A/N I wrote this AGES ago and completely forgot about it, my goodness.
"Lord, what fools these mortals be."
-Puck, A Midsummer Night's Dream
It was a kind of cold where a chill settled within you the moment you stepped outside no matter how many hundred of layers you were where, like your entire organ system had just been frozen solid, and not even the warmth of a heated building or scalding hot chocolate could heal you of it. It reminded America of that guy from Mortal Kombat…Sub-Zero. He stepped out of his home placed in New York (one of many homes, mind you) and immediately wished he hadn't, but he was out of food and was starving. Maybe he could get by with simply stopping quickly at McDonald's and worry about going shopping the next time his stomach rumbled.
People bustled around in their crunching boots, their bulky coats, their puffy mittens or stylish gloves, their billowing scarves, and their hats which flew off of their own accord in the wind and causing true love to overtake their owner. Even if it was a harsh cold, it could be looked at in a positive light. Children squealed with delight as they dove in the fluffy white substance blanketing the ground, pelting snowballs at one another or in the more daring cases, at their parents or passing adults unlucky enough to be walking right then. A group of young teenagers, no older than fourteen or fifteen, hung around the park chatting, clearly waiting for someone to pick them up since they were too young to drive themselves.
"Might be waiting a lot longer if some of these nutcases who want the driving age raised to eighteen have their way," America chuckled to himself as he passed, "Sorry kids."
Through the layers of tightly crammed people walking passed, caught up in their own business and lives, not sparing a care or even a glance toward those surrounding them, one girl caught the young nation's eye for a reason unknown to him. She had to be seventeen at the oldest, face still rounded but clearly narrowing out, wide brown eyes filled with anxiety, tears dripping down her cheeks and rolling over her plump lips. The girl inhaled, closing her eyes as if preparing to do something very difficult or which required immense bravery, then she gave America a panic attack by carrying out a task incredibly stupid. She stepped out into traffic as a large truck came barreling forth.
The blue-eyed country cried out and dashed forward, grabbing hold of her left arm and tugging her toward the sidewalk where she landed in a snow bank, unharmed, but very pissed off.
"The HELL was that for?" she shouted, drawing just a bit of attention from the crowd. Maybe they thought the two were friends or siblings or something, but still, the apathy from his citizens was concerning him.
Had no one seen the CHILD about to end her own LIFE?
…Or did they just not care?
"What's your name?" he asked quietly.
"You just GRABBED me and you don't even know my NAME?! Who the Hell are you?"
"I'm A…" he couldn't say his name was America, "Alfred. And I just saved your life so maybe you could spare a 'thank you'."
"I didn't want your help! I didn't ask for it."
"No, but you sure as Hell needed it."
There was silence as they both simply stood in the middle of the sidewalk, annoying the people around them as they carelessly shoved passed.
"Amelia. My name is Amelia," she sniffed and turned away before the nation could say anything else.
America shook his head sadly. Is this what his citizens were up to now? Throwing away their lives? If only they knew how important each and every one of them was to him. Humans. They are so stupid, but still, he longed to be one.
A/N If anyone saw some of my Hetalia fanfics with the states (America's children) before everything got deleted, you may remember that Amelia is the name of his human love.