Thanks to everyone who already favorited or added this to their alerts list or something. I can't believe just that first chapter convinced you guys this would be a good story! xD Hopefully you all will enjoy chapter number two as well~
Chapter Pairings: Mention of Prussia x Canada
2. Strangers (Canada)
Canada got overlooked a lot in life. Sometimes people just didn't notice him; sometimes they literally didn't see him. But it was fine, he'd gotten used to it after a while. So the fact that a boy had just run into him, apparently without noticing him at all, wasn't really a surprise. It had happened before, to be honest.
He decided to sit on the cement and wait for the other kid to get up first. Then he would just quietly go on his way, and if he was lucky, never meet this stranger again.
"Urgh, sorry, dude," the kid said, laughing as he did so. Canada just tried to ignore him, waiting patiently for him to move on and forget this incident had ever even happened, like almost any other student at school would. But this kid seemed different: persistent. He wasn't leaving.
"Hey, are you ok?" the stranger asked a moment later, a surprising amount of concern in his voice.
Upon hearing the worry in the boy's voice, Canada looked up at him in surprise. But it was only for a second before he returned to his former position, staring at the ground and hiding his face. He had looked back down so quickly because there was something disturbingly familiar about the face of the boy who'd run into him.
Do I know him? Could he be…? No…
"Matthew!" the boy suddenly gasped, and Canada snapped his head back up to meet his eyes again.
He knows my first name! I was right, I do know him! Canada spied an American flag on his blazer and made the connection at once, a jolt passing through his system.
"A-Alfred?" he replied shakily, hardly daring to believe it.
"Oh my God, it is you!" America shouted, and before he knew what was happening Canada found himself being squeezed in an excited, and very tight, embrace from his big brother. He was still sprawled out on the ground, and America was practically sitting on top of him in order to give him the hug. The whole thing was decidedly uncomfortable from his point of view, physically, but also emotionally.
I haven't seen Al for almost six years, he thought as America finally released him and then helped him to his feet. He brushed off his khaki pants slowly, being cautious and waiting to see what America would do. He for one wasn't sure how to act in what he considered to be a rather awkward reunion.
"Bro, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you at first! But the last time I saw you, you were even smaller and scrawnier than you are now!" America laughed loudly, causing some of the guys walking by to stare at the two of them. Canada shrunk further down into himself, unused to being paid attention to. America didn't seem to notice the others, though. He slapped Canada on the back cheerfully, causing him to lose his balance and he was forced to take a step to keep from falling over again.
America ignored Canada's near fall. "Dude, this is amazing, that we're both at this school, doncha think?"
"Uh, I guess so…"
"We have to hang out. Hey, why don't you come check out my dorm with me right now?"
"Um, well…"
"Great! Let's go!" America grabbed Canada's slim wrist in a grasp much too firm for him to break free from and began pulling him away.
Canada was forcefully dragged across the school grounds towards the dorms, almost tripping as he tried to keep up with America's long, sure stride. He didn't really want to hang out with America right now, but he wasn't being given much of a choice.
They finally reached America's room. As America dug in his pocket for the key and then unlocked the door, Canada looked his older brother up and down and heaved a quiet sigh when he thought about their childhood and also remembered the last time they'd seen each other.
They were born only about ten months apart. And because of the cut-off date of the school systems where they lived, they were put into the same class in elementary school. It had been great, to have his sibling in class with him, and he'd been a happy kid. That is, before the divorce.
When America was six and Canada was a proud 'five-and-three-quarters', their parents' marriage began to dissolve. Well, 'dissolve' was the word his mother always used when she explained it to Canada in the following years, but to the young boys it had seemed more like an implosion.
Canada didn't really remember all that much of his life with his brother and both his parents. But he could recall with perfect clarity the arguments and then the 'move', as they called it at home. Just before his sixth birthday, his mother had taken him and they left, without even a goodbye. It was never explained to him; parents rarely feel that young children deserve to understand. At the time he supposed it was just one of those things that happened in life. The next thing he really remembered was celebrating turning six years old in their new house, in Canada, and that his big brother couldn't come for the party. He remembered crying at the time.
But that was a long time ago. The next time they'd seen each other was also the last. More than five years ago, Canada had visited his father and brother for a slightly belated Christmas celebration, staying at their house for a few days. He had gone alone; Mom hadn't wanted to come. And after his trip, discussion of visiting his family in the States all but ended at home. It made his mother upset whenever it was brought up, and the visit had been awkward for Canada, to say the least, so he never mentioned it.
So why is Alfred acting so casually now? he wondered as he followed America into the dark room. And why am just going along with it?
"Wow, this is like, awesome!" America exclaimed upon turning on the light. Canada glanced around; a couple beds and a couple desks, the exact same as his room. A door to the side opened up to the bathroom (shared with your neighbors), and food was served in the cafeteria.
There was an open suitcase next to one of the beds in the room, one that looked as though it had been used last night. The other was still pristine and perfect.
"I know we were supposed to come yesterday, but I ended up driving instead of flying here and I got into town too late," America explained, dropping his schoolbag on the neatly made bed and immediately wrinkling the covers.
"You drove? Do you and Dad still live in New York?" Canada asked, grateful for something to talk about. The school was located in Massachusetts, so he figured they must live somewhere fairly close by.
"Oh, yeah. Same house as always."
They fell into an awkward silence and Canada wished desperately that he was anywhere but there. America was just fiddling with a buckle on his bag, looking around his room excitedly. His gaze seemed to pass right over Canada without seeing him.
It's like he forgot that I'm here. Oh well, nothing new there.
"W-Who's your roommate?" he eventually forced himself to ask.
"Hm? Oh, hold on a sec." America rummaged through some papers from his bag and pulled out a rather sorry looking, crumpled little slip eventually. "Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. Know him?"
Yes, Canada knew him. Everybody knew each other at this school. "Yeah. He's from Spain."
"Oh, Spain! I think he was in my chemistry class!"
Canada shrugged, not sure how he was supposed to respond, exactly. This is so awkward…we don't know each other at all and I doubt we have much in common. I wish I really was invisible…
"So, Matthew," America said after a while, as he sunk into the chair at his desk. The mischievous gleam in his eye made Canada shift his weight from foot to foot in discomfort. "What's the girl situation like in town?"
Canada's heart practically stopped beating for some ten seconds before it went into overdrive, pounding seemingly somewhere up in his head, by his temples. He blushed and avoided meeting America's eye. "Uh…I d-don't r-really know…" He heard the slight stutter in his voice and hated himself for it. Why can't I ever just keep calm and cool? Why does it have to be so obvious when I'm uncomfortable?
"What, haven't you got yourself a girlfriend?"
"No!" Canada shook his head a little too quickly, sending the single curl that always separated itself from the rest of his hair flying violently from side to side. I can't tell him the truth; I'm not ready for it! I will…eventually, but right now…things are awkward enough. We're still practically strangers.
"Really? Come on, man, we share DNA, I bet you're a real lady killer behind that 'quiet guy' exterior!" Canada couldn't tell if he was being made fun of or if America was dumb enough to be truly serious about his comment. Either way, he hated the way this discussion was going.
"No, not really," Canada tried to laugh it off, and prayed that America didn't notice how nervous he was.
"Yeah. Well, it's hard when you go to an all boy school, right?"
Canada made some sort of indistinct, semi-affirmative noise that seemed to satisfy his brother, who went on to hold a mostly one-sided conversation. Canada didn't really have much to add, and he was still shaken up by the uncomfortable territory their previous exchange had entered so unexpectedly. He was thankful when America's roommate, Spain, showed up and he was able to make his escape.
I think they'll get along well…he thought, somewhat amusedly, as he listened to the two of them talking excitedly to each other, both at the same time. He quietly slipped out of the room, confident that they wouldn't miss him even if they noticed his absence. Which he doubted they would.
The small grin that was on his face as he silently shut the door was slowly replaced by a worried expression as he caught sight of a familiar white-haired boy walking in his direction.
"Hey, Birdie! How was your first day?" Prussia asked as he approached him, calling him by his pet name.
"Oh, it was fine," Canada replied weakly. Prussia threw an arm around his shoulders and started to chat cheerfully as he escorted Canada down the hall, in the direction of both of their rooms. Canada smiled at the boy by his side, but inside his stomach was still churning with anxiety.
I wonder how Al will take it when I tell him about my…boyfriend.
BWAHAHA, personally, I like the end of this one! :D Don't fret, this will be going places…good places, I hope!
Oh, just so you all know, I chose about half of the roommates based on pairings or because it was necessary for some future chapter, but the other half were just randomly chosen. So don't worry, I'm not about to start doing some America x Spain or something. xD
Thanks for reading! I love my readers, seriously. Thanks for theticktalks for…being patient when I know she has every right not to be. xD
