[Fanfiction] Tea and Memories
Jul. 12th, 2009 04:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yuuagoTitle: Tea and Memories
Characters: Norway and Iceland
Rating: E for Everyone
Summary: Norway pays a visit to his rather ill brother and, while there, lingers on thoughts about the past.
Note: Wrote the story quite a while before typing it up; at the time that I wrote it, I was not feeling very well, myself.
Wind brushed his face like feathers. It was night and the moon shone brightly.
There wasn’t much to see. The horizon. The ocean. The sky reflecting on the water’s surface. The ship glided steadily through it like a bird on a lake and its movement cut up the milky yellow light.
Iceland was by his side. As Norway turned his head to look at him he saw that his eyes were dark in the night’s light. Much like his own. Iceland responded to the look with a nod. After a while he asked, “Where are we going?”
Where are we going.
Norway licked his lips. He looked out toward the vast expanse of ocean. Endless. Beautiful in its emptiness. “West,” he said. Simple.
“Ah.” Iceland knew that was not the answer. He drew closer and leaned against him. His hand rested on Norway’s arm.
“Something out there.”
“Land?”
“Yes.”
“We’re going to find it.”
“Yes.”
It seemed Iceland was satisfied with that. He rested his head on Norway’s shoulder and didn’t speak. They stayed that way and there was no sound except for the sea and the ship and the wind’s whispering. Nothing left to say.
It was mid-afternoon when Norway arrived at the house. Small and out of the way, it seemed to sit quietly, as if waiting for him. He rapped three times and waited, shifting the sturdy paper bags in his arms for a more secure hold as he leaned in to listen at the door for the sound of padding feet. When there was no response, he rapped again and wondered if the one he had come out to visit was napping. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he was, he decided. After waiting a moment and debating on the matter of letting himself in, he finally heard the sound of someone shuffling to the door.
When it opened Norway offered a small smile to the pale face that peered out at him. “Hello, Iceland.”
Dressed in pyjamas and slippers, a housecoat draped over his shoulders and his hair mussed, Iceland looked tired, glassy-eyed and dishevelled, and Norway would have found the sight startling if he had not seen his brother in similar states rather frequently over the last several months. “H’llo,” Iceland mumbled, his voice raw and scratching. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Nor. Hi.”
“Did I wake you?” Norway asked. Iceland nodded. “Sorry.” Pause. “Brought you some things. Let me in?”
Iceland stepped away from the door and slunk into the house without another word. Norway understood. Better not to irritate his voice too much, he thought as he stepped inside. Economic woes had left Iceland with a plethora of illnesses, a sore throat among them. As he pressed the door shut behind him, Norway decided that perhaps a longer stay than he originally intended was in order.
The two of them made their way to the kitchen. As he set the grocery bags on the table, Norway glanced around the room and took note of the slight state of disarray, the clutter on the counter, the unwashed dishes stacked in the sink. It was so unlike Iceland, who normally kept his little home neat as a pin. Wordlessly, Norway went to the window and drew apart the curtains to let the sun in, deciding that it would do no good to comment on the situation. He knew what it was about.
“Could do with some fresh air,” he said as he pushed up the window and locked it in place. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Iceland nodding. Good.
Though there were no arguments on that, he saw that his brother had already begun unpacking the groceries. It wouldn’t do, he thought. “Don’t mind that,” Norway told him. “I’ll do it. You go back to bed.” Iceland’s only response was a stubborn look as he set a tin of tea on the table. Norway sighed. “Fine. Together, then.”
In little time they were finished and everything was tucked away in its place, hidden away in cupboards that previously had been far too empty. Soon afterward they were sitting at the table together, Norway talking quietly of recent events while Iceland listened with his head resting against one hand, his eyes half-mast and his expression dozy. Occasionally he would rasp out a word or two, his voice scratching like fingernails on a frosty window, making his face twist in frustration.
“This new turn with the loans should help a bit,” Norway said softly, eyeing him. “Think you’ll be feeling a bit better soon. Stabilized.”
“Tha- nngk.” Iceland coughed. “’m glad.”
“If I could, it’d be more.”
Iceland nodded, then sighed, staring down at the table, tracing the grain lazily with one finger. “Yeah. Understand. ‘preciate it.” There was a long pause as he seemed to consider the right words. “Means a –“ Cough. “A lot.”
Norway bit his lower lip and watched him hack for a moment, then simply said, “Bed. Now.”
“But-“
“Back to bed with you. Rest. No talking. It’ll do you.” Pause. “I’ll make you some tea.”
For a moment it seemed as though Iceland wanted to argue. However, he was in no condition to do so, and they both knew it; nor was his stubborn pout a match for Norway’s cool staring. Unable to protest, he rose and shuffled to the bedroom, looking rather put out.
The kettle steamed and whistled. Norway’s careful hands set to, pouring a cup of tea and letting it steep before mixing in a spoonful of honey. The sound of Iceland coughing in the next room made him purse his lips. There was no cause for worry; he was a nation, after all, and there was no doubt that he would be fine, but that did not change the fact that seeing his brother in such a state frustrated him. He couldn’t fix it. Not easily. Belay that, he told himself. You’re helping him as best you can. With that thought in mind he set the teacup on a saucer and made his way to the bedroom.
The window was cracked open and the curtains drawn, and the bedroom was in as much disarray as the rest of the house. Norway made no comment as he sank down onto the side of the bed where Iceland rested and offered his brother the hot drink; he merely glanced about the room, made note, and resolved to take care of it later. For the moment, it could wait. He threaded his fingers through Iceland’s hair, pressed the back of his hand to his forehead and cheeks. Not quite right, he thought. A little warm. Even so, it was better than the raging fever he had dealt with right after the collapse. That time, Norway reflected, even though he had known better, he had panicked slightly. Just slightly. It had been a long time since he had last worried so much, and he would never admit to it.
“You should try to go back to sleep,” he murmured as he stroked his brother’s hair. Iceland shot him an annoyed look over the brim of the teacup, but said nothing. “I’ll stay,” Norway added. “Two nights.” That seemed to put Iceland at ease, as he sighed and relaxed under Norway’s attention. “My change of clothes still here?” Norway asked. Iceland responded with a nod. “Good.”
For a long while the both of them were quiet and there was no sound other than birdsong floating in from the outside and Iceland’s heavy breathing punctuated by the occasional cough. It suddenly seemed strange, Norway thought, that they were in such a situation. “Not much like the old days,” he said quietly, taking Iceland’s empty teacup and setting it on the bedside table.
“Mm?”
“Loans,” Norway said in response to his brother’s confused sound. “Money. Remember how there was a time when if we needed something, we’d just go and take it?”
“Long time ago,” Iceland mumbled, nestling back against his mountain of pillows.
“Yes,” Norway agreed. “Wasn’t too great a time,” he mused as he drew the quilts over his brother, tucking him in. “But sometimes I miss it. Parts of it.”
“Exploring,” Iceland murmured.
“Mmhm.” Norway smiled faintly and played with his brother’s hair. The camomile tea seemed to be doing the trick – or perhaps it was the lazy sunlight and fatigue from illness that was making Iceland so drowsy. “Going out. Wind and spray in our faces. Not sure where we were headed. Not knowing where the hell we were when we got there. You, me, the ocean...” He trailed off as he noticed that Iceland’s eyes had drifted shut.
Good.
He waited for a while, then carefully leaned over and brushed a kiss against his brother’s forehead. When Iceland did not stir, Norway quietly slipped off the bed, gathered the teacup and made his way to the kitchen, resolved to set it in order.
Surely soon all would be put to rights. Surely. Yet, Norway reflected as he filled the sink with steaming hot water, deep down he couldn’t help but long for those days of wind and water and solitude, when his brother was always beside him.
Characters: Norway and Iceland
Rating: E for Everyone
Summary: Norway pays a visit to his rather ill brother and, while there, lingers on thoughts about the past.
Note: Wrote the story quite a while before typing it up; at the time that I wrote it, I was not feeling very well, myself.
Wind brushed his face like feathers. It was night and the moon shone brightly.
There wasn’t much to see. The horizon. The ocean. The sky reflecting on the water’s surface. The ship glided steadily through it like a bird on a lake and its movement cut up the milky yellow light.
Iceland was by his side. As Norway turned his head to look at him he saw that his eyes were dark in the night’s light. Much like his own. Iceland responded to the look with a nod. After a while he asked, “Where are we going?”
Where are we going.
Norway licked his lips. He looked out toward the vast expanse of ocean. Endless. Beautiful in its emptiness. “West,” he said. Simple.
“Ah.” Iceland knew that was not the answer. He drew closer and leaned against him. His hand rested on Norway’s arm.
“Something out there.”
“Land?”
“Yes.”
“We’re going to find it.”
“Yes.”
It seemed Iceland was satisfied with that. He rested his head on Norway’s shoulder and didn’t speak. They stayed that way and there was no sound except for the sea and the ship and the wind’s whispering. Nothing left to say.
It was mid-afternoon when Norway arrived at the house. Small and out of the way, it seemed to sit quietly, as if waiting for him. He rapped three times and waited, shifting the sturdy paper bags in his arms for a more secure hold as he leaned in to listen at the door for the sound of padding feet. When there was no response, he rapped again and wondered if the one he had come out to visit was napping. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he was, he decided. After waiting a moment and debating on the matter of letting himself in, he finally heard the sound of someone shuffling to the door.
When it opened Norway offered a small smile to the pale face that peered out at him. “Hello, Iceland.”
Dressed in pyjamas and slippers, a housecoat draped over his shoulders and his hair mussed, Iceland looked tired, glassy-eyed and dishevelled, and Norway would have found the sight startling if he had not seen his brother in similar states rather frequently over the last several months. “H’llo,” Iceland mumbled, his voice raw and scratching. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Nor. Hi.”
“Did I wake you?” Norway asked. Iceland nodded. “Sorry.” Pause. “Brought you some things. Let me in?”
Iceland stepped away from the door and slunk into the house without another word. Norway understood. Better not to irritate his voice too much, he thought as he stepped inside. Economic woes had left Iceland with a plethora of illnesses, a sore throat among them. As he pressed the door shut behind him, Norway decided that perhaps a longer stay than he originally intended was in order.
The two of them made their way to the kitchen. As he set the grocery bags on the table, Norway glanced around the room and took note of the slight state of disarray, the clutter on the counter, the unwashed dishes stacked in the sink. It was so unlike Iceland, who normally kept his little home neat as a pin. Wordlessly, Norway went to the window and drew apart the curtains to let the sun in, deciding that it would do no good to comment on the situation. He knew what it was about.
“Could do with some fresh air,” he said as he pushed up the window and locked it in place. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Iceland nodding. Good.
Though there were no arguments on that, he saw that his brother had already begun unpacking the groceries. It wouldn’t do, he thought. “Don’t mind that,” Norway told him. “I’ll do it. You go back to bed.” Iceland’s only response was a stubborn look as he set a tin of tea on the table. Norway sighed. “Fine. Together, then.”
In little time they were finished and everything was tucked away in its place, hidden away in cupboards that previously had been far too empty. Soon afterward they were sitting at the table together, Norway talking quietly of recent events while Iceland listened with his head resting against one hand, his eyes half-mast and his expression dozy. Occasionally he would rasp out a word or two, his voice scratching like fingernails on a frosty window, making his face twist in frustration.
“This new turn with the loans should help a bit,” Norway said softly, eyeing him. “Think you’ll be feeling a bit better soon. Stabilized.”
“Tha- nngk.” Iceland coughed. “’m glad.”
“If I could, it’d be more.”
Iceland nodded, then sighed, staring down at the table, tracing the grain lazily with one finger. “Yeah. Understand. ‘preciate it.” There was a long pause as he seemed to consider the right words. “Means a –“ Cough. “A lot.”
Norway bit his lower lip and watched him hack for a moment, then simply said, “Bed. Now.”
“But-“
“Back to bed with you. Rest. No talking. It’ll do you.” Pause. “I’ll make you some tea.”
For a moment it seemed as though Iceland wanted to argue. However, he was in no condition to do so, and they both knew it; nor was his stubborn pout a match for Norway’s cool staring. Unable to protest, he rose and shuffled to the bedroom, looking rather put out.
The kettle steamed and whistled. Norway’s careful hands set to, pouring a cup of tea and letting it steep before mixing in a spoonful of honey. The sound of Iceland coughing in the next room made him purse his lips. There was no cause for worry; he was a nation, after all, and there was no doubt that he would be fine, but that did not change the fact that seeing his brother in such a state frustrated him. He couldn’t fix it. Not easily. Belay that, he told himself. You’re helping him as best you can. With that thought in mind he set the teacup on a saucer and made his way to the bedroom.
The window was cracked open and the curtains drawn, and the bedroom was in as much disarray as the rest of the house. Norway made no comment as he sank down onto the side of the bed where Iceland rested and offered his brother the hot drink; he merely glanced about the room, made note, and resolved to take care of it later. For the moment, it could wait. He threaded his fingers through Iceland’s hair, pressed the back of his hand to his forehead and cheeks. Not quite right, he thought. A little warm. Even so, it was better than the raging fever he had dealt with right after the collapse. That time, Norway reflected, even though he had known better, he had panicked slightly. Just slightly. It had been a long time since he had last worried so much, and he would never admit to it.
“You should try to go back to sleep,” he murmured as he stroked his brother’s hair. Iceland shot him an annoyed look over the brim of the teacup, but said nothing. “I’ll stay,” Norway added. “Two nights.” That seemed to put Iceland at ease, as he sighed and relaxed under Norway’s attention. “My change of clothes still here?” Norway asked. Iceland responded with a nod. “Good.”
For a long while the both of them were quiet and there was no sound other than birdsong floating in from the outside and Iceland’s heavy breathing punctuated by the occasional cough. It suddenly seemed strange, Norway thought, that they were in such a situation. “Not much like the old days,” he said quietly, taking Iceland’s empty teacup and setting it on the bedside table.
“Mm?”
“Loans,” Norway said in response to his brother’s confused sound. “Money. Remember how there was a time when if we needed something, we’d just go and take it?”
“Long time ago,” Iceland mumbled, nestling back against his mountain of pillows.
“Yes,” Norway agreed. “Wasn’t too great a time,” he mused as he drew the quilts over his brother, tucking him in. “But sometimes I miss it. Parts of it.”
“Exploring,” Iceland murmured.
“Mmhm.” Norway smiled faintly and played with his brother’s hair. The camomile tea seemed to be doing the trick – or perhaps it was the lazy sunlight and fatigue from illness that was making Iceland so drowsy. “Going out. Wind and spray in our faces. Not sure where we were headed. Not knowing where the hell we were when we got there. You, me, the ocean...” He trailed off as he noticed that Iceland’s eyes had drifted shut.
Good.
He waited for a while, then carefully leaned over and brushed a kiss against his brother’s forehead. When Iceland did not stir, Norway quietly slipped off the bed, gathered the teacup and made his way to the kitchen, resolved to set it in order.
Surely soon all would be put to rights. Surely. Yet, Norway reflected as he filled the sink with steaming hot water, deep down he couldn’t help but long for those days of wind and water and solitude, when his brother was always beside him.
Yuu. Fic writer & book lover. M/Canada.![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 11:02 pm (UTC)THIS FIC LACKS CLICHE MAGIC HEALING SEX.But d'awww, I really like this. It's cute, and a little bittersweet in the best way. Adorable, Yuu. I love it. ♥
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 11:04 pm (UTC)CLICHE MAGIC HEALING SEX? Pfft, Norway can't be having with that nonsense!I'm glad you enjoyed it. ♥! I'm still trying to get the hang of writing these two... but it's getting a little easier.
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Date: 2009-07-12 11:17 pm (UTC)WELL I THINK HE CAN. SIT DOWN, ISLAND, IT'S TIME I GIVE YOU A CHECK-UP. uns uns uns.I think you're doing well with them. They both sound pretty spot-on, thought that is just me speaking my own headcanon and horrible rp.
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Date: 2009-07-12 11:20 pm (UTC)OH MY. Tsk, you, don't even make me think of't!Ahh, I'm glad you think they're all right. I still find Norway an incredible pain in the butt (it seems he lives to make my life difficult)
Also, stfu about your RP, I think you're excellent.
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Date: 2009-07-12 11:54 pm (UTC)LET'S PLAY DOCTOR LITTLE BROTHER. uns uns uns. O god now i want fic stop this. ;A; look what i do to myself and everyone around me.That's hilarious to me, given that you RP him too. <3 O, YUU.
Thanks, haha. But we can't deny we do go quite cracktastic 98% of the time. HINT: YOU SHOULD JOIN US MORE OFTEN.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 12:46 am (UTC)PFFFF oh my god. Tsk, what on earth do you do to yourself. Well, you'll have to write it, as I certainly shan'tOH ME. I just, I don't know. *flail* He's a difficult guy!
AND I WOULD join you, it's just I'm not good with crack, and whenever something weird happens my Norway is just like, "I can't be havin' with this" and kind of
runs awaygoes off to be far, far away from the nonsense.no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:38 am (UTC)I do it to a lot of people, actually. Harvest Moon? Never the same. Phoenix Wright? O, good luck playing that game with a straight face...He is. So quiet and unyielding, haha. He certainly is a stubborn one in my mind.
D'awww. Then sometime I will RP as serious as I can get just for you. It will be like "
O wait I said serious RP.
I C WUT I DID THERE.no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:44 am (UTC)Yes, yes. The quiet bit is what gets me
especially when writing him with Sweden, goddamn them both. Quiet and tight-lipped and no-nonsense, but not quite as uptight as he seems... Eee, I love it. Even if he's so hard to write, sob.Anyway. Fffff, if that's the most serious you can be, I'm fucked (figuratively speaking). Poor Nor would just be like, "*stare* ... *raised eyebrow* Are you drunk?" Siiigh~
no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:48 am (UTC)Uhhhh. Yeah That's pretty much how it goes. Unless you're already corrupted.Hmmmm. Indeed. ♥ Ahhhh it makes me want to write Nordics more, but somehow he always ends up in it even less because of Iceland...which sounds backwards, but that is how it seems to go.
I SWEAR T' DRUNK 'M NO' ODIN NOW GIMME A PICKLE BROTHER.
No, I can get a bit more serious if I really try, I'm sure. But for the most part...every Iceland post is
"..."
anyway, haha!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:58 am (UTC)FINE. *flatly* You can have your pickle - even though it seems you're absolutely sloshed.
Pfff, well, as long as you're not too weird, I think we're all good!
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Date: 2009-07-13 02:34 am (UTC)ALSO DON'T MAKE ME GET THE BALLOON, GOOD SIR. >|
Pffft no, nothing less than my usual..."standard", haha.
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Date: 2009-07-13 01:35 am (UTC)This is adorable. ~♥ Can't say much more than that, brain is quite dead, but adorable, sweet, and lovely about sum it up.
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Date: 2009-07-13 01:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:52 am (UTC)I really, really, really love this ~ The writing is beautiful, and I love the way you characterize Norway. How you can tell he definitely cares about Iceland, just... in his own way ahahaha ~ ♥
I'm sorry, I'll stop now, I'm not the most coherent at the moment, but -- yeah ~
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Date: 2009-07-13 02:00 am (UTC)I'm so glad you enjoyed this! Especially because I found it difficult to write (stuff without a plot is always harder for me than stuff with one)
I'm not very coherent right now either, so we're equal ;p
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Date: 2009-07-13 02:04 am (UTC)I actually find that kind of interesting ~ Since when I write, it's always easier when I can just make it up as I go along. Ahahaha. ♥
... Oh, incoherency. Effectively making communication 140% harder since the beginning of time. orz
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Date: 2009-07-13 02:06 am (UTC)I think part of it is, when there is a story (not necessarily a detailed plot, but some kind of progression/story) I definitely know what scenes to write, what order they will be in, and most importantly how it will end. With plotless stuff like this, however, I have absolutely no idea when to stop writing, and after I write out everything I intend to, I find myself stuck for days, unsure how to wrap it up. It's a real pain in the butt~
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Date: 2009-07-13 02:15 am (UTC)The way you wrapped this up was really nice though ~ The last line especially was really powerful. ♥
... OTL I'll leave you be now ~ Hearing other writers' processes always intrigues me, though. orz. My apologies and I'll be whooshing away
like austria on his segwaynow ~ ♥no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 02:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 02:15 am (UTC)Also; *loves on YOU* Bahhhh I'm sorry I haven't been commenting lately, I've been so lkajsdfkdf*flail*ish. D:
no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 02:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 02:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 02:22 am (UTC)I don't really know a lot about Iceland, and Norway only by association with
boatship, actually...)no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 02:37 am (UTC)And klajsdkfdf that mental image you have is SO ADORABLE eee~
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Date: 2009-07-13 06:39 am (UTC)Anyway (getting off track here) thank you very much; I'm so glad you enjoyed it. ♥ He and Icy are just so much fun to write, even if they're both difficult (maybe I like the challenge...)
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Date: 2009-07-14 01:09 am (UTC)I really like this! Your style, it's simple, but so, so nice and lovely in its simplicity. Especially here, it seems idyllic but then you have Norway commenting on how things used to be, and so there's a more serious undertone there, and yeah, I really enjoyed reading this. forgive me i cannot help but make run-on sentences to express myself today ;;
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Date: 2009-07-14 01:20 am (UTC)For fic, everything is in my memories under 'writing'; also, I have it bookmarked here with very brief summaries (not all of it, just the stuff that I'll admit to writing)
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Date: 2009-08-30 11:09 am (UTC)The only thing missing was Denmark inapproriately jumping into the fic and destroying the mood completely.You know what you have to do. Pick up a pen. Get a paper. WRITE.
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Date: 2009-08-30 11:31 pm (UTC)Pfft, at some point I was considering putting in mood-ruining Denmark, but decided to just stick with the quietOKAYYYY. I will write things. But first I need to finish editing all this backlog! ♥
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Date: 2009-08-30 11:26 pm (UTC)On another note, I am happy that this was the first APH fanfiction I have ever read, it will be remembered.
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Date: 2009-09-01 09:32 am (UTC)I'm really, really glad you liked it! And that it inspired you to even think about drawing something makes me so happy. I don't think anyone's ever said something like that before.
This is the first APH fic you've read, eh? Wow, it makes me doubly happy that mine was the first. <3
(New to the fandom, I'm assuming...?)
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Date: 2009-09-03 11:15 pm (UTC)^^ Well I can't lie - when I am done with this genderbend meme on deviantart I wanna scribble so much Nordic stuff.. And just thinking about the amount of cuteness in your fiction.. daaw.. If I ever draw something based on your story I'll be sure to let you know. No one's been inspired to draw something from your fictions? o.o Madness!
And yes, your fiction was my first. X3 I'm fairly new to the fandom by.... 2 months now? It is extremly popular on 4chan, so one day I just wanted to find out what the big hype was about and I've been smitten ever since. X3 Though these past few days I've been reading some of the other fictions in Kalmarunionen too and there's a lot of good material there. o:
I bid you a good day. May your muse inspire you through the rest of the year. <3
no subject
Date: 2010-04-19 12:23 pm (UTC)Sorry, happened to look around LJ and found this cute NorwayxIceland fic. 8Dno subject
Date: 2010-04-19 01:54 pm (UTC)