Hetalia One Shots

Worth Every Petal - Netherlands x Taiwan

Netherlands - Tim
Taiwan - Mei

It started on a sunny day. Mei was but a tourist in the country. She was scoping out the place before she considers coming to the local university. She wondered into the local florist shop and marvelled at all the varieties of flowers.

Some were flowers she'd only seen in books. It all looked so magical. Abel looked around the store. His eyes set sights on a beautiful girl. Long brown hair that fell in gentle waves.

He watched as she looked at every flower. Abel was a young lad still learning the ropes of adulthood. He didn't know what he was doing. The next thing he knew was he was walking up to this beautiful girl. "Can I help you?" asked Abel and felt guilty when the girl jumped.

"I.. I was just admiring your flowers." she responded looking up at Abel. Both of their accents were thick when speaking in English. "None can compare to your beauty." he murmured without thinking. Immediately he blushed. What was he doing? He barely knew the girl with captivating brown eyes. Her cheeks faintly tinted pink and she smiled sweetly at him.

"Thank you." she thanked him and realised it was getting late. She should probably go back to where her mother was waiting for her. "I have to go." she stated almost saddened in a way. There was something there between the two of them. A force that they didn't recognise yet. One that would pull the strings of destiny together to unite them once again.

Abel looked around at the flowers and picked out a single amaryllis and handed it to her. "For you." Abel stated and placed the flower behind her ear. Abel watched as she left the shop. For some reason his heart ached. He barely knew her. He didn't even know her name.

It was a couple years later and Mei was back in Holland. She remembered the streets fondly from her visit 3 years ago. Every time she went to the flower shop back in China, she always picked out an amaryllis. Something about that type of flower made her heart beat a little faster and a smile appear on her face.

Mei was now here on a studying abroad programme that her university sorted out. She wandered along the paths until she saw a strange but familiar sign. 'Mogens and family florists'. It made her eyes light up. A memory came to mind of an awkward boy that gave her a pretty flower. Was he still there?

She wandered into the shop and gazed over the flowers. She spotted him there. He tended to the flowers. Picking out certain ones to form a bouquet. "Hello." she greeted. He froze and turned towards her. "Hallo." he greeted curtly. Yes, it was him. With stunning green eyes and dirty blonde hair. Only he looked older, sounded older and looked even more handsome than the day they met.

Abel couldn't believe his eyes. It was her. She had returned at last. The years had been kind to her. Looking at each other for some time, they forgot to introduce themselves. It felt like they were under a spell. "I'm Abel." the Dutchman finally spoke. His voice smooth and deep. "I'm Mei." responded the Taiwanese woman.

Every day Mei went to the small shop and everyday she learned more and more about Abel. She learned about flower meanings and famous dutch writers and poets. In return she taught him about her own culture. They even tried to teach each other their native languages.

For 2 years they fell deeper and deeper in love. So much so that it hurt to say goodbye. Abel watched as the plane took off with the love of his life. He never got to utter those three words. Their goodbye was just the two of them in a tight hug with tears leaking from their eyes and softly cascading down their faces.

Their relationship progressed with each passing day. Facetime, messages, long distance calls. All of it was worth it. A year into their relationship, Abel didn't respond to her messages. He didn't call her, didn't write her letters or send her small gifts.

Instead he slept next to her. She woke up to kisses and feather light touches. Mei and Abel were together again. "Move in with me." he proposed to her one day. The sun was setting and the two of them were silent. Abel was drawing flowers and Mei was finishing off the university assignment she had. "My life is here Abel. My family, friends, education. Everything is here. I can't ditch it all just to move to Amsterdam." she responded with a little annoyance in her voice.

It wasn't his fault. The constant back and forth they had to do was getting tiresome. This was the last 2 years of her course that she had left to do. It was stressful what with the placement she was doing. "So what're you saying?" asked Abel as his heart sank. The last 4 years with Mei had been amazing. Completely and utterly magical. "Maybe this isn't working out." responded Mei pushing her hair back. Both of them sat in silence once more. This was it then. This was the end.

Days upon days went passed and Mei missed the comfort of the arms of another. She missed the morning kisses. The mindless conversations about everything you could think of. The small lessons in Dutch. Her heart ached and longed for him to return to her. Mei put a hand on her growing belly and sighed. She really needed to tell him at some point.

Abel swept the floor in a saddened manner. Emma, his sister, watched him mope around for the past couple of months. It was a silly mistake of them to call it off. She had never seen her brother more in love than he was with Mei.

She picked up the envelope and headed over to him. "You need this Abel. Trust me. Get some comfort out of what you both lost. She needs and friend and so do you." she said and resumed her position at the till.

Abel glanced at the envelope and huffed. He stuffed it in his coat and headed back to the small flat filled with nothing but himself and photographs of what once was. It had been months since they had spoken properly. He looked at his phone and was somewhat delighted to see that he had a message from her. Those words that were displayed on his screen was something he'd never expect.

The envelope contained a plane ticket to China where the Taiwanese girl was residing. He stayed up all night packing and drove to the airport in the early hours of the morning. He caught the next flight and started to plan out his entire life. He knew where the love of his life was and he was going to get her back.

Mei woke up the next morning to the sound of the doorbell. She made her way to the door and opened it. Never did she expect to see Abel standing there with a bouquet of flowers. "Take me back please..." he uttered. His voice hoarse and eyes filling with tears. No words were spoken in return as she pulled him into a long awaited hug.

She felt one of his hands rest on the growing bump. Days passed and they were loving each other like nothing ever happened. Abel gave Mei some keys and she looked at them in confusion. Two different keys were on the key ring.

"One is a key to our new house and the other is a key to my new shop." he stated simply with a big grin. Mei squealed in delight and hugged him tightly. Her heart tingled at the thought that it was going to be their house and the fact that he said 'our'. It felt like they were a family.

Abel took this moment in. He had the love of his life, a child on the way, a business that quickly took off and now a house awaiting them. Everything was perfect. Not the way he planned out his life originally but a life he didn't want to waste none the less.

"I will never let you go ever again..." he murmured and pressed his lips to Mei's in a loving kiss. And that was a promise...