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[fifty]

To be made pretty later.

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[fifty]

No way, I'm-- [Another yarn, and the shuffling of fabric as he pulls the tablet deeper into the blankets he's buried under.] I'm getting tons of good material here.

[keepscalm]

Not enough to beat me. [Though he still keeps his volume low, England sounds completely confident about this.

It's the bizarre shuffling of noise that he can't quite place that gets England to realise there's something off about this exchange. The amusement slips out of his expression.] You know your video's not on?

[fifty]

Mn? [Actually, America hadn't been paying much attention to that. But when England brings it up, it reminds him why he hasn't used it. It wakes him up a little.] I guess I'm not. It's early.

[keepscalm]

[Well, it is early...but America hasn't used video when messaging England in a little while now. That's unusual, for him.

He doesn't know how to say he kind of wants to see America's face without it getting really weird, so he puzzles over his words for a moment, his eyebrows furrowed.] ...it's a tad strange to be using video when you're not.

[There. Subtle. Not weird at all.]

[fifty]

Oh. So, like. You want me to turn video on? [He doesn't think there's an angle he can get his face at that obscures the marks Joker left entirely.]

[keepscalm]

[How forward! He was trying to avoid that!

England flusters a little, face colouring and eyes darting to what he can see of the pillow pressed against the side of his face.] It's nice to be able to see someone on occasions like this.

[fifty]

Oh. [A pause.] Well. [A longer pause.]

[keepscalm]

[England's flustering becomes discomfort as the pause stretches on, and eventually, an embarrassed frown slots into his features.] Never mind, I can just turn mine off.

[fifty]

No, it's not--it's just! [America doesn't want England to get mad at him on Christmas! Even if he only just found out it was Christmas.] I can turn it on.

[keepscalm]

[England was in the middle of shifting to change his message type, but he stops when America speaks, expectant. He still doesn't look very happy with himself, though.] You don't have to, it's not important.

[He regrets bringing it up. He didn't want to see America that badly, anyway.]

video

[fifty]

No, see, it's okay! [The video comes on--and even in the awful tablet lighting and with America grinning like he might be able to use a smile to distract from the rest of his face, the fact that he took at least one shot to the face of drain cleaner is obvious. It's not really that bad, as far as chemical burns go, mostly on his left cheek and forehead, partially covered by his hair, but it's still pretty obvious.] See, hi.

[keepscalm]

[It takes a second for England to process what he's seeing. It's obvious that he doesn't absorb it right away, because at first his gaze is critical before it gives way to alarm, his eyes widening and his eyebrows arching high.

Well, that explains why America didn't want to turn on his video.

He has enough presence of mind to still keep quiet, but there's obvious concern in his voice.] What happened? Is that a burn?

[fifty]

[America tried to play it off even as he flushes with embarrassment. He wouldn't say he was vain, but...] It's not a big deal! Joker had these squirt guns with drain cleaner, yeah?

[keepscalm]

[When he gets over his shock, England can see that it really isn't a big deal; those are mild burns, and they don't look open or infected.

England frowns again, though this time it's in worry.] They don't look too bad. You've been cleaning them properly? None of it got into your eyes?

[fifty]

Yeah, I'm taking care of 'em. And my glasses blocked my eyes. [Good old Texas.]

[keepscalm]

Good. [And then, England makes another face, a slightly sheepish angle to his brow.] Sorry. I didn't realise you'd gotten hurt.

[fifty]

It's fine, really, it's super fine. [America fusses with his glasses, using his hand to obscure the burns more.]

[keepscalm]

[That often means it's not "super fine." England watches the way America tries to hide them from view with a critical eye. America's adventures in dieting come to mind, and then England has a dilemma.

It didn't seem to go over too badly that one April Fool's Day, so England sets his jaw and acts for all the world like he's saying something completely normal.] You still look well. Don't fuss with it too much.

[fifty]

[America smiles again, because it means everything is fine and not because he's glad to hear England say that.] It's just weird getting hurt and having it not go away.

[keepscalm]

[England can relax a tad now that that's gone over well enough. But he was already completely casual about this, so it's impossible that he might slump a little with relief. It's just a trick of the tablet.] At least you've still got the knowledge to take care of it. I doubt it will scar.

[fifty]

Man, it better not. [His beautiful face! He's not used to the idea of scars that don't come with extremely traumatic circumstances.]

[keepscalm]

It probably won't. [But then, England gets that look that he often does when he's about to make a joke at America's expense, a slight curve of his mouth and quirk of his brow.

Except...it's not actually mean this time!] If it does, though, don't you think it would look heroic? Like a character in one of your ridiculous action movies.

[fifty]

[America hadn't thought of it like that.] D'you think so? I guess sometimes they have cool scars...

[keepscalm]

Of course. There's always that romantic scene where the hero's love interest touches his scars, you know.

[England says this in the most matter-of-fact way, of course. Like, obviously America should already be very familiar with scar-related Hollywood clichés!]

[fifty]

[England is right that America knows about this sort of scene. He blushes, a little, at the idea of it.] Maybe if it scars it'll look cool, then.