The Canadian Connection

Ch. 14 Sobering Regrets

"Once again I would just like to express my deepest, deepest apologies to all of you for my actions last night. I know I already said that I was sorry but I can't help but still feel bad about what happened when I tried to kill Yong-soo." Matthew apologetically told the other men in the apartment facing him on couches and chairs while the Canadian sat on a single chair facing them all. The room under other circumstances could nearly be considered the waiting area for people in line for the emergency room in a hospital. Almost everyone was sporting bandages, bruises or cuts of various kinds and severity. "I'm really sorry Berwald for kicking you in the face, and then calling you... things that I would rather not repeat." Matthew told the Swede who nodded back to him, a slight bruise on his cheek the evidence of the mentioned injury Matthew had inflicted on him.

"'s ok'y." Berwald told the other blonde with a hand raised to inform Matthew no ill will was between them.

"Uhm, okay then." Matthew responded before turning to the next man in line. "Tino, I'm very sorry for biting your arm, and then your hand. And I am really, really sorry for, uh... w-well, kicking you in the crotch like that. I don't know what came over me." Matthew apologized, bowing his head in a subservient manner to better express his sincerity of the apology.

Tino smiled if somewhat weakly and self-consciously rubbed the bandage on his hand hiding a set of teeth marks from view. "It's okay Matthew; I understand. You were just really stressed out." Tino told the Canadian.

"Thanks Tino." Matthew told the man and gave the kind Fin a grateful smile before turning to the next person in line, Tino adjusting an ice pack over his vital regions with a grimace as soon as the blonde had looked away.

"Norge," Matthew began as his violet eyes alighted on the stoic Norwegian, staring impassively as ever. Matthew paused as he looked at the man and took a slow deep breath, mentally preparing himself. "I want to tell you that I am so very, very sorry for trying to gut you with a broken bottle until you smacked it out of my hand." The stoic Norwegian nodded in understanding of the apology. Matthew convulsively looked down to his chest where the man's shirt hid the bandages and the shallow wound the Canadian had inflicted. "I'm also r-really sorry for also r-ruining your shirt." Matthew told him, somewhat hesitantly as though unaware of whether or not it was appropriate.

"It was fine. I needed to wash that shirt regardless ergo I was not as depressed as opposed to if it had been one of my clean ones." Norge told the Canadian in monotone. Matthew blinked and looked to the side somewhat awkwardly, unsure if the Norwegian was making fun of him or not.

"O-oh, okay then. Thank you." Matthew told Norge, deciding to take him at face value as his expression would not change.

"No problem." Norge answered without skipping a beat. Matthew nodded in satisfaction and turned to the Icelander in the room.

"Emil."

"Yes?" The Icelander asked, curious as to exactly what the Canadian would apologize for considering he had not actually been injured by the crazed Canuck during his rampage.

"I just want to say thanks for keeping Yong-soo away from me until I calmed down."

"Oh, no problem." Emil assured Matthew. Matthew sighed in relief and leaned back in his chair, the feeling of a great weight lifting from his shoulders helping him relax contentedly into the embrace of his seat.

"Does that mean I can come out of the closet now?" Yong-soo's muffled voice chimed in from behind a closed door, a chair propped underneath the doorknob in lieu of a lock.

"No. No you may not." Matthew answered with a frown of displeasure.

"Hey wait, you aren't going to apologize to me?" Matthew blinked in surprise and puzzlement as he looked to the spiky haired Dane who had spoken.