It was the annual family Skype-call.
Nobody knew what to say.
America started banging his head against the desk, effectively ducking out of sight... over and over again.
"America, you shouldn't do that. It looks like—,"
"I'm going to do something," Canada announced, interrupting England. His voice was quiet, as usual, but for once it caught everyone's attention.
"What are you gonna do?" America asked.
"I'm..." Canada didn't know how to word it. "I'm going to go on a quest. For companionship."
"Ah, I always knew his day would come! My Canada's finally—," France started gushing like one of those shitty candies one might eat at their cousin's house in the early 2000s, and reminisce about once things grew more difficult.
"Platonic companionship," Canada clarified.
"Like... Like friends?" America asked.
"Yeah, like friends."
"I'll be your friend, Canada!" America volunteered.
"Actually, I was going to go outside and hang out with my citizens. Thanks, though," Canada murmured.
"Isn't that kinda like manipulating them? What are you going to do when they age and you don't?" America asked.
Before Canada could respond, France butted in: "Well, can't you just tell them you're a nation?"
"No," England said. "Do you do that with your citizens?"
"Well, yes, of course," France said. "Why lie to them?"
"What, do you have someone roleplay Germany, too? Ah, Germany~!" England put on an absolutely garbage French accent, moaning aggressively.
"Shut up! Alfred and Mathieu are here, too!" And then, as an afterthought, "And no. That would be Austria." England and France both started laughing at that.
They laughed for awhile before America finally asked, "Why Austria?"
"You'd know if you were older." America frowned.
The conversation ebbed and flowed without Canada, and eventually it was rushing by without America. "Alright, I'm going to go. I've got some... uh... stuff to take care of. Yeah." And America was gone.
France and England didn't even notice, and eventually Canada dropped out too.
"Hi, America," Canada said.
"Yo, Canadia! What's up, dude? No one ever calls me!"
"Huh," Canada said quietly. "America, maybe you're not the right person to ask, but... but I was wondering what your advice was for approaching people."
"Well, that's easy, dude!" America laughed— the same cheap, heroic laugh he always laughed. Canada winced. "Just remember that it can't get any worse from here! I mean, what's the worst thing that can happen when you're already alone? Exactly! You'd stay alone! I'm already at rock bottom, so approaching someone can't hurt me at all! Like extra credit on a driving test!"
"How do you—,"
"Bribery, of course!"
Canada wasn't going to ask. Instead he said, "I meant... I meant... How would I even go about approaching someone? Where do I go?"
"Hm," America muttered. "You're looking for friends, right? Not one night stands?"
"Uh-huh. Friends."
America laughed again. "Well, my dude, you've lost me there! But I'll give you advice anyway, because I'm your hero!" America paused, and then said, rather calmly, "You're into books, right? Maybe try a book café."
...
Canada was at a book café. And he liked it there. There were only a few people in the café, so he quickly decided on a girl that looked rather kind. Matthew knew not to judge by appearance, but it wasn't his fault that the other two were reading murder mysteries and had tattoos. He was more than a bit intimidated by them.
So then there was the girl. She was reading one of his favorite books— The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Canada almost stood up to approach her, and then stopped himself. She looked so immersed in the book. It was a good book, after all. Canada couldn't really imagine a situation where he wouldn't be annoying the girl by going up to her and just chatting. It was a really good book.
And so he ordered some coffee and read his own book, and then he went to the park and fed the birds.
A kid went and chased them all away. Canada went over to him. Wordlessly, he gave the kid a handful of birdseed and went back to his bench. The kid stopped, confused, and just stared at him. Canada exaggeratedly threw a seed, and a bird swooped down and looked at him for more. The kid threw down a few at the time.
Canada eventually focused on his birds again. He'd just started to forget about the kid when the kid ran through the crowd of birds again, chasing them away.
"France, how do you make friends?" Canada asked.
America laughed. "You're still looking for friends? Did the book café help at all, dude?"
"Well, I was going to talk to this one girl— but I got kind of scared."
"Maybe try guys?" France recommended, and then went back on it. "Actually, you should stick with girls."
"What? Why?"
"I think he should try to be friends with dudes. Nothing forms bonds like drinking and sports. You like hockey, don't you, Canada?"
Canada nodded. "But he's so cute," France argued. "Women will love being his friend."
"Anyone would love being his friend. He's very cute," America agreed.
"Why does it matter?" Canada asked.
"Nobody's going to take him seriously," America muttered. "He looks very young."
"It doesn't matter," France said, nodding. "Canada, just find someone to be friends with."
"But how? Where do I go? How do I find friends?"
France couldn't give him any answers, and none of America's suggestions were helpful.
How difficult could it possibly be to make friends?
There Canada was, sitting on that bench and feeding the birds. He hadn't made any friends the entire week he'd been trying, but he'd come here everyday and fed the birds.
Canada didn't want to be friends with the birds— or at least he didn't want to admit it.
The kid ran through the crowd of birds again. Canada calmly went to him and handed him a little bit of birdseed. He watched the kid throw the seeds. "See? The birds like that much better than being chased away. They look so happy," he said.
The kid just sat on the bench next to him and watched. Someone tapped him on the shoulder. Canada turned.
A woman with a rather kind face held out a bag of birdseed.
"Oh... um, thanks," Canada said.
Canada didn't bother asking England about friends, because it was fairly obvious that England didn't have any. And so he just went to the park every day and settled. Being a recluse wasn't so bad, but sometimes he felt kind of upset about not having anyone to talk to.
There he was, feeding his birds. The kid went up to him, and Canada gave him some birdseed without really thinking on it.
The woman sat next to him and gave him a bag of birdseeds. "I'm sorry a out my son," she said quietly. "He gets really excited to see you these days. He really likes feeding the birds because of you."
Canada smiled. "Is that so?" He asked.
"I think he just really likes getting the birdseeds from you. So... forgive me, but if I supply you with birdseeds, will you still give some to him?"
Canada grinned. "Yep, of course."
They sat in silence, just watching that kid feed the birds.
The woman—whose name was Mary— came with her husband, James, the next day. The whole family was very wonderful and kind.
It was like that for a very long time. Canada didn't really feel so alone anymore.
Of course, a foundation of birdseed was no foundation at all. As the kid grew up, Canada saw less and less of family, until he never saw them again.
It had been nice while it lasted, though, he reflected. He tossed another handful of bird seeds to the ground, watching the birds flock around their most recent meal.
A review would be wonderful. Have a wonderful day and stay safe.