1995

"Liet!" Poland exclaimed, waving his arms as he saw the man from across the square. Jumping up from the wall he was leaning on, he ran over to his former friend,

"I knew you were around here somewhere, you can just tell, can't you? I haven't talked to you properly in centuries!"

A woman who was quickly walking past rolled her eyes in disbelief at the apparent hyperbole.

Lithuania smiled a little, the wrinkles in his brow disappearing as his usual worried expression lessened slightly.

"Good afternoon Poland," he greeted "How are you?"

Poland laughed loudly, attracting the attention of a group of elderly people walking by. The group frowned and tutted. Damn youngsters these days.

"God Liet, you're so polite," he grabbed Lithuania's arm and started walking "You haven't changed much. But anyway, I've been feeling better recently, y'know. Bet you have too, since you get to live on your own again, you should come visit me more, you live, like, right next door,"

"It took me nine hours to get here," Lithuania almost whispered

Either Poland didn't hear or didn't want to hear,

"And I've been wanting to meet up with you for years," he let go of Lithuania's coat sleeve so that he could gesticulate "I rang you literally billions of times. I even got my boss to ring, he's saying it's important to improve relations with our neighbours," giving a self-important look and tilting his head to the side a little, he continued "Not many people seem to be wanting to see me just now."

"I've been really busy, I've almost forgotten what it's like to live by myself, and… well, my boss doesn't really want me talking to you," Lithuania mumbled, looking a little embarrassed "I mean, our people… they don't really get on so well."

For a second Poland's grin faded, looking at the ground

"Guess the ghosts of the past take a while to leave," he looked up again, tossing a stray lock of hair away from his face and grinning "Guess I'll have to exercise them!"

"Exorcise."

"Whatever."

They walked along the road a little, passing by many shops and businesses. The roads were busy and blocked, many people who were wrapped up in layers of clothes which protected them from the cold hurried past, it was around the time that people were leaving the city to return home for the evening.

"Where are we going?"

"Well, I'm not very hungry so I thought we could just get ice-cream,"

"Ice-cream? Poland, it's February." Lithuania raised his voice for the first time since arriving. It was cold enough for both of them to be wearing thick coats, scarves and gloves.

"I'm sure you can handle it. You live further north than me. Anyway, Italy says that ice-cream is a staple to be consumed all year round, and I like Italy. Though he also says that about pasta and pizza and sleeping in the daytime and pretty girls, so his information may or may not be factually correct."

"Anyway," Lithuania cleared his throat, wanting to return to slightly less unsettling topics "Where do you live now? In the city or…"

"I've got this awesome house like twenty minutes outside the city," Poland interrupted "It's not as big as my other houses though, so I won't be able to have that many parties. And there's not that many rooms though so if lots of people stay over it'll be a bit of a squash. I need…" he paused for a minute, looking thoughtful. "What do you call it when people are in bed and on top of each other?"

"Erm…"

"Oh yeah, bunk beds! Maybe I should get some of them so there's more room. Anyway, when I first got this house, like, two years ago it was brand new. At first I was all like 'whoa' because, you know, new buildings feel a bit strange, but then I was like ' I'm Poland mark 3.0, I can handle living someplace strange for a while' and now I quite like it."

The pair arrived outside a small café off the main street they had been walking down. It looked a little grubby but, according to Poland, apparently served 'wicked good' ice-cream. After entering and procuring said ice-cream (in strawberry, as that is apparently the best flavour), they continued to wander down the street. It was a bit surreal, eating ice-creams whilst dressed as though they were on an expedition to the south pole. The ice cream was good, though.

There was a comfortable silence for a while whilst the ice-creams were being consumed. Maybe it was good weather for ice cream after all, they didn't melt when the temperature was already below freezing. After a short time, Lithuania spoke up again;

"So you don't have that house we used to live in?"

"Nah, that got destroyed at the start of the century, anyway the place where it was is in Ukraine's bit now, remember, and it was falling apart anyway," he bit into the ice-cream cone and appeared to think a little "Don't think I'd want to live there anymore though. New start and everything."

"Yes, I suppose so. Still, I sometimes think back to when we all lived together."

"You do? I didn't think you liked it that much."

"It wasn't the best of times for everyone, but personally, I enjoyed it."

"Yeah, it was fun living with you and Hungary and Belarus and Ukraine and Prussia and…"

"We didn't treat Prussia very well,"

"It's fine, when he made me go live at his later on he tried to make me speak German," Poland wrinkled up his nose. The German language obviously offended his senses. "I'm pretty good at German, but he used to tell me off if I spoke anything else. That guy's got a strong backhand. Still, he definitely got his revenge for when we allowed Hungary to beat him up."

Remembering the past he had with Poland made Lithuania a little confused. He had enjoyed the power and the respect he had gained, and there were many good times over the years when they had lived together. However, at the same time, he was ashamed at some of the things he had done. Hindsight and the experiences he had obtained through living at Russia's house made him wonder whether locking Prussia in the cupboard for days was really the right thing to do. At the time he had agreed when Poland and Hungary had said that it would be hilarious, but now he was not so sure, it wasn't so funny when it was happening to yourself.

"Are you going to go to nation meetings now?" Poland asked, interrupting Lithuania's thoughts.

"I hope so. It'll be good to see everyone again."

"Yeah, we have a European meeting every month and then twice a year we have a big week long world meeting," Poland's eyes lit up "It's crazy, like a big party. You have the meetings, of course, but they you've got dinner and activities and entertainment as well. Last time it was in Madrid. I met loads of people from all over the place, and Spain was an awesome host."

"Sounds like fun," Lithuania knew that Poland was probably over exaggerating about the whole thing being a party, and his version of 'meeting people' was usually akin to spying on them whilst hiding behind large flower displays. Still, it was good to see Poland looking genuinely happy.

"Sure was. And I was happy when I met America. He's been helping me for a while but that was the first time I've actually met him to talk to. Although he seemed a bit too enthusiastic about the fact that I have a McDonalds in my capital, but whatever, different strokes for different folks."

"America's a nice man. He's a bit naïve, but he's a lot younger than us, so that's to be expected. When I go to this meeting I shall be happy to see him again. Although I expect that he's forgotten me."

Poland shook his head violently, "I don't think so. I asked him whether he knew you and he told me an awfully long story about something to do with you getting lost in New York or something. I kinda got distracted halfway through. I mean, he had to think about who you were for a while, but he did that when wondering what to order at the restaurant as well, so I don't think it's anything to worry about."

They continued to chat about America and the meetings and other fairly trivial matters as they travelled down the now lamp-lit streets. It was strange, when Lithuania finally agreed that he would meet up with Poland, he had put himself in a mind-set where he wasn't going to spend time chatting, just politely greet him, tell him that they shouldn't really talk and then make the long journey back home. His boss wouldn't be too angry that he had sneaked away to meet up with a recent enemy and he wouldn't feel as though he had let his people down by talking with someone that he wasn't meant to like. But it was hard to leave his former friend. Some of the best times of his life, not as a nation, but as himself, had been when he was with Poland. The differences between himself and the nation he represented were confusing and sometimes painful. Even after many hundred years he still didn't know exactly how to balance them.

The area they were now in was lined with very pretty houses. They probably attracted many tourists when the temperatures were warmer and the days were lighter. They made their way to the middle of an open square and took a seat on one of the benches which were scattered around. Poland looked enthusiastically towards Lithuania, as though he wanted to talk.

"So… you lived at Prussia's?" was the first question which entered Lithuania's head. He almost immediately wanted to slap himself. Of all the things he could have asked, why would he choose that topic?

"And Austria's. Surely you knew that," he gave a condescending stare. Lithuania was a little concerned that he had achieved the impossible and actually offended Poland. He needn't have worried though, as Poland immediately perked up. "When I managed to forget about the reason I was there, staying at Austria's wasn't actually that bad. Hungary was there too, which was fun, and Italy's a cool guy. We used to talk about what we would do once we were independent again, and then we used to sing songs and play the piano and stuff. Annoying Austria was fun too, although Hungary didn't like that. She was like a schoolgirl with her first crush. It was cute."

"Bet you wouldn't say that to her face."

"No way," he laughed "That girl's scarier than ninety per cent of the male nations. I genuinely do not know who would win in a scary face competition between her, Switzerland, and Sweden."

The thought of a scary face competition kept the duo silently amused for a few minutes, thinking to themselves. Lithuania then turned to face Poland, speaking quietly,

"Why did you invite me here?"

"I told you. I'm trying to be friends with all my neighbours. And I haven't been able to meet up with you just to talk for a long time. In the past few decades the only reason we were in the same room was to argue or fight, and I've missed just talking to you. Why? Are you worried I want to use you?"

Lithuania didn't want to admit that this was the reason. He did think himself a bit silly for doubting Poland's intentions. Despite all his faults, the man was amazingly honest, although, like Latvia, this sometimes got him in trouble.

Ignoring the silence his question had garnered, Poland continued,

"I met up with Germany recently. I was expecting it to be all totally awkward or for him to be horrible towards me but it wasn't He's all serious and stuff but we both knew that it would be best for everyone get along, so we agreed on some stuff over lunch and then he went home. We're hardly best friends, but not enemies either. We both need that. Anyway, Belarus has flat-out refused to meet with me and I'm meeting up with Ukraine next week."

"What about Russia?"

"I'm still trying to convince my boss that Kaliningrad isn't actually part of Russia. Maybe I can tell them that Prussia actually represents that enclave, he doesn't have anything else to do these days. He'd be more entertaining to spend a day with."

"Are you scared of Russia?"

Poland gave him a look of disbelief before continuing,

"There's not enough time to be scared of people. You kinda need to look to see the best in them, y'know. But I've seen enough of Russia for a few lifetimes. I doubt we could spend an afternoon together without it turning into a fight. We don't really have anything to discuss."

Lithuania doubted this cry of confidence a little. He personally was scared of Russia, he would do almost anything to keep a wall between himself and his former 'employer'. Then again, if Poland felt strongly about something, maybe it wouldn't be too surprising if he stood up towards Russia, he had done it before.

"A while ago I thought I was going to have to live with Russia, with the rest of you. Germany didn't want me living with him, I don't even think that he wanted Austria in his house, it was his boss' idea. So I thought Russia would come and get me but when he appeared, he said that I wasn't coming to his house either. Guess he thought that I would be a bad influence on you. So I didn't really have any place to go."

"What did you do then?"

"I fought, obviously," Poland gave him a look of disbelief at the fact that he hadn't been able to guess. "I fought for myself, and when I couldn't do that anymore I fought for France. Not the first time I've done that," Poland pulled a strange, unreadable expression "But then I couldn't fight for him either, so I went to the UK, Belarus helped me, and England let me fly his planes,"

"Belarus helped you?"

"Dude, is that all you're getting from this heart wrenching conversation? I'm expressing all my tales of woe and agony and you're thinking about your little girlfriend," he sarcastically smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry," Lithuania looked sheepish. She wasn't even his girlfriend. "Anyway, continue your story. You're with England."

"Yeah. But then I started to get all weak, like, my people were hurting and so was I, so I couldn't really fight anymore. England offered to let me live with him, since no-one else was really bothered about where I stayed and lots of my people lived with him now, but I wanted to go home, so I did."

Poland paused in his story, his face frozen in such a way that Lithuania couldn't tell whether he was feeling nostalgic or angry. Suddenly Poland's expression changed.

"I have an idea. We should meet up here every year," Poland decided, his voice slightly weaker and less song-like than usual "No matter what our countries are doing, or whether our people love or hate each other, we should forget about our responsibilities for one day and meet here, just for ourselves."

"You always were the selfish one."

"C'mon, don't be like that. Every year for the next millennium we should meet up by this bench, or where this bench used to be once it rots away, and just talk. After the first thousand years we can renew the contract."

"You're planning on existing for another thousand years?"

"Dude, if I was planning on rolling over and dying before I'm even in my third millennia then I don't think I'd have bothered with the past few hundred years. Anyway, do you promise we'll meet up?"

For the first time since they had met earlier in the afternoon, Lithuania gave a small but genuine smile

"Poland, you're an idiot. You make me defy my boss' wishes and use public transport to travel hundreds of kilometres across central Europe. You make fun of me, and I know that you don't really listen to me or care much about me or what I've been through. Whenever there's a difficult situation you hide and expect me to deal with it," he looked up at his still-smiling companion "You're damn lucky that I like you."

"I know you do. It's obviously my natural charm working," Poland batted his lashes, "It converts all the non-believers."

"I wish you didn't make me laugh, it would be so much easier to leave you alone," Lithuania sighed, head now in his hands "Sure, I'll meet up with you every year. As long as you buy me ice-cream."

"Aw Liet, I knew you loved me really," Poland happily sang "I'll write us a contract so we have to stick by our words."

"There's no way that I'm signing anything that you wrote."

"Don't be that way. Fine then, we'll shake on it," he took his glove off and held his right hand out, "We'll meet up at this spot every year for the next thousand years."

Lithuania took off his glove and reached out to Poland's hand.

"For the next thousand years."