Paint the Story I wish to Read 1/?
anonymous
September 23 2011, 14:26:32 UTC
Midnight filler strikes again. Per request no rapetruck Russia,though it does take place in an AU where the British Empire never fell...
It's not fair, not at all, America thinks to himself. He hates what he sees and loves what he doesn't, and isn't it all a confused jumbled up mix of want and hate and love and loath all in one ugly drink? He stares across the table, blue eyes watching him, watching his every move.
It doesn't go unnoticed. It never does. Everyone sees him watching, and watches him watch the one person who doesn't see him at all.
She's watching him, eyes dark and still. He once read a story where the eyes of a goddess were the same as the night sky, filled with stars, no pupil or whites. Just stars. America thinks that India has those eyes. Endless, empty eyes, full of stars and nothing. He thinks that like the goddess of those stories, she's never what she seems to be. She's ruthless, but he likes to think she's protective.
Of just who he's not so sure about, but he's pretty sure he doesn't count in her group of 'chicks' she keeps an eye on.
She'll pull him aside after the meeting, to mutter urgently in his ear. “Don't trust that one, child. He's not what he seems.”
America knows that. He knows that even when he curls up next to England, England with his tea, America with his coffee, as they slowly repair a broken relation, that the larger Empire must be thinking of what it would be to have him back, have the available riches of his lands at his beck and call. It hurts to think that when England calls him, “luv”, it's a way to get to him to lower his guard, it has to be, she said that's how it starts. He knows that, gets it, but doesn't want to admit to it. He likes the attention, the small things, like being called 'luv' and being an honored trade partner.
It's just...
If he admits to it, he doesn't know what he'll do, one way or the other.
England's the only one can hurt him like this, build him up, so what happens if he's doing it just to tear him apart? He tried it once when he couldn't retake him, make him back into a colony; but America had stood by his principles that time and held firm, become stronger for the conflict.
He glances up to meet green eyes, silently asking a question, 'Why aren't you paying attention?'. America shakes his head and stands to give his presentation and wonders.
Re: Paint the Story I wish to Read 1/?
anonymous
September 23 2011, 21:44:15 UTC
I absolutely love this regardless of there being so little of it so far; the alternative history is already decidedly smashing and I'm loving the inclusion of India. Your America-voice is dead-on, too.
Paint the Story I wish to Read 2/3
anonymous
September 30 2011, 01:07:15 UTC
England's not sure what's happening. On one hand America is here, sitting at the world's table, a young up and coming power in his own right. He's proud of his young lover, who wouldn't be? After all, it isn't every day a nation slowly becomes a power through peace, not through war. America is bringing a new way forward to the world as he works with his brother to come up with the new technologies that keep improving the standards of life.
He likes the new phone for example - an iPhone, but despite the night spent with America learning how to use it, still has no idea of quite how to do much more then the basics. Of course he blames that on them not actually spending time on learning how to use it, but having spent the majority of the time curled around one another in his office.
But he sees America slipping away from him with every breath, every report he gives. America stands more and more alone these days, pressing the world for peace, and equality. And sometimes when America looks at him, his bright blue eyes are distant and unfocused, as if lost deep in thought. There are times when America looks at him like he expects England to try to force him into doing something he doesn't want. It makes him want to clutch at America all the more, holding him as hard as he can, to never let him go.
The depth of his feelings frighten him sometimes. He has held other nations, loved some and tolerated others, but never has he felt like this. He feels as if he should touch America like he would an angel, unbelieving that he has been so blessed to have this in his life, but cannot for fear he would vanish. It's maddening.
Yet at the same time, he's happy and honestly happy for the first time in a long time. He'd be happier if he knew what was causing America's distance though.
England glances up to see India pull America aside, to whisper something in his ear and feels his heart twist. He's always regretted how forcibly India has been dealt with in the past, has tried to make it up to her, with relaxed laws and tried to promote equality, but has always been rebuffed.
She's never forgiven him for taking away her empire.
Paint the Story I wish to Read 3/3
anonymous
September 30 2011, 01:09:32 UTC
Canada knows what is going on, even if America and England don't. India had never made any bones about her desire to make England suffer, her want to see him as broken as she'd been. When her own magic proved that she couldn't force her way pass his protections she'd begun to look for other ways of making him miserable.
Revolts were mostly ignored. Pranks, childish yes, but annoying nonetheless, were merely looked at with a raised eyebrow and then England had forced her to clean up the results. She'd been infuriated at being colonized, and it had always scared Canada and the others with the force of her sheer hate. Usually however, as long as she left the others out of her fury, most of the Empire pretended not to see what as going on.
Canada was re-evaluating his policy of pretended ignorance towards the India Situation as Australia termed it. He'd ignored it for as long as he could, but now she was hurting his brother in her revenge, and while Canada could forgive a great deal...
America was his brother. He can't forgive that.
But every time he goes to tell America what's really going on, to not pay attention to India's cruel words, he gets side tracked. France will pull him aside to ask how he is doing, or Netherlands invites him to go out hiking. Pakistan even got him to work on a trade agreement once, when he'd meant to speak to his brother.
England deserves to be taken down a peg or two he knows. The other nation means well enough, but by the very nation of his being an Empire, and a quarter of the world owing him allegiance, there is a power imbalance that can't be crossed.
He starts to move off to where America and England are standing, touching but not touching, praying that his usual invisibility would kick in and he'd get there without being stopped. He makes it almost halfway there when India grabs his arm, dark eyes black with anger.
“Don't you dare,” she hisses. “I will have this if nothing else.”
Suddenly Canada is tired of it all. Tired of the lying, the ignoring, all of it. He could ignore everything she's done up till now, but this is going too far. America is his brother, and England as good as a father-figure as he's got. He's tired of the fighting, the way it all happens behind their back. He's Canada, and not some beholden nation to India. He's not going to put up with this any longer - and why should he? He's not India. There's nothing she can really do to him.
“He's my brother.”
“Then he shouldn't have gotten involved with him,” she snarls back. When Canada had first met her, he'd thought her the most lovely thing in the world. Now, he looks down and pities her.
“He's my brother and I owe you nothing,” Canada replies and shakes her arm off. “I'm sorry you can't help but be so bitter.”
He walks off towards where his brother and England are standing. Both of them look up, sadness in America's eyes, and confusion in England's.
“Can we talk,” Canada asks quietly. It's time someone grew up. It might as well be him.
OP again!
anonymous
September 30 2011, 23:30:17 UTC
This was very niii~ce! I feel for India, actually, probably more than you intended your readers to feel. But she REALLY should have kept America out of it.
Re: Paint the Story I wish to Read 3/3
anonymous
October 3 2011, 13:45:06 UTC
I felt so sorry for everyone! America, because he was the one being hurt, England, because he couldn't understand why America acted like that, and India, because she had been so hurt by England that she now hated him and couldn't look past that fact.
I was surprised by you choosing India but it seemed to fit.
One of the lines I most remember from this fill is: It's time someone grew up. It might as well be him.
I only wish that there could be more, like what happened afterwards.
It's not fair, not at all, America thinks to himself. He hates what he sees and loves what he doesn't, and isn't it all a confused jumbled up mix of want and hate and love and loath all in one ugly drink? He stares across the table, blue eyes watching him, watching his every move.
It doesn't go unnoticed. It never does. Everyone sees him watching, and watches him watch the one person who doesn't see him at all.
She's watching him, eyes dark and still. He once read a story where the eyes of a goddess were the same as the night sky, filled with stars, no pupil or whites. Just stars. America thinks that India has those eyes. Endless, empty eyes, full of stars and nothing. He thinks that like the goddess of those stories, she's never what she seems to be. She's ruthless, but he likes to think she's protective.
Of just who he's not so sure about, but he's pretty sure he doesn't count in her group of 'chicks' she keeps an eye on.
She'll pull him aside after the meeting, to mutter urgently in his ear. “Don't trust that one, child. He's not what he seems.”
America knows that. He knows that even when he curls up next to England, England with his tea, America with his coffee, as they slowly repair a broken relation, that the larger Empire must be thinking of what it would be to have him back, have the available riches of his lands at his beck and call. It hurts to think that when England calls him, “luv”, it's a way to get to him to lower his guard, it has to be, she said that's how it starts. He knows that, gets it, but doesn't want to admit to it. He likes the attention, the small things, like being called 'luv' and being an honored trade partner.
It's just...
If he admits to it, he doesn't know what he'll do, one way or the other.
England's the only one can hurt him like this, build him up, so what happens if he's doing it just to tear him apart? He tried it once when he couldn't retake him, make him back into a colony; but America had stood by his principles that time and held firm, become stronger for the conflict.
He glances up to meet green eyes, silently asking a question, 'Why aren't you paying attention?'. America shakes his head and stands to give his presentation and wonders.
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He likes the new phone for example - an iPhone, but despite the night spent with America learning how to use it, still has no idea of quite how to do much more then the basics. Of course he blames that on them not actually spending time on learning how to use it, but having spent the majority of the time curled around one another in his office.
But he sees America slipping away from him with every breath, every report he gives. America stands more and more alone these days, pressing the world for peace, and equality. And sometimes when America looks at him, his bright blue eyes are distant and unfocused, as if lost deep in thought. There are times when America looks at him like he expects England to try to force him into doing something he doesn't want. It makes him want to clutch at America all the more, holding him as hard as he can, to never let him go.
The depth of his feelings frighten him sometimes. He has held other nations, loved some and tolerated others, but never has he felt like this. He feels as if he should touch America like he would an angel, unbelieving that he has been so blessed to have this in his life, but cannot for fear he would vanish. It's maddening.
Yet at the same time, he's happy and honestly happy for the first time in a long time. He'd be happier if he knew what was causing America's distance though.
England glances up to see India pull America aside, to whisper something in his ear and feels his heart twist. He's always regretted how forcibly India has been dealt with in the past, has tried to make it up to her, with relaxed laws and tried to promote equality, but has always been rebuffed.
She's never forgiven him for taking away her empire.
Reply
Revolts were mostly ignored. Pranks, childish yes, but annoying nonetheless, were merely looked at with a raised eyebrow and then England had forced her to clean up the results. She'd been infuriated at being colonized, and it had always scared Canada and the others with the force of her sheer hate. Usually however, as long as she left the others out of her fury, most of the Empire pretended not to see what as going on.
Canada was re-evaluating his policy of pretended ignorance towards the India Situation as Australia termed it. He'd ignored it for as long as he could, but now she was hurting his brother in her revenge, and while Canada could forgive a great deal...
America was his brother. He can't forgive that.
But every time he goes to tell America what's really going on, to not pay attention to India's cruel words, he gets side tracked. France will pull him aside to ask how he is doing, or Netherlands invites him to go out hiking. Pakistan even got him to work on a trade agreement once, when he'd meant to speak to his brother.
England deserves to be taken down a peg or two he knows. The other nation means well enough, but by the very nation of his being an Empire, and a quarter of the world owing him allegiance, there is a power imbalance that can't be crossed.
He starts to move off to where America and England are standing, touching but not touching, praying that his usual invisibility would kick in and he'd get there without being stopped. He makes it almost halfway there when India grabs his arm, dark eyes black with anger.
“Don't you dare,” she hisses. “I will have this if nothing else.”
Suddenly Canada is tired of it all. Tired of the lying, the ignoring, all of it. He could ignore everything she's done up till now, but this is going too far. America is his brother, and England as good as a father-figure as he's got. He's tired of the fighting, the way it all happens behind their back. He's Canada, and not some beholden nation to India. He's not going to put up with this any longer - and why should he? He's not India. There's nothing she can really do to him.
“He's my brother.”
“Then he shouldn't have gotten involved with him,” she snarls back. When Canada had first met her, he'd thought her the most lovely thing in the world. Now, he looks down and pities her.
“He's my brother and I owe you nothing,” Canada replies and shakes her arm off. “I'm sorry you can't help but be so bitter.”
He walks off towards where his brother and England are standing. Both of them look up, sadness in America's eyes, and confusion in England's.
“Can we talk,” Canada asks quietly. It's time someone grew up. It might as well be him.
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I was surprised by you choosing India but it seemed to fit.
One of the lines I most remember from this fill is: It's time someone grew up. It might as well be him.
I only wish that there could be more, like what happened afterwards.
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