Title: Sandcastles
Author: bubbleteadesu
Characters/Pairing: England, Seychelles (England/Seychelles, if you squint)
Rating: K+
Summary: A day at the beach.
Warning: none
AN: written for the rare pair event at tumblr. prompt was accomplishing something together
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

"For an island, don't you think it's a shame you don't know how to swim?"

There is surprisingly no teasing in Seychelles' voice, no mockery in her big brown eyes, staring up intently at England. Only genuine curiosity, maybe disbelief. He turns away, pretends to be engrossed instead with his feet and the gentle waves licking them.

"There's no need to. I've always believed my ships would never sink," he huffs back, though there is a small smile dancing on the corners of his lips.

She laughs at this, a full musical laugh—he hadn't thought her small figure could hold such a huge sound. "That's no excuse," she tells him, laughter still at the corners of her mouth. "What will we do on the beach then?"

So they content themselves with building a sandcastle. He rolls up his sleeves and his trousers and kneels beside her as she pats down sand, forms towers and moats. Soon his hands, her white sundress and their faces are streaked with wet sand and sea water. But there is a sandcastle in front of them, and the sun sparkling in Seychelles' eyes, and England finds himself grinning brightly at her.

Seychelles stands up and tugs at England's arm. "Take a picture of us, before the waves eat up our castle."

Our castle. England notes good-humoredly. He stands up and pulls out his camera phone. Seychelles stands in front of the castle—their castle—the sunset coloring her white sundress in pretty oranges and pinks, her dark brown curls falling over her face as she flashes a huge smile, showing a peace sign to the camera.

A few moments later, their castle dissolves into a heap of wet sand but the picture is still in England's phone, proof of its short existence. Seychelles peers over England's shoulder as he looks at it.

"Don't delete that, alright?" Seychelles teases him.

England pretends to frown. "What makes you think I won't? I'll delete it on the way home."

(But he conveniently forgets to do so for a long long while.)

end