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[kitsuneasika]

I have loved hours at sea, gray cities,
The fragile secret of a flower,
Music, the making of a poem
That gave me heaven for an hour;

First stars above a snowy hill,
Voices of people kindly and wise,
And the great look of love, long hidden,
Found at last in meeting eyes.

I have loved much and been loved deeply —
Oh when my spirit's fire burns low,
Leave me the darkness and the stillness,
I shall be tired and glad to go.

"i have loved hours at the sea" — sara teasdale

Comments

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

I noticed that you friended me and while I'm flattered, I don't think I've seen you around or ever chatted with you. May I ask what it was that made you decide to friend me? :)

[kitsuneasika.livejournal.com]

Oh, sorry for not leaving a comment! I must have lost my brain today. Anyways, it was because I read your 1sentence thing, and was intrigued. I've never seen/read Hetalia, but I liked your writing and figured that was the best way of seeing more. ^^

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

Ah, I see! I'm glad that you liked my 1sentence entry, as it's pretty much the first fanfic I've posted on the Internet. May I ask what you liked about it? I'm especially interested as you apparently don't even know the fandom it was for.

Hetalia is the kind of series that's very much an acquired taste - people tend to either love or hate it. If you find the concept of anthropomorphic personifications of countries who are national stereotypes come to life intriguing and don't mind historical events being used for humor (like Italy being portrayed as utterly useless in a fight) or (often m/m-tinged) fluff, you can check out the series here (http://aph.starry-sky.com/).

I'll definitely write more for this pairing in the future, although I have a couple of writing projects coming up first for the same fandom.

[kitsuneasika.livejournal.com]

Well, I know of the series, and have for the while. I think it sounds interesting, especially since I adore history, but I'm terrible at getting around to watching/reading things. But I do have some America/England fanart due to someone spamming these ultimate otp polls with it...XD

I've seen lots of Hetalia fic posted to my flist, but I've never clicked on it since... well, I usually like seeing/reading a series before reading the fanfic. But that line in your cut drew me to it.. the one about caring for a country in another continent. It made me smile.

As for what I liked about it... I'm not 100% sure. I think for that specific one I liked how you put so much into one sentence. Like....ugh, I'm not explaining myself well. But...hm. Maybe the best way to put it is that I could easily see most of them expanded into at least a drabble, but they worked just as well as a sentence. I think I'm being confusing, so I'll stop rambling. ^^

Whoops! I nearly forgot. Thanks for the link! Someone once gave it to me, but I lost it in the depths of the internet.

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

These US/UK fans really did spam the polls, didn't they? XD *is a huge US/UK fan herself, but was too busy saving all the lovely fanart to post any of her own over there*

Me too; I usually don't check a fic out unless I know the series well. So I really am flattered that you decided to check out my fic in spite of this; apparently, I chose my cut text wisely. And I do love the idea that geographical distance doesn't stop Greece and Japan from loving each other - it's kind of based on the concept that the nations have personal beliefs and desires outside of their bosses' and people's.

No, you're not being confusing at all! I actually made a concerted effort to make every sentence more in-depth about their relationship than just "Greece and Japan enjoy so-and-so," so I'm glad that you think I succeeded in doing that.

You're welcome! I'd recommend reading the main storyline strips first, then the extra strips. The extra strips are actually the best ones to get to know the characters better. (Oh, and if you want to see just how utterly cute Greece and Japan are in canon, check (http://aph.starry-sky.com/grc.html) these (http://aph.starry-sky.com/v2_034.html) strips (http://aph.starry-sky.com/grc2.html) out (http://aph.starry-sky.com/amnh.html).)

[kitsuneasika.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree! Actually, those polls made me get a lot of fanart for two pairings from two series I don't watch/read... and one from a series I completely hate! XD I wish I had started saving them earlier in the apges, though, because at first I was just looking at them, thinking, "I don't know this series, so DON'T SAVE> You have enough fanart from the things you DO fangirl." But eventually I caved. XD

I think I've only done that a handful of times. Right now, there ar a few series I'm dying to read fic for, but I refsue to do so until I finish the series. Mainly for fear that I get spoiled, I admit. XDagain. I often have a hard time telling people what I liked about their fic, which is why I'm terrible at reviewing.

That's probably what I'll do! I am so tenmpted to click on those strips, but I'll do it after I read the main story. I'm one of those people who refuse to watch/read things out of order. XD But! I am intrigued. Maybe after I finish my homeschooling for today/the other big things I need to do, I'll start reading it! Or try to, at any rate. I'm a great procastinator.

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

I actually wasn't big on collecting fanart before, but I just had to save these gorgeous pics. I think I got more than 200 pieces of US/UK at the end of it.

Oh, I agree very much with the "not wanting to be spoiled" thing! However, you should be aware that reading Hetalia works differently from many other series as the author often jumps back and forth between different time periods. The only strips you really need to read in order are the main storyline strips about WWII; the "extra" strips (which are actually much more numerous than the main storyline ones) are much more disorganized - you can easily find yourself reading about Russian history in one strip, then about American vs. Japanese culture in the next, and so on.

So really, it's a good idea to read the extra strips (which happens to be where all the Greece/Japan strips I linked you are) out of order if there are particular characters you really want to see the strips for first.

[kitsuneasika.livejournal.com]

I'm crazy about collecting fanart, seriously. The majority of my files are fanart. And icons. I really love icons. =P

I'm reading it right now~! And it's very...amazing. Especially the Axis Powers. =P So I'll be sure to check out those strips soon!

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

I can't exactly say the same, considering that I have only one icon. XD Although it's mainly because I feel that I'd never be able to choose between all the available Hetalia icons out there.

It's all the Hetalia fandom's fault for finally sucking me into collecting fanart. (I have like, what, 200+ Greece/Japan fanarts now? Jeez.) Just like it sucked me into having up to 7 OTPs. And writing fanfics. It's like some kind of magical drug, I swear.

It's amusing how useless Italy is, isn't he? XD And how spazzy Japan gets at times. The Allied Forces are win by themselves too, though.

Greece is shown with Japan only in the modern day strips, which makes sense as Greece was historically on the side of the Allies. It's interesting to see how some character dynamics have changed by the modern day strips, like how America and Japan are on opposing groups in the main storyline but are BFF in modern day strips. Seriously.

And if you feel like I'm making my comments too long, please say so. XD

[kitsuneasika.livejournal.com]

That was actually one of the major factors in me getting a paid account. XD That, and the fact that I'm pretty much addicted to LJ. It's SO hard choosing an icon, though. I usually chose icons of characters to put on my lj, because I love pairings, and ships lots in many different series...

I always have a bunch of OTPs! Well, not always, but usually in the fandoms I fall madly in love with I do. I don't think I have THAT many fanart for any specific pairing... just lots for lots of pairings and characters. Even from series I've never seen. I just love my fanart. If it's pretty, I save it. Unless it's a pairing I hate. It has to be really, REALLY pretty for me to save it from a pairing I hate.

Oh, I read those extra strips! Though I'm still maing my way through the other ones. They were cute! ^^ I love Japan's expressions; he's so adorable! I think the Axis powers are my favorite characters so far, though I do love the Allies. Especially England. Russia cracks me up with how evil he is. *destroys cursed chair*

I don't mind! I love long comments and entries and stuff! It just means there's more to reply to~

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

I actually have a couple of RP accounts, and on them I do feel the 15 icon limit hard as there are a lot of lovely icons for these characters and I can't use all of them no matter how much I want to. I'm not going to risk having the same distress over my main account, so I refrain from using anything but my original icon. XD

Well, I'm not really used to having more than one OTP at a time as my fandoms before Hetalia all had a clear central or subtexty couple and I was a staunch canon shipper back then. I'm still a canon shipper at heart and my top OTPs are the ones with the most canon subtext, but now I'm actually shipping non-canon and crack pairings alongside of them. I've even warmed up to a few ships that break up my top OTPs when I originally never would have even checked out an A/B fic if my top 2 OTPs were A/C and B/D. So now I actually have an US/Japan fanart folder next to my huge US/UK and Greece/Japan ones.

Japan is interesting in that while he's calm and collected most of the time, his spazzy/failboat side is truly a thing to behold. I'm not surprised that you like England and Russia too, as they're really, really popular characters in the fandom. England's my favorite Hetalia character, in fact, with America ranking a very close second.

I'm glad! I tend to ramble on if someone doesn't stop me. XD

[kitsuneasika.livejournal.com]

Oh, where do you RP? And what characters? I don't RP myself (no time, and I always freak out over characterization) but I love reading threads... that's where I get a few cracky crossover ships from. XD Anyways, to the original subject-- I can understand that, but I love showing off my icons. =P

I've always been a crazy shipper, though it wasn't really bad until I got into fandom. But when I was a little kid, I'd ship things that had moments that I thought were cute. When I got into fandom, I started running into fanfiction for the craziest pairings-- and adoring them. So, now I ship anything and anyone who I think suit each other. =P

I think my favorite character might be Germany, which was a total accident, I swear. It has nothing to do with me already adoring that country outside Hetalia. But yes, the character you named are amazing. I haven't read too many of the extra strips yet, just a few, so I haven't really seen England & Japan interact yet. But! England and America are very amusing indeed.

I can do that too, although my rambles usually get killed by the other person's short replies. XD But I enjoy conversation, despite my antisocial tendencies.

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

I RP at the America-centric community hamburger_street, usually during the spam posts on Fridays. Someone decided that it would be an awesome idea to bring an America RP account over there, and an England RPer showed up too. That's when I decided to create a Japan RP account to be America's BFF and local photographer over there. And then I created a Spain account too when a Romano showed up there too. The RP threads over there are seriously epic; the Canada RPer even made a Greece to interact with my Japan, which made me ridiculously happy.

I still like to think that I have some restraint in my shipping, but that's becoming increasingly less so over the past few months. I blame Hetalia fanwriters for being so adept in showing how even the most ridiculously cracktastic pairings have actual historical basis and can actually work together when you think about it. Which is how I came to like some incestuous pairings like Belarus/Russia, and some pairings where the characters haven't had a scrap of canon interaction yet like Canada/Ukraine. I'm still pretty devoted to the ships I first got into when I entered the fandom, though.

Oh, just wait until you really get into the extra strips and get to know even more characters! The main problem I have with "top Hetalia characters" polls is that pretty much the entire cast is awesome which makes it really hard to choose just a few of them. Even the female characters, despite them being relatively scarce.

England is totally tsundere for America. Even if America is either completely oblivious or doing the male equivalent of 'pulling the pigtails of the girl you like.'

And England and Japan don't actually interact a whole lot, with the exception of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance strips, but America and Japan do have many strips together, mainly about how they manage to be friends in spite of their vastly different personalities and cultures.

Same here! I'm actually much more social on the Internet than in real life. XD

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

Whoops, I mean the community hamburger_st.

[kitsuneasika.livejournal.com]

Neat! I'll go over there and read the threads when I have a chance.

Oh, I can see why that would be, considering it's based on the history of the world! XD There's bound to be a reason for nearly any pairing of countries, even if you don't like it. Belarus/Russia... would be quite crazy. XD I can just picture it.

Yeah, I agree thus far! I haven't seen anyone I dislike so far, which is pretty awesome considering the number of characters. I noticed the scarcity of females, but really, it makes a lot of sense to me. Most of the countries have a masculine connotation, at least in my mind. Which sounds kind of sexist, but it isn't, I swear. =S

or doing the male equivalent of 'pulling the pigtails of the girl you like.'

I'm going to have to go with this option. =P That's what it seems like to me, at any rate, and the two are adorable together. It just makes me squee, especially when I consider the whole revolutionary war thing. There's thing one picture I picked up at the polls that made me love that aspect of the relationship... I'll go see if I can find it later, so you know which one I mean.

In real life, most of my friends despair of ever seeing me. I rarely initiate contact. XD One of my friends since kindergarten, Lacey, is a social butterfly, and it drives her insane trying to get me to go out and do something with her. She asks me a few times a week, I swear, and I almost always refuse for some reason or another. XD

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

You don't have to picture Belarus/Russia - just check out the story in Vol. 2 about Russia's sisters. I can't decide whether Belarus or Hungary is my favorite Hetalia female character. XD

That 'connotation' thing does kind of make sense. It's probably the reason for all Portugal OCs being male and all India OCs being female, as far as I've seen.

Yeah, it's probably that option, considering the way America acts in the Valentine Day strips. (And are you being converted to US/UK? Excellent. I've got a boatload of links to great US/UK fics, just so you know. ;) ) I'd like to see that fanart you mentioned; the only one that comes to my mind right now is the one that begins with England reading to little America and ends with adult America giving England a letter and flowers.

I only really see my friends nowadays in the dining halls at meals; I think they know by now that I spend more time in my room than outside. XD

[kitsuneasika.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I read it. ^^ But I meant picturing them in a relationship... instead of Russia going 'O_O SAVE ME!!!' I mean, the pure evil and craziness... it would be amusing! =P I'm rather fond of Liechtenstein~ *not sure if she spelled that right*

...I would definitely make India female. That would be so adorable! *pictures it*

I'm 99% sure we're talking about the same fanart, but just in case here's a link (http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/BlackMoonKitsune/5002077.jpg). And yes! 100% converted, actually. It's just so adorable, and has the exact right amounts of angst! ♥ Rec away! Fanfiction is always love, and there's never enough good ones to read. ^^ I haven't read those strips yet... I think I'll go do that once I finish checking lj. Unless my brother kicks me off the computer.

So you're in college, then? XD

[infiniteowl.livejournal.com]

It would indeed be amusing. Although I must admit that I love the idea of the creepiest and most feared country being reduced to tears by a girl who manages to be even more creepy than him too much to picture Russia ever getting over his fear of his darling little sister. XD Liechtenstein (yes, you did spell that right) is adorable too, especially when with Switzerland.

I like this image (http://kumagoropower.deviantart.com/art/HETALIA-98481380) of India the most (just scroll down the meme until you see it); she's just so pretty.

Yep, that's the one! It broke my heart and then put it back together with a band-aid and a kiss when I read it. And oh my god, you really do need to read the Buon San Valentino strips if you're even the slightest bit fond of Germany/Italy and/or America/England!

Oh man, I'm not kidding at all when I say that there's a veritable boatload of US/UK fics out there. They're the most popular pairing in the fandom by a large margin. Just give me a couple of minutes and I'll reply at your most recent post (the one about snow and discovering Hetalia) with a list of the authors/fics you absolutely must read. And a couple of fics for other pairings, just because I can.

Yes, I'm in college and currently in my sophomore year! Although I can't wait to return home for the winter break; having your own dorm room and French fries to eat at the dining halls every day is nice, but you do get to miss your parents after a while.

[kitsuneasika.livejournal.com]

I agree! I was cracking up when I realzied that the evilest country was in terror of such a cute girl! ...And then I realized how creepy she could be. XD Poor Russia! And yes, I agree! Switzerland made me 'awww!' with how protective he is of her. And then I went, I ship it. =P

asdfghjkl; That's how I was picturing her! She would be SO cute, she needs to exist now. ^^

asdfghjkl; You're making me want to go right now! I think I jinxed myself earlier, as I was kicked off the computer a few minutes later. XD But, will do so! You're just making me extremely curious~

Alright! I'll comment on that on that paticular post~

I would miss my family a lot, I think, but I'm also very independant so I think I'll be mostly fine. What I'm worried about is finding a college that'll let me have my cat. If I can't, I'll probably go to one closer to my home, because I can't stand the idea of not seeing her for such a long time. XD I'm very attached to her.