Ȧ Un Autre Comme Moi

The Softest Hour

Or perhaps I should have said breakfast, Liechtenstein thought.

Canada and herself were standing outside of a tiny, brick-walled pancake shop on a street corner outside of the city center.

"Best outside of Canada. And I'm not just talking about the pancakes," Matthew said, smiling. It dropped though. "Uh, that came out wrong."

"It looks lovely," she lied sweetly. Not that it was bad-looking or anything, she just didn't see anything very special or appealing about it. Paint that was once white was peeling off the door and window frames, and there was no bright sign announcing how great it was, or what service or product it provided. It was the kind of place you pass every day and never look at twice.

When they entered, the bell above the door dinging to announce their arrival, she saw its charm. Each table had a clean red and white cloth along with a petite, glass vase containing a few flowers in varying shades of pink, white, and red, which made it feel warm and homey. By far, the best part was the scent of cooking pancakes wafting from the kitchen. Suddenly, Lilli couldn't wait another minute for a plate.

Canada led her by the arm to a corner table with the only window. Though the chairs were wood, the cushion on the seat made her feel like she was on her sofa at home. A middle-aged, motherly looking waitress came up to their table, smile plastered on and white paper pad in hand.

"Matthew! I see you're back in town! Your usual, then, sweetheart?"

"Yes, please." He tapped his companion's arm. "What would you like, Lilli?"

Not receiving a menu, she ordered whatever Matthew's regular was.

"Alright, sweet peas, I'll be back in a minute with your coffees." Lilli wondered when it was that she ordered coffee. She gave the man across the table a questioning look.

"I come here a lot when I'm in town," he explained. She nodded.

"So...what did I order?" He laughed his breathy laugh.

"Just a normal stack of plain pancakes. You put the syrup on yourself." He gestured to the wheel of varying flavors of syrup.

Their coffee arrived. Liechtenstein wasn't one to drink coffee, but now seemed like a good enough time to start as any. They sipped their coffee black until Canada broke the silence.

"So, Lilli...," he said, setting down his coffee.

"Ja?" She did the same.

"You've known me for a whole day and you haven't mentioned America once."

"Your Bruder?"

He nodded.

She blinked in confusion.

"I do not find it necessary."

He blinked in confusion.

"Auch, you have not mentioned how small and adorable I am."

"Who says you're adorable?"

Lilli looked up at him, wide-eyed in shock. She looked away while searching for something to say that was not rude. Before she had the chance, Matthew placed his hand over hers.

"I'm kidding." Reluctantly, she turned back to him. Relieved, but still looking a bit hurt. "I do think you're cute, honestly, just not in the way the others do. Well, except for maybe France."

"Ah, danke." Canada retracted his hand, much to Liechtenstein's disappointment.

Due to meeting many unfamiliar people through her brother's frequent meetings (she had no idea why considering his permanent neutrality), she excelled at small talk, so that's exactly what they did before the friendly came out with two hot stacks of pancakes. Both of them remembered how hungry they were and dug in. When Lilli's fork lifted to her mouth, Canada took a break from drowning his own stack in maple syrup and watched her expectantly.

"What?"

"I want to see your face when you take your first bite of the best hot cakes on the western hemisphere. At least." She laughed breathily, shooting him an odd look.

"Ja, okay."

When the fork made it to her mouth, all thoughts of hunger vanished. She just wanted to scarf down every pancake in the building, and then marry whoever made them. The hot pancake was perfection fresh from the oven. Its inside was light and moist and fluffy, with a hint of buttery flavor. The little drizzle of maple syrup she'd added was rich, thick, and not too sweet. Reluctantly, she swallowed.

"Mein Gott," she groaned.

"I know, eh?"

"How are they made like this? They are perfect."

"I know, eh?," he responded with a mouth full of pancake.

They both finished their delicious meal quickly, and the tiny-stomached nation was stuffed. Canada, however, ordered another round, which he was currently flooding in maple syrup.

"Matthew?"

"Eh?"

"Would you like some pancakes with your syrup?," Liechtenstein deadpanned.

"Not really."

She laughed.

"It's a Canadian thing."

"I see."

Soon, he had finished the last drop of his pool of syrup, and they started to head out.

"You come back soon, Matthew! And bring your cute, little German girlfriend, too!"

"I am not his girlfriend, or German, but danke." She ducked out before he could see her blush- or she could see his. They could hear the waitress laughing when Matthew stepped out to follow his new friend, who he noticed had a rather cute behind.

(A/N) Thanks for reading! Only realized after I published it just how short the first chapter was. sorry. Hope this one's better!

PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. PLEASE. (Also if I mess up Their, there, or they're or to, too, or two. LIKE PLZ GAIZ)

Love, hugs, and CanLiech!

Chapter title provided by: watch?v=CrTWmGDFCaQ&list=UULuSP0g3BiNMGl-4SjPt89g&index=4&feature=plcp