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Human Names;
Erik - Ladonia
Klaus - Kugelmugel
"You," Natalya stated, voice the only sign of her annoyance, "Have no idea what true cold is." "I do!" Erik stated, glaring at her with no sense of fear. "Far better than you."
It was the narrowing of Natalya's eyes that made Erik freeze. It struck him, that maybe… just maybe the winters he'd experienced living with Berwald and Tino were not really comparable to the cold winters Natalya had known as a child. Icy winters where the wood was so damp it barely burned, and she had to huddle with her siblings to keep the sickness that came from the cold at bay.
"Tell me, little boy," Natalya spoke, her voice suddenly as cold as the air around her seemed to be, "Have you ever felt death nipping at your toes and fingers?" She moved close, "Have you ever felt fear over whether or not there will be enough firewood to keep the heat for the night? To be stuck in the snow with no foreseeable hope of finding so much as a spark of warmth even when you left the outside?"
Erik gulped, and took a nervous step back, and she moved to match it, and he found himself looking for anyone else. Peter or Zoe, or Papa Tino or Berwald, and found himself alone, even Klaus had disappeared from where he'd been just moments before at Erik's side.
"I.. I…" The answer was no. Sweden was cold, but Erik was young, he'd never truly known the cold of winter like the older nations did. Even before he'd been found, he'd been well taken care, and the internet lacked any sense of hot or cold. Just codes and numbers and screens. When he came out in winter, it was always to a warm and cozy house that kept the cold of winter firmly outside.
"Belarus."
Both micronation and nation turned to look and see Tino standing a few feet away, Berwald just behind him. It was Tino who moved forward, stepping between Erik and Natalya, and Berwald who rested a hand on Erik's shoulder. Erik didn't shy away for once, instead leaning back into the safety of the other's touch.
"I think it would be best if you went to rejoin your brother, don't you?" Tino's voice was cold, enough so that Erik shivered away from it, and Natalya eyed him for a long time before turning on her heel, hair whipping out around her in a whirl of platinum blonde, before she stalked off. When Tino turned to face him again, he had that same soft sweet smile that Erik preferred, "You have to learn to pick your fights better, Erik."
Erik nodded, solemnly, averting his eyes. In the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Klaus and Peter, not too far away, peeking around a corner, looking relieved.