Scotland glanced down at the blond child grabbing his leg.

"Scotty! !"

Why, why, out of his brothers, did he get singled out? Oh. Right. Because he's the oldest.

"!"

Irritated, Scotland glared down at him, gritting his teeth. "What yeh leetle brat?"

Instictively, England shrank back from him, tears forming at his eyes, squeaking slightly in fear.

Scotland sighed and lowered the hand he was about to hit the kid with and took another drag on his cigegrette before leaning down into England's face.

"What?" He blew smoke into the child's face, causing him to choke and sputter.

And that just made him burst into tears.

Scotalnd ran a hand through his bright ginger hair, annoyed. What did he ever do to scare the kid? Oh right. Everything.

He crouched down in front of England and brushed some hair out of his eyes. "C'lm down yeh wee one."

England looked up at him with wide green eyes.

"Do yeh trust meh?"

England looked up at him, slowly meeting Scotland's narrowed green eyes with his wide ones.

Scotland grinned, causing some ash to crumble off the tip of his ciggerette and fall onto England's sholder.

There was a tense moment before England burst into tears again and Scotland pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Loohck ah deeden't mean eet… ahh fuhget eet." Scotland pressed the cigarette into an ashtray and bent down to England's level again.

"Bettahr?"

England stared at him for a moment, before grabbing the ring in Scotland's ear and twisting it. "Brooootheeeeeeer!"

"Ahhh! Stop eet yeh leetle fuhcker!" Scotland grabbed England's wrist and pulled it away from his ear, swearing under his breath.

England laughed at Scotland's reaction, giggling happily.

"Glad tah know mah pain causes yeh tah laugh…"

"Book! Read to me Scotty!"

Scotland frowned and pinched his nose again. "Nae!"

Scotland looked down at the sleeping boy, his mouth was a little ajar, blond hair a mess. The sight caused him to smile a little.

Despite how much his youngest brother annoyed him and how bad he treated him, he realized something; he loved him.

Scotlaand pulled his favortite blanket over the child- it was a large, soft, dark blue blanket with the Scottish cross on it.

Scotland pulled a band-aid from it's wrapper and pressed it to England's cheek, where a bruise was starting to form around the scratches.

Things had gotten a little out of control, he had hit the poor child- slapped him across the face- just because he lost his ttemper. Guilt was starting to knaw at him, it must have hurt the kid…

Scotland sat down in a chair next to England's bed, watching him sleep.

"Kid truleh ees cute…"

Scotland leaned forwards and pressed a gentle kiss to England's forhead then left the room.

England woke up feeling warm and… happy. Blinking sleep out his eyes, he looked down at the blanket covering. He didn't think he went to sleep with one…

Oh. It-it's Scotland's blanket. His favorite blanket. His big brother Scotland who hates him, it's his favorite blanket.

Oh, at least he thought he hated him.

Remembering his cheek, he reached up to touch it.

A-a band-aid?

England smiled and closed his eyes before snuggling deeper into the blanket, breathing in the smoky but familiar smell of his brother.

His brother who deep down, loves him.