Countryhumans Hispanic Heritage Month 2024

Excluido

Prompt: Cuba

Cuba was pissed. After all, he had worked to get his independence; he wasn't allowed to negotiate the treaty with his grandfather. He had to sit back in his own country and do nothing while United States passed the laws that would give him his freedom.

He didn't trust it. Any of it. He...

"If you keep pacing like that, you're going to wear a hole in the floor," his brother's voice said from behind his. Cuba turned around to see Florida sitting there, a faint smile on his face.

"I'm worried," Cuba said.

"America—United States won't annex you if that's what you're worried about. Congress has passed an act to ensure that," Florida said. Cuba scoffed.

"And yet, even though this is the war in which I will get my independence, United States is negotiating that for me, and I am not even allowed input," he pointed out, watching his brother closely. While he and Puerto Rico had suspected Florida had not died when he joined the United States, it was not confirmed for Cuba until Florida showed up in his country to help him fight the Spanish.

Now that he had reunited with Florida, he could see his brother had changed. It was like when they got him back after his stint as a British colony. It was...it was still Florida, but different. Florida still looked and acted like his brother, but there was something undeniably United Statian about him.

"I'm sure he's doing it for a good reason. Like the fact that Spanish Empire will listen to him more since he is a country," Florida said. Cuba rolled his eyes.

"You can't possibly believe that. You and I both know he's doing it to get more land, to annex Puerto Rico and Philippines, and, yeah, maybe I am gaining independence, but that doesn't change the fact that I am not going to be there. United States got to negotiate his independence, but I'm not?" Cuba argued. Florida shrugged and looked away.

"I trust that he is doing it for a good reason," Florida said. Cuba groaned.

"Florida, I know you aren't this stupid. You can't possibly believe that. What about the Civil—" Cuba was cut off by Florida quickly turning to face him, angrily jabbing a finger in Cuba's chest.

"Don't you dare bring that up when you know nothing about it! I was in the wrong then. I was a bad person who...who...Dad was right then, and I should have never disobeyed him, and everything bad that happened to me afterward was my fault because I deserved it, so you...you don't get to talk to me about that!" Florida said, tears in his eyes before marching off, fists clenched against his side.

Cuba had not meant to touch that big of a nerve. He didn't realize...

Florida spoke very similarly to how he used to speak of their father, of how they needed to obey and obey because they did not deserve free will, and...Cuba was worried now. He knew civil wars were always bloody and uniquely devastating for the countryhumans of their nations, but Florida's words just made him want to trust United States less.

He wanted to become his own country, not a pseudo-colony or a US protectorate, but his own man, his own country.

He couldn't trust that United States wasn't going to take advantage of him.

Alone again, Cuba resumed his pacing.

He only hoped that everything would work out in the end. He didn't want to become a colony again, not after everything, not after all he had fought and bled for.

He hoped the United States was really giving him his independence, really was making that treaty with Cuba's interests in mind.

But somehow, he seriously doubted that.