Summary: When a woman confronts Canada about his life, he decides to recount to her his past and to trust her with some of his life's secrets, starting at the beginning... He weaves a tale of being passed from country to country; happy years spent with his Papa Francis before being whisked away by a frightening Englishman who initially terrifies him, but whom he eventually grows to care for, as well as meeting the annoying but good-hearted twin brother he never thought he had.
(More or less goes through the entirety of Canada's history until modern times, but mostly the most important/historically prominent events. I'm not superhuman, and can't cover ever single detail, but I will do my best to get the general gist of things across with major points.)
Rating: T
Pairings: Some historical Ukraine/Canada. Not the main focus, but there all the same.
AN: A foreword note, everyone! I'm not dropping TPoW. The next chapter is being written right now. I've just been having some writer's block, and decided to walk away from it for a bit to work on something else. Just a little break, I promise.
On another note, the first chapter of this will be written in a limited/character-specific 3rd person point of view, and the rest will be written in 1st person story-telling/retrospective PoV. Canada is the narrator. This is his story.
Prologue
Jessica Muller's neighbor intrigued her.
Mathew Williams was a kind and gentlemanly young bachelor, not bad looking either. Blond hair that was long, but not obnoxiously so. Blue eyes framed in glasses that had a purple hue to them, like a sky bathed in sunset.
She didn't know what his career was, or how exactly he made his living, though her husband told her that he'd heard he worked in government and politics. Probably only a minor role, because Jessica had never heard his name before. It seemed like he was always absent, packing up and going on trips to do who-knows-what. It must've been related to his job in some way.
When she'd first moved onto this street, she hadn't thought much of him. Yes, he'd made a good impression, but he hadn't exactly stood out. He'd dropped by to give her a welcoming gift like a good neighbor ought to. Some maple syrup, treats for her children. He'd seemed nice enough. Quiet, though. Yes, Matthew Williams, her neighbor, was very quiet. That was indisputable.
Sometimes it felt like she hardly noticed him. The blond-haired man just seemed to blend into the background, not on her mind but there nonetheless. He seemed to be the backbone of the entire neighborhood, silent, supportive, and sturdy. She'd see him mowing the lawn, shovelling driveways, or petting that large, strange-looking white dog of his. The children would come running into the house, excitedly telling her how "Mr. Williams" had helped them build a snowman in his front yard. The children adored him.
Jessica could remember one day in January. Her youngest son, Todd, had slipped on some ice in the midst of his play-making and foolery with his older siblings. The boy had burst into tears, clutching his bottom and his knee, displaying the typical behavior of children after such incidents. Williams had come to Todd before Jessica could, picked him up and told him that it was okay, "everyone slipped during the winter once in a while". Then he'd sent Todd on his way, who'd promptly returned to his mother, boasting of his injury and toughness.
Then there was that time in June, when Sarah had scuffed her knee. In a similar fashion, Williams had appeared almost out of nowhere, swooping into action to clean the cut and pop on a Band-Aid. Jessica hadn't even known Sarah had hurt herself, and although it was only a minor scratch, she appreciated the gesture.
But there was a sort of sadness about Matthew Williams. Deeply buried, hard to pick up on. It was only after her first year of living on this street that Jessica even picked up on it. And it seemed to get worse. It got to the point that Jessica, barely more than an acquaintance to him, was starting to get concerned.
So one day, Jessica Muller asked to speak with him. She was a therapist by trade, and although it was extremely awkward, offered the man a private session. God knew he needed it. Williams had declined politely the first, but when the subject was brought up for the second time, he finally conceded. A talk would do him good.
And that was how Jessica Muller found herself in Matthew William's home, asking him to open up about his life. Her husband, Andrew, was home from work and watching the kids. He knew where she was, what she was trying to do for Matthew, and he approved. Williams and Andrew were friends.
"Open up. Start from the beginning," she said, crossing her legs and adjusting her skirt on the loveseat. Matthew was on the coach across from her, looking out the large, open front window and the wintery view it showed. It was December, and if there weren't any sudden drops in temperature, it looked like they would have a beautiful white Christmas this year.
He sighed, staring broodingly out the window, his breath making fog appear on the glass. For a moment he was silent, then he turned to stare at her with his purple eyes wary and shielded.
"...You can keep a secret, can't you Jessica? Can you take an oath to keep all that you may hear from me locked in your heart, never to be released at any time? Even until death?" his serious tone frightened Jessica, but after a minute's deliberation, she nodded fervently.
"I promise," she whispered.
Matthew's gaze immediately softened, but there was still a distant kind of look to his eyes, a strange mix of melancholy and reminiscing... as if he was recollecting memories both painful and pleasant.
"...We rarely... trust humans with... such things," he murmured to himself, so quiet that Jessica had to strain to hear him. His words and manner confused her. Matthew didn't seem to be aware he was speaking aloud. He spoke of humans as if the term didn't apply to him, and something inside Jessica seemed to agree with this... believing that it was possible. For some reason, it seemed to fit.
"We don't even interact with them that much," he added, musing aloud. "Well, we do... they are connected to us after all... but we still keep our distance mentally, hiding away our true thoughts... Once Arthur told me that he lived many years in his pirating days on a pirate ship with his own crew composed of normal people, which he got rather close to and fond of... I always loved his stories about sailing on the sea, looking for adventure with his crew..."
Now Jessica was thoroughly bemused. Arthur? Who was he? Pirating days? But the golden age of piracy was hundreds of years ago...? Her scattered thoughts ricocheted throughout her head, causing Jessica to shake her head and give Matthew a blank look. After a second, he looked up apologetically.
"I'm sorry, I was rambling wasn't I?" he said in sheepish realization, rubbing the back of his neck. "I haven't done that in ages, but I guess I was just thinking about the past. Anyways, on to the story... That is, if you're ready for it." Suddenly the young man was serious again, his purple-blue eyes turning icy and piercing her face, probing and boring into her very soul.
Jessica nodded eagerly. "I am," she said, finally speaking again. "You don't need to worry about protecting me, and I promise to keep it all to myself, cross my heart." The spoken promise was sincere.
Matthew smiled, the brief bright flash of his teeth causing Jessica's knees to tremble and wobble just a tiny bit.
"Alright then. I'm warning you, though, it's a long tale... It starts with the snow..."
Author's Note:
This first chapter is really short, and really isn't even a chapter at all. It's a prologue. Next chap we delve into some actual history. Are you ready for the ride? I am! I'm so excited!
You don't really need to worry about Jessica Muller. She's flat and unimportant, and won't appear again until the very end of the fic.
Please Review!
