Notes: Just a slightly older US/UK oneshot from Sweethearts week on the usxuk community. Enjoy!
A Proper Afternoon Tea
The note had been handed to him, by some MP's assistant, right after a meeting. At first it had seemed to be a formal invitation to something- a crisp white envelope, a large wax seal closing the back, and the fancy calligraphy writing on the outside simply reading 'England.'
Well, by that matter alone, England knew the sender had to be one of a few people. It also explained, he thought to himself as he thanked the assistant and sent him on his way, the strange look the young man was giving him when he asked if he was 'Arthur Kirkland.'
The crisp envelope opened to a crisp white card, also written in fancy script. It read simply:
England,
You are invited to an Afternoon Tea in the gardens of Hampton Court at four o'clock sharp this afternoon. Please allow time to navigate through the hedge maze as the table will be set and furnished at its center.
Eagerly awaiting your arrival,
The United States of America
Blinking twice, and turning the card over several more times to see if it was a joke, England boggled at the note. While it was most definitely America's cursive scrawl at the bottom of the message, the style and presentation of it was definitely…not something like the American's usual style. With a surreptitious smile, England ran his fingers over the signature and let out a hopeful sigh. This would either be a grand mockery or America once again trying to do something he knew England would like, even if it was outside America's comfort zone.
England, after making sure it wasn't April 1st, silently hoped for the latter of the two.
Even though England had been navigating this maze since the 1600s, when it was first planted at Hampton Court, he still had to mentally remind himself how to get in to the center. Much like his habit of misplacing things, remembering which turns to make (or not to make) still took him a few moments to recall, something many a member of the Royal families had teased him about when they still resided here.
Finally (after managing two dead ends) he remembered to keep to the right wall and follow it. It would take a bit longer than knowing exactly where to turn, but it would do the job and get him to the middle with minimal delay.
Trudging along the green hedge rows, England prepared himself for disappointment. This was probably, most likely, most certainly, some sort of prank at his expense. Reaching the center did little to quash these concerns.
Situated right adjacent to the tourist photo-op sign indicating the maze's center was a small table covered in a white lacy cloth and furnished with two matching chairs. Seated at one of the chairs was a gentleman, with a pressed suit, a top hat and a monocle. The man had a teacup – with fingers at the proper positions, even the pinky up for balance- and held it up in greeting.
"Good afternoon, good sir. Would you care for a spot of tea?" The seated man, who was definitely America, given that his British accent had a vague hint of New Yorker in it, said.
England warily approached. If this was a joke, it was planned with elaborate care. If it wasn't a joke, well…what the bloody hell was America up to?
"Hallo, America."
America smiled and nodded to the chair. "Do pull up a chair old chap, I've been expecting you."
Looking around for any signs of hidden cameras, or his brothers, or France or any other sign that he was being set up for mockery, England reluctantly pulled out the chair and sat down.
"So uh….what's the occasion?"
"I was…" America faltered for a moment, and England caught a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes. "I was under the impression that tea itself was an occasion…R-Right?"
As he sat down his teacup onto the saucer, which England noted with surprise was still being done with proper tea etiquette, America's monocle fell off. He cursed. And with a sheepish grin, he lifted his too-blue eyes to England. "How did you ever use one of these things? They're so hard to keep on your face!"
England chuckled, reaching over and lifting up the monocle. He tugged gently to pull the chain loose from America's pocket before he took the eyepiece and set it easily on his face. "Practice. Loads of practice. Now, would you please inform me what all this rubbish tea party is on about?"
Shyly, America pulled out his glasses from his pocket and put them on. Then with a quick flourish, he took off his top hat and deposited it on England's head. "Uh…don't get too mad, okay? Someone might have mentioned that…you would like this. You know. Not that I was asking her for date ideas or anything."
Blinking, England remembered what day of the month it was and gaped. "Wait a bloody moment! You're telling me the Queen suggested this…this…"
America rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, not the outfit. Or the accent. Just the…the tea thing. Yeah. It…sorta came up in the middle of Wii Bowling."
England was torn between laughing and face palming at not putting the facts together sooner. It was the third Tuesday of the month, the day that America always came over and played the Wii against Queen Elizabeth. Ever since he'd discovered her love of the game console, the two had been best buddies, much to England's chagrin.
With a hint of a smile, he asked, "You set up this whole thing. A tea party? For me? Just because the Queen suggested it?"
He ducked his head and bit his lip. "…Sorry?"
England stood up hastily then, and America's posture crumpled more. That is, until he felt England's arms wrapping around him and warm lips pressing a kiss against his mouth. America smiled tentatively as the other nation pulled back.
"You're utterly barmy sometimes, you know that? But…well…" He blushed and adjusted the monocle that was still perched over his right eye. "America, you can do the right thing now and again."
At that, America's million watt smile surfaced bright and wide and England felt his heart brighten with it. All this fuss, ridiculous though it might be, for him. His heart made a little giddy flip inside at the mere thought.
"So…you like it? The Queen spent hours trying to show me how to hold the damn teacup, but I still probably screwed it up. Why do you Brits have to be so fussy about holding a cup anyways?"
England glanced around- to the properly set table, the hedge maze around them and the blue skies above. He smiled. "No. It was correct."
America blinked, eyes wide. "No way."
Reaching down, England took America's hand and enclosed it around the tea cup's delicate handle, edging the pinky finger up as he did so. "Just like that, it's only proper."
"Awesome!" America said, obviously excited at his own success. "I have mastered the age old art of stodgy tea cup holding!"
England rolled his eyes, but that didn't stop the smile that still tugged at his lips. All this fuss. Just for me.
Sitting down across from America, England poured himself a cup and, with a tip of his top hat, he took a sip.
A frown edged itself onto his face at that. He eyed the liquid warily and took another sip.
"America…"
"Hmm?"
"Is this…McDonald's sweet tea?"
America chuckled nervously. "It was something we both like?"
But no matter how hard he tried to muster some sort of irritation or anger over it, the choice of tea only made England have to fight down another smile. This was a surprise America had prepared after all, and he was quite glad to see that there was a touch of America amidst all the British formality.
THE END
Notes:
[1] Hampton Court Maze is a hedge Maze; planted sometime between 1689 and 1695 by George London and Henry Wise for William III of Orange at Hampton Court Palace. The maze covers a third of an acre and contains half a mile of paths.
[2] English Afternoon Tea Etiquette is very specific about everything down to how to hold your tea cup.
[3] There was a rumor that Queen Elizabeth rather likes playing the Wii. She has even been sent a gold-plated Wii as a gift/promotion by a company.