Tragedy, England found, could be any number of things in the mind of a small child. And America was no exception.
Like a sudden shower, that meat America had to stay inside to play, having to wait out the winter, or even bath time. England had also come to learn that bath time could also be the cause of much strife in his life as well if he was not careful. But these small tragedies were typicality passed with little trouble, mostly just some grumbling on America's part.
It was the big tragedies that England had to be most watchful for. Things like monsters in the cupboard, ragging storms, and the bumps and buries acquired throughout the day, that made America run crying into his arms. And England was more than ready to chase the monsters away, clam the winds, and play nurse maid to every scraped knee and skinned elbow. Anything that would make his precious colony's tears dry up and return that smile to its proper place.
The summer was hot in the Massachusetts -Bay Colony, in 1691, but at least it was not as hot as it would in the Virginian settlements. Thus England was more than content to sit with the window to his study open. Letting in the cooling cross breeze. On his desk before him sat his half written report to the Crown on the state of affairs and over all general welfare of the American colonies. However, the shaggy haired nation was rather loathed to write the blasted thing. The warm air was making him very sleepy, and the fact that he had spent most of the morning chasing the American colony himself around was not helping in the least bit. The little energy vampire, that's where American was getting all that energy from, he was leaching it out England.
He barely managed to stifle the yawn, he had sent America outside to play for a bit so he could he could to get some work done. But with the hellion out of hair for the time being, England had no drive left to work at all. All England really wanted to do was get nap in while he still had the time to. For once America came home there would no chance to for him rest while he had to keep an eye on the little colony.
England yawned, and then glared at his report. With a sigh he carelessly tossed his quill back into the inkwell. The crown could wait, and at the very worst he could always say that the report got lost in transit. He leaned back in his chair, and let his eyes slip closed.
Yes, a nap would do him some much needed good.
Sleep had only graced him for only a blessed few moments, when the door to his study banged open with such a force that it nearly knocked the thing off its hinges. England jolted awake and instantly tried to look like he'd been working the whole time.
"England!" America called form the door way.
The distressed note in the cry wiped all remnants of sleep from his mind as brother mode kicked in. "America, what is it what's wrong?"
His little colony was across the room around his desk in no time flat, tugging on his sleeve with the upmost urgency. His stuffed bunny clutched tightly to his small chest, and his blue eyes were wild and watering. His small mouth flapping uselessly as he tried to form words that just wouldn't come to him.
"America are you hurt any where?" England asked his own distress rising, he pushed his chair back and knelt to be eye leave with America. He placed his hand on the lad's shoulders, "America?"
America managed to shake his head, his eyes closed tight rubbing at his eyes with the hand that wasn't clinging to his bunny.
"Then what's wrong dear?" England implored, tugging his small hand away from his round face.
The lad hiccupped, and in a shaking hand held out the patchwork- bunny that England had made for him when he'd first made America his little brother.
"H-he's b-b-been, hurt England!" America sobbed, fat tears now streaming freely down his face.
England look down at the doll and saw the clearly the tare across the toy's neck, stuffing leaking from the whole. England felt relief wash over him in great waves, as he wiped away America's tears. Mending a ripped friend was simple enough, the hard part was calming America down.
"Hush lad, now tell me what happened"
America sniffled, "I-I was outside playing some the kids from the village, and- and I brought Bunny along because h-he likes the kids from the village, the other kids bring their toys to play with, and- and I was playing with Suzie Scottfiled and h-er dolls, and that's- that's when some of the older boys showed up and- and stared calling us names, and John Baker called me a sissy cause boys shouldn't play with girls and their dollies and that's when he took bunny away from me and said that I shouldn't something like that, and I tried to get him back but then he held it high above my head, I told him he should give him back and leave me and Suzie alone and that it wasn't nice to pick on others, but -but then he just laugh at and started pulling at Bunny's head, I could let him do that, and Bunny's head was staring to get hurt, and- and I didn't know what else to do England, s-so I-I pushed him to the ground and picked up Bunny and I- know you said that I should us my strength against normal people, b-but John was being mean and wouldn't leave me and Suzie alone, a-nd, and I'm sorry England, but Bunny was being hurt, and Suzie was crying, and- and now Bunny's hurt, and I'm so sorry Englaaand!"
America finished his verbal dysentery with a racking sob as he buried his head in England's neck. England brought his arms around the distraught colony, feeling rather breathless on America's behalf. How the lad had managed that entire dialog without stopping once for breath marveling to say the least, a testament to the lad's lung capacity if anything.
He rubbed soothing circles into his colony's heaving back, and waited for his sobs to die down, until they became tiny hiccups. He then held America at arm's length, and looked tenderly into upturn watery blues. Oh, how this one child had the world strongest Empire wrapped around his little finger, England would never know.
He placed a kiss to America's forehead and tweaked his cowlick which made the lad giggle through his sadness. "There's nothing to worry about love."
"R-really?" Hope abounding about his person.
"Yes really," England said taking Bunny from America's hand, "I can have Bunny fixed up good as new before you can say Bob's your Uncle!"
The look of pure admiration the spread across the little lad's face made England blush, he was still so unused to such open displays of affection. He coughed awkwardly as he stood and held his hand out to his colony, "Now come, let's go see what I have in my sewing kit that get Bunny back up on his feet again, shall we?"
America nodded excitedly placing his hand in England's holding on tightly, "Thank you England, everything will be okay Bunny England will fix it!"
England smiled, for even though America's was still red that smile had returned. He squeezed America's small hand in his, and tugged him along out of his study.
And later as he was tucking America in for the night, Bunny healed of all tears. England knew looking that angelic face wrapped in slumber's embrace, he just knew, that smile was all that really mattered to him.
AN: Done for the USUK Summer Camp on Live Journal