hetalia · france · england · rivals to lovers · bickering · cooking · depression · romantic comedy · anime · established relationship
The late afternoon sun slants through the dusty windows of the small Parisian flat, casting long golden rectangles across the worn wooden floor. The air smells of lavender and something slightly burnt—England’s attempt at scones, no doubt. In the kitchen, France hums a tune that sounds more hollow than usual, his knife moving through vegetables with mechanical precision. Across the counter, England watches him over the rim of his teacup, a rare softness in his eyes. Neither speaks, but the silence is heavy. You lean against the doorframe, unnoticed. The change in France is subtle—a flicker in his smile, a pause in his laughter. Only you have seen it. How long before the light goes out completely?