Alfred F Jones did not at all consider himself a melancholy nor resentful kind of person.

No, in fact the Untied Sates of America much prefers to consider himself to be a kind hearted and energetic country; a righteous hero of justice who was always ready for whatever the day could throw at him.

Yes, kind, friendly, energetic and loud- that was him, that was America. Always.

At least, this was how he felt when he had met the young British Colony for the first time.

Australia had been just a small lad living under England's arguably strict and stuffy roof when their very different worlds finally collided. He had stomped himself down the stairs and halfway through the foyer towards the front door in a heavy footed protest on his way to exit this awful house when it happened. His hand on the ornate knob ready to leave violently when he had spotted the green eyed child cowering on the old couch in the nearby parlour; no doubt frightened by the yelling match that had transpired between the Yankee and Brit upstairs only moments before. Their eyes met briefly, causing his actions to falter in surprise. Who was this new face?

His hand fell and he found himself approaching the atrociously decorated room slowly, causing the boy to slink deeper into the couch cushions in a pathetic attempt to become invisible.

"Hello" he greeted slowly, his voice oddly soft even to his own ears as he shuffled into the parlour and knelt down to one knee in front of the child. "Who are you?" He inquired with a lopsided grin.

Their were a few small beats of awkward silence between them as both took in each other's unfamiliar presence. America's grin was warm and welcoming.

Deciding this blond, funny sounding stranger to be nice enough, the brunette smiled back wildly.

"I'm Australia! I came from super far away!" He shuffled forward on the cushions with newfound enthusiasm that only a child could demonstrate. "Who are you anyway, why were you yelling at Dad?"

Dad? So old eyebrows was fathering Colonies now?

Apparently still controlling Canada wasn't enough for the uptight nation.

"I'm America, England's younger, more heroic brother..." He replied, his grin growing as wide as the child in front of him. "It's nice to meet you little dude."

"Why were you fighting if you're brothers?" Australia questioned again as he shook America's hand civilly: the way England had taught him- dad had refrained him from saying the typical greeting of 'Good day' until he managed to pronounce all syllables clearly and correctly.

'G'day is NOT an acceptable greeting, nor will it be tolerated under my rule.'

"Well..." Alfred thought about how best to explain his situation to his new friend. "You know how England likes to teach and groom you to be all proper and stuff?" He questioned and the young colony nodded in understanding.

"Like how I've gotta read ALL the time now and I'm not allowed to climb trees or dig holes in the garden?" He groaned back, childishly annoyed.

"Yeah...well I couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to do things without him. I left to be by myself." He replied, standing up from the ground and straightening his uniform. "I told my big brother that I was independent now, we had a big fight and things are a bit tense between us still." America's sentence trailed off as he looked up at the ceiling as if he could see Arthur fuming in his study upstairs. Tense was an understatement, in fact, he would be suprised if the pommy bastard would ever really let it go. Alfred'sblue eyes turned back to Australia who was now staring up at him with shock and confusion.

"What's up little dude?"

The brunette lowered his voice to a frightened whisper, he looked around terrified. "Y-you can't say no to Mr England, you gotta do what he says...or you get in big trouble!" He looked so scared that England might overhear him and decide to spank them both! Alfred's face broke out into a grin once again and he found himself ruffling the young lads hair affectionately, a fearless, heroic chuckle bubbling from his throat.

"Don't worry little dude, I can say or do whatever I like now. I can dig all the holes and climb all the trees I like." He assured with confidence. "I'm free!"

"R-really...?" The whole idea was confusing to him to say the least; yes dad was kinda strict, but why would you choose to be by yourself? You would be alone in the great big world, and Australia couldn't think of anything worse then being alone.

He had been alone for far too long, cut off from the rest of the world and he told himself every day he would never go back to that kind of suffocating loneliness (no matter how horrible life got under this roof). 'England was his world now', that's what Dad had said, and he believes him with all his tiny heart.

I mean, who else would care about him?!

America's falling grin snapped the young Colony back to his small, twisted reality.

"Yeah! Anyways, I've got to go, see you around dude." He patted Australia on the shoulder fondly (the kind of pat that silently encouraged him to stay strong) and started for the front door once again. Australia jumped off the couch and walked him to the front door politely, just like he had been instructed to do with all visiting guests.

America opened the large front door and cast a final, warm smile to the young Colony.

"Why are you still here!?" Came the roaring accusation from atop the staircase, making both males jump and look up. England had emerged from his study, his mood obviously still foul from their earlier fight. The Brit had a whiskey in his hand and a sway to his movements. Australia shrunk back in fright of the great enraged empire, his bright eyes becoming dull and downcast to look at the old wooden floor.

"I was just leaving!" America spat back, squaring his shoulders and looking annoyed and angry. "Fucking get off my back you bastard drunk!"

And with that he stormed out, slamming the wooden door shut behind him forcefully with not so much of a word goodbye, the sound of gravel being stomped across loudly indicating his quick retreat from the house, from Arthur.

England began storming down the staircase, downing his glass of whiskey before he even reached the bottom landing.

"Ungrateful bastard, good riddance!" He spat, venom lacing each word as he glared glassy eyed out the window at the retreating carriage, his face twisted in rage. Australia made a move to retreat out of sight, he did not like dad when he drank in a bad mood, he became brash and physical, almost cruel. A large hand grabbed his small shoulder and stopped him mid great escape, the grip was heavy and rough, sending pain shooting down his small arm. He dared not make a sound but instead held his breath as England yanked him violently, forcefully spinning him around to glare down at him with accusing, almost resentful eyes. Australia's own eyes looked away and down, unable to look at him as his terrified face scrunched up with guilt.

Why did he feel guilty? Should he feel guilty?

This displeased England greatly it would seem and with a drunken sneer he shook the young boy roughly before leaning his face down and close, the sharp smell of strong, familiar alcohol cutting through the air between them like a sharp knife. "You do NOT talk to him, do you understand!?" He growled and Australia found himself nodding weakly(his arm now unbearably painful from the vice grip), wide eyed and still unable to make a noise.

England let go with a violent shove that almost had the lad toppling over before he stood straight once more, staring down at his young, untamed colony accusingly. "You are part of MY EMPIRE! You understand, boy!? Don't even think about getting any traitorous ideas of 'freedom' from him because I can assure you that no body else will care enough about you!" Arthur inspected his empty glass with hatred before his gaze once again shifted to the small, terrified boy. Still such a bloody, ungrateful savage, he has much to learn!

He refused to let this one disrespect him and leave like that idiot younger brother of his. No, this one will learn respect, even if he had to teach it in the most disrespectful way possible.

"The world is a big, scary place and you are less then nothing in its eyes, you hear me boy!? NOTHING!" His voice raised dramatically, his hand tightening dangerously around his glass that at any moment it might break. Australia couldn't handle it, his already wide eyes grew unbelievably wider and he found himself desperately scurrying around England's legs in a bid to escape his drunken rage. He dodged England's violent grabbing hands as the older man gave a outraged cry at the disobedience. "You bloody little savage!" He yelled angrily as Australia ran around the corner, the horrid sound of breaking glass behind him only spurring him to run faster as the whiskey glass shattered against the wall loudly, showering the air in sharp, whiskeyless debris.

"SAVAGE! YOU ARE NOTHING! NOTHING!" England roared once more, drunk and red faced as Australia burst out the kitchen door and wasted no time climbing a nearby tree up and out of harms way, his natural 'savage' instincts purring him to go as high as possible. He was breathing heavily and shaking, terrified but not ready to shed a tear.

Climbing trees were against the rules he knew, but as he picked the small shards of broken glass from his rapidly bleeding shoulder, he decided that rules were stupid.

England was stupid.

Whiskey was stupid.

America was stupid.

And he was nothing...

...

Short chapter! Sorry!

I just though I'd set the tone of England and America and Australia's past relationships.

So, I set this chapter after the American Revolutionary War, so America and England are a bit angry still! England is bitter towards his new colonies!

The next chapter should be longer hopefully, and it will be set before WW1, so time skip :)

Reviews would be awesome too!

What do you think!?