Canada x Shy! Reader x America

Chapter 22: Lost In the Forest

(Y/N) ran as fast as she could through the freezing cold forrest. She could barely see where she was going due to the tears pouring out of her eyes. The salty, wet tears streamed down her face, and as the cold winds brushed her moist cheeks, it made her all the more cold.

But she ignored the cold. She ignored the tears in her eyes. She ignored the branches scratching her arms as she ran. There was only one thing on her mind. Betrayal.

She had just witnessed her two best... her two only friends fight with each other... just as her parents had done so many years before... She had felt safe with them by her side... But fighting took away any sense of safety she had...

Her foot got caught on a root she couldn't see through the snow. She tripped and fell face first into the cold snow. She did not attempt to get up, she just laid their an let all her tears flow.

She cried and cried.

Just today she thought Today was the same day... I thought they loved me... Were their kisses fake? Like my father's kisses to my mother? Was it all a trick to lure me into a false sense of trust and safety?

She felt something nudge her head softly. She looked up to see three black spots on a coat of pure white.

"Kumajirou?"

The emotionless polar bear starred into the lost girl's teary eyes. She sat up and pat the snow animal on its head. He lightly tugged on her jacket sleeve. (Y/N) rose and Kumajirou began walking off in the other direction. She followed closely behind him, not wanting to lose him the dark forest. She could barely see him due to the way the snow camouflaged him, but she continued to follow the pure white creature.

Eventually Kumajirou sat down in the snow. (Y/N) looked up to see the frozen waterfall the polar bear had shown Matthew and her before. She sat down and wiped the remains of tears from her cheeks and eyes. She let out a quiet, shuddering sigh. A pair of black eyes turned toward her, they almost looked like they were part of the snow on the ground. The small polar bear tilted its head, seemingly asking, "What's wrong?"

(Y/N) giggled a bit at the thought of a polar bear talking to her and asking her if she was okay. She went along with it anyway. "Well...Um... Alfred and Matthew got in a big fight... A-and I thought I could trust them... I-I thought I was safe with them... I th-thought it wouldn't happen again." The tears began to fall once again.

Am I just destined to never have a good, safe home... To never have any friends... To never love.... To never be loved...

"There will always be fights"

(Y/N) looked around frantically. She had no idea where the voice had come from. "Wh-who's there?" she called, but no response came. She looked back at the two black beads on the polar bear's face. They only blinked in response.

"No one wants there to be fighting..."

The voice came again. But... it seemed to be more in (Y/N)'s head... but it was still a real voice....

"Kumajirou?"

"But it's always there... You can't run from it."

As she stared into the animal's unblinking eyes, the voice seemed to become more clear. How was this bear talking to her? It wasn't even opening its mouth. Animals can't even talk! Right?

"But fights can result in growth or realisation."

"B-but what about my parents.... They fought and it just tore them apart..."

"Fighting can get out of hand... There have been so many fights that have destroyed so many things... But fights don't always get out of hand... sometimes they are a necessary part of our lives."

"B-but its terrible... Th-there should be no fighting...."

"Sadly.... that just can't happen, there will always be disagreements and they will eventually lead to fights... its just a necessary part of our lives"

"B-but..."

"Alfred and Matthew have been through a situation like yours before..."

"Wh-what?"

"Back when they were children, the boys's father left unexpectedly after a big fight with their mother. A few years later their mother became gravely ill... She went through surgery and saw many doctors for about a year before she passed..."

(Y/N) felt terrible. She hadn't known... this. Even after living with them for a while, she had never even heard hints of a story such as that... She felt terrible... How could she hurt them even more then they had already been hurt...

"But then... Arthur and Francis came into their lives... And, though they were only two years older than them, they took care of Matthew and Alfred... They loved each other, and they still do... They are almost like..."

"Like a family... Like what they've done for me..." (Y/N) realised then that should not have jumped to conclusions so easily... She had only been frightened...

"A-and now... Oh no... I-I've hurt them by running away... All the things they did for me and I just ran off after one little thing... I'm such a terrible person..."

"Go back to them... I'm sure they'll understand."

"You think so?"

"Of course... They love you after all..."

So they really do love me? (Y/N) thought. And I probably just hurt them by running away... I never deserved for them to love me.... But they do..... and..... I'm so lucky to have people who love me so much... and... I love them too...

Kumajirou climbed into her lap and nuzzled his head lovingly on her leg. She pet the top of his head in response. Together they sat for a while, admiring the beauty of the waterfall before them. It was dark, but the water seemed to reflect the light of the moon so it appeared as if the water were glowing in the night.

The polar bear eventually climbed off her lap and faced her again. "You should get back now... they'll be worried about you... I can lead you to the edge of the woods behind their house... your house..."

"Thank you Kumajirou... you really helped me a lot... I... I really appreciate it..."

The polar bear blinked at her knowingly.

"But now I have another problem."

Kumajirou tilted his head as if to ask "What is it?"

"Who do I choose?"