What is... "Home?" (Hetalia Fanfic, W.A. '13 Finalist)

Chapter 61~!

"Come on," Matthew said while helping me walk around with my crutches. I got it down quickly and was soon going down the halls with skills.

"Way better than a wheelchair," I said to myself, looking at my burned leg and the white bandage encasing it. A few bandaids were stuck to my arms and a gauze pad was taped over the small burn on my right arm. Other than that, I was fine. Somehow my wig was still in place after all that shizz.

"Wheeeee~!" I said, speeding down the hallway as quickly as I could on my crutches, heading for the waiting room. "Come on, you slowpoke!"

~~~

"Okay, today was a little much," I stated as we opened the door to the hotel room we were sharing for the next few days. "Wait... Why is this room a single bed?"

"Because this was the only room they had left," Matthew said as he shut the door and went into the bathroom to begin scoping out our new living quarters. "It's fine, I'll take the couch."

"What? No way!" I protested strongly. "That's so sexist, I mean come on!"

"Melina, you're injured. Therefore it isn't sexist," he argued calmly.

"So? I don't have to take the bed," I insisted.

"Please just take the bed, Melina?"

"I don't wanna."

"Am I to believe it's the pain meds talking again?"

"Nooo..."

"Are you sure?"

"Noooo...?"

"I knew it."

"You knew nothing!"

Matthew rolled his eyes and took off his tie as he sat on the couch. "Now what to do about pajamas..."

I sat on the bed, defeated by exhaustion and loopy on pain medication, when an idea struck me. "Gimme your shirt?"

"Eh?" Matthew said. "My shirt? Why?"

"You'll see, just gimme!" I answered, standing and walking over to stand above him. "I'll rip it off you, y'know."

"Hmph. Troublesome girlfriend," he said lowly as he unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off. I snatched it away and sped into the bathroom, shutting the door. When I reemerged a moment later I had my dress balled up in a fist and the shirt on, which fell to my midthighs and the sleeves to my fingertips.

"Melina, what're you wearing?" Matthew asked, on the verge of stammering.

"Okay, I'm ready for bed! Oh, wait a second." I reentered the bathroom once more and glared at myself in the mirror, my gaze aimed at my faux hair. "Time to go away, Wiggy."

~~~

"Crap!" I yelped, sitting up in bed quickly and almost falling onto the floor. Matthew sat up from the couch and rubbed an eye while looking at me.

"What is it?"

"I almost forgot!" I said, bolting out of bed and hurrying over to my messenger bag (yes, the one that held all the cats and Isabella and the dogs) hanging from the back of a chair.

"H-Hey, be careful about your leg!" Matthew said warningly, but I paid it no heed. It didn't hurt, I was fine!

"Is it... Please be in here... Yes!" My hand closed around a bright red box with a bow on it and pulled it out, and I held it up triumphantly. "Victory is mine!"

"Shhh! Melina, you'll wake up other people!" Matthew whisper-yelled- oh wait, that was basically his normal voice. Heheh, looooopyyyyy~

"Sowwy," I said softly, putting a finger to my own lips and looking apologetic. "Come here, I almost forgot to give you your present, Mattie."

"Wha-?" he replied, standing from the couch and moving to sit on the edge of the bed. I jumped onto the bed and handed him the gift while he turned on the lamp. "What's this?"

"Do you really think I'm just gonna tell you? Open it, silly!" I said, shaking his arm for good measure.

He looked at the small tag dangling from the center of the bow; on the tag I'd drawn a Canadian flag to the best of my ability. Art class was really helping me with my drawing capabilities. "Heheh, that's pretty good, Melina." Matthew loosened the bow and lifted the box's lid while I childishly covered my eyes in mock embarrassment.

Inside were a few rows of chocolates that were artfully decorated, each one different. Twelve chocolates in all.

"Wow, these are amazing. Did you make them yourself?"

I shrugged a teensy bit, a light blush dusting my cheekbones. "I had some guidance from Kadi. Other than that, yeah."

"Ah. I'm going to eat one, since I don't think I can resist," he said, popping one with a red wavy line pattern into his mouth. "Yummm..."

Mattie held up one in front of me, and I struggled to go cross-eyed to see it. "You should have one, too, Melina."

"But I made them for you," I replied.

"Come on, eat it," he said persuasively, and I gave in, opening my mouth. He placed it on my tongue and I chewed, thinking 'I ate so many of these while making them...'

"Thank you, this was really thoughtful of you," Mattie said, kissing my cheek before rewrapping the candies and putting the box on the coffee table in front of the TV.

"You're welcome," I said, lightly touching the spot where he kissed me.

Just as he was about to turn out the light I grabbed his arm suddenly. "U-Um... It's really hard to sleep without Ko and Zip here, so... Umm... Would you...?"

He smiled. "Do you want me to sleep next to you for tonight?"

I nodded, my blush a little darker by then. "Please..."

"Okay, I'll help you fall back to sleep," he said, moving to lay down on the bed as I crawled back under the covers. "How does your leg feel?"

"Are you mad at me?" I blurted out.

He blinked a few times, surprised by the question. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because I didn't listen to you when you said not to go into the dorm building," I replied, half hiding my face under the blanket. "You told me not to go in there but I did. I figured you'd be mad at me for not listening to you."

He sighed and shook his head. "Melina, I can't stay mad at you for very long. You know that, right?" I nodded, and he continued. "Besides, I was more relieved than angry when I saw you made it out alive. The thing is, though, I felt more helpless than ever when I wasn't able to help you get out. I was scared- no, terrified was more like it- that you weren't gonna make it. So, I guess what I'm saying is-"

"Don't ever scare you like that again?" I offered at the same time he said, "Don't ever scare me like that again."

I laughed softly and so did he, which made my heart lift because I knew I'd been forgiven (A/N: Melina, you weren't in trouble... -_-''). We fell asleep there, me in his arms while he stroked my short hair with his thumb. And that night, I felt like I'd never have to worry about going anywhere I didn't want to go.