Chills ran down Russia's spine as he glimpsed a small hump of blonde topped with a bow outside his window. Belarus was spying on him again. Watching. Waiting.

Jesus Christ. Why wouldn't she leave him alone?

Russia wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck to combat the icy shivers Belarus' presence always brought him. He shut his eyes tightly and tried to formulate a plan. He could hide in his room, lock the door, and cower behind his armoire. …But she would just tear apart his door. Several times she'd even ripped out his doorknob.

Someone rapped sharply on his front door. Russia's eyes opened and grew huge.

"Russia!" a voice screamed on the other side. A… a young man's voice!

Russia's eyes strayed to the window Belarus had been crouched beneath just a few moments ago. Her golden hair could no longer be glimpsed. He frowned.

It was clearly Latvia at the door. But what if he opened the door and Belarus slipped in somehow? She was still out there.

Latvia's voice grew shriller. "RUSSIA! Open the door please!" he cried. Confusion tore at Russia's mind. Why was Latvia crying? Had someone besides Russia been bullying him? Russia's eyes narrowed.

He balled his hands into fists. "I've got to man up," he said. "I'm Russia, for Chrissakes. I'm huge. Belarus is nothing."

Russia marched determinedly up to the front door and pulled it open.

Latvia beamed at him, his face wet from tears. "Russia—" he croaked.

With one fast motion, Russia pulled Latvia inside, slammed the door shut and locked it. A mangled howl of frustration could be heard from outside. Russia leaned his large frame against the door, breathing heavily.

"…Russia?" Latvia tilted his head cutely to the side. "…Um. Is something wrong?"

Russia tried to slow his breathing. It was ok. The doors were locked. The windows were locked. Latvia was here to bully.

"Latvia, why are you so small?" Russia mocked in a quivering voice.

"Uh… Russia?" Latvia's teary eyes squinted in confusion. "Are you… ok?"

"Mmmmhmmm."

"Uhm." Latvia started to shiver. He usually got the shivers around Russia. Russia gave him the frickin' creeps. He was massive, domineering, cruel, and it was rumored that he'd shattered Busby's chair. The shivering became uncontrollable when Russia put a gloved hand on Latvia's head and pressed down…. Lightly. Russia's heart wasn't in it, and his eyes were staring off into the distance.

"Um… Russia?"

Russia was staring down the hall. In his mind, he was trying to figure out all of the possible best hiding places in his house. Trying to remember which doors still had doorknobs.

Something thumped on the door behind him. Russia shrieked girlishly, startling young Latvia so badly that he fell on his ass.

Something scratched on the door behind him. Growling noises emanated from the other side. His spine feeling like an icicle, Russia grasped Latvia's head and hauled ass down the hall, dragging the smaller country by his skull.

~1~

Meanwhile, in a random garden, Ukraine was bent over, working. Someone coughed behind her. She shrieked and whirled around. Boing.

Canada stared back at her. "Uh…"

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" Ukraine's eyes started to tear up. "What with all the Canadian tourists pouring through here, you'd think I would've been less surprised that someone was spying on me!"

"Spying?" Canada echoed. He was still in shock that Ukraine had even heard him cough.

"Well, what were you doing watching me?" Ukraine asked, massaging her left shoulder with her hand.

"I, um, well I'm here on tourist business too," Canada said. "I wanted to see Kiev and uh…"

Ukraine was staring right at him. Canada felt incredibly unnerved, wishing he could revert back into his usual ghostlike unimportance.

"Oh! You're lost!" she decided.

"Uhm. Right." Sure, why not? Canada thought.

"So you want me to show you around!"

"…Kay."

"Well, you'll have to wait until after I'm done gardening," Ukraine said. She smiled.

Canada's face burned. "Uhm… sure…"

~1~

Meanwhile, outside Russia's house, Belarus bit her thumbnail. Her eyes scoured the front of the house for any structural weaknesses. It had been fortified since the last time she'd come over. Damn.

Oh, but she'd find a way to be with Russia. And then. And then…

And then they'd be married.

She glared daggers at the doorstep where, moments before, Latvia had been pounding on the door, screaming. She didn't know what that was all about, but she didn't like it. Latvia was no Lithuania, and he was a bit too young to be a threat to her, but still…

A sour expression on her face, she turned and made her away around the corner of the house, to scout out any possible entryways she may have missed…

~1~

Meanwhile, America was up to something.