song belongs to Lemonade Mouth
The young, silver-haired boy knelt in the snow, building a castle with his bare hands, which were red from the cold.
He hummed a soft tune to himself, perfectly content with being alone, as this was the usual for him.
He hadn't seen another person in…how long, exactly? Well, it didn't matter.
After a while, he heard an unfamiliar noise, and looked up to see someone coming towards him.
He scrambled up, starting to run in the opposite direction, but tripped, falling down into the snow.
The young violet eyed blonde was immediately at his side helping him up.
When the other was up, the other saw the cuts and bruises on his face and hands. He also saw that his glasses were broken and one was missing a lens.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he said in a quiet, shy voice.
The Icelandic boy shivered and whimpered.
"Y-You won't?" He asked in his soft but subtle voice.
The person he saw looked nice enough for him to trust, plus he was getting pretty cold with the snow blizzard casting over.
He dusted himself off and looked up at him. "I-I'm Emil," he stuttered.
"I won't, I promise," the bruised Canadian said. He smiled at the other. "I'm Matthew," he stated.
Emil looked up again at him before hugging him.
"T-Thank you. Mummy left me...while ago..." He said as the small puffin flew over on to his shoulder.
Matthew flinched when Emil hugged him; obviously he was hurt, but nonetheless surprised by the random hug.
"No problem," he replied. "I was given to Arthur Kirkland during the Seven Years war and Francis never came back even though he has the chance to."
"Mister Denmark and big brother Norway are fighting for me..." He said, looking down.
"But that was a long time ago..." He stated shrugging his shoulders and looked up at him hugging gently.
"Why didn't you hurt me?" He asked. Personally, he was afraid of everything.
"I see," he said and tilted his head slightly.
"Personally, I don't really like fighting or hurting others." What he said he meant and nothing was going to change that.
"Thank you for not hurting me like all the other people tried…but I have gotten hurt..." He stated pulling out his red hands that were frozen and bloody.
Emil looked up at the night sky as the Aurora Borealis showed itself. His eyes filled with wonder. "Those lights are so pretty..." He said in awe
"I've been hurt as well," he said and showed the cuts on his hands and pointed to the cuts and bruises on his face, not to mention his broken glasses with the missing lens.
Matthew looked up as well. "Yeah."
Emil took his hands and kissed them.
"Are you going home? Will you be back tomorrow? Or not? I can wait. But if you don't I'll know you don't want to be my friend," He said rather quickly but you could still make out the words.
Almost immediately, Matthew looked at Emil when he said that.
"Of course I'll be back tomorrow," He smiled widely and warmly, despite the cold.
Matthew placed his hands on the others' shoulders and enveloped him in a hug.
Emil's smile brightened as he hugged back.
"You will? That's great! I've never had a friend!" He said sitting in the snow happily; despite that he was freezing it didn't convert into his mind.
He was only worried that Matthew made it home safely. "Have a nice trip home! Make sure to drink lots of warm stuff! Don't get hurt!" He said playing in the snow with his almost purple hands.
He nodded and said, "I'll be sure to. See you tomorrow Emil."
With that, he turned and walked away. His first friend! Matthew ended up skipping home.
Emil waved and lean against a tree.
"Bye Bye. I hope you're not lying, I don't wanna be alone..." He said to himself, getting up he picked some berries.
"Mmm Berries..." He said eating them with a frown.
"I wonder what real food taste like..." He sighed and lied down in the snow, his clothes getting soaked again.
The Icelandic shivered and shook but eventually fell asleep.
The following day, the Canadian showed up like promised only he's carrying a box with him.
By the looks of things, his glasses have been repaired, his cuts are gone and all that's left of his injuries is the bruises.
"Emil!" Matthew called out.
Emil shot up shakily and ran to him hugging the Canadian.
"Y-Your here!" He said, cold.
Matthew was so warm, and he was an icicle.
"D-Did you stay warm like I said?" He asked looking at the box.
His almost purple fingers shakily ran across the box
Matthew nodded and smiled.
"I got you something," he said and opened the box, revealing a scarf and a pair of gloves, both of which look warm.
"You looked cold yesterday so I got these for you."
Emil looked up at him surprised.
"T-Thank you," he said half amazed and half still shaking from the cold.
He looked into the box at the gloves and scarf.
"C-Can I put it on?" He asked shyly.
"Go ahead," was Matthew's answer.
"Why else would I have gotten them?"
Emil took the gloves out and put them on his hands adapting to the warmth of them.
In all his four years, he had never had an act of kindness like this.
"T-Thank you so much..." he said wrapping the scarf around him.
He smiled.
"I-I know it's cold so you can go warm up while I wait" He said sitting down in the snow with a cold plop.
He shivered while he slowly got used to the numb feeling.
Reaching into his pockets, Matthew pulls out his own pair of gloves and puts them on.
He smiles at Emil.
Emil looked at him curious.
"Well aren't you going to warm up? It's so cold outside, you should."
He nodded at him frantically, not wanting anything to happen to his first friend.
He didn't really want to leave his new friend so he sat next to him
Emil looked at him and smiled.
"I'm only 6 I know you don't wanna play with me," He said rubbing his hands together and coughing viciously in his arm
"I'm 11 and honestly, I don't really care. I like you," Matthew said.
When Emil started coughing, he has a look of concern.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
Emil nodded and stopped himself from coughing anymore, but another came back.
"Y-Yeah! What's it like to be in a house?" He asked curious, he had really never been in a house.
Only left out here to rot and die, he was surprised he hadn't died yet from the cold.
"I can show you if you want," he offers. After all, it looks like his friend doesn't have a house to live in.
"My house isn't that big but I like it."
Emil smiled brightly and nodded.
"Y-You don't have to, I don't want to cause you trouble..." He said pushing his face into his knees and coughing again so his body was being jerked around.
"I don't mind," Matthew said and placed a hand on Emil's shoulder.
"You're my friend and I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
Emil coughed again into his arms.
Looks like the cold was finally catching up to him.
"D-Do you have a dad or a brother?" he asked him as he walked along.
"France is my big brother but he hasn't come to get me after giving me to Britain during the 7 year war," Matthew said with a saddened voice.
"It hurts knowing that he won't be there. In a way, Britain is like my brother."
"I'm sorry Matthew," He said quietly.
His face was red and cold from the snow and cold.
It looked at his some snowman came to life that was him.
He shivered at the gust of wind.
"I wonder when Big Brother Norway will come back," He said looking up and wiping his cut hands on his jacket.
Matthew shook the feeling away and grabbed Emil's hand, standing him up and bringing the Icelander with him.
"Come on!"
Emil nodded and carried himself as fast as he could go on his little legs.
"Cold" He said as the wind picked up on him hitting him in the face.
4 years, shouldn't he be used to this?
When the two got to Matthew's house, it ended up that Matthew had carried him on his back part of the way.
Opening the door, Matthew walked in carrying Emil on his back.
That was when he heard a voice.
"Matthew, is that you?"
"Yes Britain, I'm here. I brought a friend home with me...if that's ok with you."
The owner of the voice came out and saw the 11 year old Canadian carrying the 6 year old Icelander on his back.
Emil's shyness kicked in as he looked around.
"A house..." He said snuggling into the Canadian's back It was warm in here.
Actually warm, too bad he would have to go back to that place to wait for Norway to come.
He'll come right?
He shook his head and got down getting by the door in case the British voice said 'No.'
"H-Hi" He said shakily.
The Brit smiled at Emil.
"Hello there. You must be Emil. Matthew's told me about you."
He seemed nice, like Matthew.
Emil nodded and shyly held out his hand out.
"Y-Yeah," he stated after letting his freezing, small hand touch the large Brit's while on his tippy-toes.
He immediately got back to the door.
"This is Britain, the one France gave me to," Matthew said.
Britain nodded.
"H-Hi. I'm Emil, I can leave!
"I've just never been in a house before a-and I wanted to see one, T-Then I told Matthew to go home and warm up while I waited but he stayed...and talked to me...I'm only 6 why doesn't he play with others..." He battered on.
Adults. How long has it been since he saw one?
"Matthew has always been the one to put the needs of others over his own needs," Britain said after listening to Emil's story.
"It comes naturally to him."
The Canadian smiled and rubbed the back of his head.
Emil nodded and smiled.
"He is nice. He promised he would see me and he did," he said looking around.
The numb wet feeling was finally starting to go away.
Now he didn't have to worry about being cold anymore.
Or at least...until he went back.
The Icelandic sighed and hugged himself with the scarf.
"O-Oh!" He said handing back the scarf.
"H-Here Matthew. I forgot to give this back to you," He said holding it out
"Keep it. I had gotten it for you anyway," Matthew said with a smile.
"B-But you'll need it" Emil said looking down at it then back up at him.
He stopped for a minute coughing fiercely into his arms again.
Matthew pulls back his jacket and shows he already has a scarf.
"I already have one," he said.
The same look of concern from earlier appeared on his face again when Emil starts coughing again.
"Are you sure you're alright?" The Canadian asked.
Emil nodded still coughing into his arm.
"Y-You know I might want to get going before I get anyone else this cough," He said coughing deeply into his scarf.
His throat hurt, he was freezing, and his legs were wobbly, but he could make it back to his snow cap...and sleep in the snow again...
"You know, going back out into the cold isn't such a good idea," Britain said.
"You should stay inside until it passes."
Emil nodded.
"I know...but I've been there for four years. Plus Norway said he would come back for me! He promised," Emil said shrugging and let another coughing fit escape him as he opened the door.
Matthew and Britain looked at each other before looking at Emil.
It was then that Matthew started singing, Britain joining in at one point.
[Canada]
I can't pretend
To know how you feel
But know that I'm here
Know that I'm real
[Britain]
Say what you want
Or don't talk at all
[Canada]
I'm not gonna let you fall
Reach for my hand
'Cause it's held out for you
My shoulders are small
But you can cry on them too
Everything changes
But one thing is true
Understand
We'll always be more than a band
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
You used to brave the world
All on your own
Now we won't let you go, go it alone
[Britain]
Be who you wanna be
Always stand tall
[Both]
Not gonna let you fall
Reach for my hand
'Cause it's held out for you
My shoulders are strong
But you can cry on them too
Everything changes
But one thing is true
Understand
We'll always be more than a band
[Canada]
I never knew you could take me so far
I've always wanted to hope that you are the ones I need
[Both]
Reach for my hand
'Cause it's held out for you
My shoulders are strong
But you can cry on them too (cry on them too)
Everything changes
But one thing is true
Understand
We'll always be more than a band
[Canada]
Reach for my hand
'Cause it's held out for you
My shoulders are strong
But you can cry on them too
Everything changes
But one thing is true
Understand
We'll always be more than a band
"I like your song Matthew. It was cute," He said smiling.
Emil looked up at him.
"Why would you sing to me?" He asked looking at the snow.
"Because, times change...and so do people," came Matthew's response.
"Norway might've broken his promise in the four years he's been gone," Britain said.
Emil looked down.
"He said he wouldn't...so he doesn't love me anymore..." Emil said, letting his eyes gleam.
Matthew walked to Emil and hugged him.
"You still have me."
Emil nodded and sniffled.
"So you'll visit me?" He asked.
"Every day," Matthew promised.
Emil's face brightened.
"Thank you! I'll make it up to you! I promise I will!" He said nodding.
Matthew smiled.
"I have no doubt you will Emil," He said.
"Now, you should probably stay inside for a while so you can get rid of your cough," Britain said.
"Right! So I can get warm and maybe I will fall asleep without freezing! But where?" he asked.
"I don't have a home..." he said looking at Britain with wide eyes.
Smiling, Britain said, "I know of a place you could stay."
Matthew's eyes widened and he looked at Britain.
"Here?" The small Canadian asked.
Britain nodded and said, "Yes Matthew, here."
Emil looked up, "Why? I'm nothing special...and I don't want to bother anyone..." he said shrugging.
"I'm used to the cold! Don't worry," He added smiling.
"You're my best friend Emil. You're everything!" Matthew said. Britain ruffled Emil's hair saying, "You wouldn't be a bother."