Two words. That's all it took for England and France's shouts to stop grating against Canada's ears while America acted as the mediator. Never mind the fallen purple geraniums and the mud staining the pine floorboards from the now smashed floral vase; his previous guardians and his brother looked in horror at the Canadian seething through his nose and teeth. His wavy blonde hair hid only a fraction of the anger on his face, but the frozen nations could tell he was angry. When the older men finally separated from pulling each other's hair and scratching their faces, France was the first offer an apology.
"I said shut up!" Canada snapped back making the Frenchman wince. "Do you two have any idea how sick and I tired I am of watching and listening to you argue? I invited you two and America here just so we could spend some quality family time together and you can't even be civilized for a whole afternoon!" Canada purposely emphasized on the word 'family'. "You always do this to us! You always fight totally oblivious to the fact that Alfred and I are watching or listening somewhere else! You still haven't learned that it scared the hell out of us when we were kids and it scares us even now!"
"We were going to walk away while you two sorted out your differences but then you did the worst thing that I hate you doing the most! You assumed that we would pick sides so we'd turn against one another! What is this? The battle of the empires again? Because of you two, I speak English and French just to keep both of you happy, and one of you made me fight against my own brother!" He shot daggers in England's direction. His former guardian's pained expression couldn't deny the charges but Canada didn't let up on his verbal onslaught. "If you really want to carry on fighting, do it outside for all I care but don't you ever involve Alfred and myself in hopes of turning us against each other! Couldn't you do that for a whole afternoon? Couldn't you just be nice to each other in front of us until we were gone?" Apart from Canada's breathing, no one and nothing else made a sound. Maybe he did that just to let his words settle in the guilty consciences of France and England before they finally risked speaking.
"I'm sorry Matthieu…"
"I suppose we didn't really think at all…"
Canada locked his gaze to the nations although his violet eyes appeared teary. "If you don't mind, I'd like both of you to leave. I'm done here." He said in a hoarse whisper. France wanted to ask if he was really all right but England placed a hand on the other's shoulder, ushering him to do as the Canadian asked and sauntered through the door leaving both brothers with a quiet click. America stared at the door with a subdued expression for a moment before turning to his shuddering sibling. Canada burst into tears and a sob when his brother wrapped his arms around him. The overwhelming emotions finally took its toll on him. As Canada dug his fingers into the brown bomber jacket he was soaking with his tears, America took in the scent of pancakes his brother baked prior to the argument and wondered if England and France was listening to Canada's cries through the other side of the door.
FIN.