Soft blue skies (countryhumans revolutionary war)

threads

13 walked down the cobbled street, blending in with the hustling city folk. The union jack on the corner of his face was damp with a light sweat, and so were the red and white stripes that coated the rest of his body. His twin brother, Confederate struggled to keep up with him. Confederate's face was red with one white stripe in the middle, with the union jack in the corner as well. 

"Am I walking too fast for you?"

He stopped for a second, to let Confederate respond. "No," He mumbled. "I'm fine. We should keep walking." 13 slowed down. He was ten centimetres taller than his brother, and walked at a quicker pace. They were going to shop for threads, as they were running out and their clothes needed repairs. 

"Do you even know where this place is at all?" Confederate's voice was tinted with a slight hint of boredom. "I've seen this lady in a blue dress chatting with a chimney sweep three times today."

"It is a popular dress. I've seen ladies wearing things like it before." 13 answered quickly, to hide the dread in his voice. He didn't want to be lost in New York, his own city. It was his first time shopping without Canada to lead him through the winding alleyways. But Canada would be leaving next week, to help with his own country. And plus, Canada was busy.

"I want to go home," Confederate whispered shyly. "We're totally lost in a foreign city. I don't even know where we buy thread in the first place." His brother's fists clenched into tight balls of red. 

"We can't go home!"

"Why not?"

"We have to buy thread! Father will be mad if we don't, since he sent us out himself!"

"I don't care what Father thinks!"

They exchanged words in furious whispers, not noticing that they were standing right outside of J. F. Maisie's handcraft supplies and materials. 

"We have to do what he says, or he will punish us!"

"We shouldn't be punished in the first place! He didn't even tell us where to buy these threads!"

"It's called J. F. Maisie's handcraft supplies and materials."

The twins stopped arguing for a second, to look up at the person who had interrupted their conversation.

Canada. It was Canada.

He stood with his armed crossed, and his lips curved to form a smile. He had a union jack in the upper left corner of his face- as did 13. His skin was red and his eyes were golden, like France's. 

On his head, he wore a raccoon tail hat that he had earlier purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company.  Even if it was just their older brother, the twins acted as if they were seeing an angel.

"Canada! Thank god you came!" Confederate wrapped his arms around his older brother, and 13 did the same. Canada pushed them away. "You two have been out for hours. There had better be a good explanation for this incident."   

"We have two. Pick your favourite."

Confederate snickered at 13's dry remark. Canada frowned. "You got lost, I'm guessing."

"Yes."

Canada shook his head in disbelief. "While you two were arguing, I bought the threads for us. I'm not going to be here to help you next time. I'll draw you a map to the store. Okay?"

"Okay." The twins spoke in unison, something that had creeped their father out for the longest time. Canada steered them back towards the streets, and began to walk back home. He walked at a slow pace, for Confederate to be able to catch up with them.

"Hey, 13?"

"Yeah, Canada?"

Canada paused, before proceeding with his question. "You haven't been hurt too badly by these taxes... Have you?"

13 paused his thought about that weird cloud that marked the soft blue sky above. 

"I haven't, yet." His response was short, but his voice was soft. He was lying, of course. He didn't want to worry his brothers at all. He was considering asking for money from Spain, his mother. 

He knew she would gladly accept the offer, but 13 had other half-siblings that Spain needed to look after.

 And both of them had sworn that nobody would ever find out about the affair that Britain and Spain had, that had ended in the birth of 13 and Confederate. Portugal would be furious, and hurt Spain in the process. He didn't want anyone to get hurt.

He could ask France, but she wouldn't lend money to him because he was the son of Britain. The two of them despised each other to the point where they couldn't even be in the same room without attempting to murder one another. 

Canada would give him every last pound in his pockets if he asked for money. But he didn't want to ask that of his brother.

It looked like he would have to ask Britain to repeal the tax laws. He was never a fan of them, because he wasn't even represented in his government.

His people had been quite angry about that lately. It worried Confederate. Confederate wasn't a country. He had no territory at all. 

In fact, he was the only countryhuman without any territory at all. 13 had wanted to give territory to Confederate several times, but Britain refused. 

"13, you and Canada are big enough trouble for me." 13 was reminded of the words his father had grumbled, as they echoed in his head. 

"13?"

"Yes, Canada?"

"We're home."

"Already?"

"Yes!" Canada laughed a little bit at his younger brother's bewilderment. "You spaced out. Take your shoes off, and meet me upstairs. There's something I want to talk to you about."

Before 13 had time to reply to his brother's request, Canada had already retreated into his room.

13 did as he was told, and climbed the polished mahogany staircase into the upper level of his Father's house. He didn't want to live there, but couldn't live alone with Confederate. They would slip into poverty.

He had asked Spain if he could move in with her. Spain looked into his eyes, smiled, and then politely refused. 

"I can't let you live with me, 13. I'm so sorry."

The memories were painful.

"But why? I want to live with you, and Mexico, and Brazil, and..."

"13, I'm so sorry, my son. Portugal would murder me if he found out that I had an affair with Britain. I wish I could help you, but..."

"But what?"

"Nothing. Tell Britain I said hello."

He sighed, and opened the door to Canada's room. The look of concern on his brother's face was striking.

"Canada? What's wrong?"

Canada ran up to his brother, a mirror clutched in his hand. 

They were both shocked at what they saw in the mirror.

The union jack on 13's flag was fading into blue.

And one star was floating right above his eye.