10 Songs 3 Minutes Challenge

Rules:

1-Pick a character, pairing, or fandom

2-Put your playlist on shuffle

3-Write short one-shots based on the first ten songs that play for the chosen character, pairing, or fandom.

4-No skipping songs

5-You only have until the song is over to write. As soon as it ends, move onto the next song. No pausing or thinking the song/story beforehand (hence the shuffle rule)

6-Post it

...

Where the Lonely Ones Roam

Iceland walked down the road, hands in his pockets, wind tussling his hair. He flicked his bangs out of his as he stared out over the water, looking out as a flock of birds flew overhead. He smiled. The aurora borealis would come out soon.

America walked down the road, zipping up his bomber jacket, wind pinning his hair back from his forehead. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he stared at the city below him. He smiled. The night life would be starting soon.

Prussia walked down the road, fixing his scarf, wind ruffling his hair. He finally reached the top of the hill, and stared out into the distance. He smiled. The sun would be setting soon.

If only they could convince someone to come with them…

…

Bring Me to Life

They had meetings every month. They'd fly around the world, go to places others could only dream of, and sit in offices all day busying themselves with paperwork. In a few short days, they'd fly straight back home, never managing to find the time to go sightseeing even for just a little bit. When they returned, all that awaited them was paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. They'd have more meetings, manage funds, fill out forms, check in with local and national officials, and oversee all major government projects. There was hardly a moment for them to catch a break, and certainly not enough time to spare the two (or really, three) days need to fly to other countries to visit each other. Hell, most of them hadn't ben everywhere in their own country, much less everyone else's'.

Their lives were surrounded by work. They were consumed by it. Many of them have lived thousands of years, seen a million lives come and go, yet never get to enjoy life themselves. They aren't allowed to. They have to suffer, to lock themselves up, give up any sense of freedom or happiness in order to keep their people safe.

They deserve a break, even if only for just a little while, more than anyone else on the entire planet.

They'll likely never get it.

…

Nillili Mambo

The music blasted through the speakers, the bass causing the entire room to vibrate in tune with the beat. Everyone was on the dance floor, dancing like the bunch of drunken fucks they were. He wouldn't have doubted that the middle of the dance circle was one giant grind fest.

"I don't understand why we come here," Norway said, taking a sip of his drink. "Neither of us dance. Finland and Denmark get in the middle of the shit fest and Sweden ends up carrying their asses home."

A new song came on, and both had a clear view of Denmark stumbling to the right and to the left with Finland faithfully by his side. He was pretty sure the song was called the Cupid Shuffle.

"No idea," Iceland said, taking a sip of his drink as well. "Unless you ignore the fact that we charge Denmark for all of our drinks-and he never suspects a thing."

…

Never Forget (Iceland Eurovision)

"I…Look, I can't sign the treaty."

"Of course you can. This is everything you've worked for. Everything that WE'VE worked for."

"But-"

"No buts. We're going to sign that damn paper if it's the last thing I ever do."

"It WILL be the last thing you ever do, dumbass!"

The albino cracked a smile, giving out a short laugh. "And if I'm willing to accept that, who are you to stop me?"

The taller blonde just stared back at him with a look of utter shock on his face. "But…"

"Look West," he said, smile dropping as sadness crosses over his features." Just do me a favor,"

"Anything."

"Don't forget me."

"…I promise."

…

You're Going Down

Everything they had worked for had been leading up to this.

Everything he did.

Everything he stood for.

They both knew that England was going to lose. Yet England stumbled forward in a type of desperate illusion, losing countless men due to his blind stupor. He knew he was beaten, but he would never step down.

Stubborn.

The way England had always been.

And England taught America everything he knew.

But he wasn't really satisfied that day.

Yes, they had won.

The war would soon be over.

America had independence at last.

But he couldn't help but feel the sharp ache of guilt at the memory of his older brother sobbing in the middle of the battlefield.

Scratch that.

They weren't brothers anymore.

…

This Time It's Different

Canada was done.

He was sick and tired of all of their bullshit.

He had learned to deal with his solitude over the years, but never once had he completely broken down like this. He had no idea how long he'd been crying for, or why there were glass shards spread all across the carpet and deeply embedded in his hands. He didn't care.

He had tried everything he could to get them to hear them. He couldn't do it anymore. He needed to make sure they noticed him, paid attention to him, or he didn't know what would happen.

Would they notice if he…died? If he disappeared?

Attempted to take his own life?

He had already called 911.

Now it was just time to do the deed. They'd save him in time.

He wondered who would come to visit him on his deathbed.

That is, if anyone bothered to come at all.

…

Love Again

He was beaten. Conquered, defeated. Everything they had fought for, destroyed.

He didn't mind so much that Hitler had been stopped, that the pointless executions had finally come to an end. He didn't mind so much that he had to pay the price of war, and that he would suffer the consequences of his actions.

What he did mind was that his friends were broken. Japan sat beside him, starving and shivering from cold, begging wordlessly for help. He had always had an answer for him in the past. But now…now he didn't know what to do.

He felt his heart stop as he looked up, whole body freeze in a panic as he looked at the man he had not seen in years. Italy. The red-haired man looked at them sadly for a moment before turning and walking away, head down, face crestfallen, doing his best to ignore his former comrade's misery.

It was then that Germany's heart really, truly broke.

…

Funhouse

Denmark was alone now-well, he had Icey, but that didn't really count. It was another one of those on-and-off again wars with Norway, and he woke up to find the Norwegian missing once again.

He didn't know how to get them back. Talking wasn't working. They always complained about what he said; about him being loud, obnoxious, rude. He couldn't trust words to win back his friends.

He had to use violence.

He had found Norway's house. It was a nice place by the sea, a ways away from the nearest city.

He stared at the flame on the end of the stick for a moment before throwing it into the household, turning his back as the place went up in smoke.

He pressed his hands over his ears to block out the cries of the Norwegian as he found his house ablaze, distancing himself as much as he could from the scene. So intent was he on ignoring everything, in fact, that he almost didn't feel the sharp tug on his coat.

Iceland.

"How could you do that to him?"

…

Dead Man Walking

Austria sat at his piano, playing the same melody over and over again. He hadn't moved for days on end, and the servants were beginning to get worried. He never shut the door to the piano room, much less locked it.

Nonetheless, they didn't bother him. As long as they could hear the muffled sounds of the piano, they knew he was alive and well.

The keys were wet from the tears that had remained unshed for over a hundred long years. He loved her, but she was never really happy. He did everything he could to help her, but in the end, she had to leave. Her country came first, not him. He had to resign himself to that.

He became stiffy and stuck-up, forcing himself to be proud of what his lonely country had become in order to get over his loss. But every time he saw her, talked to her, he'd lie through the skin of his teeth to keep her from knowing the truth.

He made it a point to play that song every day. It was the only memory worth saving at this point.

…

Deepest Cut

He always hated the term "Cold War". For one thing, "Cold" was hardly the appropriate word to describe an arms race, and for another, it was in no way a "war" in the sense the name led people to believe.

All the fighting took place behind the scenes, where not even the other countries could see. Past history between the two sent old feuds and petty arguments boiling back up to the surface. But amongst the childish fights were the deeper, much more dangerous battles that instilled fear into their citizens and the world for years to come.

They don't talk about that time anymore.

It's something they both try very hard to forget.

.

.

.

I definitely really liked this challenge, and I think I'm going to do it around every five chapters or so. It makes you write about events and characters you don't normally write for, and it teaches you how to write under a time crunch. If you haven't done it yet, I highly recommend it.

SO. IMPORTANT: WRITE A REVIEW AND TELL ME A PAIRING OR CHARACTER OR GROUP OF CHARACTERS AND I'LL WRITE ABOUT THEM FOR THE NEXT SONG CHALLENGE.

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So...I wrote this when I was bored a few days ago, realized I never posted it, and then realize that I don't even remember writing half of these depressing short stories.

The challenge is awesome though. It makes you write about events and characters you don't usually write for.

Also I apologize if some of them are bad, I only had around three minutes for each one though...

And for making them all really depressing (sorry (not sorry)).

HoneyBeeGirl94-Your story is coming soon. I'm working on it now, it'll be the next one up~

WE BROKE 200 READS! WHOOP WHOOP-

You guys are awesome.

Keep calm and love Hetalia~