What is... "Home"? (Hetalia Fanfic, Part 2)

Chapter 108~!

"Well, zhat was an interesting experience," France commented to me as we were walking down to breakfast together. Canada had already gone down with America a bit earlier and I'd nearly run into France while leaving my dorm, so there y' have it.

I laughed. "That was! Wow, I miss being a kid again."

"Oui, sometimes I wish zhings could go back to zhe way zhey were," he said with a slight sigh in his voice. Then he brightened. "'ow are you and petite Mathieu getting along, hm?"

"Things are great between us, especially now that the, uhm," Here I had to cough into my fist awkwardly, "Snapping incident is resolved."

"Oh, oui. And I know I already apologized for zhe zhings I said while I was drunk, but I truly am sorry, Melina."

I smiled and shook my head. "It's alright, I know you didn't know what you were saying. All is forgiven."

"You know, I really do 'ope we are friends when we find out which country you are, ma cheri," he said, and I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, so do I. Not that things would have to change too much when I find out, right?" I peered up into his face to find a somewhat apprehensive look there. "Right?"

"Wellll... Non, I zhink zhat you are not an enemy to many nations. I 'ave a 'ard time seeing you as an adversary." He smiled and the slightly anxious expression evaporated into his cloud of natural charm.

I had to agree with that, and we pushed open the cafeteria doors to see America waving us both over.

"Dudes! Come on, I hafta show you something!" he hollered, making a few heads turn our way. We barely had time to set our stuff down before he dragged us down the hallway adjacent to the lunch room and stopped at a bulletin board. "Look! We're all on the trip!"

"Which trip?" I asked, and America rolled his baby blues.

"Dudette, even I remembered it and you didn't? Wow, your boyfriend's gonna be crushed."

"Hey, I've been a bit preoccupied as of late. That algebra isn't gonna learn itself, jeez. What trip is it?" But the paper answered for me. "Oh! Right! The trip to British Columbia, I can't believe that slipped my mind."

"Exactly. And see? You, me, Francey pants," France scowled at the name, "Mattie --duh--, and England are all going!"

"Looks like so is Netherlands, Turkey, Russia, Belgium, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Taiwan, China, Japan, Italy, Germany, Prussia, Spain, Romano, Cuba, and South Korea," I said, listing them all as I ran my finger down the list of country names alongside each respective human name. "Wow, this is a big group. Wonder if the chaperones are gonna be able to handle us all..."

America laughed. "Probably not. Come on, I lost my bro and I need t' find him."

"You lost him? Alfred!" I said scoldingly.

~~~

"Alright, load your overnight bags under the bus and keep your carry-on with you!" Mrs. Crayven announced when everyone going on the trip emerged from the dorms and was waiting around. The huge charter bus had pulled up and we were excited to get going.

"Wait, we aren't driving all the way to B.C., are we?" I asked Canada fearfully, who laughed and shook his head.

"No, no. Of course not, that would take days. We're just riding to the airport, then we'll hop on a plane and fly to Ottawa. The great thing is we're just in time for the Tulip Festival up there!"

Ko poked her head out of the hood of my jacket, where she had been resting lazily. "What's the Tulip Festival?" My thoughts were exactly the same.

"The Tulip Festival is an annual celebration in Ottawa. Netherlands gives me tulips because I gave his royal family shelter and good hospitality during World War Two, when he was attacked and taken over by Germany," Canada explained. "So every year we go to Ottawa and celebrate. It's beautiful. There are so many colors everywhere, and everything smells nice. It's also a celebration for the coming of spring."