Picture Perfect.
Chapter one: Take one, say sorrow!
Hello my fans! *before you yell at me for not updating "Frozen in Place", I am writing the chapter! I HAVE SCHOOL AND TESTS YOU KNOW!* so, this is my new story, Picture Perfect! I hope you enjoy it!
Care to do the disclaimer, Japan?
Japan: Hai! *clears throat* SwissloveandRussianhugs18 does not own Hetalia! If she did, I'd probably be kissing China right now.
Haha, what can I say? DAT NICHU THO.
Anyways, I have noticed that there is a lack of good Iceland stories out there *I'm a douche for saying that…* but here is my attempt! Please enjoy!
Picture perfect
Click, click, click!
The bright white flash, it does flick!
On the screen are our faces
One and two, three and four!
….Five doesn't really fit into the equation.
Emil sighed as he stared at yet another group photo. Blonde, blonde, blonde, blonde, silver. Did his hair always look so different compared to the others?
Matthias was being tie strangled by Lukas, and Tino was clinging to Berwald. Emil….he couldn't help but notice he had distance between the other four members of their group. He was the odd ball, he had no partner. Just where did he fit into this picture….?
Matthias gave a warm laugh "Dude! You took the perfect picture!" he said with a grin "You took it before I turned purple from lack of oxygen!" he said with a wide grin
Lukas hummed as he looked the picture over with interest, seemingly approving it with a nod "I like it."
Tino and Berwald took the photo "Ah! It is perfect!" Tino chimed happily as he grinned. Berwald gave a small hum and nodded slightly.
Emil forced a nod "Thank you, I like how it turned out as well." He muttered, hiding his hate for the new photo as he passed it back to Lukas for him to frame.
Another Christmas, another photo of him being….a stranger.
He looked more like he had accidently walked in on the photo when it was taken than he was actually in it.
This just wasn't fair.
The sentence repeated over and over in his mind as he bottled up his emotions
Everyone had a partner! So why couldn't he? Why was he always left out?!
Lukas interrupted his thoughts with a hum "Ah, present time." He muttered as he passed around the gifts he got for everyone.
Then Tino passed out his, Sweden gave his, and then Matthias and Emil.
Let's see here,
Matthias got a new coat from Tino, a blade sharpener for his axe from Berwald, a clip on tie from Norway *to prevent any tie strangles*, and even a new pair of boots and carving knives and paints to decorate his axe's handle with from Emil.
Tino had received a porcelain poodle from Matthias, a cooking book from Lukas, a teddy bear from Berwald, and a make your own salmiakki kit from Emil.
Berwald got wood shop tools from the all, though Emil had made sure to give him the best carving knife set of that years models and even some new paints and drawing pencils.
Lukas got a tie from Matthias *to strangle the Dane with*, a pocket watch from Tino, a pair of new boots from Berwald, and Emil….Emil had given a homemade item. He had stitched together the Icelandic and Norwegian flag, as a sign to show they were siblings. Lukas gave a twitch of the lips, a near smile.
Emil went to open his.
….what a coincidence.
Ribbons of different color…apparently to decorate his dearly beloved stuffed puffin with.
Of course, he got this every year. Though…just for the sake of pretending to be part of the group, he would act like he loved the gifts and gladly switch the colors of his Puffin's ribbon every day.
But inside he resented the brightly colored ribbons of silk. He put so much thought into their gifts and…and he only got ribbon.
Each. Year.
It hurt, it hurt a bit. It was a sign that they didn't truly understand him the way he hoped they would. He didn't like ribbons. He…he liked photography. All kinds. Still life, life in motion, negative colors, barren landscapes, lively festivals, stormy knights.
Was it too much to ask for a camera for Christmas…?
Well, at least he still had his old one.
God he loved that camera.
He took his first photo with it, his first film, his first…so many memories with that camera.
Heh, that camera understood him better than they did.
But he wouldn't say anything. No, not a thing.
He didn't want to ruin their fun time just because he was feeling…out casted.
He gave a sigh and easily crept up the stairs and to his room when they all began to chatt again. He flopped down on his bed and looked at the handful of ribbons he had.
Soft blue, vibrant red, pastel purple, and calming silver…..
He got up and went to his window, grabbing some tape from his desk as he went. He opened the window and carefully leaned out just enough to tape the ribbons to the outside of the window.
He grabbed his camera from his desk and turned it on, aiming at the window.
It was perfect. The way the gentle December breeze blew the ribbons around and made them dance, the radiant full moon in the background shining down and giving it a mystical feel. The dark blue sky riddle with beautiful points of shining light from millions of miles away and the swaying tree just a few feet from his window melting into the background perfectly.
The wind from outside filled his room and he took a deep breath, liking the feel of the cool winter wind reviving his body as it circulated within him and he slowly breathed it out. He looked through the camera and gave a small, nearly invisible grin.
This felt like ad ream. It was all so fitting for one! The mystic shine around the ribbons as they danced around in the wind in a slow dance, one that could put you into a trance from it's beauty. The soft rustles of whatever leaves remained on the tree as it swayed gently in the wind. Oh, how the stars shined with mystery! Seemingly taunting you with their knowledge, but at the same time shining with an understanding Emil had yet to see in a person's eyes.
Click.
He looked at the photo he had just taken and felt his breathing stop.
It was perfect-no. Better than perfect!
He eagerly waited for the photo to come out, yes he had that kind of camera, and nearly grinned in joy as it fell onto the floor.
He bent down and picked it up, heading to his closet and picking out a Nine West shoe box. He opened the lid and revealed hundreds of other photos, each one breath taking. One was a scene of a grey, thundery sky. It wasn't intimidating, no. Not the way he took it. He made it seem inspiring and he felt a surge of pride flow through him as he saw the picture.
Another was of his room. The moonlight had leaked in on that warm summer night and illuminated it just perfectly! It gave off a sense of mystery and grace, feelings that the boy loved to have in his photos.
He put his newest photo away after a few minutes of looking at older ones. He gently closed the lid and hid the shoe box away carefully and in a place no one but him would find it.
No one could ever find these photos. They wouldn't understand. They couldn't understand.
These photos were perfect! He had made sure each one was nothing short of perfection!
That was his word, perfection. He would fuss over every photograph, and if he had messed up on the first try…. Then he would not take a picture of the scene again.
Photo's are special, no two can ever be the same! If you ruin it the first time, you cannot try again! Each one had to be unique! They had to all stand out!
He sighed, yes….they all had to be perfect
"They have to be perfect….to make up for all of my imperfections."