Noticed
The mingling before the world meeting was always what seemed the most awkward to Canada, especially when China came over to the two North American brothers isolated in their own little corner. He would always come over quietly with a small smile on his face. 'He is something akin to a lost puppy; just wanting to be seen and given some love,' Canada would think softly to himself.
Many times Alfred never saw the middle aged Asian man. Matthew pretended not to see and idly picked at his bear's white fur and removed invisible bits of dirt. Matthew could see many things that others didn't or chose not to. Matthew knew more than anybody the pain of being forgotten and invisible.
Yao stood in front of the two brothers as Alfred scanned the room, unnoticing of the man blocking his view. Matthew's heart throbbed when he noticed Alfred's sky blue eyes glaze over as they met China's earthy brown. He watched Yao's smile slip and fall before Yao glanced at the ground. Quickly his head shot up and his once wandering gaze found Matthew's. He gave Canada such a pleading look, his eyes asked him to end it, to just give him the one thing he wanted, the one thing he needed in the world.
Matthew's eyebrows raised as China's eyes widened and lit up. 'He knows, he knows I can see him.' Embarrassed he had hidden it for so long, heat crept up to his face and turned his cheeks bright red. He flicked his hair back and glanced over at his still unaware brother. As China stepped towards him he stared hard at the floor before they became other nation's silk slippers peeking just out of the hem of his robes. Matthew attempted to memorize everything about them. The way the gold hem ran down outside the tongue of the shoe. How well worn they seemed, how the flower on the toe of the shoe was worn and appeared to be hand painted with an artisan's skill.
It was childish and Matthew knew it. It wasn't the fact that Canada didn't want to know the man. It was the fact Canada couldn't, at least with his judgemental brother around. Matthew chewed his lip; he was already in hot water for the Canada Soviet 'friendship hockey games.' 'Damn Trudeau,' He cursed in his head. 'Using my love of hockey that way.' Thinking back on it he added. 'It was a good series though.' Canada lost his train of thought as the Asian man walked closer. Matthew sheepishly buried his face into the white fur of his polar bear.
Matthew thought of his boss Trudeau. He was smart and witty, and his enthusiasm for the land and its people was obvious. Canada had loved that man since the moment he first saw him. His taste in people and pancakes were impeccable. Matthew smiled softly into the small bear's side.
His thoughts turned to what Trudeau had said to him, face full of pancakes.
"Look, Matthew," He pointed a fork at him loaded with pancake and smothered in syrup. "Stop worrying so much about your brother." He paused to chew while the nation picked at his own plate and took tiny bites.
"You know he's rather like sleeping with an elephant: no matter how even tempered the beast, you can't help but feel every twitch and grunt." Trudeau looked down at his plate and used the last piece of pancake to mop up every drop of the sweet maple syrup.
Matthew still had a single lonely pancake on his plate. Eying it hungrily, Trudeau swallowed with a smile he placed his knife to the side.
"Matthew." He teased. Canada remained stony faced as he poked the edge of the last pancake.
"Matthew~" He stretched the name. Still, he got no response.
"Matthew, look at me." Trudeau pointed to himself his voice had gained a slight edge. Mathew sat there and resisted the urge to look up.
"Matthew?" This time the man seemed concerned. Canada glared at him over the rims of his glasses with a raised eyebrow. A smile twitched at the edge of his tight lips.
"Come on, look at me." Canada slowly raised his head and pouted.
"Eh! Come on now, don't pout!" Trudeau pointed a fork towards Matthew. In protest the nation scrunched up his face and stuck out his tongue.
The Prime Minster smiled. "Trust me, okay?" He leaned over the table and pinched Matthew's cheek. "Don't be afraid to stir up the proverbial pot," He said with a smile, waving the fork around flamboyantly. "And do something."
Trudeau punctuated his statement with lunging his fork aimed at the final pancake on Canada's plate. Matthew moved the china dish a little too late and the fork hit its mark.
"No!" Matthew whined "That's the last one."
"I know." Trudeau replied, victory in his voice and all over his face. He gently laid 'his' ill-begotten pancake on his plate.
"If you don't like it, do something about it." He teased as he reached for the maple syrup, but it was already gone.
"How about we share?" Matthew asked as the syrup bottle swung from his finger. Trudeau placed his chin in his hand. He poked the pancake while eyeing the bottle. He gave up and sighed.
"Deal. Your pancakes are good, but they're no good without maple syrup."
"Canada." China mumbled more to himself; his hands hovered just over Matthew shoulder.
'I have to stir the pot,' Matthew thought. His head rose, his back became straighter as he drew himself up to his full willowy height (something he hardly ever did). In fact, he was merely a head or less shorter than Russia, he just never showed it off. Matthew looked at China straight in his eyes and cocked his head to the side.
"China, right?" He asked.
With two small words Matthew had given the other what he had wanted for so long. Small tears formed at the corners of his eyes before Yao quickly brushed them away with a red sleeve. He mumbled something about dust in his eyes.
"Y-you," He stuttered out before taking a small breath. "Can see me?"
The Canadian smiled. "Of course I see you."
China cocked his eyebrow "Why now?"
Canada sighed and walked forward away from his overbearing brother. He turned and waited for China to follow before he answered.
"The past should not hinder the future. You should be judged for what you are now, not for your past. I know the best of all what people are prone to do. It should not cloud your vision as it has my brother's," He paused and glanced back and leaned forward towards Yao. "History is just that, history. That's how it should stay."
China only shook his head. "I don't believe you."
Matthew sighed. "Look, I've done many terrible things to my own people. Having done that and lived through it, I don't wish that on anyone. I believe in that and I'll prove it to you, but I also want one thing in return."
"What? Money, power" Yao paused and warily added "or more territory?"
Canada only blinked. "None of that." He whispered as he closed the gap between them.
"Then what?" China asked, his voice suddenly hard.
Canada waved his hands in a large arc. "The magical power of Friendship!" Matthew said with a smile as he brushed by China. Matthew paused for a moment and glanced back at China with a thoughtful hand on his chin. "And maybe with that friendship, both of us can get what we want."
China's eyes widened with disbelief as he watched the Canadian place his bear on the ground and elegantly leapt onto the nearest chair, where he quietly cleared his throat and waited for everyone to turn and look at him. No one turned to even give him a second glance; impishly he turned and grinned at China.
"Eh!" Matthew shouted and stomped his foot on the top of the small chair. It creaked in protest. Everyone turned to look at the mad man who had crashed the meeting. None could place the tall willowy blond with lilac eyes that sparkled madly behind his glasses. They knew he was a nation much like them but didn't know who. For once Canada wasn't bothered by this fact. He had something important to do. He waited patiently with his arms crossed until every pair of eyes was on him.
"Canada, I don't think that's such a good idea," China said only just loud enough for Matthew to hear.
Matthew glanced down to Yao and pushed a finger to the Asian man's lips. Yao blushed at the contact "It's fine, just wait, okay?" Canada winked.
"Mattie! Get down, you'll hurt yourself!" Alfred cried as he pushed his way through the crowd.
"America, it's a chair. I can't possibly hurt myself on a chair. Anyways, I have something more important to say," He cleared his throat again before he continued. "My name is C-A-N-A-D-A." He tapped his chest slowly.
"Yeah birdie, we know who you are!"
Canada arched an eyebrow.
"And I hereby recognize The People's Republic of China as a nation of his own, and as my newest trade partner," Flamboyantly Matthew tipped over the chair and rode it down to land beside China. He clapped the smaller man on the shoulder roughly. "Or you know, China, for short." He called to the crowd.
Everyone blinked as the shadow on the edge of their vision focused and became the red faced nation before them.
"Oh, China, how have you been?" Some asked as they crowded around him.
China leaned back. "Thank you," China whispered as he turned his head to smile at the Canadian, but he was already gone. Shocked, China turned back to the crowd.
"Well," he answered.
Beside the door, Canada smiled. It was well worth the trouble Alfred would give him later. Matthew had given China something the smaller man needed: just a little bit of acknowledgment.