Their borders touched. Everyone knows that. Everyone knows that they have the longest undefended border in the world, that their militaries are tied, that they support each other even if the other doesn't approve. Everyone knows that about America and Canada. But they don't know what Alfred and Matthew feel. They feel the border every second of every day and love the weekends solely for chance to curl up in bed border to border and lay there for the better part of the weekend. They don't know how had Alfred fought to get Alaska just to keep the 'damned commie' away from his brother, his lover, his other half. And no one knows the pain Matthew went through during 9/11. Not just from sudden inflation of people pouring into his country, but from the severed mental connection from Alfred. He nearly collapsed in hysterics many times when Alfred's bosses were discussing closing the border between them. It got so bad that Ontario took over the role Canada normal filled and made his father go see Alfred. Alfred was still unconscious and remained so a week after the attack. Matthew has no memory of most of this, all he remembered was the pain and the fear and finally the relief when Alfred woke up. The two are each other's best friend and closest confidant, and the only thing the two will not speak of to each other or really anyone else is the war of 1812. They think about though, they really couldn't forget with the huge burn scars over the heart. Alfred hates touching anyone but Matthew, it's why he wears his jacket and gloves as much as possible. Matthew uses Kumajirou as a protective barrier for people touching him, but they mostly leave him alone as Alfred monopolizes his time and the two almost never speak to anyone else at meetings unless they are up at the podium. And when they finish talking they slip back into their shared chair with a contented sigh and curl up together for the rest of the meeting. The other nations have grown accustomed to this and figure it's a twin thing as Lovino and Feliciano both do the same thing. Of course no one realizes it's because they can't bear being away from each other and only feel safe when they touch. The two are forever and day. They are Alfred and Matthew, intertwined humans with touching souls. They are also America and Canada, intertwined nations with touching borders.