#this is a dysfunctional relationship version of the na sibs

[unhetalia]

North America relationship headcanons (dysfunctional ver.):

(Warnings for brother complexes bordering on incest. Also to clarify this is only one version of my headcanon for these three's dynamics.)

Matthew and Maria have a complicated relationship. Both of them know the other prefers Alfred, and while they've never FOUGHT about Alfred, there's always tension due to the fact they don't fully approve of the other's relationship with him.

Maria has always felt that Matthew is too possessive of Alfred. She can't admit it to herself yet, but she fears Matthew's feelings towards Alfred are not entirely like a brother's.

Maria first started becoming suspicious when Canada declared war on Japan before even the USA in World War II - it didn't make sense to her, politically, and she feared that Matthew had done something irresponsible in order to make it happen. She later finds out what he'd done, and while she swore to keep it to herself out of love for both of her siblings, it's also filled her with fear.

Matthew just straight up resents sharing Alfred with Maria, and a part of him feels that Alfred feels closer to Maria than he does with him, despite their governments.

Matthew's feelings towards Alfred is shaped by his invisibility. I've mentioned it before, but my headcanon is that Alfred's strength and Matthew's invisibility were gifts from their mother to protect them when she had to leave. However, as they grew older, their gifts started malfunctioning. Matthew is often forgotten or unseen by everyone except Alfred (& Maria, but she's distant even if she can see him). So Matthew has spent years only ever getting attention and acknowledgement from his brother. Matthew copes by believing the only love he needs is his brother's love.

The thing is, even though Alfred loves Matthew, his attention also gets pulled in different directions constantly. There's their older sister. Arthur. Alfred's few friends. His love of learning and experimenting. His work.

Matthew cares about Arthur, but he also resents him because he believes he's the reason for a distance between him and Alfred that doesn't exist between Alfred and Maria. Matthew was personally involved during the War of 1812, desperate to bring Alfred back into the fold (and back with him). Though Alfred and Matthew have long ago laid that conflict to rest, Matthew doesn't believe Alfred has forgotten that there was a time Matthew chose someone else over his brother. (This conflict doesn't ever occur for Maria and Alfred, as all the conflicts between their countries never involved each other.)

Matthew is right. Alfred never quite forgets that Matthew chose to support Arthur back then, and it does mean that Alfred trusts Maria to support him and have his back more than he does Matthew. It's not only 1812 - Matthew has a terrible habit of being a little too protective, to the point of being stifling. Alfred keeps things from Matthew just to not get nagged at.

Matthew loves Alfred more than Alfred loves him. This is for many reasons, but the biggest one being that Alfred doesn't see Matthew in the way Matthew sees Alfred. The other reason is that Matthew's world being is a lot smaller because of his malfunctioning powers, and both Maria and Alfred are complicit in not helping Matthew enough - Maria because she fears her brother, and Alfred because he's oblivious to Matthew's struggles.

In fact, Alfred is sometimes jealous of Matthew, who he thinks is more palatable to other Nations due to his calm, quiet nature. Alfred sees Matthew as someone who is always achieving things more smoothly than Alfred, and he's convinced that people who know both him and Matthew prefer Matthew more, which is a large part of why Alfred's close friends are ones that don't care about Matthew at all (Tony, Belarus, etc.).

Maria and Katyusha are good friends, and Katyusha often tells Maria that she wishes her sibling got as long as well as Maria's do. Maria hates it, but she also hides the strain between she and her siblings so they seem more like a loving family to the other Nations.

Maria is the oldest. Matthew is the middle child. Alfred is the youngest.