You Can't Take the Sky Away from Me

You Can't Take the Sky Away from Me is an Axis Powers Hetalia fanfic written by EverythingIsMagic/Haro. It is set in a Steampunk Alternate Universe where both military pilots and sky-pirates roam the skies.

America Jones is a pilot of the Aviation Force, a branch of the World Military. One night, when completing a mission, his plane unexpectedly breaks down and he is forced to land on a sky-pirate ship, meeting its captain, England Kirkland of the Taliesan Pirates. Much Belligerent Sexual Tension ensues. After a series of fortunate and unfortunate events, the two form a close bond and work together to fight against the Kosmider, an ominous group that have been attacking pirate ships in zeppelins and wish to take over the entire skies.

This fanfiction has excellent writing, extremely good characterization and relationship developement between everybody. It's Lighter and Softer and can bring a smile to your face, but is also full of depth and emotion. It can be found at the author's fanfiction account and her writing journal.

Also, be sure to check out the fic's resource post, where there are maps of the world, logos for the pirates, and pretty, pretty fanarts available.

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This Fanfic contains examples of:

• Almost Kiss: Quite a few times between a certain tsundere couple.
• Anti-Villain: After hearing Lithuania's backstory, Russia has begun hovering into this territory.
• Batman Gambit: Russia uses one on an unwitting Lithuania as part of a plot to discredit America to his superiors.
• Battle Couple: England and America look like they're heading this way.
• Belligerent Sexual Tension: Can America and England be anything else?
  • There's also Spain and Romano.
• Big Damn Heroes: America gets his Big Damn Heroes moment when he flies in on a Kosmider attack at England's request.
• Break the Cutie: Oh, America.
• The Captain: Both America and England are captains in their respective fields. America also qualifies as The Good Captain, being a military man. At least until chapter 27.
• Dark Action Girl: Belarus, a dangerously skilled swordswoman who wants to be The Dragon to Russia instead of Lithuania. She also appears to be the only member of the Kosmider wholeheartedly devoted to following Russia, with the other members seeming to follow him more out of fear than anything else (and some even conspiring to take him down).
• Dating Catwoman
• Deadpan Snarker: Prussia gets some of the best lines in this fic.
• Everyone Can See It: Somebody should really keep up a tally of how many people have noticed how blatantly not platonic America and England's relationship is.
  • A much more minor example is America's comment on how everyone knows that Japan is not Just Friends with Greece in spite of Japan trying to be discreet about it.
• Five-Man Band: For the Ukko pirates.
  • The Hero/The Captain: Finland which catches America off guard.
  • The Lancer: Sweden who America thought was the Captain.
  • The Smart Guy: Norway.
  • The Big Guy: Denmark.
  • The Chick: Iceland.
• Honor Among Pirates: America learns about this and gains a somewhat grudging respect for England after he calls in his favor to help his crew fight off the Kosmider, who were attacking another ship.

England: They weren't after us. The attack was on Captain Carriedo's ship. We just came to help. America: What? You came to help, even though it wasn't your- England: Is the concept that we'd help someone else so unbelievable to you, America?

• Ho Yay: Very blatant in most of the characters, with the most noticeable being America and England (seeing as it's a America/England fic), Poland and Lithuania, Prussia and Switzerland and Spain and Romano.
• If You Ever Do Anything to Hurt Her...: After America and England kiss,, Switzerland delivers this to America saying:

Switzerland: It's not up to me to judge the Captain's choices, but I will say…that if you hurt him, in any way. I will shoot you, and I won't miss.

• Island Base: Australia's island
• Just Like Robin Hood: Captain Spain Carriedo of the Nuberu Pirates is described as someone like this; notable for his helping of merchant ships.
• La Résistance: As of Chapter 28 France is, appropriately, planning one.
• Love Epiphany: Both America and England eventually have this in regards to their feelings for the other, albeit at different times: England gets his when he's watching America Sleep Cute, and America gets his when his best friend Japan prods him into realizing that he loves England.
• Manipulative Bastard: Russia, judging by how he managed to frame America as a spy for the Kosmider and send him on the run.
• Manly Tears: After his wide-eyed idealism and trust in the military is shattered when the military frames him as a spy and strips him of his position despite his attempts to be good, America really does deserve a good cry.
• The Medic: Interestingly enough, Switzerland is both the medic of England's crew and The Gunslinger. A Squishy Wizard he is not.
  • This is Lampshaded by America at one point.
• The Mole: Lithuania. There may be a mole helping the Kosminder, too, but it hasn't been revealed yet.
• Moment Killer: Remember that moment in England's cabin, which ultimately culminated into an Almost Kiss? Thanks, Prussia. Thanks a lot.
• Mysterious Past: Over 20 chapters and we still don't know why England is a pirate captain at so young, or why he dislikes the military so much in the first place.
  • Prussia's got one too.
• Neat Freak: Japan is mentioned as being one.
• Schedule Slip: The fic is ideally supposed to update once every week, but there have been long stretches of weeks without an update at times.
• Skilled but Naive: America is an ace pilot, having gone through the ranks, but his idealistic nature is mentioned/discussed/made fun of/complimented several times throughout the fic.
• Sleep Cute: There's a moment like this after America admires England sleeping for a while in chapter 16 after they've spent the night together. No, not like that.
• Steampunk
• Throw It In: Prussia/Switzerland was originally supposed to just be Subtext, but the hints just kept on sneaking in and the readers liked them, so the author decided to go ahead and make them into a full-fledged pairing.
• True Companions: England's pirate crew and America's team
• Weapon of Choice: England wields a rapier while Prussia has his sword. Switzerland, of course, is The Gunslinger.
• Wham! Episode: Chapter 27. Just when you think America and England are finally gaining an edge over the Kosmider, it's revealed that there's a mole in the military, America gets framed as a spy, and Lithuania...
• Wide-Eyed Idealist: America. England even has him promise that he won't lose that aspect of himself when things begin getting serious.
• Will They or Won't They?: America and England. And as of chapter 17, they do. There was much squeeing. Though they have yet to truly admit their feelings to each other.
• Xanatos Gambit: What the Kosmider is pulling off, according to Poland.

Poland: Everything the Kosmider does is… like, so calculated. They don't do anything on impulse.

• Zeppelins from Another World