[Hetalia] "Beneath the Cherry Blossoms"
Title: "Beneath the Cherry Blossoms"
Author: shuriken7
Claim: America
Character(s): America/Japan
Table/Prompt: Time/12. Spring @ hetachallenge, 20. Memories @ 20_est_relships
Word Count: 1020
Rating: PG
Summary: Modern Day. It's the 100th Anniversary of Japan's gift of cherry blossom trees to America. It gives them a moment to reflect on memories of the past and the memories they want to build in the future.
America always enjoyed the days in spring when Washington D.C. would blossom and he would be able to walk the marbled halls of the monuments to some of his greatest leaders and weave through the bright pink blossoms that appeared on the hundreds of cherry trees that were as part of the National Mall as the towering Washington Monument or the solemn Lincoln Memorial. This year was special though, it had now been 100 years that these beautiful trees had followed the winding paths.
There had been a time in his past when he had hated these trees, was angry at the lie they had represented. However, it had been a long time since he had felt that. He could remember the joy when he first received the gift. And even when he was angry with the person who had gifted them, he had tried to hold onto that happiness and honor he had felt on that day in 1912. As he walked through the canopy of pink blossoms, a few falling to the shoulders of his jacket, a couple sticking to his blue tie he made his way around the monuments. He wanted to find him, he knew he had come, they had missed each other last night, but America was determined to see him today. Japan was far too practical at times, America had really wanted him to blow off his embassy and spend the night with him. He had heard the small smile in Japan's voice over the phone asking him to be patient. America had promised he would. However, he was done being patient now. He wanted to find him, knowing that around now was the time to meet up.
He couldn't help but pause at the relatively recent memorial to those that fought and died in World War II. It was truly a beautiful site, he could look up the length of the Mall and see Lincoln at the other end. He stepped off the path and walked down to wander amongst the tourists who looked at the cool marble. He smiled at the old men, veterans, who saluted those that they had lost decades ago. They smiled back, knowing exactly who he was. He walked through the columns with the block letters spelling out PACIFIC above him and stopped in his tracks. Japan was there on the other side, a little bit outside the memorial, sitting on a bench not too far up that path. America hurried out of the memorial and went over to him, smiling as he slid onto the bench beside him.
"I was wondering where I would find you." America said, reaching over to dust a cherry blossom petal off Japan's dark hair. Japan gave him a small smile in return.
"I wanted to see it in person." he gestured towards the memorial. "You came to visit some of mine, and we haven't had time since it was built."
"And to think I thought it was just to celebrate your present to me." America joked. He was actually extremely touched that Japan would come to the memorial as well as the celebration. He couldn't help but be happy that they were both being braver about things lately. Maybe one day it wouldn't hurt so much to think about it. Japan was looking at him curiously.
"You were being humorous just now?" he asked.
"Yeah, I was teasing. We said no ulterior motive today remember? Although I might have one." he replied, leaning in closer as he said the last sentence. Japan looked a little flustered at the nearness.
"And what is that?" he asked, his cheeks flushed. America leaned away knowing that if he stayed that close for much longer Japan would be pushing him away with a lecture about personal space in public. He knew Japan had no such qualms when they were alone.
America grinned at him, "You'll have to find out back at my house, but I think we should admire the cherry blossoms first right?" He stood up and offered a hand to Japan to help him up. Japan took it, although he removed his hand before America could close his fingers around them. Anticipating that, America threw an arm around his shoulders as they began to walk along the path filled with tourists and locals admiring the flowers.
Japan began to relax on the path, underneath the trees from his home and America smiled. He had a plan. When there were few people around he steered Japan into some of the shrubs, ducking down behind the boughs so that no one could see them. Japan was a little flustered as he tried not to get his slacks dirty in the planter.
"America, what--?" he paused, when America held his hand out to him, pinkie finger extended.
"So I was thinking we needed to make a promise. A 100th Anniversary sounds like a good time right?" he smiled, adding in a conspiratorial whisper, "Even though it's been more than that..." He chuckled quietly when Japan blushed at the implication. However, he nodded.
"What should we make our promise about?"
"To think about the future, and to work together to build it!" America replied. His own smile grew wider as one of Japan's rare unguarded smiles crossed his face.
"I think that is a very good promise to make." he linked his own finger with America's. America snuck in a kiss to Japan's cheek, causing the Asian nation to fluster before he checked if the coast was clear before leaving the shrub.
In a flurry of straightening suit jackets and dusting dirt off the knees of their pants, they exited and Japan didn't stiffen this time when America threw an arm around his shoulders. America was feeling happy and excited about the future that was spreading out before them. He didn't really know what was going to happen, but, at any rate, he would have this moment with Japan and hopefully, they would get to be standing here again in another hundred years beneath the cherry blossom trees.
Author: shuriken7
Claim: America
Character(s): America/Japan
Table/Prompt: Time/12. Spring @ hetachallenge, 20. Memories @ 20_est_relships
Word Count: 1020
Rating: PG
Summary: Modern Day. It's the 100th Anniversary of Japan's gift of cherry blossom trees to America. It gives them a moment to reflect on memories of the past and the memories they want to build in the future.
America always enjoyed the days in spring when Washington D.C. would blossom and he would be able to walk the marbled halls of the monuments to some of his greatest leaders and weave through the bright pink blossoms that appeared on the hundreds of cherry trees that were as part of the National Mall as the towering Washington Monument or the solemn Lincoln Memorial. This year was special though, it had now been 100 years that these beautiful trees had followed the winding paths.
There had been a time in his past when he had hated these trees, was angry at the lie they had represented. However, it had been a long time since he had felt that. He could remember the joy when he first received the gift. And even when he was angry with the person who had gifted them, he had tried to hold onto that happiness and honor he had felt on that day in 1912. As he walked through the canopy of pink blossoms, a few falling to the shoulders of his jacket, a couple sticking to his blue tie he made his way around the monuments. He wanted to find him, he knew he had come, they had missed each other last night, but America was determined to see him today. Japan was far too practical at times, America had really wanted him to blow off his embassy and spend the night with him. He had heard the small smile in Japan's voice over the phone asking him to be patient. America had promised he would. However, he was done being patient now. He wanted to find him, knowing that around now was the time to meet up.
He couldn't help but pause at the relatively recent memorial to those that fought and died in World War II. It was truly a beautiful site, he could look up the length of the Mall and see Lincoln at the other end. He stepped off the path and walked down to wander amongst the tourists who looked at the cool marble. He smiled at the old men, veterans, who saluted those that they had lost decades ago. They smiled back, knowing exactly who he was. He walked through the columns with the block letters spelling out PACIFIC above him and stopped in his tracks. Japan was there on the other side, a little bit outside the memorial, sitting on a bench not too far up that path. America hurried out of the memorial and went over to him, smiling as he slid onto the bench beside him.
"I was wondering where I would find you." America said, reaching over to dust a cherry blossom petal off Japan's dark hair. Japan gave him a small smile in return.
"I wanted to see it in person." he gestured towards the memorial. "You came to visit some of mine, and we haven't had time since it was built."
"And to think I thought it was just to celebrate your present to me." America joked. He was actually extremely touched that Japan would come to the memorial as well as the celebration. He couldn't help but be happy that they were both being braver about things lately. Maybe one day it wouldn't hurt so much to think about it. Japan was looking at him curiously.
"You were being humorous just now?" he asked.
"Yeah, I was teasing. We said no ulterior motive today remember? Although I might have one." he replied, leaning in closer as he said the last sentence. Japan looked a little flustered at the nearness.
"And what is that?" he asked, his cheeks flushed. America leaned away knowing that if he stayed that close for much longer Japan would be pushing him away with a lecture about personal space in public. He knew Japan had no such qualms when they were alone.
America grinned at him, "You'll have to find out back at my house, but I think we should admire the cherry blossoms first right?" He stood up and offered a hand to Japan to help him up. Japan took it, although he removed his hand before America could close his fingers around them. Anticipating that, America threw an arm around his shoulders as they began to walk along the path filled with tourists and locals admiring the flowers.
Japan began to relax on the path, underneath the trees from his home and America smiled. He had a plan. When there were few people around he steered Japan into some of the shrubs, ducking down behind the boughs so that no one could see them. Japan was a little flustered as he tried not to get his slacks dirty in the planter.
"America, what--?" he paused, when America held his hand out to him, pinkie finger extended.
"So I was thinking we needed to make a promise. A 100th Anniversary sounds like a good time right?" he smiled, adding in a conspiratorial whisper, "Even though it's been more than that..." He chuckled quietly when Japan blushed at the implication. However, he nodded.
"What should we make our promise about?"
"To think about the future, and to work together to build it!" America replied. His own smile grew wider as one of Japan's rare unguarded smiles crossed his face.
"I think that is a very good promise to make." he linked his own finger with America's. America snuck in a kiss to Japan's cheek, causing the Asian nation to fluster before he checked if the coast was clear before leaving the shrub.
In a flurry of straightening suit jackets and dusting dirt off the knees of their pants, they exited and Japan didn't stiffen this time when America threw an arm around his shoulders. America was feeling happy and excited about the future that was spreading out before them. He didn't really know what was going to happen, but, at any rate, he would have this moment with Japan and hopefully, they would get to be standing here again in another hundred years beneath the cherry blossom trees.