Disclaimer: I don't own Axis Powers Hetalia or any of its characters.

One Hundred Forty Two Years Lost

Canada rushed towards the docks, shouting (quietly) apologies as he dodged around people's legs and ducked to avoid being hit by their belongings.

Kumajirou dangled floppily in his hands, his arms and legs flying up in the air in his haste. " Who?" the bear murmured.

" France," the child replied breathlessly as he continued up the sloping streets. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes bright. He couldn't remember being this happy and excited before. " He's coming today. He promised he would."

" Why?"

He pouted. " You know today. Today is a special day."

Canada reached the docks, panting and sweaty. The sky was as blue as the ocean, glistening and crystal-clear. Seagulls chirped, darting between the clouds, nipping at the edges of the waters, hoping to catch a careless fish. The air here tasted salty and sharp, stinging lightly against his eyes.

But he endured it. For France was coming today and today was going to be a special day.

He sat by the edge of the docks, well out of the way of workers, and he swung his legs over the rocky surface, feeling the tickle of the waves against the bottom of his feet.

Hours passed and still Canada sat by the docks, waiting and watching at the horizon, hoping to catch a glimpse of the familiar French flag wavering in the distance, proclaiming that France was coming.

He knew France would never break a promise to him. He would come. He would.

But as the day came to an end and the last rays of the sun waned to a crimson lavender sprinkled with gold and blue, France did not come and Canada had dropped into a sleepy doze, mumbling that France would be arriving any minute now.

A worker passing by caught him just before he nearly fell into the ocean in his slumber. " Hey kid. Why don't you go home?" the man kindly said. " It's getting late and you're going to fall asleep on your feet if you don't."

Canada rubbed his eyes, staring forlornly at the empty sea. No ships. No flag. No France.

" When are the French coming here?" he asked. " I thought they were coming today."

The man chuckled. " The French? They're tied up with some war with England overseas. They won't be coming here anytime soon." He gave Canada a pat on the head. " Go home, all right kid? Your parents must be worried about you."

Quietly, Canada thanked the man and gathered Kumajirou in his arms and began the long walk back to the little house France had built for him.

" Did he come?" Kumajirou yawned. The bear's mouth stretched wide and his tongue flicking from behind his teeth. He didn't seem very interested whether France came or not.

Canada shook his head silently and gripped the bear little more tighter as he made his way up the hills, ignoring the rocks digging into his sore feet.

France had promised he would come.

To celebrate his birthday. His first birthday as a nation.

Oh well, he told himself. Maybe next year.

~.~.~

Things had been different, now that he belonged to England and no longer to France.

But nevertheless, Canada was happy that he could spend some time with his brother.

On this particular summer day, he had been slipping America's wrapped present into a secret chasm under his favourite tree, when America jumped on him, laughing with such a joy it was infectious.

" I'm so excited for my birthday!" America chirped, taking Canada's hands and spinning them both around and around until they collapsed dizzily on the glass. " Just a few more days and it's my birthday! Can you believe it?"

Before he could answer, America interrupted him cheerfully without realizing he did. " I know England has the presents hidden underneath his bed. I saw them the other night. And I know you got something me too." He winked deviously. " Not to mention I heard he was asking France to make a cake for me too! Isn't it wonderful? I can't wait! I love birthdays!"

Canada chose not to say how France never made him a cake for his birthday or how England seemed to forget to give him presents on that day. " It is," he instead said with a smile, happy for his brother.

" By the way, when's your birthday?" America suddenly asked, fiddling with a caterpillar lying on a blade of glass. " I think it's coming up or something."

The smile on his face faltered briefly, but he immediately covered it with another smile. " It ... It happened," he said.

America didn't seem to notice how quiet his voice got. Nor did he realize what Canada was truly trying to say. He gave a bark of laughter and slapped him good-naturally on the back. " That's too bad. We could have celebrated together."

The corners of Canada's mouth twitched slightly. " Yeah," he softly said. Though America now chattered about something else entirely different and didn't hear him.

" We still can."

~.~.~

England's moods appeared to grow worse and worse as spring faded with the last of the flowers blooming and the baby birds settling in new nests.

It was like this every year, during this particular time of the year. Canada knew it also. So he chose not to say anything about it.

He had finished preparing tea for England, setting the tray by England's usual table, as he worked feverishly on a particular embroidery, embellished in blue, red and white. England said nothing to him as he stood silently beside him for a few minutes.

" That idiot's birthday is coming up," England finally muttered, just as he was about to leave. " And he expects me to send him something."

" Oh," was all Canada could say.

" How arrogant of that brat," he continued to grumble under his breath. His embroidery noticeably became more uneven and floundering. " At every chance, he must make the fool out of me."

" I think he wants you to celebrate with him," Canada offered. " Just like you used to."

England muttered something under his breath and went back to untie all the messy knots that he had made in the embroidery, silently dismissing him as well.

Today was his birthday, Canada wanted to impulsively tell him. Just for someone to tell him happy birthday and congratulate him. Even offering a smile would be satisfying enough for him.

But seeing the bitter expression on England's face made his tongue stuck and he sighed, choosing not to say anything.

~.~.~

They had left the meeting for a short break with America twittering about his upcoming birthday, teasing England to get him that new game that had came out, along with poking France and occasionally Canada when he remembered he was there.

" Why should I get you a present?" England humphed.

" Why shouldn't you?"

" I have better things to do than get you presents."

" You're such a snob," France chipped in.

" Like you have the right to call me that, beard-face!"

" You're just lazy. You have the rest of today to get it. It's not like you have anything else better to do today."

Canada cleared his throat (quietly), but no one heard him.

" That isn't true. Today is a special day," France was saying.

His heart suddenly leaped to his throat. It couldn't be, could it? That at long last someone remembered his birthday. He desperately wanted it to be so and however how small, he still carried a seed of hope that they did.

" Today is the day my radio show gets to interview a lovely French model," he happily declared.

Canada didn't say anything, his heart sinking, as England and France immediately got into another fight about it, as America kept laughing, watching them in amusement. In fact, none of them realized he was even there. Again.

It's not their fault they didn't remember this year, he told himself. They probably have other things on their minds.

And there's always next year, he hopefully reminded himself.

~.~.~

Canada sighed as he glanced out the window, wondering if he could disappear entirely into the blue sky.

Another perfect day.

Another cloudless day.

Another birthday.

Today, despite having a world conference in his country, no one remembered, as expected. In fact, he appeared to be more invisible than usual, as not his good friend Cuba or even Kumajirou seemed to notice him today.

It wasn't as if anyone knew. His birthdays are always shadowed and forgotten in light of America's bigger, better birthdays. He always got presents, cake and everyone coming to congratulate him for making it for another year.

His birthdays came and went, with no celebrations, no presents, no cake and no one to remember his birthday. Not even to remember that he existed.

He smiled sadly to himself. He already knew this and he had long encouraged himself to not think too much of it or to be too envious of how everyone else got to celebrate their birthdays with their families and friends.

And to add salt to the wound, when he had been lightly dozing during the meeting, the rest of the countries had left, unintentionally locking him in the room, assuming everyone had already gone.

Unfortunately for him, the doors could only be opened from the outside, so Canada was trapped here for the day until someone, maybe a janitor, would come by tomorrow.

What a perfect way to spend his birthday, locked in a room, all alone. Not even Kumajirou was here, having wandered off during the meeting and disappeared with the rest of the leaving countries.

The corners of his eyes pricked sharply, but Canada no longer had any strength to brush them away. Too many years had gone by and the result was always the same.

The same disappointment. The same defeated hope.

Bam!

To his surprise, the doors of the room banged open, startling him, making him jump to his feet in his alarm. And standing there, with a smile stretching from ear to ear, was none other than his brother.

" What are you doing here? Lazing around while the rest of us were working." America grinned, grabbing him by the hand and already dragging him towards the door. " You're coming with me!"

" Wait, America," he stuttered. " How did you find me? And where are you taking me?"

" You'll see," he chirped in reply.

No sooner than he took one step outside the door (more like shoved out the door), Canada was completely blinded by the colours of crimson and white.

He gasped. It was balloons, he realized in shock and amazement, being released by the hands of every single country he knew.

There was England smiling and France winking, with Kumajirou by their feet. Beside them, Cuba was giving him a thumbs up, Italy jumping up and down excitedly and Ukraine waving happily. Japan, Korea and China were carefully finishing their portraits, successfully capturing this moment, focusing especially on Canada.

While not too far away, Switzerland bickered with Austria where to put the enormous cake, decorated also in thick swirls of red and white cream, with several candles alight. Germany barked at both of them to stop quarrelling and just place the cake down before it fell, while Liechtenstein and Vietnam looked on with worry.

Greece and Egypt balanced presents and enlisted many cats and what appeared to be a jackal to do so, as Finland, Sweden and Denmark hurried to help, carrying even more brightly decorated presents.

Even Russia appeared to be relaxed, happily helping himself to some cake and offering it to the trembling Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as well.

" W-what's going on?" Canada stammered, still dazzled by the red and white balloons floating heaven-ward.

" What do you think we're doing?" America laughed, throwing an arm around him. " It's your birthday, isn't it?"

He pointed to one of the balloons and he squinted, seeing the words written on there and he could see that they said in big, bold writing: Happy Canada Day.

Feeling a hitch rise in his throat, he turned to America, who was still beaming widely. " How – how - ?" he choked out.

" For the too many times we had forgotten," England answered, arriving and holding his own gift.

" We are terribly sorry, mon cher, for what we have done to you," France added with a plate of cake just for Canada. He smiled sadly. " I hope you can forgive us."

Canada's eyes had been shadowed by his long bangs, tears trickling down his cheeks, and his shoulders were shaking. The three of them glanced worriedly at each other.

" Who ...?" Kumajirou murmured by their feet, pawing at their legs restlessly.

" Canada, I know this doesn't make up for all the years of neglect," England began, looking regretful.

" If there is anything we can do," France suggested hopefully.

" Listen," America sighed. " I know we have forgot and we never got to celebrate it properly, but we - "

He couldn't finish before Canada suddenly enveloped all three in a crushing hug.

" Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much!" He was laughing and crying at once, until none of them were sure which one he was doing. " I'm so happy that you remembered."

Soon, they had joined in the laughter as well, patting him on the head, gripping his hand and returning a tight embrace as well.

" Happy birthday, Canada," they told him, before the widest smile appeared across his face and he felt like he could cry again.

They left arm in arm, heading towards the tables where the presents, cake and the rest of the world waited for them, as the millions of red and white balloons continued to fly away in the skies, radiating outward and revealing to everyone whose birthday it was today.

~.~.~.~

Author's Notes:

The title One Hundred Forty Two Years Lost refers to Canada's actual age since he was established as a country, July 1, 1867 up until now July 1, 2010. So Canada is in fact 143 years old today.

I know Canada really didn't have a birthday during the time he was with France and with England, but for the sake of drama, let's roll with it.

Most of all, happy birthday to Canada and may we never forget.