"Family members," Norway had told her very severally, "Help one another. Family members should not feel bad about asking help from one another."
"Then why is it that you threw your cup at Denmark with a: 'Go and fill your own glass yourself' a few days ago?" Canada had teased, finding that this side of hers was allowed to exist.
"That is different, that is Denmark being lazy. Don't spoil him too much, Vinland." Norway warned, only to have her point out: "He spoils me more, oniichan."
"The main point is, I am your elder brother so I am your family. Therefore, if you ever have any problems, you should tell me and you should never feel bad about telling me. Nor should you ever feel that I might be too busy." Norway finished. "Remember that, Vinland."
And now, Canada thought, it seems a good idea to put this theory to test. Taking a deep breath she dialled the number.
"Oniichan," She said softly. "Can I come over and stay with you for a few days? No, it is not because America or England did anything. And no, it is not because of Denmark. I just…I just want to stay with you for a while."
Norway's reply was telling her that he would pick her up at the airport.
"No I don't want to – " Canada began, but was interrupted by Norway.
"What did I say about family? You refusing my help is actually making me feel bad because I want to do those things for you."
At this, Canada had to smile and agree. However, she had a bad feeling that Norway was going to be a bit angry at the fact that she did not immediately accept his offer.
She was completely right.
"…oniichan, are you that angry at me?" Canada finally asked after a while, realising that Norway's silence was not due to him not having anything to say, but because he was deliberately not saying anything.
"Of course I am." Norway said angrily. "Despite how ill you are, you actually intended to come to my house without asking for my help."
"I am not that ill." Canada protested.
"Vinland, I know that I am over protective at times but I think even Ice would agree with me about this."
"I am still taking time to get used to all this." Canada said softly. "It is not going to happen that fast."
For someone who was used to rejection and departure for so long, being the centre of attention and being pampered was rather surreal.
"But at least you called me when you got sick." Norway said as a way of truce.
"I don't really want to be alone." Canada whispered. "I know that it is silly but when I get sick, I start to get depressed."
And think about all the memories that made her sad- when France gave her to England, when America left to fight England and hurt her people.
"I thought about ringing Denmark but I decided to ring oniichan instead."
Perhaps she was thinking too much or perhaps it was the result of her illness, but she almost felt that Norway looked a bit smug.
Norway looking smug? Surly this was not possible.
"You can stay as long as you want." Norway offered. "And my house is your house. Use and take whatever you want."
Staying at Norway's home turned out to be a very good idea because her fever actually worsened. She was barely able to leave her bed and if she was alone, she might not have eaten anything.
A few days later, however, she was well enough to leave her bed, although the protective elder brother was naturally a bit more paranoid. However, she argued that she no longer slept so much and was growing a bit bored.
"I want to go to oniichan's library." She pointed out.
He did have a rather impressive library that began since his early Viking days, and since he was the one who liked reading the most, the other Nordic nations gave him many books, letting him have an impressive collection. He did have some French and English books, so he naturally took Canada to that part of the library.
"Oniichan…wouldn't this be papa's?" Canada said as she gestured to one of his older manuscripts, which became his from his Viking days.
This really meant that it became his possession by force.
"Might have been." He gave a careless shrug. "It happened too long ago."
"But oniichan, they would still be papa's and England's." Canada pointed out.
"They have stuff that they took from other countries as well." Norway said, and this was true.
After making sure that she was settled near the fire, he left the library. As soon as he did, Canada got up and took a book that she has seen earlier, but did not let Norway know that she was interested in.
It was a guide to the runic alphabet.
Perhaps she could finally finish her secret project.
Entering the library sometimes later, Norway found Canada asleep, her opened book having fallen to the floor. Smiling the rare smile that he only showed to his two younger siblings, he bent down and picked it up, as well as adjusting the blanket that covered her lap.
However, he then noticed that there was a piece of scrap paper by the book.
He was not the type of person who would intrude on other people's privacy, but he felt that he was justified due to the context of the paper.
It was addressed to him.
However, there were two very strange things.
Firstly, it was Noregr instead of Norway.
Secondly, it was in the runic alphabet of the Vikings.
The letters were written very badly as she was clearly still practising, however, he was able to understand what it meant.
His smile actually increased upon reading it.
"To Noregr: thank you for being the best oniichan."
Yes, the next word that she would have asked would have been oniichan. He then began to think of the memories of so long ago…
The gift was a comb since he noticed that her hair was growing long, although he was not sure how successful the gift would be, as it seemed that she did not like braiding her hair, which was the fashion of his people.
However, she did seem to be fond of this present.
"But the drawings are very funny." She gestured.
"Vinland, they are not drawings. They are letters. You write with letters." He explained as he took her hand and traced the same alphabets onto the sands. "These letters say your name."
"What about oniichan's name then?"
He told her that, and she made sure that she remembered the two names. However, it seems that she was not completely interested in writing yet as she decided that she wanted to show him one of the trees that she really like.
When he next visited, he noticed that her hair was still pretty wild, although she did still have the hair comb with her. She first wrote their names on the sand and asked whether she remembered it right.
"I have another word that I want to know. I want to write thank you."
Every time he visited, she would demand a new word. There was a gap between his visits, so he did not recall every word that he had made her learn. If he did, then he might have understood what she was doing.
The comb however, was broken due to an incident and she had been very upset about this. He promised to give her a new one, but that was a promise he did not manage to fulfil.
Therefore,the object that would have reminded her of the name that he called her was gone.
Vinland then forgot her own name ,and she would not have a name until 'Canada' was given to her.
He carefully pocketed the piece of paper before he wrote the following on a fresh new paper.
"This would have been my reply." The words that followed this sentence were written in the same runes that the little girl had asked him about.
"Thank you for being my little sister. You will always be my precious little sister."
Author'sNote: I have been doing a lot of Hetalia fan fictions lately, but this would be my last story for a long time. This is because I was on a two weeks holiday, and I decided to relax during the first week by resting and doing stuff that are like- which included writing fan. However, I have to use the second week to do assignments and classwork. Therefore, I won't be doing that much writing.
However, I wish to thank everyone who has read and review my work- it really encouraged me, especially when Hetalia is a new fandom for me.
Given that Norway used to be a Viking…he probably has took quite a lot of stuff from England and France since that was what the Vikings did. Therefore, I can see him having quite a collection in his house. But as he rightfully said, England and France did their share. Cough cough, the Elgin marble. I don't know why, but for some reason I just feel that Norway would be really bookish (when he is not fighting as a Viking of course). Since he met Canada when he was a Viking, I thought that he would be using the Viking alphabet. the runic alphabet.