Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia. If anything, it owns me.
Warnings: slightly angsty, America is batshit
He called himself 'the united states' but that was just a lie.
None of the other countries knew, of course. Sure, they had provinces, separate sections, even a few had split into two different countries. But none of their provinces were so cleanly divided as his own states. Each of his states had history, background, customs.
Personality.
It was difficult to tell, sometimes, which one was which, though Texas and New York were often strongest. California, too, held that title, but was more laid-back than the other two, and so didn't usurp his thoughts as often.
England would laugh at him, he knew. Claim he wasn't strong enough, that he was just imaginings things. But England didn't understand. He didn't know the feeling of truly strong states, because he was unified as a whole. He didn't know the feeling of people identifying themselves from their state first, only thinking of the whole country afterwards.
England is a rat bastard, Texas muttered angrily, and America had to fight to keep his face straight as France droned on about some sort of cheese that he likely had used in a perverted fashion.
At least he's civilized, unlike you people wallowing in cows and dust, came New York's angry retort, and then the arguing began. America fought not to wince in front of everyone as the two very opinionated states fought in the arena that was his head.
They need to just chill a little, came the quiet, soothing voice of California whispering to him. Full of calm ocean and beautiful scenery, California was much calmer than his rowdy brothers, though he held the same large population. America liked having at least one voice of reason; it made him feel a little less insane.
All the states had their own voices, their own distinct personalities. Alaska and Hawaii were, sometimes, hard to hear because of sheer physical distant, but Alaska's deep booming voice carried well usually. America listened to them all, because they were his country and his states and his people. He had to listen, though he knew none of the other countries would truly understand. No one country's provinces were ever the same as another's, after all, and, well...if America's were just a little stronger than everyone else's...
So long as he kept them united - the secession of the Civil Wars and Texas's one fling at independence were a mental disaster - he was okay. He was fine. He wasn't as crazy as Russia.
As long as he kept them united and together.
