Wow, this chapter is so much shorter that the last, I'm so sorry!
It was originally going to be an interlude with Tino and Berwald's story, but then I started writing this one. So expect some SuFin love next chapter...maybe 8D

Gah, this is way toooooo cracky, I'm sorrrry!

Chapter Seven: Flashbacks

"Oh, what happened when I was sixteen?" Norway repeated, looking down at his hands. "That's a long story,"

"That's okay," Denmark answered. "We're not talking about anything else, are we?"

"I guess not," He sighed. "So, um, Iceland and I were raised in an orphanage, since I was two and he was six-months. We don't really know anything about our original parents, except that they did love us, but weren't able to provide us with a good life. So, we lived there, except it wasn't really like a traditional orphanage, more of a hostel. The conditions of it were always pretty bad, but two years ago, the place stopped recieving funding from the government and was forced to shut down. Most of the younger children were farmed off to foster families, but the older ones - like me, being sixteen at the time - were just told to go make our own way, pretty much,"

"What are we supposed to do?" Norway asked, turning to the orphanage keeper as the last of the young children were collected. His question was greeted with lots of 'yeah, what about us?' from the other teenagers.

"I'm sorry," She answered, smiling sadly. "There's nothing more we can do,"

"What does that mean?" He exclaimed. "Do we have to just go and fend for ourselves? We have no means of support!" She sighed and shook her head, then turned away from them, starting up a conversation with one of the foster parents. Norway shivered and frowned at Iceland. "I'm sorry, I guess we just go," He was so scared, they had nothing besides their few possesions. No money, no house, nothing. They could die! But he had to keep a straight face, make it seem that everything would be okay. He couldn't give up, for Iceland's sake.

"Oh, my God," Denmark gaped. "You lived on the streets!"

"Yeah," Norway replied sheepishly. "For about three months. We moved into this place after that,"

"I'm so sorry," He said, shaking his head. "When I first met you, I never imagined that you had been homeless,"

Norway shifted away from Denmark, pushing his arm off of him. "Don't say it like that! It's rude!" He glared at the Dane.

"Sorry," He answered, waving his hands defensively. "I didn't mean to offend you," He looked at Norway and sighed. "What happened in those three months? Did Iceland go to school?"

"Yeah, he did," He answered, biting his lip. "And I got a job, but once we moved here, Iceland moved to another school. We used to live in another neighbourhood before this, that's why,"

"Oh, man," Denmark sighed. "How did you cope? Wouldn't it have been so hard?"

Norway shrugged his shoulders slightly. "It wasn't so bad," He sighed. "I mean, it was during summer, so we weren't cold or anything..."

Fuck, seriously. Who had ever heard of summer rain? Ugh, okay, he lied. It wasn't all that uncommon here, he had just been hoping it would hold off until they at least lived under a roof. But no, it seemed the universe hated Norway, as the rain seemed to keep getting heavier each time he wished for it to stop.

"Iceland, come under the shelter!" He called, motioning to his brother who was just returning from school. "Your bag will get wet and won't dry for tomorrow," The boy nodded and made a frantic dash for the shelter. He was already soaked through though, and Norway's effort was all in vain. "I'm sorry, we'll try and find something to dry your things by,"

"I hate this," Iceland sighed, slumping down against the wall. "Is it so much to ask just to live inside?"

"I'm sorry," Norway answered, looking down at his brother sadly. It wasn't fair that he had to go through this too. He was still fourteen, one of the hardest ages. He would give anything for his brother to be able to live better than this, it was unjust. He felt just awful everytime Iceland complained about it, it was his responsibility, after all. "Things will get better soon, I swear,"

"We always say that," He replied, shaking his head. "But things are just as bad now as they were two months ago,"

Norway frowned. He had to keep believing himself to make things work. If he had no faith, then they wouldn't get anywhere. "Trust me," He said. "We'll at least live in a house by the end of this year, I promise you," Iceland just sighed once again and shrugged his shoulders in skepticism. It was at this exact moment, as they looked out into the pouring rain of the city, that Norway decided that he was going to work harder than ever. He would make things work despite the adversity and obstacles they may have to face.

"You liar, it was the hardest thing you've been through," Denmark shook his head in disbelief. "You should stop playing things down so much,"

Norway always felt it was important to keep a brave face in front of Iceland, or any of the other children that were younger than him. When he was little, he had always looked up to the older people, and if they weren't worried, then he was okay, and he wanted Iceland to be the same. And living on the streets was no exception. He'd go to work and come back, acting like it was no big deal, emotionless. Each night, when Iceland had gone to sleep, was when he allowed himself to actually be human.

"Please," He mumbled, clasping his hands together and staring up at the sky. "Whoever may be up there, please, help us," He had to admit, he felt a little silly, as he had never been particularly religious, but his conversation with Iceland earlier had filled him with desperation. His brother was starting to lose hope, so something had to be done, quickly. "Please!" He repeated, louder this time. "We're dying here, please help us!" He was sobbing frantically now. "Please! Just listen to me!"

"Yeah, it was," He conceded, frowning. "Without a third job, I'm worried we're going to have to repeat those three months. Half my income goes towards rent anyway, and that's just rent alone," Oh dear, saying these facts out loud was ten times worse than just thinking them. And this reality hit him like a brick. Something was dawning on him at this moment, and it was that he couldn't do this alone. "You know, Denmark," He said.

"Yeah?" Amongst the talking, he had put his arm around Norway again absentmindedly.

"I haven't talked to someone like this in a long time," He smiled, actually smiled. "And even though it's you, I don't mind it,"

"I'm here for you, don't you forget that, Nor," He answered, pulling him in closer. "But does this mean we can hang out more now?"

Norway chuckled slightly this time. "You idiot," He said. "Of course we can," He hesitated, considering what to do, and then turned his head and placed his lips on Denmark's.

Bah, this chapter was so angsty T-T well, sort of.