Yo~! SakuraLetters coming at you live from...a computer screen. |D Anywho, this is a response fic to Niki-the-Awesome's story Denied. Please, read that first so you have an idea as to what's going on. If you really don't want to, basically America confessed to Russia and Russia rejected him with some rather hurtful words. This story deals with the aftermath,and is based off of a personal experience.
Warnings: OC!Virginia, OC!Maryland, OC!D.C., mentions of other OC!States, OC!Mommy!North America, references to Native!America
Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia - Axis Powers. Niki-the-Awesome wrote the cause story, this is merely the effect story.
Enjoy~!
Elizabeth Howard was a rational human being. She considered herself to be very logical and down-to-earth, both firm and gentle in a way that befitted a natural leader. As the first colony, and practically Alfred's second-in-command (no matter what that little brat Delaware believed), Elizabeth had always been the closest to Alfred of all 50 states and the territories.
Which was why she was more than a tad bit worried to find her brother huddled up on the floor crying like a baby.
"Alfred? What's wrong?"
The nation spewed something unintelligible and continued to rock back and forth. Elizabeth frowned. She was used to seeing Alfred practically bouncing off the walls, spouting off insane ideas and hero babble faster than one would think could be possible. The pathetic, quivering mass before her couldn't be her brother.
"Alfred, please calm down. I can't understand you through the tears. Why are you crying? What happened?"
When nothing remotely decipherable came from his lips, Elizabeth sighed and pulled out her cell phone. A few quick jabs at the keypad, the state held the phone to her ear.
"Hello, Ms. North? Yes, would you mind coming over to visit Alfred? He's…let's just say he really needs his mother right now."
"Riza? What the hell happened to our country?"
"Your guess is about as good as mine, now give me a hand here."
Daniel Howard, officially the state of Maryland, clapped his hands. He chuckled at his wife's dark expression. She often wore a similar one whenever someone called her "Elizabeth". Deciding not to push his luck any further, Daniel helped Riza carry the practically unconscious nation to the couch.
"I called North America; she should be here soon."
Daniel winced. He wasn't exactly fond of his surrogate "mother". North America could be an absolutely heartless woman at times, and was still emotionally awkward in her best moments.
"I know what you're thinking, love, but she knows him better than we do. She raised him for nearly 35,000 years. We've barely known him for two and half centuries."
"You're right, of course, but I still don't like it. I don't want our son anywhere near her."
Riza rolled her eyes. "Then take Ben and go out for awhile. Consider it father/son bonding rather than hiding from North America."
"And why would he be hiding from me?"
The couple looked over to see North America closing the door. A rather tall woman, she radiated power like the sun radiates heat. She had her pitch black hair swept up in a neat bun and her dark gray eyes were full of carefully guarded knowledge. Daniel couldn't imagine remaining in the same room as the Continent for five minutes let alone living with her for thirty-five millennia.
"No reason. Hello, Ms. North."
"Hello, Riza. Daniel, if you do not mind, take your son and leave. This is women's work."
"Yes, ma'am. Hey, Ben! Want to spend the day with Daddy?"
The sounding of stampeding feet filled the house as a young boy ran down the stairs, stuffing his arms into his coat. A huge grin was on his face and he grabbed Maryland's hand and practically dragged him out the door.
"I'll call you when it's safe, Danny!"
"I love you too, Riza!"
Riza smiled and shook her head as she watched her energetic son drag his father away. She closed the door and turned around to face her "mother".
"Is there anything you need me to do, Ms. North?"
"Not at the moment," North said as her eyes studied her unconscious son. "However, would you indulge me as to how you found my idiot son?"
"He was crying his eyes out on the floor of one of the conference rooms in D.C."
"Did you notice anyone leaving the building?"
Riza thought back, trying to separate the normal human workers from other (unusual) persons. "Well, I think I saw Russia leaving as I was approaching the building."
"Thank you, Riza. Go into the kitchen and make yourself something to eat or drink. I will take care of Alfred. Where is your guest room?"
"It's the third door to the right after the stairs."
"Thank you."
The continent gently picked up the sleeping nation and carrying him upstairs. Riza watched, somewhat amazed at her older brother's mother. With a smile on her face, she entered the kitchen and made herself some herbal tea.
Deep down, she really does love him.
A mix of brown and green painted the landscape, hiding under rocks or the occasional pool of snow. North America surveyed the vast expanse of land before her, making sure there were no dangers. She had two children to care for now, and they had just learned how to walk a mere three moons ago.
"Mother? Who is that?"
North looked down at her son. The boy had wide eyes that matched hers in color, but were filled with a shining innocence she hadn't known since she herself was a toddler. She then looked over to see a faint outline of another child across the icy sea. She looked back at her son, who was seemingly entranced by the stranger. North turned him away and grabbed his brother's hand.
"No one, my child. It was a trick of your mind."
But she knew the truth. She could see it in his eyes. She had already lost her son. Europa would not come to her for many more millennia, but it did not matter. Alfred had seen the son of Kievan Rus across the sea, and she had already lost him.
North gently pushed back Alfred's bangs. She half-glared at the light color of the strands. Once, his hair had been as dark as her own. Now, he more closely resembled Europa's bastard sons. She had never hated fate so much in her endless existence.
"If only I had known this was how it would be, I would have fought harder to keep you."
Being a nation had caused him little else but misery. Her eyes skimmed over every scar she knew traced across his now pale flesh. The results of wars and attacks, unrest and depression, and perhaps a million other reasons she either couldn't name or didn't bother to remember.
She didn't like seeing either of her children in pain, either physical or mental. Others could proclaim her cruelty to the heavens, and to an extent they were right. However, no matter how cruel they painted her to be, she had always done her best to ensure that her sons were happy and healthy. That was a fair bit more than a few others she could name could say.
North refocused on the situation at hand when she heard a soft moan laced with pain escape from her son's throat. Ready for the emotional onslaught she knew would come, the continent gently stroked Alfred's hair. She hummed old lullabies that she had once sung to him and his brother to put them to sleep.
"M…mother?"
"I am here, my little one."
"He…he doesn't understand…" He sounded so small, so frail. It was as if he was a child all over again, trying not the burst into tears after scraping his knee on the rocky ground.
"Who doesn't understand?"
"Ru..Russia."
Kievan Rus's son. North was not surprised. Continuing to gently run her fingers through her son's hair, the continent spoke.
"I take it you told him?"
A whimper and a slight nod gave her the answer to her question.
"He did not take it well, correct?"
Another whimper. Alfred gave a quick shake of his head. He clutched the blanket near him with his fists, his knuckles turning white. It seemed as though he were in physical pain, though she was well aware that mental pain often materialized itself via the body.
"He..he said he ha…hates me."
North went from combing his hair to rubbing his temples, still humming old lullabies. Let the pain run its course. Try to dam it back, and one day it will overflow like floodwaters, destroying everything in its way. It was how she had raised Alfred and Matthew. When they felt pain, she simply sat there and did her best to make the pain bearable.
"He doesn't understand!"
"Perhaps not, Alfred, but then again, neither do you."
Taken back by his mother's words, Alfred's eyes shot open, and he looked up at her.
"Do you remember when you were very young? Back when you had just learned how to walk? I remember you saw someone across the sea. You asked me who it was, and I told you it was no one. I was wrong. I should have told you it was the person who would destroy you."
She stopped rubbing his temples and cradled him close to her in a gentle hug.
"That person you saw that day was Russia. That was the day when I knew I had lost you."
Virginia took a deep breath and smoothed her perfectly ironed black business skirt. Making sure her hair was firmly clipped back, the state entered the conference room.
"Virginia? What on Earth are you doing here?"
She looked over to see her former guardian, England, staring at her like she was an oddity. Considering where she was, that probably wasn't far from the truth.
"America isn't feeling very well, and it was decided that I would come to the next meeting in his place. That way he can keep up with what's going on, and still recover as quickly as possible. I apologize that we couldn't alert you any sooner, England."
"No, it's quite alright. I'm certain you did the best you could," England replied, so not making allowances for his favorite of the thirteen original colonies.
Virginia smiled brightly and moved to take America's seat. It wasn't the first time she had stood in for America, and she was almost certain it wouldn't be the last. However, she hoped next time would be on a better note.
To be honest, she really enjoyed world meetings. It was interesting to observe the countries and make careful mental notes, and that wasn't just her CIA speaking! She loved talking to the other nations and getting a handle on how the rest of the world was moving.
As the meeting progressed, she chatted with North Italy and Germany, giggled with Hungary about who was with who (although she would strongly deny it later), and interacted with pretty much every country. Except for one.
She didn't even so much as shoot a withering glare in Russia's direction. Virginia simply ignored him completely. She walked past him without even acknowledging his presence, completely spaced out whenever he spoke, and seemed to look right through him. In simple terms, he was her Canada.
"Um, Miss Virginia?" Hungary asked softly during one of the breaks. "Is there any particular reason you are ignoring Russia?"
"Hm? Russia? Oh, I didn't even realize he was here."
Hungary quirked an eyebrow. Russia was not one you could simply overlook. The country was massive, and childish cruelty emanated from him like heat from a flame. It was impossible to overlook the former superpower.
"You and I both know that isn't true, Miss Virginia. What happened?"
Virginia sighed and pushed back her bangs—a nervous habit she had always had.
"It's quite simple, Miss Hungary. My brother was an idiot."
Most nations would say they couldn't recall a day when America wasn't loud and obnoxious or without a clueless grin on his face. She could recall a thousand year's worth. Then again, she had known a very different America. While Riza and Daniel were disturbed by their older brother's quiet, reserved behavior, North took some form of comfort in it. Many couldn't, but she could see the broken bits of her son's heart slowly stitching themselves back together, if only to function.
"Alfred?" Riza asked three-hundred-and-eighty-nine days after she found her brother sobbing on the floor. "Do you think you'll be up to attending that upcoming world conference?"
No one said a word. America hadn't attended a world meeting since That Day; Virginia had went in his place and kept him update.
"You know you can't stay away forever, Alfred."
"Yeah. I know."
Riza nibbled slightly on her bottom lip. She waited for Alfred's reply, not sure what his response would be.
"I'll go. I've made you take too much time out of your schedule anyway. Sorry I've been such a bother."
"What? No, Alfred, you've never been a bother. Danny and I are happy to have you whenever you need." Riza gave him a sincere smile.
"Even if that's true, I should get out of your hair."
North America didn't show her faint disgust at her son's subdued tone. It was irritating how completely her son had been destroyed by a few angry words that hit too close to home. It was even more irritating that those angry words had been said by someone who had once been America's friend.
Without saying a word, North America straightened and silently exited the room. She left the house and never once looked back. Her son had started smiling again, and while there was still a faint glimmer of heartbreak lurking underneath the surface, he was repaired.
I hope the next we meet will be on better circumstances, my son.
No one said a thing when America walked into the conference room and took his seat. Whether it was from amazement that he had shown up or that he hadn't said a single word, one couldn't be sure.
A tad bit unnerved, the meeting started as was planned. Things went pretty much the way they had for the past year or so. The meetings had suddenly gotten a lot calmer after America had left his eldest colony in charge of taking notes for him. As much of a ruckus as the fifty states could cause, none of the nations could deny that some time with any of them could do wonders for meetings. (However, that the states couldn't seem to channel that maturity and wisdom into their own meetings was left unsaid.)
"Ah, hello, America. Did Virginia finally refuse to be your secretary?" England lightly ribbed, trying to keep his comment from sounding too biting. Looking at his former colony, England had the sudden impression that he was looking at a porcelain doll that would break if handled too roughly.
"Nah. I never even asked her to come to the meetings anyway. She went on her own."
"Ah, I see."
His eyes strayed away and fell onto the one person Alfred had been trying to avoid for the past year. The Russian noticed he was staring and stared right back. Alfred took a deep breath and straightened himself, a solid mask of indifferent inner strength.
"If you ever show me your weakness again, I will kill you."
Don't worry Russia, America thought as he looked away, I won't show anyone my weakness again. Not you, not anyone.
Attempting to give England his full attention, Alfred made a silent vow to himself. He wouldn't let Russia destroy him, not again.
Never again.
I love working with the relationships between America, North America, and the States.
I tried to keep this as realistic and in character as possible. While America can act rather rashly, my headcannon states that he would probably cry himself into oblivion before he could take any really drastic measures. Which would leave enough time for one of the States (Virginia according to my headcannon) to find him and start damage control.
The ending (and the plot in general) was inspired by the phrase, "That which does not kill you makes you stronger." So, this turned into an "America starts growing up" kind of story.
I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!
~Sakura