"Crap! It's Father's Day again, already?" Alfred exclaimed, rubbing at his sleepy eyes while gazing down at his hamburger themed calendar.
It was a gift, okay, don't judge. Can't a guy just have his own little calendar with pictures of hamburgers on it, each month with its own designated topping? Mmmm, this month was a juicy picture of a double cheeseburger deluxe, with crispy looking bacon and –Okay! He needed to focus!
And why did he have a calendar anyway? He was a busy man! You know, with all those meetings and conferences with his boss or other countries that he had to go sleep through… He was already late to them enough of the time, but without a calendar he probably wouldn't even have remembered to show up to them at all. This one calendar in particular, had actually helped him out a lot… I mean, how could he forget to look at it with all those scrumptious burger pictures all over it?
Okay, not the point… He was way off topic now. The immediate problem at hand, was that it was Father's day tomorrow, and he needed to work up the guts to actually do something about it this year.
Uhhgg. Every year he was faced with the same dilemma. With Britain being the one who raised him and all, it was only natural for him to view him as a sort of father figure. He used to look up to him so much… and maybe he still secretly did, although he would never admit it.
This being said, America always wanted to do something nice for him on this special holiday, to thank him for all that he'd done for him throughout his long life. The only thing was… he didn't want to come off as weird, and just the thought of actually having a sentimental conversation with Arthur and trying to thank him, made Alfred want to be sick. He could practically feel the anxiety eating at his chest already.
Coming back from his thoughts, Alfred sighed, running a hand through his golden locks in defeat. What was he going to do? Every year he would contemplate the same exact thing, with the same good intentions, but he could never muster enough courage to go through with it. He didn't know why… It was just so hard to become close to someone again who he had spent hundreds of years trying to push away… The gap that had formed between them had never completely vanished. Sometimes he might have felt like he was getting close, like that rift was finally starting to fuse back together… But it never lasted. That crack that he had created during the Revolution, it never seemed to fully mend…
Alfred sighed in disappointment. Britain probably thought he hated him by now… Did his other former colonies celebrate this occasion with him? Man, Canada was probably sending Britain entire gift baskets right now, while America just sat there and argued with himself over what to do like the idiot he was.
Arthur was right. It pained Alfred's self-righteous spirit to confess, but he couldn't deny it. He was an idiot. He couldn't put his pride behind him to be the better person.
But then a morbidly comforting thought occurred to him. If Canada did happen to send Britain a gift, Britain probably wouldn't even be able to figure out who it was from, anyways.
Oh, Matthew…
But he guessed that even being invisible had its perks. Then he wouldn't even have had to face problems like this in the first place…
Alfred found his eyes wandering to an old toy solider figure, standing at attention on his wooden shelf. Ever since he'd found it, while rummaging through his storage room in a failed attempt to clean it, he had decided to take it out for display. I mean, it did mean a lot to him, after all.
The simple yet elegant figurine was masterfully painted, although after being around for so many centuries, some of the red was beginning to chip off.
Arthur had made it just for him.
Back when he had been such a jovial and warmhearted caretaker. He remembered Britain had been so overjoyed handing it to him, even when he had nearly broken his arm while crafting it. What had happened? How had their relationship come to such a jagged edge?
Sudden guilt and anguish flooded through Alfred's heart, filling it so full of emptiness, it threatened to overflow. What had he ever done for Arthur? What had he ever given to him?
Pain? Loss? Loneliness?
They already had so much water under the bridge, it wasn't even funny. With all of the constant bickering flying between them, and with every new insult thrown, they were only adding more… It seemed that, as long as they were in each other's presence, some form of quarreling was inevitable.
He was finally starting to realize what a horrible person he really had been to his old mentor, who had always done so much for him… But, he knew he couldn't blame everything solely on himself, although he often found himself doing just that.
They both had their faults. They had both done unspeakable things to the other throughout the course of their lengthy histories. After all, it always took the will of two to start a conflict.
Still, America had his regrets…
Alfred immediately tried to counter his diminishing thoughts with a newer, more optimistic one.
Maybe this year would be different.
Maybe this year, he could finally repay Arthur for everything he'd done for him. Finally give Arthur what he felt the man so desperately deserved. Maybe, he could finally make up for all of the trouble he had put the older nation through (and still ended up putting him through).
With a newly found confidence, America rose from his seat to get ready for the day. This Father's Day was going to be different, he could feel it. He was going to finally make things right, after so many centuries of cowardice.
As soon as Alfred arrived at the K-Mart adjacent to his house, he was already starting to greatly regret his decision.
What did Arthur even like, again? Uhhg, why was it that when you finally wanted to go buy someone a present after knowing them for a couple hundred years, you couldn't figure out what they wanted? He thought this would've been so effortless, but now, staring at all the racks of countless clothing items and kitchen appliances, his mind was completely and utterly blank.
Come on now, he was the hero after all, this was nothing he couldn't handle. He could pick up a whole truck with one hand, or design a high tech fighter jet to save the world, but he couldn't figure out something as simple as what to get someone as a present?...
And you might have been wondering why he was shopping at K-Mart of all places… well, let's just say it was the closest store to his house, and he was kind of working with a very undersized budget.
It was definitely not because he was just extremely lazy and cheap. No way…
Okay, it wasn't that he was poor or anything; he might have owed China enough money for him to basically buy his entire country with, but the real problem was just that he'd already spend most of his monthly earnings on some other important stuff… Like this really cool waterslide he had seen a couple of days ago… And this rockin' new stereo system… And a pony…
Hey, you have to remember, Alfred had only just figured out when Father's Day was this morning. If he would have known about it a few days in advance, he probably wouldn't have bought all that stuff…
Probably…
As he maneuvered through the vicinity, he found it was increasingly difficult to focus on the current mission at hand. One second he would be contemplating whether to buy this fancy new watch for Arthur or not, and then he would look over and see this epic new rack of water guns for sale and go see how many of his citizens he could spray with them.
He ended up scampering around the store with them, playing a game with this little kid he had just met, instead of worrying about his current complication. At least ten minutes had passed before he remembered the real reason why he was there, and he forced himself to stop messing around (which was a great feat for him).
He had to admit though, he was still pretty impressed that within the short amount of time he had been distracted, they were able to accomplish all sorts of fun things. Like filling their water soakers up at the water fountain, making a huge mess in the electronics department, and getting into trouble with the store's security… Just to name a few…
America had always had a horrendous attention span, and he was well aware of it. It had been that way for as long as he could remember, ever since he was a kid. It really didn't prove helpful during his country's vital meetings however. He would be at some important conference, listening to his boss rattle on about the economy or something, and then he'd see a squirrel eating a nut outside the window, and suddenly he had just missed the entire lecture his boss had been giving.
Sometimes he couldn't figure out whether it was a blessing or a curse… But, this time, he was pretty sure it wasn't a blessing…
After being there for over an hour, Alfred was starting to feel drained. No wonder he had never gone through with this plan before. He had never realized how much work it would end up being. And for what? What if Arthur didn't even care? He found himself frowning down at his shoes in desolation.
He was suddenly pulled from his thoughts as he heard the little boy he had been playing with earlier, speak up from below him. Kids always did seem to be drawn to him for some reason. (Gee, I wonder why…)
"What are you even looking for, Mister?" he asked with the slightest tilt of his shaggy head. He couldn't have been more than eight years old.
"Oh, just a present for my… um…"
Alfred paused trying to think of the right word to identify Britain as. I mean, he wasn't really his father… more of a big brother… well, at least he used to be…
When had things gotten so complicated between them? He didn't even know what to call him anymore! Alfred quickly decided on a word choice that would probably make the most sense and continued.
"F-for my father… you know, for Father's day."
The child peered at him curiously before innocently replying, "Well, why don't you get him some daddy things, like tools and hammers? That's what I'm getting my daddy."
The small boy pointed behind him to a cart with a new shiny hammer and drill laying idle in it. A young woman, who must have been his mother, stood over it, leaning down to place in some cans of soup.
"Hmm," Alfred replied thoughtfully, "He's not really into that kind of stuff too much…"
The little kid just blinked, but he seemed determined to help Alfred.
"Then what does he like?"
America stared off into space for a moment lost in thought… What did Arthur like to do? Other than find new ways to criticize him and strangle France, that is…
"Umm… I think he likes to… sew… And do magic… And maybe cook -but he's not very good at that."
The child's face lit up with wonder. "Magic? Your daddy can do magic? Like Harry Potter?" He asked with genuine excitement igniting his eyes.
Okay, maybe he had said a little too much… He had to remind himself that he was talking to merely humans sometimes…
Then again, he was also talking to an eight year old, so…
"I mean…uh… Yeah! He can do magic! Cool huh?"
Alfred needed to relax, the times weren't like the Salem Witch trials anymore…
He hoped.
The last thing he needed was for an angry mob to chase Britain out of his house, with torches and pitchforks for Father's Day…
The boy stared up at him with genuine amazement.
"That's super amazingly awesome!" He squealed. "Do you know magic too? Can you teach me?! Please!" he chirped ecstatically.
"Well, no… I can't..." Alfred stammered quickly, trying to come up with something to tell the young child. He leaned a little closer to the kid and whispered into his ear with a small smile, "It's kind of a secret, all right? So, don't tell anyone. Kay?"
Boy, if this kid had been that psyched about the existence of magic, then who knows how he would of reacted if Alfred had told him about how Britain claimed to be acquainted with mystical creatures, like fairies and unicorns. Personally, America just thought the old man was off his rocker sometimes…
The little boy nodded his head vigorously, his messy blond locks bouncing.
"Okay!" He eagerly agreed, pleased with the fact that out of all people, Alfred was trusting his special secret with only him.
"Anyway," Alfred started, straightening a little, "What do you think I should get him?" He asked again, trying to quickly change the subject before things got too awkward and hard to explain.
The child stared off into the distance, possibly daydreaming about the sorts of things he could accomplish with magic, until he focused his attention back on America once more.
"What did you say your daddy liked again?"
Well, at least Alfred wasn't the only one with a short attention span.
It didn't really help, though, that everyone else suffering from the issue, seemed to be below the age of ten… but oh well.
Alfred sighed to himself.
"Sewing and cooking…" He repeated dryly, "Though, I really should mention-"
"Sewing?!"
The child's sudden exclamation cut Alfred's sentence off short. As he stared back, slightly startled by the unexpected proclamation, the child proceeded to giggle wildly.
"T-That's what mommies are supposed to do!"
Then he continued to erupt with laughter for Britain's apparently strange past time.
America found himself beginning to grin widely as well. Anyone making fun of Arthur was right up his alley, and the child's giggles were just so contagious.
"Well, I suppose that does sound a little… feminine, now that I think about it." He admitted with amusement, allowing a small chuckle to slip past his lips.
The boy swiped at his eyes, as he tried to pull himself together. But, before he could continue his conversation with the nation, he glanced behind him at the sound of his mother's voice, calling him. He looked back to see her moving on to the next isle, summoning for him to follow.
The boy frowned and put his hands behind his back in submission.
"Sorry, I gotta go, Mister." he said sheepishly, "Nice seeing you though, and good luck with your daddy!" He finished cheerfully, turning and scurrying around the corner to catch up with his mother, leaving America behind.
Well, that was a lot of help...
A little while later, after playing around with a rubber alligator he had found on the floor for a few minutes, Alfred decided to just give up and go home. It was never like him to accept defeat, but he wasn't making any progress, and he was starting to get a headache. Man, shopping for people was hard work…
Maybe he should just get Arthur a gift card instead… Nah, that'd be kind of lame… and would he even be able to use it back in England?
Uhhggg. At this point, Alfred was considering just finding something random from his house he could live without, and re-gifting it to Arthur. Yep, his toaster would do pretty nicely. I mean, he never really made toast anymore, and he's sure Britain would enjoy using it to burn even more of his food with… So yeah! Not a bad idea Alfie boy, not a bad idea at-!
"Wait!"
As he strolled through the parking lot to his truck, twirling his keys on a finger, his thoughts were once again interrupted by a familiar young voice, calling out to him.
"Hey! Hey, Mister! Wait!" It hollered.
America spun around on the cement, to find his tiny new friend from before, rushing up to him from the store's exit. Alfred peered down at him in confusion, as the child panted, extending an arm to the nation.
In its grasp, was a grocery bag with a receipt hanging out of it, and a rectangular looking object hung in its hold.
"Here!" The boy huffed, "Take it! I saw you walk out of the store without anything, so I thought I should get you this for your daddy! Everyone deserves to get something for Father's day!"
Alfred curiously lifted the bag, lowering his brows in guilt for thinking that the child had went out of his way to spend his own money on a complete stranger like him.
"You didn't have to-", he started, but lost all words when he saw what was inside.
A devious smirk hindered his lips.
Oh, this kid was good…
Author's Notes:
The part where America is goofing off in the store was inspired by what actually happened to my dad and I when we went Mother's Day shopping for my mom… XD
The next chapter will be more feelsy, I promise. ;) I just added this part in to lighten it up a little with a good old dose of innocent humor! (Or at least attempted…) This whole story was originally formed by two different ideas I had, but I decided it would be better to just combine them into one.
This is one of my first fan fictions, so I'm really sorry if it isn't that great. D:"
This is only the beginning of my personal mission to bring more brotherly Britain and America fan fics to the good people of the inter-webs! :3 (Cuz seriously… there needs to be more…)
The next part should be up by Father's Day, if not sooner. : )
I hope you enjoyed it, and if so, I would be very grateful for you to tell me about it in a review! :3 If you have any helpful criticism, I'd like that too, as that's what helps you to develop into a better writer. : ) Thank you for taking the time to read this!
~GoofieDaisy -^_^-