Needy Child

Chapter 2

"Mattie, are you okay?!" he asked immediately, tightening his hold on Canada's shoulders.

The boy could only nod mechanically, unable to speak.

America had been the one who had saved him. America, who barely had time to do anything anymore, who should have been studying.

"Good," muttered the older boy.

He closed his eyes and drew a deep intake of breath, his hands finally loosening the death grip on Canada's shoulders.

When America opened his eyes again, they were bright with rage.

"What. Were. You. Doing," he spelt out slowly. His nostrils were quivering, his hands trembling slightly. "Why were you at the river?! Don't you know it's dangerous?!"

Canada cowered, his insides twisting with guilt. He had only wanted to do something nice for his brother... but once again, he had ended up being only a burden. His brother had had to rescue him, diving into the icy water, because he hadn't been strong enough to look after himself.

Canada swallowed, desperately trying to hold back the tears. Wordlessly, he held out the big apple still clutched in his hand. Maybe America could still appreciate it, right?

His older brother started at him uncomprehendingly, his eyes darting from Canada's pale face to the apple.

"I—it's f—for y—you," Canada stammered weakly, his voice wavering, "I—I wanted to get it for y—you. T—to make y—you h—happy... B—but it w—was s—so far away..."

America blinked and straightened slightly, taken aback.

"You mean," he said slowly, a note of bewilderment clear in his voice, "That you fell in the river because you wanted to get me an apple? That, in spite of knowing that the branch might not have held your weight, you still climbed on it to get that apple?"

Canada nodded, a seed of hope starting to blossom in his chest. Maybe America understood?

Suddenly, the boy felt a sharp pain in his hand. He instinctively clutched it to his chest, whimpering as the apple bounced three times on the ground before rolling through the grass.

"Jesus Christ, Matthew!" America swore loudly.

He was panting, his eyes burning holes in Matthew's still shaking form, the bright cornflower blue almost completely swallowed by his widened pupils. His right hand, the one he had used to hit Canada's one, was still raised, trembling.

"What the fuck were you thinking?!" His brother was screaming now. "What the actual fuck, Matthew?! You could've drowned! What if your bear hadn't gotten me in time?! You could have spent weeks drowning over and over before the river swept you to a bank! And where would that have left me, uhu?! Did it even cross your mind how much you would have made me worry?!"

Canada hung down his head in shame, whimpering, but America took hold of his shoulders, shaking him.

"Are you fucking retarded, Matthew?! I DON'T WANT YOUR FUCKING APPLE! I—"

America's words were cut short as a scream resounded through the clearing.

"Young master!"

America and Canada froze, turning at the same time towards the noise.

Kumajiro was running towards them, a white towel in his mouth, and after him followed Jane and Eleanor, the other maid, looking unkempt and out of breath. Both of them stopped dead, their eyes widening in shock at the sight of their drenched and shivering charges.

Kumajiro ignored them and went to Canada, nuzzling him as he tried to clumsily put the towel over him. America suddenly released Canada's shoulders, gasping as if he had been scalded, leaving the child free to bury his shaking body against his companion.