#they also have the example of rome coddling his kids and them being utterly unprepared when he's destroyed

[hetagrammy]

This might be controversial, but I've never had this idea of Britannia as being a particularly warm maternal figure. Like, I think she definitely loved her kids, but she was more concerned with their survival than with letting them be children if that makes sense. Her way of showing love was trying her damndest to protect them, and to make sure they could survive on their own after she was gone. It was less explicit "I love you"'s and more compliments on their progress or stern scoldings when they'd gotten themselves into danger. The British Isles Siblings are hard pressed to remember the last time their mother hugged them or sang to them, but they remember her pressing a blade into their hands, kissing their foreheads, and telling them to be brave. They know their worth because of her, but what tenderness they gained they learned elsewhere.

#hetalia #my thoughts #hetalia headcanons #hws britannia #hws england #hws wales #hws scotland #hws northern ireland #hws ireland #nyo!ireland #british isles siblings #sorry i was listening to fourth of july and it made me emotional #i know i make allusions to hotd all the time but think the scene between otto and alicent when he's banished #she loves them but those words aren't in their world's vocabulary #they also have the example of rome coddling his kids and them being utterly unprepared when he's destroyed #i think she'd be terrified of that happening to her own children #i also just think mothers who don't necessarily have what we'd call maternal instincts are interesting in their own way #especially when she has kids like molly and alwyn who have very strong parental instincts in contrast #people go “oh you must get that from your mum!” and are met with very awkward silence