Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia. (Obvious much?)


"Sir, Philippines has come to see you," a soldier said to America who was looking at the window, sitting on his revolving chair in front of his desk. He turned his chair to face the soldier with a bright smile.

"That's great! Let her in!" he said optimistically.

The soldier went back to the doors of the room and told Philippines that she can come in already. Philippines said her thanks to him then she slowly walked in to the room only to find America playing a racing game on his ipod.

"Uh… good morning po," Philippines greeted, feeling a bit awkward to see America playing like a kid.

America paused the game and looked up at Philippines. "Why, hello there! Long time no see!"

Philippines chuckled hesitantly. "Yeah… how have you been doing, kuya?"

"Like a boss!" He grinned. "Nah, just kidding. I'm good as ever! Hey, wait, why don't you take a seat?"

"Oh, okay…" Philippines walked across the room and sat on the chair near the table that was a meter away from America's chair.

"So how about you?" He continued playing.

"What about me?"

"Ya know, how have you been doing?" He said without looking at her.

"I've been… fine. My life's been better now since I'm already a free country and it's thanks to you."

"Really?" America shouted in a questioning tone as he paused his game again.

"Y-yes," Philippines said as she sweatdropped. "He totally forgot about it," she thought.

America immediately picked up his phone and called Britain. Britain accepted picked up.

"Hey, Britain!" America said through the phone.

"What?" Britain replied nonchalantly.

"Philippines just told me that I helped her gain freedom! Told ya I'm a hero!"

"Uhh… yeah. Good for you. Well, I have to go now so talk to you later." He ended the call.

Philippines have been giving America the I-can't-believe-you stare for the past seconds while listening to him talking. "Did you really have to tell him that, kuya?" she asked America.

"Of course! I must always report to him about your social improvements!"

"What social improvements?" she was still giving him the not-amused-look.

"Well, you're usually stubborn and you rarely thank me so it's such a surprise! By the way, stop calling me kuya already! You're making me feel old."

"But you are old," Philippines said as-a-matter-of-factly in a small voice as she looked away.

America quickly stood beside Phillipines almost fast as the speed of light, placed his open hand on Philippines' head and screwed it up playfully. Philippines flinched.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA, I heard that," America said.

"I was just kidding! Stop messing up my hair already!" Philippines shouted with her eyes shut as she tried to push America's hands away from her head but America just kept laughing like a hyena.

-Outside the door-

Spain was standing behind the door with eyes closed and arms folded in front his chest. He was looking rather annoyed already. "If that brat doesn't stop hurting my Maria, I'm going to kill him," he said harshly through gritted teeth. The soldier standing next to him just sweatdropped and laughed hesitantly.

-Back to the room-

"I'll stop if you stop calling me kuya already!" America said teasingly while he still played with Philippines' hair.

"Fine! Just… just stop it already!" Philippines groaned. It didn't even take 3 seconds for America to stop. He quickly turned away and got his phone from his pocket again while Philippines have fallen from her chair to the ragged floor from all the struggling. She panted while her eyes were still wide open from the exhaustion.

"Britain!" America said on the phone again.

"What is it this time?" Britain replied, sounding bored.

"Dude! Philippines just said she won't call me kuya anymore! Isn't that great?" He shouted cheerfully. Philippines just glared at his back.

"A… Alfred!" she shouted.

America suddenly became speechless and looked back, surprised that Philippines said his name for the first time without the word kuya. Philippines face was a mixture of frustration and embarrassment.

"Uh, hey, I'll just call again later," America said on the phone then ended the call. He pushed back his phone into his pocket.

He squat down in front of Philippines. "Is… something wrong?" he asked Philippines, but this time he sounded calmer. Well, he's usually loud and talkative.

Philippines' eyes widened even more when America's face got closer to her. She immediately looked away with her face reddening already. "N-nothing," she said weakly yet her words were still clear. "It's just that I don't like it when you're talking about me with Britain."

America's eyes became half-lidded as he glanced down on the floor. "Oh, I'm… I'm sorry. I didn't know."

Philippines sighed and closed her eyes. "Anyway, I just came here to thank you for all the things you did for me." She slowly stood up but America held her wrist which made her flinch and pause.

"Do you know why I don't want you to call me kuya anymore?" America asked without looking at Philippines who was standing now, looking down at him with a quizzical look.

"No… not really," Philippines solemnly said. "Why is it anyway?"

"I know you call me that for respect but… you're a free country now, Philippines… you calling me kuya reminds me of the times that you were still depending on me… I… I don't want both of us to think that you're still under me…"

Philippines was speechless for a while then she finally sat down in front of America, hugged her legs, closed her eyes and smiled at him.

"Don't worry," she said, "I won't be calling you that anymore. And even if I do, it doesn't make me think that I'm still under you. Sure, it also reminds me of the times that I was still depending on you but I don't think it's such a bad thing. In fact, it always reminds me of the kindness you showed to me. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be a free country today."

America stared at Philippines' hazel brown eyes as she kept gazing down with a smile on her face. Tears of joy were leaking out from the corner of her eyes, making him even more speechless. He smiled. "It's not only because of that," he said gently as he took off his eyeglasses and started wiping it with his handkerchief.

"What?" Philippines said, almost in a gasp, as she faced America.

"I also didn't want you to call me kuya anymore because it sounds like I'm your big brother."

"But you really are like a big brother to me," she said looking clueless and innocent.

America chuckled softly then put his glasses down. "But that's the problem." She looked into her eyes with those aquamarine eyes of his and held her lower face with one hand. "I don't want to be your big brother," he whispered then he gently pressed his lips on her and closed his eyes.

Philippines pupils reduced as she felt her body stiffen, her face started growing in red again and she almost couldn't breathe. Questions kept occupying her mind. "What on earth is he doing?" she screamed in her mind with her face looking confused already. "This can't be right! He's my… he's my big br…" she slowly felt dizzy with the lovely smell of his perfume ticking her nose already. Her eyes gradually closed as she reached for his necktie and pulled him to her, much to America's surprise. His eyes opened in shock as he felt Philippines' kissing him back already. His necktie being pulled made him want to continue their small play even more. A small smile tugged on his lips.

The door slammed open. "What the hell is going on here?" Spain shouted. America and Philippines quickly drew back from each other. America stood in front of Philippines, as if trying to protect her from his father.

"I'm sorry, Spain, but I think I have fallen in love with your so called daughter," America said then grinned with his eyebrows pushing down while Philippines held onto the hem of his coat and mostly covered herself from Spain.

Spain marched towards America and pointed a finger on his chest. "Don't you dare touch my Maria again!" he shouted again.

"She is not yours, neither mine. She doesn't belong to anyone now. She's a free country already!"

Spain looked surprised at America. He has never seen him so serious before. He looked away. "Very well then." He looked at America again without turning his head. "But I hope this love of yours won't get you try making her yours again."

America smiled. "I guarantee her full freedom, Spain."

"Maria."

Philippines flinched. "Y-yes?" she said as she showed the half of herself.

"Happy Independence Day," Spain said with his eyes closed. "That's all." He spun around and started walking away.

"Father…"

Spain paused.

"Thank you."

Spain smiled gently then walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

"Wait a second… it's your independence today!" America said as he turned to Philppines.

Phillipines looked away. "He finally noticed," she said in her mind, sounding bored. Then she smiled at him. "It sure is."

"Then, come on!" he grabbed her hand and they stared storming out of the room.

"Wh-where are we going?" Philippines aid nervously as she get dragged by America in the hallways.

"We're going to celebrate your 100 years of freedom from your father of course!" He grinned.

"Oh… Alright." She smiled as she thought of Spain. He just came to greet her even though he probably didn't want to. Still, it left her a poignant memory.

T h e E n d


A/N: This is my first Hetalia fan fic. Sucks, huh? Sorry, sorry. XD I was looking for a nice fanfic of them but didn't find one that satisfies me so I made one myself and now I guess I'm satisfied cuz the story is just how I wanted it to be.

Anyway, Philippines/Maria isn't really an official character in Hetalia. She's just fan-made. ^^ Fan arts of USAxPh and historical background made me love this couple. :p They're becoming my 2nd OTP now. *_*

I just finished Hetalia yesterday. It didn't even take me one day to finish. (Damn you, Hetalia, for making me want to learn more about history and our country! Haha.) By the way, writing that kissing scene almost made me want to smack my head on the table while saying, "what am I writing? !" Okay, nuff said. o_o