Sinful Nostalgia | Hetalia

6 || We All Love Puppy Love

"Julchen, I told you five times to stop that!"

"But it's too obvious! Kesese, you're in LOVE!"

"I only met him three silly times, you fool!"

"Love doesn't have a time limit!"

I sigh exasperatedly, resisting the urge the slam down my hand on the wooden table. Julchen will not shut up once she gets started, which makes me angry. "Why don't you go do something in the town or whatever. I have some cleaning to do." Cleaning while alone seemed to be one thing that easily calmed me.

"Pfft, yeah, I guess I'll go like, call Anneliese or something," she grumbles, sticking her tongue out at me and whipping out her Prussian-blue phone.

"Uhm, Julchen?" She looks at me expectantly, and I shake my head a bit. "Annaliese hates you, remember?"

"She does not!" Julchen insists, whipping the phone up to her ear as the rings came through. "Me and Anneliese are like peanut butter and jelly, yes? Yes!"

Anneliese Edelstein was a childhood... rival, I guess. Anneliese was actually a part of the exchange program that Julchen and I were accepted into. Julchen and Anneliese would always fight over who was the legitimate lover of this Hungarian boy, Daniel, who I believe was also a part of the program. Since then, everything is a competition and the two are always fighting. I guess Julchen is really, really bored to have called up Anneliese.

"Oh, Anneliese, darling!" Julchen shouts into the phone. "Long time, no talk, yes?"

I could practically hear the Austrian's annoyance on the other line. "Yes, and I was just beginning to enjoy it," I heard her grumble through the static on the other side of the phone. How loud is Julchen's volume? Idiot girl.

"Well, you are about to enjoy some AWESOME time with your good ol' friend, Julia Bielschmidt!" Julchen bellows in a preppy voice. "What do you say, hmmm?" Julchen stops for a second. "Hello? Anneliese? Helllooo?"

"She hung up." I was holding back laughter. Julchen sighs dramatically, throwing her phone on the floor. I sigh at her ways. "You won't have a phone if you do that, Julchen," I remind her. She dives for it, shoving it in her pocket with a sullen expression.

"Well sorry if I don't have any friends," she grumbles. "But sis... do you want to hang out with me today?" She looks at me with wide, pleading crimson eyes, batting her long lashes, even going so far as to set her hands on my shoulders and almost pull me down. I was getting a bit flustered at the sudden contact.

"I-I hang out with you every day!" I point out, in which Julchen stands up and sets her hands on her hips. She narrows her eyes at me, and I raise one eyebrow questioningly. She looks like she's about ready to win a political debate.

"You don't do anything fun with me, though!" She pouts a bit, casting her eyes downwards but still having her eyebrows knitted close in a scowl. "You clean, work, sleep, REPEAT! We can throw in Mr. Curly Italian, and you run off, too! Please, just today, please do something fun with me?" She throws herself at my feet, grabbing my foot and kicking her legs up and down. "Please please please please please please please!"

"Okay, okay fine!" Of course, I eventually give in. Not only did she prove a good point, but she also said the word please. Multiple times. That was priceless. "We need to get dressed, then we can take a walk downtown, alright?"

"Goody!" Julchen shoots off the floor and rushes to her room, shutting the door tightly. I shake my head, making my way to my room. Sometimes, I forget that Julchen is three years older than me.

*** 

About ten minutes later, we were dressed and walking down the streets. We would've taken longer, had Julchen not pushed me out the door after getting dressed in two seconds. She gawks at the city we lived in, as if she's never seen it before. We were almost to the enormous outlet strip.

"It's so pretty!" Julchen squeals happily, running around to look at various things. I felt like I was trying to watch an overly-hyperactive pet. Speaking of pets, the shop she chose to stop in front of was a pet shop. "Sis, lets go in there!"

I think for a moment, wondering why we would go in a pet shop for fun. But then, all the dogs come into mind... I can't refuse, but I also can't let Julchen know of my soft spot for puppies. "I guess so," I reply gruffly. Julchen grabs my hand, and pulls me inside, catching me off guard. It smelt of wet fur and mold.

"Hello, and welcome to Freddy's Pet Shop!" the clerk waves.

I give him a curt nod in reply, then look at Julchen. Only problem... she wasn't there. I sigh, assuming that she'd just ran off somewhere or something like that. I proceed down the aisles of the pet shop, looking for the dogs automatically. I couldn't help myself! I've always loved dogs.

And at last, after aisles of other animals (fish, cats, birds, etc.), I finally found what I was looking for. The dog pen. It was full of wide eyed puppies who practically beamed up at me with their canine teeth. I melt as soon as my eyes lay upon them. They're too cute!

Kneeling down so I could see eye level with them, they all crowded at the bars. I giggle slightly, petting their sleek fur and allowing them to lick my hand. If only we could have dogs at my apartment... At least one of these sweet animals would have a home...

"Veh, Monica?"

I whip around, face turning bright red as I see Feliciano standing there. He looked puzzled, which made me blush even more. He caught me red handed loving these dogs, and that was sort of embarrassing. "Ah, Feliciano, I, uhm..." All I could do was stutter pathetically, as if I were caught doing a crime but still having the nerve to say I wasn't guilty. He kneels beside me with that jovial close-eyed smile.

"You really like dogs, don't you!" He laughs lightly as the dogs bark at the new visitor. All I can do is nod in shame, not making eye contact. "That's so cute!"

"Don't say such foolish things!" I defend myself, taken aback. "I-I am just a dog person. T-that's all." Feliciano doesn't buy my cover. It was too late. He knows I adore dogs.

"Well it looks like they love you, too," he beams, as the dogs nudge my hand to pet them some more. My heart melts even more as I slick back their smooth fur. It was nice to know that I'm loved by at least one living thing...

"You know," Feliciano begins, sounding less carefree and just a little, tiny titch more serious. It was subtle, but it was a difference. "This is the first time I've ever seen you so... soft." He returns to his original stature, beaming at me once more. "Just be you, Monica!" He gives me the peace-sign with his hands, and I stare at him blankly.

Do I really mind him as much as I'm forcing myself to? Is he really unbearably annoying? Is it... hard to be around him, as I made myself think? All this time, could I have been subconsciously pushing away the man who always smiled at me? Who always dropped by? Who even went so far as to call me... cute?

"Sis sis sis SIS- oh, Mr Curly Italian! Fancy seeing you here!" That could only mean that Julchen was rushing up to us. She looked at me, and I already knew that she wanted something. I sigh, standing up to see her, Feliciano following.

"So, Julchen, what do you want this time?"

"What, how could you POSSIBLY think I want something?!"

"Julchen..."

"Fine!" Julchen finally gives up. "Can I PLEASE get a birdy?!"