Chapter 23: Radiating Warmth
"Sealand… If you're going to call this early in the fricken morning, could you make sure it's actually important…" She said, obviously woken up as the shrill of the phone was going off before any of the nations were to get up to answer.
"But this is important! The world is going to end in the matter of days!"
"Go back to sleep." She said as she placed the phone back on its hanger. "Gute Gott…" She was going to return to her room when the phone rang again. "Hallo, Deutschland residence…"
"Lulu! I'm being serious here!"
"So am I, and don't call me Lulu."
"But we have to hang out before the end of the world happens!"
"The world is not going to end! How many times do I have to say it before you get it!"
"But it was prophesied by a man of the church! Surely that means something!"
"Tell that to France and England, and then to Japan when the same prediction was said in 2003."
"Oh… Forgot about that…"
"That's because some moron didn't spend thousands of dollars to advertise the judgment day… Plus this is happening in America's house, and we all know how much he likes attention. Who's to say his people don't have that trait?"
"So… the world isn't going to end?"
"That's what I've been saying for a half an hour! And you're freaking out about it days before the supposed date when it was announced for nearly two months?"
"Well sorry that I'm afraid of facing zombies or having everyone, including us nations, die off like we don't exist!"
"First of all, zombies are the least of your problems, you just need good aim and a lot of ammo, which I'm sure Uncle America has, and Vati Deutschland… And possibly Zio Romano… Second you are a micro-nation, which is still a nation just not a great deal of one, sorry you're just going to have to toughen up with what you got. And lastly, if you ever call this place about the end of the world one more time, I will go Mafia on you."
"How early did I call?"
"It's four fricken in the morning here! If it were anyone else, I would've let you suffer with getting on mein Vati Deutschland's und Onkle Prussia's bad side, and then your chances of grandeur of being a nation has just dropped big time."
"… I'm sorry… I didn't realize I called so early."
"Just go back to sleep so I can get back to mine…"
"Later…"
"Much." She put the phone back on the hanger and walked only two steps before the phone went off. She groaned as she picked up the phone. "Sealand! I swear! I thought we settled on the matter of the stupidity of this judgment day thing and that it wasn't going to happen! Now quit calling so fricken early in the morning while the rest of us are still asleep at this hour!"
"Whoa! Whoa! It's me, America!"
"Uncle America? Why are you calling at this ungodly hour?"
"Why are you still up?"
"That's rude, but like I said, Sealand called about his fear of the end of the world thing and I spent the last half hour and hanged up on him twice for him to get a clue. You do realize the huge time difference, right?"
"Well, yeah, but I thought Germany would be up by now. Since he's usually the first one up and all."
"He has a headache, so he's trying to take it easy… Unlike me who's developing one."
"Sorry… I'll call later then."
"I hope this is the last time I hear the phone ring…" She said as she and the American exchanged 'laters', and hanged up the phone, not moving for a minute before heading back to her room, only to see Prussia getting out.
"Why are you up?" Prussia asked.
"Phone went off, I answered, talked to Sealand that the world is still going to be here, tried to get back to bed, phone went off again, this time Uncle America wanting to talk to Vati Deutschland about something that I didn't ask what, and now I'm going to get back to bed."
"Oh… Well, I'm going to give Canada a call, since he's probably getting ready to bed by now."
"Go ahead… I'm going back to bed." She dragged herself back to her room and curled up into her bed.
'Poor kid…' Prussia thought before grinning. 'West is a bad influence on her. She's starting to act like him.' He went to the phone and dialed up the number. "Ja, can you connect me to Canada's residence… Tell him the Awesome is calling, he'll know what it means… Danke…" He said as he waited for the other to pick up.
"H-Hello?"
"Hey there Birdie." He said, grinning from ear to ear. "Heading off to bed?"
"Just about, just- Oh for Christ Sake! That was a foul play there! Damn it! Oh! I'm sorry Prussia! The game is on and it's almost ending."
"No problem, I find it hilarious to hear you curse when the game is on." He said as he heard the Canadian nation giggle.
"I guess it would be funny, hearing me sound so soft most of the time but then become loud when it comes to hockey."
"Aw! That's just how you are though. And that's awesome in my book, and you know I don't throw that word around lightly."
"I know, I know." He said understandably. "So, what brings you to call?"
"Oh, just telling you good night, since it's almost five in the morning here."
"Oh my gosh! I haven't even realized how late it is here."
"I had a feeling you'd still be up." He said as he heard the other laugh. 'Such a nice laugh, even through the phone.'
"Well, thank you for calling and- Are you fucking blind ref! He completely scored that without fault!"
Prussia chuckled his unique chuckle before the other apologized and they parted with their last note and he placed the phone back on its holder.
The little yellow bird popped up from his head and ruffled his feathers before hopping down to his master's shoulder.
"Well then! It seems like today is going to be awesome." Prussia said as he went to grab a jacket and headed out the door. "Let's see who else needs to bask in my awesomeness?" The bird tweeted as it fluttered above his head.
0o0o0o0
Later that morning, Germany was rested and migraine free, which was a huge relief to Italy and the girl as he went to work, wondering what could've brought on the sudden cure of such pain.
It was Italy's turn to drop her off to drop his adopted daughter to take lessons from Ukraine, which both shared in the suffocating force that is Ukraine, before leaving to go to work, which he'd been doing lately since New Year's Day, much to Romano's relief.
Fern-Lui really did like Ukraine, who would sometimes cry unnecessarily while she did her lessons, which was mostly how to farm. She enjoyed helping out with the cows and even getting to see a calf being born.
Russia came to visit sometime before her siesta, and she liked to sleep on his lap as it turns out, which gives him and excuse to talk to Ukraine as they enjoyed the warm spring air out in the nearby field where her farm is, just before his heart nearly stopped when he felt Belarus grab him from behind.
"I found you, Брат…"
"Go away!" He cried as he held the sleeping girl to his chest like a doll.
Belarus didn't hear that as she looked at the sleeping girl in her brother's arms… in his arms… where she should be… married…
"Belarus… Don't sneak up on Russia like that." Ukraine said as she looked like she was going to cry.
"Why is she here…" Belarus asked pointing to the sleeping girl.
"Oh, today is my day to give her lessons!" Ukraine said happily. "But all I could teach her is farming, which she said she never farmed before so she quite enjoyed it!" She then started to ramble about what both did earlier before Russia arrived.
Belarus only heard the first thing Ukraine said as she looked at the girl in Russia's arms. She watched at the girl curled a bit more and hummed something before breathing softly against the larger nation's chest.
She would never admit out loud that she did find the child cute, but she also felt slightly jealous that the girl seems to grab her brother's attention when it should be directed at her. She doesn't wish any ill will on the girl, since she's only a child and therefore not someone that she would be in competition with, especially a mortal child. She also knows that the child seems to already have an eye on TRNC, who in turn has an eye on her, yet another reason why she shouldn't fear of the girl to be her rival. It was only the attention the larger nation was giving is what's bothering her.
Russia did like cute things, especially if they're warm to the touch, and who better than a girl who isn't wary of him and always seem to make him smile, for the pure purpose to make him feel welcomed and loved? Then there were the times when he seems to have the overprotective brother side of him towards an unknown threat, much like on Valentine's Day.
"Belarus…" Russia said quietly as he handed the girl to her. "Would you like to hold her? She won't bite."
Belarus looked at the heavy sleeper of the girl as she hesitated to hold out her arms to take the girl from her brother… out of his arms…
"Make sure her ear is above your heart, that seems to calm her down if she gets a nightmare." Russia informed.
"Nightmares?"
"Da. She had them quite frequently in the past, but it looks like it stopped, but we can't assume it won't come up again."
She held the girl in the way her brother advised and found… a strange comfort from it. 'She's like a heater.' She thought, noting how warm the girl is in her arms and up against her chest. She saw the girl move her head so her ear was completely over where her heart is beating. If it were France (or any other nation that isn't her brother) would meet a pain that other pains will cringe in fear, but she found it endearing as the girl curled up more for her to have a better hold on her.
"She's very warm, da?" Russia asked, making her look up. "I like it when I hold her, because she gives off a kind warmth that, even asleep, can brighten anyone's day just by holding her."
"I know!" Ukraine said. "She's just like the first sign of spring! When the warmth in the air is noticeable and everything seems brighter and newer after months in the snow."
Belarus looked at the girl as she hesitated petting her head. When she did, she wasn't able to stop, but the girl smiled in her sleep as a sigh of complete content escaped. 'Oh no… I've become like Брат and Сестра…' She thought, knowing that now she was trapped in the spell that she was sure the girl is unaware of casting on most of the nations.
0o0o0o0
When she woke up, she was happy to see Belarus, which made the nation blush and look away, not able to face the adorable, happy, very Italy look, before Ukraine mentioned about continuing her lessons on cultivation of crops.
When Italy came by to pick her up, he was scared to see Russia and Belarus, but both nations greeted him calmly as the girl gave all three of the Russian nations a kiss on the cheek, Belarus turning a nice shade of pink when she did, and they parted ways to return home.
"Oh shit!" Prussia said as he was midway to sticking a fork full of pasta in his mouth.
"No cursing at the table, Bruder." Germany said with a pointed glare.
"But West, Fern-Lui's birthday is like two days away!"
"We know." Said Germany and Italy in unison as the girl giggled.
"What are we going to do? Throw a party?"
"Done that." Both nations said in unison, causing the girl to look up and both her and the Prussian shared a 'Orly?' look.
"When was this?" She asked.
"A week ago." Italy said, contently eating his pasta.
"Why wasn't I in on this?" Prussia asked, glaring at Germany across from him.
"Because you weren't around when we were planning." He said, ignoring the glare as he ate his share of pasta. "It will be held in the World Meeting here. That way everyone can meet up on Saturday for the meeting and then on Sunday is when the party will be held."
"Still not awesome for not letting me in on it. I would've made it awesome."
She giggled. "It'll be great either way."
"You're just too darn nice."
"There's no law against me being nice, just like there's no law against you being awesome."
"You recognize!"
"Please quiet down and eat, Italy went through the trouble of cooking, again."
"Ve~ It's no trouble at all! I love cooking, pasta especially."
"We know." The Germans and the girl said in unison, causing everyone to laugh.
Unknown to everyone at the table, Ferrowim looked at the happy family and smiled, but then looked concerned. 'That spell I used won't last much longer… And knowing Brother he may not even last long as a nation if this continues to be ignored…' He sighed. 'Looks like I don't have a choice in the matter… I would have to use 'that' spell…' He looked back at the happy family, which now has the Prussian making the girl laugh over very dumb jokes while Italy laughed along and Germany sighed with an eye roll now and then. 'Now that I know him from this perspective, I can't let Brother have his way… or judgment day is as good as possible.'