Rain

And soggy potato chips

At least, they were sure to become soggy at the rate it was raining. But Alfred couldn’t find the will to move as he stared blankly ahead at the monument before him.

His monuments, monuments built to recognize the death of millions of men who died in service to their country...to HIM, if one were to be so bold.

And he was.

He unconsciously rubbed the tips of his fingers together, trying to rid them of the orange residue that was clinging onto his skin. Usually he would lick off that deliciously cheesy flavor but today….today was different. Besides, the chips were a bit on the stale side.

It made for a terrible combination, stale chips on a rainy day in front of the WWII monument on Memorial Day.

He crumbled up the empty bag in his hands and stood up, rain dribbling down his face and soaking through his clothing, through HIM. [His jacket was usually so durable]

Even his glasses were speckled with water and fog glossed over the glass but still, through it all he could see the--American flag valiantly holding its own in the wind-- stars glittering through the gloom.

They were almost the same, those stars and the flag. His flag though it was really their flag. His soldiers, his people, his nation’s flag, that red, white, and blue which stood for so much.

Without realizing it, he has walked closer toward them and a hand was shakily brushing against one. He jerked back suddenly when the tip of one star cut into his skin, drawing blood.

It trailed down his thumb and as he brought it up to his face for closer inspection, it has already been washed away.

He blinked and looked back at the stars, and endless Field of Stars.

He hadn’t realized it before but he wondered if maybe those stars didn’t stand--stars of David, bright yellow stars were crudely sew onto coats and clothing-- for more

“Honestly, if I had known you were so inclined to getting yourself sick, I wouldn’t have bothered showing up in the first place.”

Alfred jerked out of his revere and looked over his shoulder, eyes wide and child-like. It was startling to see the nation look so…

“Arthur?”

With an exasperated sigh, Arthur reached out and pulled the younger nation under his umbrella. “You git, did you forget you asked me over?”

Blue eyes just stared at him blankly for a moment before a slow grin began to form across his face and a laugh erupted from his throat.

It sounded superficial and if Arthur didn’t know better, hollow and worn. Like Alfred had been fighting a war for years that he was now regretting.

“How could I forget about a meeting with you, Iggy? It’s been so difficult to get some alone time with you, I wouldn’t miss this chance for anything.”

Arthur just made a humming noise though he soon let out an indigent squawk as

Alfred wrapped a sopping wet arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer.

“Think they were…okay with dying for their country?”

It’s no louder than a whisper and Arthur almost mistook it for a trick of the wind…but he sees the arm pointing toward the stars in rows along the wall. And for a moment, instead of an independent nation, he sees his young colony standing beside him.

And instead of giving him the truth, Arthur lies.

“Undoubtedly.”

For a while, the only sound between them is the patter of rain hitting and bouncing off the umbrella.

Alfred finally breaks the silence with a noncommittal hum before he slowly drops his arm by his side. “Say…you wouldn’t mind coming with me to the Vietnam Memorial tonight, would you? It’s supposed to look just…amazing at night.”

Arthur stares at Alfred for a moment before hitting him upside the head, “No need to ask, not like you wouldn’t have dragged me along even if you didn’t.” He huffed, looking away.

Alfred sulks, holding the side of his head in mock pain, “Just trying to be a polite host…”

Arthur just scoffs.