Isolation

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Six

"After I dried out, I had to pretty much learn how to live again, I hadn't been sober in fifty years. Spade did help a lot, but he still wanted sex. I didn't want anything to do with that since I wasn't getting drugs for it anymore. He was angry, but didn't push me into anything." Canada said. Prussia sighed in slight relief. "He ended up getting married and I was sold again."

"I hate that. I hate the 'owned' and 'sold.'" Prussia said shaking his head angrily. He wasn't mad at Canada, he was mad at the world for doing this to such an amazing person.

"I was owned for most of my life. I was bought and sold like an animal." Matthew sighed. "I could have done something about it. I look back now and I know I had enough chances to escape, but I didn't. I didn't know anything accept being owned."

"Vhere did jou go after Spade?" Gilbert asked resting his chin on the Canadian's shoulder again.

"My memory was still pretty foggy after. I remember being bought by a woman. Her name was Emily, she was a mob boss." Canada started.

"Emily? As in Emily LeNoir?" Prussia asked surprised.

"Maybe, I never learned her last name. She bought me to take care of her kids while she was busy. Elizabeth and Luka, they were great. I tried not to get attached, but I did. I knew that once they grew up I'd be sold again." Matthew said shaking his head. "Emily gave me a lot of freedoms I'd never had before. After I was done my tasks for the day, I was allowed to watch tv or read. Occasionally, I was able to sit outside as long as I had a guard with me. She was the one to take me out of the country for the first time."

"Vhen vas this? Around the seventies?" Gilbert asked and Canada nodded. "Alfred mentioned that a nation he didn't recognize came into his boarders around then."

"We know when other nations enter our boarders?" The blond asked. He couldn't remember ever feeling it.

"Only if jou're really looking for it. America was pretty paranoid during the seventies." Gilbert explained pressing a gentle kiss behind his ear. "We thought it must have been Canada since there veren't any other unknown nations around that time. He tried to go after jou and see who it vas, but never managed to find jou." He sighed. "How long vere jou with Emily?"

"Ten years or so, I was kept after the kids grew up for a bit. Emily did try to find me a good new owner, but I didn't really have an owner longer than a year or two. I was sold again and again for quite a while. Some were good, others were bad." Matthew said fingers tracing the scars on his arms. Tears started to fall again remembering the pain. "One man that bought me was very interested in why I couldn't die and why I aged so slow. He tried a lot of things to kill me. None of them worked and he got bored."

"Vhat did he do?" Gilbert asked gently feeling Matthew's quick breath against his chest.

"He'd cut me and leave me to bleed out, he gave me poisoned food, he tried to suffocate me." Matthew muttered. He spared Gilbert of the bloody details. He lifted his head to show a scar on his throat. The albino had noticed it before, but hadn't asked about it. "He tried partial decapitation too, sadly it didn't work."

"Sadly?" Prussia asked quietly.

"At the time, I was sad that it didn't work. I wanted nothing more than to die while I was with him. I hoped he would find something that would finally kill me." Canada said crying quietly. "I'm happy now that he didn't."

"I'm happy too." The albino murmured arms tightening around his waist. Matthew shifted turning in his arms to face him resting his head on Gilbert's chest. "Vhat happened after him?"

"I was sold to my last owner, Peter. He like me because at the time I was small and feminine. He was a pimp, I was his investment. I was given a quota of how many people I had to pick up in order to get fed. If I didn't make it I was beaten." Canada said eyes distant. "I would take the slight pleasure over the beatings at first. After a while I just couldn't force myself to do it anymore. I wasn't meeting my quota, I wasn't being fed. Peter got bored of just beating me and took to knives." He shook his head. "I hadn't aged past sixteen in fifty years, I wanted to know there would be an end. I couldn't take the abuse anymore. I made a plan and finally escaped."

"This vas six years ago?" Prussia asked.

Canada nodded. "I ran until my legs almost gave out. I ended up beside a dumpster. It was freezing out, I had nothing accept a t-shirt and shorts. Bryce walked into the alley I was hiding in. I was terrified of him. I didn't know if he knew my owner and was going to take me back. I was to tired to run otherwise I would have." The blond explained. "He was going to walk right past me, but I moved and knocked over a can. Bryce came over and talked to me. He said he didn't want to see me freeze. He convinced me to go with him, I wasn't going to, but I'm happy I did."

"Jou are an awesome person Birdie." Gilbert said kissing his forehead. Matthew shook his head. "Going through all that and coming out the other side the way jou are is amazing."

"When I did get out, it took me a while to come around. I was very suspicious and skittish. Bryce was very patient and worked with me. I don't know where I'd be without him." Canada said snuggling into Gilbert's chest tears still fresh in his eyes. "I miss him."

"He was a good man, I wish I had more time to get to know him." Prussia said lightly brushing hair out of Matthew's face tucking it behind his ear. "I love you Liebling."

"I love you too." Canada said listening to his heartbeat. Finally telling the albino his story made him feel like a huge weight was off his chest, but he wanted to know more about Prussia. "Why did you end up in Canada?"

"After Vord Var Two, my nation vas dissolved." Gilbert started slowly. "I didn't disappear for some reason. I didn't have anything to do accept annoy other nations. I got bored vith that and vent travelling. I ended up in Canada and just stayed. Around the eighties or nineties the nations started to have monthly meetings and someone had to represent Canada!"

"I'm happy you didn't disappear." Matthew said arms wrapping around the albino's neck pulling him down for a kiss. Both were happy to have the other with them. "I think I'm ready to start meeting the other nations." He said after they broke apart.

"Ja?" Prussia asked excitedly as Canada nodded. He bounced happily hugging him tight. "I guess we should start small? Just France and America?"

"Yeah, that would be good." The blond agreed kissing his cheek.