Author's Note: So, I've noticed that most of the fics about the War of 1812 are on the burning of Washington. What's up with that? I've never seen a single story about the burning of York, even though it is often depicted in the fandom as the cause of the burning of Washington (although it was kind of the entire "oh, let's invade Canada!" thing, which pissed off Britain, of which York was just a part, though a slightly more significant part than all the others), so I just... eh, I dunno. Stupid War of 1812. Enjoy the story, I guess...
Oh, so since this is mostly going to be about interactions between America and Canada, I'm only going to focus on the Canadian/Great Lakes front of the war. There was fighting in other places (as this was actually a war between the US and Great Britain, of which Canada was still a colony), but none of it would fit into the storyline, so yeah. Just know that there was also fighting going on in the Atlantic Ocean and in the southern parts of the United States (near the Gulf of Mexico).
Stupid War of 1812...
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia. (Is this disclaimer really necessary?)
- July, 1812, on the border between Michigan Territory and Upper Canada -
Canada and America stand facing each other, America's eyes narrowed in anger and determination, Canada's wide with shock and confusion.
"W-What?"
"I said, surrender, Canada!" America points his gun at his twin.
"A-America, what are you talking about?" Canada stutters, backing away slightly.
"The war, Canada. So just surrender, and my people won't do anything to yours!"
"What? B-But... the American Revolutionary War ended ages ago!"
"Not that war! The new one, the one my Congress just declared on Britain!"
"America, you declared war on Britain? Why?" Canada asks, confused.
"Because he's being a stupid idiot and trying to control me again, that's why!" America exclaims.
"What? What do you mean?"
"He's trying to force my people to fight for him and control my trade with France because of some stupid European war that they're in right now! Why can't he remember that I'm not his colony anymore?"
"And that gives you a reason to invade my lands, and order me to surrender?" Canada finally starts to lose his cool. "Do you forget that I was raised by both France and England? How do you think I feel?"
"I don't know!" America cries, throwing his arms in the air. "Why are you being so stubborn, Canada? Can't you just come with me?"
"No." Canada raises his own gun in America's moment of distraction. "Why can't you just leave me in peace, America? Why do you have to put us through this again?"
"Please!" America's voice turns pleading. "Please join me?"
"No! Don't you remember last time?"
- Late Summer, 1775, on the border between Quebec and New York -
"Canada!"
Canada turned to see America charging up the path toward him.
"Yes, America? What are you doing here? I thought you were fighting England?"
"Great news, brother! My government has decided that you should join us in the war against England!"
"What? Why would I do that? I'm his colony!" Canada said, confused.
"So was I, and it didn't stop me. Plus, France is on my side, and he was your former caretaker, right?"
"But... I can't betray England!"
"Please, Canada! Please join me!" America grabbed Canada's arm, tugging in an attempt to get his brother to go with him.
"Stop it, America! I'm not going with you, and that's final!" Canada shook off America's hand and stormed off.
Shocked, America rushed to follow. "But Canada-"
"I said no!" Canada whirled around to face his brother. "Just go away, and stop bothering me! Just because you're not loyal to England doesn't mean I'm going to be as well!"
America's expression hardened. "Fine, then. If that's how you're going to be, then I will find a way to force you to join me!"
Canada laughed bitterly. "I'd like to see you try."
- Winter, 1775-1776, Quebec City -
America tried. He tried as hard as he could. He invaded his brother's land, seized Montreal, and was now in Quebec. But that is where he failed.
"I told you, America! I told you to leave me alone! Why can't you listen, for once? Why can't you just stay where you belong?"
"I have to do this, Canada! It's for the good of my people! And it could be for the good of yours, too, if you would just listen, and join me!"
"For the good of your people? It is for the good of your people to suffer through temperatures below freezing in a harsh Canadian winter laying siege to a town that has enough supplies to last until long after the British get here with reinforcements? Surely you do not believe that! Surely you don't want this for your people!"
America gritted his teeth. "This is what my leaders told me to do! This is what they want! Who am I to say differently?"
Canada snorted. "So? You can choose, America. You can choose what you want. There are many sides of you, many sides in you, America, the ones who want to be free of England's 'oppressive' rule, those that don't, and those that don't know what to think. Why can't you pick one?"
"You don't understand, Canada." America's voice drops to a deathly quiet volume. "You've never had this... this feeling of intense hate for one you love. You've never been torn apart like this."
"No? How do you think I felt when France gave me up for that tiny colony he called Guadeloupe? How do you think I felt when British culture started to overtake my French roots? How do you think I feel now, my twin betraying my caretaker, who I am loyal to, who I love as my dearest brother? Don't say that I don't understand, America!" Canada cried, lashing out at his brother. His voice, too, dropped down until he was just whispering. "You're the one that doesn't understand."
He gestured around at the city of Quebec, its people still continuing on their daily business despite being under siege. "This, America, this is me. Though I have been torn apart man times, though I have been betrayed by my family, I am content. And that," Canada motioned toward the miserable looking Americans outside the walls, "that is you. Why can you not be content as well?"
America shook his head. "No, Canada. I will never be content, not until I gain the freedom that my people want."
"Then go. Go earn your 'freedom'. Just leave me out of it!" Canada turned away from his twin with finality. "I don't want to see you again."
America watched as his brother walked away, as the city gates closed behind him with a final thump that echoed hollowly within his ears. Then he, too turned his back on his brother and left their shared childhood behind.
They would not see each other again for more than 30 years.
- July, 1812, on the border between Michigan Territory and Upper Canada -
"Don't you remember last time?"
America's eyes narrow. "This time, it won't be the same."
Canada smirks. "Oh really, now?"
A gunshot rings out.
A rifle falls.
Blood spatters across a uniform.
Two sets of eyes widen.
Blue meets purple.
And the blue falls.
"Désolé, America."
Canada walks away, leaving his twin clutching his shoulder, blood spurting out from under his hand, staining his blue uniform red.
- August, 1812, Detroit, Michigan Territory -
"Canada..."
"America."
America's voice is full of pleading, and pain, and betrayal. His sky blue eyes, so clear once, so full of hope and dreams, are clouded with a sorrow he has never felt before.
But Canada's voice is detached of all emotion. His face is set in a mask of calm, his mouth pressed into a determined line, his once soft purple gaze now strong and unrelenting.
They pause to take in each other's appearance. America's shoulder is still bandaged from the bullet wound Canada had given him. He looks disheveled, his hair messier than usual, his coat hanging open at an odd angle.
Canada, on the other hand, is completely composed. It was so easy, almost too easy, to push the Americans back from his country. He wonders idly if something is not right, but dismisses the thought.
"Is this what you wanted, America?"
"I..."
"Because I, too, will now listen to my leaders. They are not going to hold back. And neither will I."
"Canada..."
"What's wrong, America? Can't take having your twin betray you?" Canada taunted. "But that's what you did to me, was it not?"
"Canada... I'm sorry..." America lowers his gaze to the ground
"I was too, America. I was too." Canada looks away from his brother, towards the sky that is filled with flying artillery as the battle continues. "But now... I don't know anymore."
He takes a shuddering breath, closing his eyes. "How do you do it, America? How do you let yourself go so completely to the will of your people?"
America looks up. "I don't. I never have."
"Then... you truly want this?" Canada meets his brother's gaze again.
"No... No, I don't want this, but... if I believe, if I can just trust that my actions are for the good of my people, then I will do anything. I love my family, Canada, but without my people, I am nothing."
A particularly large explosion rips through the land, and America stumbles, and falls. "Ah... I think they're giving in now."
Canada reaches down to assist his brother, but the newly formed nation waves him off. "No. Go do what you have to, and I'll do what I have to. See you on the battlefield, brother." America gives him a pained smile.
Canada swallows, and nods. Then he leaves to accept the surrender of the American fort-city of Detroit.
- Late Autumn, 1812, Niagara River -
"It's come to this again. Why, brother?"
The voice behind him makes the nation turn. He frowns. "I could ask the same of you. Why do we do anything? Why do we have to fight? It's just the way the world -our world- is."
"Couldn't you have just let the peace stay? Couldn't you have let our bond, however tenuous, remain unbroken?"
"The armistice was always meant to be temporary," he says dismissively.
"All that is permanent started from the temporary," his brother counters. "That's how we started, is it not? Those first explorers who discovered our lands, they were the temporary, and after them came the colonists, here to stay forever."
"Not forever, brother. Nothing can last forever."
"But we can try."
"I do not want to try."
"Is that why you invaded again? Do you want us to remain enemies forever?" The young nation tilts his head to the side, his tone calm and uncaring, almost conversational, despite the question he asks.
"As I said, nothing lasts forever."
"But we can try."
He moves to leave, but turns back, a smile on his face. "Oh, and congratulations on your failure, brother mine."
The other nation is frozen as his twin walks away. He does not see his twin's smile fall.
He does not see the tears forming in his brother's eyes.
He does not see his mouth forming the words "Revenez à moi."
America only sees Canada's slowly disappearing form, and the red of the falling maple leaves around them.
- January, 1813, Frenchtown, Michigan Territory -
"WHY? Why, Canada, why? How could you, they had already surrendered! How could you just kill your prisoners of war? Have you no mercy?" America screams at his brother, tears streaming down his face.
"That wasn't me! I swear, I would never do something like that!" Canada is also crying, though not for the same reasons America was. The southern twin cries for his people. The northern cries because his brother doesn't believe him.
"Wasn't you? Who else could it have been? You just KILLED them! How could you? How could you..." In his despair, America slides to the ground, sobbing.
"I'm sorry America, I didn't leave enough people to guard them, and the natives..." Canada says, trying to explain. But America doesn't want to hear his explanation, and lashes out towards his brother.
"SHUT UP!"
This causes Canada to snap. "YOU SHUT UP! Do you know what you did to me, last time you tried to invade? YOU KILLED ONE OF MY IMPORTANT LEADERS! But do you see me breaking down to bits because of it? NO! So don't try to blame me!"
He stormed off, leaving America sobbing in the snow.
- April, 1813, York, Upper Canada -
"AMERICA!"
The nation does not acknowledge his name. Instead, he watches silently as the fire flickers and grows, licking its way up the sides of buildings, chewing its way through roofs, eating away their foundations, burning without mercy.
"AMERICA!"
The call comes again, but the nation does not turn his sky blue eyes from the red orange rage of the fire in front of him. He hears the seemingly ceaseless crackling of the inferno, filling the air with cries of fear as it rains down upon the people.
"AMERICA!"
He can feel the heat of the fire, washing over the land, consuming everything in its reach, lending its energy to create light that seemed alive, growing, overcoming...
"America..."
The whispered word finally penetrates his mind, and he feels a hand on his arm. He looks down, into purple eyes filled with pain: pain of loss, pain of sorrow, pain of hatred, pain from wounds, pain from the people... and the worst. The pain of betrayal.
That gaze holds so much within it. Questions (Why? Why did you do this?), accusations (How could you, America?), exclamations (I hate you!), pleas (S-Stop! Please, brother, stop it!), pain (It hurts... Why does it hurt so much?).
The nation longs to comfort his brother, but he cannot. He was the one who caused this pain, this suffering. How could he hope to comfort his twin?
Tears gather in his eyes, reflecting the orange of the fire to contrast eerily with the pure blue. He does not see the same happening in his brother's eyes, the orange contrasting sharply with the purple, yet somehow fitting with it as well. He turns his head to the side, shame clouding his mind.
"Canada..."
- September, 1813, Lake Erie -
Neither nation fights in the battle upon Lake Erie. Water is their brother, England's, forte, not their own. But nonetheless, they are there to see, as they had seen all of their battles.
It seems so much cleaner, the battle between ships, from their vantage points on the land. The maneuvering, the shots, the sound of wood splintering... But no blood.
At least, none visible to their eyes.
But in their hearts, they know the pain of the battle. After all, it is their people out there, dying. It is their future that the war is determining.
In the end, America wins, but not without a price. He feels so much more pain that Canada, or even England. After all, those on the water were partially Canadian and British, but the Americans were all American. They were all America's people.
Both twins turn away from the scene, sadly. They can feel the rift between them growing larger, wider, more unrepairable.
Both fear that there is no chance for a return to what was before.
- August, 1814, Washington, D.C. -
"C-Canada?"
Burn. Let it all burn down, he thinks. The light from the flames reflects in his eyes, perfectly mirroring their path up, down, over... Burn...
"Canada?"
Brighter. Faster. More. MORE. The flames seem to obey his silent commands, writhing higher and higher, converting wood into ashes and heat and light, spewing plumes of smoke into the sky, choking those who got too close.
"Canada..."
Consume it all. Bring it all down to the ground, every last splinter. Destroy it all. The wood crackled, shifted, groaned, finally collapsing under the strain as the flames ripped holes into the structures, disturbing the delicate architecture.
"CANADA!"
The shout of his name and the feeling of desperate fingers clutching at his uniform finally bring him back to his senses. He looks down to see his brother, collapsed on the ground, tears staining his cheeks with reflected firelight. Blue eyes filled with hurt turn upwards to meet his purple ones.
In those eyes, he can see the sorrow, the pain, the aching... But not just from the destruction of his land, the deaths of his people. No, he also sees the pain from his past actions, the ache of regret.
He sees his face, reflected by those tears, and it scares him. It scares him, the similarity between them. This was what his brother had looked like, months ago, when he was in the position his twin is in now. They are a mirror image of that time. It scares him.
And yet... He also feels comfort, in knowing that even though they are divided, that their connection had been severed, they are still alike.
"America..."
- Autumn-Winter, 1814, Ghent, Belgium -
"Canada?"
Said nation jumps, startled by the familiar voice. He turns slowly, hesitantly.
"CANADA!" A jubilant America jumps on him, startling him even more. They fall to the ground in a heap.
"Canada, you're here too! Gosh, England is so boring, and I really don't know Belgium, and the negotiations have been so dry and unamusing, and..." America rambles, ruffling his brother's hair in excitement.
Finally, Canada is able to get over his shock, and roughly pushed America off him, eyes blazing. America stops in the middle of his sentence as Canada looms over him.
"W-What's wrong, Canada?"
"What's wrong?" Canada replies, his voice quiet, his tone mocking. "What's wrong? Oh, maybe just a little thing called YOU INVADED MY LAND!"
Without giving his twin a chance to reply, Canada continues to rant. "What's wrong is that you declared a war that killed so many of our people, and for what? NOTHING! You just went ahead and did something rash, and impulsive, and so damaging, and you come and act like nothing whatsoever has happened at all! Do you not remember the pain? Do you not remember what you put us through? Are you really so thick headed as to not-"
"But I do."
Surprised, Canada stops, blinking. "W-What?"
America gets off the floor, not looking up, and brushes himself off. "How can I forget? How can I forget anything that I've done? You know."
Now America looks up. "You know what it is like. We are the same, after all. You know as well as I do that we never forget anything. But... we can try to repair our pasts. That's what I'm doing, Canada, that's what I want for us. I'm sorry. Will... will you forgive me?"
Canada is stunned. He had never thought America would apologize. But he isn't ready to forgive. Not yet.
"No."
And with that, he storms out of the room, past a confused Belgium, who looks to America. The nation, however, doesn't respond to her unasked question.
He merely crumples to the floor, a single tear tracing its way down his face.
- December, 1814, Ghent, Belgium -
It is done. America looks down at the treaty, the treaty he had just signed. It is finally over.
But you were the one who caused it, a voice says in his mind. You were the one who made things the way they are.
The voice sounds suspiciously familiar.
It sounds like...
Canada.
"Are you truly glad that it's over?"
America whirls around and sees his brother, standing behind him. "Canada?"
Canada's lips seem to twitch upwards, but it could be just America's imagination.
"Who else?"
A smile breaks out on America's face, and he moves to hug his twin. Then he stops himself, smile fading into a somber expression.
"Does... Does this mean you'll forgive me?"
Canada stares at him, expression full of conflict. Finally, he answers. "... Maybe."
America's shoulders fall.
"... OK, then. I understand," he whispers, turning away and making his way to the door.
Do you?
America freezes, his hand still on the doorknob. That thought... That wasn't his.
C-Canada? he thinks, shakily.
"Oui, brother." This time, a smile does grace Canada's face, although it is filled with sadness.
"Does this mean...?"
Canada shrugs. "I know England hasn't forgiven you yet for breaking away, but he still loves you. Did you truly think I would be any different?"
America's eyes fill with tears, and he throws himself at his brother. This time, Canada allows the hug, his arms gently wrapping around the other.
"Shh... It's OK..." he whispers as America sobs into his shoulder.
Canada... I'm so sorry...
I understand. But I can't forgive you, not until my people have. Canada pulls away, holding America at arms length, searching his eyes for understanding.
America gulps, and nods. Then he bursts into tears again.
"I-I missed you so much, Canada..."
"I did too." This time, Canada is the one to initiate the hug. "Never do that again, America. Don't make us go through this again."
"I promise." America buries his face in Canada's uniform, and Canada embraces him tighter
They stayed like that for minutes. And when they finally broke away, they were content.
Not healed, no, they could never be completely healed.
But content, and ready.
Ready for the future.
Author's Note: Whew, that took a long time... And a lot of research... Stupid War of 1812. It wasn't even completely in 1812!
Translations: (For Canada's random-ish bursts of French :P)
Désolé - Sorry
Revenez à moi - Return to me (or Come back to me, whichever floats your boat)
Oui - yes (But you should know that, right?)
Historical Notes:
First of all, I would like to point out that the state of Michigan and the province of Ontario did not yet exist at this point in history. They were Michigan Territory and Upper Canada. (Or, at least, the southernmost parts of Ontario were Upper Canada. Whereas Lower Canada was what is now Quebec and the most of northern Ontario. ... Anyone care to explain to me the logic behind this? O.o?)
ON TO THE HISTORY!
The newly formed United States declared war on Great Britain (and its colonies) on June 18th, 1812. However, due to lack of communication speed at the time, the Canadians (or are they technically the British? British-Canadian?) only found out on July 17th. It took even longer for the actual British British to hear about it. The American's main reasons were 1) British restrictions on American trade with France via the Orders in Council (which they actually repealed before they even heard about the declaration of war), 2) impressment, where random sailors were taken and forced into the British navy, 3) the British supporting the Native Americans, who were raiding American villages, 4) pride and honor (pfft), and 5) American expansionism (aka wanting to annex Canada. Though they don't teach us this in school. I WONDER why... *cough*sarcasm*cough*). So after declaring war, the Americans immediately invaded Canada, thinking it would be easy to take, and ordered them to surrender. They were wrong. The Canadians had no intention of just sitting by while random Americans stormed their home. And the Canadian militia was a lot more organized and well trained.
(Oh, yeah, America also invaded Canada during the American Revolution. They succeeded at first in taking the land, but then they failed and got beaten back. Some brother America is...)
So anyways, the Canadians pushed the Americans out, and then they were like, "Let's go on preemptive offense!" and invaded America. At least they didn't epic fail like the Americans and actually managed to capture Detroit.
Then some random armistice thingy was signed, preventing the Canadians from invading America again. The moment the armistice ended, though, the Americans immediately invaded Canada again. And failed. Again. Seeing a pattern here? However, they did manage to kill a rather important military leader, Major General Isaac Brock. He's the "important leader" guy Canada talks about when America is accusing him of murder.
Speaking of that scene, basically what happened was the Americans were trying to take back Detroit, and managed to seize a nearby town called Frenchtown (yes, it was seriously called that), but got counterattacked by the British/Canadians/Native Americans who were guarding it. The Americans surrendered, and the British/Canadians didn't leave enough guards to guard the prisoners, so random Native Americans began to rob/pillage them (I'm not sure why. Couldn't find info on that...). The British/Canadians panicked and marched the American prisoners away, but those who were too injured to escape the burning buildings or keep up died. And a lot of people were injured. And died. Americans called it the "River Raisin Massacre".
So! The Battle of York. Basically, the Americans were like, "Ooh! Let's go attack York even though it's not as strategic of a location as this other town just over there!", which I forgot the name of. So they did, and then they went into a frenzy (apparently, that's what the general's letters said anyways) and burned/looted a bunch of random buildings. And obviously, the Canadians got pissed. Very pissed. Yep yep.
The battle of Lake Erie was staged on - you guessed it! - Lake Erie. The Great Lakes were pretty important because of trading and shipping and stuff, so the Americans and the British had a big naval battle thing, where the Americans won and gained control of the area for the rest of the war. It was pretty important, but since Canada wasn't really involved and America doesn't seem like the seagoing type, it wasn't really included...
Not a lot of stuff happened in the beginning of the year 1814. (Probably just some minor scuffles and whatnot, I couldn't find anything on it...) Around the start of summer, the Americans began new assaults on the Niagara region and captured some stuff. But we already went over a lot of random invasion things, so I just skipped to the good part.
The burning of Washington! (Why is it District of Columbia, of all things? But I digress.) Hopefully you all know about this, considering the... large... amount of Canadian pride in it, and all the fanfics... Anyways. A group of British/Canadian soldiers came up from Bermuda(no idea what they were doing there...), went up the coast, landed in Maryland, and proceeded to march on Washington, driving the American militia out. They then went on to burn the important government buildings, including the White House (which you have probably all heard about :P).
In 1814, the two sides decided to negotiate for peace, as the war was going nowhere and was basically turning into a gigantic stalemate. They sent representatives to Belgium to talk about signing a peace treaty. Negotiations lasted for several months, with the Treaty of Ghent signed on December 24th, 1814. Ironically, slow communication times once again caused problems, as some random groups who didn't get the message that the war was over still had skirmishes in 1815.
Stupid War of 1812...
Author's Note (continued): Can you tell I really don't like this war? :P I mean, nothing happened because of it except an "Era of Good Feelings" between the US and Great Britain! Why'd they have to fight a freaking war over it? Geez. Pointless, much? And the reasons are stupid too. I mean, what the heck? Stealing sailors from ships? Really, Britain? And wanting to invade Canada? Seriously, America? It was just all-around stupidity, in my opinion! Stupid War of 1812...
(EDIT: The iammathewian project people agree with me on this. Look up the first episode of Canada Eh! on Youtube. There's literally a screen that says "1812: The Stupid War" XD)
Anyways, this kind of turned into an exploration into characters psychology, which was not how I intended it... Oh well. Hope you liked it!
Also, at the end, it's kinda my headcannon that Canada and America can do the twin communication thingy. (The "connection" mentioned several times in the story wasn't just figurative, you know! *evil smirk* :P) Oh, yeah, and for the twins thing, Canada is the slightly older one. And way more responsible (although that's not headcannon, that's actual cannon).
I still need suggestions for wars between "family" characters! Just drop me a review or a PM if you have any suggestions!