The finale, part 2 (Danny Elfman, from Batman Returns OST)


Christmas arrived. There was nothing to celebrate. Germany's government had no news from their nation after an alledged car crash in which his bodyguard had died. Liechtenstein was still missing too. Russia loomed over Europe like a grim shadow. Switzerland, Austria, Akhzivland, Greenland...Sealand, were dead. Spain and Ukraine seemed to be the next ones to fall. England and France had isolated themselves from the rest of the world. Even those of us who thought were at peace with our citizens were in the target of the movement.

Despite all of this, the whole world found somewhere in their house a package with a present. Even I. And I know who it was from.

I knocked at the door. They didn't open immediately. Finland's bodyguards told me he was at the sauna, and called him for me. Apparently, he spent a lot of time at the sauna lately.

When he came out, I asked him:

"Was this your idea?"

I pointed at the sweater I held in my hands. Blue, with embroidery which imitated the sea waves. Finland smiled.

"It's been really cold lately and you could use something warm" he replied.

I said nothing.

"I thought you'd drop in. You know...for Christmas" he said, looking shyly at me.

"I thought you wouldn't want to…"

Finland smiled, sighing.

"Well, yes, it is true we've been short on good news, right? But...Well...At least we have each other...Even if it's just for now...That's something to celebrate, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Now that you are here, would you like to stay and have dinner together?"

I didn't reply that time either. Finland's smile disappeared slowly. I understood why he spent so much time in the sauna. At those times he was the one who made the effort to smile, despite everything. The one who said everything would be alright. The one who went to the trouble of giving his friends presents for Christmas one more year. But he locked himself up with the steam was because even he needed to let out what he really felt from time to time. When he looked at me, I knew he didn't have many reasons to smile for either. But he tried. He put all of his effort in it.

"...What happened to Sealand...I know it was horrible...It's been so hard for me not to prepare a gift for him like every year, you have no idea...I still expect him to show up around the corner to try to scare us, as he used to do...B-But...I don't know...I don't think he would have wanted us to wallow in misery...That's...That's what the movement want's, right? To destroy us...Destroy our lifestyle...And I don't want that...I've come a long way to get to where I wanted to be...And I don't want to lose that...I don't want to lose my Friends...This Christmas...

He stopped himself there and made a great effort to fight the tears.

I approached him, caressed his shoulder, because I didn't know what else could confort him.

I came up with something else, but that was something I needed.

I know you won't tell anybody, Hanatamago. Good boy. I leaned over him and kissed his lips.

And, you know what? He didn't resist. He didn't yell. He didn't slap me, even though I probably deserved it. He simply sighed deeply. Tiredly. He let me in and we had dinner together, and we didn't speak about it.

I know why he did that. I know why that year all nations had received an ellaborated present, selected with all care. I know why he let me kiss him. Because that could have been our last Christmas.