Disclaimer: I do not own Axis Powers Hetalia nor the characters mentioned. I wish I did, though...


Sing like no one is listening.

England sat at the bar with his brothers, drinking and smoking. The band performing on the stage consisted of four teenagers with more piercings that England cared to count, black eye shadow, leather jackets, and spiked hair. Their repertoire was simple and repetitive.

He left early, the sour smell of alcohol and sweat rolling off his tongue like a sea fog.

The door slammed behind him as he stumbled, slightly drunk, into the darkened front hall of his mansion. Of course there was nobody home… America had gotten independence that rainy day so long ago, and everyone else had followed after him at some point in history.

America. That adorable little brother that he never had, that understanding teenager that he never was. Those lovely blue eyes that were like the summer sky, blue and open and glorious. That hair, the color of flaxen wheat, with that one odd little curl that always stuck up. His first glasses, a pair of horn-rimmed glasses, the ones that made his eyes look bigger than they actually were. But most of all, his smile. His laughter. That was what was missing from England's life before; he had no reason to smile, to laugh, while he plundered Spain's ships, argued incessantly with France, or fought against himself and watched the beheadings of kings.

After he had met America, his life had changed. He now had a young child to take care of, one that required him to make the trip back to the colonies once every few years.

Engwand! You came to visit! I missed you, an' Flopsy an' me went to search for those fairies you always talked about!

And England would kneel down and hug him and smile.

As America grew older, England's visits grew less, but each one was still cherished.

England! Yesterday, I found that old box of toy soldiers you made me a few years ago! See, it's on the mantelpiece!

But that had all changed, with… with his revolution.

Why do you tax my people?

From now on, we're not brothers anymore!

You used to be so big…

He picked up the red guitar that lay abandoned in the corner of his living room and cradled it gently. He thrummed the strings, frowning when he realized that they were out of tune. He turned the tuners slowly, smiling once all the strings were back in tune.

He started to hum, the guitar keeping with the tune he was humming.

"If you'll be my star, I'll be your sky,"

He ignored the pounding he could hear from the front door. Right now, it was just him and his guitar in the living room of his house.

"You can hide underneath me and come out at night."

There was shouting now too, but he ignored it still.

"When I turn jet black, and you show off your light,"

The pounding slowed.

"I live to let you shine."

It stopped. He smiled as all was quiet once more.

"And you can skyrocket away from me,"

He heard distant footsteps, but he ignored them.

"And never come back if you find another galaxy,"

The footsteps grew louder.

"Far from here, with more room to fly,"

Someone was in his entryway. But then again, he didn't care.

"Just leave me your stardust to remember you by."

Someone entered the room behind him. He turned his head slowly and was met with a pair of bright blue eyes.

Blue like the skies of America.

The guitar slipped out of his hands and slid onto the floor with a thud.

"England?"

England stared. The one he was thinking about had come to visit.

"England?"

Engwand?

Big brother!

Bloody ghosts of the past… they never shut up, did they?

"England… Sing again."

Engwand… Pwease?

And for some strange reason, the voice in his head compelled him to pick up the guitar and continue to sing.


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