( video )

[starspangledhero]

[ America looks completely drained. Now that he doesn't have to keep his (questionable concept of) sanity anymore, everything he's been holding off for the past few days is taking its toll. Oh yeah, his facial expression might not exactly be the first thing you notice. And of course you know why.

It's because he's drenched in blood.

That's not an exaggeration. He's covered in it, even his face and hair. This is why your parents tell you not to run around the pool. You will fall. ]

It's not mine. I'm not fine, but not hurt. I don't wanna explain right now. I'm spending the night in.

[ He sighs and rubs his eye with the heel of his palm. You can probably hear a shower running in the background. ]

As soon as Namine's done washing it off her, I'm taking a scrub and going to bed. Might not be out for a while, unless the city falls into a new peril and needs a hero, 'course.

...Everyone else okay? Everyone in the city. Pretty sure no one's making it outta wherever we were without something fucked up. Man I'm tired.

[ Another shaky sigh, and the camera shakes violently as he moves to turn it off. He mutters something as he does, more to himself than anyone else. ]

I don't wanna think.

Comments

[starspangledhero]

I know ya can. Uh, in that case, I'll just be down here then. Marshall 202. See ya tomorrow then?

[ it's concern okay you are short. ]

[ ooc: Oh, it'll happen. And maybe comment spam? Logs are fine but I'm already drowning in log tags hahaha. ]

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

Right. See you then.

[ooc: comment spam is fine with me. ^_^]

[starspangledhero]

[ AWESOME ♥

Well tomorrow America will just be... chilling in his apartment once he wakes up. He wouldn't have left the bed if it was his choice, but since he hadn't eaten in days, he had to get up eventually. ]

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

[Have a hesitant knock at the door around lunchtime. He figured America would probably want to sleep in.]

[starspangledhero]

[ He would be correct! He's still tired, but food is his new priority. In fact, he answers the door with half a twinkie hanging out of his mouth.

All apocalyptic wastelands have twinkies somewhere. That is the logic I am operating under. He's also still in his pajamas and a sweatshirt. ]

Oh yeah! I almost forgot! C'mon in.

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

[Twinkies and cockroaches. These will be that last things on earth.]

Hi... Um, I hope I didn't wake you up...

[He enters an looks around curiously.]

Are we really going to listen to beetles?

[starspangledhero]

Nah! Been awake about an hour stuffing my face with as much as I can manage. I've dug into my Twinkie supply for this. Ya want some?

[ Yes, he is indeed offering England the half eaten glob of questionable sweets. Isn't he generous. ]

I haven't set up the record player but it won't take long. You wanna start on the White Album or Abbey Road? I know ya dig Please Please Me but the people in charge are kinda stingy on the music.

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

[He wrinkles his nose at the strange..... whatever that is. But let's try to be polite.]

Umm... no thank you.

[Also, White Album? Abbey Road? What?]

....What's a record player? And what does it have to do with beetles?

[starspangledhero]

[ America shrugs, stuffs the food in his mouth, and motions for England to come inside. The floor is slightly off-red from an unfortunate incident of a troll eating his wolf monster... but England may not notice that. America's now fiddling with the technology of the future: a shitty record player. ]

It can play the Beatles, duh!

[ He's pulling out the record and putting it on. GIVE HIM A MINUTE this thing is almost a legendary piece of shit. ]

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

[That shitty record player is mysterious and amazing futuristic technology. So yeah, he's watching with curious fascination.]

....That thing has beetles in it?

[He doesn't see any...]

[starspangledhero]

Nope, but this does! [ he waves the record ] The player just, y'know, plays it.

[ And once it's set up, indeed it does. Starting on Abbey Road and I'm pretty sure the first song on that is Come Together.

IT IS AWESOME. America looks like he's relaxing a bit more than he was yesterday. ]

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

[The music is awesome. Especially because it's magically coming out of a black disc on a box. This is reminding him of those video games that Sealand showed him.]

That's... incredible. Are these things common in the future?

[Also, hey that music is pretty nice.]

[starspangledhero]

Yep, records are flying off the shelves! And you've got some of the best bands. Music's pretty much the only thing you're awesome at. Fashion maybe. Mod's pretty rad.

[ he sighs and sits down on the couch. ]

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

Me? Really?

[Especially surprising because, in his time, France is the one with all the cool music and fashion. Half of England's people are busy trying to emulate the culture. The other half is busy plotting how to get rid of the frenchies. He gives a last curious look at the spinning record, and then joins America on the couch.]

Heh. France always told me I was terrible at that stuff.

[starspangledhero]

[ If America were less of a man, he would be doing a dramatic hair flip right now. But he isn't. So he just rolls his eyes. ]

Pffft. What does he know? Stupid beardy quit NATO and keeps leaving me to clean up his messes because he sucks at everything. He's not allowed to diss the Beatles or the Rolling Stones or the Who or any of your bands after he quit the NATO friendship club to go be stupid and French.

[ HE IS NOT BITTER.

AT ALL.

that was a lie. ]

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

[Okay, he can't help it. By the end of that rant there are childish giggles coming from England's side of the couch.]

Beardy? He really has a beard?

[The image in his head of France with a beard is as hilarious as it is inaccurate.]

Am I in your friendship club?

[starspangledhero]

[ The giggles completely weird America out (because how long has it been since he's seen England actually smile?) but he can't help but crack a grin himself.

He can't exactly blur the line between young England and the one he was raised by, but he can reminisce. And he can pretend.

At England's question, he does exactly what he'd do to an older England: ruffle his dandelion hair. He can only hope this won't infuriate him enough to be bitten for this action. ]

'Course ya are! You and me are like the head of the friendship club. We're totally the most important. We got that whole Special Relationship thing, so that makes us like, super best buddies with secret handshakes!

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

Hey! Leave off...

[Yeah, batting America's hand away and giving him a childish pout. He really hates it when people ruffle his hair. It's not like he's a little kid or something... But wait, what had he just said about secret handshakes?]

'Special relationship...?'

[starspangledhero]

[ If it's any comfort, America would do this to England as an adult too. DANDELION HAIR. ]

Yeah! That's what everyone calls are best friend alliance!

[ America is starting to look excited. It's like everything he's speaking is fact and no one can dispute it. ]

'Cause like, I'm the world super power, and you're pretty big too! Me, you, and... [ he makes a face ] Russia. We were the Big Three, and we're still the ones with the most power and technology. Except, of course, we're awesome and Russia fails at every aspect of life ever but for some reason he's still got spy satellites and bombs and bioweapons and he's like a black abyss of evil and stupid.

[ rant rant rant. ]

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

[He can't help but get caught up in America's enthusiasm.]

Really? We're really that strong?

[Future!him is starting to sound a little better.]

What am I like? In the future...?

[starspangledhero]

I'm the strongest, but you're not far behind thanks to me! So you'd be like, the second strongest!

[ America pauses, tilting his head and staring at the ceiling. ]

You're kinda a dick.

[ WOW WHAT A GREAT START. There's a longer pause after this, which England is free to interrupt. He's trying to decide on whether he should go on or not. ]

[sceptered-isle.livejournal.com]

[That was the BEST start. England isn't really sure what to say. Sealand had said pretty much the same thing. Being strong was nice, but he never wanted to become mean.]

.....Am I really that bad?

[starspangledhero]

Yeah, you're a prickly guy and ya snap at me a lot.

[ He wavers a moment, wondering if he should say it or not, and he decides since it's little England, he won't make fun of him for saying it. ]

But not at first. When I was little you were always nice to me, and you smiled whenever you came back for me. It was really good for a couple centuries. I was happy.

[ Wow, an admission he rarely tells anyone. He seems a little depressed again, but he shrugs it off. ]

But I got bigger, and things changed. We changed. And then you hated me until I came to save your ass earlier this century and now we're best friends even though you still scowl and smack me!