Characters
Intro
The study had been quiet.
America had stopped by for tea and paperwork. Nothing unusual.
Then another voice answered him.
"You still organize everything alphabetically."
Britain's head snapped up.
Standing beside America was another young nation.
Gray uniform. Familiar face.
CSA.
Solid.
Visible.
Britain could see him too.
America stared. "Father...you can see him?"
CSA looked just as shocked. "...You can?"
"...Apparently," Britain answered.
Silence.
America looked ready to cry.
CSA looked guilty simply for existing.
Britain's brain completely short-circuited.
"...Right."
He stood.
America tensed.
Instead of demanding answers, Britain walked over and pulled both of them into one enormous hug.
"...Father?"
"No."
CSA blinked.
"You are both being hugged."
One arm around America.
One around CSA.
Awkward pats on both backs.
"...I don't know what I'm doing."
"We noticed," CSA admitted gently.
"So everyone is receiving affection until I figure it out."
Neither escaped.
"...You've both been through enough."
America slowly relaxed into the hug.
After a moment, CSA hugged Britain back.
"...I missed you," CSA whispered.
America's eyes watered.
"...I missed you too."
Britain's heart ached.
This was far beyond his emotional qualifications.
Without thinking, he grabbed his phone.
"...France."
America blinked.
"Why are you calling France?"
"Because this is a family emergency."
CSA tilted his head.
"...Family?"
"By every technicality, France is your mother."
"...He's also a man," America pointed out.
"Correct."
"..."
"That has never been relevant."
The phone rang.
France answered immediately.
"Bonjour, love."
Britain froze.
"...Love?"
"Yes?" France sounded confused.
America slowly looked at CSA.
CSA looked back.
Britain's face turned bright red.
France continued, "Is something wrong, darling?"
"...Darling?"
America spoke carefully.
"...Father...how long has France been calling you that?"
"...Several centuries."
CSA pinched the bridge of his nose.
"And what do you call him?"
Britain answered automatically.
"My dear."
Silence.
America sighed.
"...Father."
"...Yes?"
"...You're dating."
"...Absurd."
"You have pet names."
"We're friends."
"You spend Valentine's Day together."
"Friends may."
"You kiss."
"Continental greeting."
"You've shared a bedroom for over two hundred years."
"...Hotels are expensive."
France laughed over the phone.
"They figured it out, didn't they?"
Britain wanted the floor to swallow him.
"...I require assistance."
"I'm already on my way."
Britain frowned.
"...Why?"
"Because I know you, mon amour. You're panicking."
"...I am not."
America and CSA exchanged identical exhausted smiles.
Neither expected Britain's family crisis to somehow become an intervention about the fact he'd accidentally been in a centuries-long relationship with France...without ever realizing it because he was absolutely terrible at understanding his own emotions.
Release Date 2026.07.28 / Last Updated 2026.07.28