"Take a right here," Canada instructed, pointing, but America laughed and shook his head, making a left instead.
"I know where I'm going." He waved his hand at Canada as if he were trying to wave away his concern.
Canada shot a futile glare at him. "The museum is to the right. Stop being a jerk and turn."
"The museum?" To his credit, America looked completely surprised. "I thought that was tomorrow and we were going to the movies today!" Canada groaned and looked ready to say something when America continued, "And the theater is right here." They glided gently into a parking spot. America let his hands rest on the wheel, frowning at something in the distance.
Canada sighed, recognizing his conflicted look, but the battle had been lost, and there was no need to keep fighting. "Give me your word."
"Huh?" America blinked at him in confusion.
"Give me your word as—" it almost pained him to have to play this card. Almost. "—a hero that tomorrow we go to the Museum of Maple History?"
America grimaced at the name but was fast over it, smiling brightly and nodding. "You have my word as a hero! Now, let's go in?"
Canada nodded and got out of the car, trying his best to slam the door shut. Of course that didn't work out according to plan either since it didn't shut completely and he had to try again. And again.
America finally came around to his side of the car, eyebrow raised. "Problem?"
"No, no, I got it," Canada sent a new glare in the direction of the door and this time it finally closed. Heaving another sigh, he turned to walk towards the movie theater, finding that he was walking stride in stride with America.
"You get the tickets, and I'll get the grub, k?" America said, slapping Canada on the back as they walked through the door.
Canada's knees buckled and he gave America a dirty look, but he nodded and got in line. "What movie?"
"Pick a good one! Something with action and heroes!" America called before he disappeared around the ticket booth and into the concessions area.
Canada frowned and looked at the movie titles, picking one at random. He wasn't the one who wanted to see a movie in the first place. Shouldn't America have picked it out? Shrugging, he took the two tickets in hand and met up with America at the front of the concession stand line.
"Here you go," America said, holding out one of the largest cups of soda Canada had ever seen. "I got you a small Coke."
Canada raised an eyebrow at the cup. "This is a small?"
The cashier pointed at a hanging sign that showed three different sizes. The giant small, a jumbo medium, and a country-sized large. Canada frowned at the jumbo medium drink in America's hand. Of course.
"Anything else, sir?"
"A large popcorn, a box of M&M's, and a box of Goobers, please," America ordered, before looking back at Canada with a large grin. "Anything for you, bro?"
"Are you going to share the popcorn?" Canada eyed him suspiciously.
America waved his hand at him. "Yes, of course. Candy?"
"Sno-Caps?"
America nodded and repeated it to the cashier, who seemed almost confused as to who he was talking to about candy, and Canada walked away before he could hear the exorbitant final price. Instead, he opted for looking at the posters of upcoming movies, noticing one major trend.
"Superheroes are the 'in' thing right now!" America shouted from behind him, causing him to jump.
"Y-yes, they are," Canada snapped, willing his heart to return to beating normally. He took the Sno-Caps from America and blankly watched him juggle the rest of the food into a perfect balance.
"You got the tickets, right, bro?" America asked, heading for the usher without waiting for an answer. "What are we seeing, anyway?"
Canada immediately saw his moment, felt it, took it. With a smile, he stepped in front of America and held out the tickets to the usher. The usher looked past him to America who took the tickets from Canada's outstretched hand and held them out to the usher, slightly ruining Canada's moment. But he persevered. "The Sixteenth Sense," he said calmly, giving America a saccharine smile.
And there it was. The slight narrowing of America's eyes, his face suddenly paler, his smile drooping a bit; this was Canada's moment and he reveled in it. Then everything was back to normal and they were walking down the hallway towards Theater Thirteen, America's color returning as he began to babble about how tasty the popcorn was, looking everywhere but at the theater numbers.
"It's here," Canada stopped in front of Theater Thirteen, watching America expectantly. "Are you coming?"
"Oh, yeah!" America exclaimed. "Theater Thirteen, just across from Theater Twelve, how could I have missed it? Let's go!" He strode confidently into the theater, but Canada knew better. He could see the shaking of America's shoulders, slight but there. He had just enough time for the inkling of a second thought about the movie choice to enter his mind before America turned around and yelled at him to hurry up.
Frowning, Canada entered the theater. America was brave, right? And they were in public. Surely it wouldn't be that bad? Of course—his thoughts were cut off mid track as he bumped into America who was anxiously looking around.
"We've got two options. Top or bottom sections, where do you want to sit, bro?" America gestured at the large, dark room.
Canada's frown intensified as he saw how crowded it was in the top section. "Why don't we sit down here, in this corner?" he suggested, and America nodded, following him to the seats.
"Is it in 3-D?" America asked as he offered him some of the popcorn.
Canada took a handful and shook his head. "Nope." He shoved the whole handful into his mouth in an attempt to stave off any more questions from America. With luck, the previews would start soon and they could be in and out in no time. Before America's fear set in. And hey, maybe the movie wouldn't be too scary. A lot of scary movies now a day were rather lame in the scary aspect, after all. Not that that really stopped America. But perhaps this time would be the exception.
Then the previews started. A white face popped up from the pitch black screen, a piercing scream echoing throughout the room, and Canada jumped. It took him a second to both catch his breath and realize that the scream came not from the preview that now showed two little girls on a swing set, but America sitting next to him, popcorn going everywhere as he dropped the tub.
So much for this time being the exception.
"America, be quiet," he snapped, forlornly watching the bucket of popcorn roll away. "It's just a preview, and it's not. Real."
"But it said based on a true story!" America whispered back forcefully, his cowlick seemingly twitching. Canada eyed it curiously then shook his head, forcing his attention back down to eye level.
"Yes, and they're never truly real." Canada sighed, rolling his eyes. "Besides, you don't believe in the supernatural, anyway!"
"That's because it's just a bunch of hooey," America countered, puffing his cheeks out.
"As is this. Take a deep breath and watch the movie quietly," Canada huffed. "And you spilt the popcorn."
America stuck his tongue out, causing Canada to once again roll his eyes. But he did stay silent. At least for the rest of the previews.
The movie started off slow in Canada's opinion, and it didn't look like it was going to get better any time soon, but America began shaking almost immediately, and every time the merest hint of a shadow came on screen, he'd jump. The movie couldn't have been halfway through when Canada reached his breaking point.
"Stop. Jumping," he snapped at America in his fiercest whisper.
"Huh?" America asked, his head turning so fast that Canada couldn't help but wonder if he was just looking for an excuse to turn away.
"Stop jumping," he repeated, but he'd lost his drive once he really saw America's face. He really was scared, wasn't he? "It's not real. There's nothing to be afraid of."
"But—" America started, but was cut off by someone angrily jabbing his shoulder from behind them, causing him to jump even higher and scream even louder than before, the rest of his candy flying.
Canada winced and turned around to face the large—much larger than him— angry man behind them.
"Shut the hell up," the man growled and Canada nodded meekly before looking at America again. He frowned at the state America was in: shaky, jumpy, and constantly looking from the screen to his surroundings, as if he expected the ghost to be right behind him.
"Come on, let's just go," Canada offered and stood up, ignoring the man's angry huff from behind him as he blocked his view.
America nodded and hopped up. "Y-yeah. It's too scary for you, isn't it? That's fine. I, t-the hero, will accompany you out of the theater since—"
"Shut up and get out," the angry man snarled.
America shot him a salute and bolted, Canada fast behind.
They entered the brightly lit lobby, momentarily blinded. Then they blinked and looked at each other, fully surveying the damage. Canada could feel popcorn in his hair from America's earlier freak out, and he would swear there were probably Goobers in there, as well. America wasn't faring any better. An M&M nestled in his hair at the base of his cowlick, and a few popcorn kernels were caught in his bangs, framing his face as it slowly returned to a normal color from the pale white. They stared for one moment, two, then broke out into laughter.
America checked his cell phone for the time and began to head to the door. "I think if we leave now, we can make it to that museum for you."
Canada chuckled and shook his head, picking the popcorn and Goobers out of his hair. "No way. Not without a shower. You know you have popcorn in your hair, right?"
America nodded, dislodging the M&M from his hair. "Good point. Hey, uh, do you want to spend the night? I know it was a scary movie and all and you may have nightmares and you can totally use the guest shower and I can make you breakfast before we go to the museum as an apology for forgetting the museum and I know hotels aren't all that much fun and hey, are you hungry? We can stop for burgers or something?"
Canada rolled his eyes and pushed past America on the way to the car. "Sure thing, but I'm driving. Not going to risk another detour."
America fake pouted but obligingly opened the passenger-side door. "You're no fun, bro."
"And you still have popcorn in your hair, bro."