Heyooooo! I needed a little break from the constant cycle between Liety's Weekend and Silly Songs (and I bet you guys did, too). I'm also going on vacation tomorrow (NOT Hiatus, mind you) for a week, so don't be expecting a whole lot. Enjoy this little drabbly one-shot. Not intended to be based in history, but something might match up.

*P.S. Who is paid to make up all these fanfiction terms?* *P.P.S. Holubtsi = Ukrainian cabbage rolls*

A Friendly Gentleman

Somewhere in a country called Ukraine rested a big hill, covered with lush green grass. It always offered the best view of the surrounding land and sky, and was a popular spot for sketch artists and painters.

On that hill rested the young lady herself. She was drawing the sky in her sketchbook with a stubby pencil a few moments before, but she was thereafter distracted by the flowers brushing against her legs and the wind against her short hair and the sunlight in her eyes and the tasty holubtsi she had packed in her picnic basket that morning. Something else was tugging in the back of her mind, as well.

Ukraine loved her little brother very much; there was no doubt about that. The only problem was oil. It was expensive, and for a girl who owned one pair of boots, the bills were hard to pay. Just the thought of it made her stressed out all over again...

Taking another bite of her lunch, Ukraine looked down at her sketchbook with a frown. This sucked. "It's about time I make a friend in Europe," she decided aloud. "Someone to help me pay the gas money to little brother and stuff. And to sit on this big hill with me, too." She turned her doe-like eyes up to the sky again. Yes, she needed someone like that.

But WHO?

After a few moments of pondering (with her best "thinking face"), a blurry image bounced into her head. A little lightbulb went on somewhere, and she hastily flipped to a new page in her sketchbook. "Someone who would listen to me," she murmured, lightly penciling a head shape on the fresh sheet. "A friendly gentleman..."

The picture in her head became clearer, and so did the one on paper. "He seems nice... he talks to Russia sometimes, and his accent makes me laugh!" Ukraine giggled as she drew the man's shoulders. "His style is kind of simple... I don't know if I'd like his food, but it's worth a try! He eats fish... His house is pretty far away, but I like to ride my bike, so long as my boobies cooperate..."

And so continued Ukraine's drawing and pondering, pondering and drawing until she pulled a set of old colored pencils from her back pocket to add a blonde hue to the country's hair. She shaded the details to his standard uniform and drew his blue, red, and white flag in a corner.

"Yes," she sighed, holding her completed portrait against the sunlight to admire it. Then, unable to keep still, the happy girl ran back in the direction of her house, completely forgetting about her picnic basket.

She had found a friend.

…

Bokbokbokbokbok

"Oui, 'allo? Who is it?" France asked, peeking around his front door.

"Hi, France! I'm going swimming today!" Ukraine stood on his front step- in a bathing suit, drenched in sweat. Her bike was laid on its side a little ways away. "Want to come?"

A minute passed. Two.

Then, to Ukraine's horror, her new acquaintance fell forward in a dead faint.

~KK~