A/N: This fic is rated M solely for violence/ death. Additional warnings are given on a chapter by chapter basis, but in general, expect death, violence, depiction of mental illness, injury, and there's a whole big thing on the Donner Party, so cannibalism. The first chapter is awkward, but it gets better.
Finland sat on the edge of the riverbank, wincing in pain from the bruises and cuts covering his body under his clothes. Holland had managed to hit him solidly on the head during the fight, and a goose-egg had formed there, making his brain feel like it was throbbing. The battle had ended hours ago, but his wounds had only scabbed over and the pounding knot on his head only seemed to worsen. One of the downsides to fighting a fellow nation: the wounds they inflicted took almost as long to heal as they would on a human. Almost.
He was on the brink of tears, but it wasn't because of the pain. The pain was nothing to him. The real damage done, the hardest blow of the fight, had been having his hopes and dreams dashed. He and Sweden had had their hearts set on crafting the perfect vacation home in the new world. But Holland had barged in and declared the house was his from now on. That's when thing got violent.
In the end, he and Sweden had lost. Their lovely new house that they had worked so hard on was gone and New Sweden was no more. He choked back sobs at the lost dream and let a few tears run down his face.
"Hey, Finland, what's the matter?" France called, traipsing through the woods to come stand in front of him in the shallow stream.
"Did you trip over nothing again and now you're making a grand scene?" England had followed not far behind, and made little to no effort to conceal his patronizing tone at the sight of Finland crying. The English and their stiff upper lip. What was so wrong with crying? It's just as normal an expression as smiling. Would he look down on someone for smiling too much, as well?
Scratch that. He actually might. He would call it frivolous and chalk it up as foolish nonsense. A stiff upper lip in every sense, not even bending to crack a smile.
Finland could only imagine what was going on in that poor man's head.
"No!" he snapped, his voice cracking. "S-sweden and I were just trying to build a holiday home in America. But Holland came and took all of it!"
France and England's expressions were wiped clear, careful masks of impassivity snapping into place. It wouldn't do to look too excited.
"Oh, that must've been bad…" England trailed off.
"No, really, must've been rough on you," France said tonelessly.
"It's not just that!" Finland said with passion.
"A strange boy appeared when we were there, and he wasn't from the neighboring villages… We were a day away from the nearest town," he said. "I'm just worried how he'll do if Holland takes care of him."
"A boy? He came out from that stupidly huge wilderness by himself?"
"Yes, yes he did! So we thought it was a bit strange-"
"Hey, wait a minute!" France interjected. "Did the child pop up around you a- Check it out I caught a fish!"
"No one cares, Francis."
"About you, anyway."
"Hey! Do you-"
Finland shook his head as the two's arguing grew in volume. He could snap them to pieces in seconds if he so wished. They seemed to be forgetting that. But he didn't feel like destroying anyone today. He was tired and upset and hurt and all he wanted to do at this point was go home. Besides, you should never destroy someone when you are sad. You would not get to enjoy it properly, and chances are, it would find some way of coming back to bite you.
"Aren't you going to come help me search for the little boy?" he shouted over them.
"No. It's just a human," England said, and France smacked him upside the head.
"What mon ami means to say is, if the boy managed to make it in the wilderness up until now, then I'm sure he'll continue to be fine. Humans are ever so versatile and should adapt quickly."
"We'll of course alert the local authorities to keep a watch out for him."
"Alright," he said. "I just want to make sure someone who's staying in the new world is going to take care of him."
"Do not worry," France said. "If he shows up again, I will be sure to give him a home and a place in one of my villages."
"As will I."
Finland eyed them suspiciously before nodding, gathering himself, and heading off.
"Never said I would actually go and seek the kid out myself," England said quietly after he had gone.
His companion laughed. "Let humans handle their own individuals, that's what I always say. Why should one single human cause us trouble when we need to be responsible for thousands?"
