[Hetalia] "Remembering Baltimore"
Title: "Remembering Baltimore"
Author shuriken7
Characters: America/England
Challenge: 12. Anniversary @ hetachallenge
Bonus Words: Part 1: 262 words, Part 2: 239 words, Part 3: 300 words
Rating: G
Summary: It's June 18, 2012... the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812.
England surprised himself when he came out here, parking in the small parking lot and walking towards the visitor center. He had been to many of America's national parks, the American loved to show off his lands, but he rarely took him to historic sites when they were in the east. America trooped through England's, but never asked for reciprocity. He looked past the visitor center to the building at the top of the hill and felt a little tremble of nervousness. He wondered what the signs would say. It had been 200 years... but this place gave him pangs of bitterness. He knew the reasons, and that's why he had snuck out early, just leaving America a note that he would meet him up for lunch. He wanted a few hours in the place that made him realize that America was truly free, the place that set them on this path.
He paid his entrance fee and dropped a few dollars in the donation bin on his way through the glass doors. He promised himself he would look at the displays when he came back from the building itself. Affixing the admission sticker to his jacket, he swallowed before starting up the path. He blindly walked up the path that led to, at the time, America had called the Star Fort, it's other name Fort McHenry. The wind ruffled through his hair, hard enough to lift the giant American flag that flew above the fort. It was the Star-Spangled Banner, flying high just as it did 200 years ago...
~*~
America woke up in a sleepy haze. He could hear the sounds on the streets of Baltimore, and he rolled over to wrap his lover in his arms. He was met with a cold pillow and empty blankets beside him. He opened his eyes and looked around, unsure of when England would have left. It was barely 8:00 a.m. and it was a day off to boot. He noticed the pen balanced atop the hotel notepad and reached for it.
I needed to see something. I'll meet you up for lunch at that place we were talking about.
-England
America stared at the handwriting for a moment, wracking his brain for what England would be doing on his own in Baltimore in the morning. He had said he was going to meet him for lunch. It was possible he had gone to the consulate back in D.C. but he would have just said that. He couldn't be saying that he was brining him breakfast, since he would have said, 'see you soon'. America's phone beeped, showing him a calendar reminder on his phone. June 18... 200th Anniversary of the beginning of the Second War for Independence. America's eyes widened and he flew out of bed, pulling his clothes on and heading out the door.
He knew exactly where England was and there was no way that England would spend this anniversary alone.
~*~
England looked over the earthen embankments out into the harbor. They were larger now, America had built them up during the Civil War, and the harbor was much more modern... but he could see it. The ships had been just beyond the reach of the American guns, their superior cannons able to fire all the way to the fort. They had fired for 25 hours. England closed his eyes for a moment and he could still hear the cacophony. He opened his eyes again, imagining what it must have felt like to be standing there, looking at his ships, expecting annihilation.
He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning to see America there, the hood of his jacket pulled up to ward off the cold wind.
"America! How... how did you find me?"
"I wasn't sure at first, but I figured this would be a good place to start. Why are you here?"
"It's an anniversary, it was only proper."
"Uh-huh. I didn't think this would be one you want to remember. Especially since we have happier ones now."
England paused for a moment, considering, "America, this was the place where I realized you were never going to be my colony again. I couldn't own you. That sooner or later I was going to have to meet you on your own terms. It put us on the path that got us here."
He hadn't looked America in the eye until now. He wondered if he should be worried about the surprised look. Then, America looked around to see if they were alone and walked forward and kissed him. When he broke away he said, "Too bad it took us 200 years to put that spin on it."
America smiled, and England smiled back.
Author shuriken7
Characters: America/England
Challenge: 12. Anniversary @ hetachallenge
Bonus Words: Part 1: 262 words, Part 2: 239 words, Part 3: 300 words
Rating: G
Summary: It's June 18, 2012... the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812.
England surprised himself when he came out here, parking in the small parking lot and walking towards the visitor center. He had been to many of America's national parks, the American loved to show off his lands, but he rarely took him to historic sites when they were in the east. America trooped through England's, but never asked for reciprocity. He looked past the visitor center to the building at the top of the hill and felt a little tremble of nervousness. He wondered what the signs would say. It had been 200 years... but this place gave him pangs of bitterness. He knew the reasons, and that's why he had snuck out early, just leaving America a note that he would meet him up for lunch. He wanted a few hours in the place that made him realize that America was truly free, the place that set them on this path.
He paid his entrance fee and dropped a few dollars in the donation bin on his way through the glass doors. He promised himself he would look at the displays when he came back from the building itself. Affixing the admission sticker to his jacket, he swallowed before starting up the path. He blindly walked up the path that led to, at the time, America had called the Star Fort, it's other name Fort McHenry. The wind ruffled through his hair, hard enough to lift the giant American flag that flew above the fort. It was the Star-Spangled Banner, flying high just as it did 200 years ago...
~*~
America woke up in a sleepy haze. He could hear the sounds on the streets of Baltimore, and he rolled over to wrap his lover in his arms. He was met with a cold pillow and empty blankets beside him. He opened his eyes and looked around, unsure of when England would have left. It was barely 8:00 a.m. and it was a day off to boot. He noticed the pen balanced atop the hotel notepad and reached for it.
I needed to see something. I'll meet you up for lunch at that place we were talking about.
-England
America stared at the handwriting for a moment, wracking his brain for what England would be doing on his own in Baltimore in the morning. He had said he was going to meet him for lunch. It was possible he had gone to the consulate back in D.C. but he would have just said that. He couldn't be saying that he was brining him breakfast, since he would have said, 'see you soon'. America's phone beeped, showing him a calendar reminder on his phone. June 18... 200th Anniversary of the beginning of the Second War for Independence. America's eyes widened and he flew out of bed, pulling his clothes on and heading out the door.
He knew exactly where England was and there was no way that England would spend this anniversary alone.
~*~
England looked over the earthen embankments out into the harbor. They were larger now, America had built them up during the Civil War, and the harbor was much more modern... but he could see it. The ships had been just beyond the reach of the American guns, their superior cannons able to fire all the way to the fort. They had fired for 25 hours. England closed his eyes for a moment and he could still hear the cacophony. He opened his eyes again, imagining what it must have felt like to be standing there, looking at his ships, expecting annihilation.
He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning to see America there, the hood of his jacket pulled up to ward off the cold wind.
"America! How... how did you find me?"
"I wasn't sure at first, but I figured this would be a good place to start. Why are you here?"
"It's an anniversary, it was only proper."
"Uh-huh. I didn't think this would be one you want to remember. Especially since we have happier ones now."
England paused for a moment, considering, "America, this was the place where I realized you were never going to be my colony again. I couldn't own you. That sooner or later I was going to have to meet you on your own terms. It put us on the path that got us here."
He hadn't looked America in the eye until now. He wondered if he should be worried about the surprised look. Then, America looked around to see if they were alone and walked forward and kissed him. When he broke away he said, "Too bad it took us 200 years to put that spin on it."
America smiled, and England smiled back.