Raising the states: Hetalia

Chapter 6: New Jersey

"Hey everybody, its NEW JERSAYYY!" Antonio struts into the conference room in a dolce and gabbana black suit (wife beater underneath, of course) and sunglasses that stay perpetually on, as if he were a character in an anime or something.

"Veee! Antonio!~"Italy sings, running up to give him a hug.

"What's up, fratello?" Antonio hugs back.
"Uh, nice to meet you." Germany says, holding up a hand to shake.

Antonio shakes his hand, and kisses him on both cheeks.

"That feels... familiar." Germany says, wiping his cheeks with his gloved hand.

"Hey little dudebro! Whats the haps?" America brings him into a big, brotherly, hug. Antonio pulls his arms around America, softly saying "Hey man, I missed you."
"Missed you to, Antoni-bro. Been a long time since I've been to the boardwalks."
"Ah, remember that night in Seaside?"
"Hardly, I drank so much I nearly fell off the boardwalk!"
"Hey, those fried clams still fell straight into the atlantic!"
New Jersey and America fall into hysterics.

Everybody likes New Jersey. He's cultured, funny, dresses nice. He greets Arizona with a fistbump, shakes the hand of South Dakota, rustles the hair of young Louisiana, praises him for his andouille and prawn boil- New Jersey is a guy who knows what to say, when to say.

He breezes through the countries, even charming Romano with his stories of visiting Naples, leaning into his ear to say "You're the true Italy, but don't tell that to your brother" with a famous wink.

"You're the only bastard I like here" Romano says, until Spain looks at at him with puppy dog eyes
"Fine, you and España here, but nobody else!"

So the rooms turns icey when New Jersey comes up to Britain.
"England." He says cordially.
"New Amsterdam." England acknowledges him.
America puts his arm around New Jersey.
"Hey bro, you can call him Antonio or New Jersey, but he's not New Amsterdam anymore."
"You were calling him New Amsterdam while he was your second in command, while he was hiding Washington in that little town of yours."

Louisiana conjures a bowl of popcorn out of thin air, then silently offers some to Germany, who's sitting on the edge of his seat. They share a mutual glance of "oh this is going to be good."

"You mean while you were taxing the hell out of anything that even glanced at the ports? You're lucky massachusetts isn't here, or we'd tar and feather you in the parking lot."

"No he wouldn't because massachusetts apologized, America apologized, Delaware apologized. In fact, the only one of America's little colonies who haven't apologized is you."

"Because I have nothing to apologize for! Are you really bringing up that meeting we had after we signed the peace treaty? The one that was hundreds of years ago?"

"If there's anything Britain know how to do, its hold a grudge." China whispers to Japan, offering him some popcorn from another bowl.
"And grow eyebrows." Japan nods in agreement.
"And leave the EU." Russia whispers, joining the side conversation.
"Where did you come from, weren't you on the other side of the room a second ago?" China whispers, to which Russia deviously smiles.
"Popcorn?" Russia offers

"Yes, I am. Because I required in the peace treaty that all of the colonies give a written apology."

"Then why did you even sign the peace treaty?!"

"Because America forged your apology!"

Everybody in the room gasps, and New Jersey looks around.

"Goddamn it, where did everyone get popcorn from?!" He yells, storming into the breakroom.

"I shouldn't have told you about that." America says, taking off after Antonio.

"What, just kept lying to me?" Britain calls out after him.

Britain notices everyone looking at him, mouths open.
"Kids. Ammiright?", but nobody laughs.

"Hey, Antonio-"
"God I can't believe you would forge an apology from me!" Antonio says frustrated, banging an espresso tamper on the edge of a trash can.
"Antonio, I did it-"
"And then just not tell me? For hundreds of years?"
"Just listen-"
"But you tell Britain and not me? That you were dishonest to me? And then keep-"
"I DID IT SO PEOPLE DIDNT HAVE TO DIE ANYMORE." America says sternly.
Antonio stops in his tracks, looking at Alfred.
"I did whatever I had to to get our independence. And I told him, because I thought he was over it, and I thought it would be something we could laugh about, but then he got mad at me and... I didn't want you to be mad at me too."

Antonio breathes in calmly, and looks at him. "You still should have told me the truth." He says. Alfred sits at the breakroom table.
"You know, back when the revolution was starting, it was so exciting. Was, I said. The idea of a free country, of an immigration country accepting of all religions, was riveting. And then the battles started."

"I remember." Antonio said, sitting down either him. "I remember thinking at first, we'd be the first to humble England, to humble their king. And then the battles in New Jersey started, and I realized, how many peoples lives are worth that of a kings?" America nodded in agreement.

"A lot, apparently."

"And i remember being so mad that they brought over hessians to fight. I mean, we had to risk our own lives to fight for for freedoom, but their armies were just mercenaries and paid soldiers sent to protect their tax money?"

America nodded.

"What hurt me more, New Jersey, than the principles, was seeing all of us suffer. The colonies, the soldiers, seeing the hurt in Arthurs' eyes, the man who raised me."

"It hurt me too, Alfred." Arthur said from the doorway. Alfred and Antonio look towards the doorway.

"I'm sorry, Antonio. I was so caught up in the betrayal I felt from Alfred, I didn't realize that had transferred over to the colonies." Arthur sits down at the table with them.

"At that time, colonies were a buisness, we did not see colonies as fully fledged countries, they seemes more like an extension on England. It hurt when I felt like my own country had betrayed me."

"I'm sorry too, Arthur. For yknow, the whole revolutionary war thing."

Arthur smiles at Antonio.

"It's a good thing Alfred forged your apology, because you suck at them."

All three of them laugh.

"You know, I've been wanting to visit England lately, see London and the English countryside."

"You'll be welcome back anytime."

One drinks espresso, one drinks tea, the other coffee with an ungodly amount of sugar and cream.

And over a small beverage break, a hundreds years worth of anger, feels just a bit lighter.