Welcome to the PREVIEW EXCERPT for the SEQUEL: From Spacious Skies to the Perilous Fight. Go check it out!
July 24, 2015
Washington, D.C.
Weary blue eyes watched intently as the assembled Nations began to pack up their things to leave. Papers vanished into briefcases, phones were taken off silent, and ties were quickly being loosened.
The usual groups soon assembled.
Spain wandered over to a naggingly familiar looking South Italy, hands flying through the air as he began to chatter at the perpetually irate Nation.
The three NATO members of Scandinavia were clustered together near a window, Norway hovering and fussing over an embarrassed Iceland as Denmark cheerfully teased them both.
Near the far end of the table, France was perched, leaning over a glowering England. The Gallic nation made a small, abbreviated gesture towards the front of the table, head tilting. For a brief moment, earthy green eyes flicked forward, only to harden and turn away.
Alfred let out the small breath he'd been holding as England pointedly finished assembling his belongs and strode out, refusing to look at the conference host.
"He'll come around," a soft voice commented.
A small smile crossed his face. Turning, Alfred gave his brother a bright smile. "Oh, I'll win him over eventually," he vowed, "whether he likes it or not!"
Shaking his head, Canada returned the smile, and then looked out at the now nearly empty conference room.
"It went well," he stated, voice quickly cheerful. "I'm not sure what the others would have said if your first time as host had ended the way so many of our meetings do – with complete chaos. It's wonderful that you managed to avert that." Canada dragged back the chair closest to America and dropped into with a relieved sigh.
"Hah." Alfred snorted. "As much as it's burning some of them up inside, they're happy I'm here now."
Canada blinked, a hint of America's feelings of amusement-irritation-exasperation flitting at the edge of his consciousness. "Problems?" he asked after a moment, a flicker of worry in his eyes.
Alfred paused, startled at the sudden worry in his brother's gaze. He focused inward for a moment, reaching for that strange spot between them, a place where North and South blurred together and me and him became us. A link, a connection they were only just starting to explore.
Worry-concern-I won't let them hurt him!
"It's okay," he finally said as the intensity of his brother's care and concern washed over him. His Hollywood smile softened into something warmer. It was – nice – knowing that someone was watching out for him, that someone cared enough to worry about his problems, both big and small. "It's, like, 99 percent jealousy. I've gotten to have more of a personal life than a lot of those guys and it stings. Plus, they're mad at me for not "doing my job" and they're mad that no one ever came around to tell me about my job and they're mad that the first time I properly met another Nation I was kicking ass and taking names. Mostly, though," his voice dropped slightly and a hint of smugness entered his voice, "they're mad and scared that even though I haven't been around to help, my people still managed to kick all their butts."
Garbage website isn't letting me post the new story. It'll be up once FFN stops fighting me.