My Country's Hero
Crossover between Hetalia and Captain America
Rated K
Alfred was a fanatic, his country finally had a hero, one that came at the perfect time when he was afraid that he would be dragged into a war that he would lose and that he would no longer be the hero of the world. But now there was a hero within a hero! Captain America! Although he just went around for motivational support that is what he needed. He needed somebody to tell him, and his country that he would win. With his shows packed full it was hard to get in to see him, although Alfred had been to nearly every show, even if it meant having to stand in the far back where he could barely hear and couldn't see.
His hopes sky rocketed when he came out with the opportunity to meet him. The people at the bank of that city would be cataloging who submitted the paperwork for a war bond and entering each name into a drawing.
Alfred barely kept any money for himself, just coming out of the great depression wasn't much of a problem because he was used to unsatisfactory living conditions and could accept it for a few months longer just so he could meet his idol. He took a second job at an up and coming fast food chain, McDonalds, it had only been around for a few years but it was already his favorite place to eat. It was cheap and delicious.
The other nations teased him about being too obsessed but none of their countries had ever had a hero like Captain America. All of his money was going to buying war bonds to enter his name in the contest even more times. He was flat broke and surviving only on the free meals he got when he was work but he knew it would all be worth it when he got to meet the Captain.
The results came a month later after nearly every cent he had went to buying those bond it paid off in his mind. His name was drawn and he would have an entire day with the Captain. He was ecstatic, he couldn't stay still until that day came. Early that morning of the fourth of July, his birthday, he walked, more like ran, to his destination where the captain would be waiting.
He burst through the doors. "AMERICA IS HERE!" he had even forgotten that it was technically still required that he kept his human name when interacting with anybody other than the other nations and the top circles of government. He mentally cursed himself but only for a second, he couldn't dwell on his mistake when his hero was right in front of him. "Uh... My name is Alfred" he blurted out hurriedly, trying to correct his mistake.
The captain just chuckled. "Glad to see somebody so enthusiastic."
"I am your biggest fan, I bought every bond I could just so I could get here"
"Well you are making the right choice by supporting your country. How come a young man like you isn't in the military, with the draft and all?"
"I am! I am actually leading it!" he face palmed. Way too much information for somebody who is supposed to be a civilian.
"How so?" the captain asked with a chuckle.
"I... uh..." he groaned before sighing. "I am not supposed to tell anybody this, technically I am not even supposed to exist outside of the president's knowledge. I am the embodiment of the country, every stereotype and aspect. I go to war when the country does, I get hurt when the country does. I get sick when the economy is bad. I get depressed when morale is low. Every country has one, Iggy has been nagging me because of how obsessed I am with you but his country has never had a hero, especially not one like you"
"Wait, so you are America?"
"Yes" he said simply.
"Prove it"
Alfred thought for a moment before lifting up the hem of his shirt to show a large wound that is barely healed. "I got that when Pearl Harbor was attacked, it heals as the nation heals, as things are rebuilt but everything always leaves a scar. Our interactions between the other countries parallel with the events that you know. I got in a fight with Japan that day and that's what happened. During the revolutionary war England shot me, barely grazed but he came close to killing me." He moved his hair out of the way to show the scar where the bullet had torn skin. "And today is my birthday" he grinned, trying to get away from the thoughts of battles with friends and the scars they left behind.
"Well you make a pretty impressive story if that isn't true so I believe you"
Alfred grinned. "You have no idea how much just having you around has made the country so much better, I can tell, I can feel it."
"Well I want to do more but they keep me going around doing these shows and contests to raise money for the war. I want to fight. Soldiers are dying out there and I want to help"
"Then why don't you? Go out there and punch Hitler like you do in your shows"
"It's not that easy"
"Well I know you can do it. I know it will be great, because if I want it, the country wants it, and they want you to fight"
"Well tell the president that and he might let me go out in the battle field"
"Okay!"
"...So what do you want to do today?" Steve asked, running out of questions to ask about the strange... country that stood in front of him.
"I don't know! I am just so happy to have you here. All I want to do is go to the fireworks tonight, I always go"
"Well that we can do"
They spent the day talking, Alfred explained his job as a country and how each of the nations interacted. Steve asked questions occasionally but mostly listened without comment, fascinated by the way that he reacted to everything that happened in the country. They spent the day together, wandering around the city, of course Steve had to change out of his uniform in order to not attract attention but Alfred was still excited with or without the star spangled suit.
That night they went to the park, there wasn't a lot of people, more older couples, women and children, all of the men were off at war, those that were behind had something that disqualified them from the draft. Alfred and Steve sat together in the grass, eating McDonald's hamburgers and waiting for the light show to begin. It was short. It was a miracle the display wasn't canceled because of lack of funding but it still satisfied Alfred for the year. There were years that he had to go a long ways away from home in order to see some fireworks but he had never given up, knowing that somewhere there was going to be fireworks, a celebration of his birthday no matter how hard the times were.
Despite the war raging across the sea, tormenting him in the back of his mind with the stress on him to be the hero of the world the burden was lightened by having his country's hero sitting beside him on his birthday.
