Françis visits his house in New York and they visit the Lovely Lady in the harbor. It is still the grandest birthday gift Alfred has ever received, and he wonders if its grandness was out of closeness between him and the Frenchman, or out of Françis' spite of Arthur. A way of buying a child's love- like so many separated couples tried to. Alfred hoped it was the former. He didn't like being thought of as a child.

He and Matthew celebrate their birthdays together on the second and third. He brings the whiskey and the fireworks, and Matt brings some grass and the company. They relax and trade warm stories about their youth, carefully and subtly skirting painful topics the Alfred's revolution and the War of 1812. It seems, on those two days, that their personalities even out a little more: Matthew comes out of his shell a bit, louder and less timid than he normally is. Alfred, on the other hand, becomes more introspective- letting his hero façade drop just a little.

All throughout his house there are shout and cheers and "O, say can you see?" and there are barbeques and popsicles and picnics and family reunions and Alfred really loves it when his people come together like this. No matter where they come from, Kiku's house, Toris' house, Feliciano's and Romano's house- they all come together as part of his identity. A melting pot, a salad bowl…whatever you want to call it, America loves his people- loves it when they love him because that means they can find something to be happy about even when he's not feeling well. And if they have only that much love, to show it on one day, that is enough to keep them from pulling away like he'd pulled away from Arthur so long ago.

Arthur…well, Arthur's never really been the best at expressing his emotions, and Alfred doesn't blame him for not visiting or talking around this time of the summer. It's been getting better over the last few decades, and over the last few years (so difficult…he was always fighting some one, wasn't he?) Arthur has even…stayed with him. Only a couple nights, be sure of that, but it's definitely an improvement. The presents he receives from the older nation (a homemade sweater, quilt, a book of Alfred's favorite faerie tales from when he was a child and…a bullet proof vest? Silly Arthur. Heroes were already bullet proof. But Alfred wore it anyways) are nothing compared to just spending time with his former empire. Alfred even consented to a few cups of tea, if it made Arthur less uptight. He actually doesn't hate the stuff as much as he used to…how strange. And…on the last night of his stay, Arthur gives Alfred one last gift. A kiss. And…a promise.

"I will always love you. No matter what."

A/N: I think this turned out pretty well, for a drabble written while watching Star Wars. Reviews are love. Show your love to Alfred? It will be his birthday in a few hours...