The blonde haired man walked up to the door, dread filled his veins. He hated having to visit his eldest brother as he was fully aware that his reception could go either way. Even though his brother had invited him, he had a habit of his moods snapping from one to the other, usually it was being rather sarcastic and witty and then suddenly it would be violent.

Thinking over that, Arthur Kirkland didn't hate his brother, he just… Despite the torment his brother used to give him, the battles and the scars… If anything were to happen to him, Arthur was well aware that he would miss him.

Scotty was the real reason he managed to become a great Empire. Not that he would ever admit to it, since it would be like admitting to France that he was also the cause of him becoming such an Empire. Part of him believed that Scotty wanted him to become what he had been, a strong Empire, and by all the fights and battles the two nations fought against each other it was to make the youngest son of Britannia strong. The goal of being free and independent would just be a bonus.

Part of him felt like he was actually conning himself by believing that, Scotland would never solely help him become stronger.

He turned away from the door after he gave a quick knock and looked at the sun rise over Edinburgh Castle, he was so entranced by the sight in front of him that he never heard the door squeak open nor did he notice that his eldest brother was standing next to him.

This would be what the…

"Emerald City aye?" Scotty spoke and Arthur jumped in fright; "Hahaha! Aw, laddie, ya're ta easy,"

"Tch, America is easier," Arthur scoffed.

"Coorie oan in, breakfasts oan th' go," Scotty gestured for him to go in.

Scotland had similar looks to England, they were brothers after all, but while they had the same bushy brows and green eyes, with Scotty they always held this shade of mischief, also with his fiery red hair and freckles dashed over his cheeks and nose, it was hard to get the two nations confused.

Of course he was taller than Arthur, but only by an inch, if that.

"Are the other's…" Arthur began to ask once they were in the kitchen; he had noticed the house was unusually quiet.

He would also never admit this, he loved Scotland's kitchen, and it was so rustic, so very… Well, Scottish to him. It was always dark, what with the dark wood and small windows. Scotty refused to move to a new build, this house had been around for almost a hundred years and he loved it.

'Th' new hooses arenae fur me,'

"Nae! Ta lood an' we need ta gab," Scotty told him as he put the eggs on the well-greased frying pan.

"About?"

"Ah thought ye waur smart, ye didnae become an empire fur naethin' did ye?"

Athur's mind was blank, he couldn't think of any reason that his brother would want him up here to talk, and alone.

"Tch, nae wonder ye back ta bein' aloyn," Scotty stated as he began to put the food onto the plates.

Arthur flinched, although he had lost America so long ago it was still a painful subject, one that he normally would just become sarcastic and spout out hurtful things, but this was his brother and his brother's… They may have rarely been there for him, but he hadn't been there for them either. He couldn't act the same way with them as he would with say France, Scotty wouldn't appreciate it and would probably get extremely violent.

"This Alex Salmond is in control noo,"

The elections. Arthur realised and nodded; "Yes, but…"

"Hush, am nae finished," Scotty silenced him; "Independence can happen noo, ya ken?"

He tried to remain calm; he thought that over the past few decades they had gotten closer, that they were… Well, friends. Was this Scotland's revenge?

"Ah nae like the man… he's wee bit sleekit, ya knoo?" He carried on eating his meal, pausing for a moments as if to saviour what he was eating, when he was really trying to figure out the words to tell his brother about what was happening up here; "Th' folk choose 'im. Aye, the folk choose him, th' lesser o' th' tae,"

"Wh… What are you saying?" Arthur still hadn't touched his food, due to his worry about what Scotty was about to say to him.

"A'ma sayin' tha' folk voted fer 'im, ya cannae deny tha' he is more in touch with them than that lot are,"

Arthur remained silent, he was hearing his brother's voice change, it was nothing dramatic, but when Scotty began to pronounce his words a bit more you know that he is talking about something serious.

"Ouch, the folk want a system, want policies, but they need those in touch wit' tha culture, ya ken?"

He just nodded in understanding.

"They want this… Recession dealt wit', tae be safe afore independence,"

Arthur blinked in surprise at that news; "But…"

"Ouch, tha oil, tha's on oor land, but its owned by Scots, English and American's, Nae much we can dae," He said with a shrug as he swallow the last of his breakfast; "They dannae want independence, nae yet," He grinned at him; "Jist ya wait brither, jist wait,"

He smiled at his older brother, relieved it wasn't as terrible as he thought; "I will,"

"Tch, ya nae hungry?" Scotty raised a thick eye brow in question at his youngest brother who quickly picked up his knife and fork and began to eat; "Ah can wait tae," He said fondly, as he watched Arthur eat; "Reit noo Ah'll keep an eye oan ya,"

His younger brother blinked over at him, but quickly returned to his food, it was getting cold, not to mention his was hungry and Scottie always made the best breakfasts.

XXX

Translations

Coorie oan in, breakfasts oan th' go – Hurry on in, breakfasts on the go.

Th' new hooses arenae fur me, - The new houses aren't for me.

Nae! Ta lood an' we need ta gab – No! Too loud and we need to talk.

Ah thought ye waur smart, ye didnae become an empire fur naethin' did ye? – I thought you were smart, you didn't become an empire for nothing did you?

Tch, nae wonder ye back ta bein' aloyn, – Tch, no wonder you're back to being alone.

He's wee bit sleekit, ya knoo – He's a little bit sly, you know.

Reit noo Ah'll keep an eye oan ya – Right now I'll keep an eye on you.

Might have noticed I haven't translated everything from Scots to English, my reason is simple, and some of the words, such as nae, dannae, oor, jist are kind of obvious. If you say it out loud it's extremely obvious. At least I always think so.

Also you may have noticed that Scotland's language doesn't change dramatically yet England still notices, of course he would they are brother's and I didn't want to make it that obvious a change.