From the diary of Griselda Vargas-Beilschmidt

53

I'm back! I've been away and I didn't really have the time to update, sorry.

Me and Fred gaze over the waves for a few more minutes before he decides it's time for bed. He looks like a mother hen while saying it. It's cute, it reminds me of Uncle Prussia. He, too, doesen't look like it, but is a giant mother hen himself. I want to ask Fred if he was like that to him too, but he's already heading upstairs.

"Well?" he turns around to glance at me "are you going?"

"Si, si, I was... thinking..."

"Oh?" he chuckles "about what?"

"Did Uncle Prussia," I can't find a fitting verb, so I go with "mother-henned you, too?"

He grins. "Oh, damn right he did. Though, he was that kinda parent who encourages the child to discover things on their own and he's just looking after them," he explains. "Dad was always the 'motherly' one. But I recall a time I broke my ankle and Vati," he shiveres as if he just made a mistake, but then remembers.

"It's okay, Freddy," I take his hand. "Hey.. don't tell Gabe... but he's got some competition to the Best cousin award!" He laughs. I'm glad this drama is over now. Which doesen't mean we don't have another drama coming in the future.

"Okay, so he totally freaked out," he grins widely at the memory "And carried me down the hill, still freaking out, but Dad calmed him, thankfully. He's always calmed Vati down when there was something up."

"Mm hmm," I mumble and yawn. Fred picks me up.

"It really is time for bed, Gris, isn't it?" he whispers softly.

I want to reply, but opening my eyes seems like too much of an effort. And soon, I'm asleep.

=u=

I wake up to some weird noises. I carefully unwrap from the other bodies in the pile we slept in and sit up. Both of my cousins are still asleep, Gabi clutching Fred's shirt and Fred drooling. Weird - I can't see a thing. It's still night. There is no light from the small window. The noises become louder. Oh no! Is this ship haunted more than just by Gabriel? Are there other ghosts, more dangerous?! Eek! But if there are... OH NO, they got George and Ashleigh! So why do those sounds sound like...

I peek through the ajar door and see something I did not expect. No ghost at all. Just two teenage personifications, kissing. Ashleigh's got George against the wall, while he's hugging her. I actually blush. I can't see their faces very well, but I can hear them.

They found love! I'm happy for them! Now I get why Fred was nudging the two of them sometimes, raising his eyebrows, and why Ash blushed and George was confused. He knew, that bastard!

Well, if it's not a ghost, it's cool. When Ash starts, uhhhm, being too cuddly, I close the door, careful to not make a sound. Not that I think they'd notice it or anything. They looked like they probably wouldn't notice a meteor falling on them.

I can actually recall a time my dads did the exact same thing. I got thirsty during the night, so I went to get some water, and here they were, kissing as if there's no tommorow. When they noticed me, they stopped and Vati went on to stammer something about me going back to bed. And don't forget the time I caught them in bed when I went to cuddle. We know where all that led...

And Uncles, Gabe's parents, are also very much in love. They don't cuddle in public -or, Uncle Spain tries to, and Uncle Romano punches him (lightly)- but you can see it.("Aww, Romano! I was just trying to steal a kiss!" "W-well, go stealing somewhere else, bastard!" All while Gabriel is being embarrased.)

I think you can see when the couple is really in love. That's how I came to like the Nordics so much. I can see how much love these guys actually have for each other. Be it romantic, like Sweden and Finland and Denmark and Norway (though Norway is a pro at what Ashleigh calls 'resting bitch face'), or parent-child, like Anni with her dads (if Uncle Prussia is mother hen, Finland is definitely mother bear), and the twins with theirs (I can clearly see how much Ingrid looks up to Denmark), or sibling - the twins sure have a deep connection, despite their differences, and Anni is THE big sister, or uncle-niece/nephew, like Faroe to practically everyone younger than him. Hell, Faroe treats even George as his nephew, despite George being a head and half taller. George doesen't seem to mind, actually, he goes along with it. I don't get it. Did George know Faroe from before they met on a meeting?

Basically, what I want to say, love has many faces, and there are developed many of them. Even I -don't tell Gabe- think of all the others kinda like siblings... But I still like Gabriel the best. He's my best friend. Ever since I tugged on his hair when I was several months old. He called me a bastard. Then I was told Papa got mad and the visit ended sooner than expected.

Oh god, the sounds are getting weirder and weirder... I think I'll do a quick prayer, as Papa taught me. But I'm glad these two got it figured out. And boy... will America try to beat George? 

"Mmmmh, Georgie~"

Yup! Time to go back to sleep!