Author Notes: To tell the truth, I wasn't expecting to work on the next prompt so quickly, but I've been dead as far as any other story goes and when I decided to look at the next prompt, I discovered "December" so heh, better write it now since it is December, if only barely. I just recently finished watching Angel Beats (for the second time) with my mom this time. I blame that for the sad subject. Oh, and this one is not connected to the One Month series; you may also notice that they are nations but they are a bit more mature than what I've written as of yet. I don't know. The atmosphere felt right to stray from the hetalia – based hilarity. This is a different spin on Prussia and Canada meeting each other, a different, sadder spin to be honest.
-The song lyrics are from the Angel Beats ending them "Brave Song"
~!~
You Belong to Me
Prompt 7: "December"
~!~
Itsumo hitori de aruiteta
(I've always walked alone)
Furikaeru to minna wa tooku
(When I turned around, everyone was far away)
Soredemo atashi wa aruita
(Even so, I walked on)
Sore ga tsuyosa datta
(That's what it was to be strong)
~!~
Canada sighed as he sat on the outskirts of the party once more. Even in all the years, nothing had changed. He was still far away and apart from the other major nations of the world. Not through any fault of his own. They refused to take him seriously, even his own brother. For no good reason. If he were more prone to gaining offense at such slights, he might have thrown a tantrum like America and insisted on being noticed as the great and powerful nation he knew he was, whether the rest of the world could see him or not.
But he was not going to drop bombs or threaten other powers that be just so he could hold the spotlight. He was Canada, not America. Content with being in the background. Not entirely accepting of it, but content at the very least.
So, he sat on the outskirts sipping from his champagne as the other nations bantered and drank and made a general ruckus on this otherwise quiet New Years Eve. The tablecloth was red, fitting for him, even though others were white and blue. America insisted on throwing his colors every party, whether or not it was his birthday party. America, America, America everywhere, but he could take the red and pretend it was meant for him. A table in the back, shaded and hidden almost by the large, billowing curtains of the nearby windows. Perfect for the forgotten nation to sit and watch the others in their games.
Content. Not satisfied, not particularly happy. He sipped from his wine glass and eyed the others as they went about their night. His diplomacy skills should raise ever higher with all the observation he was allowed. There was at least some good to come out of the party extravagances put on by his brother.
While his gaze was fixed elsewhere, a chair opposite of his own was pulled out to allow another body to sit at his table. The sensation of someone watching him, more than any sound of a chair moving, brought Canada's view to the unknown intruder. A second glass of wine, half empty, rested in the incredibly pale fingertips of his new table mate. Though this new companion did not sip his beverage or speak a word. He merely watched as Canada watched, red eyes staring beyond the rim of his glass, beyond the fake sparkler centerpiece.
When the silence stretched on, he took it upon himself to raise an eyebrow and question this stranger. "Well are you going to introduce yourself or not?"
The man jolted in his seat. "Excuse me?"
"Oh, stop," Canada growled. "The joke of me being invisible was old decades ago."
Pale lips parted, then closed again. Someone Canada hadn't seen before, he was certain, because he would never forget a nation with such pale skin or red eyes or white hair or that finely pressed suit that somehow seemed new and old at the same time. An albino nation. Who was he? Some smaller country, no doubt, but which one? And whose allegiance did he cling to? Such details were important, whether or not they had officially met before or not.
Finally, words came from the man once more. "You can see me?"
Canada slammed his hand into the table top, watching the red eyes jolt as the glasses rattled. "I said stop making that joke. It's beyond old by now."
A fog hovered between them, a new silence echoing in the space of thoughts and impressions. A pale hand went to the white hair, gripping on to the unruly spikes as red eyes darted around the table, glanced over his shoulder at the other nations beyond, and then came back to Canada's own. Then the mouth split into a grin and the hand moved, offered forward to the "invisible" nation.
"Not really sure what joke you're talking about," the man said. "But you see my hesitation is because...I'm not really sure how to introduce myself anymore."
He took the hand, gripped it and shook as was customary for a greeting. There was something bothering him about the touch the entire time, though. Too light for a man. Too empty for the strength the nation seemed to be exuding. Instead of watching the stranger's eyes, instead of focusing on the peculiar words, Canada tried to feel the flesh beneath his own fingers. Tried. Something was off.
The moment was so unusual, he almost forgot to introduce himself. "Oh, I'm-"
Apparently, he didn't need to bother. "Canada, right?"
"How did you-?"
The stranger shrugged, grinning as the handshake came to an end and Canada tried hard not to stare too long at the pale skin of said hand. There was something almost fuzzy in those details, but that was probably just his glasses fogging up. A glance up showed red eyes turning to look behind him again at all the nations and their party antics far enough away to observe without appearing rude.
"France," the man said. "He used to talk about this little brother of his. I could only assume he meant you."
"That's," Canada blinked slowly. "An interesting deduction. How do you know France?"
Red eyes found him again. The grin grew. "Oh we go way back. Still not sure how I feel about what he did, what they did, I should say."
Canada felt his eyebrows twitch. He was finding it difficult to follow this man. An old acquaintance of his Papa, of France. Okay, he could follow that much, but it wasn't enough of a clue and frankly, he wasn't in the mood for a guessing game. The albino nation talked as if everyone should know him, as if he were a bigger nation than the truth said. For someone with such an empty handshake, he sure seemed to have a large enough ego, even if he wasn't running around laughing and boasting about himself like a certain other nation in the room.
"You're not making any sense," Canada said into the quaking silence. "What are you even talking about?"
To his annoyance, the albino only sighed and spread his hands. "See? They've forgotten. Everyone is forgetting now. Hell, I think I'm forgetting. They said I might fade away; no one could have foreseen this."
"Fade away?" Canada repeated, snatching the phrase and holding on. "Why would you be fading away?"
A wide, white grin, sparkling against the candles and low lighting of the room. Low light. America was getting ready for the countdown. Canada didn't care; he was much more interested in the one before him now. Old year, new year, time mattered little to him. What was another year for a country?
"They took it from me."
"Took what?"
Red eyes turned dark, glowering in the candlelight. "Everything."
~!~
Mou nanimo kowaku nai
(I'm not afraid of anything anymore)
Sou tsubuyaite miseru
(That's what I try to tell myself)
~!~
Five minutes until the new year and Canada was spending it away from the gaggle of nations. His brother would no doubt search him out soon enough, but for now he preferred the company he was currently entertaining. This strange unknown albino nation was filling his head with stories and mysteries.
Even without knowing who the man was, who he represented, Canada still wanted to spend time with him. And why not? This stranger had come to him, studied him, talked with him, noticed him. In the same way that he had done for the stranger, apparently. Tales of being left out of important discussions, of being there but not being recognized. Of the history books leaving them out. They had a lot to share, a lot to bond over.
Finally, he was not alone.
3 minutes
"Stay with me," the man said suddenly.
Canada blinked, having stood up with the intent to refill his champagne glass with proper drink for the celebration of the new year. But red eyes held him frozen, wine glass in hand. "What?"
"I don't have the energy to move anymore," he said. "And I don't want to be alone."
The words resonated. Being alone was a terror all on its own. Something Canada could understand, something he also wanted to rectify. Still, it was a little silly to be pulled back down to the table on the outskirts of the crowd, claiming to be sharing time with a nation who refused to share his identity.
When he said as much, the albino laughed, then at last dropped a name. "Prussia. At least, that's who I was before..."
2 minutes
"I don't think I've heard of you."
A laugh again, though softer. "I figured as much. I was abolished well over fifty years ago."
Canada blinked. "But that's not even that long, not in our years at least. How could everyone forget you after so short a time?"
A sad smile this time. Red eyes glinting against candlelight.
1 minute
"The winners write the history books," Prussia said, raising his wine glass and tipping it back to drink the last of his alcohol. "My history is now Germany's history. Nothing more."
Canada narrowed his eyes. "That's terrible. Being forgotten. Fading."
"Tell me about it."
"No, I mean," he sighed, shook his head, thought of a way to rephrase. "How could they even do that to one of their own? How could someone wish another nation to just disappear?"
30 seconds
A wince. "You must not have been paying close attention in that war."
Canada's eyes narrowed again. "What war?"
"The one that killed me," Prussia spat. "The Great War was bad enough, but then Hitler came along and...well that's history. I've been ruined. What good marks I had were all tainted by my last moments, because of false promises."
"And everyone's forgotten the details," Canada whispered.
A small nod of the head, like a bow. "Everyone's forgotten, and I must face my death alone."
Feeling his vigor renewed by the mention of death, by this sad story of the fading nation, he reached out and grabbed the man's hand, holding tightly, catching curious, raised eyebrows and wide red eyes. "Not alone."
A gentle grin. Sparks of light dancing in red eyes, whether from candlelight or tears he could not tell.
5
"You know...
4
"..if I had the chance..."
3
"...to do it all over again..."
2
"...I'd like to meet you sooner..."
1
"...we could have been awesome."
~!~
Itsuka hito wa hitori ni natte
(Eventually, everyone will be alone)
Omoide no naka ni ikiteku dake
(They'll continue to live only through their memories)
Kodoku sae aishi waratterareru youni
(So I can love and laugh even in this loneliness)
Atashi wa tatakau n da
(I will fight)
Namida nante misenai n da
(I will never show you my tears)
~!~
A/N: Yes, he disappeared. I play around with too many alternate ideas. The song inspired me. Sorry. Happy New Years Eve / New Years? Yeah...not near as happy as Christmas. Sorry about that.
~Reda
