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

Chapter 14~! Part 2~!

I backed up until my lower back hit the table of refreshments, and France stalked forward.

"France, are you drunk?" I yelped, a familiar guarded feeling rising in the pit of my stomach. 'Damn drunkards!'

"Ohhonhonhon~ just a little tipsy, mon cher," he giggled. "I was ri~ght. You are a girl, ohhonhon~"

"No, I'm not!" I protested, suppressing the stutter threatening to appear in my voice. "Where'd you hear a name like Melina, anyway?"

"I overheard you -hic!- talking with Amerique on zhe floooor..." He laughed his laugh obnoxiously, like what he'd said was funny. I didn't get it, whatever he was laughing at.

"Uhm, France? I think you misheard him. H-He said Malcolm, and he was just being a good friend and making my first dance memorable," I explained, trying not to panic. "You shouldn't j-jump to conclusions like that, okay?"

"Non! I heard him right, you are un fille!" he shouted, making one or two heads turn our way.

I flinched and tried moving to the side to slip by; he didn't notice my shifting just yet. "F-France, I think you're really drunk. My name's Malcolm Middleton, got it?" I could feel my nager beginning to rise against my will.

France dropped his cup, spilling the contents in a blood-like puddle on the ground, as he took another step forward, getting uncomfortably close. I side-stepped a little more, unnoticed.

"Hmmmm... I think I'd like to find out the truth myself, ohhonhonhon~" he purred, sliding a hand up my cloaked arm. I wrenched it away from him and he gripped my upper arms forcefully, preventing me from running.

"Let go, you perv," I said angrily, but he smiled in a manner that might have been considered seductive, but it was a little lopsided. I blamed the alcohol.

A hand suddenly gripped mine, but it wasn't France's. France let go of me and had a look of confusion on his features.

"Where did you disappear to, ma cheri~?" he called in a pur, wandering off to look for me.

'What the hell?! I'm right here!' I thought, my gaze traveling down my arm to the hand that gripped mine tightly from under the table. It had bandages...

I crouched down and peered under the black tablecloth, having to lift it up to see who had saved me.

"M-Matthew!" I exclaimed softly, my voice seeming to be unable to go very loud. At all. Seriously, I was practically whispering.

"H-Hi, Melina," he said back just as quietly. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I-I'm f-fine," I said, stuttering even though I didn't feel like I should have been. "Wh-What j-just... happened?"

"I-I turned you i-invisible..." he answered, stunning me.

"... Wh-What?!" Yeah, I was barely louder than before. "Wh-Why am I stut-ttering?"

"O-Oh, sorry." He let go of my hand and crawled out from under the table, avoiding the red puddle France had left.

"What did you just do?" I asked curiously, my voice back to normal.

"I-I turned you invisible. If I focus really hard I can make other things and p-people disappear like me," he explained, leaving me wide-eyed.

"I think you deserve the superhero title," I said after a moment, smiling gratefully. "Thanks so much for that."

"I-I... No, it's okay, really," he said bashfully, blushing brightly. "I just saw France h-harrassing you and wasn't sure what else to do."

"It worked, though." I rubbed my arms, trying to get rid of the memory of France grabbing me there. "That stupid... Argh!" I put my face in my hands. "He heard America call me Melina and now he's gotta be sure that I'm a girl," I told Canada worriedly after lifting my head and looking at him.

His indigo eyes widened behind his glasses. "He did?! Well, what're we gonna do?"

I looked at him sadly. "I don't know, Mattie. I wish I did..."

He thought for a moment. "Well, if he was drunk then he may not remember anything. Your secret might still be safe in the morning."

I considered it and nodded. "I guess so. I hope so, more than you could ever know, honestly."

He said something low under his breath and I asked what he said. "It's n-nothing. Say, would you, umm... Care to dance? With me?"

I smiled. "Yeah, I'd love to. My date seems to be running late..." I winked at his confused look and took his hand, not turning invisible this time. We walked out to the dancefloor and got into position; one hand on my waist and the other holding mine, my free hand on his shoulder.

It was another slow song, the last one for the night. We went around automatically, not even bothering to see where we were going because there was no need. We talked and joked and smiled at each other the entire time, but near the end I leaned my head on his chest for a moment.

"Thank you for saving me," I said quietly, and he probably blushed bright crimson although I didn't look up.

"S-Sure, M-Melina," he stammered in a whisper just as the song hit its final note and died.

"Thanks for having us, dudes, and we'll see you at the next dance!"  the DJ said into his microphone before the lights came on and blinded us all. Canada and I separated and I rubbed my eyes, trying to get rid of the spots swimming in my vision.

"There you guys are!" America said as he ran over and slung an arm around each of us, pulling us into him like a kind of hug. "This was fun, right?"

I nodded with a grin. "The best."

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YEAH WOOOOO~!!!!! Another chapter!!! I'm sorry to you France fans for making him a complete jackass, I honestly don't have too much against the character.

Comment, vote, add, fan~!! ~^ ^~