Happy 4th of July, America. Just a little extra chapter to mark the day a year on! Enjoy!

Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya!

The Talk

A week had passed since England had finally come to his birthday party and America was amazed at the change. In the days after the party, England had stayed and they went to places that England would normally avoid. Lexington and Concord, Boston Harbour, the Old North Church and they even went to see the Declaration of Independence.

It was almost like England was exorcising his demons and letting go of the last of the past concerning the Revolutionary War and America could not be happier about that. England had promised to talk the day after America's birthday but it was actually a few days later before they sat down and had a heart-to-heart about it all.

"Why did you rebel, America?" England asked. "I know it's academic now but I would really like to know." America sighed.

"It wasn't the taxes and laws," he replied. "That's what riled my people up and I know that was your boss. I didn't intend to rebel but I thought it was my chance to become like you, to stand with you as an nation all my own. I didn't want a war, I just wanted to be able to prove I could stand on my own two feet but, the next thing I knew, we were fighting and pointing muskets at each other across a muddy field. I didn't want to be your enemy, I wanted to be your equal." And he sighed again.

"Why did you fight me?" America asked and England knew he meant as Arthur, not England. "Why couldn't you have just let me go and be my own person," England looked down at his lap.

"You were my little brother," he replied and then he looked up. "You were like my son and you were pulling away from me. You were the most important thing in my life and I didn't want to lose you. But I suppose I tried to hold on too tight and you slipped through my fingers."

"You never lost me!" America cried. "I wanted you to come back after it was all over so we could still be together but you refused to talk to me."

"I was hurt," England replied. "My pride had been wounded and I wanted to be as far away from anything to do with the former colonies as I could. I wasn't in the mood to listen back then and the longer we stayed estranged, the harder it was to make up. Even when we finally made up enough to talk, I still found any mention of the war painful which was why I wouldn't come to your birthday party. I was always so ill when anything to do with the war came up and I didn't want you to see me like that." England sat back in his chair and leant his head over the back.

"I let it eat me up so much," he said. "That I turned my back on Sealand because he reminded me of you. The idea of him growing up and leaving me was more than I could bear so I turned away from him." America looked guilty.

"I didn't realise how much my independence had affected you," he muttered. England looked up.

"I let it affect me," he replied. "I should have realise that you had grown up but I insisted in treating you like a child that needed my guidance and protection. I was like one of those fathers who tries to force their children to live the life they have mapped out for them when the children want something different. I wouldn't listen! Maybe if I had, we wouldn't had spent so much time apart and I wouldn't have missed so many of your birthdays because of my stubborn pride." America came over to England and hugged him.

"That doesn't matter any more," he whispered into England's ear. "You're here now, that's what counts." England hugged America back.

"I should have told you this a long time ago," England said. "But I'm proud of you! I'm proud of the nation you've become." America smiled and pulled away from England.

"There was another reason I wanted to stop being your little brother," he said, cupping England's face in both hands. He moved forward again and pressed his lips over England's.

England was surprised for a second but then melted into the kiss. He brought his arms up and around America's neck while America wrapped his arm around England's waist and hugged him tight. After a minute, they finally pulled away and just looked at each other, not saying a word but they did not need to.

For America, it was the best birthday ever!

A year later …...

The sun rose on the morning of the 4th of July and America, both the personification and the actual country, began to awake. America stretched and yawned, wanting to go back to sleep but he had a lot to do today. The party would not organise itself and the catering company would be here soon and he would need to be ready and dressed before they arrived. He sat up and was about to get out of bed when a hand reached up, grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back down.

"Five more minutes," a drowsy England said next to him and pulled him into a sleep hug. America chuckled and, five minutes later, got the first present of his birthday.

A good morning kiss from his English boyfriend.

Sorry! I'm a sucker UsUk! And Gerita! And Spamano! And PruCan! And …. well you get the picture!

Hasta la Pasta!