Never Forgotten

Chapter Twenty Six

You wanted a scrap of my professional writing so I posted it after this chapter.

Prussia's POV:

Spain didn't take the news very well. He locked himself in the meeting room's janitor closet and cried for hours while France and I waited outside trying to calm him.
Italy was just as worked up over it. He cried into my brother's arms for just as long.
In fact, all of us were mourning. Us countries might have fought countless wars with each other, but we were still a family damn it.
We all had a little funeral and a lot of words in the Italian's honour were passed around.
Canada remained silent through it all.
I watched him as he drove kuma and me home, radio turned off and hands melted into the steering wheel. His eyes traveled to the ditch on many occasions, as if he were considering piloting us into it. I was on edge and empty hearted for the entire trip.
The moment we got home he collapsed onto the couch and didn't move. I felt like shaking him into his senses but decided against it. Instead, I went into my room and posted on my blog for a bit.
Suddenly, I heard a very loud scream. I jumped out of my bed and almost tripped as I ran down the stairs.
I found Mattie screaming and crying into a throw pillow and jumped to pull him into a tight hug.
"Shhh. It's alvright. Jou just have to be strong." I told him in a whisper. He was still sniffling. But at least the steaming had stopped.

Canada's POV:

Three months passed and life gradually returned to normal.
Prussia made me pancakes every single morning and would cry if I didn't eat. He tried as hard as he could to cheer me up, but there was an incoming date that he couldn't possibly pull me back from.
"C'mon, vögelchen! Zhis isht out last meeting before America's party!" Gil coaxed from the other side of the door.
"I'm not going!" I shouted, burying myself deeper in my blankets.
"Birdie, please. Jou can't just hide from zhe vorld."
"I don't feel very good." I told him. My stomach had been hurting for a few days now. But that wasn't the reason I wanted to stay home.
"Birdieeeeeeeee!" Prussia whined.
"Nobody'll notice me missing. Just g'head, b'y."
There was a short silence before Prussia sighed. "Fine. But text me if jou need anyzhing. Please."
"I will. I promise."
Gil hesitantly said goodbye and then stomped off.
I waited until I heard my truck pull out of the driveway before I burst into tears.

Why do I keep doing this to you guys?

"So, what's so important in town?" Lunis asked after half an hour of silence.
"Nothing of your concern." Rory sneered.
"If you're getting yourself into trouble again, then I have every right to be concerned." Lunis pointed out.
"Well, you needn't worry about me." Rory crossed his arms over his chest.
"We need to be within the proximity of a transmission tower so we can track down some pirates." Coral explained.
"Coral!" Rory hissed.
"Track them down with what?" Lunis asked.
"This." Rory held up the Credit Device just long enough for his cousin to see.
"Hanging out with Six again, I see." Lunis laughed to himself.
"How'd you know?" Rory asked.
"Six begged...well threatened...for a red Credit Device from COMI." Lunis explained.
Rory pursed his lips. That sounded like her.
"And we both know more than anybody, Six always gets what she wants."
"Don't start this again." Rory warned.
"I won't" Lunis promised. "But something bad must have happened between you two, right?"
"What gave you the clue this time?" Rory glowered.
"I've known you since you were five, little cousin. Your movements are familiar to me." Lunis gave off a sympathetic air. Was he really capable of anything other than arrogance?
"Well, you know how we are. The bickering just went too far." Rory shrugged.
"I see." Lunis nodded. There was something else in his expression...hope maybe...
Oh no.
"Coral, you okay back there?" Rory twisted his head to see behind him.
The Seafidge was sleeping against the window.
"She's all tuckered out." Lunis smiled. "Must be your monotonous voice."
"You know I both hate you and love you at the same time, right?" Lunis pulled the car over and looked directly into Rory's eyes.
"Yeah, I know." Rory escaped his cousin's gaze, peering down at the Credit Device.
"You were always my nemesis, but also my best friend."
Rory reminisced back to their childhood. All those tricks...all those times he had bailed Lunis out of trouble...
"I know, Lunis." He reopened the tracker icon, finding himself when a map popped up.
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah, what?" Lunis looked at Rory expectantly.
"Do you mind driving us all the way to Beethoven? I know where we need to go."