7.

"What's that?!" Seychelles pointed to a large impressive clock tower.

England ran to catch up to her. Seychelles was running around the city, wanting to see everything. "Seychelles… Don't… You… Think… You're… Going… Too… Fast?" England tried to catch his breath.

"But I want to see everything England has to offer!" Seychelles pointed again to the clock tower.

"Seychelles, you could live in England your whole life and never even see half of it." England laughed. "Okay, what you're pointing to, that's Big Ben. Across from Big Ben is the Thames River."

England and Seychelles moved around the city, London. Seychelles would point to buildings and monuments; in turn England would answer all her questions and tell her a little background information.

"That's the palace where King William and Queen Kate live, along with the Queen." England explained.

"It's so very grand!" Seychelles said.

"Seychelles? Are you feeling alright?"

"Right as rain, why?" Seychelles looked at him confused.

"You're just beginning to sound British."

"Guess being here with you has made me speak more of the Eyebrow Bastard's language." Seychelles joked. "Who are those people?" Seychelles pointed to the fancy dressed up stiff guards.

"Hm? Oh! Those are the palace guards. They are famous for being as still as toy soldiers."

Seychelles ran up to one and started doing funny facings in front of it. In turn, the guard did nothing. Seychelles ran around him trying to get him to react.

"Forget it, Seychelles; it's not going to work." England smiled at her, leaned back and crossed his arms across his chest.

Seychelles stopped and turned around to face England. She turned her head back and with a swift move she seized the guard's hat! Seychelles ran away as the guard chased her. It was such a funny sight to see. England toppled over laughing.

Seychelles was laughing wiggling his hat in the guard's face, mockingly.

"S-Seychelles, that's enough now. Give the man back his hat." England said after he finally stopped laughing.

Surprisingly, Seychelles obeyed for once and handed the man back his hat. He took it, put it on, and then marched back to his position.

"You're really bad." England teased.

"Hey you were laughing!" Seychelles pointed a finger in his face.

England cleared his throat, "I did not."

Seychelles smiled wider, "I think I heard a snort come out of your nose."

"I do not snort!" England stood straight, defiantly.

"Whatever you say, Piggy."

England grunted, in reply.

Raindrops pelted the ground. Around the city, people put up umbrellas. Seychelles put her hands up over her head. "Ah! Where did this rain come from?"

England answered calmly, "It is normal in London, rain will just appear out of nowhere sometimes."

Seychelles put her hands to her bare arms and shivered.

England took off his usual green military uniform jacket. He carefully put it on Seychelles's shoulders.

Seychelles stared up at England, England stared back.

"Let's… um… get out of this rain, shall we?"

"Oui!" England twitched at her French; England walked the rest of the way home with her.

The rain had stopped and Seychelles saw the swing outside her bedroom window. Seychelles ran down the stairs and saw England sitting in a red armchair reading a book, and sipping tea.

"Whatcha reading?" Seychelles stood in front of him.

England lowered his book and lifted his eyes up to Seychelles. "A Study in Scarlet, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle." Seychelles looked confused. England sighed; did he really need to spell it out? "Sherlock Holmes."

"Is it good?"

"I'll have you know that this is a beautiful work of literature."

"Whatever you say. England I'll be outside, ok?"

"Where outside? I need to know where you are in case something bad happens." England crossed his right leg over his left and leaned back into the chair.

"Just outside, on that swing." Seychelles pointed out the window to the wooden swing.

"Fine." England went back to reading. Seychelles, spotting the signal that she could go, thanked England and left out the door.

England read the same sentence over and over again. He couldn't concentrate. The flow of her hair when she moves, the scent of an ocean breeze that she exudes, her joyful laugh… Ack! Why can't I get her off my mind? Her flawless tan skin, her wide smile, those brown eyes… England paced around the room. Every moment he'd ever spent with Seychelles played through his head out in a movie.

"AH! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS WRONG WITH ME!?" England pounded his head trying to banish the thoughts of Seychelles that haunted him. It didn't work.

The servants in the next room scurried away to other rooms in the house to leave him alone. They knew better when England would get like this.

"How are you?!" A cheery high voice said from behind Britain. He turned around and saw his long time friend, Flying Mint Bunny!

"Flying Mint Bunny!" England perked up right away. "What brings you here?"

"I came to see what troubles you Britain!" Flying Mint Bunny flew around his head and England laughed.

"It's really nothing."

"Don't give me that talk. I know something's troubling you so let it out." Flying Mint Bunny floated in front of him.

"It's just…" England sat down in his armchair. "It's about this girl…"

"A girl!?" Flying Mint Bunny asked confused. Britain wasn't one to talk about girls a lot.

"Yes, her name's Seychelles. I just don't know," England got up and started walking round the room while he ranted, "I can't stop thinking of her. Every time I try to get her off my mind, my mind will drift back to her or she'll come around me leading to my thoughts to explode even more. I'm so confused. I never felt this way. She just makes life more magical. It's like she adds sunlight to dreary rain clouds. I want her to go away so these thoughts will dissolve, but I want her in my life at the same time. Does this make sense?"

Flying Mint Bunny listened intently. "Yes, this makes perfect sense. It's simple, you love this girl. Er, what's her name? Seychelles, right?"

England looked down at the ground, twiddled his fingers, and thought it over. Love. A simple word, four letters, Love, a battlefield. I always tried to avoid Love, one of the reasons I'm usually all alone. I was always afraid of getting hurt, being rejected. But, could I afford the chance it will take to find the happiness in it?

"Is that what it really sounds like?" England looked up at Flying Mint Bunny.

"I'm no expert on Love, but it does sound like that." Flying Mint Bunny flew away.

"Bye Flying Mint Bunny!" England waved goodbye.

Expert on Love, huh? … France.

Am I really doing this? England held his cell in his hand, finger poised over the call button. England sighed. He pressed down on the call button, hard. He put his phone to his ear, waiting to hear the annoying French voice on the other end.

Three rings later. England was starting to regret he called.

On the fourth ring, he heard France's voice. "Bonjour!"

England rolled his eyes, he was such an idiot. "Hello, France." England said.

"Angleterre!" France screamed.

England pulled the phone from his ear and his left eye winced. "Bloody hell! Don't make me go deaf!"

"Excusez-moi! What do you want?"

"Well… it's um." England was nervous admitting this to France. "…I need some input."

France seemed surprise. "Help from, moi? You really must be in desperate straights, Angleterre."

"It's about a girl…" England felt like he was saying that phase way too much today.

"A fille! Tell me, is this 'fille' Seychelles?"

England tripped over his words, "N-no."

"Okaaaay." France said, unconvinced.

"Well, um, I need to know if it sounds like Love to you. Since, you practically invented it."

"Ohonon~ you flatter me. Continue."

"Well, I can't stop thinking of her. Every time I try to get her off my mind, my mind will drift back to her or she'll come around me leading to my thoughts to explode even more. I'm so confused. I never felt this way. She just makes life more magical. It's like she adds sunlight to dreary rain clouds. I want her to go away so these thoughts will dissolve, but I want her in my life at the same time." England repeated what he said to Flying Mint Bunny. "What's your diagnostic?"

"I can't really say, unless you me her name."

England groaned. France wouldn't let him have an answer unless he would tell him her name. Seychelles got her stubbornness from France. "Fine! It's …Seychelles! Okay?"

"Now, was that really so hard to say?"

England rolled his eyes again, and then he spoke. "What's your decision!?"

"Patience. Okay, sounds like the beginning of L'amour."

"So, what should I do?"

"Let it grow."

"What the hell does that mean?... France… France…?" There a long dial tone, France had hung up.

Seychelles's mind was too preoccupied. She stopped swinging. She still had England's military coat on. It was warm and it smelled like him, tea leaves. Seychelles cuddled the coat close. It was oversized, but comfortable. It made her feel safe.

She couldn't help but think of England. Was Hungary and Taiwan right? Do I really like England? He is cute in a way. His hair is just so soft, and those eyes I've never seen anything like them, his eyebrows have a strange cuteness. He's sweet by giving me his jacket and treating me to gifts and carrying me to my dorm, sure I admit he does have a temper, he says the wrong things sometimes, and he curses. But, he does have a nice side to him. Seychelles swayed her feet back and forth. Seychelles got up. England isn't really a bad guy. Maybe, maybe I do like him.

Seychelles started walking around, musing over England. He's not bad; he's sweet like fried fish with coconut. Seychelles found herself running into England's house. She slammed shut the door and ran around screaming England.

England didn't come out, but a maid did. She was young, the maid. She had red hair, freckles, and she wore circular glasses. "May I help you?" Her voice was sweet and gentle.

"Um, yes, where is England?"

"Oh, he stepped out."

"What do you mean 'stepped out'?"

"He said he was going to the local pub. He'll be back."

"No, you don't understand. I need him now." Seychelles said firmly.

"Pirate's Cove. That's where you'll find him."

"Merci!" Seychelles thanked her then scurried off. I just have to know, does England love me?