I was supposed to be studying for my exam in two days when this magically came out of my fingers instead of study notes. It's odd, as I don't write first person that often. The site pulled a fast one on me and for some reason the edits that I put in here did not show up, but they should now.

Enjoy.

I see him almost faze in and out of existence every time someone asks him who he is, or even worse mistakes him for me.

I've been noticing Mattie more and more often lately. It's not like I didn't before, but there were many times where I would overlook him, ignore him or even bully him.

"America! How dare you come up to me like this!" I looked up and there's Cuba beating on my brother again.

"I told you I'm Canada! Ca-na-da!" Mattie yelps.

Cuba stops for a moment and looks a little closer. "Ah. Sorry Canada. I didn't see you there."

"I-it's okay. Happens all the time, eh?"

Yet from where I stand I can see that it's not okay. I can see him clinging onto that polar bear of his for dear life. I can see his shoulders slump a little as he walks. Am I... really the cause of all of this? How long has this been going on?

Mattie smiles softly when Cuba offers to take him out for ice cream as an apology and I can't help but feel a pang in my chest. I decide to watch over them. It would be like a spy mission! I follow them down the street to a cafe.

There is laughter between the two as they get their ice cream and head back. Well we were only on break. I watch from a distance as several nations greet or glare at Cuba, but none say anything to the nation beside him. Nonetheless, there is still a smile on his face as they walk back to the conference room.

After the meeting, I watch as England mistakes him for me, then France corrects him. Mattie seems to brighten for a moment, before France adds that he is so uninteresting that it is a wonder that anyone recognizes him at all.

I frown. That's not true! Sure Mattie may be quiet, but he is certainly not boring. Has anyone seen Mattie when he is playing hockey? Do they know how well he can cook dishes from all over the world? Has anyone but me seen his soft smile?

It comes to me like a flash. Sure I would always love helping other people when they're in trouble, but the only person whose hero that I really want to be is Mattie's. And... I want Mattie to be mine.

It is raining heavily by the time that I cross the border into Canada and late at night before I get to Mattie's home. It used to be closer, but after that war between us, he had moved it farther north. Well, to be fair, I did burn down his other one.

I glance in the window to see Mattie sitting on the couch in his pyjamas with Kumajirou asleep in his lap. There is a half empty bowl of popcorn beside him, and as I watch he lets out a soft chuckle at something on the television.

I walk up to the door, intending to just barge in like I always do, but something stops me. For some reason, knocking on that door feels like it is the hardest thing that I have ever done. There is a pause, and for a second I wonder if he'd even heard me, before the door opens. And I see one of the most beautiful things that I have ever laid eyes on. Mattie, framed by the light from his hallway with a look of surprise on his face.

"A-Al? What are you doing here?" He grabs me by the wrist and gently pulls me inside. "Oh you're dripping everywhere. Let me go get a towel."

Mattie races away and I wonder what exactly I am doing here. There is no need for a social call, I had just seen him that morning at the world meeting. And we are fine when it comes to the political arena as well.

He comes back and holds the towel out to me. I step forward to take it, but my body moves on its own and I find myself holding Mattie in my arms. I can't help but notice that he felt like he was supposed to be there.

"A-Al? What's wrong?"

I pulled away and watched as my beloved brother's face slowly turned red. "Mattie, will you be my hero?"

I blurted it without any thought. I didn't even really notice that it'd been on my mind.

Mattie smiles at me. "You didn't even really need to ask, Alfred. I thought that went without saying."

I shook my head, somehow knowing that that wasn't what I had meant. "I mean will you only be my hero? And I can be your only hero?"

Matthew's eyes widen and he blushes again and I feel like he has figured out what I mean before I have. Before I know what I am doing, I lean down and my lips connect with his. It's over all too soon and I step back. My heart is pounding and I feel my palms becoming slick with sweat. My body feels like it should be trembling all over, and I force it to stay still. Is this... fear that I am feeling? Why would I be scared of this?

Mattie smiles a different smile than I'm used to. It's a tearful smile and he embraces me. I feel him nod against my chest and my heart soars.

I see him almost faze in and out of existence every time someone asks him who he is, or even worse mistakes him for me. But when he looks at me, he smiles so brightly that every eye in the room is drawn to him.

Thoughts?