Don't own Hetalia.

Aaron – Greenland

Quiet Like the Snow

The day Matthias planned to leave for seeing the Borealis with Matthew, Antonio, Yao and Ivan, he was startled into stopping at his own doorway as Sweden and Norway stood before him.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked smiling; it was so rare for him to see them at all, even with his previous constant pestering, so any visit from them was unexpected and cherished.

Sweden looked Denmark dully, like the question was rather stupid to ask. "W' c'me t' seeya." He said slowly.

Matthias rolled his eyes good-naturedly and reached out, hugging Norway but knowing it would be a pointless (and probably painful) effort to try and do so with the taller man. "I can see that," he bantered back, "but why? None of you like to – or would ever – visit me of your own free will."

Sweden looked for help from Norway, but the shorter blonde had his eyes closed and was taking deep breaths, so the taller of the two assumed the other was trying to restrain his anger at the oldest one there. So he instead just shrugged at his former ruler.

Matthias sighed, used the two taciturn blondes and their silent ways. He smiled and walked towards them, making the two back up (though he did have to carefully push Norway back by his shoulders when he didn't bother to move or open his eyes). "Well," he began, "I would love to just stay here and stare as silently at you two as you both seem content to do to me, but I am expected elsewhere; maybe some other time."

Both frowned at him at that, but Norway still refused to open his eyes. He did however ask, "Why? Where are you expected?"

Matthias' smile morphed into a bright grin at the question, and he responded eagerly, not seeing Norway leaning toward him subtly. "Mattie invited me and a few more people over to see the Aurora Borealis, so I was heading out to meet up with them!"

Sweden's eyes widened at that, and Norway's opened with a snap as his features flushed with anger. "Hva? You've never seen the Borealis without at least one of the Nordics with you!"

Denmark blinked, startled. "Well ya, but none of you wanted me anywhere near you after you guys got independence, so I just thought –"

"No you didn't!"

"Norge…"

"You weren't thinking at all! How can you go to something like this without us? Without me? You've been giving all these other northern countries your attention, and completely snubbing us, your family!"

Denmark tensed at that and leaned forward, uncaring of how Norway didn't even bother giving any space between them. "You have all refused me multiply, constantly, whenever I asked to visit and see the lights with any of you. You have all rejected me, time and time again, and any claim I make about us being a family." His eyes softened, before he turned to lock the door, facing away from them. "I love you Norge, I really do, but Mattie and Ivan are good sønner, and I won't have you saying such cruel things about them near me."

"That's it, then?" Norway's voice was brittle. "They're your sons now, huh? What does that make me and the other Nordics?"

Denmark frowned. "I offered all of you the same thing, but all of you rejected it –"

"That's because I don't want to be your sønn! Jeg ønsker å være…" Norway stopped, and looked away.

Sweden watched the two in front of him, his face impassive, if grudgingly understanding.

Matthias smiled without any real happiness behind it, and bent down, kissing Norway's forehead gently. "Du vil altid have mit hjerte, Norge. I just sometimes need a place to go and people to fix it when you break it." He then turned and walked off.

Once he was out of sight of the two, he looked to the direction of his tallest son's house and took a few steps forward. Black and red strands of magic crept up along his body, and when they faded a Mute Swan stood in his place, before taking off.

Alfred looked up and frowned around his cheeseburger as the doorbell rang, his disapproval of someone one intruding on the time he spent with his brother obvious. "Mattie," he started slowly, looking over at his startled brother across the couch from him, "were you expecting someone else today?"

"I wasn't at this particular moment; in a few hours, yes, but not now. One moment." Matthew stood up to answer the door and Alfred listened attentively to the door opening, the cheeseburger in his hands still.

As soon as the door opened, a heavily accented voice rang out that had America jumping onto his feet instantly. "Ah, Matvey~! It is good to see you again, da?"

"It's good to see you too, Vanya, but what are you doing – ?"

"Oi, communist bastard! What are you doing here? Screw that, get away from Mattie!" Alfred pushed his younger brother behind him and away from the Russian, his fists raised defensively in front of him. Ivan frowned, not expecting the other North American country to be there, before smiling again.

"Well, well, if it isn't the capitalist pig! How is your debt doing?"

America snarled a harsh, "shut your mouth!" before Canada was able to get the two of them a proper distance from each other. The younger twin looked at Russia expectantly. "Is there something you need, Vanya?"

Ivan frowned one last time at America before focusing on his friend and brother-by-claim. "Spain fell ill and admitted to not being too fond of how high or cold we will be, so he decided to stay at his house with Portugal while we went to see the Lights. And Papa is with Aaron, so he will join us later, maybe with Aaron."

Canada nodded. "Got it, Spain is a no-show, and Denmark's at Greenway's house. I'll see you later tonight." Russia nodded his farewell, glared at America one last time (both actions being returned by their respective recipients), then turned and disappeared into the swirling snow.

America waited a moment, to make sure the silver-haired man was really gone, before swinging around to glare at his brother. "What was that all about? Where are you going later? What are the "Lights"? And what the hell was he doing here?"

Matthew sighed and gave his brother a patient but strained smile. "He came to tell me stuff; hiking; the borealis, and I already answered that question earlier. Now let's get back to our visit, you have to go back to your country soon, alright Al?"

The American looked at him suspiciously a little longer, before shrugging. "Alright, I guess."

"Your banks are boiling in a hot tub in hell right now, and you still refuse to give up your ligação with your former colonies or even me. I have to question your sanity, my dear irmão." The speaker wringed out a wet cloth before gently placing it on his older brother's forehead, who simply smiled and nuzzled his twin's hand.

"Hermanito, you know I could never do that. You might as well cut out mi corazón." Antonio gave his brother another hazy smile, before drifting to sleep. Portugal looked at him with soft turquoise eyes before turning away and running a hand through his longer hair in mock-exasperation.

"You're too much for me sometimes, 'Tonio. You really are." He then smiled. "That's probably why I love you so much, you idiot."

After Matthew managed to herd his brother out of the door, he sighed in relief before a tapping sound rattled through the small house from the kitchen. The blonde jogged to the room to see two black birds staring at him from outside the kitchen. He opened the window and the two birds, now revealed to him to be albatrosses, hopped in and perched on either ends of his table. Both were nearly all black except for white marks at the base of their beaks and under their eyes.

Suddenly, wisps of magic enveloped the two birds, one cocoon red and gold, the other purple and silver, and when they dissipated they revealed China and Russia sitting in the albatrosses' places.

"Sorry to be barging in like this," China apologized with an amused smile, Russia nodding in agreement.

Canada chuckled but waved their apologies away with a smile, happy to see the two of them again. He was about to ask them if Denmark was with them when another body, this one definitely human, slipped through the window as well, though with much less grace than the two birds had. Canada laughed with the others as Matthias flailed comically in an attempt to keep his balance, before succeeding and landing on the floor without injury.

A large black bird joined the blonde man, perching on his shoulder before giving the others in the room careful looks. At the nations' questioning looks, the Dane shrugged gently. "Aaron wanted to come, sort of," he explained, and the others nodded in acceptance.

They quickly set out after that, Aaron gliding among the trees and the group eagerly scaling the more mountainous terrain. They had gone a good distance by the time night fell and the borealis came out to dance across the sky. Aaron returned to Matthias' shoulder and all of them smiled and watched as the lights twirled through the sky. Canada, who had been standing a little to the right of Denmark, turned to ask him something, but stopped.

His smile still firmly in place, Matthias looked up into the sky, the lights reflecting off the tears that ran down his face mournfully.

Matthew turned away respectfully, but stood closer to the man to offer him companionship, as his surrogate father grieved for the lost connection to his original family. He stood at a crossroads now, his past glowing in front of him, his present standing beside him, and his future as hidden to him as the stars behind the lights.

Thousands of miles away, another group looked up and watched the lights cascading through the sky, all of them thinking about the man that would drag them out to see it, but who wasn't there with them, pushed away by their own foolishness.

And Norway, his face as impassive as ever, made a promise then. He would get Denmark back. He would make him understand.

Jeg elsker deg, Danmark.

I finally got this blasted chapter out! I'm sorry I'm so bad at updating; I get distracted by life and other fandoms. Hopefully this will appease enough people. I personally like it. The fic may come to its conclusion soon, I'm not entirely sure. Does anyone else find how I write Denmark and Norway sad yet sweet? I just sometimes grow tired of Denmark having to be the one to push their relationship to the next level. Let Norway do it sometimes, I say.

Notes:

Norway's Strange Behavior - I mentioned in a previous chapter that Norway is suffering through "Denmark-withdrawal". He was getting his fix again *snciker*.

All of the Colors Used for their Magic – I just feel that those are the colors that work with them best.

Vanya – Russian nickname for "Ivan".

Matvey – The Russian equivalent of the name Matthew.

Portugal – I see Portugal as Spain's younger twin, since he came from Spain originally. He's usually the calmer of the two, is protective of his brother, but really dislikes South Italy.

Denmark, Russia, and Canada – I am aware that Denmark didn't discover Canada, and might not have founded the creation of Russia, but since he's the oldest Nordic, he considers them his sons in this. He has a father vibe to them.

Albatrosses – I looked up and found that Black Footed Albatrosses are naturally seen in both Russia and China, so they have no trouble transforming into them.

The Black Bird – Greenland was a Great Cormorant, which is also naturally found in Greenland.

I found people liked this chapter.

Please Review.

Ja ne!