World Police (1/2)
anonymous
November 7 2010, 18:26:25 UTC
Every country acts in their own best interests. Don't they?
*
Lithuania's been visiting more often since Russia let him go home; it's hard not to fall into old habits, and when America leaves to go on an errand Lithuania ends up making coffee. America comes back hours later and sluffs off his jacket, flinging it onto the peg by the door with characteristic nonchalance, and stretches. "Aaah, those conferences are so boring! It's hard to pay attention." He looks up and his eyebrows rise. "You made coffee for me? That - you know you don't have to do that."
"I also know you like coffee." Lithuania smiles and takes a seat at the kitchen table; America joins him immediately, wrapping his hands around the steaming cup Liet hands him. "What was the meeting about?"
"Afghanistan, and Iraq," America answers, and his gaze goes distant. "Now that their bad bosses are overthrown they want me to leave. I get it; I want to go, too, but I can't just leave them to their own devices."
Lithuania's lips go thin. This attitude makes him uncomfortable, because there is another nation, a former superpower, who has much the same attitude towards Lithuania himself. "I don't mean to speak out of turn, but have you really thought this through?" He hesitates here, because he doesn't want to make America angry (an angry America can break a table, break a house, break a country), but America's just looking at him with wide, guileless eyes, so he presses on. "I mean ... do you really have the right to order Afghanistan and Iraq around? Unless you mean to take over them."
America watches Lithuania for an uncomfortably long time. Then he shrugs, blows on his coffee, and takes a sip. "Ah, just how I like it."
"You're welcome." Lithuania speaks softly.
America nods to himself and gazes at the far wall, tongue poking against his upper lip. "Of course I don't want to take over Afghanistan and Iraq," he says at length. "I'm not Russia." He laughs, and gives Lithuania a winning smile, and Lithuania relaxes because he's not taking offense. He's a little surprised America picked up on the parallel Lithuania was drawing. "Besides, that's not what heroes do."
Back to the hero thing. Lithuania is about to resign himself to a speech about the American Way when America says, "When I first went there - a whole ten years ago, wow - a lot of other nations came with me. You remember," he says, pointing a finger from the hand holding his cup of coffee at the guest country. "I was pretty angry, but at their bosses, not at Afghanistan or Iraq. I'm still mad."
'Pretty mad' is an understatement. Lithuania saw America at the United Nations that year, bruised and limping and furious, full of such holy rage nobody had wanted to speak against him.
"But one by one the others left, and now they're mad at me." America sighs and rests his chin in his hand, taking another absent sip of coffee. "They want me to be the hero, but they get angry when I am. It's frustrating. Sometimes I miss being isolationist."
World Police (2/2)
anonymous
November 7 2010, 18:27:06 UTC
"So why don't you just leave like everyone wants?" Lithuania asks.
"Because I can't." America eyebrows go up and press together, sorrowful. "They both need my help."
"They don't want your help," Lithuania points out. There are times when he could do with Russia's strength at his back again, but it's not worth the price; Afghanistan and Iraq probably feel much the same.
America sighs heavily, for all the world a moody child. "But they need it. Nobody likes admitting they need help, but sometimes they do. Because what if I left, suddenly and without warning? What boss would come in then?"
He looks at Lithuania then, all miserable and tired and looking much as he had at the beginning of the Depression, and Lithuania stares back with dawning comprehension.
"You're protecting your own borders."
America smiles. "Not really."
"But that's why you're staying at Afghanistan and Iraq's place," Lithuania says, chilled.
America scoffs. "I'm just doing my job as the world policeman. That's what everyone wants, right? Up until they don't." He gulps more coffee down as it cools.
Lithuania gathers himself, taking a few deep breaths, and stands. "I should be getting back home," he says, lame. "I've got some projects to work on, after all ..."
"Oh, yeah, of course," America agrees. "Come and visit again, would you? I really like your company."
They say their goodbyes and when America closes the door behind him, Lithuania lets the shudder he was suppressing go through him. America acts like a dumb, sweet kid, acts like somebody who wants to help everyone ... but in the end, he's acting in his own best interests.
Doesn't every country? Lithuania thinks, and hugs his coat tightly around himself.
Re: World Police (2/2)
anonymous
November 7 2010, 20:44:19 UTC
Intelligent and relevant, my favourite sort of Hetalia fic. ;_; Bwaah, this is the part of America I see in my life, thinking he knows what's good for other people. The nice part of America. I love him and am so scared of him at the same time.
Wonderful portrayal, anon! ;A; This is going in my favourites!
Re: World Police (2/2)
anonymous
November 7 2010, 23:20:33 UTC
I didnt get it at first (although I DID see those little slip ups America had like seeing why Liet was worried) but then I realized...Liet has prob. seen those slip ups too (like when he was seeing him during the depression) and he sees that despite what America says its not the complete truth. And it sounds an awful lot like Russia
*
Lithuania's been visiting more often since Russia let him go home; it's hard not to fall into old habits, and when America leaves to go on an errand Lithuania ends up making coffee. America comes back hours later and sluffs off his jacket, flinging it onto the peg by the door with characteristic nonchalance, and stretches. "Aaah, those conferences are so boring! It's hard to pay attention." He looks up and his eyebrows rise. "You made coffee for me? That - you know you don't have to do that."
"I also know you like coffee." Lithuania smiles and takes a seat at the kitchen table; America joins him immediately, wrapping his hands around the steaming cup Liet hands him. "What was the meeting about?"
"Afghanistan, and Iraq," America answers, and his gaze goes distant. "Now that their bad bosses are overthrown they want me to leave. I get it; I want to go, too, but I can't just leave them to their own devices."
Lithuania's lips go thin. This attitude makes him uncomfortable, because there is another nation, a former superpower, who has much the same attitude towards Lithuania himself. "I don't mean to speak out of turn, but have you really thought this through?" He hesitates here, because he doesn't want to make America angry (an angry America can break a table, break a house, break a country), but America's just looking at him with wide, guileless eyes, so he presses on. "I mean ... do you really have the right to order Afghanistan and Iraq around? Unless you mean to take over them."
America watches Lithuania for an uncomfortably long time. Then he shrugs, blows on his coffee, and takes a sip. "Ah, just how I like it."
"You're welcome." Lithuania speaks softly.
America nods to himself and gazes at the far wall, tongue poking against his upper lip. "Of course I don't want to take over Afghanistan and Iraq," he says at length. "I'm not Russia." He laughs, and gives Lithuania a winning smile, and Lithuania relaxes because he's not taking offense. He's a little surprised America picked up on the parallel Lithuania was drawing. "Besides, that's not what heroes do."
Back to the hero thing. Lithuania is about to resign himself to a speech about the American Way when America says, "When I first went there - a whole ten years ago, wow - a lot of other nations came with me. You remember," he says, pointing a finger from the hand holding his cup of coffee at the guest country. "I was pretty angry, but at their bosses, not at Afghanistan or Iraq. I'm still mad."
'Pretty mad' is an understatement. Lithuania saw America at the United Nations that year, bruised and limping and furious, full of such holy rage nobody had wanted to speak against him.
"But one by one the others left, and now they're mad at me." America sighs and rests his chin in his hand, taking another absent sip of coffee. "They want me to be the hero, but they get angry when I am. It's frustrating. Sometimes I miss being isolationist."
tbc
Reply
"Because I can't." America eyebrows go up and press together, sorrowful. "They both need my help."
"They don't want your help," Lithuania points out. There are times when he could do with Russia's strength at his back again, but it's not worth the price; Afghanistan and Iraq probably feel much the same.
America sighs heavily, for all the world a moody child. "But they need it. Nobody likes admitting they need help, but sometimes they do. Because what if I left, suddenly and without warning? What boss would come in then?"
He looks at Lithuania then, all miserable and tired and looking much as he had at the beginning of the Depression, and Lithuania stares back with dawning comprehension.
"You're protecting your own borders."
America smiles. "Not really."
"But that's why you're staying at Afghanistan and Iraq's place," Lithuania says, chilled.
America scoffs. "I'm just doing my job as the world policeman. That's what everyone wants, right? Up until they don't." He gulps more coffee down as it cools.
Lithuania gathers himself, taking a few deep breaths, and stands. "I should be getting back home," he says, lame. "I've got some projects to work on, after all ..."
"Oh, yeah, of course," America agrees. "Come and visit again, would you? I really like your company."
They say their goodbyes and when America closes the door behind him, Lithuania lets the shudder he was suppressing go through him. America acts like a dumb, sweet kid, acts like somebody who wants to help everyone ... but in the end, he's acting in his own best interests.
Doesn't every country? Lithuania thinks, and hugs his coat tightly around himself.
fin
Reply
*thumbsup*
Reply
Wonderful portrayal, anon! ;A; This is going in my favourites!
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment