USUK - I Wish - Prologue

Prologue
America's Point of View (POV)


It all started with those stories England used to tell me.

I don't even remember the plots or titles of the stories; it's been far too long. However, I do recall one basic feature about nearly all of them. They were, in some form or another, about love. I guess you could call them fairytales. They were just like all those other classic damsel-in-distress stories – the handsome hero falls in love with the beautiful princess, but they cannot be together for some reason. Sometimes it was rank, sometimes the king, something was always in the way. It didn't really matter; I adored them all the same. I learned something from them, though: I never wanted to fall in love.

Sure, in the stories the princess and the main character always ended up together, but I learned pretty quickly from my history lessons that reality wasn't like that. Things didn't work out perfectly like in those fables. I'd heard plenty of real-life stories to know true love barely ever works out, and I didn't want to go through the heartbreak.

In other words, I was really stupid.

I remember one night when I was about seven in human years, I was watching the stars with England, and we saw a shooting star. England told me to make a wish on it, so I did.

"I wish I will never fall in love. I wish I will never have to tell someone, "I love you.'" That was what I wished for. How foolish I was.

Later that same night when I was all alone in bed, there was suddenly a bright flash of light. Startled and a little frightened, I took a peek at what it was. I don't remember exactly what it looked like, just that it wore a hooded cloak that hid its face except for a pair of glowing eyes. It came over to my bedside and I remember feeling very cold.

"Hello, little one," it said in a chilling, relaxed voice. I was too scared to respond. "You called for me, did you not?"

"W-What?" I managed to stammer out. It chuckled darkly.

"Your wish. Don't you remember?"

"O-Oh…"

"Well, I'm here to grant it."

"Really?" At that moment, all my fear was replaced with anticipation and joy.

"Yes," it said. I didn't notice then, but now that I think back, I'm sure that answer had a sinister undertone to it. It placed a hand on my head and I shivered from the frozen touch. The hand started to glow.

"W-What are you doing?" I squeaked. My question was ignored.

"From now on," it said, "the words 'I love you' will never reach your true love, whether in word or deed. You will forever live without, as they say, amore." There was another flash and a burning sensation in my heart, and suddenly I was alone in a dark room.

At that time, I couldn't have been happier. Now, I only feel regret.

I didn't understand the mistake I had made.

A few years went by and I completely forgot about that incident. It hadn't effected my life at all. However, it was when my feelings toward England started to develop into something more than brotherly that weird things started happening.

The first thing I noticed was the farewells. I had always told England, "I love you" before bed and when he was leaving, like any family. But as my feelings grew, I found the words harder and harder to say. Eventually, I couldn't say it at all, but I could still get the feeling across. I could improvise. But that was before I had truly fallen for him.

It was just a little before the Revolution when I finally realized what was going on. I was wandering around a park, confused and trying to figure out what was happening between England and me. I chanced to come across a couple telling each other how much they loved the other. It was then that I remembered my wish and what had transpired all those years ago. And that was when it hit me.

I had fallen in love.

I was horrified and scared. I panicked. This was not what I wanted. I thought my wish would prevent that. That was when I realized my wish was a curse.

I did everything I could to distance myself from England after that. I was trying to smother my love, trying to snuff it out. But it didn't work.

Independence.

That was the only thing I could come up with. I fought him and won my freedom. I thought that would save me from my feelings.

It didn't.

My affection only grew and grew. Finally, I was too tired to run from it anymore. I accepted it. I had fallen in love with England. I tried to tell him on numerous occasions, but the curse prevented me. I would freeze up, unable to get the words out. It didn't matter what I tried to say, if I even attempted to hint at what I felt, it wouldn't work. Then I decided to experiment with other ways. I tried writing letters, but nothing happened when I started to form the words. I tried telling other people about my feelings, but that didn't work, either. I even attempted to kiss England once, but my body refused to move. I couldn't even explain the curse to anyone. No one suspected how I felt.

I slowly came to understand I could never get around it. The curse would bind me forever. The very wish I though would prevent my heart from breaking was now causing it.

I've given up.

It's not worth it when I already know there's nothing I can do. I hate it, but it's the truth. After I realized I couldn't get around the curse, I spent years struggling to figure out how to break it. I tried so hard.

But it's impossible.

The only other option I have now is to live with my mistake. My feelings are one-sided, anyway.

There's no way England would ever love me.