or I swear I'll-" "Okay okay! Let's just enjoy it!" interjected Sebo. The last thing he needed was this to escalate into a full fledged argument. He hated it when they argued. Partially because they always attempted to bring him into it an because it wasted the small occasions of time in which they were all not busy enough to actually see eachother.
"I know! Lets have a compitizione! A race!" Sebo breaking his endless encircling. Peter and Paula perked at this notion. "A race huh?" Peter said with interest swimming towards Sebo.
"Where to?" asked Paula quietly already calculating her win.
Sebo thought for a minute before saying, " To the end of your Principality, Peter!" pointing to the far end of the iron structure.
"You're on" smirked Peter readying himself towards the race's destination, "I won't loose to some landlubbers like you two!"
"Landlubbers?" Paula said indignantly "Seborga and Wy are located near the ocean lines you doof!"
Peter turned his head questioningly, "Really? I thought you were stuck in the desert and Sebo was in the middle of a jungle...?"
Paula gave him a shocked look with fake worry ,"You don't get out much do you?"
That comment almost riled up Peter even more until Sebastion interjected yet again at the right time ,"Racers to your marks! Ready? Set...GO!" And with that the three micronation's scrambled, kicked and floundered towards the finish line.
The harmonious mixture of giggles, clipped remarks and hearty laughter had graced the air yet again.
Thanks for reading! Please review and critique if you'd like! This is my first time writing a fic so I'd love to hear your feedback! Hetalia belongs to the lovely Hidekaz Himaruya :)