Alice Jones, being the beautiful and heroic nation she was, rarely (if ever) looked at herself the mirror. She knew she was a hero, with her sleek golden blonde hair, sparkling bright blue eyes and clear skin staring back at her. At eight o'clock that morning, she did something she thought she'd never do-flail wildly, sprint up the stairs and stare at herself in the mirror. She didn't do it because of self consciousness (after all, she had enough self-esteem to last a lifetime) but because Alice swore to herself up and down that, when she ran her fingers through her hair, she felt something weird. She sighed in relief when she just noticed that her hair became knotty. After all, she kind of did forget to brush her hair last night after showering…
Alice's heart skipped a few beats when she noticed what happened to her hair: it got unnaturally long. She hated it when her hair got past chin length since she much preferred keeping her hair short.
I know! Alice thought, I'll get a haircut! She tried to think about which barber shop she would go to. There was the one down the street from her house! Alice smiled when she thought of the owner, who always got the best hairstylist to cut her hair exactly the way she wanted to without a question. She then remembered the last time she went when the last barber (who wasn't the owner and was a newbie, no less) who did a terrible job at cutting her hair and nearly gave her a permanent bald spot near her Nantucket. The only other place she could think of that cut hair went out of business.
I've got a better idea! I'll cut my own hair! It was a brilliant idea, spectacular even. Alice patted herself on the back mentally. Alice scrambled around her house in search for a decent pair of scissors to use.
"Here's a pair," Alice exclaimed when she found a pair of scissors hiding in her kitchen cabinet. Alice doesn't quite remember why the scissors would have landed in her kitchen cabinet but she thought it better to not to question why it landed there in the first place. The once quiet in the house was interrupted by the ringing of her landline.
"You've reached the house of the hero, Alice Jones! What's up?" She chirped cheerfully.
"It's Elizabeth, Alice. I can't believe you didn't recognize my voice, you dumbass," Elizabeth stated, patience all ready wearing thin.
"Don't call me names, Kirkland. It isn't what a proper British woman does," Alice said mockingly.
"Shut your mouth. I was calling because I left a pair of scissors at your house the last time I was there." Alice looked down at her hand, clutching the scissors Elizabeth mentioned.
"I was going to use them to cut my hair…" Alice tried explaining pathetically. Elizabeth became silent on the other line.
"Excuse me?" Elizabeth spat, furious beyond Alice's imagination.
"You're excused, Lizzy." Alice responded coolly.
"….How many times have I told you to never call me that terrible nickname?" Elizabeth was aware of the tangent she was about to embark on but she didn't care. She despised that nickname with all of her heart.
"Too many times," Alice said, almost as if she rehearsed it before hand.
Elizabeth changed the subject as quickly as she possibly could. "What did you say about cutting and hair?"
"I was going to use your scissors to cut my hair at home!" Alice heard Elizabeth sputter pitifully.
"Don't you dare cut your hair!" The Briton screeched.
"Why?" Alice asked, confused.
"Because!"
"Because why?"
"Because I said so."
"There has to be a good reason for your outburst, Elizabeth."
"You're tempting fate by cutting your own hair!" Alice couldn't believe how ridiculous Elizabeth sounded.
"…I'm tempting what now?" Alice asked, more confused than ever.
"Just humor me, you idiot. I need you to not do this for me." Alice sighed.
"Okay, all right, I'll keep my hair long until I can find another hair salon to get my hair cut at." Elizabeth managed a small smile on the other side of the line.
"I have a question for you before you hang up on me!"
"Make it quick, Alice."
"Did you make up the 'tempting fate' crap so I'd keep my hair long cause you like it?" Elizabeth hung up immediately.
"What did I say wrong?" Alice may never know.
A/N:
-The cutting hair superstition is actually real, or so I've read.
-Headcanon section: I think female!America would have longish hair but would prefer to cut her hair short. Female!England would be extremely superstitious. I think it makes sense that England is superstitious (in general and as a female) because England in canon believes in magic, fairies, etc.
-Edited slightly on 1/31/11.