Prompt: A soldier unexpectedly runs into an enemy on the battlefield, but they do not end up causing each other harm (details up to the writer). Later, he runs into the same enemy soldier dead/injured/dying.

Dedicated to: hetaliasanguis on tumblr

Genres: Light Angst; Historical

[A/N: I realized when I got done writing this that it wasn't really angsty than I originally wanted, but I think that is because of my perception of the Civil War for APH America and how I wrote the story. It's more serious if anything, well least it ain't happy, right?]

Note: "Words" like this are song lyrics; the lyrics are from the song "Brother, My Brother" of the Civil War Musical.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.

I

"Brother, my brother, one blue and one gray. Will meet upon a quiet field, the morn of judgment day."

For almost a good hundred years, my brother America, was able to hold himself as a new nation. He progressed rather fast and was always on the go about money and expansion. These ideas of his resulted in some methods that us other nations and personas questioned for his continued use of them, they weren't ethical and/or right. Thus for those reasons, there were many times when he and I were on rocky waters because he could not control himself, and I couldn't let him take any advantage over me. I knew in the long run that Alfred would dread over any assault he'd put on me. Yet, when it was just us, Matthew and Alfred and not Canada and America, we always made sure we were on good terms.

But recently, Alfred has gone to war and it's with himself. The other night, he sent me a letter telling me that there has been a battle in Fort Sumter to which...

Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
The Battle of Fort Sumter
April 12, 1861—April 13, 1861

Dear Mattie,

I was asleep when it happened, a cannon roared and I scrambled to get up when I tried to see who has fired open on Fort Sumter. I've been staying here with my men for what, five to six months now. Anyway, a battle has broken out and I ran to the nearest window to find who has opened fire on us. It took a few runs to find the right window to discover that it was Fort Johnson that made the initial shot. The smoke still seeping out from a cannon.

I didn't know how to feel at the time, even now I don't. Do I feel betrayed? Shocked? Hurt? I don't know Mattie, I never thought that this would happen to me. Not even a hundred years and yet here's a sign of instability, I can hear Britain's taunts from miles away...

I feel like it's my fault, months prior to today Brig. Gen. Beauregard and other gave us the warning to leave but we didn't budge. The Union would never recognize the Confederacy and damn hell would we give up our territory to them... I knew my men out had slim chances of winning today, but we weren't going down without a fight. We were against three ports — Fort Johnson, Fort Moultrie, and Cummings Point Battery — all under Confederate command.

"And His eyes will look away, for His heart will so be torn— as His fields of gold turn scarlet from rage of battle born."

It's real strange seeing my own forts used against me, that's not something you'd want to happen.

Anyway, after Fort Johnson made the initial shot, Fort Moultrie and Cummings Point followed suit and I told Anderson to not shoot back. We were low on supplies and could not afford to be careless, a disadvantage in taking refuge in an unfinished water-locked fort. We held ourselves fairly well with the enemy firing cannons at us and dodging the fires that resulted from the damaged walls. It wasn't a pleasant moment, I was afraid to see a wall crash and collapse on my men. Every time a cannon shot, that's all I pictured, someone getting smashed to bits. And if the cannon or walls didn't kill them, the fire would! We were surrounded by water and trapped by the men outside it, it was crazy.

Two hours after the attack, Anderson made the command to return fire and we kept at it for the entire day. Back and forth, we had cannons shooting in all directions. Some made their target, others didn't, and all you could really think at the moment was the pandemonium going around. We were damn lucky that no one was killed or injured during the attack!

Despite of everything, we knew we had lost the moment we refused to surrender the first time — we're stubborn that way... We surrendered the next day, Anderson knew it would have been foolish to try and win, the chances of that were slim...

But Mattie, a real strange thing happened after we surrendered and escorted Fort Sumter to the mainland. As we got on our ships back to the Union, I saw a strange man and he gave me the chills from just looking at him. He looked like me, but at the same time he didn't; his physical appearance mimicked mine with slight alterations. He had tanned skin, ash brown hair, grey-green eyes, and a light stubble on his chin. He was dressed like a high-class man yet I wondered why would he'd be out in the battle field. He didn't seem like a man who'd watch the battle, but join it.

"And the silence of the night, will be broken with the cries— of the ones who've been forgotten on the quiet field where honor lies."

I told Anderson to go on without me, that I had something to do and bid him farewell. I ran toward where I saw the man but he had moved from where I last saw him. I ran around looking for him until found him near a dilapidated farm mill, waiting for me.

"Good afternoon there, Mista Jones. We haven't met before but I sure do know you. I'm Miles G. Davison, or you know, the Confederacy." He'd greet me. "Now, I hope I didn't get y'all all riled up back there, but sho 'nuff you made the decision to stay. I ain't gonna do anythin' to ya now, but I promise ya now that I won't be as kind as I have today. Understood?"

I didn't know what to say at the time, and I still don't; the Confederate States of America has a personification.

As he took his leave, he approached me before reaching up toward my face, "Now, to be honest, I feel out of kilter without Texas here, I hope you don't mind me taking them." He grabbed Texas and before I went back to my senses, he was gone.

I don't know why I acted the way I did; I was shocked and I felt like my heart shattered in two. God bless me.

"Give me now a splendid sun... with all His light-full clear."

Sincerely yours,

Alfred F. Jones

II

1863

It's been two years since the Battle of Fort Sumter but not the last since I've seen Miles. Every now and then I'd see him in a battle and we'd scuffle it out. He's also inherited my super strength but he doesn't know how to use it well. Compared to me, he's got no training but he makes it up for his sheer will power. As much as I hate to admit it, I'd admire that in him.

Over all, Miles has won more battles, but I've been winning the more crucial ones. Unfortunately, this civil war has been a putting a huge strain on me, I've lost 13 of my states and I'm exhausted constantly. I swear that this war is the most bloodiest one since the Revolution and this time all the soldiers fighting are my men, whether they like it or not.

Out of everything, I'm sure that only one nation will come out on top to day, and it sure ain't going to be the Confederacy.

III

Adams County, Pennsylvania
The Battle of Gettysburg
July 1 1863—July 3, 1863

Dear Mattie,

Now before you say anything, happy birthday. I won't be spending time with you for some time as Miles got me pretty good in Gettysburg, the Union won but he took a quick shot at me.

Other than the pain I'm in, I'm excited. I swear this battle was different, I feel like I can win everything after all. The Confederacy has been getting the upper hand lately and after these days I have this feeling that things will change. Now I don't think I'll be winning soon, but something was definitely different at Gettysburg.

"Give me now a gentle autumn... before the dying of the year."

Gettysburg a small town in Pennsylvania that has a population of 2,400 and these nights it held over 170 thousand soldiers. I know that I'm known for pushing limits, but I admit it was over the top. The whole reason we fought there was because Gen. Robert E. Lee believed that if he invaded the North he'd quickly end the war; I'm sure he felt pretty arrogant after his victory in Virginia with the battle of Chancellorsville. Despite that Lee is a admirable soldier, Maj. Gen. George G. Meade was able to hold his ground with him, I felt that he did pretty good in his commands even if he wasn't use to giving orders just yet.

Another thing Mattie was that I wished I saw the action happening at Little Round. Little Round Top is a forested hill with a battle advantage, anyone who seizes has the opportunity to seize the west easily. Originally, the hill was overlooked by commanders but Meade told Gen. Gov. K. Warren to inspect the federal lines across the hills sides. When Warren checked he saw how significant Little Round Top was and ordered his men to stand guard in the area.

That was when a simple instruction turned into something complex! It was like the Revolution over again! There's inexperienced men, not enough supplies, and an inadequate amount of men trying to cover a large space of land!

Over on the hill, Col. Patrick O'Rorke and the 140th New York Volunteer Infantry made it onto the top to discover that the Confederate soldiers were already climbing the hill and so O'Rorke took out his saber and he and the 140th New York took a bayonet charged toward enemy lines. In that conflict, it was a win for the Union however O'Rorke died in battle.

During that time, the 20th Main commanded by Col. Joshua Chamberlain were in deep trouble. They were placed on the extreme left of Little Round Top and Chamberlain struggled trying to keep his men alive and keeping enough supplies to last them. No every man had a bayonet and those who has one had no ammunition. They made trenches out of logs and anything to keep a barrier up in order to shoot enemy lines and had cover using trees and bushes to hide their person.

"Give me a field of the unbloodied grass while I can still see..."

When the Confederates finally showed, Chamberlain originally ordered his men to shot behind the trenches before shouting "Bayonets!" and charged down the hill for the attack. His men scattered around the trees to appear bigger in number and they took no survivors! With all the animosity coming from the 20th Maine, the Confederate army surrendered leaving Little Round Top secure.

The heroics here are inspiring and I wish I could have been there, but I'm stuck in a guarded infirmary. Anyway, attached to this letter should be a little music box, I thought you might enjoy the melody.

Sincerely yours,

Alfred F. Jones

IV

Palmito Ranch, Texas
The Battle of Palmito Ranch
May 12 1865—May 13, 1865

Dear Mattie,

You know, I've wanted this war to stop ever since it began, but now that it has, I still feel wrong. Not in the sense of my duties as a nation, but as the sense of my person of Alfred. I tried to be at every battle as did Miles, we fought head-to-toe and it's fun to fight someone with your strength. There was something so thrilling whenever I fought against him, I wanted to best him every time and for an amateur he was good at holding his ground. Yeah I know I'm still naive in that sense, but I at least had more experience that he did. He may be another America, but he is not me...

Anyway, our men battled hard. I won the war in April after Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered the last Confederate Army, however some have not given up. A few Confederates thought they could camp near the Rio Grande despite there being a gentleman's agreement prohibiting Union and Confederate forces fighting on the Rio Grande. They camped at Palmito Ranch and eventually Mexican forces informed the Union of what the Confederates were doing. In regards to those soldiers, Col. Theodore H. Barrett dispatched a branch group consisting of men from both the 62nd U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment and the 2nd Texas Cavalry Regiment under the command of Lt. Col. David Branson to attack the Confederate troops at the camp site.

I tagged along because something in my gut told me that I had to go... The last time I saw Miles was in Appomattox County, Virginia back in April. Lee had surrendered in order to save the lives of his men, he saw that he was outnumbered by a long shot and did not want to sacrifice the lives of his men in vain. Miles was deeply upset and left without saying a single word.

"Give me one night on a river... And one unfailing star."

Moving along to Texas, my troops traveled to White's Ranch to discover that no one was there thus we decided to set up camp. It wasn't until the next day that Branson commanded the troops to go forth to Palmito Ranch for the Confederate camp located there. As we marched on to Palmito Ranch, we ran in to find Confederate troops waiting for us; seeing that we lacked numbers in men we retreated back to White's Ranch. Branson then sent a carrier to Barrett telling him the disadvantage of his men's numbers compared to the Confederates. The next morning, 200 men from the 34th Indiana Volunteer Infantry came to assist us.

We marched back to Palmito Ranch and destroyed the supplies left there, and in return, the Confederate troops shot at us and we retreat for the night. Four hours later in the evening, Confederate troops led by Col. John S. "Rip" Ford ambushed us and we fought back. They shot us with artillery and we had to retreat for the last time.

I saw Miles separated from his men, Texas still perched on his face, and I knew had to end things. Despite my overall pain and exhaustion from the war, I ran and threw a punch at him. It landed and we both tumbled onto the ground. He kicked me off and managed to sucker punch me. We continued to fight man-to-man and gave it all we got, we were determined not to lose this fight.

Our spare kept going and out attacks were starting to lose avail; Miles was going through the same emotions and physique as I and if we continued we'd surely end in a draw. However, out hand-to-hand quickly ended the moment Miles snuck out a penknife and jabbed in my right shoulder twisting it. I, of coursed, screamed and kicked him as hard as I could at the time before taking out my Remington Model 1858 and began to shoot at him.

Despite that I'm no natural lefty, I actually taught myself to be ambidextrous because a hero needs to be prepared for anything. I shot him a good few times and he got me more with his penknife. Eventually I was able to nail him hard on the head with my gun before we both fell and I aimed it at him. He smiled.

"Brother, my brother, one blue and one gray. Will meet upon a quiet field, the morn of judgement day."

"You look rode hard and put up wet, but then again I reckon I do too. Sorry for the cheap shot back there, I was a yeller dog doing so." He admitted. "I knew the dog wouldn't've hunted yet I still went for it. You yankees really don't give up... How 'bout you do this quick instead of lettin' me keeping piddlin', I know you need to."

"Maybe if it were different circumstances we'd be friends or something, but I guess not now. I'll try not to make it hurt." I said, trying to be as cold as possible.

I didn't look at him as I moved the gun to his forehead, it felt like time went by before I did anything else, and before I knew it.

BANG!

I'm not sure if it was worth killing Miles, but the Confederacy had to go. I might have not recognized him as a nation, but I saw him as a person, and knowingly, a brother. I reached my hand out to his face.

"To be honest, I feel out of kilter without Texas here, I hope you don't mind me taking them."

.

.

.

"Brother, my brother... God has heard your battle call... Now He'll watch his precious children...learn how to stand — learn how to fall..."

Sincerely yours,

Alfred F. Jones.
The United States of America

[A/N: This was for a Dark!Hetalia Fanfiction Exchange project that I participated in, that I wrote and my recipient was hetaliasanguis from tumblr, where you may also see this story posted on their blog and on my fanfic tumblr account.]