Ivan scrolled through the channels and exhaled heavily. He could watch three hours of The Goldbergs dubbed into Russian, but he really didn't feel like it. He sipped a cup of hot chocolate Raivis had brought him; he wished the small, timid nation would sit and watch some TV or chat with him, but Raivis was so nervous around him. He practically shook despite the fact that Ivan always smiled at him and had never hurt or threatened him before. In fact, Ivan rarely even raised his voice to his Baltic underlings.
Ivan was about to shower and head to bed when he heard the doorbell ring. He looked through the peephole of the hotel suite's door and saw a familiar face bearing glasses, dark blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. "Привет, Alfred," he said, opening the door and inviting the other nation in. "Care for some hot chocolate?"
The blue-eyed nation smiled and nodded, standing by Russia as he poured some hot water into a cup and dumping the contents of a hot chocolate packet into it. "Yes, thank you, but…I'm not Alfred."
Ivan turned to face him, his brows raised in confusion, as he stirred the contents of the packet into the cup and handed it to America's doppleganger. "I'm sorry, it's just that you look just like him. What's your name?"
The other nation sipped the hot chocolate and spoke. "I'm Matthew… that is, Canada. I'm Alfred's twin brother. I go to the meetings… but nobody sees me." He frowned and blew at the curl that hung in his face.
Ivan sat on the small hotel room loveseat and patted the spot next to him for Matthew to sit in. He did, and Ivan told him, "I'm sorry about that. Come to think of it, I think I've seen you and been confused because Alfred was there as well. It's nice to meet you officially, Matthew. I guess you know I'm Ivan." He reached out his hand in desperate hopes and was rewarded when Matthew shook it.
"I heard what you said at the meeting today," Matthew explained, "and I felt bad for you because, well, I know what it's like to have no friends. People never even notice me unless they're confusing me for my brother. And, well… I'll be your friend, if you want."
Ivan didn't know what to say. Matthew wanted to be his friend? He trusted him? He felt a burning behind his eyes and sniffled. "Thank you, Matthew. Yes, I do. I've been so… lonely. I miss my sisters, how it used to be when we were children, when we were innocent, and the Baltics are afraid of me, and I didn't have anyone to talk to about it until now."
"Don't worry," Matthew assured him, "a lot of nations might be afraid of you, but I know you're not that bad. I always thought Russia was a pretty cool country."
"Thanks," said Ivan, smiling, "Canada sounds nice as well, I should go see it someday."
Matthew's eyes lit up like a kid's on Christmas, and Ivan could tell that no one had really expressed an interest in his country before. The smile Ivan was able to put on his face warmed his heart. For once, he was able to look beyond his loneliness and his painful past, and truly enjoy just sitting down with a cup of hot chocolate and just talking to someone.
"So," Ivan piped up after they had both drank some chocolate, "have you ever tried blini, Matthew?"
"No, I haven't, what is it?"
"It's our pancakes in Russia," Ivan replied proudly, thinking he'd love some blini right about now.
"Pancakes?" Matthew jumped up in delight. "I love pancakes, they're only my favorite food ever!"
And with that, the Russian and the Canadian became best friends.