Leaders Of The Band

By: Aubrie1234

"Honestly, if we didn't know the gits so well, this would be more of a surprise." Arthur muttered. Oliver nodded.

"I know. Where do you think they are, poppet?" Arthur shrugged, downing a shot of rum.

"Who knows? It'd be just my luck for Alfred to miss my party in spite, like how I always miss his, even if he helped to plan it."

"And he would have dragged Allan along with him, which would be easy, since the boy hates me." Arthur shook his head.

"No he doesn't, Ollie." The normally cheery ginger snorted.

"Arthur, you and I both know that all of our old colonies hate us. We were never good caretakers, so I don't blame them for hating me. Why don't you?" Arthur poured himself another glass.

"Because of Alfred." Arthur sighed, "Even with his you-know-what, he never hated me. Not after the Revolution, not after 1812, never. And neither have Australia, India, Canada, Hong Kong..." Oliver nodded.

"With love comes hate, and as is the other way around..." Arthur nodded and handed him a glass of rum. The Americas had planned a surprise party for the Englands, along with their former colonies, which was now playing around them. They would have been partying along (Oliver would have, anyway), but were feeling very sentimental, so they kept out of the festivities. What confused them the most was the stage in the background, curtains closed. Arthur hoped Alfred wasn't trying to get him to play a song from his punk days.

"Everyone, quiet down, please!" The Englands looked up to see the curtains open. Alfred was at the main microphone, holding a guitar, with the other ex-colonies around him, holding instruments as well and at their own microphones, "If Artie and Ollie don't mind, I'd like to say something. This party is more than just a party."

"It's our present to you for your birthday." Matt said, "For taking care of us when no one else would or did."

"You were really great caretakers, even if you weren't there all the time, but you're even better fathers." Allan blushed as he said that.

"So, even if we seemed like little brats, we didn't mean it. We loved you very much, but we just wanted our freedom." Jett said.

"And if you think we hate you, we don't. We never have, even with our fights for freedom, and never will." Mattie said shyly, but still loud enough to be heard.

"And here is our gift to you!" Liam nodded at Alfred, who nodded back. He started to strum the guitar and began to sing.

An only child, alone and wild, a cabinet maker's son,

His hands were meant for different work and his heart was known to none.

He left his home and went his lone and solitary way

And he gave to me a gift I know I never can repay.

A quiet man of music, denied a simpler fate,

He tried to be a soldier once but his music wouldn't wait.

He earned his love through discipline, a thund'ring, velvet hand.

His gentle means of sculpting souls took me years to understand

The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old

But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul.

My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man.

I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.

My brothers' lives were different, for they heard another call.

One went to Chicago and the other to Saint Paul

And I'm in Colorado, when I'm not in some hotel

Living out this life I've chosen, come to know so well.

I thank you for the music and your stories of the road

I thank you for the freedom when it came my time to go

I thank you for the kindness and the times when you got tough

And, Papa, I don't think I said "I love you" near enough.

The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old

But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul.

My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man.

I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.

I am the living legacy to the leader of the band.

Each ex-colony took turns singing and at times they played together, but they all sung with everything they had. Memories flooded their minds as they remembered their time in the care of Arthur and Oliver, as was the same for the Englands. Tears peaked through as they began to cry, turning their heads so others wouldn't see them. The lyrics were taking both groups back in time, back to when things were simpler and easier...

"Artie?"

"Yes, Alfred?"

"What's that?"

"A lilac. It's a very beautiful flower, don't you think?"

"Yeah...Could we bring it inside?" Arthur smiled.

"Of course, Alfred. I'll get the vase and water..."

"I guess this is goodbye, old man." Allan had his stuff slung over one shoulder, holding his bat in his hand. His other arm and hand were free as he faced Oliver, the man he had known since he could remember.

"Yes, I guess it is..." Allan almost started when he saw the tears in his caretaker's eyes.

"Ollie, I'll still visit you, of course, but I want to live at my own place, have my freedom."

"I understand, Allan." Oliver brought him into a small hug, "Take care." Allan smiled.

"You too, Ollie." He waved as he left, Oliver waving back.

"Do you have to leave?"

"I'll be back soon, Matthew." Mattie sniffed as Arthur packed for his trip.

"I'll miss you."

"I know." Mattie suddenly flung himself at Arthur, crying.

"Please be safe!" he cried, "I don't want you getting hurt!" Arthur was surprised at first, but then smiled and took the crying boy in his arms.

"Matthew, I'll be fine, I promise. I've had worse, you know." he rubbed Mattie's back soothingly.

"J-just stay safe, please."

"I will. I will, Matthew, I promise."

"Goal!" Matt shouted, throwing his hockey stick into their air while Oliver wheezed. He had been trying to teach Matt hockey, which the boy learned very quickly and was now using Oliver as the goalie.

"G-good job, Mattie..."

"Did you see my shot?! It was awesome!" Even with his pain, Oliver smiled.

"Yes, I did. Want to play some more?"

"YEAH! But, aren't you hurt?" Oliver shook his head.

"I'll keep playing as long as you want to, Mattie." Matt shook his head.

"No way, not when you're like that!" The boy took Oliver's hand and drug him inside, planning on helping the man himself if he had to.

"Australia, no! Get down from there!" Jett knew he was in trouble when Arthur called him by his country name. Slowly, he made his way down from where he had been climbing the stairs by the banister and lowered his head in shame.

"Sorry, Artie." he mumbled. Arthur sighed, his face softening.

"Jett, I didn't mean to get mad at you. I just was afraid for your safety." Jett looked up in confusion.

"You let Alfie do it all the time!"

"I don't mean to, but you know how he can always get his way. Besides, he's a little older than you are. He can handle himself. You, however..."

"Aren't I old enough?"

"No, you aren't." Arthur picked Jett up, "But that also means you get to spend more time with me than Alfred."

"Yay!"

"Ollie?" Liam eased open the door, glancing around at how abandoned it looked. It had been a few months since Allan, Oliver's last colony, had left. Liam, being the second most caring of the ex-colonies, had come by Chen's insistence to check on their former caretaker. Slowly, he opened to door fully before going in and closing it behind him. It was strange to see the house he grew up in like this, so deserted-looking, almost abandoned and unclean... He shivered. He needed to find Oliver, and fast.

"Oliver? It's Liam, remember? Australia?" He walked to the stairs and went up them, heading for Oliver's room, since that was the most likely place he would find England. As he neared the room, he began to hear the muffled sounds of crying. He quickened his pace and threw open the door. Oliver was there, on his bed, crying as he held old photos. Photos of the man with the children he cared for.

"Ollie?" Oliver sniffed, lifting his head.

"Liam?" The man crossed the room and sat on the bed, beside his ex-caretaker.

"What happened to you?" he asked quietly, "I don't think I've ever seen you like this." Oliver sat up, taking a tissue to blow his nose.

"After Allan left, it was so lonely. I wasn't going to hear any of your laughter, your crying, your shouts of happiness ever again..." he rubbed his eyes, "I basically locked myself in here, crying in misery."

"How long as this been going on?"

"About two days after Allan left." Liam's eyes softened in sadness.

"How have you survived?" Oliver pointed to a plate beside his bed. It had crumbs on it and had probably been filled with cupcakes at one point.

"I know, even with Allan said, that you would come to visit, but a part of me just couldn't believe that. I thought you were all gone for good..." Tears welled up in his eyes yet again. Before he could wipe them away, Liam did so for him.

"Never think that, Ollie." he said, "We may have our freedom, but we will always be with you, and we will always come by to visit. We love you, and we are always in your heart." Oliver sniffed, a smile finally coming to his face.

"Liam..." he pulled the ex-colony into a hug, "Thank you. I love you too."

Leon touched his now thicker eyebrows, frowning.

"Why?"

"You may be going back to Yao, but you will always be mine first." Arthur touched Leon's eyebrows as well, "Don't think of it as a curse, Leon. It's just a reminder of me. Trust me, my eyebrows are worse." Leon smiled.

"Will I get to see you again?"

"Of course, love. I will always be here if you need me. Not just in England, but up here," Arthur touched the boy's eyebrows again, "and in here." He touched Hong Kong's chest.

"Thank you, Arthur, for everything." Arthur smiled.

"Just call me Artie, Leon."

"What 'cha making, Ollie?"

"Cupcakes, Chen! Would you like to join me?"

"Are they safe?" Oliver rolled his eyes; Allan and Matt had been giving him more of their stories, haven't they?

"Yes, poppet, they're safe. No poison, no blood, no flesh." Hong Kong gave him a wary look before smiling.

"Sure! What do I need to do?"

"Well, first is..."

"Urk...How do you even do this, Advik...?"

"Are you not flexible?"

"Of course I-!"

*CRACK*

"..."

"..."

"...I'll get the back straightener..."

"DON'T LEAVE ME HERE, YOU WANKER! Can't you get me out of this?" India sighed with a small smile. Inviting Arthur over for yoga had been fun until Arthur's back seized up on him.

"I'll see what I can do..."

"AHH! OWOWOW!" Shaurya laughed as Oliver ran, clapping his baby hands. He, being India, was impervious to the hot rocks he had been crawling on. Oliver, however, was not. When the older nation had seen him crawling on the rocks, he instantly went to pick him up. That also meant he had to step on the blazing rocks. It was not fun.

After that, Oliver held Shaurya in one hand as he lowered his burning feet into a large bucket of water. He sighed in relief as Shaurya giggled before giving the baby a glare.

"Why did you do that?" he said sharply, "If you weren't so heat resistant, you could have been badly hurt!" Shaurya's eyes teared up. He didn't enjoy being yelled at, or yelling in general. Oliver instantly softened.

"Poppet, it's okay, don't cry. Shh, shh..." he rocked Shaurya, calming the baby. Soon enough, the rocking was making Shaurya yawn. Oliver smiled and took his feet out of the water, standing. He winced, as his feet still hurt, but walked up the stairs and to Shaurya's room. He kissed the babe on his forehead and laid him in the crib, smiling softly as India still sleepily held to his shirt with one hand and his forefinger with another.

"It's alright, poppet, I'm not leaving you." He kissed Shaurya's head again, "I'll never leave you..." Slowly, India went to sleep and Oliver could finally pull away. Once he did, he covered the baby with a blanket, making sure he was good and warm before going to the door, turning off the light. Before he left, he looked back at the sleeping babe and smiled once again.

"Sleep well, Shaurya..."

An only child, alone and wild, a cabinet maker's son,

His hands were meant for different work and his heart was known to none.

He left his home and went his lone and solitary way

And he gave to me a gift I know I never can repay.

A quiet man of music, denied a simpler fate,

He tried to be a soldier once but his music wouldn't wait.

He earned his love through discipline, a thund'ring, velvet hand.

His gentle means of sculpting souls took me years to understand

The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old

But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul.

My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man.

I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.

My brothers' lives were different, for they heard another call.

One went to Chicago and the other to Saint Paul

And I'm in Colorado, when I'm not in some hotel

Living out this life I've chosen, come to know so well.

I thank you for the music and your stories of the road

I thank you for the freedom when it came my time to go

I thank you for the kindness and the times when you got tough

And, Papa, I don't think I said "I love you" near enough.

The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old

But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul.

My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man.

I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.

I am the living legacy to the leader of the band.

They were singing the song again and were looking straight at the Englands. Like Oliver and Arthur, they had tears in their eyes as well. The song reminded them of their caretakers so much, they couldn't help but sing it again, and again, and again...

Soon enough, everyone had left the room to let the Englands, Americas, Canadas, Australias, Indias, and Hong Kongs talk to one another.

"...Why?" Arthur asked once they had sung the song for the fifth time.

"Why not?" Chen asked.

"I heard a man named Dan Fogelberg singing this, and it reminded us of you." Liam said, "It was what inspired the party."

"We wanted to say our thanks to you, for everything you did for us, in a way that words couldn't express." Leon said, smiling.

"The song, called Leader Of The Band, was the perfect way." Advik said. Alfred and Allan then came down from the stage and walked over to Arthur and Oliver.

"We love you both, no matter what gets in the way." Alfred said.

"Rain, Sleet, Snow, or Wind, we will force past it so we can be with you." Allan said. Slowly, the others joined them.

"You took care of us and put up with us, even with what we did." Shaurya said, embarrassed.

"You never abandoned us, even with all the times it probably crossed your minds." Mattie said, blushing shyly.

"You taught us so many things that we know more of the world than most countries do." Matt added.

"Overall, you both are more like fathers to us than anyone else was." Jett said.

"And that's why we love you." Chen continued.

"Happy Birthday, Arthur and Oliver." they chorused, "Live on and continued to take care of not just us, but the world, too." The Englands were then engulfed in a group hug. At first, they were surprised, but then hugged back.

"Thank you all for everything you've done for us." Oliver said once the hug ended.

"You are what melted our pirate hearts and gave us the kindness we have." Arthur said, closing his eyes, "And you are what gave us hope when times were hard."

"All in all, poppets, we're the ones who should be thanking you." Oliver and Arthur were the ones to hug the ex-colonies this time. They were surprised as well, but then they hugged back.

"Thank you, everyone." They said in unison, the Englands, Americas, Canadas, Indias, Australias, and Hong Kongs together.

*sniff* Happy Birthday to my Dad tomorrow, this is my gift to him. I got the idea shortly after I heard this song, how it references a son's feelings for his father. Live long and forever, Daddy.