Pasts

Thirty-Four

This deepened the divide between the two. Canada only stayed downstairs, while America isolated upstairs. The quietness was mind-numbing, the air suffocating, the loneliness was painful.

Time passed slowly. Throughout the war with Diego, Alfred would leave to go participate here and there. It reminded the small Canadian of England and France, and this isolation got to him.

Matthew would go on walks during this time. To clear his head, and to do something with himself. On a walk of his, he found a little white ball of fluff, seeming entangled in some thorns of a bush. The animal was struggling to get free, but the more movements it took, scratches and cuts would appear, hurting it more.

The colony went over, frowning. The animal saw him instantly, and although fearful at first, it soon calmed once the Canadian's hushed voice spoke, as if like a lullaby.

"Its alright, I'm not going to hurt you... Here." Untangling the animal, and getting poked and scraped from the thorns himself, but he ignored his injuries. Soon enough, the cub was free, and instead of running away like he had thought, the cub stayed, sniffing and nudging the small hands of the colony.

"Eh..? Is there something you want?" Matthew asked, looking at his hands, to see cuts ranging in size, nothing to serious, but small droplets of blood were seeping through. At this, the cub walked closer to the colony, and basically smashed it's fluffy face into the Canadians shirt, getting into his lap somehow, and staring to lick the wounds.

Matthew was quite shocked. He didn't know what to do with himself, but simply watched the small furball do it's thing. Once it was done, it made itself cozy, while looking up at Canada, blinking it's beady eyes up at the presenting young child.

"Uh... Thanks?" Matthew questioned, tilting his head. All he got was a lick of the nose, which made him recoil slightly, but smile once the surprise settled down. 

(Most nations found this goddam cute and there was "awwwwhs" from somewhere in the room. Nobody would say that directly, but, it happened. Can't blame them Chibi Canada is just something else)

The cub followed him home, he wasn't upset however. Matthew needed the company, and this little ball of fur would just have to do. The little cub was curious, simply following behind the Canadian in whatever he did, watching in what seemed to be fascination with the beady eyes of his. That was when Canada realized he had brought home a bear. A nice bear cub, but a bear nonetheless.

Matthew worried about the reaction of his brother, he might take this new addition to the two... Not very well. And in his current state of mind or just how he's been acting, Matthew worried. He really had taken a liking to the cub, and just hoped that America would too. But hope can only get you so far.

After a few weeks of being gone, Alfred came back, tired and sore, but smiling his ever present smile. Matthew was just in the kitchen with the cub watching him cook, the front door alarming him.

He poked his head around the corner, to see the American nation putting up his jacket, and... Matthew couldn't tell if his eyes were tricking him, but had Alfred gotten... Taller? And the glasses, he remember seeing Diego with the same pair fleetingly, when he had the chance to see Mexico.

Canada turned to the cub, motioning with his hand to stay put, while gently patting the head of the bear to be in a sitting position. He also put a finger over his mouth, as he went out to talk with his brother.

"Hey, Al-"

"Mattie! Hey, hi!!" Instantly, he could feel himself being hoisted into the air, and embraced with the crushing strength of America. "Its been so long since I've seen you! How've you been? I've been so busy with that war for a while, but now I'm back and it's all fine!"