Author's Notes: A continuation of sorts for the beginning strip of Main Chapter 5: Lietuvis in which America trips and falls (bashing his head and injuring his leg) in excitement over ice cream. Also, this is being written for the usxuk community's Spring Fever Ficathon and the prompt "Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.- Robert Heimlein"

Also, this is chapter 1 of 3!

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Happy Accidents
[Chapter 1: In which America sulks, England sulks, China has happy pandas and France is a pervert.]

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England had to be furious with him. It was the middle of a war and here he was laid up in a hospital bed because of ice cream. And America was pretty sure noting he had slipped accidentally on a banana peel wouldn't count as a valid excuse.

He pouted, easily picturing England's ranting to the others about how incompetent he was.

"Do you need to rest, aru?" America started at the voice, momentarily forgetting that China was in the room. The Asian country shook his head at America's baffled look. "I'll leave your candy here, aru. Get well soon, America."

"Thanks, China!"

He pushed himself up from the chair and walked over to the door, throwing one last smile over his shoulder as he stepped out into the hallway.

America smacked himself in the forehead, then groaned in pain having hit his injury there.

Jeez, I need to be better to our fellow allies. These years of isolationism have made me a bit rusty.

China hadn't been the first to visit, Russia had swung by earlier and America was certain he was reveling in seeing the powerful North American country even just slightly weakened. That…had been an unnerving situation that America wasn't sure he'd handled all that well. He sighed and rubbed his temples as best he could around the bandages there.

Think positive. I'm an awesome hero and there's no way I could have screwed everything up! He clutched his fist in self-reassurance. Yeah. It's not like I had to have Russia removed by the hospital staff like I did France.

Grimacing, America shuddered at the memory of France's offer to play nurse maid, complete with a nurse's outfit. Sometimes, he felt that France was a little too friendly.

This, of course, left only one of four countries who hadn't visited. And as much as America hated to admit it, even to himself, but that was the reason he was spacing out when China was trying to fill him in on the current situation with Japan.

Damnit, England… Can't you at least drop by and tell me how stupid I am?

China had only taken two steps outside the door before he came to a halt beside the country leaning to the side of the doorframe.

"You can go in now, aru."

"W-what?" England spluttered, his face going scarlet as he met China's eyes.

"Visiting America, aru. Looks like you brought something to brighten his mood."

England cast a quick glance down to the bag hanging off his arm before clearing his throat. "This is nothing of the sort. It's just my lunch. Plus, that idiot probably needs to rest. I'll just inform him on what he's missing on the battle front later."

China had to resist rolling his eyes. Ever since he'd allied with America and England in the war, he'd noticed their terrible habit of acting like aloof and unruly children around each other. The older country sighed and leveled England with a serious look.

"He's quite in need of cheering up, aru. He sulked the entire time I was there. Most likely upset that everyone but you have visited him. You aren't still mad at him, are you, aru?"

The Briton huffed, "I'm frustrated at the situation. It would be right daft of me to be mad at him for an accident." He paused. "Even if it was his own bloody fault for acting so ridiculous over a mere tub of ice cream. It's not like he'll want to see me anyways."

"Go visit him, aru," China said, patting the other country on the shoulder. "As the saying goes: Do not anxiously expect what is not yet come; do not vainly regret what is already past, aru."

And leaving England to try and decipher the meaning of that, China gave a smile and a wave and walked down the hallway to the exit.

Clutching the bag that had a chocolate bar and a tub of ice cream in it for America, England fumed. "What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"

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Inside his room, America perked up a bit upon hearing voices outside his door. He could have sworn one of the two was British, and he leaned a bit up in his bed trying to listen in.

"Is that you England?" He called out when the conversation between the two voices seemed to trail off. The moment the words were out of his mouth, he cursed inwardly. Yeah right. England's still mad at me, I'm sure. If it is him, he's out there telling everyone else that they shouldn't dote on such an idiotic country.

Dejectedly, America slouched back onto his pillows and glared at the wall. Just thinking about England had put him in a sour mood again. Next to him, a medium sized plush panda that China had given him toppled off the nightstand and into America's shoulder. He started at the sudden contact and then smiled down at the dopey looking thing.

Lifting it up and regarding it, he remarked, "Panda of happiness, huh? I could use some of that right about now."

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England had started at what he thought was America calling out to him; but with a scowl and a blush, he resolutely stayed where he was outside the room.

I-I'm just imagining things. There's no way he'd want to see me. Hell, he's probably glad I haven't visited. He looked down at the tub of ice cream, which was starting to perspire. It would melt soon. England huffed. Ungrateful brat would just accuse me of doting on him or infringing on his blasted freedom.

Just about to turn and storm away, unbidden memories of his tumultuous past with America prickling at his mind, England stopped mid-step as another figure blocked his path.

"Aha, what is this? You bringing him gifts?"

"Shut it, France," England shot back, his eyes narrowing.

The other country just shook his head. "Look, I know you've been pathetically pining after him since the-"

France was cut off as England shoved him hard in the chest, a blush rising to his cheeks. "I said to belt up. It's nothing like that and you know it."

He shrugged, a lazy finger pointed at England's face. "Your expression betrays you."

Scowling and turning away, England snapped back. "Just go away, will you?"

A devious grin spread across France's face, and he leaned a bit closer to the shorter country. "Well, if you're not going to visit him, then perhaps I could offer some...services to our attractive, bedridden, hero."

"You are revolting," England sneered, wanting more than anything to slap that lecherous smirk off France's face. He didn't even want to think about what the pervert had in mind for America.

"Ah, but he must be so lonely. And hospital rooms get so cold at night..."

"Don'.Dare," the Briton hissed out through gritted teeth. It was taking all his restraint to keep from throttling France right then and there.

France raised an eyebrow in challenge. "Are you going to stop me?"

England stood to his full height, cockily grinning as he delivered his retort. "I am going in there right now and if I have to stay there all night to ensure you don't lay a finger on him, then by God, I will France. You know I will!"

And before the Frenchman could even remotely react, England turned on his heel and purposefully strode into America's room, the door slamming behind him.

France chuckled, turning to go back down the hall to flirt with the nurses. He muttered to himself as he went, "Oh my, someone's just a bit over protective."

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It wasn't clear who was more surprised by England's sudden entrance into the room. America was frozen, blue eyes wide, halfway through the motion of placing the stuffed panada back on his nightstand. England managed to look simultaneously outraged and embarrassed as his eyes met America's.

"Um...hi?" America tentatively said. England's blush and ire both rose at the innocent comment.

"I'm just here because that pervert France was threatening to...to...well, be himself. On you specifically."

America tried not to smile too much, having a feeling that it would only anger England further to do so. "Oh. Okay."

Settling back against his pillows, he watched as England stomped over to the bedside and thrust a rumpled bag into his hands.

"And because that imbecile held me up, my ice cream is melted and I no longer want it. Since you get so bloody excited over it in any form, you can have it."

Unable to hold it back this time, America's eyes lit up and smile crept onto his face. "Really? Wow, that's so nice of you England!"

England blushed and crossed his arms. "Just don't want it going to waste."

America had already fished the spoon out of the bag and was digging into the ice cream. He had the decency to look a bit ashamed, knowing that England was probably still miffed about the ice cream related incident that put him in this bed in the first place. But as he tasted the first bite, he sighed in pure bliss. "Oh this is so good. Best thing to happen all day."

"Well," England muttered, the tension in his expression starting to ease away. "Glad someone's happy."

"So um..." America mumbled around a spoonful, "You staying for awhile?"

England's eyes darted to the bedside chair and with an overdramatic huff, he sat down. "I suppose I don't have much of a choice. France will be on you the moment I let my guard down."

"Ice cream and protecting my virtue? Oh England, you're my hero!" America teased.

Rolling his eyes, England grouchily looked away, a furious blush creeping across his cheeks. "Oh hush up. I'm only doing this because it is in the best interests of our cause if you are healthy and whole."

America laughed. Wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, he replied. "Glad to know my wholesomeness is such a high priority for you."

"Oh for heaven's sake, you know what I mean!" England snapped, flush deepening.

Heaving another large spoonful into his mouth, America mumbled a quiet query. "Um...you're not still mad at me, are you?"

"I'm frustrated at the situation," he echoed his earlier comment to China. But when America's pout intensified, he quickly changed his tune. "Look. Considering all our losses, a mild concussion and a broken ankle is not too bad. And knowing you, you'll be back to your obnoxious self in no time. I mean, it doesn't hurt much anymore does it?"

America blinked, a timid smile on his lips. "So you are worried."

"W-what? No...I..." England glanced away, flustered again. "I am just concerned, like I would be for any of our allies. That's all."

The two fell silent for a moment, England stodgily sitting with his arms tightly crossed and America secretly smiling to himself over England's worry for him. Finally, he spoke up.

"Hey...England?"

"...What?"

"Here." A spoon prodded into England's cheek. "It wasn't all melted."

England opened his mouth to protest and America shoved the spoon in, smiling innocently as the Briton glared, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Good, isn't it?"

He cleared his throat. "Yes. I suppose."

Popping the spoon back into his own mouth, America slowly licked what remained off of it. England went scarlet. About to ask what his problem was, America froze with the spoon halfway out of his mouth and his eyes glued on England's still slightly moist lips.

Shit. Did I just...damnit.

His face flushed as he finally realized the extent of his completely unintentional flirting. Tearing his gaze away from England's mouth, he stared at the opposite wall.

Racking his mind for something- anything- to say to end this awkward silence, America found that for once, he didn't have a single snarky remark. If the situation wasn't already awkward, that made it so tenfold.

England also remained quiet, partially stunned not only by America's behavior by also by the other country's current reaction. But when the expected taunt never came, he couldn't stand it any more and spoke up.

"Um...nice panda."

"Huh?" America asked, head whipping back around. It finally dawned on him after a moment and he exclaimed. "Oh yeah! That panda. China just gave it to me. Said it brings happiness."

"Ah."

"Which means it clearly doesn't work because right after he gave it to me, you showed up," America remarked, his snark coming back to him finally.

England didn't miss a beat and quipped back, "Oh clearly. It's even spreading its misfortune to me. I have many important things I could be attending to, but no- I'm stuck here watching over you."

America mock sighed in irritation. "Ah man, you're going to be here all night aren't you?"

"Unless you'd rather France drop in."

He shuddered. "Lesser of two evils. Guess I'm stuck with you."

"Appalling state of affairs for us both."

"Yeah. Maybe it's an unhappy panda by mistake?" America asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"It can't bring happiness, that's for certain. I mean, I'm absolutely miserable right now," England said unconvincingly.

America grinned. "Me too! Worst day of my life!"

England raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Really now?"

"Weeeellll…okay, not the worst, but definitely up there."

The two looked at each other, both failing spectacularly at pretending to be unhappy by this point. Simultaneously, they burst into laughter.

"You…are so…unconvincing," America managed between gasps of air.

England shook his head. "Like you're one to talk Mr. Worst-Day-Of-My-Life."

"We've so got to tell China his panda is evil though. His face would be priceless." He smirked.

"You're so immature, America," England chided him.

"Oh shut up. You're the one who keeps doing voodoo spells on Germany." America gestured toward England with a finger.

"Black magic is not voodoo!" He huffed in response.

"Whatever. You are helping me convince China the panda is possessed with an evil spirit. Or are you too scared of China's wrath?"

"Hardly," England sighed. "Fine. But only because you're so bloody pathetic and injured."

"Yes!" America pumped a fist into the air. "This is going to be awesome!" He grinned, then paused as a thought crossed his mind. Turning to England excitedly he said, "Oh yeah! Hey England?"

"Hmmm?"

"I gotta tell you about this dumb thing France tried earlier. I had to call in the nurses and the hospital staff and everything!"

England rolled his eyes, leaning back in the chair and relaxing his arms. "Why am I not surprised. Dare I ask what he did this time?"

And as America recounted the tale, a short black-haired country listened from outside the door. Smiling a bit to himself and munching on the candy he'd brought in case England hadn't visited, China knew there was no way now that they'd convince him his pandas brought anything but happiness.