Work Text:
Felix looked at the Marshal tomb still remembering his words when they officially announced his independence "Don't you even dare losing it again, or I will personally kick your ass". He smiled to himself thinking, that Piłsudski would be proud, he made it to the 100th.
***
This day was so, so special, that it made Poland nervous. He needed few moments to think what he should do. His plan was simple: get birthday wishes from president, take part in the most important events and then quickly get a train to Cracow, so he could go on Józef Piłsudski's tomb and drink a toast with him. Easy to say, but Felix knew that making it work will be hard and frustrating. His government was fighting about events organization for the last couple of weeks and Fel still feel sick with it. He totally knew that they'll argue with eachother, but despite that he was angry at them. For once they could get together and don't ruin his day.
He couldn't let himself to feel bad, so what he did first, after making breakfast, was checking his e-mails, messages and social profiles looking for birthday wishes. He found a lot: from his people hundreds and thousands wishes, from people around the world (what made him really surprised) and most importantly, from other countries. France was making this big party for 100th anniversary of ending WWI and everyone was invited. Felix knew that all the nations would rather go there, not to him, so seeing their wishes was making him feeling not so lonely. In next messages however he found out, that some countries lighted their building and famous places in white and red light! That was epic idea! He felt so thankful, that he didn't even minded America's misspelling of „Rzeczpospolita” in his personal message.
After he got ready, in his new suit with white and red ribbon, he went straight to the Piłsudski Square, when he knew he would spend most of his time today. His home wasn't very far away from the square, but because the crowds (when they saw him they wanted to wish him happy birthday personally and take a picture) he hardly make it on time. His boss was kinda angry at him because of it, but said nothing when he saw how happy Felix was because of it. And he really was happy, there was nothing better in this world than support of your own nation, even white and red pyramids at Egypt.
Firstly, he got his official independence/birthday wishes from the president, rest of his government and his people. Then, it was time for him to speak and it was the most stressful part of this day for him.
He stepped to the microphone, adjust it (why he was so short for God's sake?!) and took one deep breath before he started talking.
„Hello everyone and thanks for coming. I thank you for your wishes, they're totally awesome. If somebody told me one hundred years ago that I will stand today here alive, free and independent, without worrying about tomorrow I would start laughing, I swear. It was the time when I started to lose hope, that 123 years of fighting were for nothing, but your hearts, your believes made me feel strong again. When World War Two started and my name disappeared from the maps once again I knew I have to fight because I felt your desires to fight, to not give up. When they bombarded this city, my beautiful Warsaw, I felt so much pain, I felt every death of you as my own but I knew that I can't stop, because you were too loyal to me to give up on you. And this day, eleventh of november. is not only my birthday, it's your holiday. Holiday of every Polish men, women, every child, just everyone who feel that Polish emblem is special for them.”
He stopped for a moment, thinking about what he should say next. He heard silent grumbling behind him and he clearly knew why. He should have official speech learnt by heart not sentences quickly put together. Yeah, he should do it, but Felix felt that he need to speak to his people normally, beautiful words and sentences couldn't say what he wanted to say: that he is nothing without every single one of them.
He was just getting to open his mouth again when he saw something what he wasn't expecting to see. Girl and two boys, everyone holding a flags, but not his flags! Or, to be more precise, two of them was holding half of his flag. The girl hold his white red flag sewed together with red, white and green flag. One of the boys was holding Polish flag too, sewed with yellow, green and red flag, second boy however hold flag of the country, which wasn't existing anymore – two black stripes with big white stripe in the middle, with black eagle on the centre. Hungary, Lithuania and Prussia came on his birthday and they didn't even told him about it!
Deeply in shock he quickly ended his speech and was on his way to get to the three nations to ask them what the hell are they doing here, when he heard the first notes of his anthem. He felt it before he heard it – his people, everywhere in country and abroad, sang his anthem as if they were one, as if for one moment everyone was Felix, and Felix was everyone. He heard little girl named Zuzanna singing with her grandma in her home in Katowice, he heard a teenager named Oskar singing at the pier in Sopot, twins Wiktor and Wiktoria singing in duet at Manufaktura in Łódź. They sang and he sang and he couldn't help himself when he felt tears on his cheeks. This is what he always wanted and he got even more – his friends (and Gilbert) were here for him and not in France. He needed to pinch himself to check if it isn't a dream.
The music stopped, but Poland's heart still beat to the rhythm of Mazurek, his ears was ringing as he heard cheering of his people and he was so overjoyed, that he felt like being drunk.Somebody gave him handkerchief to wipe his tears and he forgot to thank this person, as he was making his way to the edge of the stage. His boss started to speak to the crowd once again, so Felix could easily go and find his foreign friends.
He found them, at last, only because Prussian flag wasn't to hard to notice in the crowd. He was more than happy to see Eliza and Toris, but he wasn't so sure about Gilbert. They were more of old enemies than friends... no wait, they weren't even old enemies – they still were arguing everytime when they saw eachother, especially on World Conferences. Poland's was sure as hell that Germany kept a chart of when, how long, who started and why they argue. He suspected that his former north side just want to ruin his day, but Hungary and Lithuania wouldn't allow him to be there, if they knew that Prussia want to start next fight with Poland. He asked them on their way to Felix's place why this albino demon is here and not in France and to his surprise that it was Prussia who first thought about going on his birthday. So what, on your 100th independence the miracles starts to happen? Now Felix was more then sure that he was dreaming.
But they started they small party, as Poles started going on independence marches and concerts. Elizabeth brought a cake, Toris helped Felix with bringing their old supplies of vodka and even Gilbert brought snack. The rest of Poland's plan for today went to hell, as he and Gilbert started drinking competition and first time in years Fel wasn't angry about it. He knew he should be in Cracow now, but being here and now with friends (for this evening Gilbert counted too) was more than he even needed and he didn't want to change anything.
Or maybe he wanted to change one thing – Prussia's, Hungary's and Lithuania's not being much of a drinker as he. They passed out too soon for his standards.
***
He leaned by the wall taking another slip of vodka from his glass.
„And that's why I couldn't get here on eleventh, hope you don't mind. I need to go now, I promised Jadwiga to get her flowers on her grave. See you next year, Ziuk”
He stood there for few moments, as if he was expecting an answer and then he went straight ahead with glass of vodka in one hand and bouquet of flowers in second.