Small Things Hurt Most

Changing the Topic

Sealand didn't know how long he was asleep, but when he finally decided to get up it was ten till seven. He could have stayed there longer- the only thing that stopped him was the need to use the restroom.
After he was done, Sealand stopped to look at himself in the mirror. He washed the dried tear stains off his face. He still couldn't believe he had lost it in front of Iceland. They already thought he was weak.
Hyperventilating in front of someone you admire isn't the best way to impress them.
'My situation is even worse now...' he scowled at his reflection. 'Nations have survived for centuries, and I can't stand a couple of decades?'
Pathetic. That's what he was.
Weak.
Too sensitive.
Naive.
Sealand wanted to be sick. He was just so... fragile.
"Sealand? Are you okay?"
For a moment he was distracted from his reflection. He could tell by Finland's voice that he was worried.
"Sealand. Answer me, right now!" Ha. Sealand could have laughed to himself. He always thought it was kind of funny how Finland (and every Nordic, for that matter) treated him like he was an innocent kid. Like he didn't know how they would go to a bar and get wasted, or how they always tried to cover it up any time they cursed.
Now Finland was talking like Sealand was five.
"Peter. Answer me now."
'Finland can be threatening when he wants to...' Sealand thought to himself. Unlike him.
Sealand looked in the mirror again. Stripping off his shirt, he stared at his chest in disgust.
Why was he so pale?
And skinny? He was a freaking twig!
And how was a twelve year old (physically, anyway) so short?
Why did he have to be so weak?
Sealand wanted to cry. To scream, to curl up in a ball and never have to face anyone again. When he was alone, there was no one to judge him. When he was alone, no one else mattered.
"Sealand."
He didn't want to answer. Why should he?
"I'm serious!" Finland raised his voice. Sealand heard a scuffling and a few muffled words outside the door.
"Peter? Please talk to me...I hated seeing you upset, kid." He was surprised when he heard Denmark's sympathetic voice.
"I mean, listen. I get you might not want to talk to Finny, and that's fine. But we just want to know why that happened. Just so it won't happen again, 'kay?"
After a short pause, " Seriously though, I will not hesitate to kick down this door."
Sealand chuckled a bit. He suspected the Nordic was joking, but soon the door came crashing open so that it hit the door.
Sealand jumped as Denmark rushed through the doorway and tackled him in a hug.
Denmark wrapped his arms around Sealand tightly, burying his face in the smaller's shoulder.
"You know I love ya, right kid? 'Cause I really do."
Sealand didn't let himself relax. He stayed stiff in Denmark's embrace, hearing the loving words but not really listening to them.
" You don't have to say a whole lot. But just talk to me okay? 'Bout anything. Ya like the weather lately?"
'Only Denmark can change the topic that drastically,' Sealand chuckles inwardly.
And for just a second Sealand let himself believe that that one moment could last forever, forgetting all his problems.