As England withdraws and sets aside various items from his pack, something occurs to him over the horrific sounds of squeaking. He stops again, feigning thoughtfulness as he looks up at the shelves.] I suppose I could make dinner, if you're too busy searching with Sam...
[And suddenly America is back beside England, swiftly as if he'd teleported.] No way, dude, making dinner's my job. [Also breakfast and lunch and snacks and all food.]
[England knew that would work. Not that there's anything wrong with his food! But he was sure America would rather put down the duck than let England prepare any kind of meal.
[England is still busy carefully packing up that broken teacup and sliding the book in where it will fit best.] How generous of you.
[By the time he's done playing supply Tetris, he looks up to see the mess America is making, and his mouth pulls into a frown.] Careful with some of that.
I'm always careful! [With that Completely True Statement, America has finally sorted out the food and food prep stuff from everything else he carries around with him, and he's going about setting things up.]
Good thing that's what I'm doing right now. [So there! America is actually working on starting a fire. It's pretty annoying to not just use the matches, but they don't have a ton of those.]
That doesn't mean you're always careful. [That was the point, gosh.
England could go for his lighter, but it's getting pretty low on fluid at this point, and it's not like they need a large fire to cook most of their rations. So he watches America fuss with it for a little while before his eyes wander back down to his own wrist.]
[America is busy pouting at the fire, which he's only just gotten started.] How did people set fires like this all the time before we invented lighters and stuff? [He says, being four hundred years old.]
Yeah, I guess some people do worse. [Some of them are his people, too. A lot of names go by he never sees on the network at all and he wonders if any of them were American, but he tries not to think about that.] But of course we're doing awesome with me here!
[England feels a prickle of ire in his blood. He doesn't want this, not today, but he's speaking before he thinks better of it.] Leadership? I think not. I'm not your bloody sidekick.
[And then, a small pang of guilt, and a memory. England drops his eyes to the bracelet again, some of the venom gone from his tone as he grumbles an amendment.] You said we were partners.
Wh--we are! [America is quick to reassure England, switching from cheerful to upset at a surprising speed even for him.] I can still be a hero at the same time!
[The rapid shift in America's mood surprises England; it usually takes more than that to shake America's cheerfulness, which is often how England ends up so frustrated with him. He feels himself deflating a little at the suddenness of it, and averts his eyes from the bracelet to glare at the floor.]
...well. Our success is due to our collaborative efforts. Not just because of you.
[Look, he's not even saying America isn't a hero! That's almost an apology.]
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Like Uncle Sam?
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He slips off the handbag and the rucksack, delicately setting it on the floor and kneeling to open the zip. This is going to take some reorganizing.]
Did you find anything else?
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As England withdraws and sets aside various items from his pack, something occurs to him over the horrific sounds of squeaking. He stops again, feigning thoughtfulness as he looks up at the shelves.] I suppose I could make dinner, if you're too busy searching with Sam...
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He still sniffs in minor insult.] I could do it.
[Sure he could.]
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[By the time he's done playing supply Tetris, he looks up to see the mess America is making, and his mouth pulls into a frown.] Careful with some of that.
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[And only in the sense that he tries not to drop it. His eating manners are still the opposite of careful.]
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England could go for his lighter, but it's getting pretty low on fluid at this point, and it's not like they need a large fire to cook most of their rations. So he watches America fuss with it for a little while before his eyes wander back down to his own wrist.]
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England is less argumentative as he contributes this, though. It's just a fact.]
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[Is that joke better or worse than outright saying they're not doing awesomely?]
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[And then, a small pang of guilt, and a memory. England drops his eyes to the bracelet again, some of the venom gone from his tone as he grumbles an amendment.] You said we were partners.
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...well. Our success is due to our collaborative efforts. Not just because of you.
[Look, he's not even saying America isn't a hero! That's almost an apology.]
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