starspangledhero | ( video; english; backdated ) posted at about 5:40am after the bomb

GUYS. GUYS. GUYS!

[ No, he doesn't care if he's going to wake up everyone with this. He just looks so. excited. Like more excited than any rational person has any right to be. This is a normal state of being for America, but considering the circumstances, it may seem a little... odd. The camera gives a nice clear view of the mushroom cloud from the roof, then goes over to America's smiling face. ]

GUYS, DID YOU SEE?! SOMEONE SET OFF A BOMB! Okay, yeah, I'm a little annoyed that someone else has got some, and someone I don't know, but since Russia isn't around it can't be him or any of his allies, but still! Look at it!

[ The screen wavers a bit as he starts to pace around. The camera is now trained back towards the cloud. And yet he still jabbers on. ]

How big d'ya think that yield is? Couple hundred kilotons? I've done that. These guys have gotta be amateurs or something. One time I made this one that was 15 megatons and it just incinerated the island I was using. Just gone! If this one is more than that, I've gotta get some tips from these guys. Not that I need 'em! I'm gettin' better every day! And I bet I have more!

Mannnn, this makes me miss my test site. I'd always get to see the new stuff and the guys would even get me a bowl of popcorn. HEY, TATSUMI, MAKE ME SOME POPCORN AND MEET UP HERE!

[ He finally stops pacing and turns the camera away from the cloud. His head tilts a bit while he stares at it. ]

I wonder if that was just a test. Or that whoever set it off is friendly. If they're not, I should be talking to them about how to use their stuff responsibly! It's my job as the hero after all! This all kinda reminds me that I should be thinking about stuff for back home too, with Russia still being a fucking whackjob and all. I bet I could get a yield higher than the one out there. Just gotta figure out where to test it!

[ He looks like he's about to say more, but instead he just sits down and stares. Just freaking stares like he's watching TV or something. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

America-san.

[There's something serious in his tone, and he completely ignores that silly moment. America really isn't taking this seriously, is he? It's... Well there are a lot of feelings.

He stops avoiding it.]

Where have you used a bomb like that?

[ Oh.

Oh.

Believe it or not, some things do sink in through that thick skull of his. Suddenly he realizes why he probably shouldn't be acting so enthralled about this directly to Japan. His smile drops.

(His mind is still running a mile a minute thinking about his own tests and how to improve them and where to test them and how he's going to gloat to Russia and all sorts of things he shouldn't be thinking about with Japan in the vicinity.) ]

Ah... well, I do a lot of tests, and... I mean, you know. I know you know.

[ Suddenly he doesn't really want to look at Japan anymore, so instead he starts picking at the dirty, fraying sole of his sneakers. ]

[...He thought so. Unlike America, after a brief glance at the cloud again, his eyes stayed focused on America. His hands were clenched at his sides. He wasn't sure which emotion to feel first.

So it just came off as cold speaking.]

America-san takes enjoyment in this sort of thing? Is it something to be watched?

[ He opens his mouth to reply, but by this point, lying would only make things worse. There's no way to say "just kidding!" to the kind of enthusiasm he just showed. Instead he tries to circumvent the question. ]

It's probably just a test!

[ The actual answer is far worse. Even worse than "they're pretty." ]

[NOT A GOOD METHOD AMERICA. Though really what is this is a horrible situation. Japan should just walk away, but he's letting his emotions make him rash. Just for this moment... It's okay, right.

Not really because he's moving to grab America by the collar/front of the shirt... as if that does anything, he is never lifting him again. So just. Crouching and gripping angrily, yup...]

What kind of answer is that?! It is large enough to cause worry for us here, and America-san is treating it so lightly?!

Edited 2011-06-11 02:57 (UTC)

[ Holy shit, he rarely sees Japan emotional. It's almost refreshing in a way. It confirms that underneath that cool, robotic exterior, he's just as human as the rest of them. America only wishes that the emotion to trigger this wasn't rage.

So America stops trying to ease his way around it and launch into the conversation head-long. ]

Yeah. Sorry. You're my friend, you deserve straight answers, even if they're not gonna make ya happy. But I'm not treating it lightly! I know what these things do. I'm just...

[ He squirms, bites his lip. ]

They're cool, okay? But don't worry!

[ Here is where he makes the wrong move: he smiles. Genuinely, calmly, looking like he's trying to be comforting. ]

The only ones I really enjoy are mine.

[ Bitch be crazy. ]

[He's shocked into silence by this. Really... Just where did he get off? What sort of way of speaking... He recalled a few talks about wanting to avoid this conflict.

And then about not having to avoid it. Doing what he wanted. What he felt like doing. It seemed even easier to believe while he was caught in the emotions like this. Even though he preferred to keep calm... There were times when he had to make an exception.]

[And so he moves one hand to punch America in the face.

FUCK YOU ASSHOLE.]

[ djsakl;rewa WHAT. WHAT. AMERICA CAN NOT IMAGINE WHAT BROUGHT THIS ON okay yes he can, and though deep down he's sure he deserves it, it doesn't stop him from staring up at Japan, clutching his cheek. The physical pain is barely anything compared to the emotional. He looks shocked, hurt, and... yeah pretty shocked.

It doesn't help that you can probably see the cloud reflected in his glasses. ~DRAMATIC EFFECT~ ]

H-huh?

[ Here is where his worry should start to grow about Japan. Only a little though. ]

[Japan stares, and then slowly lets go of America, backing up a step and relaxing his fist. He doesn't... regret it. He's just overwhelmed. He shouldn't have shown emotion like that.

His eyes are glaring holes into America.]

..."Friends," is it? [There's a certain tone of disbelief at that, and then he just turns to leave. He had things to do, he couldn't just... watch this.

What kind of friend would do that? Any of that?]

Of course!

[ No hesitation. None. He's like a child armed with a gun, in some ways.

America gets up to cut Japan off. He doesn't really dare to touch him, just runs in front of Japan with his hands up apologetically. And then he realizes he really doesn't know what to say from here. ]

You, uh... wanna talk? I won't bullshit you! But I told ya the answer wouldn't make you happy. I just said it 'cause... I mean, if anyone deserves the straight-up truth, it's you.

[ He shuffles uncomfortably. ]

So uh, don't go yet. Please?

[He stops with a frown. He really wasn't sure. Did he want to hear this? He told himself he wouldn't get caught in the future... But this was now, wasn't it?

He's obviously uncomfortable, standing stiff and staring up at America, but he doesn't move to go around.]

...Fine. ...What is the truth, America-san?

[ His hands drop to his sides, just staring blankly at Japan for a moment. ]

I dunno. You have to ask the question first.

Why?

[Why did he do it. Simple enough... He likes to think America can pick it up from that. In this situation at least.]

[ Yes. Yes he can. For once he can read the damn atmosphere. ]

A lot of reasons. By the time it happened... I just wanted ya to stop. You were hurting a lot of people, not just mine. I tried to get ya to stop before, but it was like I couldn't go an inch without treading over the corpse of one of my boys. You were too prideful and didn't know how to quit while you were ahead. It reminded me of, well, me, and still I got angry.

I guess revenge was a part of it. Money too. Bombs are expensive. But I like to think about the people I was helping, not the ones I hurt. I helped you too. No lie, I did. And after the war, I stuck around to make sure you got better.

[ He chews his chapped lip and looks away. ]

I just wanted to help.

[Angry, afraid, sad, there were a ton of things to choose from. He seemed calmer now-- but he was anything but. This sort of answer... It sounded like excuses. Could he understand if he had actually experienced it?

He wasn't thinking so.]

I do not give up... [He looks down at that, trying to understand. Just two, China said. Two... and he... surrendered? Had America threatened to use more? It was such an impossible situation, it was a little difficult to imagine it.]

America-san should remember that. [Almost a warning...]

( video; english; backdated ) posted at about 5:40am after the bomb

action

action

action

action

action

action

action 1/2

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action