July 4th - American Independence and one Mr. Alfred Jones' Birthday

A/N: Despite the lack of love I have towards my birth country, I thought that he at least deserved this little tribute I have made in his name. After all, us, Americans, are heroes to the world. Unwanted and too hasty, we make our way through the world trying to fix it and help those who need it (or we think need it). For this ambition, we stand to together under one flag raised in our hearts for that which we believe in and fight for.

May our ambition lead to a better future…

Please enjoy!

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Alfred relished, today was his day! Three days ago, it had been Matthew's birthday which meant that today was his day: the fourth of July. His Independence Day. His Birthday. He may have no good memories about how it came to be but it was a day to celebrate that his people were their own and they lived under the flag which they had created in the liberty for which they fought and he stood beside them and helped them achieve it. His biggest pride resided in this day.

He felt cherished immensely as he was served a traditional American breakfast with bacon, fried eggs, orange juice, milk, pancakes with butter and maple syrup, his toast with their butter and/or jam and that was that. The best breakfast one could ask for and known world-widely as an American breakfast. How awesome was that!

After his awesome breakfast *cough*worthy of a hero *cough* he was ready to bolt out the door to get to the place where the celebrations were to take place. As usual there would be nation-wide parades that would be throwing candies to all kids so they could enjoy the greatness of the day even though it was only superficially. He could hear their small voices chanting:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag

of the United States of America, and to the

Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God,

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

He took his place next to his boss and together they walked forward, it was a long and tiresome celebration but it filled his heart to the brim with joy. It was his birthday and if he could get over with the formalities of the celebration he might be able to start early with the last touches of the party his was going to throw in his honor. He did one every year and he hoped that this time Arthur stayed around long enough, his Queen tended to spend the day with the US President after the ceremony so Arthur tended to stick with her instead of going to his awesome birthday party. This year he was determined to get his older brother/mother country to come with him even if he had to drag the smaller male by the hair.

Not that he would but…

It was the intention that mattered…

Right…?

He stood at the right of his president and his wife while the Queen stood at his president's left and next to her was Arthur.

Arthur…

The music began with his National Anthem. He felt himself brighten as he took a long intake of air to begin the song. He sang the song as well as he could, trying to keep in tune and not begin singing on another note as he tended to do so when too excited.

Oh, say! can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

He had almost lost his breath when he saw the Queen and Arthur join in. Did the Queen do this for all her former colonies? He hoped not.

He saw Arthur sing and couldn't help but feel his heart beating strongly, he wondered if he could get Arthur to sing his National Anthem to him as a present. Of course, he would have to destroy all noises except for Arthur's voice, and record it. Preferably without the other nation knowing.

The song ended and the British National Anthem was played to commemorate their guest of honor.

God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen!

He saw Arthur brighten when singing his own national anthem, he remembered the many times he had to sing the song and knew it by heart, through he didn't sing the song as well as he did his own. He sang it with an underlying tone of affection he hoped his boss didn't notice, though knowing the man as he did it probably meant that both he and his wife had already noticed it. He could only hope that Arthur was too into his National Anthem to notice.

Long hours past and Alfred amused himself with waving at the people he passed and having small, almost inaudible chats with the Queen, his President and the First Lady. He and Arthur were too far apart to actually hear anything the other was saying but on more than one occasion their eyes would meet, they would share a smile and they would turn to listen to whatever their bosses were saying.

After the most formal part of the celebration they stood near their bosses as they were parting for the day, Alfred seemed to be hopping from foot to foot in anticipation, the Queen couldn't help but fall into a smile at the nation's childish behavior though it was obvious that Arthur wasn't too pleased with the younger man's actions but seemed to be more interested in avoiding looking at him in the eyes than actually letting his opinion be known. Alfred felt hurt.

The Queen suddenly turned to Arthur to stare at him for a while before turning to Alfred "Well, Mr Jones, I heard that today's your birthday, is it not?" it was more of a statement than an actual question but he answered it anyway. "Yeah, it's today. I invited everyone to come to a party I'm organizing later" he turned his eyes to Arthur "I was hoping Arthur would attend this year." The Queen chuckled softly as Arthur's face turned a sweet deep red color. "Actually, I think he prepared something for you, didn't you Arthur?" she smiled non-repentantly as Arthur began stuttering in outrage.

She nudged Arthur forward, he held a bag where a present was and still blushing he handed the bag to Alfred who seemed to resemble a child at Christmas. He ripped the wrapping paper to shreds "You bloody git, don't destroy the wrappings! I hand-wrapped that!" but he barely heard Arthur scream as he held the cloth in his hands. It was a great copy of an American air force's pilot's coat much like the one he always wore. It was very similar but had a few modifications that made it unique. And not in a bad way!

It was hand-made, no doubt by Arthur himself.

He turned to Arthur "I noticed that yours was getting old and thought that it was… worth the effort…" he commented softly before begin crushed into a hug by an ecstatic Alfred, "Get off me you good for nothing loathsome buffoon!!" he screamed at, the obviously not paying attention in his glee, Alfred. The Queen and the North American President chuckled at the two nations noticing that despite the words they used against each other they actually got along just fine.

"Hey, Arthur, you'll come to my birthday party, won't you? Don't be a party-pooper and join in on the fun, please…" he asked despite the fact that he was already dragging the older nation towards where the celebration would take place, Arthur tried to protest in vain as his Queen dismissed him telling him to have fun.

Arthur couldn't help but think that his beloved Queen had been planning to do this for quite some time now…

With a heavy sigh, Arthur sent his Queen a look that conveyed quite clearly how unhappy he was with her at the moment before answering to Alfred's annoying tugging of his sleeve "Arthur!!" he whined like the brat he had always been.

"I'm going, I'm going, you bloody git." He answered before following Alfred, who held one of his hands in his own pulling him along with him, and even though it wasn't necessary they stayed that way for a good while. As he was being pulled, Arthur raised his voice "Alfred?" he asked, they didn't stop "Yeah?" the boy turned man asked in return "Happy Independence Day... and… Happy Birthday, you twit." He added softly.

Alfred didn't stop to look at Arthur but continued his way a little faster than before, he made a few sharp turns and suddenly pulled Arthur into a room before closing the door behind them. In an instant Alfred locked the door and turned to Arthur, grabbing hold of the smaller man's jaw he kissed him with strength and irrefutable emotion behind it.

"Thanks, Iggy! Do you think you could give me one more present this year?" he asked almost innocently, Arthur was so hesitant he didn't even think about answering the mocking of his name coming from Alfred's mouth "And what would that be?" he asked unsure if he really wanted to know and a bit worried about where this conversation was going, his beet red face being proof enough of that.

Alfred gave a large grin "You would make a wonderful present, would you give me that?" Arthur face couldn't possibly get any redder than it had turned to in that moment.

In the end, Alfred didn't get to prepare quite a few events that he would have wanted to include, but it didn't matter, it was still his best birthday ever. After all, Arthur was there to celebrate it with him.

"Give me a kiss, Iggy!"

"Get away from me, you twit!"

"Aww, Iggy!! It's my birthday!"

"Maybe later…"

"Thanks Iggy!!"

"Don't call me that!"

It was late at night that Alfred found a little message on the inside of his new coat.

To America,

with love,

England.

It was hand-stitched above the heart of the coat's inner layer, right above his own. With a loving smile he turned to the green eyed nation already curled up in his bed.

Thanks Arthur. I love you too.

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A/N: I'm betraying my beloved country for this. I can't believe it… BTW, if I got the celebration wrong then I'm sorry. I haven't been to one in years so I tend to forget what happens.