Magnet (Hetalia x Reader)

Conflict 6: Words

Far away from the bustling busy bodies of people, a figure stood in front of a certain shop that was hidden away from the majority of the public. A place that could only be found either by accident or when you really searched for it.

   A small, old bookstore. It was squeezed between a little café and a humble pet store, just a few miles outside the crowded streets of London.

   It was the perfect place to just disappear from the world and find beauty between the pages of a fine book. That was what Name told herself.

   She always found pleasure in reading. Words were like magic potions in her eyes; when given to special wizards called "writers" words could be combined to make something amazing. A spell that could leave you speechless or in tears, frowning or laughing, but mostly thinking and questioning everything you know. Books and words were magnificent things. They would leave a piece of themselves inside you and you didn't mind.

   Unlike with people.

   Name shook her head, pushing away last night's events away. She woke up with a headache that morning. Her throat felt sore, her eyes heavy and swollen, her limbs limp.

   Even though it was only morning she was exhausted because she cried herself to sleep that night. She had never let out so many tears in years, she had realized when her eyes flew open upon the sunlight's soft caress.

   All those emotions that she kept bottled up just exploded simultaneously the split-second she decided to twist open the cap of that bottle a little bit; like water rushing out a tank that could no longer hold it any longer.

   She spent half an hour in bed, debating what she should do until she finally came to a decision and a realization.

   So what if she felt betrayed and hurt?

   She's survived for so long without Francis, she'll learn to let go one way or another. She's gone so far without him so what difference did his sudden comeback in her life could do to her?

   Scars are there to remind us that we've been hurt but they're also there to tell us that despite all the crap we've been through we're still alive.

   We're still here with our lungs breathing and our hearts beating. No matter how fucked up life could be at one moment, or how much we want to relive a moment we have no other choice but keep on going. Life doesn't have a reset button, just a temporary pause; no rewinds, no fast-forwards.

   Words like those gave the girl a ray of hope in the midst of a dark, chaotic storm.

   Name inhaled, appreciating that inky paper smell that radiated from A.A. Milne's "The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh". The kind-looking elderly clerk behind the counter gave it to Name when she entered the store, saying "You look like you need a little cheering up, love"

   It was an old, worn-down first edition copy. "Old, worn-down" being a compliment, of course, as its pages were creased and slightly tattered with folds, and there was even a simple yet sweet message written on the first page of the book:

   To our dearest Madeleine, happy sixth birthday. May these words inspire you to become the great lady we know you will be.

   Love, Mama & Papa

   Name felt a smile tug the corner of her lips at the message. One of the things she loved was a book that gave off the impression "I was loved and cared for, read over and over again, passed from one generation to another" with its creased, tattered pages.

   The store also had its own version of "old, worn-down"; it was still dusty at certain places (but Name doubted that the clerk didn't clean), and the books were littered almost everywhere.