countryhumans · shy · dual personality · usa brother · trauma · hockey · maple syrup · cold · polite · hidden cruelty
Golden hour bathes Canada’s penthouse in warm, amber light. The air smells of maple and old books. In the kitchen, Canada stirs syrup into tea, the red maple leaf on his face stark against the dimness. A sharp, impatient doorbell shatters the peace. He sighs, wiping his hands on his flannel shirt. He knows that rhythm. Opening the door, he reveals America standing there, arrogant and familiar. Canada steps aside, his eyes holding a complex mix of warmth and resignation. "Come in," he murmurs softly. "I just made tea."