Fanfic: Concussion
So this started out as another song ficlet (one for Break by Three Days Grace is anyones curious) but it decided to take on a life of it's own and wouldn't stop bothering me til I finished it. So here, It's not very well done I think but ..as always hope someone likes it. I hope it's not too confusing.
America had been playing, as always. Acting like an overactive little boy jumping from bench to bench in the park while England walked along beside him on the sidewalk in as dignified manner as he could.
When they came to the end of the row of benches America ran and jumped as far as he could, landing on the concrete with both his feet flat on the ground. At first he went to celebrate his awesome landing but he stopped. The after effects of the unforgiving ground jarring through his heels and up his spine, rattling his head. It hurt but he shook it off, it was only a small jump, a hero like him shouldn't be concerned with a little rough landing.
England caught up to him looking concerned," Are you ok, America?" He asked, "You shouldn't be doing such reckless things."
America tried looking uncaring but it didn't work, He rubbed the back of his head. It felt heavy. " Don't worry so much old man, I'm not as frail as you." This earned him a scowl and another smack to the head, courtesy of the shorter man, who then walked off, miffed, ahead of America.
America jogged after him mumbling to himself, " You wouldn't understand why anyway." Not that he would ever admit it to England but he had a reason for everything he did, even if it didn't make sense sometimes.
He caught up with England and had run out of benches now to play on. It was quiet for awhile before England spoke up, " You've gone quiet, has some sort of miracle occurred?" he said with all his usual sarcasm, until the American didn't reply. "Are you listening to me?" he said but with less ferocity grabbing America by the shoulder to stop his walk, which had veered off to the left almost in the grass.
When grabbed America tilted back into England's arms, moving feet forgotten. England had just enough time to brace himself as the larger man fell into him. "America..!"
America barely registered England's face tilted over his and attempted to say something but all that came out was, " head ..feels.funny" before he blacked out in the other's arms.
~He was reaching up towards the grey sky, could almost wrap his fingers in the smoke that fogged the air. If only he could get higher. He could see the world from up there he was sure. ~
Then there was a light, it was so bright he had to pull his hands down over his eyes splotches of red and blue still making it's way through, and a sound, a horrible wailing
There were voices among the noise, he felt like one of them was familiar but couldn't place it. He moved his hands a bit to see but the scene looked washed out before him, He could make out the outlines of people, rushing about and one standing over him. He tried to speak but he couldn't hear himself so he had no idea if anything came out or not. Then the world shook..
~cannon fire sounded and for a moment he almost thought he had been hit. The earth shook like an earthquake and he ran, he didn't know where he was going he just ran, right up a hill, looking out into the distance. Over the valley below he saw people fighting, guns in hand charging at one another. .~
The only two words came to mind, Freedom and Flight. He wasn't sure what they were supposed to mean but he knew he wanted them. He would fight so hard for them but could fighting really make him soar? Someone grabbed his shoulders from behind and he screamed, there was a flash of green eyes in front of him
He was seeing double, two figures wavering back and forth, occasionally becoming one singular person. One wore red, the other wore some strange green plaid pattern. They both had the same eyes, like spring fields, so alive.
He felt a twist in his stomach and he lurched up, tearing from the clones' grasps and leaning over the bed he was on. He hadn't even had time to remember when he had gone from standing to laying down before he emptied the contents of his stomach into a conveniently waiting bucket beside the bed.
Afterwards he slumped back into the pillows under him, there was only one green eyed man there with him now. He wishes he could remember his name, it seemed Important to know. He attempted to lift a hand and grab..what was he grabbing for? He didn't know.
~Smoke filled the air again as he reached out through it, trying to push it aside and see the man again. His hand caught on something cold and metal, something freezing in this hot environment. He latched on and pulled himself to it, a pole. A single metal pole, at the top, a flag. The flag pole tipped as he watched it, falling in his direction slowly but he couldn't move away, or even look away for that matter. ~
It landed on top of him, pinning him to the ground diagonally. It hadn't hurt but he felt suffocated under the weight. The American didn't like to be pinned down. That's right he was American..No it was something more then that. He was America. The nation began lashing out trying his best to hold onto what little identity he had remembered refusing to be defeated. "Don't...don't hold me down!" he shouted
For the first time in what seemed like days.. or maybe minutes. He heard his own voice loud and clear. He was in the bed again, staring wide eyed at the white tiled ceiling. He inhaled sharply and looked down, he could still feel a slightly weight on his stomach. Upon further inspection it was the green eyed man he had seen, laying his head on top of the sheets America was under. He knew it was him even thought the eyes were closed and the man was clearly asleep.
"England" He said, the name rushing out like a flood gate being opened.
"Yes, America?" England opened his eyes but didn't move from were he was.
"England,.. England what happened?" America asked finally as it registered that he was in a hospital room.
"You had a concussion...so I expect you don't remember anything." The Brit said sitting up now, though looking glum. There was a long pause. " I'll have you know I was worried about you, but don't worry I won't hold you down!."
It came out as a rush of withheld emotions and America was startled. "Oh you heard that huh?" A dumb response he realized too late.
"Yes, I heard that huh!" England repeated back to him in a huff.
America was thankful his cognitive abilities had come back. Otherwise he wouldn't of known how to deal with the Englishman. "You know I wasn't talking about you, right?" America said with a pout.
"Of course you weren't" England snapped back sarcastically crossing his arms and looking anywhere but at him.
"I swear, I wasn't" America said honestly. He shifted uncomfortably in his bed. "It's just something that I've been thinking about for awhile now."
This peaked England's interest and he turned around to face the American again. "What do you mean?" He demanded.
" I'm not satisfied with myself," before the words were even fully out of America's mouth England scoffed. " Like you don't think highly of yourself, that's ridicules."
"I'm serious England!" America whined and the Brit stopped and waited for an explanation with a slightly skeptical expression on his face. "I..I'm not the greatest I can be right now. I know I act like I don't pay attention but I know what's going on in the world. My Economy sucks and I'm in heavy debt. On top of it all, my people have so many things they can't agree on. I just want to be my best."
America's head fell back against the pillow and he sighed. "Be careful you idiot, you just had a concussion. Don't go rattling yourself around again, you reckless git!" America grinned, he liked when England talked like that, he knew everything was ok then. "Do you know why I do the things I do?" He asked with a tired smile.
"Of course I don't know, how could I ever see into that questionable brain of yours." America smirked at how ironic it was because there was an x-ray of what he figured was his head behind England on the wall.
"I do it because if I can soar even for a moment jumping off of a bench, then it makes everything else wrong go away for just a little while." He thought he sounded stupid and was going to get reprimanded but didn't mind. To his surprise however England unfolded his arms and laid his head on the mattress of the bed again with a sigh that showed how tired the Brit was.
"I wish, you didn't feel the need to do such insufferable things but....if it makes you happy." He buried his face in the bed sheets, hiding an obvious flush in his skin.
" Don't worry, I know if I jump too high, you'll always be there to pull me back down next to you." America said with the cheesiest smile he could muster.
England grunted but it wasn't an unpleasent sound and America just grinned. The two of them rested there like that. There would be other things to talk about when they got home, but for now they let peace settle over the room.