🇨🇦||Canada||🇨🇦

The crunch of dry leaves beneath his boots broke the tranquil silence of the forest. The air still held the gentle chill left by the previous night's winds, and a few fallen branches bore witness to the minor chaos that had swept through his territory. Canada moved forward with a calm gait, carrying what he had gathered, with the tranquility of someone who knows every corner of his home. There was no hurry, there never was when it came to returning. Because there was always someone waiting for him.

Upon reaching the cabin, he paused at the entrance, carefully wiping his boots against the wood; he didn't want to dirty the interior, not when this place was so... his. He placed the axe against the door with his usual care, as if every object had its precise place in this small world he had built. He lightly dusted off his jacket before opening the door. The warmth enveloped him immediately, and with it... the feeling of home.

"Honey, I'm back."

His voice was soft and warm, filling the space with a comforting familiarity. He didn't have to wait long; small, hurried footsteps echoed inside, and before he could even move, he was already smiling. He knelt without thinking, opening his arms just in time to receive that small body that launched itself at him without hesitation.

"Hey…"

She murmured with a low laugh, gently wrapping them up. She lifted them slightly, cradling them against her chest with an almost instinctive tenderness, as if that gesture were the most natural thing in the world.

"My little one"

He whispered, affectionately stroking her hair

Did you miss Dad?

She knew perfectly well she was exaggerating; she hadn't been far away, not even far enough that she couldn't see him from the window... but it didn't matter. Because for Canada... every second away felt longer than it actually was. Her hand moved gently down the little one's back, in a calm, protective gesture. Because that innocent creature was her world.