Among Us|Countryhumans AU

8

March 6, New York

Once again, America woke up in a start. However he felt his left foot hit something hard, probably another living being. Wait a minute...

Before he started screaming, the moon, as if wanting to spare America's neighbors another round of screaming (if they were to ever hear it in their sleep), shone onto the strange being. Well, it wasn't fully discernible as the figure had turned their back onto the wide window, however America could discern two vertical red stripes on their skin, a brown fur hat with a little striped tail hanging at the end, a white t-shirt, and plaid red pants. Peru? He thought, but then it couldn't be. This figure, as far as America could tell, could be a bit taller than America, probably two or more inches taller than him.

"Canada?"

The tall figure turned and America could see portions of his brother's face where the moon shone. There was a white stripe at the middle with a single red maple leaf on it. However, unlike his brother, he had light brown eyes.

"Well," said Canada, "This is the fourth night you've woken up like this, and then you tell me you barely remember your dream, or what had happened the night before every time you wake up," Canada looked almost exasperatedly at his brother, who eventually tensed up at the sight. Just then, Canada then realized how he looked and began turning away in somewhat guilt.

The room fell quiet for a short while before Canada muttered, "America, are you really okay? You seem really panicked and sad lately."

"No, I-" America stuttered as he relaxed after hearing this statement, "I'm totally fine."

"Well, if you have anything in your head that's bothering you, maybe... maybe you can tell me," Canada then looked at the latter in a reassuring manner as America sank back onto the bed and prepared to drift off to sleep, "You don't have to be scared. I promise I'll listen to you."

The room went silent once again for a long while. Canada was sure his older brother had drifted off to sleep again, when he felt something warm bumping and then eventually resting onto him, like warm butter melting. He looked at the figure, and saw America wrapped in his blanket, his head on his shoulder, leaning for comfort. He looked so frail and so weak and so, so sad. It was evident America's guilt since that day and since France's murder had been troubling him for days already, even before he took a break with WHO's and UN's permission.

Canada wrapped an arm around his brother and leaned close to him. He then used the hand to pat America's fluffy blonde hair. In fact, no matter how short America had cut his hair, it still remained soft and fluffy. Canada felt that this needed to be done, seeing how miserable America looked. He kept doing so for a long while. In times like this we must know that one thing what we need most is comfort, and Canada, despite being younger than America, knew that perfectly well.

"Canada," America finally said, although it sounded like a whisper, "Have you ever- Have you ever done something you're so sure you've done it correctly, but then it turns out to go so wrong and it costs a lot to redeem that one thing you did, especially when you've indirectly killed someone and then they turn out to be the wrong person and then another person gets murdered, and you're just thinking you've cost two lives?"

"Is it about China and France and about the murders?" Canada said softly, earning a small nod from America. He then continued, "Don't let them get to your head. You're gonna go mad if you keep thinking about it."

"'Course it's easy for you to say it," America snapped.

"No, Meri, I really mean it," Canada replied, "You're gonna go mad. You need to keep calm. What would you think is the most reasonable way to solve a-no- a series of murders?"