'Please don't mind. It does this a lot.'

Matthew Williams was hardly ever noticed. He just sort of faded into the background. Of course, that didn't mean that he didn't notice anything himself. Quite the opposite really; he saw a lot of things that he probably shouldn't have. But nobody seemed to notice or care. It wasn't like he would blackmail them or do anything about it. He was far too nice. But Matthew couldn't help himself that day.

Ivan Braginski was extremely tall. He represented Russia so it was natural that he would be physically imposing, even if his face was too sweet to be one of a hard northerner. This was total bull crap. As many would attest, Ivan was not an innocent man. But he was childish, if cruel. He was cruel in the way that children are to animals or other people, when they do not know that they are being cruel. Ivan did not mean to push others away, it was just who he was. And for some reason his heart had the tendency to fall out during meetings.

At one particular meeting, as usual, Matthew was being ignored. He didn't mind being left out, but had brought a book to keep himself company. His older half-brother Alfred was seated next to him and arguing passionately with the Englishman across the table. Matthew watched them bicker back and forth but knew that they were really the best of friends. More than friends actually. If the sounds he heard in their living room were anything to go by, Alfred and Arthur, the Englishman, were much closer than they would admit.

Coming in late, and apologizing without actually meaning it, Ivan sat beside Matthew, more because he didn't want to sit next to Alfred than because the Canadian man was there. To Ivan, there were two open chairs and he would rather beat himself to death with a frozen water faucet than sit next to such an annoying American. Why he even came to these meetings in the first place was beyond him. They hardly ever got anything done beyond insulting and yelling at each other.

Matthew sat back a little as the tall Russian leaned over him and inserted his opinion to the heated argument. This grew until the entire table, minus Matthew, was up out of their seats and yelling at each other. Honestly, Matthew didn't see the point in getting into it. He wasn't very loud and always got drowned out by the more aggressive representatives. He was surprised that they still set up the meetings with a chair for him.

A sudden wet plopping noise drew Matthew out of his book. Lying in front of him on the table was a small, still beating heart. Ivan, who was leaning over the spot where the heart had fallen, took no notice of it and said, pleasantly as ever, "I believe I am leaving now. It is obvious that nothing will get done today, da?" Ivan turned and walked out, still oblivious to the fact that his heart was on the table for all to see.

And the others did see it. "Eww! Dude, I hate it when he forgets to put that thing back in!" Alfred half yelled, always the energetic one. Arthur pushed his chair in and stepped away, trying to get further away from the bloody thing. "Well I'm not returning it." He said, crossing his arms.

The only thing the group decided on that day was to leave Ivan's heart out on the table and go home for the day. They would let him pick it up tomorrow if he didn't come back for it. The only one left at the meeting table was Matthew, who always waited until the others left. But while normally, he did it to avoid being accidentally run over by the others, today he didn't see the others leave. He was staring at the heart, still beating softly on top of his papers. For some reason, it did not repulse him like it did the others. It just seemed to small and sad.

Was that really what Ivan's heart was like? Matthew wondered; sad and lonely all of the time. Picking up the little thing, he resolved to return it to it's owner. It wasn't wet or squishy, though the others might have said it was. To Matthew, it was warm and soft, like a small animal, fluttering weakly in his hands.

As he left the meeting rooms, he realized something. He wasn't sure where Ivan even lived. He'd never been curious enough to follow him. But still resolved to return the heart, he turned in the direction Ivan normally went and set off.

An hour later, and Matthew was utterly lost. He had no idea which house was Ivan's, though it was confirmed by a nervous woman a couple blocks over that this was the right street. He was about to give up, letting his head drop in defeat and muttering, "What was I thinking? Even if I did find him, he'd probably ignore me like everyone always does. I'm just like thin air to them. How could I help him if he won't ever see me?" But lying in his hands, the heart gave a weak pulse, as if it sensed his defeated mood.

Matthew noticed this, and something else. The heart had turned a sickly gray color, and it was somewhat smaller than when it had first fallen from Ivan's chest. Maybe it was dying? Matthew worried. If Ivan's heart died, did that mean Ivan would die too? He couldn't let the big Russian die like that. All alone and missing his heart.

He picked a random brownstone house and dashed up the steps, elbowing the doorbell to avoid letting go of his precious cargo. A short blonde boy opened the door peeking out nervously. "Y-yes? Is someone there?"

Matthew didn't bother trying to politely get his attention. He spoke up loudly for the first time in his life, "Does Ivan Braginski live here? It's important" The boy jumped at the name, as if he was afraid of the man. Matthew didn't see why but it obviously meant her knew Ivan. "Ah, yes he does. Please come in."

Shaking badly, Raivis let the strange man into the house and left him in the living room, heading up to Ivan's study. He hated to go up there and wished desperately that he didn't have to disturb the older man. But the dying heart in the stranger's hands put a sense of urgency into the little Latvian teen. He knocked slowly and opened Ivan's door, saying "Umm, , sir? There's a guy downstairs. He says it's important. Sir?"

Ivan appeared at the door, smiling as usual. "Didn't I say I wanted to be left alone now?"

Raivis wished he could sink through the floor right then and there. But once again, he opened his mouth, and stuck his foot right in it. "But sir! There is someone downstairs and he seems very worried. So I thought I'd come and get you."

Ivan towered over him for a moment, as if deciding whether he really wanted to crush Raivis, or the man downstairs. He settled for a few firm 'pats' on the boy's head before going down to see what had caused the disturbance. Ivan fully expected the upstart capitalist to be involved somehow, but he didn't hear Alfred, which he should have been able to.

Instead, Ivan found himself walking into the living room looking at a slight man he wasn't sure he'd ever seen before, with the most determined expression on his face. He looked a little familiar but that may just have been because he bore a passing resemblance to the capitalist pig. "And who are you little one?"

Matthew sighed as he saw Ivan come in. This was a relief. He'd half expected that the Russian would refuse and he'd have to go upstairs. He didn't even mind the usual question as much. "I'm Matthew Williams. I represent Canada in the world meetings." He explained, going back to his usual shaky self. Ivan advanced on him, expression never changing. "I suppose you are. But why is it that you come to my home today? The meeting is over after all."

Holding his hands out, offering the heart like some macabre offering, Matthew replied, "You dropped this. At the meeting. I wanted to return it to you." Ivan didn't reply. He didn't move beyond locking his gaze on the slowly beating heart in Matthew's hands. Still nervous but adamant to see this through, Matthew stepped forward and closed the distance between them. Like putting a baby bird back in its nest, he gently pressed Ivan's heart back into his chest.

Ivan groaned audibly, grabbing the wall, then grabbing Matthew, for support. He looked queasy, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of emotion. Matthew was tempted to move back, worried that Ivan would puke. Instead, he put his arms around his shoulders, trying to support Ivan to keep him from falling. Matthew worried. Maybe giving the heart back was the wrong thing to do?

But Ivan stopped shaking and let himself be led over to the couch. "Are you alright?" Matthew asked him. His face was flushed as if he'd gotten a fever, but Ivan wasn't sick. He looked at Matthew as if really seeing him for the first time. "You. I don't know you. Why did you bring this back to me?"

Matthew's violet eyes turned down, a little embarrassed. "I, umm, I just thought it looked so lonely. I couldn't just leave it on the table like that." Ivan gently cupped his chin, raising his eyes until violet saw violet. Matthew noticed that, unlike his usual emotionless mask, Ivan's eyes held genuine emotion. Not loneliness like he'd thought, but something he couldn't quite name.

Ivan leaned forward and gently kissed Matthew's forehead. "Spasiba. You are very kind."

"But why does it do that?" Matthew couldn't help but ask, placing his hand over where Ivan's heart now rested. Ivan smiled, not one of his fake smiled, but a real, sorrowful smile. "My heart fell out because I was lonely. I don't think it will do that again though."

Matthew rested his head on Ivan's shoulder, smiling as he closed his eyes. "I'll stay a while, if that's all right. Just to make sure." Ivan didn't answer, but he didn't have to. He lived with so many people, but for the first time in a very long time, he did not feel alone.

Disclaimer: I only WISH I owned Hetalia. I Wish I owned Canada-kun too. I do not want Russia-kun though. As awesome as he is, he comes with the unfortunate addition of Belarus, who scares the crap outta me. But I still own nothing but my stories...

Author's Note: Prolific writing, no? I have a feeling people did not like my AmericaXCanada fic as much as the USXUK one I wrote. Chances are, that's because I wrote it before I did Dinner and a Show (which, by the way, yes it was based loosely on a doujinshi I read.) So I finally finished this one to make up for the last one. And if you can't tell by now, I really prefer to use their human names. I have never read or written Russia before so he may be a little OC. Although towards the end Canada got a little OC. I'm sorry! But it does make for a cute story, no?

Author's Note 2: Please tell me I didn't do what I think I did? I am really really sorry to all seven of my reviewers who asked me why I had a UsXUk yaoi when the summary promised a RusCan fluff. That was a total mistake on my part and I apologize a thousand times over for it. That being said, I ask that people please try and review when there isn't a huge mistake on my part? I know that fixing the mistakes is what reviewing is for, but for people who aren't writers,you have no idea how a review makes us feel, especially when someone loves our work. Favorites make me feel nice too but it simply isn't the same.