A non-profit charity fanzine dedicated to the familial bond of the characters America and Canada from Hetalia World Stars. mobile links: about | twitter | contributor application
Nationverse
Pairings: None, implied RusAme
Characters: America, Canada
Warnings: car crash, (short) flashbacks to US Civil War and War of 1812, light angst (but happy ending)
Words: 1878
AO3
A/N: This was written a bit ago for Together in Unity/ @hwsnabroszine :3 This was fun to write, and go check out the other contributors! :D
*
Matthew’s cold silence was enough to make Alfred’s teeth chatter.
Chewing on the inside of his cheek and wishing he had gum or tobacco, Alfred met his brother’s silence with his own as he yanked on a hoodie over his cable sweater. He ducked under the cup holders and gear shift to maneuver himself around and fetch his overcoat from the back seat.
Alfred found pieces of safety glass when he fished his gloves out of one pocket, but thankfully they left few and shallow cuts.
Matthew had been the one to end up with the worst of their injuries. His hands trembled as he clung to lucidity after being jolted awake by his airbag pounding his head through the window right as it shattered. Crimson obscured cornsilk blond and forced several locks straight or sideways. The wound had healed, but he’d first lost enough blood to leave him dizzy.
When the sleeve of Alfred’s jacket swiped the side of Matthew’s head, he only gave a short enough pause to give Alfred a cutting glare. His eyes were still shiny and red-rimmed from downing a drinkable before conking out; enough THC swam through his system to leave his tongue heavy, all his energy pushed into moving his arms and legs.
He finally freed the first aid kit from underneath the seat at the same time Alfred started to shimmy out of the window, knocking out more glass. His cheeks, nose, and ears were already bright red, and his fingers were numb, but Matthew hadn’t so much as shivered against the biting cold.
It’s a clear summer night, perfect for spotting stars. Two brothers bond, sharing science and admiring the universe. I wrote this ages ago for @hwsnabroszine and now I can finally share it. Please enjoy!
A Girl Called Hubble
“What’s going to happen to her?” Matthew inquires.
Alfred glances up from his personal telescope, a flashlight highlighting his golden features in the midnight dark. “Huh? What do you mean?”
“The Hubble telescope. Is she…?”
“Oh.” There’s a touch of sadness in Alfred’s tone, which trickles into the soft symphony of crickets, cicadas, and other rural evening sounds. Looking away, he resumes fiddling with the dials on his viewfinder. “I mean, she’s not being decommissioned yet. I think NASA has some plans for joint missions with Webb, so that’ll add a few more years to her life. Eventually though, maybe in a decade, they’ll make an announcement. Most likely… she’ll be set on a course to collide with the atmosphere and burn up.”
Matthew blinks. That seems… harsh, even if Hubble is just a machine.
He rolls the chunky flashlight around in his hands, an industrial strength thing that Alfred keeps in his pickup truck for emergencies and stargazing nights like this. Its synthetic light cuts through the natural darkness, tracing the outline of fluttering moths and the wild grasses stomped flat by Alfred’s tires. Matthew tilts it to better illuminate his brother’s work and nibbles his bottom lip.
“How come?” Matthew eventually asks.
Alfred hums. “Well, she’s past her expiry date. You’ve got to remember, some of Hubble’s machinery was built back in the 80’s. If something important fails, like her guidance system, she could become another hunk of space debris, zooming uncontrollably around the Earth. And that’s a huge risk for space flights, satellites, and the ISS. It’s sad, but I mean… it has to happen.”
He goes quiet for a moment, but not for long. Never for long. In an instant, he turns to Matthew with a big grin on his face, his eyes shining brilliantly behind his glasses. “Hey, want to hear something cool?”
Matthew sighs, but can’t help smiling. “Sure.”
“Did you know that even a tiny screw bolt travelling at 4 miles a second is strong enough to punch through a tank? There’s no atmosphere in outer space to slow it down, so it can just keep going faster and faster. Pretty wild, huh?”
“Yeah. You mention that, like, every single time we talk about space.”
“Wait, really? Damn. I guess I should start throwing some different facts your way! Have I told you about black holes and event horizons?”
“Yup.”
“How about neutron stars? Oh! Or quasars?”
“Uh-huh.”
“…the Goldilocks Zone? You know, there are actually a bunch of habitable planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system. And it’s only 40 lightyears away from Earth!”
“You bring that up literally every time you have a new theory about aliens.”
Alfred tuts. “Well… shit.”
Matthew’s smile turns sheepish. “Sorry.”
“S’all good.” Alfred taps open his phone, double-checking his night sky tracking app, mouth twisted into the same, familiar pout from his childhood.
The warm summer breeze overtakes their talk, rustling Canada’s hair and t-shirt. From his seat in the truck bed, surrounded by threadbare blankets and pillows, he swings his feet. Humid air drags up the faint scent of dried corn husks, hay, and whatever else was once grown in this long-abandoned farm field. The sky is gorgeous tonight; barely a cloud to be seen, it glitters with starlight and far-flung galaxies. Alfred picked a good night for skywatching.
Originally, they came out here for a special reason, bringing along Alfred’s private, civilian-use telescope. It is massive, about the size of England’s old armchair, but mobile with its tripod, and probably the most expensive on the amateur astronomy market. They parked Alfred’s truck in the middle of the field, set up his device, and saw it: just a speck in the giant magnifying lens, insignificant against the stars, but it was there. The new James Webb space telescope. A cosmic daffodil with goldenrod mirrors spread wide. A novel machine that will help humanity see and understand the universe.
They stared at it for minutes, then an hour, as Alfred geeked out, listing its many capabilities and functions. But then, after he finally ran out of things to say, after they glimpsed Jupiter and Mars, Sagittarius and Ursa Major, Alfred suggested they stick around a while more to view Hubble when she, too, crosses the night sky.
Despite the heat, Matthew drags a cotton blanket over his shoulders. “That James Webb telescope is going to show us some amazing things.”
“It sure is,” Alfred mutters.
“…Although, I’m a little sad that Hubble is running out of time. She took some amazing photos, too. Right?”
“Yeah.”
“You okay?”
Alfred pauses before giving Matthew a look. “…C’mon dude, you don’t have to make me feel better.” Matthew shrugs. Alfred turns to the sky, the expanse, voice going quiet. “She’s just a piece of equipment. I don’t get all upset over every Ford F-150 that ends up in the scrap yard.”
Matthew picks at a loose thread on his blanket, unconvinced. Having known his brother for centuries, it’s easy to tell when Alfred is being disingenuous. He was morose when the Opportunity rover went dark. Distant, after learning that in 2025, no one will be able to contact Voyager 1. And when he eventually realised that Curiosity sings Happy Birthday to itself, every year, all alone on Mars… well.
“I think Hubble is a lot more special than a pickup truck.”
“Meh.”
“Stinky gas-guzzlers.”
Alfred’s lips twitch and Matthew knows he’s on the right track. “Hey, don’t shit-talk my trucks.”
“And more expensive, too. By, like, a few BILLION dollars.”
Alfred’s expression cracks and he chuckles. “Sure, okay. You’ve got me there.”
A weight lifts in Matthew’s chest and his restless legs swing higher, sneaker laces tapping his heels to the tune of his heart.
Then, Alfred checks his phone once more. He suddenly lights up. Ducking down to look through the scope’s eyepiece, he shouts with joy. “Hey! She’s here! Come on, come over here and see.”
Matthew’s eyes go wide. He shimmies, sliding off the truck bed and tossing his blanket aside. Hopping over to Alfred, who steps aside, he peeks through the scope, glasses clinking against the viewfinder. And there she is, in all her tin-can glory.
Surrounded by the dark sea of space, Hubble looks so very small, even with the aid of Alfred’s chunky telescope. Her solar panels are extended like squarish wings, helping her soar high above the world. One of the many machines floating through outer space that fuels imaginations and wins affection, satisfying the universal thirst for knowledge with each photo and landmark discovery.
Grass crunches as Alfred shuffles his feet. He doesn’t launch into a lesson on astrophotography or detail the known nebulae. He says nothing, silence stretching far beyond the atmosphere. Then, murmuring: “She might have been expensive, but she was worth it. She was worth every single penny.”
Matthew rights himself and peers at Alfred’s silhouette. The faint glow of the Milky Way, a great band of lustrous cloud, stretches behind him. Matthew doesn’t raise the flashlight to catch his brother’s expression. He doesn’t need to.
“I’m sorry, Al.”
A dark arm comes up to knead the back of Alfred’s neck. Quietly, he sighs.
“…Thanks. I’ll be okay. She’s still around for a while longer.”
The night rolls on, the stars turn overhead, and soon, Hubble is out of sight. Sailing across the sky, lenses facing the distant heavens, dutifully, she will record all she can. Until her instruments expire and her circuits give out, she will inspire Alfred, Matthew, and the entire human world.
End / Fin
~~~
Author’s Notes
I had to fudge a few things, scientifically, in order to make this fic work. Because of its orbiting pattern, Hubble is best seen between the 28th parallel north and the 28th parallel south. So, if you live near the equator, you can easily see Hubble with a telescope. Being further north or south of those latitudes makes spotting it trickier. Despite this, I decided to put Alfred and Matt in a corn field, rather than on a beach at the southern tip of Florida. I preferred the vibe, since corn fields are often connected to outer space in American stories (see: 2014’s Interstellar and multiple films featuring aliens.)
The JWST is also hard to spot. For starters, it’s very, very far away. If you’re able to spot it, it’ll just look like a dot, even with the aid of a telescope. Depending on which way the mirrors are facing, it’s visible when it catches the Sun’s rays, or it’s completely black when tilted away. And unlike Hubble, it doesn’t orbit Earth. It orbits the Sun. So, the math involved in spotting it is… way harder than what I can manage on my own. Let’s just pretend that Alfred is a god-king at astronomy and knows exactly when and where to point his telescope to view the JWST.
Being an amateur astronomy nerd, I loved writing this fic. However, I tried not to weigh things down with too much technical jargon. If you’re interested in learning more about space (and some of the things mentioned in this story, like neutron stars and black holes), please check out ‘SciShow Space’ on Youtube, or visit NASA’s official website. ❤
Summary: Alfred and Matthew were supposed to go out on a pleasant kayak ride off the coast of Vancouver Island. When the fog rolls in, a reminder is placed on where they stand between humanity and the supernatural. This was written as my contribution to the Together in Unity: HWS NA Brothers Zine.
Characters: America, Canada
Word Count: 1988
Warnings: Some Disturbing Imagery
Read on ao3
Mid-June 1993, Cadboro Bay, British Columbia, Canada
“I thought you checked the weather reports before we came out here.”
“And I did.”
“And you didn’t think it was important to tell me fog was in the forecast?”
“I didn’t think it would be this bad!”
Matt groaned and the only reason Alfred could see his brother throw his head back, face buried in his hands, was because their kayaks were pressed together, some rope keeping Matthew from drifting away. The fog had rolled in quick, thick as cotton, and completely blanketed the harbor. They were in Matt’s waters and his deck compass said they were facing west, but the harbor was full of other vessels much larger than them. Going back to shore in these conditions would be a long, tedious task even with six flares and proper navigation tools.
Alfred yawned and stretched his arms back. “You know Mattie, I’m starting to believe this so-called ‘Caddy’ doesn’t exist, or if it does, it’s long swum out to sea by now anyway.”
“Well, it won’t be the first time we’ve come out here for nothing,” said Matthew agreeably. “There were just so many reports recently. A baby was released in the San Juan Islands not that long ago and I’m thinking that’s what people are spotting up here.”
“Since when did you care about this kind of stuff? You sound like the old man,” he snarked. Then, as if reciting from a script, he continued. “There have been a number of sightings of an unknown creature off the shores of Vancouver Island, large bones spotted on the beaches, a few alarming and terrifying photographs have been submitted to us- enticing the like of cryptozoologists across the country.”
Matt had always been able to see the creatures lurking past the thin veil of the supernatural. It hardly affected his day-to-day life, not nearly giving them the same time of day as Arthur would. Alfred had all but blocked that ability since he was still unbreeched. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not taking any of this seriously?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?”
Matt let out another groan and began untying the rope between them. “We should start heading back, it’ll be dark on top of this fog if we don’t get moving,” Matt proposed, pushing himself in the direction of home. “I’m sorry for wasting your time, Al. I was sure we would find something.”
“No biggie. Dunno why you even bothered inviting me to help you.” Alfred rolled his eyes. “I don’t know what you ever expect to find out here other than trees bro.”
“I don’t know, just, didn’t want to be out here alone I guess.”
“Remember the last time you asked for my help trying to track Bigfoot?”
“Yes, all you did was bring a case of beer up and make unseemly ape noises and nearly got yourself shot by a hunter.”
The two paddled on, chattering quietly together, Alfred eager to get off the water and get back to Matt’s place in Victoria. Some mist had settled in fully, dampening his hair and chilling the back of his neck. Their thermoses had gone cold and empty by now; a bowl of clam chowder and hot coffee felt like the only things in the world that could warm him up.
Along the mild waters, they traversed and as more time passed, Alfred became increasingly aware that they hadn’t come across a single boat or even other kayakers. They hadn’t even spotted the glimmering lights of the harbor.
He was about to ask Matt what the deal was when something began to take shape in the fog.
A pine forest loomed above the water though Alfred’s eyes struggled to focus on the trees, a part of him believed that it was something other than the fog that prevented him from seeing what was before him. Waves lapped gently and invitingly on the shore and in the distance, there was the eerie and haunting call of a loon.
Matthew was mouthing something to himself and repeatedly tapped his compass. There was no way they could be in the Haro Straight, which was east of where they were supposed to be going, and none of the islands in that direction looked like this.
“Hey… Matt? Where are we exactly?”
Matthew didn’t answer but gave Alfred that strange, tilted owl-like expression that said he should know exactly where they were, before shoving himself toward the shore.
Alfred stared at the paddle in his hands for a moment before putting the end of it in the water and pushed back, moving forward just behind his brother.
Something in his throat prevented him from calling out Matt’s name.
Instead.
A quiet breath of cold air through chapped lips.
The water seemingly guided his kayak to shore by some unseen, subtle force.
They pulled up on the beach in silence, the pebbles crunching under their kayaks and the summer water bit like frost at Alfred’s ankles.
As they stepped ashore, there was a shadow in the fog, a shape with edges out of focus and fuzzy.
Something foreboding and wrong.
He could feel his father’s hand on his shoulder pulling him away, begging him to return to the sea.
Frozen in his spot, Alfred held his breath but Matthew was no longer beside him.
Turning back, he saw the fog coming in, beginning to swallow the pebbly beach and driftwood that stretched a mile long.
The fog felt thicker than before, curling and reaching, and the forms of drowned spirits took shape.
A chill from his youth tenderly caressed his cheek and Alfred bolted to the tree line.
It was instantly dark but somehow, a trail was found.
A park trail.
The wooden sign was labeled in a language he didn’t understand.
The trees creaked and groaned.
There was no wind.
Alfred looked down to his feet as he walked forward along the winding path, acutely aware that something was watching him.
Squashed Saskatoon berries lay scattered like fallen soldiers of the Great War.
He quickened his pace, only briefly eyeing the oddities that attempted to enter his field of vision.
The only one he focused on and approached was one that was this tall and lanky thing with eyes that sometimes seemed too sunken in and large for its face.
“Matthew. Hey man, talk to me. What the hell is-”
But there was that look in Matthew's eyes, the one that told Alfred he was meant to be somewhere very far away. The look that said that he was Canada above Matthew and that he, alone, was this land. A land inhabited by creatures more ancient than they could fathom that Alfred could only just barely make out in the reflection of his brother's glasses.
A look that said that they were more like them.
A feeling that crept inside them all but one that Matthew was more than accepting of letting take over.
Matt’s desperate need of a haircut curls spilled over the collar of his brightly colored windbreaker that, somehow, looked wrong on him and he must have felt the same.
Matthew’s jacket fell softly onto the leaves at his feet; his backpack was already there.
He quickly snagged Matt's hand before it could reach for anything else.
Even he couldn't always brush off the feeling the trees of Cascadia gave him. It was a blurry portion of their borders even with the six-meter divide between their forests. The further up North he went, the deeper into Canada he got until it was impossible to tell the difference. In the dense fog and even denser foliage, it was all too easy to lose yourself.
Pine needles fell like rain but the source of the shaking trees was still unknown.
But what concerned Alfred most was as he watched them fall, they never quite hit the floor. They were falling onto something, creating a shape in between a pair of burnt trees.
He tried to let his eyes glaze over it, to wait until it was on its way.
The shape of a bear began to take form.
Alfred was about ready to shove Matt back and pull out one of the flares from his pack when his brother tightened his hold, pulling Alfred back a step and telling him to stay quiet.
A scream stuck in his throat when he felt wet tentacles grab hold of his neck and there was a sudden weight on his shoulder. Matt kept his grip steady and soon the feeling was gone.
Alfred closed his eyes, willing whatever place Matthew had led them to was nothing more than a joke or bad dream. He was still in bed, they hadn’t gone out on their trip yet, he was waiting for the delicious smell of his brother’s pancakes and peameal bacon to rouse him from bed to start the day.
Something breathed on his arm.
Alfred jerked his hand from Matt’s hold and turned to face him, glaring. “Okay Mattie, this is all super funny. Har har, good one. You got me. Let’s bounce already, yeah? I’ve had more than enough spooks. It’s not even October man.” He took a step away and rubbed his eyes, hoping his normally unseen world would return.
“Alfred, I’m sorry I-”
“Eat my shorts dickweed! I’m going home!”
The worn path was found once more and along with it, the smell of a cooking fire lead him away from the sorry excuse for a joke Matt had set up.
Seeing that humble cabin built with red cedar bark was such a reliving site that Alfred hardly paid any mind to the blood-red smoke puffing steadily out of the chimney. Two women paused in their daily chores as he approached, the closer one smiling at Alfred from ear to ear. “Are you lost young man?” she called sweetly; her clothes matched the home behind her.
He was about to go into the details of how his brother got them both lost when the second woman stepped out from behind the sheet that had been hung to dry.
Her face was all bone and skulls were attached to her belt.
Alfred found his scream just as Matthew appeared at his side, yanking on his arm, encouraging him to run.
“Come and devour them,” the inviting woman commanded.
“Eat, eat, eat,” Alfred could hear being called from snapping mouths, leaves crunching in step with their own in chase.
Matthew wouldn’t let him turn to face whatever the source was.
His ears picked up the fluttering of massive bird wings and the cries of a starving raven, Matt’s encouraging voice only just loud enough to be heard above them.
Branches cut their cheeks as they ran from the trees, soon they were skittering on the pebbled beach, fumbling back inside their kayaks.
Alfred eyed Matt carefully as the fog swallowed them up once more, fearing the feral part of him that lurked just under the surface- even if this particular trip had only been an elaborate joke.
The forests of the North were made of death, regardless, the smell of decay was hidden in the rain and pine.
Even when they’re miles away, back into a new and modern stretch of water, forest, and fog, the lure of the unknown never truly faded.
“We’re not so different from them Alfred,” Matt said quietly as they tied their kayaks to the roof of his car. “I know you try and forget that.”
Alfred secured the knot tightly, the rope burning his palm. “And you remember it a little too often.”
He wouldn’t admit to the depths of his fears.
It wasn’t just the creatures that haunted humanity that unnerved his very core.
You heard it right: Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine has finally been released!
Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine is a collection of works dedicated to the familial bond between Alfred F. Jones/America and Matthew Williams/Canada from the series Hetalia World Stars. This fanzine contains illustrations, writing, and even a comic from twenty wonderful and talented creators within the fandom.
All proceeds will be donated to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the Great Lakes.
This fanzine will be available for purchase for the next two months, with the fundraiser ending on December 14th. If you’d like to grab your hands on this, follow the link below and get your copy while you still can!
There’s still time to purchase the fanzine and help us raise more money for our charity, so if you haven’t yet make sure to do so before December 14th!
Hello everyone! There are two weeks left to purchase the fanzine and help us raise money for our charity– if you haven’t yet, please check us out on Itch.io!
Thank you everyone for spreading the word and helping us raise money, we couldn’t have done it without all of you! And if you like any of the work of the contributors in the fanzine, please make sure to check them out as well!
You heard it right: Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine has finally been released!
Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine is a collection of works dedicated to the familial bond between Alfred F. Jones/America and Matthew Williams/Canada from the series Hetalia World Stars. This fanzine contains illustrations, writing, and even a comic from twenty wonderful and talented creators within the fandom.
All proceeds will be donated to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the Great Lakes.
This fanzine will be available for purchase for the next two months, with the fundraiser ending on December 14th. If you’d like to grab your hands on this, follow the link below and get your copy while you still can!
There’s still time to purchase the fanzine and help us raise more money for our charity, so if you haven’t yet make sure to do so before December 14th!
Hello everyone! There are two weeks left to purchase the fanzine and help us raise money for our charity– if you haven’t yet, please check us out on Itch.io!
You heard it right: Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine has finally been released!
Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine is a collection of works dedicated to the familial bond between Alfred F. Jones/America and Matthew Williams/Canada from the series Hetalia World Stars. This fanzine contains illustrations, writing, and even a comic from twenty wonderful and talented creators within the fandom.
All proceeds will be donated to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the Great Lakes.
This fanzine will be available for purchase for the next two months, with the fundraiser ending on December 14th. If you’d like to grab your hands on this, follow the link below and get your copy while you still can!
There’s still time to purchase the fanzine and help us raise more money for our charity, so if you haven’t yet make sure to do so before December 14th!
Hello everyone! There are two weeks left to purchase the fanzine and help us raise money for our charity-- if you haven’t yet, please check us out on Itch.io!
You heard it right: Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine has finally been released!
Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine is a collection of works dedicated to the familial bond between Alfred F. Jones/America and Matthew Williams/Canada from the series Hetalia World Stars. This fanzine contains illustrations, writing, and even a comic from twenty wonderful and talented creators within the fandom.
All proceeds will be donated to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the Great Lakes.
This fanzine will be available for purchase for the next two months, with the fundraiser ending on December 14th. If you’d like to grab your hands on this, follow the link below and get your copy while you still can!
There’s still time to purchase the fanzine and help us raise more money for our charity, so if you haven’t yet make sure to do so before December 14th!
You heard it right: Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine has finally been released!
Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine is a collection of works dedicated to the familial bond between Alfred F. Jones/America and Matthew Williams/Canada from the series Hetalia World Stars. This fanzine contains illustrations, writing, and even a comic from twenty wonderful and talented creators within the fandom.
All proceeds will be donated to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the Great Lakes.
This fanzine will be available for purchase for the next two months, with the fundraiser ending on December 14th. If you’d like to grab your hands on this, follow the link below and get your copy while you still can!
You heard it right: Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine has finally been released!
Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine is a collection of works dedicated to the familial bond between Alfred F. Jones/America and Matthew Williams/Canada from the series Hetalia World Stars. This fanzine contains illustrations, writing, and even a comic from twenty wonderful and talented creators within the fandom.
All proceeds will be donated to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the Great Lakes.
This fanzine will be available for purchase for the next two months, with the fundraiser ending on December 14th. If you’d like to grab your hands on this, follow the link below and get your copy while you still can!
That's right! Keep your eyes peeled because on October 14th, Together in Unity: A HWS NA Brothers Fanzine will finally be released! Stay tuned for further updates, such as where the fanzine will be released (hint: it's on Itchio)!
Today’s featured contributor is @flashflyingfish ! Fish’s writing focuses mostly on Matthew, taking a sweet angle to his character that is overall endearing.
The featured piece can be viewed right here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24730435
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