Valentine's Day (Canada's Ending)

“…Canada!”

 

As if being recognized was a completely bizarre scenario for him, the said Canadian jumped in his winter boots, his stance going rigid. Although your exclamation had managed to frighten the poor blonde, as soon as the cogs started working in that well-oiled machine of his, he soon broke into a gentle but affectionate smile, most likely relieved to simply have a master to the serf.

 

“O-oh, hello! I hope I didn’t come at a bad time...?” Canada muttered softly, his meek personality trying to bite back all the stutters in his utterance.

 

Shaking your head, you tried to ease the North American with a sweet twinkle, hoping to calm down the nerves he’d always have when talking to others. It didn’t matter how long he knew you for, he’d forever have this undying shyness in him that you could never dismiss from him around you no matter your efforts.

 

“No, no, it’s always a pleasure to have you,” you declared, trying to dismiss your previous outburst. Your intentions were never to scare the poor boy. “I’m just...shocked if anything. It’s quite late, I didn’t think you’d be out at this time.”


Canada, almost as if he disbelieved the words you spoke, looked around the scenery, taking note to the fading shadows and darkening outlines of various bushes and flowers in your front garden. He seemed completely taken back by the sun’s demure game of hide and seek, but realizing he had left you in the dark (ironically) about his appearance, he quickly snapped his gaze back to you with a sheepish reddening in his cheeks.

 

It took him a moment, however, to stop him from fumbling over his own tongue. “Oh, well, I didn’t realize it was so...late, I meant to come sooner.”


Even though in truth, you had stayed up far later than six pm, you still felt in the pits of your stomach the concern of such a sweet soul wandering around during these colder and bleaker nights. February had this effect on making early afternoons seem like midnight, and like a mother to her grown-up child, you still had this fluttering in your stomach of worry to see such a meek man walking about the busy streets where you lived.

 

“Don’t stress over the time, it’s not a big deal anyway.” You dismissed, shrugging your shoulders casually. “Would you like to come in? It’s a bit chilly out there and I wouldn’t want you to freeze to death.”


“I wouldn’t panic about that, thank you.” Canada declined, raising his hand a millimeter to ease your concerns.


You raised an eyebrow in bafflement, looking up and down at Canada’s thinly clad layers. Not only did the rejection surprise you, but also his unshakeable sentence. “Not to be rude, but how come you’ve come to see me? If it’s not to stay for a while, then what?”

 

This perplexity seemed to strike nerves in the Canadian’s soul, and his previous confidence disbursed as soon as it had appeared. He looked away from your curious orbs, to his fingers as if he wanted to double check that they were still there, and then around all the details of your doorframe before he regained his sense to look back towards you. Whatever reason it may be, you certainly got the impression that he didn’t want to talk about it.

 

Considering the fellow had dismissed many equally as awkward questions to you before, you decided that, for once, your nosiness would have to be subdued. “Look I didn’t mean-“


“No, no, it’s a-alright.” Canada interrupted, almost too readily at that.

 

Realizing this, he moved his fist to cover his mouth as he coughed, almost to get rid of the tension that remained stuck in his throat. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he tried to swallow back the nervous liquids that threatened to spill out of him like a fountain, although he managed to recover himself rather quickly. Something about the way he acted seemed as though he was more nervous about not informing you sooner on the situation rather than telling you the problem itself. Overall, the North American was certainly acting stranger than he usually did.

 

Wanting to reassure the man was almost at your top priority rather than to try and cover yourself, as frosty spears did more damage than your pajamas could shield from. However, before you even had another chance to open your mouth and testify, Canada’s barked out in a snap.

 

“I’m sorry! I’m...being really tense, aren’t I?” It sounded like a question, but you were certain the twin was being rhetorical.

 

He let out a sigh before continuing: “I didn’t mean to bother you, what I’ve been trying to say is that I wanted you to come to Tim Hortons with me. I thought that it might be nice to have some hot chocolate or coffee when it’s been so cold lately.”


Your ears perked up at the promise of warm beverages, although it wasn’t exactly a special treat. A part of you wondered why there was any need to go to the hassle to walk to a coffee bar when either of you could simply have a cozy refreshment at either of your houses, since you both lived off the stuff. However, you hadn’t the heart to bring up this conceptualization when the bespectacled youth had gone through the trouble of trekking all the way to your abode to invite you out, as well as overcome his problematic demureness.

 

Clicking your tongue on the roof of your mouth, you decided to simply go along with his request in hopes to find answers to your questions. Noticing how he seemed more hopefully skittish as the silence reigned on, you decided to ease the guy and sent a polite but friendly glimmer his way.

 

“That sounds lovely.” You concluded, your pearls coming out of their shell.

 

As if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulder, Canada became livelier, nodding his head up and down as if you had asked him a yes or no query. “W-wonderful! But...do you want to get changed first?”


Your machine was just as much out of date as his had been, and when your model finally realized it had been showcasing your (favourite Disney film)-nightwear, your cheeks flushed in embarrassment as you quickly slammed the door in an act of uncalculating thought. Sure, it wasn’t the courteous action you could have enacted, but at this current moment you were more concerned that you had been standing in such childish garbs to your crush, and being the kindhearted gentleman he was, he only bothered to tell you now as to not hurt your feelings.

 

“R-right! Just, stay out there will you? I, um, I won’t be long!” You shouted through the door, throwing yourself towards your staircase to quickly go change into something a bit more flattering.

 

Canada remained thoroughly amused as he stood opposite the door; simply enjoying the fact that you cared enough to wear the same outfit he had bought you for Christmas last year. It suited you, surprisingly. “It’s not like I can go anywhere else at the moment...”


So there he stood on this freezing winter afternoon, waiting patiently for the young maiden to climb out her towering house to bring forth good will and a bounty full of scarfs to wrap every fiber of her being. He was unaware of your internal argument on the benefits of giving him his Valentine’s Day chocolates, and he was certainly naïve on the final decision. He remained still forever and ever, until the loud slam of the door stooped him out of his slumbering state, the princess presenting herself in her finest robes. Well, it looked like a robe considering how many clothes she had plastered onto herself.

 

“Sorry for the wait, I wanted to make sure I didn’t get a cold.” You mumbled through the cotton fabrics, your cheeks darkening from either the dropping temperatures outside or the current situation.


“I can see that.” Canada jested, thoroughly amused by your larger-than-your-own-statue get up.


Receiving a thoroughly hilarious pout from yours truly, Canada chuckled softly and relented his teasing. If you kept making such sweet faces like that, he knew he’d never win an argument against you. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, lets get going...”


Recalling the prospect of your (favourite hot drink) that only Tim Hortons could provide you with such tasty quality, you immediately forgave the Canadian dork and immediately focused on hurrying towards the heated shop in hopes to get out of this bloodthirsty weather as soon as you could. You may have tried to cover yourself as much as possible, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t feel any of the chilling atmosphere.

 

You both exited your front garden and onto the pathway of your quiet district. Despite it being quite a festive day, no one nearby seemed to be making much of a fuss, and you could only assume the reason being as the day was much closer to dusk than dawn.

 

The wind nipped at every exposed part of your body, despite the layers covering most of it. Your skin was vulnerable to the cruel and judgemental whispers of Mother Nature, and you muttered curses to yourself at your rather entertaining failure in trying to protect yourself from it. No matter how you tried to rearrange the winter coat on your frame, you couldn’t stop yourself from sniffling as your burning nose became numb. Why did February have to be so cold?


Glancing towards your companion, your eyebrows lifted in perked fascination. Not once did Canada seem fazed by the chilled words his hair was being victimized to as it got whipped back and forth. You could never decide if the permanent tint in his cheeks was from shyness or body temperature, but it never disappeared through thick or thin. You supposed because of the way he was raised, he had simply grown accustomed to these sorts of conditions. However, it never ceased to impress you, and you couldn’t help but find it paradoxical that a man who never stopped stuttering and shaking in your presence never battled the same problem in the open season air.

 

Readjusting your scarf to fully cover your neck, you let out a long sigh and watched with childlike wonder when condensation showed itself in front of you in a split moment, as if you had created your own personal cloud. You suppose you had simply done it to calm your nerves, for you had no idea how to handle a ‘date’ with your crush.

 

Maybe the best start would be to get rid of this God-awful silence?


“Do you have a naturally cold heart?” you questioned stoically, your gaze lying upon the shy blond with pondering orbs.

 

This took him back, his eyelashes brushing worriedly in a blinking motion. “P-pardon?”

 

You giggled in an attempt to show that you meant no harm in your previous inquiry. “I mean, you don’t look frozen in the slightest, and you’re wearing less clothes than me! I think you’re secretly a snowman, but I’ve yet to find evidence for this conclusion.”


Canada shook his head, the edge of his mouth twitching upwards. “I hope not, I wouldn’t do well in summer.”

 

Snorting in response, even though it wasn’t all that funny, you appreciated Canada’s calmness, which you didn’t always get to see. Although your mood was warmed to the bone by the banter, your hands were another story altogether.

 

Rubbing them together in doomed conviction, you thoroughly disagreed with the designer of whoever made your coat and jeans. To sum it up, they had no pockets. Who even thinks that’s a good idea to begin with? You could understand why people vocally voiced their complaints about pocket-less clothes now.

 

Purple globes looked down upon your desensitized digits, and noticed how your lips pursed in dissatisfaction. This deity was not amused by the earth’s harshness, and being a worshipper of such a celestial being, he took it upon his duty to provide a solution for your problems.

 

“Out of all the articles of clothing, you forget gloves?” Canada joked, as your being was cloaked in practically every other creation of fabrics.


Your cheeks puffed like an offended hamster, and you tried your best to kindly hit the pancake-lover on the arm, although your hand had no feeling to enact such a move. “Don’t pick on me, it’s not my fault I don’t have any!”


“You don’t have any at all?” Canada furthered, his lips growing wider.

 

You deadpanned. “I’ll have you know that gloves aren’t my top priority at the moment. You know, food’s pretty important. Anime too.”

Deciding it best to simply solve the issue before delving deeper into your unexplainable mind, he removed his hands from his pocket and reached them out towards you. “W-well, u-um...”


However, it seemed like you hadn’t noticed the act at all.


Eyes twinkling in newfound conviction, your head perked up in optimism as a familiar storefront came into your view. “Tim Hortons! Oh, it’s truly real! I knew we’d been walking for ages, I can finally bring feeling back to my body!”


Hurrying towards the store as if you were in a zombie apocalypse and it was your only means for protection, your previously slow-paced feet now exhilarated towards your destination, leaving your mate to follow in your footsteps and get into the café before you ordered something without him in the thrill of the moment.

 

Canada watched you dash forward in the rare moments you’d do exercise out of your own freewill, and couldn’t help but frown as he stared down at his uncovered hand. You probably hadn’t heard him, as he wasn’t exactly a loud speaker, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t fairly disappointed by the fact he’d miss the opportunity to help you.

 

He returned his hands back into his red hoodie, and continued after you with a light beam replacing his previous downhearted expression. It was hard to stay mad at you.

 

Plus, he didn’t want to bring any extra attention towards him.

 

By the time Canada had caught up with you, you were already at the front counter, deciding on what snack to go with your regular choice of drink. He wasn’t quite sure if you had been doing it as an excuse to wait for him, but something about the way your head immediately lifted itself when he entered the front door gave the impression that maybe, just maybe, you had been.

 

“Look Canada, there are some really cute doughnuts at the counter! They tried to make them into heart shapes, but um...well, they’re basically just round. But it’s the thought that counts, right?” you commented, directing his attention to the glass container that showed the many different flavours of Tim Hortons’ doughnuts. There weren’t many, as the store had only remained open later than usual because of the rush of costumers for Valentine’s Day, but there was some that at least could be deemed worthy to eat.

 

“O-oh, yeah, they look good.” Canada faltered, although you knew it was most likely because of his silent excitement to be in one of his favourite shops.

 

Looking up to the awaiting employee, you grinned merrily. “I think we’ll have two plain doughnuts please.”


“Along with your regulars?” The worker enquired, his gelled back mahogany locks encompassing the well-known smirk you and Canada had seen many times before.

 

“Yeah, that’d be great, thanks!” you confirmed, searching your pockets for cash to pay the fellow.

 

Despite this, Canada already had the exact change in his hands as the barista fixed the bill onto the cash register, taking the currency from your best friend and returning a receipt as an exchange. As much as you wanted to reprimand Canada for not allowing you to pay your share of the check, you simply decided to not stir any unnecessary drama as you picked up the coffees and doughnuts.


“Enjoy your meals.” The brunette voiced cheerfully.

 

“Thanks Dave.” You returned, finding a seat in the corner of the room with Canada.  

 

It may not be a huge achievement to go to Tim Hortons so often that nearly all the employees knew you both, but hey, you were still pretty damn proud of it.

 

Finding yourself comfortable in the plush chairs left for costumers only, you sat adjacent Canada, passing him his coffee and doughnut as you finally started to sip through yours, exhaling blissfully when the warm liquid finally brought feeling back to your core. Even your fingertips were started to return to their senses.

 

It was strange being one of the few people in the business, but you suppose it had its quirks too. In fact, you were thoroughly enjoying the hushed quarters, until you decided it too awkward to be able to hear Dave clean up a coffee machine more than a conversation between you and your ‘date’.

 

“Thanks for taking me here by the way, but you didn’t need to treat me,” you remarked, lifting your doughnut to take the first bite out of the delectable treat.

 

Canada shook his head, holding his glasses by the side to make sure they didn’t fall off. “It’s alright, I-I wanted to.”


“I know, but why?” you examined, a curved eyebrow lifted to higher lengths. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but it’s really a surprise for you to do something so...bold, I suppose. You’re not feeling sorry for me because I’m alone on Valentine’s Day, are you?”


“N-no, of course not!” Canada countered, quickly bringing his coffee cup towards his face as if to try and cover himself. “I-I suppose I wanted the company. After all, I don’t exactly have a date either...”


A part of you couldn’t decide if you should or shouldn’t be offended by the way Canada spoke. However, knowing the bear-lover for so long now, you knew it was not in his nature to intentionally disrespect you or hurt your feelings; at the very least, he hadn’t fully understood what his sentence seemed like.

 

Tracing your teeth with the tip of your tongue, a part of your stubborn nature pushed past your ladylike manners to inquire further. “So, you invited me out since you had no one else? What about Kumajiro?”

“W-wait, no, it’s not like that.” Canada spluttered, almost spilling the coffee on himself as he noticed your averted gaze. He was never good at verbalizing his emotions. “I-I, um...I really did want you here. A-and besides, Kumajiro didn’t want to go out. I-I don’t think Tim Hortons would be too pleased if I brought him here either...”


You bit your lower lip to try and suppress a titter, the idea of a polar bear entering the store and the workers attempting to shoo it out furthering your amusement. It didn’t seem the right reaction to his statement, when you had previously been rather offended by his choice of words. Finally lifting your lowered stare back into his magenta peppers, you tried to investigate if he truly meant what he said, and when you saw nothing but affection and integrity, you couldn’t stop a tiny gasp from escaping your throat instead of the chortle.

 

The enclosure’s windows seemed to rattle in fear of the abusive air current outside that seemed to breathe threats against the cowering building. If not for Dave’s sloth tidying, it was the only thing you could hear in the establishment, the panels being the only defence that kept the area heated. Your sore vision seemed dry from the contrasting brightness in the hanging lights compared to the creepy dimness outdoors and it took a lot of your willpower to not continuously blink to get rid of the nagging annoyance. On the other hand, you could only think that the bulbs above managed to brighten Canada’s colourful irises as they managed to captivate your very soul into looking at nothing but them.

 

Though it seemed as though the lighting didn’t just illuminate the Canadian’s organs of sight but everything else about him, like his own personal halo. He and only he overflowed your senses. His medium, wavy locks seemed to curl around his face like the canvas to a masterpiece and it took a lot out of you to stop yourself from reaching out and twirling it between your pinkies, especially the curly cowlick that stubbornly remained in the way no matter how many times Canada tried to comb it back. It even made you want to laugh, as he even managed to look unearthly irresistible in just a casual pair of jeans and a hooded jacket with a maple leaf on it. You wished you had that sort of beauty prowess. Seriously, how did this man have the nerve to look so good in a pair of glasses? It’s not fair for him to frame such perfect eyes, nor is it fair for his mouth to look so tempting.

 

Wetting your parched lips, as you felt too nervous to even reach for your coffee during this intensity due to your overwhelming thoughts, you opened your mouth only for the hockey enthusiast to do the same.

 

“You’re perfect.” You both whispered simultaneously, as if it was the only thought that seemed to process your thick skulls.

 

Pupils widened into saucers as the two of you took notice to what had just been uttered, and as you both were flabbergasted by yourselves and the other, there was no denying that it didn’t spark your hearts into an out of pattern rhythm. You fumbled over your own hands, trying to grasp at anything to distract yourself from being thrust into such an awkward spectacle, but before you could hold onto your coffee or half-eaten doughnut, pale palms layered themselves onto your own in a gentle but affirmative touch.

 

Neither sure how long you had stared at the intertwined fists or how long you had been looking away from your partner, you gradually, as if entering dangerous territory, hoisted your gaping to look back at the owner of the same defined limbs that connected to yours in bashful determination.

 

You tried so hard to shape something coherent, but your tongue-tied voice didn’t have the guts to formulate anything.

 

It seemed you weren’t the only one with the same problem, as Canada seemed to be in just the same predicament. However, as if he had spent all day building his docile courage to present itself in this very moment, he let out a heavy sigh and almost with an unwelcoming crow did he breathe words into poetry.

 

“I-I don’t think you know how long I’ve wanted to do this...” He confessed in hushed tones, his cheeks becoming a deeper shade of carmine as he goggled at your united appendages. “I-I mean, I’ve tried to but I don’t think you’ve e-ever noticed my advances...ever.”


Processing his words didn’t seem to be working at the moment, so you resulted to your default state. “W-what...?”


Luckily, his reaction seemed nothing less than loving and gladdened by your response, although you could tell that his insecurities were slowly biting away at his fortitude. “W-well t-there was a deeper reason why I a-asked you out today...”

As he wrestled with his inner demons, he couldn’t help but gulp from having to confront the most stunning person he had ever seen about such a sensitive subject, especially when it involved you. Inside, he was cursing himself from not being as self-assertive as his brother, but when America came to his thought process, he couldn’t help but feel like he had to prove to himself, to everyone and especially to you, that his reserved person wouldn’t hold him back; not anymore anyway.

 

He squeezed your boiling hands without fully comprehending the notion, and lifted the corner of his edge skywards, his glasses slowly sliding off his nose but he couldn’t bring himself to remove himself from you to fix them. “I-I...I-I...”


Wanting to bash his head against the table right there and then, he nearly choked on his own syllables as he tried so hard to form what he so desperately wanted to say.


Peering in acknowledgement, you finally pieced the puzzle together. “Canada, you don’t...like me, do you?”


Time seemed to stand still, as if it never existed in the first place. It didn’t even fully seem real the moments that were passing. Not even the chilling coffees could distract them from what was happening.

 

Canada couldn’t even allow his accent to flow those three words he had practiced so hard to say before this date, before he knocked at your front door not so long ago. Internally he wanted to scream it to you for as long as he had felt this way, which at this point he couldn’t remember anymore, but he knew it had been forever. However, despite his aspiration it seemed he could never put it into practice. Oh why did he have to be so withdrawn? All he could do was nod.

 

Though as he watched the same heart-clenching Cheshire grin he very rarely got to see but adored nonetheless, he couldn’t even remember his own name anymore.

 

“I would have loved to have known that sooner.” You revealed, your own cheeks matching Canada’s. “It would have really helped me out in the long run, and you would have at least gotten your chocolates I made.”

 

Canada tilted his head slightly to the side. “Chocolates?”


Realising you had let him know about your rather dorky present, you flushed further than you thought possible and tried to dismiss the thought from his head. You could always give them to him later once he dropped you off at your place. “I-It doesn’t matter!

However, as the significant other blinked owlishly, you tried to regain your composure and return the more romantic side of the date back into fruition. Seeing this reaction from your beloved seemed to bubble something inside you, your sides splitting and erupting into a melodious ring as you spluttered as though screaming to the world. “I-I like you too Canada, a-a lot actually.”

 

Not knowing how to operate with this new amount of important information, the second largest nation just decided to try and take in this situation. He breathed in and out, consecutively, and as you were growing more distraught by the idea of getting the wrong signals, Canada pulled your arms closer towards him with newfound self-confidence. I suppose in moments like these it helped to have been raised by the country of love.

 

Knowing fully well that his dialogue was betraying him, he decided that his only other approach was through his actions. So as he brought you closer to him, awkwardly leaning over the table, he stopped a mere inch away from your face, as if begging for permission, or second guessing himself.

 

You decided you weren’t going to give him another chance.

 

Smashing your lips together in sheer innocent excitement, you couldn’t stop yourself from stumbling over every little thing. However, as Canada and yourself finally got used to the feeling, which was unparalleled to anything you’d ever felt before, the two of you slowly got into the right tempo, creating a pace that fit the both of you faultlessly.

 

Though as addicting as the sensation was, the velvety stroke that sent your brain haywire, you had to remove yourself from him someday soon. You did so, panting in the process as you finally remembered you needed oxygen to, you know, breathe. You stared in awe. You refused to untangle yourself from your now established lover, feeling inside the arrogant childishness that he owed you a lot of cuddle time from keeping his fondness from you for so long.

 

“I see why you didn’t bring Kumajiro along,” you cracked through your wheezing.

 

Without warning, Canada brought you closer, hugging you over the table trickily in vain attempts to hide his tomato profile. He felt like he was dreaming, this seemed too good to be true.


Despite that, as you slowly embraced him back, he instinctively whispered: “I-I t-think I love you...”


Your jaw dropped at this, but you didn’t even need to think twice on how you were to respond back to him. “Oh Canada...I love-“


That was when a snap flashed.

 

You and Canada slowly leaned away from each other to look at each other quizzically, as if the other had the answer to what just happened. However, before either of you could share your bafflement, a loud snigger resounded around the coffee shop.

 

Heads spun around the whole eatery, but no one else but them could be seen.

 

“What...?” You remarked, your eyebrows crinkled in utter befuddlement.

 

Canada seemed just as bamboozled as you were as he finally lifted his glasses up, “E-eh...? You saw it too?”


Nodding, you looked back at Canada and rubbed your chin in thought, trying to make sense of what happened. It was hard to pass it off as nothing if you both had noticed it. “That’s so strange... I wonder what it was...”


Though to neither of your realization, a certain dark-haired bloke was sitting behind his counter, hiding himself as he quickly texted a fellow co-worker of what he just saw. He tried his best to hide back any more snickers from escaping the depth of his throat, not wanting either of the regulars to be suspicious of him, but he couldn’t help but feel proud of his accomplishment.

 

Finally sending the photo of a certain two cuties interlocked in every form and a text that summed everything up perfectly, he simpered discreetly.

 

‘Looks like I won the bet. You owe me twenty pounds tomorrow.’

 

Dave always knew they’d get together, much to his colleague’s downfall.