Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia

Okay, so I know that I probably should be working on my other story or studying for test next week, but since reading about licorice in one of my botany books I simply had to do something with it. I also know that this story was technically just a one-shot, but since it was also about licorice I decided to add to it. Anyways, enjoy~

"Hello, Norway? You're not in a bad mood right now are you?" Denmark asked with a hint of anxiety. That was what Norway heard as he picked up the phone, instantly ruining whatever mood he was in before. After all, if Denmark was calling to ask something like that then something obviously must have happened which would anger him.

"What did you do this time?" Norway asked with a slight sigh, preparing himself for the worse.

"I didn't do anything, I swear! I was simply visiting with Iceland when he started acting weird and now we're at the hospital and he's been takin' in," Denmark answered.

"What do you mean 'takin' in'? What happened and what aren't you telling me," Norway asked, obviously not pleased to learn that his younger brother was hospitalized for who knows what.

"It's just like I told you, I don't know. The doctors are still running some tests to see what's wrong with him, so I thought I'd call you and tell you," Denmark responded defensively; knowing all too well that something like this would happen when he decided to call Norway.

"Alright, fine. Which hospital are you at and I'll meet you there," Norway ordered, only to hang up and leave upon having the address given to him.

In what felt like far too long for his taste, Norway finally appeared at the hospital and followed his intuition as to where his brothers would be. His feelings were correct, and after a few minutes of walking he found himself at the room Iceland and Denmark.

"You didn't need to call him," Iceland hissed at Denmark as Norway walked over to Iceland and asked if he was alright.

"I'm fine," was all Iceland said with a pout, causing the now relieved Denmark to start laughing.

"What is so funny?" Norway asked with a glare to the older nation, causing Denmark to suddenly stop. Norway then continued, "Did they ever find out what was wrong."

"Ya, just a little while ago when they saw that Ice smuggled in a box of his of home made licorice," Denmark answered with a smile upon remembering. Norway simply stared at them blankly until Denmark continued, "I just still can't believe it. I mean, being addicted to a type of candy to the point where it puts you in the hospital. That sounds like something a kid would do! And here I thought you were a big, grown-upy teen, Ice?"

"Licorice? Norway asked, also finding it hard to believe that this whole event was caused by some kind of candy.

"Ya, apparently if you have too much licorice plant or in my case the old-style licorice for a long time it can cause health problems. So that crazy doctor said I'm not allowed to have any more until things get under control," Iceland answered, still obviously upset about having his favorite treat taken from him.

"You know, this would have never happened if you simply gave me your candy when you were little. And I mean the good stuff, not that crap that Nor tricked me with," Denmark remarked, only to earn more glares from the other two.

"I suppose this was only going to happen if you didn't have it in moderation. I guess there's nothing left to do then follow your doctor's advice and stop eating licorice," Norway concluded, causing Iceland to glare even harder at his brother.

"Easy for you to say now! I remember when I was really little you practically forced the stuff down my throat! And you only now think that maybe I shouldn't eat it. This is your fault," Iceland complained, only to then fall back onto the bed as the blood pressure line on the monitor connected to him went crazy.

"It was a common medicine back then. Even so, if I were you I would stop eating so much of it, before other effects start to show up better," Norway casually countered.

"What other effects?" Denmark asked.

"Well, if past studies are correct, Iceland's constant eating old-style licorice may have something to do with why some of the others think he looks like a girl," answered Norway.

"What?! People don't think I look like a girl. I'm still growing out, that's all," Iceland began loudly, only to quickly grow quiet as he became embarrassed.

"Norway, what are you getting at?" Denmark asked slightly confused. He knew that some people had mentioned something about Iceland looking a little feminine in the past, but it seemed like quite the leap to assume that it was because of some plant's chemicals.

Norway ignore Denmark's comment and instead answered Iceland, "That's right, Iceland, you are still growing out due to puberty; a time when you're body is susceptible to hormones. So what do you think would happen if I told you that by eating licorice you were actually telling your body to make girl hormones?"

Both Iceland and Denmark paled at this, only for Denmark to quickly recover and rush to Iceland while saying, "Okay Ice, I know that I can't really stop you if eating yourself to some in-between thing is what you really want. I just want to make sure you know that while I'll probably laugh about it with the other nations I will still care about you and if any of them try anything on you I'll be sure to join Nor in beating them to a pulp."

"I-I'm not going to turn into a girl! That's just crazy, Nor's probably just making things up," Iceland protested as a nurse came in with the discharge papers.

"Am I? In any case, I think I'll stay over for the night," Norway commented as he watched Iceland fill out the paperwork and shrug on his jacket.

With this done the three of them went back to Iceland's house for the rest of the day, only for their lives to more or less go back to normal the next day. Iceland did try to stop with the large amount of licorice consumption after this, and was even able to go a couple days without a single stick; only to eventually cave in and reopen one of his special boxed later that week. Even so, he still made sure to limit his intake; just in case what Norway was saying was true.

So for some licorice facts to help explain some of this:

The plant wild licorice (Glycyrrhiza) has been studied with other cough suppressing chemicals and has found to be just as good at it as the stuff they put in commercial cough medicine. Along with this, some Native Americans used to use the plant to treat cold/flu symptoms, earaches, and toothaches; however for each treatment you would need to use a different part of the plant. When taken over a long time, the chemicals can cause the body to excrete potassium and hold in sodium, causing water bloating and high blood pressure and occasionally leadinging hospitalization. For the 'licorice turning Ice into a girl' part; that was probably a little extreme on my part, but the plant can stimulate higher levels of estrogen and andrenocorticosteroids; stuff that a male body does technically make but in very small amounts.

Also there have been studies in amphibians and reptiles where if they were given too much estrogen the males will actually start to grow girl parts (not that Iceland is a frog or reptile XD). Also thought that it would be a funny way for Norway to scare Iceland off licorice for a little bit XD.

Anyways, as always please review~