Pairings: Seychelles/Monaco

Warnings: Fluff, yuri

Marshmallow Silence

It was cold. It was wet. It was horrible.

Why people would want to spend their winter holiday like this, Seychelles couldn't begin to phantom.

It was France that had dragged them all – Seychelles, Canada, America, England and Monaco – to the mountain side to go skiing.

Seychelles was mentally preparing the appropriate curses to put on the man as revenge as soon as she got home.

For now though, she didn't want to spoil the others' fun; America was as energetic as usual. Even England seemed to let his guard down a little. France was very obviously proud about being able to put something like the trip together. It was just that she, being a southern nation, was unused to the climate. And the snow that had made its way into her boots.

Somehow, it made her feel a bit lonely. The others had known each other for so long, they were like family. She didn't belong with them, she belonged out on her islands.

To top it off, it had started snowing. Because that was what they needed, more awful white stuff.

Seychelles stopped her ascent up the hill and looked down on the hotel. What she needed to do was make a run for it and get herself down there.

"Aren't you coming? We're taking the lift to the top." Canada seemed more at home than she'd ever seen him. The snowboard fit him, even more so because, for once, he was smiling widely.

"No, I got hungry all of a sudden. I'll go back to the hotel and have some lunch."

"Are you sure? We just had breakfast." Canada was looking concerned, his brows knitting together.

"Don't worry. Just go and enjoy yourself, America"

"I'm Canada!"

"I'm just kidding~"

Canada was nice, there was no reason to ruin his day by telling him the truth. He was finally in a situation were he could relax.

"Go and have fun, I'll see you later."

She made a quick escape, not allowing for Canada to try to drag her along any further. Seychelles couldn't ski to begin with.

The hotel was far away. Seychelles opted to follow the road close to the slope, since that snow was more densely packed and therefore easier to walk in. She still remembered, with horror, the road they had used to get to the slope from the hotel to begin with. Each step had been a struggle.

She made it back to the hotel without much problem.

The first thing she did was go to her room, shared with Monaco, and remove her overly warm, hard to move in, outer clothes. Her socks were dripping wet, she noticed with a frown, so she hung them over a radiator.

'Gaaaaaah! This is horrible! Why did I let myself get roped into coming here?' The thought had been on the back of her mind ever since they got in the car to drive to the resort.

She slumped over the bed in defeat. She was still cold.

"Seychelles, are you here?" a hesitant knock was followed by the door opening. Monaco waved her hand, flashing her key card as she entered the room.

"Hi" Monaco said, sitting down on her bed.

Seychelles turned her head towards the other girl. "What are you doing here?" Seychelles wasn't trying to be rude, but insecurities and her bad temper made it come out that way.

"Checking up on you, of course. The others were worried, so I volunteered." Monaco held out a hand to Seychelles. "Come along, I'll treat you to some hot chocolate."

After pulling a pair of slippers onto her feet, Seychelles decided that it was the best idea she'd heard all day. "I'm sorry", she mumbled. Her cheeks were hot, but that might be because of the weather.

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry. For snapping at you, for making all of you worry. This was supposed to be a fun vacation, but I'm ruining everybody's fun." The apology came out easier than she had expected it to, mostly because she knew Monaco wouldn't make fun of her over it.

Monaco shrugged, settling into a chair in the hotel's restaurant. "Don't be, they're not really that concerned. It's mostly just Canada, but I think he's always worried about something."

Seychelles huffed indignantly.

"What did you expect? They're not that thoughtful people to begin with."

A sudden thought struck Seychelles. "You're teasing me, aren't you?"

Monaco smirked. "You looked so miserable, so I wanted to get your mind off things." She turned serious, pushing her glassed higher. "But tell the truth, what's up?"

A waitress came over and took their order, allowing Seychelles a small moment of complementation before answering. "Not much, really"

A deadpan look from Monaco told her the other girl wasn't buying it.

Seychelles' hand went up to her neck, a nervous gesture she had never learnt to avoid. "It's nothing to worry about, really. It's just... I don't like snow."

"That's it!?"

"What else could there be?"

"I thought you were feeling unwell or something!" The normally calmed and composed Monaco was looking rather worked up.

"Oh, so that's why." Seychelles smirked. "The others didn't send you to check up on me or anything, it was you who was worried about me."

Monaco had developed a rather cute blush. She turned her head away from Seychelles and mumbled something inaudible.

The waitress came by again, dropping off their chocolate. The big white cup placed in front of Seychelles was steaming with heat, she noted happily.

A small smile played on her lips as she closed her fingers around the cup.

For a moment, neither girl spoke. The silence was comfortable, as if covered in chocolate and marshmallows.

As nice as it was to simply coexist, Seychelles couldn't help it as her thoughts drifted away from the calmness of the moment.

Monaco had been worried about her.

Seychelles had never really paid that much attention to Monaco. She was part of the package that came when you spend time around France, just like Canada.

Seychelles had never really noticed how beautiful Monaco was. Every movement was of hers was graceful, she carried herself like a queen. When Monaco's eyes met Seychelles', there was a gentleness in them. Seychelles blushed slightly as she realised that she was staring, but it took a conscious effort to break eye contact.

Monaco sighed audibly. 'Disappointment? I guess I haven't been good company.'

"So, " began Seychelles. "Where do we go from here?"

"Well", Monaco tilted her head. "You could give it a chance. There are instructors, if you want to you can learn how to ski. Or even snow-board."

Seychelles made a face. She wasn't in the mood for being responsible or mature about things.

Monaco's smile turned mischievous. "Then there's only one choice. Pack up your things."

"Say what now?"

"We're leaving. We're going on a romantic holiday for two, a first date if you will."

"Are we now?" Seychelles was beginning to crack up herself.

"Yes. I'm thinking sunshine and beaches. We can eat ice-cream."

"You're just trying to trick me into wearing a bikini." teased Seychelles, not believing it for a second.

However, to her surprise, a small blush covered Monaco's cheeks. Seychelles giggled at the sight, the bespectacled nation could be rather cute at times.

"Well, maybe a little. But it's because only I like you."

"Just like? You wound me" Seychelles put on an air of ridiculousness, causing Monaco to giggle.

"It's unusual for you to be so honest with your feelings," noted Monaco.

Seychelles could feel the blush on her cheeks growing to cover her entire face. The situation had been so relaxed, she had just let the comment slip.

"It's not that I like you or anything" came the rushed reply, but even Seychelles was having a hard time believing herself. "I was just joking."

'And she was too! I've made such a fool of myself.' Seychelles was trying the best to keep herself out of panic mode, but it was a losing battle.

"I like you." Monaco repeated, her tone of voice leaving no room for argument. "More than like, really. If that makes you uncomfortable, I can leave it at that. If not..."

The offer hung in the air. Seychelles swallowed, trying to find something to say.

"I... I... I lo-like you too. I want to get to know you better."

Monaco's smile lit up her face. Seychelles felt her heart beating rapidly against her chest.

"Then let's try this. We'll make our beach trip our first date."

Seychelles grinned. She leaned over and gave Monaco a quick kiss. "Just... one thing."

"What?" Monaco was suddenly serious again.

"It would be our second date. I'm going to count this as our first."

The blush that spread across her face was worth all the snow in the world.