12th September 1945

"You're back!" the brunette smiles, runs forward and hugs the taller man, burying his face in the crook of his neck.

"So I am," the sandy haired man nods, ruffling his hair.

"I've missed you," the brunette's brown eyes shine with something that looks like tears.

"And I, you," the blonde strokes the brunette's cheek lovingly, thumb grazing a cut on his cheek.

"You've been hurt," the brunette notices the blonde's bandages and the scars on his wrists. There are more underneath his uniform, but he doesn't ask about them.

The blonde doesn't answer. Instead, he embraces the brunette and holds him close.

"And so have you..."


15th February, year unknown

"England."

A voice awakens England from his reverie and he turns around, wondering who it was. He can barely recognise the baritone voice and he frowns as he eyes the stranger with curiosity. "You are...?"

"Have you forgotten me?" the stranger is tall, as tall as England himself. His hair is a dark, chocolate brown, his skin milky white and his brown eyes glitter beneath his spectacles, shining so brightly, almost reminding him of America...

"Singapore," the words leaves England's lips as a mere whisper. He reprimands himself mentally for forgetting - after all, the other nation was the only reason why he was waiting alone at an open field.

The two nations stare at each other for a long time.

"It's been a while," England nods slowly.

Singapore shrugs. "I suppose," he looks directly at the other nation, causing him to flinch under his scrutiny.

England wonders how long has it been since he has last seen Singapore. It isn't as if relations between the two of them were frosty, although he thinks that his former colony is probably closer to America than to him now. They've drifted apart after the Second World War, and now... He violently suppresses the urge to laugh as he returns Singapore's gaze. "You've grown."

"Indeed," the brunette nods, with a faraway look in his eyes. It is within that split second that England decides that there's something intrinsically different about the nation standing before him, although he's not sure what it is. "And you've aged," he replies with a teasing quality to his voice.

"Perhaps," the emerald eyed man muses as he settles down on the grass again, looking up at the night sky. He's about to ask Singapore to sit beside him, just like he used to in the past, except he's not sure how the other nation will react now, so he looks at the brunette expectantly.

Singapore takes the hint and sits by England's side. The stars sparkle like diamonds in the dark and England is reminded of the look in Singapore's eyes of a September evening a long, long time ago.

The two nations sit in silence, side by side. England thinks of how they drifted apart, of how Singapore used to be a crown colony and of how he gained independence and eventually separated from Malaysia... His brows furrow as he wonders why his attempts at gradually paving the way towards self governance for his former colony failed and he shivers under his white sleeveless shirt, to which the brunette raises an eyebrow.

"Feeling cold?"

"No, feeling nostalgic," England replies and regrets it almost immediately. He wishes that he could spend more time with the other nation, enjoying his company instead of dwelling on the past, but now, he knows that it is impossible.

"Mm," Singapore's eyes narrow slightly. Both nations know perfectly well why they're meeting underneath the night sky, but neither are willing to address the issue directly.

"I can't forget," the blonde offers the brunette a half hearted smile, which he doesn't return.

"Neither can I," the brunette laughs mirthlessly. Or rather, he couldn't allow himself to forget. That moment of betrayal and the world of hurt it opened him to was still firmly etched into his mind and he could remember it as if the events had happened the day before.

England looks at him and impulsively, leans forward and embraces the other nation, who stiffens considerably under his touch. He relaxes moments later, resting his head in the crook of the blonde's neck, bringing to mind the events of that September evening once more.

"England," Singapore mutters, hot breath lingering against the other nation's neck. He presses his tongue hesitantly to the alabaster skin, eliciting a whimper from the blonde.

"W-what are you doing?" England asks, confused.

"I..." the brunette begins, then stops. "I don't know either," his palms rest lightly on the other nation's back, returning the embrace despite being unsure of where things were heading.

For once, England is glad that his position doesn't give him the opportunity to look into the other nation's eyes. He doesn't really want to know what he's thinking, although his gut feeling tells him he's probably feeling the same thing.

Singapore's dark brown hair falls forward, revealing a delicately shaped ear. England scrapes his teeth against it, causing the other nation to moan, arching his back, closing the tiny gap between the both of them.

"England, you..." another moan escapes the brunette as the blonde nibbles on the shell of his ear.

"Singapore."

Silently, clothes are shed, shirts unbuttoned, trousers unzipped, flies undone. The two nations take in the sight of each other's body hungrily and England winces as he catches sight of a particularly long scar above Singapore's hip. He reaches out to caress it, causing the brunette to suck in his breath.

"Does it hurt?" the blonde asks, concern evident in his voice.

"Not any more," the brunette shrugs. "It's old, from the Second World War."

England flinches at the memories the three words bring as Singapore's fingers lightly trace the tiny scars all over his torso. The brunette looks at him questioningly but doesn't ask. "They're from bombings. And the wars," he cups the other nation's cheek lovingly, thumb rubbing against his skin. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

The first brushing of lips against soft lips are a little clumsy with the trappings of tenderness. The touches are furtive, full of uncertainty. It soon develops into something more than just the mere tracing of scars and old wounds, moving in the direction of heated caresses and urgent kisses.

The blonde notices that the brunette's lips taste of pineapple juice, gin and cherry brandy, of something that's terribly familiar to his tongue but somehow, even though the author Somerset Maugham comes to mind, the name of the drink eludes him...

England reaches for the brunette's spectacles and tosses them aside, fingers ghosting across his cheek then to his lips and neck. Singapore licks his fingers, slicking them up and with a few careful movements, slides a digit into England. He swirls his finger within the hot, tight passageway as the blonde lies beneath him, quivering. He curls it upwards and it causes the emerald eyed man to cry out in pleasure, arching upwards.

"England..." the brunette leans forward to nip the sensitive skin under the blonde's collarbone. A hand snakes across his back to cradle his head as his tongue leaves a wet trail of heat from his neck to his ear, nibbling on his earlobe.

England's hands splay across Singapore's back, pulling him closer, eager for his warmth. He closes his eyes and whimpers as the brunette's lips close around a nipple, flicking his tongue skilfully over the tip, rolling his tongue to engulf it completely...

Singapore adds another finger, finding the blonde's prostate, pressing against it, causing the blonde to writhe in ecstasy beneath him. England feels himself being stretched as the brunette's fingers cross themselves and uncross, scissoring viciously as he reaches for his shoulder, gripping it so hard that his nails leave little red crescents over his alabaster skin.

"Singapore, " England lets out a mewl as a third finger enters him. The brunette smirks and shifts so that the blonde has access to his hardened length. He takes a small, tentative lick of Singapore's leaking slit and teases it with the pointed tip of his tongue and the brunette bites back a moan as the emerald eyed man slides his tongue against the underside of the appendage. He sucks gently, taking more of the other nation's length into his mouth, slicking it up, savouring the feeling of his pulsing heat and his lips leave it reluctantly as the fingers leave him.

The brunette groans as he feels the blonde's feral heat cloak his shaft as he enters him, burying himself in to the hilt, relishing the sensation. "You know," Singapore whispers hoarsely. "This is illegal..."

"Oh?" England asks and leans up to press his lips to the brunette's.

"It's all your fault," the brunette murmurs as his slender fingers wrap around the blonde's erection, stroking the sensitive skin tenderly. England wonders why he failed to notice how the brunette's hand was wandering down his sides to touch him but abandons the thought in favour of enjoying his ministrations. Singapore begins to move slowly, withdrawing and enters again, slamming hard against the emerald eyed man's prostate.

"And it's my fault because?" England breaks the kiss, raising an eyebrow.

"Of your stupid laws," Singapore answers, silencing him with another kiss as he thrusts into him again. His fingers tease England's shaft mercilessly, brushing lightly against the appendage and the blonde wonders when the brunette learnt to work such magic. He doesn't remember when... Then again, there are too many things he cannot remember any more.

The emerald eyed man moans into the kiss as he fights a losing battle against Singapore for dominance with their tongues. The brunette's tongue slips past his lips as he toys with the tip of the blonde's hardened length, slowly applying pressure with his fingertips.

England's panting hard as Singapore's thrusts hit his prostate while he grazes his knuckles against the blonde's leaking tip, rubbing in a circular motion across the underside, squeezing gently as his fingers curl around the appendage, pumping it with his fist. "Nn, ahh," the blonde attempts to speak as the brunette's fingers make feathery strokes all over his erection as he increases the speed of his thrusting. "Um, ahh, I'm... Close..." he moans as the brunette's breathing grows harsher.

The brunette pulls the blonde in for a kiss and he groans as a final, deep thrust sends him over the edge. England's release slams into him a split second later, spilling hot all over the brunette's palm and fingers. He brings his hand up to the emerald eyed man's lips and the both of them lick at his fingers before sharing a kiss again.

"You couldn't protect me back then," Singapore lies beside England, panting heavily. His voice doesn't sound accusatory, like it did once, merely tired as he tries to catch his breath. The brunette's curled up on his side, with the other nation's arm draped around him.

"I know," England doesn't apologise, because he knows that it isn't enough.

The two nations lie wordlessly on the grass, watching the stars in the sky, listening to the sound of each other breathing.


NOTES

SIGNIFICANCE OF 12TH SEPTEMBER 1945: the day the British returned to Singapore after the Japanese surrender. Even though the British government was discredited in the eyes of the Singaporeans due to their failure to protect their colony, they were still welcomed back when they returned.

BOMBINGS: reference to the London bombings a couple of years ago and to the Blitz.

SINGAPORE SLING: uhhh its kinda like our national drink. Have yet to try the real thing, but the pre-mixed one in a bottle tastes like medicine to me, hmmm. As for the mention of Somerset Maugham, the Singapore Sling appeared in one of his stories, 'The Letter'.

THE QUESTION OF WHY ITS ILLEGAL: according to penal code 377a, gay sex is illegal in Singapore. Comes from British Indian law. We've tried to repeal it, but so far, nothing's coming outta it. No pun intended, of course.

SIGNIFICANCE OF 15TH FEBRUARY: it's Total Defence Day in Singapore, or rather, the day the British surrendered us to the Japanese back in 1942. Also known as the day we remind ourselves that we have to protect ourselves cos if we don't, no one else will protect us.


a/n: first things first, I LOVE MY COUNTRY, he is an OC here, my OC lol and I've always thought that Singapore would top England, without a doubt. (my friend and I decided that even though Singapore is probably bottom most of the time, he'd end up topping England and taking turns with America lol) anyway this comes out of 'angst' from my semi-rubbish history paper that I took. Hope it wasn't too terribly angsty and comments will be greatly appreciated!