United Kingdom - the 51st state?
anonymous
September 30 2009, 01:33:41 UTC
Anon recently saw an awesome fanart where the UK became the 51st state of the US. What are the factors behind it - economic collapse? Social unrest? What of the Royal Family? How would England react to losing his sovereignty and having to answer to an American president? Roll with it, anons! This one sounds nice and juicy angsty.
Re: Here comes the candle [8/11]
anonymous
October 4 2009, 10:15:10 UTC
XX
“Oranges and lemons say the bells of St Clemens You owe me five farthings say the bells of St Martins.”
The need to hurl his guts up woke Arthur from a pleasant sleep. Alfred was still away at another summit, though that was typical now; Alfred was usually away more often than not. Where was the boy when you ever needed him?
He had no idea why he was feeling sick. His economy had indeed improved since the merger - although it was not really his economy at all - and the riots against the merger had been non-existent for years.
Splashing his face with ice-cold water, Arthur fumbled for a towel - peach with a black spot on the corner - wondering what was wrong with him.
Head rising from the peach folds, he stared at his unchanged reflection in the mirror. Had his face melted yet?
Re: Here comes the candle [9/11]
anonymous
October 4 2009, 10:17:15 UTC
XX
“When will you pay me? Say the bells of Old Bailey When I am rich say the bells of Shoreditch,”The sound of the key in the lock and footsteps at the front door broke Arthur from his reverie. He had been reminiscing about nights spent roving the seven seas and days spent under the cover of clouds, a blanket of grass supporting his back
( ... )
Re: Here comes the candle [10/11]
anonymous
October 4 2009, 10:19:17 UTC
XX
If he could have described the feeling with a word, it would have been ‘ah.’ Breathe in, breathe out...ah. It was not the sound of a satisfied sigh, nor was it the sick sigh of a lovelorn boy, not ‘ah, that was good’, not ‘ah, it’s hopeless.’ Just ah.
Ah.
Like a cat stretching out in the weak sun, starting out strong, tail curling around the almost inaudible h.
AhhhThe air was cold and the sky pale, like a whitewashed canvas on which the barren trees and grey rooftops had been sketched. The gravel at his feet crunched with frost, his breath was white, floating away like clouds into the sky
( ... )
Re: Here comes the candle [11/11]
anonymous
October 4 2009, 10:22:44 UTC
“Here comes the candle to light you to bed”
Arthur stretched out his arm and griped the bars of the gate, the bolt was frozen from the cold but he could see Alfred’s car in the distance driving down the street towards him.
“Chip chop chip chop...”
The car pulled up in front of the drive before Arthur could free the gate bolt and Alfred stepped out. He seemed surprised to see Arthur outside, especially in such weather, and wearing his bomber jacket of all things. That look slowly turned to horror and he began to take long, hurried stride towards him, mouthing something Arthur could not quite hear.
Arthur was slightly hurt. Why could Alfred not look happy, especially now that he had come to apologise? Arthur opened his mouth to say something. He should tell him before...before...
this will probably embarrass me in the future
anonymous
October 4 2009, 14:33:14 UTC
Author!anon, this is quite a beautiful take of the request. When this was not yet filled, I was imagining that Arthur as the personification of England the nation would disappear to give way to the personification of England as the fifty-first state. The fill that you did is not exactly how I thought of it (now that I thought of it, the reasons on why Arthur would disappear was completely illogical and invalid, ahahaha) but it is some damn near it that I would like to ask if somehow we are estranged twins (pfffffft, not really. You're awesome, I'm not). <3
I'll probably dream of this tonight. The image of America watching the bomber jacket fall onto the snow-covered ground from where it was draped from thin shoulders that disappeared into the thin air. I did not shed tears, for my heart was feeling numb, much like as if I were the one standing there watching England fade out of existence. I would like to read more from this AU, but I like how you concluded it too much. Thank you for giving me something I can brood about for a while.
( ... )
Re: Here comes the candle [11/11]
anonymous
October 4 2009, 20:49:16 UTC
one of the best fics i've ever read. i'm going 'wow...wow...wow...' over and over again and it feels pretty stupid but this fic is beautiful and so are you, authoranon <333
bookmark'd. i'll probably read it tonight before bed again so i can mull over it in my sleep.
this is so good this is so good ahhh why is this so good ;___; oh my god arther and alfred and the last paragraph
Re: Here comes the candle [11/11]
anonymous
October 5 2009, 00:36:49 UTC
Anon, this was beautiful! I loved how, in the beginning, England was reluctant to merge with America but, over time, he accepted his position as the 51st state. And how the song birds reflected his feelings. And how the last songbird he freed because he was ready to let go of his anger, just as he was about to become a full American territory.
Re: Here comes the candle [11/11]
anonymous
October 5 2009, 05:42:24 UTC
anon, this startled words out of me with how beautiful it was. i quite literally exited out of the browser and stared at the wall for a few minutes after reading it (and the decided to come back and comment <3).
really truly amazing. everything from character interpretation and interaction to word choice was perfect--breathtaking and heart-wrenching all at once. saved for a reread!
Re: Here comes the candle [11/11]
anonymous
October 5 2009, 07:43:36 UTC
O-oh authornon...
All of Arthur's emotions came off so very poignant and raw from his shame of becoming a part of America and resentment of Alfred to his numb boredom to his almost detached realization of happiness. It was all portrayed in such a realistic and sincere and heart-wrenching way that I'm not ashamed to admit that it coaxed a few tears out of me.
Though after I've read it (and re-read it) all I can think of is Alfred going on, thinking that Arthur was never happy the whole time and hated him for all of those 100 years. God, especially since Arthur was just about to tell him differently...!
I-I need to go read some happy fills now. D:
And as some of the other anons have mentioned - I would kill to see a sequel or perhaps a side piece from Alfred's perspective? Your writing is like a drug writer!anon - I need moar~
author!anon
anonymous
October 5 2009, 09:18:59 UTC
This author!anon is very grateful to all the wonderful reader! I would do a sort-of-sequel (about Arthur's time through Alfred's point of view) but I'm afraid that it would be just as depressing, if not more.
OP here yet again
anonymous
October 5 2009, 10:17:17 UTC
Don't apologize, anon, this was beautiful and so, so sad. This is one of the better fills I've seen, and you filled my request wonderfully and beyond anything I could have hoped for. Thank you. <3
Re: Here comes the candle [11/11]
anonymous
October 5 2009, 23:09:00 UTC
Writer!anon! This is perfect; everything, everything: Alfred replacing the lovebirds and Arthur wearing Alfred's bomber jacket and missing him when Alfred's away and being happy after all. Oh. ;__; Thank you for writing this. ♥
Reply
“Oranges and lemons say the bells of St Clemens
You owe me five farthings say the bells of St Martins.”
The need to hurl his guts up woke Arthur from a pleasant sleep. Alfred was still away at another summit, though that was typical now; Alfred was usually away more often than not. Where was the boy when you ever needed him?
He had no idea why he was feeling sick. His economy had indeed improved since the merger - although it was not really his economy at all - and the riots against the merger had been non-existent for years.
Splashing his face with ice-cold water, Arthur fumbled for a towel - peach with a black spot on the corner - wondering what was wrong with him.
Head rising from the peach folds, he stared at his unchanged reflection in the mirror. Had his face melted yet?
Ah, he thought. I see...
XX
Reply
“When will you pay me? Say the bells of Old Bailey
When I am rich say the bells of Shoreditch,”The sound of the key in the lock and footsteps at the front door broke Arthur from his reverie. He had been reminiscing about nights spent roving the seven seas and days spent under the cover of clouds, a blanket of grass supporting his back ( ... )
Reply
If he could have described the feeling with a word, it would have been ‘ah.’ Breathe in, breathe out...ah. It was not the sound of a satisfied sigh, nor was it the sick sigh of a lovelorn boy, not ‘ah, that was good’, not ‘ah, it’s hopeless.’ Just ah.
Ah.
Like a cat stretching out in the weak sun, starting out strong, tail curling around the almost inaudible h.
AhhhThe air was cold and the sky pale, like a whitewashed canvas on which the barren trees and grey rooftops had been sketched. The gravel at his feet crunched with frost, his breath was white, floating away like clouds into the sky ( ... )
Reply
Arthur stretched out his arm and griped the bars of the gate, the bolt was frozen from the cold but he could see Alfred’s car in the distance driving down the street towards him.
“Chip chop chip chop...”
The car pulled up in front of the drive before Arthur could free the gate bolt and Alfred stepped out. He seemed surprised to see Arthur outside, especially in such weather, and wearing his bomber jacket of all things. That look slowly turned to horror and he began to take long, hurried stride towards him, mouthing something Arthur could not quite hear.
Arthur was slightly hurt. Why could Alfred not look happy, especially now that he had come to apologise? Arthur opened his mouth to say something. He should tell him before...before...
“...the last man’s...”
...
..........
.......................
...............................
...............................................................................................................
“........Thank you for tuning in to radio ( ... )
Reply
I'll probably dream of this tonight. The image of America watching the bomber jacket fall onto the snow-covered ground from where it was draped from thin shoulders that disappeared into the thin air. I did not shed tears, for my heart was feeling numb, much like as if I were the one standing there watching England fade out of existence. I would like to read more from this AU, but I like how you concluded it too much. Thank you for giving me something I can brood about for a while.
( ... )
Reply
typo: (now that i think about it, the reasons that I thought of on why Arthur would disappear...
Reply
bookmark'd. i'll probably read it tonight before bed again so i can mull over it in my sleep.
this is so good this is so good ahhh why is this so good ;___; oh my god arther and alfred and the last paragraph
i also kinda want a sequel
Reply
Oh, who am I kidding? I loved everything! <3
Reply
really truly amazing. everything from character interpretation and interaction to word choice was perfect--breathtaking and heart-wrenching all at once. saved for a reread!
Reply
All of Arthur's emotions came off so very poignant and raw from his shame of becoming a part of America and resentment of Alfred to his numb boredom to his almost detached realization of happiness. It was all portrayed in such a realistic and sincere and heart-wrenching way that I'm not ashamed to admit that it coaxed a few tears out of me.
Though after I've read it (and re-read it) all I can think of is Alfred going on, thinking that Arthur was never happy the whole time and hated him for all of those 100 years. God, especially since Arthur was just about to tell him differently...!
I-I need to go read some happy fills now. D:
And as some of the other anons have mentioned - I would kill to see a sequel or perhaps a side piece from Alfred's perspective? Your writing is like a drug writer!anon - I need moar~
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