AN: This is part of a trade for Lokiescape on deviantART. She requested an USUK fic that took place during the 19th century (Western Expansion era or Civil War era) and I chose the latter. Now, I chose there to be a Confederacy entity simply because if there are entities for the provinces in Canada (as seen in Vol. 2) and for the other kingdoms in Britain (mentioned by Himaruya himself) then there most definitely would be one for something that was considered its own nation. This implies the theory that America rebelled to break of his brotherly ties because of an attraction developed towards England, so if you don't like that, don't read this~

Two sets of blue eyes looked around the room, soaking in the minute details that consumed the place of royalty. And rather than be overwhelmed by all the little signs of intricacy, we were calmed. We were blonds, with faces all too similar, and as he, the one wearing the gray suit, entered a seperate room, I sat.

"It really is too strange being here," I muttered as I sat back in the mahogany chair. The room was familiar but not incredibly so. It was something out of my memories pertaining to Williamsburg, but I was in London. The one thing that bothered me the most about this room was a large map of the world on the wall. There was red spread out on Africa, the southern tip a complete cap, islands in the pacific that were bloodied by the stain, with one large landmass sitting there donned in the scarlet. I at times felt sorry for Australia; he was still rather young. Then again I was not exactly matured either, in fact France and England had made sure to convince me I was anything but. Although I was on close terms with France, it was somewhat obvious that he saw me as nothing more than a rebellious child and someone that reminded him of himself. I failed to see that however, since the only thing we had in common was that we both had a revolution. I sighed and leant on the chair's arm, still looking around the room. England's sense of style sure had not changed much in the past eight decades, that was for certain. A gasping noise and the sound of metal brought my attention to the doorway I had entered through. I saw my brother, holding a tea tray.

"A-America," he said nervously, setting the tray on a table.

"How did you tell me apart from the Confederacy?" I asked curiously as he sat down in a chair opposite of me. He smiled shyly and tugged at the hair curl he had.

"Massachusetts is part of the Union..." he said softly, smiling slightly. Due to my efforts at being isolated from Europe, I did not receive opportunities to see Canada that often. When we did see one another, it was often short and awkward and only when England was lurking somewhere nearby. When I extended my gloved hand to grab one of the cakes on the platter, Canada grabbed it and squeezed. I smiled uncomfortably and tightened my hand around his in response. "You really are too rebellious, America... If you secede from yourself..." I laughed nervously.

"Which do you consider your real brother?" I asked quietly. Canada's eyes widened and he licked his lips before glancing at his lap. Oddly enough, he was smiling softly.

"Both of you. You are two halves to a whole... are you not?" I wanted to adamantly deny that, to say that that man was no part of me. But he was, so I could not say otherwise and still consider myself partially honest. Enough deceit and lying had come and gone during Western settlement. Hopefully an age of a much stronger United States would come from this. "So why are you both here?" I sighed and leant back in my chair, still somewhat embarassed as to why I had came here to see England.

"He came here... to request assistance from Britain in the war. Since the southern states are trading allies with the United Kingdom, I am here to make it clear that if Britain helps the Confederacy... I will be at war with them." Canada swallowed and nodded, bringing his eyes away.

"You two have already been at odds with each other enough..."

"The North and the South?"

"No... You and England," he said quietly. I sighed and looked into my lap.

"I suppose so... But if anything, I have proven I am no longer his little brother, have I not?" Canada furrowed his brows and somewhat glared at me.

"Are you still on about tha-"

"Thank you very much for coming, and I will take all your proposals into consideration," I heard an all too familiar voice say. There was laughing; My laughing.

"Thank you for listening to me, England," he said, his eyes glinting behind the glasses he so proudly wore. I glared in concentration as I watched nothing other than my eyes glint behind the glasses. My glasses, that were sitting on his nose. My nose.

"America, what are you looking at?" Canada whispered in my ear. I brought my gaze away and looked at my brother, flashing a gentle grin at him.

"Ah, n-nothing." I looked back up and saw them shaking hands. I fought the urge to just rip those hands away, but if he really was me, I would not do something like that. He was probably the only one that understood just how badly I wanted to touch England's hand.

"Ah, Canada, I am glad you are here, can you entertain the Confederacy here for a little while? So you are the Union? Fine I shall talk to you next," England said. He tried to be strong, something he was always attempting. He seemed uncomfortable and confused above all else. Canada grinned, and I watched as my brother walked with my counterpart across the room, talking just as comfortably (even though that was not much) with one another as I had with Canada. I brought my gaze back to England, who was looking at a nearby wall fixture, biting his lip slightly. When he looked up at me he frowned and quickly turned around. "Right through here," he said, leading me into the room he had been in several minutes ago.

The room had a desk on one end with chairs in front of it. There were bookshelves lining the walls and a globe in the corner. He gestured at a chair as he sat behind the desk.

"And why did you come here?" he asked, leaning on his forearms.

"I know that he wants your help. But I am here to say that if you even acknowledge him as a nation, you will be at war with me," I said firmly. I had not intended to sound so rude, but I suppose the other nations were right in saying I lacked any skills involving speaking and tact. I swallowed harshly as I was just given a mild glare.

"My, my, so bossy. Have no worries, France and I have discussed this and we know not to instigate you in such a... fragile condition."

"You make it sound like you are only doing it because you pity me." England snickered.

"Both of you. We pity both of you. Surely your counterpart is just a sad, rebellious child striving for attention, much like another person I knew," he said, playing with a letter opener on his desk. I frowned and reached forward, pressing the hand that was holding the small blade against the desk.

"You honestly think that's why I rebelled?"

"That and you did not like the idea of paying me. Even though I was giving you protection... But that was nearly a century ago. And surely even though I have changed since then, you are still the same child I knew then..." I scowled.

"You have changed too. And I preferred the old you much more than you now."

"You preferred the man that was too soft and failed at disciplining his-"

"I preferred the man that had not been poisoned by power," I said sternly. England frowned for a few moments before standing up and walking over to the globe. He turned it and then pointed at something I squinted before I realized what it was.

"Tell me... What is this?" I found it odd that England was not using the addresses he would use towards people when talking to them. Was it too difficult to simply call me America like he used to?

"That is Arizona," I replied firmly. He grinned and then moved his finger farther north. "That is Oregon."

"I am glad you know your own territories. Now correct me if I am wrong, but I believe you fought Mexico for a piece of land that is nothing more than a desert. And then you battled tooth and claw in political disputes with Canada and me over Oregon, rather immature all in all. And yet... you are saying my imperialism changed me?"

"It has. But this conversation is off topic."

"You have changed, you can finally keep your mind straight," he said, sitting back down. I tried to keep myself from glaring and instead just gave a hollow laugh.

"I am relieved that you are not assisting the Confederacy, but may I ask if there is any reason... that is diplomatic, economic, or political as to why not?" I asked, praying I would not find sarcasm in his answer. England smilled and placed his hands under his chin.

"He thinks that because we are trading partners I will acknowledge and assist him, which is contrary to what any nation with intelligence would proceed with. I can easily find what I desire elsewhere. He spoke nothing besides cotton when I was with him. Cotton is fundamental, cotton is white gold, cotton is the key to binding our nations, and so on and so on. Rather obnoxious little bloke he is..." I scowled at how easily and nonchalantly England could insult others. "Anyway, I can see that he most definitely took a part of your personality. Or maybe you are just hardened and bitter now... I don't know, it's hard to see how someone is doing when the last time I formally conversed with them was eighteen-fourteen." He sighed and stood up when the clock outside the room chimed.

"Listen, you have no worries in regards to me allying myself with the Confederacy. I would sure hate to find myself at war with you again. Third time lucky, maybe I would actually win this time. Would hate for you to lose after you have been running yourself so fantastically... You can leave now with a light-heart." I bit my tongue; I wanted to retort so badly, tell him that all nations have times of trouble. I was honestly worried that I was acting like this. He knew I was normally more happy, and would smile over trivial things, and I felt being so serious. But, I needed to show him I was not his immature little brother. I failed completely at maintaining any maturity with the next phrase that left my mouth.

"You can't just make me leave now, after all the trouble I went through to come here!" He raised an eyebrow at me. "W-what if we met sometime later... and just talked." I laughed once through my nose. "That would be fine, right? Surely since we are not at war we can just talk...?" I was staring with expectant eyes, and I was midly embarassed at how I swallowed harshly as I awaited an answer. He laughed several times, but it was not cruel or sardonic. It was troubled more than anything.

"I suppose I can sometime tonight... But wh-"

"What time?"

"Ten tonight?" he asked, standing up. My breath hitched for a moment, and my fingers twitched when England walked past me to the door.

"Y-yes, just meet back here?" I asked while I walked into the doorframe. He rolled his eyes with a look of exasperated apathy.

"Of course, now leave, I have other matters to tend to." He closed the door to my face and I heard the lock click. I smiled slightly for no reason, but the smile dissipated when I turned around and saw the Confederacy glaring at me and Canada staring with worry.

"You arranged to see him later?" Canada asked with apprehension. I swallowed in embarassment before laughing.

"Of course I did. He had to cut our time together short, so I thought it best to make the most of my visit to London. I figured that if I have nothing to fear on a diplomatic trip, then why hold back from diplomacy?" My counterpart frowned at me, using my lips to show his displeasure. He stood up on my legs and walked over to me. As if scrutinizing details, he stared at my face for several moments, me just glaring. He then laughed several times before turning around and walking towards the exit to the room.

"He will never see us as who we are... I know this better than you, so why do you linger on those stupid hopes?" he asked rhetorically. He sighed as he stood in the doorframe, Canada and I looking at him with confused looks. "We will never be equals to him... No matter how many wars we fight to prove that..." I watched him leave, his gray uniform billowing slightly from entering the large atrium the door led to. The sound of boots hitting tile was evident for a few more moments before allowing me to comfortably look at Canada.

"What did he mean by that?" Canada asked after a moment. I sighed and leant against the door that was open just a moment ago.

"I have been thinking about this often and something hit me. If he is fighting for the independence of nationhood, and is already considering himself a seperate republic, then what makes him so much different from me when I was trying to break from Britain? I know that England still struggles at considering me something other than a colony that got lucky, but he will never acknowledge the Confederacy." Canada looked at me, his eyes tilted in confusion.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"I suppose. But if the Confederacy and I really do share memories and thoughts, then I can only imagine what hurt he is going through."

"It's been almost a century, surely you aren't obsessing over making yourself an equal in England's eyes are you?" he asked uncomfortably. I licked my lips and looked at the ground for a moment.

"That is the entire reason I declared independence in the first place. To state that I was not just his little brother, that I was seperate and just as strong as him. I was a seperate nation and expected to be treated as such."

"To state that you were no longer his little brother..." he whispered. I glanced at him and then laughed.

"So is there anything you want to do with your brother to kill some time?" I asked, smiling softly in hopes that he would accept. He curved his lips into a hollow smile.

"England has told me to minimize my associations with you. So..." I nodded and walked over to him. He smiled at me before we quickly embraced. I let go, patting him on his shoulders several times.

"Will you be here tonight?" He shook his head. "Oh, are you going to be busy?"

"No... But I think you and England really should just be able to talk to one another without me lurking about." I chuckled and rubbed a hand through his hair.

"We wouldn't have noticed you anyway," I said jokingly. He laughed once through his nose and then lightly hit my shoulder. We smiled for several more moments at each until Canada coughed and looked at the ground.

"Well, I must be off. I have to help plan certain things and whatnot... you know..." I actually did not know, but I nodded and agreed. So before another conversation arose, I walked towards the door, both of us smiling at one another until I closed the door behind me.

I was standing outside of the office I had been in earlier, looking a little awkward. I really felt as if I was an adolescent at times; slightly uncomfortable with how I looked, constantly being told I was too loud and nosy, and others telling me I was too obsessed with finding attention. I suppose that the fact I was looking myself over in the small mirror hanging on the wall would prove two of those. Normally, I would have full confidence about what I was doing, but as of late I found it difficult to retain that childishness and vanity that most knew me for. I guess I was finally reaching a maturing point, or perhaps it was the fact that I knew that I had to start acting more mature. For a moment, the idea that perhaps it was just that I was meeting England that had caused me to be so calm, but I knew immediately that that was not it.

The sound of a clock reaching its hourly cycle broke my attention from picking the remains of my supper out of my teeth and to the small shuffling noises I heard in the office. I quickly darted to the chairs and sat down, trying my hardest to act sophisticated. This was going to be a time for England and I discuss things of utter importance and not be deterred by past happenings. I had changed out of my military uniform and into a suit, although already I was uncomfortable in the multiple layers. It was somewhat ironic that I was more complacent when donned in military garb, but at the same time it seemed more logical. The door opened to reveal a very tired looking England.

"Oh, you actually came?" he asked.

"No need to sound so disappointed," I said as I stood. His mouth twitched into a smile before he gestured that I go inside his office. I silently walked in and sat down. The room was poorly lit, with only a gas lamp on a table beside the desk.

"I am not disappointed, just surprised is all," he said calmly while he too sat. I frowned and placed my arms on my legs, leaning forward. Once he finished adjusting himself in his chair, I cleared my throat.

"Why won't you address me?" England stopped fiddling with papers on his desk and glared slightly at me.

"What?"

"You have not called me anything both times we have spoken today."

"Oh, have I not? And why would that bother you?" I bit my lip for a moment before thinking of what to say.

"Because I am my own person, you know." England rolled his eyes.

"How can I forget? I see that you must constantly find ways to remind me. As if two wars and hollow threats were not enough..." he muttered, still playing with the papers. I glared at the papers and pulled them out of his hands.

"You are done with work, you should not need these," I said quietly while setting them in the seat beside me. "And what do you mean by hollow threats?" England scowled slightly and then exhaled sharply.

"You say you will declare war on me if I even acknowledge the Confederacy?"

"Yes."

"You will not. You cannot. So you shan't."

"I handled you fine twice, I am sure a third time-"

"Those first two times you were complete. You were not split into two. In fact, you are only half of the person I raised."

"Wait a moment, I hold every memory, thought, and feeling I did a century ago! If anything the Confederacy is the imposter-"

"Then why does he have all those memories as well?" I looked at England, whose eyes were showing signs of irritation. It was almost as if he thought I was stupid.

"I was not aware he did," I replied firmly. England's eyes slanted more.

"Well he does. He remembers the trips to Ontario I took... you and Canada on. He described to me very personal things that happened, like how I had taught you cotton farming. And he said that... He reminded me of some of the things you said to me many years ago, warning me that all you were going to do was bring them up." He chuckled several times, although it sounded more like he had difficulty breathing. "And you know, since you are both the same person, he did bring them up... That's why you came here, isn't it? To remind me that you want me to treat you as an equal. That all you want is me to see you as a God damned equal." He sighed. "Why do you desire that so badly?" he whispered, averting his eyesight to the side, his forehead pressed into one of his hands.

"I have wanted you to see me as an equal ever since you told me I was nothing more than your little brother. And we both know I am not. You know I wanted to break off peacefully, be your brother no more, and even be allies with you." He looked up at me, his eyes shinging eerily in the light.

"You are telling me that you wanted us to become allies... by seperating from one another?"

"Allies. That requires us being seperate nations of equal stature, doesn't it? I didn't want that war." He laughed sardonically.

"And yet you got it. You got your damned war, and you gained your independence. In fact you are so set on independence, you seperated from yourself!"

"I had to seperate from you. If I was your brother..."I glanced upwards and saw England staring intently at me, his eyes no longer spitting venom.

"Then what...?" he asked, mild twinges of hope dotting his voice.

"Nothing... You know that I am all too like you at times." His eyes returned to glares.

"How so?"

"The Confederacy wanted to leave peacefully... and yet I declared war to gain him back. Although I doubt he left for the same reasons I did."

"Damn it, would you quit implying reasons as to why you left?" I scowled at him.

"Would you just say my name, already?" We stared for a few moments, awkward silence engulfing both of us.

"The Union."

"That is not what you used to call me."

"You are not whom you used to be."

"I still remember the day I chose you over France. I still remember the day you walked me home in the autumn dusk of Virginia. I still remember the nights you comforted me when I was scared. And yet... you cannot call me what you used to... Have you forgotten all those times as well?"

"Of course not. I am not daft like some of the people I know. One of which is sitting-"

"Like I said earlier, you are not the same person either. People, and nations, change over time."

"Then why are you insisting I treat you the same?" he asked, his voice weaker than it was earlier. "You yourself said you wished to be treated differently than how I treated you a century ago. So why should I call you America, when you insist you are no longer my little brother? When you are not the person I called America every night and every morning? You do realize that your words are hypocritical, do you not?"

I bit my lip, a habit I had been prone to lately.

"You're right..." I sighed and silently muttered, "But you would not love America in the way I wanted you to..." I knew he was unable to hear it, making me question why I did not just leave the sentence in my mind instead of exposing it to the open. I supposed that it had to do with the fact that this was the closest I could come to actually admitting everything.

"W-what? Speak up, you're mumbling." I made direct eye-contact with him and smiled.

"You know, with the way you're treating this, it's almost as if you want us to destroy each other."

"And how is that?"

"You wish not to help either of us. You seem disinterested over the fact we are split and weakened-"

"What? That is precisely why I will not enter it, yo-"

"-You do not care who comes out the victor. You do not even hold concern for me. Am I really that much of an alien to you?" England stared at me with widened eyes.

"Please leave."

"Pardon?"

"If you honestly think I desire you to die, why are sitting right in front of me? Why are you trying to be friendly? Why are you even talking to me?"

"I-"

"Please just leave. I have more important things to do than listen to you say such things about me."

"I will not leave. I am not finished talking to you and you are over-"

"England? I cannot sleep." I looked over my shoulder and saw the door to the room opened, a young boy with dark hair standing in a sleeping robe. His eyes were almost black in color and it took me a second to notice that he was Asian.

"W-who is that, England?" England got up from his seat and darted over to the door.

"Go to bed, I will be there in a moment to accompany you." I watched as England awkwardly pushed the child's bangs up and kissed him on the forehead. The child sniffed and then retreated from the room. England turned around and faced me. "Leave now, I have other things to tend to."

"Who was that child? Another product of your imperialism?"

"Yes, now leave. Must I call up the law enforcement?" I shook my head and walked towards the door, which England was holding open. Before I exited the room I faced him directly.

"Good-bye, England." He frowned at me. I, in response, placed one hand on his shoulder and grabbed at the other. I squeezed it as I carefully leant forward and kissed him on the forehead. He scowled and released my hand as I quickly left the room. The door slammed behind me. Once I finished wincing, I walked into the main hall and somewhat trotted to the entrance to the manor. I was stopped when I felt a tugging at my suit's jacket. I turned to find the Asian child from earlier. "Can I help you?"

"You are the colony that gained freedom from England, aren't you?" I smiled slightly and pat his head. For some reason I felt less uncomfortable, and even reverted to what most called my 'obnoxious state'.

"Yes, I am the famous United States of America. Why do you ask?"

"I am hoping to gain my own independence one day, so I was wondering if there was any advice as to how to do that." I laughed several times and kneeled to look the child in the eye.

"First off, make sure you can stand on your own. Otherwise you will just end up grovelling to someone in hopes that they help you. Second, go about it peacefully. Wars will only make your first decades of being on your own much, much more difficult." The child nodded and looked at me with black eyes. "What's your name?"

"Hong Kong."

"Well Hong Kong, I am sure one day you will find what you are looking for. Because surely good things come to those who wait." Hong Kong nodded and then paled when the sound of a door being opened reached us. I pat his head once before he ran off, telling me I should leave. So I walked out of the home and into the streets. I sighed as I began my travel into the deeper parts of the city. Surely I would find what it was I desired if I waited. Perhaps a century was simply not enough. I stopped and looked into the cloudy night sky. Or perhaps I was a damn fool and I would end up killing myself.

Chuckling, I tried to push all these thoughts out of my mind just to have a single moment of peace. I just had to remember that good things came to those who wait. And I would be willing to wait many more centuries for what I wanted.