America and Canada had an agreement, ever since they were young. Whenever one of them got too stressed to handle it anymore, they would tap the other's hand in passing, a casual, seemingly innocent touch. The boys would switch places at the earliest opportunity. The first time America tapped out was when he was still England's colony. He had broken England's favourite vase and England was furious. America had been scolded, then sent to him room without supper, but America hadn't tapped out then. It wasn't until the grounded period was over, after the apologies had been said and forgiveness promised, that America tapped out.
It was something in England's gaze, less than mistrust but more than wariness, that broke America down. England's gaze always seemed to be watching his movements to predict future disasters, no longer seeing America himself, but something that hadn't happened yet, and might never happen. It was this face that cause America to reach out his hand, tapping the back of Canada's hand as he passed. And from then on, Canada became America, being louder and more raucous till the incident was forgotten. Then, with just a tap, everything went back to normal.
The first time Canada tapped out was less dramatic, the day of his first anniversary of becoming England's colony. England had made a cake. To America, the cake was nothing special. Not bad, or good. After all, England's food was all he'd ever known. But to Canada, straight from the arms of one of the best cooks in the world, England's food was a nightmare. He took one look at the cake and ran and hid. When America came to find him and tell him it was time for dessert, Canada tapped out.
The boys switched out. Canada became America, laying in bed with a (fake) stomach ache. The real America soon joined him after dessert, with a real stomach ache. They continued through the ages. Before the revolution, when the fighting with England was bad, Canada and America would sometimes swap. Then the revolution happened, and America did it himself, on his own strength. After that, Canada and America didn't swap for a while. Then Canada became independent and went to his first world meeting as a country, and everyone's eyes seemed to slide past him. On the second day, Canada stepped past America on the way to his seat, and tapped the back of America's hand.
Canada was noticed that day, and people remembered, although it was in part because of this that many would confuse him and America in the future. And for a while it was just simple things. Then the Halifax explosion happened. It hit Canada hard, the first time he experienced something like this, and he was bedridden. But in a time of war, weakness was the first step to loss. Loss o 9f respect from your enemy, loss of trust for your allies, and for his people who looked to him as an icon, loss of hope. So when America came, rushing to check in on him, Canada weakly tapped out.
When pearl harbour was hit, America felt the same, but he was stronger than Canada from his own war, more experienced, so when Canada tapped out, he didn't think his brother was weak. He stepped up as Canada, taking command at the site, rescuing children, speaking to the masses, keeping England from knowing the depth of the blow. When Canada recovered enough they swapped again, both hoping this would be the last time. But then the great depression hit, and both boys went down, though Canada was less affected.
When the time for a world meeting came, with America's economy in shreds, Canada visited the day before, and America tapped out. Canada went to the meeting as a brave front for America, and America became Canada, and disapeared from the meeting. No-one noticed. The third time it happened was 9/11. Unlike before, there was no warning, no signs to predict. Just a regular day, then bam! Destruction and chaos. America had held out, not willing to give in, to admit weakness. But when Canada stood in front of him, holding out his hand, America's hand moved on its own, and America tapped out.
After that, no matter how hard things got, neither brother tapped out. They never said why, not in words, though each held their suspicion as to why the other refused to tap out. Canada thought it was because America regretted tapping out during 9/11, that he was pushing himself to be stronger. America thought it was because Canada felt as though he pushed America too far the last time, and he didn't want to bother America anymore. For the longest time, it stayed that way, and it seemed like it would be that way forever, both brothers refusing to be the first to give.
Then America started it again, the same way Canada did all those years ago. On America's birthday, England, in a show of goodwill and true familial bonds, had baked America a cake, though he still looked positively ill. Moments before England cut the cake and fed America what he had since learned could not be classified as food, America claimed the need to use the bathroom. As he made his way through the crowd of people, his hand clapped against Canada's palm, and Canada turned pale, but disapeared after America. When they came back, Canada was America, and America, hidden away in the crowd, was Canada.
Canada ate the cake, and in a very America-esque way, proclaimed weakly that it reminded him of England's scones, which caused England to puff up in pride, believing it to be a complement, while everyone who had tasted England's scones before turned pale, many adopting a sudden diet or another reason to need to avoid eating cake. When America came and found Canada in the bathroom, vomiting into the toilet, he only clapped his brother silently on the back before tapping his fingers to switch them back. Canada's only response was to retch louder into the toiletbowl.
And everything was normal again. Neither Canada or America ever mentioned it, but every now and then, when things got too much for them, they would tap out, and the other would take his place. That's how it was supposed to be. And it was okay.