Disclaimer: Anything related to Hetalia has nothing to do with me, this is mere fanfiction. There's a bit of history reference, genderbend Asian countries, usage of human names, possible OOC-ness, so if you find it offensive, please DO NOT read, thank you.

A/N: Some pairings are more historical, while some are more human characters. Those with numbers at the back will be explained at the bottom. Just to let you know.

Greetings. My name's Ivan Braginski.

As you can tell from my name, I represent the country of Russia.

Here I am, telling you, the reader, a story.

My love story about my Oriental lover.

Her name, Wang Xia (1) of China.

I remember that it was late at night when me and my men arrived finally at the palace. The guards knew that we were coming, and we were gladly welcomed. Escorted to the palace, which I daresay, even grander than back home.

I was on a expedition to see China, and hopefully, this time will be success, compared to the first expedition (2) that went horribly wrong.

I saw the emperor greeting us in Mandarin, while my translator was the communicator between me and the emperor.

The emperor asked me whether that it was possible to talk about our matter later, due to the late hour. In return of our visit, me and my men will be treated to a a late supper and entertainment, as a part of their hospitality.

I agreed, and of course my men were delighted to hear that there will be good food coming up.

But me, after my fill I asked to be escorted to my room due to that I wanted to get this matter over and done with.

A guide was sent. Dressed in white, she kept her head low, and I just followed her, never seeing her face.

We both walked. She lead, I follow. A door way greeted me and the guide opened it, meaning that this is where I'll spend the night.

She walked away, but me, I was curious on how she looked like.

I caught up with her and gently yanked her shoulder.

What I saw was a sunflower, it's beauty carefully painted on the maiden's face.

The fair skin of that woman looked like the yellow petals , while her hair and dark eyes made up as the core.

She looked shocked, but she bowed and quickly left.

Even as I slept that night, I cannot help but to think about that sunflower.

Why? Well, on the first expedition, I've seen the sunflower on the streets of ancient China, and I fell in love with her the moment she smiled at his people.

The morning after, the meeting with the emperor went quite smooth.

But what I did not expect was a woman apologizing for her late presence, then taking a seat.

That woman, was the sunflower that guided me yesterday.

I cannot help myself but to drink into her beauty, but I focused on the issues that I wanted to discuss with the emperor.

Me and the emperor agreed to a treaty(3).I guess my purpose here is done.

I went back towards my rooms, but that woman, alone, was at the plum blossom tree, made me distracted.

I did not realize that I was following her, till she said, "Why are you following me aru?"

"You...speak Russian?"

"A little, not much aru. I thought it was best to learn foreign languages so that maybe my nation can communicate better with other nations,"

"Ah, I see,"

"Don't mind me aru, but why did you...yanked my shoulder last night?"

Now I can't really put an answer to that.I paused for a moment or so.

"Well, I... was curious on how you looked like..."

She just said a small 'oh' and we just stared at the falling plum blossoms.

A stray petal fell into her hair and I, well, I took it off.

What I did not expect was the chopstick that held her hair came off, for I did not realize I was tugging it till it fell on my hand.

Her hair fanned off like black silk newly unrolled. Her beauty seemed to be enhanced, yet immortal.

"I'm sorry, I..."

The chopstick just stayed there on my hand.

Her eyes looked upon me with such confusion as she walked away, not bothered with that chopstick.

I looked on my hands for a while, but went back to my rooms as what I planned to do.

I was packing my things the next day when the door opened.

The sunflower greeted me.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes."

"Oh, can I have back my chopstick then?"

I nodded. It puzzled me why she did not take it yesterday.

I was about to reach the chopstick that lay on the bedside table till both our hands touched each other.

I looked up. Our faces merely inches away from each other.

I leaned a little bit and our lips met.

She pushed me back. Oh my stupidity.

She looked at me as if I was a ghost.

"Why did you do that aru?!"

"I don't know,"

The truth is... I really know why I kissed her.

"Is this how your people greet each other aru?"

I really wanted to laugh at that question.

"No, but that is how we just express our feelings."

She looked somewhat confused, but just accept it all the same.

We talked to each other for a while, till I realize that I don't even know her name.

"What's your name?"

"Wang Xia. You aru?"

"Ivan Braginski."

"Have we met before this aru?"

"Does the year 1618 sounds familiar?"

"It does in a way aru."

"Yes, that's when I saw you, maybe you did not see me and I guess...I was rather taken to you."

"I...remember now... I did see you aru, though it was only a glance, but well..."

Silence followed.

She approached me, as if trying to remember my face.

We just stayed in that position for what seemed like hours.

And out of own stupidity again, I kissed her again.

But strangely, she did not mind.

I hope she thinks of it as a greeting.

My trips to China had been frequent.

Well, it used to be frequent.

I stopped visiting due to the revolution(4) that happened in both our countries.

Well, at least Wang Xia understands.

During those 8 years before the revolution Wang Xia and I become close friends.

Well, not exactly close friends, I mean...

I'm actually kind of confused at our relationship.

Am I a friend to her, or just a mere ally?

Did I bore her, telling her stories of my bitter past, just because she's the only thing I have closest to a friend?

We did not mention the kiss, ever.

After the revolution, I came back to China. Wang Xia was there to greet me.

We went back to her house, and I had dinner there while we talked about the revolution that happened.

As I walked my way to bed, I found Wang Xia, this time in a field of flowers in the moonlight.

She smiled at me and I smiled back.

We looked upon each other.

"China?"

"Xia, please aru,"

"Ok, Xia, can I ask something?"

"What is it aru?"

"Am I just your ally?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm just a little confused, am I just an ally or a friend?"

Silence.

"Russia..."

"It's Ivan,"

"Ok, Ivan, it's just that..."

I did not expect him to wrap her arms on my neck so suddenly.

"Ivan, you don't know how long I wanted to do that,"

"But why?"

She withdrew her arms, not looking into my eyes.

"The truth is, I do not know aru, it's just like how you kissed me before you left..."

"Xia, look at me,"

Slowly I raised her chin towards me and I kissed her.

She did not mind at all. She responded too.

Tongues tangoing with each other, the feeling of warmth, Her hands on my neck while my arms supported her waist, everything that a passionate kiss contained.

We broke apart.

"Xia, just to let you know, this is not a greeting, but a way on saying I love you,"

Her cinnamon looked and stared lovingly into my violet.

Are we just friends?

No. Beyond that.

As we kissed again, it meant as the seal of us being lovers.

Life was a bliss.

Wang Xia and I, unbreakable for 40 years.

We looked like friends on the outside, but we knew better.

I aided her in every war that happened in her country and the two of us entered communism.

She, too, aided me as well when I needed help at war. But we both suffered a great loss of our people.(5)

Me, a man who witnessed too much war and bitterness, till he became bitter too, have finally found the warmth he was looking for.

I'll always remember a time in my house.

It was a bright rare morning after a night of love.

I remembered trying to find my shirt as I put back my pants on, but the shirt is still missing.

Then I smelled eggs frying, the delicious scent just made me hungry.

There, I see her wearing my shirt while I see her clothes on the hanging line outside.

I secretly wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her on the cheek. She smiled.

"Cheeky,"

"Hmmm?"

"Nothing, just that you wouldn't get any breakfast due to the fact your hands are at my thighs aru,"

"Not if I take it first..."

"Really aru?"

The plate of omelette was lying there

I took it first.

"Hey, it was for me aru!"

"Catch me,da"

We ran all around my house just for a plate of omelette.

I was hiding at the dining room till she caught me.

"You win,da"

"Ha, beat that aru!"

I placed the eggs on the table and kissed her.

I guess after the kiss, I felt quite full already.

I also remembered the time she badly wanted to show me something.

She dragged me halfway towards her house. Ouch.

And there, she showed me a field of sunflowers.

"Do you like them?"

Must have taken her weeks just to grow this...

I smiled. Of course I do. Sunflowers are my favorite flower, but why do I love them?

I wrapped my arms around her waist while my lips kissed her cheeks.

"Do you know why I love them?"

She smiled and shook her head.

"They resemble you, as their core is like your hair and dark eyes, and your skin are it's soft yellow petals but sunflowers wilt. You however, are my immortal sunflower, greeting me every morning without fail, giving me so much warmth and love that I never had before and always there to comfort me. Making me...complete,"

I kissed her on her lips where the sunshine on her made her somewhat glowing.

You could say, since that, my life felt complete.

But not all relationships are smoothly flowing.

When I found out that our bosses are arguing about border problems, I knew that things are going to get ugly.

I had a little talk with my boss earlier that day.

"Hello Ivan,"

"Hello, Stalin,"

"Come, have some wine as we talk,"

We sat and enjoyed the slightly sweeten wine.

"Stalin, you don't call me unless if it involve our country, what is it now?"

"We've took the county of Belarus, but they refuse to give up, unless if Natalia Arlovskaya, their nation, marries you,"

Shock came into my body like a sudden wave.

"Can't it be someone else other than me?"

"Oh, Ivan. Do you think I don't know your relationship with the enemy?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know very well, our southern neighbour,"

I froze. He must have sent his spies.

"That's why you are chosen. Forget your Chinese lover, remember your duties as Russia,"

"Direct your wrath towards Mao Zedong, not me. Anyway, China has nothing to do with this,"

"Just do as I say, Ivan,"

"I refuse,"

"Do you have to be so rebellious?! You are a nation and you will do as I say because I am your boss!"

I had no choice after hearing that tone of his voice.

"Understood."

I knew on that very night, it was the last time I'm able to meet Wang Xia again.(6)

When I sneaked out and arrived at her place, she looked rather scared and worried.

"Is it true, Ivan?"

"About what?"

"About you marrying..."

"Xia, it's true but.."

I then hold and cling on to her, like how I would have cling on towards life.

"Xia, I fear that this is our last time together, but Xia, if I am to choose who to marry, I will choose you, politics can rot in hell,"

"Really?"

"Yes, and I planned this for a long time now, but..."

I opened the box. Inside it was an engagement ring I had specially made for her. I wanted to ask her this question for a while now, but never had the courage to do so.

"Xia, will you marry me, even if the engagement is long but I truly love you, for you gave me so much warmth and love more than anyone. All of those times we had together, you've made me complete, just say that you are willing to wait as long as I would,"

She was crying.

I cannot tell if they were tears of joy or sorrow. I'd say they were both.

She gave me her left hand while saying,"I am more than willing to become your wife after all we've been trough aru. I'm willing to wait."

I got up and we kissed and hugged each other desperately.

I placed the ring on her slender finger. It fitted perfectly.

I hated this morning.

I know that it was time for me to go.

"Ivan?"

There she was, on the side of the bed.

The blanket barely covered her privacy.

"Xia..."

I hold her tightly and breath into her scent.

A kiss here and there, hands everywhere on our nude bodies.

As I kissed her neck, I notice a little red mark which I left her on her left shoulder last night.

"Ivan.."

"Yes?"

I fear it's time.

I continued kissing her under desperation.

"It's morning..."

I looked at her eyes.

I could see she did not want to let me go either.

But I had too.

No, we had too.

I kissed her again before putting my clothes.

We reached the gates.

"Ivan, I haven't given you anything for this ring..."

"No, I'm supposed to do that,"

"I insist,"

She then gave me a pouch.

I opened it.

It was a bottle of perfume and sunflower seeds.

"You've always loved my scent, this is the perfume I wore so frequently, and you can grow sunflowers near the southern border,"

"Can I take something else from you?"

"What is it?"

I reached for her hair and pulled out the ribbon. Reminds me of her hair.

"Is it ok?"

"I don't mind,"

I kissed her again and again.

We kissed for about 5 minutes and broke away.

"Goodbye Xia,"

"Goodbye Ivan,"

I begin to walk and hearing the door close behind me, it somewhat felt haunting.

The moment I got home, I fell to my knees.

Why do I feel so weak?

I did not know till the tears flowed freely.

How long had it been?

I think 35 years. Maybe longer?

Natalia and I are a married couple, but this ring burns like acid.

Natalia is a complete opposite.

She acted like a spoilt child, Natalia.

When we met, she was so happy that she gets to marry me, for I know that she has been in love with me after all those years of stalking.

She clutched my arm like a child clings to it's mother during our wedding day.

But me? I just put on a false smile.

Later on, I grew the seeds and watched them become her.

Greeted me every day, but after a while they wilt away.

It out shone the snow, but only a while.

The silky ribbon and perfume was able to keep my sanity alive.

I sniff the perfume, then I want back to sleep, dreaming away.

Oh, Wang Xia. I can now only dream that you are here.

Natalia cannot be compared towards you.

How I miss running my fingers towards black silken hair, gazing into cinnamon eyes, and the touch of creamy skin.

But most of all, I miss my morning sunflower.

The one that greets me with a smile, no matter what.

Ah, vodka, my old friend, you never let me down.

You gave me a world where I can get lost into, and at least, I can make belive that Xia is here.

Natalia is too cold. Where is my sunshine that give warmth every time I look at her?

Then, Stalin was over thrown, the another leader, and other.

I watched the Soviet Union collapse.

Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Ukraine, I declare them free from Russian rule.

I divorce Natalia, of course she was not happy, but she signed the papers for her people that demanded independence.

But I know, war is coming up.

America, do you really have to?(7)

We finally agreed to peace after years of fighting, but I came back, wounded and weak.

My uniform, drenched with blood, seemed to be shreds.

I had cuts and wounds needing treatment quickly.

I , I'm all alone.

Sunlight...

The sun never shines, not in Russia.

But...

"Ivan?"

Her voice...

I turned to my right side and there she was dressed in a sheer yellow toga-like robe. She looked like as if the sun clothed her.

"Xia..."

"Shhh, don't move."

"Am I dreaming?"

"If you were, you wouldn't have felt this,"

She then kissed me.

How long have I yearned for her?

We both kissed hungrily.

Too long, too long I've yearned for her.

And now she's here, in real life.

"How did you get here?"

"I was informed about the collapse of the Soviet Union and war you had America, thought I checked on how you were doing, Looks like I reached just in time,"

I saw a bottle of vodka, a needle, bandages and a wire on the nearby table.

Must have been really bad.

"At least now, both of our countries are at peace with each other,"(8)

"I agree,"

I reached for her left hand.

The ring still in place on her finger.

"Xia, do you still wish to become my wife?"

"This is a stupid question,"

"Why?"

"I waited for a long time, of course I'd still want to be your wife,"

She then crawled to the side of the bed and lay her head on my shoulder.

"I'll stay by your side, in case you need me,"

Yes, warmth and love found it's way back into my heart.

It's July 16, 2001. (9)

The happiest day I ever had.

I was nervous as the air in the church felt stiff.

Everyone talking away as the bridesmaids now make their way to the chapel.

Then, music begin to play. Silence.

The bride has arrived.

There, I see her, shyly walking up the chapel in a wedding dress with a veil over her face.

I took her hand, and we gazed into each others eyes.

Our 'I dos' were said, Rings exchanged.

I lifted the veil, and kissed my bride.

"I love you, Xia,"

"I love you too, Ivan,"

As we ran towards the doors of the church, I finally found a new beginning.

1)Wang meant 'king', while Yao meant brightly shining. I decided to use 'Xia' as it meant 'glow of the sunrise', but I kept the surname.

2) The first Russian mission to China took place in 1618-1619, and was led by the Tomsk Cossack teacher Ivan Petlin . The Russian envoys did not get to see the emperor, and for several decades, no one in Moscow was able to read the Chinese officials' letters that the mission members brought back. (source:Wikipedia)

3) I refer to the Treaty of Nerchinsk for this one.

4) Both countries saw their monarchies abolished during the second decade of the Twentieth century, the Qing Dynasty in 1912, following the Xinhai Revolution, and the Russian Tsarist Dynasty in 1917, following the Feburary Revolution. (source:Wikipedia)

5) The Soviet Union lost 40 millon people while China lost over 30 million during WW2. They lost more than any other country did. ( source:Wikipedia)

6) Of course, no doubt, I refer to the Sino-Soviet split.

7) I could be wrong about the Cold War, please, correct me.

8) The 1991 Sino-Russian Border Agreement was a treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation that set up demarcation work to resolve most of the border disputes between the two states. Initially signed by China and the Soviet Union, the terms of the agreement were resumed by Russia after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The treaty resulted in some minor territorial changes along the border. (source:Wikipedia)

9) I refer to The Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation Between the People's Republic Of China and the Russian Federation(FCT).