Night Rather Than Day by Erin Kayleen aka melodyofbrokenwings
Main pairing: PrussiaxFem!Canada

I hope you enjoy!

- Introduction -

Round and Round

The world in your eyes

Forever is lie

As we go on our way

There is a thousand things to know

Sometimes we're standing by

The things we never understand

As we go on our own way

The weather around New York City left a solemn atmosphere around the bustling metropolis that never sleeps. It failed to let up even into the early morning, an hour before sunrise. The sound of police sirens and pounding rain could be heard throughout the streets, including all houses, businesses, and a particular apartment complex.

The building's tiny compared to its neighbors. It has a rusty red exterior tucked away into a corner where most people would not notice. They were decent and had spacious rooms but like every living area in New York, it was over priced.

In a one bedroom apartment a lamp was the only light illuminating the almost bare living room. No pictures decorated the walls, no spilled out junk mail across the coffee table, not a piece of clothing in sight, nothing. It appeared generic. Almost like a modeled apartment that was ready to be sold to an eager musician trying to make it big or a couple excited to move in together.

Footsteps were mute across the carpet. A woman walked towards the couch and bent down to pick up her purse and phone. She was dressed to go out, wearing a light brown rain coat and a dusty pink knee length dress which appeared almost an ominous color in the low lighting. The black flats she is going to wear were near the door next to a large black suitcase. A plane ticket laid on top of it with a passport.

Grabbing her belongings she picked up her pace. The taxi will be here any minute for her. Moving to the lamp she paused when her fingers pressed the switch. Her violet eyes moved back to the farthest room from her and the snoring made her heart clench. She peered down at her left hand where a diamond engagement ring rested. Almost reluctant she slid it off and walked to the kitchen counter, placing her commitment, her feelings, everything the two had next to a neatly written letter.

The long honey blonde hair girl stepped away before she had the opportunity to snatch it back. She had made her decision. She will not be a fool. She will not stay with him. Choking on a sob, she covered a mouth to muffle her pained cry. Don't wake him up. You have to go. Leave him behind.

He hurt her. Sneaking around with a woman she called a friend. Her only friend here in this large city. And she knew for months. She knew of his double life with her best friend. But she loved him, hoping he would stop this and commit to only her again. The woman wanted to scream at him. Call him out on his disloyalty. Punch him and scream, cry in hurt and frustration. Yet, the courage always went fleeting when he came home with his quirky smile after a day at work, kissing her and whispering comments and sweet nothings to her when she made him dinner. The times when they fought at two in the morning and he came back to hold her when she cried. The way they kissed made her love him even more. Every little thing made her quiver. He is her world. She loves him.

Because of him, she has to go.

She cannot harm him. The only way she can fight back is to leave him and run away. Marriage is sacred to her. A cheating boyfriend will be a cheating husband. Believing he is her one and only is futile. Louis loves Diana. Not her.

Did he ever love her? Why would he ever drop down on one knee and spill his false feelings out?

Quickly she moved to the lamp and turned it off. Pulling up the handle, she picked up her belongings and left the room in silence. The tears have already dried up when she walked down the hall towards the elevators.

Dear Louis,

By the time you read this letter, I am already gone. I have known about you and Diana for about three to four months now. Yet, you still proposed to me last month. Did you want to make me a fool who stays with you even when you are not in love with me? Were the last three years full of lies? I hope they weren't.

I love you, but I will move on and forget about you. Have a happy life with Diana. Good bye.

Madeline

- Chapter 1 -

Stuck in Love

There are too many shadows

of your love everywhere around me

Stuck stuck stuck in love

Mysterious light

I'm still discovering

How can I get over you

Why do we have to be apart

A phone started to ring through out a small studio apartment. The sun shone through the blinds as a woman tossed in her bed, groaning while she reached out to the loud contraption on her bedside table.

She pulled it underneath the large comforter and answered. "Hello?" she questioned with an exhausted tone.

"Good morning, Maddie!" exclaimed a voice from the speaker making her pull back with a jolt. It took her moment to register the voice and she finally responded.

"Good morning Al." She snuggled more into her pillow.

"How are you still asleep? You need to be up and enjoying your day!" Maddie smiled at his enthusiasm. He was an early bird for sure, but Maddie is a night owl. She went to bed around three in the morning. What time is it? She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and she wanted to groan more. Eight a.m. on the dot. Every day. Without fail, her older twin brother manages to wake her up.

"I didn't go to bed at six yesterday, like you do." Maddie pushed the comforter off and sat up on the queen size bed. She grabbed her glasses and slipped them on.

"Excuse me, I went to bed at ten. You over exaggerate." Her older brother Alfred huffed, "Are you doing anything fun today?"

"Not that I know of. Probably be lazy you know. It is a Saturday."

Al scoffed into the phone and it made her twitch slightly. "Come on, Maddie. You are twenty five today. You need to celebrate!" Maddie rose a brow and looked at her phone again and stared at the date hard. July 1st.

It took a moment to realize today is her birthday. Her twenty fifth birthday. But what's the point? She's going to spend it alone anyway.

"It's another day." Her feet touch the floor and she headed to the bathroom to take a shower and change clothes.

"What you need to do is go out. You stay in that cramped apartment with nothing to do except read those gross murder mystery novels and listen to sad, depressing music in other languages! Maddie! You need to have fun!"

"I don't have people to go out with." She sighed. Stepping onto the cold tile floor of the bathroom sent a shiver down her spine, she stepped on the rug and felt instant relief.

"Excuses, that's all I ever hear from you." He retorted.

"I'm not going out," she said with finality.

"Look, ever since you left that bastard back in New York, you haven't been yourself." Maddie froze as she reached for her toothbrush, eyes wide as she stared into the reflection in the mirror. Her honey long waist length hair was a curly mess, her bright violet eyes had turned dull over the past few years and her skin had become paler. The black bags under eyes and bruises from her clumsiness were so apparent that people might believe she has been abused. She looked straight out of thriller movie.

"Al…" she mumbled. Gripping the toothbrush she turned on the sink and rinsed it off.

The man on the other side of the line let out a long sigh. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bring him up. It's just...it's true. Maddie, I am worried about you. It's been three years since you left him. I want you to be who you once were."

He's worried, she told herself and remained calm. Of course. Al's the only one who ever checks on her. When was the last time she even talked to her parents for more than five minutes? She lost count after the last year.

"Thank you. But I am fine."

"No you are no-" Suddenly the phone justled on the other end and she heard a deep British accent in her ear.

"Madeline, dear, it's Arthur." Arthur Kirkland. He's been with her brother ever since high school. Their relationship was the scandal type, one straight out of a Japanese manga. Arthur was a student teacher and Al was a high school senior. No one knew about them until after graduation when Alfred landed a fat one on the teacher's lips in front of the school body. Maddie could remember clearly the sputtering mess the British man was and Alfred's stupid, proud grin. Plus the yelling awe struck and flabbergasted students and teachers did not help it one bit.

"Good morning to you, Arthur." She began brushing her teeth.

"Happy birthday," he started off and she couldn't help but smile at the simple statement.

"Thank you."

"I am sure your present from us arrived today. I would like for you to open it with us on the phone, is that alright, dear?" he said and she spit into the sink, rinsing off the brush and her mouth quickly after moving the phone away from the speaker so he wouldn't hear her.

She grabbed a face towel and wiped off the excess, then answered, "of course, let me go check." Maddie left the bathroom, grabbing her large fluffy pink robe off the hook and slipped it on as she walked through her carpeted apartment, heading down a small hallway to the living room and kitchen area. The only object separating the rooms is an island attached to the wall right in front of the tiled floor of the kitchen. There wasn't much since she lived alone. One couch, one side table, one book shelf, a laptop that mostly stayed on the coffee table and tons of papers and bills she still needed to sort and pay.

She unlocked her dead bolt and opened the door to be met with a mix breeze of hot and cold air, her eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight. The suburb she lived in was noisier than usual, but she was used to it. Coincidentally, she was born on the independence day of Canada. Festivities were starting early once again this year and as usual, she will stay at home and order Chinese take out and watch movies.

The mail had arrived early today and there was a medium size parcel sitting there with her regular mail conveniently placed on top. Her mail lady was so nice.

"I have it" She spoke into the phone in her hand, placed it in the crook of her neck and picked up her mail, going back inside.

"Your brother picked it out." Arthur said and she could hear the love and pride in his tone. Alfred is not the best at buying gifts for people. One time he bought a hair band t shirt for their dad, and he is bald and that is just one time in the past six years. Let's say Arthur and Maddie have been helping him from the time he could afford them.

This is a big deal if Arthur actually allowed for an Alfred gift to be sent all the way to Canada.

Maddie moved to the couch and tossed the mail with the rest, sitting the package on top of it and grabbed a stray pen, poking a hole in the tape and ripping it across. "You approved of it? It must be great."

"Considering who bought it, it's his best accomplishment yet." She chuckled when she heard whining in the background from her brother. Maddie balanced the phone once more and pulled apart the flaps on the box, boxing peanuts flying out and she groaned. What ever happened to bubble wrap? Peanuts are no fun. She dug her hands in and pulled out a heavy rectangular box. It was wrapped up in seafoam green and blue paper with a small envelope on top. "I'm surprised it's not red." She joked lightly, putting the delivery box to the side and pulled off the card, putting it to the side for later and unwrapped the present. What she saw left her speechless. Tossing the paper she stared at her present in wonder. It was a brand new laptop. She had been needing one for awhile, ever since her desktop computer had been crashing and lost most of her documents and pictures.

"Do you like it?" She shook her head to snap her out of her senses.

"I love it" She said looking for the opening, noticing it had been opened already. "He even tested it out before sending it." She could not help but smile at her generous brother and brother-in-law.

"I wanted the best for my baby sister." Alfred spoke into the phone and she realized she was on speaker phone with them. "I put some pictures on there for you and my music library. I also downloaded a couple of writing programs and since I am the best brother ever, I have a second gift for you." Maddie rose a brow and he mentioned the card she left for later. She put the laptop down and reached for the card, opening it to see long message from the two men and a new picture of their tiny family. Alfred was hugging Arthur and kissing his cheek, the British man surprised at the sudden action and their cat Captain America (Captain for short) was at their feet looking up at them with bristled fur as in surprise as well. She smiled and she moved it to see a ticket. She stared at it and her eyes widened. It was a hockey ticket, for tonight's game! "I know you like the Montreal Canadiens so I decided to buy you a ticket! You better go, I am expecting posts on your Instapic, got it?" Alfred said and Maddie only shook her head, a small smile on her lips.

"Thank you Alfred, Arthur. I am going to go tonight. I promise." She smiled and the boys both said their birthday wishes again. After saying goodbye she ended the call and stood up. Laptop abandoned on the couch momentarily she moved to the kitchen and put the picture on her fridge along with the other photos she received from Alfred and Arthur. Some with her, some with other friends from America. Some with the couple on their wedding day at the courthouse, when they adopted Captain, christmas in Massachusetts when she visited for the holidays, and many more memories she was a part of in the last three years. Looking over the memories a tear slipped down her cheek and she wiped it away quickly. Arthur and Alfred were her family and she missed seeing them everyday. But they have their own life to live and she had her's. It was her choice to come to Canada. Her brother wanted her to come live with him but she was being stubborn and decided if Louis never knew where she went then she could forget about him and continue on with her life.

To be honest it has been hard. Louis was the love of her life. She was going to marry him and spend the rest of her life with him. But after Louis started to see Diana, her perfect life fell apart. Not even two months after college graduation, she had to leave him. The only reason she even finished school was because of his help. He encouraged her to get her journalism degree and get a job with Buzznet, the top news source on the internet currently. Lucky enough, she managed to get into the Canadian outlet. Which she is super excited about. She starts her internship next week after years of writing blogs and finally getting their attention. It only makes her aggravated considering it seems he still has an influence over her. Which, in a way, he does. She does not go out except for her job at the cafe currently, then it will be her second job she will go to, groceries, take-out, and home. She has not dated or seen anybody since New York and she has no plan to either. She is going to leave it up to fate if she ever has the chance to catch a boy's attention again. Or have them catch her eyes.

Shaking her head she picked up the hockey ticket and smiled wider. Perhaps this is a sign, her push forward from the clutches of her depression and lack of excitement in her life? Her brother has been wanting to help her get out and sadly, he succeeded slightly with this amazing opportunity to get away from the television screen and actually experience a game with her favorite hockey team. She will take pictures and try to have the best birthday in years. For them and a little bit for herself.

"We come to Canadia for a holiday because of your boyfriend, my month of partying and getting drunk off my ass and you want to go watch a hockey game with him? There aren't hot chicks at a stupid hockey game!" Two brothers sat in a Montreal bar eating poutine and bratwurst with a pitcher of beer in between them. The youngest brother was a broad shouldered man with bright golden hair, tired blue eyes and a permanent stress wrinkle in between his eyes. He is the epitome of tall and handsome and he was eyed by women of all ages, but he ignored them. Considering he has a boyfriend whom he loves, he is not interested in them. His older brother who was gulping down the rest of his craft sat across from him and if he did not tell people they were related, no one would ever know. The oldest was shorter, leaner, and overall different from him. His brother was an albino, silver hair and red eyes and paler compared to the youngest tanned skin. He also has a very...colorful vocabulary.

"Feli wants to see it. This is his holiday so I will go with him. You are invited as well." Ludwig Beilschmidt took a bite out of his poutine, "plus it is Canada, not whatever you call it."

Gilbert Beilschmidt rolled his eyes as he refilled his glass. "I don't want to." he groaned.

"Fine, you can head back to the hotel room." Ludwig stated and his phone started ringing. He pulled it out and answered it, "Feli, where are you?"

"I am outside the arena. The game will be starting shortly." his broken English made the younger man smile.

"I will be there soon." He said goodbye and hung up the phone. "Last chance. Are you coming?" Ludwig pulled out his wallet to pay the bill and Gilbert groaned. He pulled out his wallet and checked how much money he had and Ludwig heard him curse under his breath. He must not have enough for a taxi or bus back to the hotel.

"I'll go, but don't expect me to like this." He shoved his wallet back into his pocket and stood up. Downing the last of his beer in one large gulp Gilbert headed to the bathroom as Ludwig paid the waitress. This night will be agonizing…