Optimism

Authors Note: Hey there! Ami here, and I just sort of randomly felt like writing this. Every time I read a Canada fic, I always end up thinking how canon-ly he's still ignored, and I wondered how he managed to stay so happy anyways. This is what I came up with.

For as long as he could remember, he'd always been forgotten by the others. Why he was ,was truly beyond him. He wasn't that boring, was he? After all, he'd done quite a bit! He'd helped in Africa, kicked ass (that wasn't just his opinion! Gilbert remember for a reason, dammit!) in WWII, and overall thought he'd done a good job of things to make people aware. Yet, Alfred somehow managed to out do him, and if someone was going to ask Matthew his honest opinion he'd have to say that yes, it bothered him.

It didn't bother him enough to upset him though, not too much. On occasion he'd get a few spurts of depression, but he never, NEVER let it drag him down. Self pity didn't do anyone any good. All have had to remember that he could be recognized if he tried, his Papa, Alfred did, and on occasion others would too. So, why should he sit in a dark corner all alone and loathe himself? He'd seen enough self-loathing from the few people he hung around. So, trust him when he says that being depressed and alone will only result in living in your brothers basement with your million and ten journals, and a drinking problems.

He really should send Gilbert some more maple soon, after all it did bring joy to the world. Perhaps to Alfred too to cheer him up over the whole political turmoil he was going through. The last time he'd seen his brother he'd shouted at him, clearly over worked and stressed as he shook him by the shoulders," MATTIE, I DON'T WANT TO BE A COMMUNIST SOCIALIST FACIST BLOODSUCKER LIKE EUROPE…OR YOU." He'd calmly backed away from the American at that point and left while he went back to rambling.

The reason he managed to stay so upbeat despite everything, was because he wasn't as alone as everyone thought he was. Nations liked to hang around with other nations. Okay, most nations like to hang around other nations. Matthew, due to invisibility, could not hang around most other nations. There was his father if he wasn't busy molesting Arthur, Alfred, Cuba, and Gilbert. He swore that living like this was like high school sometimes. All the cool nations got to hang out, and then the losers didn't get to.

But if the G8 was like high school, living at home was like college. All new people, all new faces, all his people. Matthew loved being at home. To relax at home was the best thing, because he enjoyed being with his people. They were what kept him sane, kept him happy, and kept him from feeling alone. He had some great people too, yes he did. Sure, he shared some of them with Alfred at this point, but there were plenty of his own he had.

It was a sunny summer day, and he'd decided to visit Prince Edwards Island. He had gotten the usual food choice and such when he visited there, before stopping and meeting a bouncy red headed girl named Anne who seemed rather curious about the world. Matt had found her adorable, considering it was 1908 or so, and it wasn't common to see a woman with so much spunk. Apparently her adoptive father, Matthew Cuthbert, and him shared the same name, and she had a enemy named Gilbert Blythe and a best friend named Diana. Anne insisted that she hated anyone with that name, and Matthew simply laughed and said maybe she should reconsider because some people were awesome. She said she liked him, just like she liked her father who was quiet and shy like he was, unlike Marillia, the sister of Matthew Cuthbert. She'd invited him over to Green Gables, where she was staying, but he had to get home and tend to other important things like the rising tensions in Europe. He never quite forgot her…

He didn't understand why it was so wrong to be quiet sometimes, and why no one listened to him. His own people listened at least, and he tried his best to listen back to them whenever he could. If they wanted something, he would give it to them. After all, that was something he understood. He was a servant to the people, and that was what he did; he served them as they served him back.

The blonde sat with the other two, looking distinctly worried for them. "Are you sure it's a good idea? I mean, Alfred's tolerance level is a lot lower than mine, I'm sorry to say…As much as he loves super heroes he's a little scared of the real thing…" Wade looked up and grinned hugely, slapping the smaller form on the back before taking a hefty drink of his beer," Don't worry 'bout it buddy, we're pretty fucking epic and can take shit out. It's not like anything too bad will happen, hm?" Matthew nodded solemnly, really just sad to see two people he'd enjoyed seeing. "Besides bub," Logan nodded," I've already told Striker that I'm part of this country, so I don't owe the other jack shit." That put a smile on Matthews face and he nodded," If something goes wrong…I'm here to protect you as much as you for me." "Nothing will go wrong."

They really made him proud, all those people. Sure, he got picked on a lot for his musicians. Matt wasn't sure why, because his brother was always the one doing it, and he seemed to enjoy denying his love for them even after Canada had caught the others iPod and looked through it. It was the same with his actors, but everyone also seemed to think they were Alfred's. Alfred thought they were his, but they knew better. Matt was allowed to say that Neo was raised with him, in his house, but no one seemed to care; besides the actor who played him and knew where he came from. Matt had never met Keanu, but he'd see him plenty of times, and there were plenty of others he had met.

She'd started out small town, that was something he remembered. Matthew also distinctly remembered playing hockey against her, the team he was on obviously winning. It really wasn't fair for him to play, but hell, he enjoyed playing it too much. There was a bit of shock that it was a girl, despite that he knew there were plenty of girls in hockey. Still, it wasn't until he hung around the small town longer that he got to see the girl perform. Punky, that was what she was, at least so it seemed to him. Loud, out there, demanding, and it made him smile to always see someone who could be like that, but still be from him. He'd gone to the music shop later that night, only to have the hockey-playing musician walk into the shop. She hadn't gotten big then yet, but was still plenty hopeful as she stared up at the guitars. Avril, that's what she's said her name was. She'd pointed at a guitar she was saving for, declaring it was going to be hers. A little bit later she left the shop and he bought the guitar, and left it on the girls doorstep. Later on she'd loose some of that spunk, but he was still proud to see someone succeed.

It always made him smile, these people. He had distinct memories of those that had really made it somewhere, made an influence on the world, but that didn't mean his average citizen wasn't important too. More than once had a normal person stopped when they saw how sad he was, if he was in public, and cheered him up. They were so kind to him! He wasn't going to lie, not everyone was, but he liked to think there was more good than bad.

He was on the west coast, suffering from a bit of jetlag. It was right after a G8 meeting in China, and despite multiple attempts to speak he hadn't been heard. Matthew hung his head and sighed quietly as he sat alone at a table. He rested his head on the table top, muttering quietly to himself that,"Eventually someone else will notice the polar caps…Kumajari, poor Kumajiri…." Canada blinked and sat up as he felt a tap on his back, looking up at a smiling girl with dark hair and dark eyes, clearly of one of the asian countries decent, like many on the west. "A-ah, hello," he looked confusedly," do you want this table? I could move." She just shook her head and sat down next to him," You aren't looking alright. Need some help?" A small smile played on his face," I'm alright, thank you." "Are you sure?" She said, looking a bit hesitant herself for a moment," I'm just waiting for friends; I'm Melissa by the way." "If it would be too much, I'd just like someone to talk to," Matt said with a sad smile," I'm Matthew." The girl was able to stay for another half hour or so, before her friends showed up. By that time Matthew was smiling, kind people tended to do that. Even after that he was invited to hang out with them. Too kind.

It was all that kindness he thought of when he was feeling down. So when Alfred didn't burst in and demand a game of baseball (in other words, "lets torture Matthew ball"), his father didn't feel like causing trouble in Quebec, the Prussian didn't want pancakes, or Yong-Soo wanted to molest China, he could go out and see people. People who didn't scream and shout recklessly like his fellow nations, who could be rational, didn't get themselves into trouble, and also couldn't get away with sexual molestation without charges….

Matthew laughed lightly, cutting into the cake and handing out pieces. He sort of loved how utterly lost Alfred looked, the only nation to make it. He must have assumed that no one else would be here, everyone else must have forgotten. "Who are all these people?" He asked his brother once he managed to talk to him alone. Matt grinned lightly," They're my heart."

I had one review saying they were confused, so I figured it'd be nice to explain to you who they all are, since this is sort of a cross over with all things Canadian. I'll go by Italics. I'll admit, I like making people confused sometimes. ^ ^; Sorry.

1. Just Matthews thoughts at the moments, to note that he still does think and care for the other nations. He hasn't totally disregarded them.

2. Anne from Anne of Green Gables. I went to visit Prince Edward island and this girl seemed to be EVERYWHERE. It's like the islands representative book.

3. Wade Wilson (Deadpool) and Logan (Wolverine) from X-men. Blame my friend who's obsessed with them and my re-watching of X-men origins for adding them. They're both actually Canadian for the most part.

4. Avril Lavigne; singer, you guys /should/ know her. I assume this one doesn't need explaining.

5. A little dedication to my good friend who lives up on the west coast of Canada. :) We always rp'd and her character was always so kind to him.