Author: mitsukiyame13
Pairing: US/UK
Word Count: 620-ish [woah short fic]
Prompt: True Courage
Summary: Alfred does it again.
Warnings: Badly written fic. Mentions of England's cooking.
A/N: For everyone's sanity, I've been getting really rusty and I haven't written anything in more than six months, also, this is my first HETALIA fic, so obviously this is also my first US/UK fic. My verb agreement is not so good as well. But alas, what is a poor fangirl to do? I did my best, I swear. Long rant is long. Sorry guys. Also, I use their human names when speaking and their country names when in narration. Is it too confusing? ;__; *nervous*
In Which America Says Something Really Mature (Or so you thought...)
He sits at his porch, burger in hand. He gives a nonchalant sigh as his eyes roam his surroundings. With nothing interesting to look at or do at 2 in the afternoon, America proceeds to sigh again, eating his burger without much gusto as he used to.
"Man I am boooooooored," he whined.
He closes his eyelids, recalling anything interesting to ponder about.
He remembers his new boss' rather odd approach toward global warming (Artificial trees. What. We should build a giant robot instead!!), the internet article he saw about 50-dollar netbooks (I'd rather that they lower the cost for burgers.), and the new and upcoming live-action movie based from Japan's famous anime (Dragonball's Goku is a hero like me! –I'm awesomer, though– ). His mind tries not to wander to THAT, though, but inevitably, it does.
"Arthur, what does it mean to have true courage?" a younger, 9-year-old America asked the older, wiser country."That," England smiled, "is something you would have to find out for yourself. Pray tell when you find out what it means, alright?" he pats America's head gently."M'kay!" He said, still a little puzzled, as he bade goodnight to his older "brother" and buries himself in the covers."Goodnight." England stands up from America's bed, turns the light off and closes the door, but not without peaking just to see if America is still there.He still is, at least for tonight, he's still there.
"Courage, huh?" he grins to himself and scratches the back of his head. He, of all people, SHOULD know what courage means. He is a hero after all.
But did he know what true courage meant…?
"Guns. Freedom. War. Independence... from England."
Surely true courage felt nicer than that.
"And there was this time when I barged in Arthur's house with flowers and..."
No. Just… no. THAT did NOT go well. America felt embarrassed. (secretly, of course)
Slivers of old memories come rushing in…
He remembered the time they had a small picnic, where everyone would bring fod to share. He didn't remember what everyone brought, but he remembered what England did (and even now he didn't know what it is). He brought burgers, as usual. He could remember the moment when England brought out his food. Everyone fell silent. They didn't say anything, but their faces were of distaste. He remembered England, looking down, not saying a word.
He remembered eating the sludge, in front of everyone, and saying it was delicious.
He remembered eating the whole thing. He remembered England's face. He was so happy he promised to make America some more next time.
He remembered having to puke everything out when no one was looking. His stomach couldn't take it, it seems.
"What are you doing grinning like an idiot like that, pray tell?" England interrupted America from his reminiscing. He had come to visit his former colony.
"Hey Arthur," he said, still looking up, not meeting England's gaze. "I know what true courage means now."
England raised an eyebrow trying to recall the time when America had asked him what it meant. Then, slowly, he smiled a little. He remembered now.
"Really?" he mocked. "What does it mean, then?"
England's eyes finally met America's. He finally grew up, then. he thought to himself, secretly proud.
"True courage…" America's voice trailed off.
"True courage is when one can eat your food without dying or getting hospitalised for food poisoning." He said in his as-a-matter-of-factly voice.
"YOU BASTARD!"
Disaster ensues.
At least America isn't bored anymore.