[Hetalia] "On the Front" Part IV - IX
Written for the Drabble Challenge Prompt 'Pretend' @ hetachallenge
Title: "On the Front" Part IV - VIII
Author shuriken7
Characters: America/Canada/Australia
Challenge: Pretend @ hetachallenge; 16. Loss, 17. Petnames, 18. Letters, 19. Calling, 20. Compromise @ ot3_100
Bonus Words: Loss: denial, love; Petnames: none; Letter: none; Calling: denial; Compromise: love, denial
Rating: PG-13
Summary: WW2. Canada manages to make it to the Pacific theater in order to meet up with America, little does he realize that there is someone else waiting for him too.
Loss
Canada was beginning to feel that he must be in a dream, perhaps it would be easier to take in if he just pretended he were in a dream. He swallowed before speaking, "I know that he loves me, I don't need you to tell me that Australia." His cheeks colored slightly, it felt odd to admit it aloud to another person, especially when he had just admitted those feelings to England just a few days before. Australia, got little wide eyed when Canada snapped at him, not expecting it. However, Canada felt far too surprised by this awkward chain of events. He had half a mind to get up, away from Australia's presence, perhaps even drag America outside in order to tell him exactly how he felt about this situation. Canada glanced over at Australia, wanting to hate him in that moment, but what he saw was someone lost and scared. Australia had a lot to lose if this war went badly for him.
He looked thin and far too tired. The sparky attitude that had always made tea parties interesting once Australia had been brought into the fold of the empire was missing. Canada looked away from him, denying the protective feeling he had about the younger Dominion. He looked up into America's eyes.
"Tell me what is going on." he demanded, and America opened his mouth to tell him.
Petnames
"I'll explain." Australia said.
"Aussie, you don't have to. I can take care of it."
"You're already taking care of me too much." he replied, looking away from Canada and looking pointedly at the American. America closed his mouth and sat on the cot looking fidgety. Australia turned back to Canada, "Can we talk, you know, Dominion to Dominion?"
"I suppose." Canada replied. Taking that as a cue that he was excluded, America flopped back onto the cot, telling them to wake him when they got done talking and to call him if they needed anything. They agreed. Canada walked out of the tent first and noticed that Australia looked back at America once more before they left. It was a tender, longing expression, and Canada couldn't quite describe the feeling in his chest.
When they had walked some distance away, Australia turned to look at him. Out in the darkness, Australia looked younger than he did in the light. "So, like I was saying in there... America is just taking care of me. I mean, I wish it was more, but he has you... And the only time anything has happened we were just relieved the other was alive..."
"Australia, I..." he wasn't really sure what he should say to such an admission.
"Just like that time between us, right Maple?" The use of the nickname made Canada's cheeks color.
Letters
Canada flustered for several minutes over the use of a pet name he had been sure Australia had been too drunk to remember using. Australia smiled a little and reached out to touch his hair again, brushing one of his calloused fingers across Canada's cheek, that did nothing to help the blush. Now all he could think about was Australia pressed up against him, the heady taste of victory on both their tongues. It had been at the end of the Great War, at a time where Canada had been in an off phase with America. The beer had been plentiful and it had been so wonderful to see everyone alive. He didn't remember how it had even started, he just remembered that by the end of the night, he and Australia had been wrapped up in each other.
"I still have all those letters. I'm sorry that I never got around to answering them." Canada didn't think his cheeks could get any more red.
"I was hoping that they had been lost at sea, eh? Or that you weren't interested." He had blocked that embarrassing interlude out of his mind, pretending that the time where he had pursued Australia didn't happen.
Australia rubbed at his neck, his own cheeks tinged pink, "I didn't know what to say and then before I knew it too much time had passed, and besides you two were back together. I think we should explore it."
Canada was confused, "I don't understand."
"I think we should all be together. We'll be stronger and get through this that way."
Calling
Canada was certain he had misunderstood when Australia suggested that they be together, all three of them. He raised at an eyebrow at his younger cohort and Australia looked sheepish. "I know it's not unheard of." Australia added, as if he could deny that his claim was anything less than insane.
"No, it's not unheard of." France in his quest to educate him, had told him all about a few liaisons over the years. Those tales had been lurid and Canada often pretended that he had forgotten them, but they were there. His cheeks colored when he considered them both pressed up against him. He shook his head, "Australia, you can't possibly be proposing this now, we are at war, a world war. We need to answer to a much higher calling."
"And we need each other. Okay, maybe you don't need me, but I need America because England isn't exactly helping me out. And you're here now and I need all the help I can get. I'm scared shitless Canada." The look in his eyes told Canada it wasn't a lie. Canada pulled him into an embrace, trying to reassure him that he wasn't going to be destroyed.
"I'm here to support you. We'll figure out the rest of it after."
Compromise
After his promise to support him, Australia and Canada made their way back to the tent Australia had been sharing with America. Canada noticed that in the time they had been gone, his flag had been set up next to the other two. He was officially here now. He was officially sharing a tent with two people he knew well, one that he had been beside all his life, even when they weren't on the same side. He had always loved him, even when he pretended he didn't.
They entered the tent and Australia walked over to America and shook him gently on the shoulder. He blinked and sat up. "What did you two decide?"
"We decided that there are more important things to do than what may have happened between us. I will try to be okay with this." Canada said. America nodded.
"It'll take some compromises."
"You're terrible at compromises."
"I'm excellent at them."
"You're in denial..."
"Hey mates, so I can think of the first compromise..." Australia interrupted, as he shoved a few of the cots together in the middle of the tent. "How about we all get some sleep." It took a few more minutes to decide where everyone would sleep, but Canada eventually felt satisfied pressed up against America's back, Australia pressed up against his. It was going to take some getting used to, but amongst all the death and destruction. A little comfort, did not seem all that undeserved.
Title: "On the Front" Part IV - VIII
Author shuriken7
Characters: America/Canada/Australia
Challenge: Pretend @ hetachallenge; 16. Loss, 17. Petnames, 18. Letters, 19. Calling, 20. Compromise @ ot3_100
Bonus Words: Loss: denial, love; Petnames: none; Letter: none; Calling: denial; Compromise: love, denial
Rating: PG-13
Summary: WW2. Canada manages to make it to the Pacific theater in order to meet up with America, little does he realize that there is someone else waiting for him too.
Loss
Canada was beginning to feel that he must be in a dream, perhaps it would be easier to take in if he just pretended he were in a dream. He swallowed before speaking, "I know that he loves me, I don't need you to tell me that Australia." His cheeks colored slightly, it felt odd to admit it aloud to another person, especially when he had just admitted those feelings to England just a few days before. Australia, got little wide eyed when Canada snapped at him, not expecting it. However, Canada felt far too surprised by this awkward chain of events. He had half a mind to get up, away from Australia's presence, perhaps even drag America outside in order to tell him exactly how he felt about this situation. Canada glanced over at Australia, wanting to hate him in that moment, but what he saw was someone lost and scared. Australia had a lot to lose if this war went badly for him.
He looked thin and far too tired. The sparky attitude that had always made tea parties interesting once Australia had been brought into the fold of the empire was missing. Canada looked away from him, denying the protective feeling he had about the younger Dominion. He looked up into America's eyes.
"Tell me what is going on." he demanded, and America opened his mouth to tell him.
Petnames
"I'll explain." Australia said.
"Aussie, you don't have to. I can take care of it."
"You're already taking care of me too much." he replied, looking away from Canada and looking pointedly at the American. America closed his mouth and sat on the cot looking fidgety. Australia turned back to Canada, "Can we talk, you know, Dominion to Dominion?"
"I suppose." Canada replied. Taking that as a cue that he was excluded, America flopped back onto the cot, telling them to wake him when they got done talking and to call him if they needed anything. They agreed. Canada walked out of the tent first and noticed that Australia looked back at America once more before they left. It was a tender, longing expression, and Canada couldn't quite describe the feeling in his chest.
When they had walked some distance away, Australia turned to look at him. Out in the darkness, Australia looked younger than he did in the light. "So, like I was saying in there... America is just taking care of me. I mean, I wish it was more, but he has you... And the only time anything has happened we were just relieved the other was alive..."
"Australia, I..." he wasn't really sure what he should say to such an admission.
"Just like that time between us, right Maple?" The use of the nickname made Canada's cheeks color.
Letters
Canada flustered for several minutes over the use of a pet name he had been sure Australia had been too drunk to remember using. Australia smiled a little and reached out to touch his hair again, brushing one of his calloused fingers across Canada's cheek, that did nothing to help the blush. Now all he could think about was Australia pressed up against him, the heady taste of victory on both their tongues. It had been at the end of the Great War, at a time where Canada had been in an off phase with America. The beer had been plentiful and it had been so wonderful to see everyone alive. He didn't remember how it had even started, he just remembered that by the end of the night, he and Australia had been wrapped up in each other.
"I still have all those letters. I'm sorry that I never got around to answering them." Canada didn't think his cheeks could get any more red.
"I was hoping that they had been lost at sea, eh? Or that you weren't interested." He had blocked that embarrassing interlude out of his mind, pretending that the time where he had pursued Australia didn't happen.
Australia rubbed at his neck, his own cheeks tinged pink, "I didn't know what to say and then before I knew it too much time had passed, and besides you two were back together. I think we should explore it."
Canada was confused, "I don't understand."
"I think we should all be together. We'll be stronger and get through this that way."
Calling
Canada was certain he had misunderstood when Australia suggested that they be together, all three of them. He raised at an eyebrow at his younger cohort and Australia looked sheepish. "I know it's not unheard of." Australia added, as if he could deny that his claim was anything less than insane.
"No, it's not unheard of." France in his quest to educate him, had told him all about a few liaisons over the years. Those tales had been lurid and Canada often pretended that he had forgotten them, but they were there. His cheeks colored when he considered them both pressed up against him. He shook his head, "Australia, you can't possibly be proposing this now, we are at war, a world war. We need to answer to a much higher calling."
"And we need each other. Okay, maybe you don't need me, but I need America because England isn't exactly helping me out. And you're here now and I need all the help I can get. I'm scared shitless Canada." The look in his eyes told Canada it wasn't a lie. Canada pulled him into an embrace, trying to reassure him that he wasn't going to be destroyed.
"I'm here to support you. We'll figure out the rest of it after."
Compromise
After his promise to support him, Australia and Canada made their way back to the tent Australia had been sharing with America. Canada noticed that in the time they had been gone, his flag had been set up next to the other two. He was officially here now. He was officially sharing a tent with two people he knew well, one that he had been beside all his life, even when they weren't on the same side. He had always loved him, even when he pretended he didn't.
They entered the tent and Australia walked over to America and shook him gently on the shoulder. He blinked and sat up. "What did you two decide?"
"We decided that there are more important things to do than what may have happened between us. I will try to be okay with this." Canada said. America nodded.
"It'll take some compromises."
"You're terrible at compromises."
"I'm excellent at them."
"You're in denial..."
"Hey mates, so I can think of the first compromise..." Australia interrupted, as he shoved a few of the cots together in the middle of the tent. "How about we all get some sleep." It took a few more minutes to decide where everyone would sleep, but Canada eventually felt satisfied pressed up against America's back, Australia pressed up against his. It was going to take some getting used to, but amongst all the death and destruction. A little comfort, did not seem all that undeserved.