A/N: This is going to kind of ignore how the last ended as I start off a bit new. It might not be totally accurate to the story I've written up to this point, but hey, what can ya do.
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Silence in the dark world, not that it was very surprising.
"Knowing Mexico, he'd probably keep you alive by a sliver, and leave you out in the wilderness to burn or something." The Canadian said, raising an eyebrow as he thought more on the subject.
"Or maybe just kill you over and over. He's really creative after all."
America smiled that smug smile of his. "Jokes on you I'm used to heat and I'll be fineeeee- If he tries to kill me I've been through worse."
Blank faced, the Canadian blinked. "No, Alfred, that's-" A smirk from the younger brother. "You know I'm riiiiiight~"
Matthew simply sighed, shaking his head. "Whatever Al."
~~~
In the realm of light, the nations were... Discomforted, to say the least.
While yes imperial thoughts and actions were nothing new, it... Didn't occur to them America would be one of those kinds of nations. But, that thought brought with it also, you have to wonder how he gained so much territory anyways. You can't simply walk in and say a nation's land is now yours without some sort of fight happening.
It was unnerving, however. What if he still had thoughts like those? What if he, in the current day and age, were to act upon these thoughts? A chilling thought for the world at large, but nothing has happened yet, not ever since this time it seems.
The majority of the nations also couldn't help but stare at the three Empire nations, all three having quite the impact on the American, it wasn't surprising he'd inherent their thoughts of conquest too.
Eyes were drawn back to the area all these visions were being played, the Twins getting themselves comfortable after their little break.
The new nation's demeanor... Changed.
The colony watched as his brother's actions became more sporadic, more... Threatening. He was worried, but also frightened.
America seemed to be taking this, "Manifest Destiny" he's called it, very seriously. Days had gone where America, in passing conversation, would throw the idea out for Canada to join him, so they could be together for, seemingly, ever. Matthew was surprised at the question, but found they can be together without having to merge or- whatever Alfred was thinking.
He declined, but it would pop up, again, and again. Alfred getting more demanding of the question, but nothing that was ever too terrible...
If you're not counting the staring during the night. Or him being seen with weapons at any point in the day; knifes and such. Or perhaps his oddly nice, yet certainly concerning act.
Matthew always tried to rationalize, however. Alfred wouldn't try it, not after 1812.. And hey, the American just probably couldn't sleep, or was cooking or just sharpening the knives, and maybe he was overthinking his twin's actions in the first place.
But... It scared him, no matter how much rationelle he tried to use. Call it paranoia, but every time America was near, he felt in danger. Every hug now, like he was walking into the lions den; those fairly quickly stopped.
Matthew slept in the living room after a month or so. He couldn't handle the anxiety of being near him during this time, as much as it hurt.
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!"
Matthew was dazed, but shook his head to come back to the world. He hugged the American back, though didn't look to be as enthusiastic as the younger twin. "Hi.. I-I'm... Fine... C-can you put-"
"That's great!" The quiet, shaking voice was lost in the louder nation's. Canada frowned though adapted to the situation, squirming to be more comfortable in the Americans arms. "The war finally ended, and remember Texas? Weeeellll..."
Canada was listening. He was intrigued, if not by morbid curiousness. And the answer would shock him.
"Things ended up changing. I took all of the north, up from Baja basically, and whatever land Texas said it wanted. Diego was mad, but he lost, and hey, at least I didn't annex him with how the war went. He couldn't be there for the treaty signing."
He said that so casually, with that smile too, it scared Canada. All the while, staring at him, the Canadian being quite uncomfortable.
"W-what..?!" Was all Matthew could say, his voice much more quiet, his face only filling with more and more shock, as more of his words sunk in. "Y-you... HALVED him, Alfred!?"
America tilted his head with a soft hum, confusion playing onto his face. "I do remember telling you I wanted to go to the sea. And, "halved", I guess whatever, it wasn't defended and it's not like any Mexicans lived there anyways." Was that his defense to this?
"His government and I both settled that, he still gets to remain independent and all. It was the terms that I had wanted, the Mexican government gave me what I wanted, and I let them be independent." He rambled further, as the color left the Canadians already pale face.
America only continued. "Mexico couldn't deal with the fact he'd lost, and he didn't like the terms HIS government and I came to, and was really angry. Had to be escorted out, and then I just signed the treaty and it was over. I think Mexico thought I was going to annex him, but i said over and over that I wasn't..." The American seemed to grow annoyed at the recalling of events, rolling his eyes and scoffing. "Well whatever. What's done is done, the wars over, and unless Mexico wants to try war again, hopefully things just stay done." The aura that he leaked was now happy at first glance, but under it... Canada didn't even want to know.
Matthew just stared, horrified. The words went in one ear and out the other, he had zoned out into pure fear. What ifs ran laps in his mind, what if he had tried to annex Diego? What if just along the way take over his lands too? What if England wasn't there? What if he wasn't apart of the empire..?
Suddenly, a small pawing and pushing the American felt on his shins. Looking down with an eyebrow raised, Alfred tilted his head, and holding the colony in one arm, he picked the white bear cub up by the nape of the neck like a cat, who was still swinging his paws around furiously, although little damage would be dealt.
"Hey Mattie... What's this?" Alfred asked, cocking his head to the side. Matthew looked up, and was immediately alarmed. He reached out for the cub, but it was too far away, and Alfred didn't bring it any closer.
"Al, he- it's fine, he just followed me home, but-" America looked over at him, before setting the Canadian down, but still holding the bear in the air, his mood, changed. "I see. So, it followed you home? Well." His grip tightened, the bear freezing but Alfred seem to not care in the moment. "We should get rid of it."
He then started to walk towards the back door, but Matthew quickly clung to his brother's leg, stopping him in his tracks. America looked annoyed, but Canada didn't care anymore.
"No, Alfred!" He said, trying to pull him back into the house. "That's not what I meant! Just let me see him!"
"Its a bear, Mattie. A cub too. I'm surprised a mother bear didn't come yet and attack." He said, his tone nothing but boredom. Trying to walk again, but now Matthew had both of his feet and was clinging onto him with every ounce of his strength.
Canada hated the thought that he was one of those spoiled, whining kids. It was clear that's what America thought of him as.
"Just let me see him America!" He said, louder than before. "Its fine, I will take care of him, just stop!" Said American seemed puzzled as to why this was a big deal. "You let in a wild animal and... Got attached?" His confusion morphed in boredom again, staring the bear down, the usual warmth of his eyes having been drained for something more cold and harsh.
"YES NOW LET ME SEE HIM!" Canada shouted, which was surprisingly loud, digging his nails into the Americans legs, growing frustrated with the situation.
America looked down, with a small "ow" as he shuffled his feet, the clawing catching him off guard, but sighed. "Fine, whatever I guess. Jeez. Let go now, please." He said, and Canada complied, staring up at the American expectantly, almost seeming desperate for the cub.
Alfred handed the cub to Canada, who hugged it tightly, protectively. Alfred simply rolled his eyes and walked off, heading back upstairs, where he'd most likely be for a long time.
Canada went over to the couch, sighing deeply. "I said to stay there..." He mumbled to the bear, who tilted it's head. "I didn't want him to know this soon... I-i thought he'd do something......worse.."
The bear nuzzled into the colony, and by god Canada heard it say, "help you", or something. Canada disregarded his disbelief for the moment, and just sighed, burying his face in the fur of the animal, tired now.
Silence rang loudly through the darker world. The twins had a barrier of air between them, neither brother looking at the other.
That was, until, quiet footsteps were heard walking away. Canada looked up, confused, to see America walking back to the sanctuary, away from the memories.
Canada sighed, and went after him. Hell only knows what the American does when alone, also most likely not in the greatest state, which just made the Canadian's mild worries grow.
Quickly, before America could even really enter the 'house', Canada stopped him by grabbing his shoulder. The teen froze, He didn't know what to think, his mind was blank, but this just... Wasn't it.
A soft sigh from the older twin, spinning the younger around effortlessly. America was confused, while Canada was harder to read.
It was almost like the American was being put up for an evaluation for every right and wrong thing he had ever done, Canada's expression was blank, thinking hard about something while staring through him. Canada had the power to read him like a book, which many think they possess, but really only he had this skill. Unpleasant is a good word for how it felt.
Soon enough, the Canadian reached a verdict. "Its.. fine, Al- not really, but it's not a big deal. You got over it pretty quickly, and I don't really blame you for Kumacheeto, but still."
America caught the name of the bear quickly, and mumbled it to himself, which Canada corrected himself with "Kumadegakuru", which America found mildly amusing but just ignored it.
"If you say so..." He mumbled, looking at the colorless ground. "I.. it surprised me, i don't remember-"
"Well, of course you don't." Canada cut him off, a very big contrast to then and now. America didn't seem to care though. "You didn't think there was anything wrong, maybe it was just my point of view that skewed things." He said, shrugging. "It's whatever. But."
America immediately froze. "Oh Christ."
The mood of the Canadian switched, nearing the coldness Russia gave off. Not surprising, but America was not very excited.
"If you ever try anything like that again Alfred, I swear to god, I will kill you." His tone was cold, and it felt like he was glaring. America nodded furiously — Canada could really be scary when he wants to be.
While giving himself a headache from all the nodding, America shimmied out from his brothers grasp. "UH YEAH ANYWAYS IMMA GET A DRINK HAHA H A." And made a mad dash to the living space. Canada watched the retreating figure leave his sight, amused by his twin's fear, and went back to normal Canada.
~~~
2694 words
I hate myself sm right now. I did iT AGAIN I PUBLISHED WHEN I DIDN'T WANNA AND I WANNA S O B- Anyways. U h. Yeah, i updated a story after like half a year, y u p. Hey hi hello, i try to be an author while my stories are just rotting in hell, that's me :) i have nothing to say so kill me virtually if you want I give you full permission lmao