Story: Being independent

Author: NoveltyRose

Exclaimer: All characters belong to Hidekaz Himaruya.

I have updated the story and facts.

Crackfic, oneshot based on some historical facts and news, but mostly crack and a little bit of angst. For the Den-ice fest on Tumblir. Story centered around what December first really means to Ice.

I got these promts: interview, beguile, manipulate, watch.

I have written another story for the fest with different promts but since I couldn't finish it in time (I barely finished this one), I will upload it here when finished. It happens in a world before cell phones.

The promts I got for that one were: railroad, gang.

I am still working on the next chap in Bratty Nations, but this month has been loaded with crazy schoolwork (I am in my senior year in film school) so I haven't managed to finish it as soon as I had hoped, but I plan on finishing it in my Christmas vacation (coming over the next week) as well as the next chap in Land of ice and fire and...(Lesson in Danish 2).

And I will most defiantly fix this one shot when I have time.

Being independent.

Ice is once again working overtime because of the volcano and stupid political mess. He hasn't gotten enough sleep lately or nutrients, so when the phone rings beside his laptop, he is in no mood for any chitchat.

His mood grows even worse when he hears it's Den on the phone.

"What do you want?"

"Do you wanna come over for some beer?"

Ice is puzzled and looks at the calendar hanging on the opposite wall.

December first.

"But Den, don't you know what day that is…?"

"Yes, it's the December first, the countdown to Christmas. A great time to celebrate."

Yes…but it's also the day I became a sovereign state, the day we made the pact that I could twenty five years later become independent and twenty six years later I did, on 17th June. But of course he doesn't remember that important date…

Ice hits his desk with a pen in an irate manner. But the question is, why does it bother me so much that he doesn't remember? It's not as if it was an important date for him.

Den can't take the silence any longer aside for the hitting of the pen and says in a whiny voice: "Oh, come on, it will be fun, I can also come to your place if that suits you better." Den adds in a pleading voice. "I know you have a lot of work….but it would do you some good to think about something else…in fact I am already down town…come on."

He is already here. Was he really that sure he will could get me to answer positively?

Ice looks out his window. It's windy outside and rainy. Not the best time for an outing, but if Ice let the weather decide when to go out, he would never step a foot outside his house.

Ice sighs. "Okay, fine meet me at the usual place in ten minutes."

"You mean twenty."

"Huh, what no I said.."

"Come on Ice, I know you better than that. You're always fashionably late."

Ice grumbles, agrees to the time change and hangs up.

I will show him who is late. Ice puts on his jacket and walk to the door.

He has to admit deep down, he kinda looks forward to the meeting. He and Den had long since become drinking buddies and Ice had sworn Den to secrecy, since Nor couldn't know about his drinking. Nor still thought of his a little kid and Ice grimaces when he imagines Nor's lecture about how unhealthy this is, he is underage and so and so on, if he ever found out.

Mr. Puffin walks towards him with a huge pile of papers.

"Mr. Puffin, take over the paperwork for me. I have to run some errands."

Mr. Puffin looks out the window at the same time a meowing cat flies by in raging storm. "IN THIS WEATHER?" He looks at his master with a strict look. "YOU ARE NOT GOING OUT DRESSED LIKE THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. He glower at him as if Ice only had a t-shirt on.

Ice sigh exasperatedly and puts on a scarf.

Mr. Puffin's black eyes scrutinize at him till he puts the paper stack on top of the others on the desk. "FINE! JUST DON'T STAY OUT LATE." He points at him with a tip of this wing in an accusing manner. Ice nods and runs out as if Mr. Puffin would change his mind if he didn't fly out the door.

The winter cold bites him in the cheeks on his short way to his car in the drive away. He would have taken Mr. Puffin with him for a change of air, if Mr. Puffin didn't wouldn't nag him for his drinking and undoubtedly tell Nor. Mr. Puffin had been far too worried about his health lately and fussing over him at every chance he gets. Ice is sure Nor has something to do with his boisterous pet turning into a mother hen overnight.

But just his luck, as soon as Ice steps into the restaurant, he is ambushed by nations who wants to know what it was like to independent. Ice has sit through a long interview with them, listing for them everything good or bad he had experienced since got his independence and also tell them his story about his fight for independence, which he fought with a pen but never the sword.

And I just wanted to have some drink in peace...this day must be cursed.

Ice had been so exhausted after the interview that he had fallen asleep and not woken up till he hears Den call him.

"Nej, hej, Ice. You are already here."

Ice lifted his head from the table and greets him in his native tongue. "Hæ." To exhausted to say, I told you so, I am never late.

Den has a smug look on his face as if this had just been some kind of a ploy to get Ice to be on time. But the smug look vanishes quickly when Den get's a better look of Ice.

"What's wrong? You look so forlorn? Who were this people?"

Ice looks towards where he is pointing and is baffled to see his interviewers are just about to leave through the door.

What? Didn't I sleep for more than one minute or something?

"Scotland, Catalonia." Ice finally answers while Den takes his seat.

"Oh, and did they want?" Den drapes his soaked jacket over the stool back and orders.

Ugh...I really don't want to talk about it...you are the least person I want to talk about this particular topic with. Not now...

But Ice is too polite to ignore the question completely. "They wanted to know how to become independent." Ice says quickly and jugs down his beer.

Through the golden liquid he watches Den's face changes from his carefree to sad.

But when he puts the mug down, Den has got his carefree face back again.

"I thought Scotland lost the election and Catalonia is not allowed to hold his own"

"Yes, that true. But they wanted to be prepared when the time came..."

Getting independent can take a long time...

"Oh...I see...and you are some kind of an expert? I mean, shouldn't they ask America instead and I don't know all the other bigger nations...?" A touch of bitterness can be heard in Den's usual carefree voice.

"That's just the thing. They wanted my opinion since I am so little. How can I even survive amongst all the bigger nations? Do they even listen to me?" Ice looks sadly at the bottom of this glass, as if he is expecting to find some answers there.

Sometimes I even have to scream to let them remember I even exist. Sometimes it's good to be let in on even the bad things. Being left out hurts the most. Why I am telling Den all this? It's not like he cares…

"It has been tough, hasn't it?"

Ice looks up, startled by the seriousness of Den's voice. "Yes...but I am doing okay..."

Between volcanic eruptions, the bank crash and now some political...Why are my politicians always so must idiots? Why can't they ever work together? You don't have such drama in your politics. What am I doing wrong?

"You know, you could always come back." Den swirls his liquid and takes another sip.

Come...back? You don't mean...? Give up my...?

Ice spurts out his beer over the table." Ekki séns í helvíti!"

Ice looks sadly down at the beer drops on the table. What a waste. He cleans it up with an napkin.

Den shakes his head and orders another beer for Ice. "I am joking of course. Nor would probably take you back first."

Take me...back?

"That sounds...way too...creepy..." Ice hugs himself from imaginary cold and looks over his shoulder, as if he is expecting Nor to come in, barging through the door.

"Not that I want you back. You are too much trouble. I have enough as it is with Faroes and Greenland...especially Greenland..."

A waitress comes with another beer and puts it down in front of Ice.

"Good to know." Ice looks down into his drink.

"Are you sulking?"

"NO, I am not." I can't believe these words actually hurt me…what's wrong with me today?

"Did you want me to tell you to come back, honestly?"

"NO! I had enough hard time getting away from you. I don't want to go through that again."

"But...?"

It would have been a little bit nice to know you were wanted...or even missed...he probably didn't even notice me leaving...though he were pissed at first..but then forgot me...you don't even know what day is today.

"There is no but! I am happy with how things are." Ice challenges him with a glaring look.

"Really...?" Den grins mischievously.

"Yes...and if you don't stop teasing me...I will tell Nor."

"He would probably join in."

"He would not! He's on my side."

I hope...

Den laughs. "Ah, do you remember the laws of standing in 1871?" Den asks as casually as if he is asking about the weather.

Where did that come from? Does he maybe remember what this day really means?

Ice checks for any signs from Den to see if he is joking. There is no such signs.

"When you asked me to become inseparable part of you forever? And you were going to pay me for it and the amount was going to get lower each year? Yes, of course I remember that travesty."

I can still remember the humiliation when Den showed me that paper.

"No, are you nuts!?"

And Den just shrugged his shoulders and gave me my first constitution instead…well actually three years later.

"I was wondering, have you ever wondered, what would have happened if you said yes, back then?" Den leans over the table.

"Yes...? Why would I have said yes?" Ice looks frightened over his shoulder as is he is expecting people to be listening in.

My people would have hated me...no I mean I wouldn't have forgiven myself.

"Just a thought. Where would we be today?"

"Probably speaking Danish...I don't know. I don't want to know."

Can we please talk about something else...

"You know Danish." Den says matter-of-factly.

I am not very good at it. Den always makes fun of my accent. But I am trying my best! As revenge I make fun of his English accent, that literally sound like the Danish one. Hah, suits him right...and also make fun of the Danish accent. Maybe it's a little childish, but well all make fun of each other accents..though I don't have any..hahahahah. Nothing to make fun of in that department!

"Yes, but you would force me to speak it. That would be the difference."

"Did I ever force you to speak it in the past?"

When I think about it...I managed to keep my own language. Is it imagination or is Den more...forceful today?
"Well..um...no...but you have forced all the others. I mean even Nor had to..." Ice's hands starts shaking. Sometimes I think the broke up their union because of that or maybe it was because of the numeric system...where is this conversation heading?

"But you are special."

Ice's hands stops shaking. He looks deep into Den's blue eyes. Not an inch of untruth is to be found there. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Special...what's he talking about? I know I am very different from my brothers but...that's because I am so far away. Though Nor sometimes act like I am some little clone of him...

"I am saying, why do you think I even suggested the Laws of standing in the first place?" Den crosses his arms and has the look of a teacher, about to scold a student for not paying enough attention.

"Ummm...didn't you also do that with your other colonies?" Ice starts sweating. He did, didn't he? For some reason his only wish he could get away. He doesn't like to be cornered like this.

Den shakes his head. "No...I did not."

"Umm...okay...that's weird...I guess..." Ice feels the walls are closing in, it's getting hard to breath. Everything feels so unreal.

"Don't you see? I want to protect you." Den leans over the table, with his nose inches away from Ice's.

"Why are you using present tense? You are getting awfully close..."

Den pinches his cheek. "You are so small."

Ice bats his hands away. "Well, thank you...for reminding me...once again..."

Why on earth did I agree to us drinking together? I am have enough to think about.

Den grabs his shoulder and drags him closer. "But you still manage to fight the bigger nations, you don't even have a army."

I sure could use and army right now...

Ice's struggles in his strong hold. "I don't know what you are talking about...you must be drunk." Let me go...!

"Yes...drunk on...love." His lips meets Ice in a passionate kiss.

Ice wakes up screaming. He pants and looks around in every direction. He must have passed out. People stare at him but Ice bats their worries away.

What the hell was I dreaming? His heart is still pounding in his chest. I must get out of here before he shows up...

"Nej, hej, Ice."

Ice stiffens. He doesn't dare turn around to the joyful voice.

Oh, no. How will I be able to look him in the eye?

"What's wrong? You look so forlorn? Who were this people?"

This is directly from the dream!

Ice turns towards Den without looking him in the eyes."No one."

"Funny, I thought it was Scotland and Catalonia…" Den takes his seat.

"Then why did you ask, if you already knew!?" Ice shouts at him but Den only smiles teasingly and ruffles his hair. "My, are you grumpy today. Did you not get bottle fed?"

"I am not that small!" Ice bats his hands away.

Den grins. "Slap dog af, I am just teasing you. But seriously what's wrong? You look like you have seen a ghost? I thought they were common occurrences in your country!"

"Very funny..."

"Have you eaten enough today. You look whiter than usual. We are in restaurant you know, I can order if you want..." Den looks for a waitress.

"I'm fine."

"Are you not going to tell your big brother what's wrong?"

"No."

"Okay, have it your way. But it always helps to get things of your chest."

Not this one!

"I will buy you some more beer, if you share."

Ice is intrigued. Its not every day he gets a free beer.

How will he react if I tell him about the dream? Am I nuts? I can't tell him the dream! But the free beer...

Ice looks at his empty glass. I could really use another one...but I don't have any money...why did I even start drinking before he got here? What was I thinking? Oh, yeah it was because of the interviewers. I had a drink with them...

Ice looks at Den who looks at him curiously. But what if I tell him the dream but hide the fact the dream was about him Then I would get his off my chest, out in the open and the dream will be forgotten forever.

"Okay..."

Den smiles and order two more beers for them.

Ice doesn't start this tale till the beer is in front of him. He clutches his shaking hands around it.

Why did I agree to this? I better get this over with...

"I had...a...dream..."

"You mean have."

"Huh?"

"Aren't you quoting Martin Luther King's speech? I have a dream that one day.."

"NO! Stop interrupting."

Den shut ups and looks surprised.

"Did you not sleep enough? What was this a nightmare?"

"Yes..."

Sort of...I don't know!

"Shouldn't you tell Nor about it?"

Why on earth should I tell my overprotective brother that I had a dream about...you... He would freak out...or something...I am not sure, how he would react. Maybe he would just laugh at me.

"No, there is no need for that. No..I dreamt about a volcano."

Den lifts one eyebrow.

"Volcano? Okay, so it must have been a nightmare."

"Sort of...it happens this volcano used to...own me, so to speak."

"Sound weird. Was it something kinky?"

How can something kinky be related to volcanoes out of everything?

"Umm...no."

"You hesitated. I knew it! You have volcano fetish!"

"What is volcano fetish? And no I don't. Can I please continue?"

"Go ahead." Den snickers.

I shouldn't have picked volcanoes...I thought it would make it less obvious...but now it just sounds stupid.

"Umm...so you see...I...umm..talked to the volcano."

Den laughs. "This keeps getting better. Are you sure you don't want to share this with Nor? No, he will probably send you to a shrink. I wonder what volcanoes mean in dreamology? Freud must have written about something like this. I will be disappointed if he hasn't."

"Will you please...shut up...while I finish my story?"

Den shrugs.

"Where was I?...Oh yeah and the volcano was babbling about something...yeah that if I wanted I could come back...blablablab...laws of standing." Ice covers his mouth.

Shiiit...

Den is suddenly all ears. His grins vanishes and gets replaced by a grim look."What was that?"

"Nothing...I mispelled I mean..I...ugh...why I am even bother telling you this?" Ice stands up but Den grasps his hand.

"Go on, I want to hear the rest of the story. Sit down." Den suddenly really seems to be interested in the story; a fiery determination is in his blue eyes while Ice only wants to crawl into a big hole.

"No, it's over. The dream wasn't longer than this. Sorry, that I was wasting your time."

"Sit down."

Ice is shocked when he hears the authoritative tone in Den's voice and doesn't dare to disobey.

"Umm...I don't know where I was?"

"Laws of standing."

Shiit! He heard!

"I am really curious to hear what the volcano said next." Den crosses his arms and furrows his brows.

He can't possibly know? Can he?

"So basically I was asking you come back? Is that it?"

Fuck!

"Who ever said it were you?"

"Come on. Don't patronize me."

Den all of sudden seemed to change from his careful attitude to someone stricter.

"Okay...umm...you..."

Why do I alway end up in akward situations like this?

"I am waiting." Den says without any room for argument.

Ice takes a deep breath and then says as fast as humanly possible:"YousaidsomethingalongthelinesthatIwastheonlycolonythatwasgiventhistreatmentsinceyouwantedtoprotectmenandthenwekissed."

"Please speak slower."

No way.

"Ice, you can do this. One word at time. You know how to speak, don't you?"

Ice shakes his head.

"You don't know how to speak?"

"Yes! I mean no! Mean yes...no...but I don't want to repeat his...it's too embarrassing..."

"So what, we kissed in a dream?"

Ice literally turned three shades of red. He wants to sink into the wooden surface of the table.

"It was only a dream wasn't it? What's the big deal?"

Ice gets dry in his mouth.

Yeah, true. Why am I getting so worked up over it? It was only a dream...right?

"Unless..there is some kind of deeper meaning in this dream. You know how your subconscious works in a dream? Does that mean...that you like me...after all?" Den's mischievous grin is back.

"NO! It was just some stupid dream, that's all. Leave me alone." Ice storms away and can barely hear how Den shouts after him:"Ice, don't be such a dramaqueen! Let's talk about this like adults."

But Ice's only answer is the slamming of the door behind him.

Ice lies in his bed and stares into the ceiling. Why did I have to tell him about the dream? My master plan about hiding his role in it, all went down the drain. How can I be this rotten unlucky?

Mr. Puffin had not been happy when he came home and smelled alcohol on his breath and he had been even more pissed when he found out he had driven home. He had taken his phone and threatened to call Nor till Ice promised to never do something so stupid again and confiscated his car keys. Afterwards Mr. Puffin had started dinner even though Ice said he wasn't hungry. Poor Mr. Puffin had taken cooking lessons when he saw how his master was not eating enough and now he cooked like a pro. But cooking wasn't the only thing Mr. Puffin took care of in the household. He practically took care of everything and if Ice let him, Mr. Puffin could very easily take charge of the country. Maybe I should, I am way over my head in this...mess... not to mention my newest stunt...

Ice hits the wall and at the same time his phone rings on the bedside table.

So I feed you my love

feed you my love

So I feed you my love

Ice jumps up from the creepy song. The hell..Nor must have changed my cell phone ringing again. I can never understand his creepy...black humor. It used to be I am in love with a fairy tail. I have to find a better password for my phone. What does he want anyway? Did Mr. Puffin call him after all? Not Den, he wouldn't rat me out...would he? Ice scoots of the bed and stares at his phone in dread. I am in no mood to talk to him, but if I don't pick up, he will get on the next plane to check up on me...I can't have that. He always treats me, like I am some little kid...

"Hello..." Ice says tentatively after answering. Pretty please, no more scolding…

"What's going on between you and Den?" Nor says without even a hello.

Ice is frozen stiff. How does he know? Since when, was he psychic? Or did Den tell him? Why should he?

"If you are wondering, Den told me you two were drinking together."

The hell! But phew, he was talking about that, not the dream...but why would he spoil our secret?

"Or rather he told me by accident."

Probably went something like this: "Hej, Nor. Me and Ice were drinking together and...oops...And Nor going ballistic: "He did what!?"

"And you even had more than one drink! How many times have I told you it's not healthy for you? It ruins your brain, your nerve system and your growth. You should wait few more years..."

Few more years? I have waited for more than hundred years...

Ice closes his eyes for the rest of the scolding.

"...and you better not be picking any more bad habits from Den, like smoking. You know I nearly had heart attack when I saw your name at the top of the countries smoking marijuana."

"That news was fake..."

And you already scolded me for it...

"Yes, but you still smoke more than me, Den or Swe. That's got to stop."

Then you just have to smoke more than me.

"Yeah, yeah. You say am not old enough for these things, but you are still giving me machine guns for Christmas."

I found them by accident in custom. From Nor to Ice.

"That's different. I trust you to be responsible when handling those and they are only for your protection. You better not started playing around with them and don't you dare drink before using them or smoking marijuana..."

How old does he think I am? Besides he only gave me those since he was upgrading his own.

"Where was I? Oh, the real reason I called. Den told me about your dream."

No, way!

Ice jumps from the bed. But his embarrassment is soon replaced with burning anger.

"So, what? I am not allowed to dream any more? Is that what you are saying?"

"Drop the attitude, young man."

Ice gulps audibly.

"I am just trying to help." Nor says in a soothing voice. "Why are you dreaming about giving up your independence? Is something wrong? Is there anything I can help with?"

"What! The dream wasn't about that!" Ice looks aghast at his phone though Nor can't see his face.

"Then what?"

"Umm..."

I have no idea. But it's just like my brother to worry about small things like a silly dream. And besides it only because of the significance of the day, nothing more.

"So what you are saying is, your dream was all about you kissing Den? Is that it?" Nor's voice is dripping with an ice-cold sarcasm.

"Yes...what no. And he kissed first...I mean he attacked me..."

Ice hurriedly corrects himself when he hears an angry breathing on the line. " In the dream...It was just a dream, can't we let this go?" Ice sits down on the bed and runs a hand through his hair.

Please, why can't you just all leave me alone? I haven't been this confused since I lost my sovereignty papers...thankfully I found them...thirty years later... I can still hear Nor's scolding from back then about getting my things in order once and for all...It's ninety six years since this happened, maybe that's why this day has been so strange.

Nor exhales tiredly on the other line. "I worry about you. First, you want to be the 22nd county of mine and now this."

"The County party is a joke...nothing more."

Nor will never get over it was a joke from my people. He keeps bringing it up...

"Does it have anything to do with what day it is today?" Nor asks worried.

It takes a while for Ice's tired brain to register what Nor just said. The shock jolts him wide awake.

"You remembered!"

"Of course I do, it's partially your birthday." Nor says hurt.

It once was but later it was replaced with 17th June.

"I am sorry I am not giving you any presents." Nor says shamefully.

"No need." Ice can feel a whole weight lifts from his shoulders. Why this day was so important again all of sudden, baffled him. Maybe just because it was a huge step on his road to independence.

"So you are happy with being independent?" Nor ask after some silence.

"Yes, why are you asking me this after seventy years? And ask you in return, are you happy?"

"Yes..." Nor says unconvincingly, but hurriedly adds:"But don't you ever get lonely? Just say the word and I will be there.."

"No, thanks. I am fine on mine own."

I think...yes I must handle this on my own.

"Okay, if you ever need anything...I can always take you up on the offer and make you one of my counties."

What's up with my brothers today and asking me to come back? Though…well Den only asked me in this stupid dream…

"I will consider it. Bye." Ice hangs up. Oops...I hang up before he...

The phone rings.

"So I feed you my..."

"Hello?"

"Don't...you dare...hang...up...on me." Nor says through clenched teeth.

"Sorry..."

Ice says goodbye correctly this time.

The doorbell rings as soon as Ice puts down his phone and crawls back into bed.

What now!

"ICE, THE DOOR." Mr. Puffin yells from downstairs. "I AM BUSY MAKING DINNER!"

I said I wanted nothing to eat, but did my pet listen? No one listens to me.

Ice grumbles and gets out of bed.

"Coming!"

Not a single minute of peace...

"Den?"

As if this day hadn't been bizarre enough, Ice is a little surprised to see Den on the other side of the door. The storm keeps getting worse and Den is soaked to the bone and shivering. His bicycle is parked next to his car.

Ice has a half a mind to slam the door right into his face, but as Den would probably rat him out to Nor, Ice decides against it. Besides the dream was not Den's fault...was it?

"I just wanted to know if Nor had called you." Den peeks through the door frame.

Ice opens up for him. "Of course he did," Ice finds a towel and hands it to Den. "Probably the second you finished your talk with him. Why did you tell him about my drinking...I mean about the dream, it was a dream!" Ice yells.

Den finished drying his hair. "Then why did you tell me about it?"

"Huh, what do you mean?"

Den hands him the towel. "You could have left it all together, but for some reason you had to tell me. Why? What's bothering you?" Den advances at him.

Ice jumps backwards into his living room.

"Nothing is! Will you two stop being such worry warts. Don't you have better things to, than to analyse one stupid dream of mine?" Ice falls back into his sofa.

"I haven't told you the full story." Den's face is awfully close to his.

"Huh, what story?"

Den takes a seat next to him. He looks down at his hands in the same manner as shy school-girl would. "Why this dream interest me so much."

"Umm...aren't you just researching dreams or something? A new hobby?" Ice stands up from the couch and walks to an armchair on the other side of the room.

Ice can almost hear the shaking of Den's head. "No, I am interested..." Den gulps. "Because...I had the same one."

Ice makes a little pirouette in the air. "What!?" And then everything goes dark.

"Ice, wake up. Ice!"

It takes a while for Ice to remember where he is. He lays in his sofa and stares into the worried eyes of Den.

"What happened?" Ice asks in a weary voice.

"You passed out. Have you eaten enough today?" Den put his hand over his forehead to measure his temperature.

No...do really not think your story justifies a passing out?

"HE HASN'T EATEN ANYTHING TODAY!" Mr. Puffin yells from the kitchen.

"Ice, that's not good. You have to take good care of your health." Den helps him sit up as carefully as if he is made of glass and puts a pillow at his head.

"Will you two..."

Mr. Puffin comes out from the kitchen, with an apron on and puts a steaming hot plate of lamb chops in front of him on the sofa table.

"Three stop fussing over me." Ice waits for Mr. Puffin to go back into the kitchen to fetch the rest of the dishes. He whispers to Den: "What was this about you having the same dream? Did you tell Nor?"

Den looks at him with the look, are you mad? "No, of course not. He would kill me. It's okay for you to dream like this, but when I do he will probably take it too literally...he wasn't very happy when I told him about your dream in the first place."

Den starts chomping up his lamb, but Ice shakes his head and takes the fork and knife from him. "But isn't just a coincidence. It doesn't mean anything..." Ice cuts a small piece of the lamb and stares at it with his fork. I hope...

"That's what I want to figure out. Why did we both have this dream, the same night." Den whispers when Mr. Puffin comes back with more potatoes and greens. He gives Den the gestures to help himself before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Actually I had it right before you walked into the bar...and it must have something to do with what day it is today...it all fits...though I have never dreamed anything like that not even on this day! But what about Den? Has he...ever?

"What did you think about the dream when you dreamt it...?" Ice puts the fork on the disk untouched, not a single bit of appetite exist with him.

"EAT!" Mr. Puffin yells from the kitchen when the fork meets the plate and Ice doesn't dare disobey and forces himself to chew, though that task is very easy considering the meat is tender and soft.

"Well..." Ice looks at Den who has started eating as well.

"Well, what?"

"What...did you think about the dream...?" Ice asks as if he is anxiously waiting for a review for something he did.

"It thought it was stupid..." Den says without looking at Ice and takes another bite.

"Hey...!" Well it's true it was nothing but a stupid dream yet why does it hurt so much when he says it?

All appetite disappear again. Ice looks in dread at the meat on this plate and pushes it away.

Den looks at Ice and the nearly untouched meat. He nods at it with the meaning of, eat. Ice only shakes his head and leans further into the couch.

"For your information, I didn't think about the dream till you told me yours, that is to say when I figured out it was the same dream. The volcano cover up was a total failure." Den picks up the plate and puts it in Ice's lap.

"Spis."

Yes..I know...it was a total failure... Ice doesn't understand why he is so bummed out by everything. He feels as if he is at the lowest of the low. Man, I really must need some sleep.

He rubs his face, hoping to get rid of some of his tiredness. It doesn't work. Ice lays back under the blanket and turns on his side, away from Den.

"Did you plan on telling me your dream?" Ice mutters not expecting Den to hear a single word.

"No. It was just a dream, till I heard you had the same." Den answers surprised by the question. "But then I remembered what day it is and well, it's probably linked in some way."

"You remembered what day it is." Ice whispers to no one but himself.

"Yes, of course. It was a big step for you...towards..you..know." Den suddenly doesn't seem to be able to say independence, as it was a dirty word something not to be said carelessly.

"What...did..you...experience in the dream?" Ice continues with his muttering, though he isn't even sure why he is asking or what the question really entails. Maybe he is just finding a way to fill up the silence within.

"Experience?" Den is quiet for the moment till he finally answers. "Well...I must admit I kinda liked it."

"LIKED IT!?" Ice flings of his blanket so it falls dramatically to the ground.

Den grins widely and nods. "Yes. It was fun watching you covering like a little mouse and you are great kisser...at least in a dream..should we try it out in real life too?" Den picks up the blanket and wraps Ice tightly in it, in the same manner as spider would to do a fly in a web. He leans closer to him. His lips are only inches away from trapped Ice.

It mirrors the same scene from the dream. Any minute now and their lips will meet and it not only just have happened in a dream...but wasn't this was Ice was after the whole time? Or why did he pester Den so much about the dream? Wasn't that the reason all this happened in the first place? This dream talk?

"DENMARK! Stop this!" Ice yells in a panic.

Den stops instantly, laughs, hugs him and ruffles his hair. "You are so much fun to tease!"

"What do you mean?" Ice asks, unwraps himself from the blanket and fixes his hair.

"I was lying. I didn't have the same dream." Den stands up from the couch.

"You...didn't?"

Den shakes his head. "No, but it was worth seeing the look on your face." He grins.

"Den..."

"You sound disappointed." Den says in a surprised voice.

"I am not." Ice pouts.

Den leans toward him and ruffles newly fixed hair. "You are too cute. I could just eat you up..with a teaspoon. You are that small. A small scoop of ice cream."

"Will...you stop...it...I need to have some time alone." Ice crawls further into the blanket, as if it is a cave, save from every intrusion.

"Okay, I might have overdone it. Vi ses." Den waves goodbye.

He stops in the doorframe. "One more thing, Ice."

Ice looks slowly towards him.

"I wasn't lying about the dream." Den closes the door and leaves Ice behind, shell-shocked.

"WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?" Mr. Puffin asks.

Ice says nothing and stares blankly forward.

The end.

Historical facts and others fact.

On 1 December 1918 Iceland became a sovereign state, the Kingdom of Iceland, sharing only a monarch with Denmark. Twenty-six years later, in 1944, as another war raged in Europe and Denmark was under German occupation, the modern Icelandic republic was founded, marking the end of seven centuries of foreign rule.

And yes Ice did in reality lose this important document (a historian spoke about it in the news) but it was found thirty years later...

Laws of standing. (Stöðulögin.) Yes, Den did actually try to make Ice an inseparable part of him in 1871 and as a compensation was going to pay him 500 rigisdale (ríkisdali) each year and the amount was going to get lower, but Ice, who was in the middle of fighting for his independence, of course refused. Instead, he gave Iceland his first constitute. The laws are kinda sad in a Hetalia contest. How desperate were you, to not lose what was left of your family, Den? Though of course, he always has The Faroes and Greenland left...who hates him, at least Greenland does.

Machine guns - Norway gave Ice some machine guns and the media (who is paying) and the people (we don't need guns, we are a peaceful country!) couldn't get over it and eventually they were returned to Norway. Even though it was not the first time they gave us guns and one day they were found in custom, since no-one had paid for them yet. I couldn't help thinking about Hetalia Nor as being way overprotective by giving Hetalia Ice some guns. So it has become a running gag in my fanfiction.

Marijuna - For a brief moment Iceland was on the top of the countries who smoked most marijuna. Which is of course rubbish (though I can understand people being thrown off in calculations by how little we are) but apparently we smoke more than the Scandinavian countries.

Volcano - The volcano is still erupting in Iceland, spitting sulphuric in the air in sometime deadly amount so our weather reports, also reports where the ash is heading according to the wind. And we are crossing fingers that our biggest ,,volcano" doesn't erupt though everything point to it not a question about if but when...

Accent - Ice always makes fun of how the Danes talks English with their thick Danish accent (actually I think it's cute) but just this other day Denmark was among the best countries in the world to speak English. Iceland didn't even make the list...

Two of Norway's Eurovision songs, I am in love with a fairy tale (2009 winning song) and Feed you my love (2013). Two of my personal favorites.

Storm alert. - Bonus trivia. As I was laying the finishing touches on the one shot, a raging storm has been going on outside. A storm alert is for the whole country, you can't even get to your car without being soaking wet.

Not cats were harmed in this chapter. - The flying cat in the storm is merely fiction... and I am a cat person (own a cat, but I love all animals) so I would never harm a cat...

Translation.

Icelandic - Ekki séns í helviti. Not a chance in hell.

Danish.

Nej, hej - No, hi.

Slap dog af - Relax.

Spis - Eat.

Vis ses - See you. (we will see each other)