Okay, this is the first time I've written something like this, so critiques will be much appreciated! I mean, if you want to. No pressure, and I hate it when people make me feel guilty for not commenting on something.
So! Nyotalia, this is my first time writing the Hetalia genderbends, so if I hope I don't butcher it. I proofread my own stories so if you notice any mistakes they're mine. Also forgive me if the use of human names and country names is inconsistent, it's easy to use one or the other if you're not paying attention, haha.
Note! You will be DROWNING in headcanons.
Belarus loved his sister, Russia, very much. All he wanted was to keep her safe, and happy. He wasn't stupid, though. He noticed the disapproving stares other Nations and - heaven forbid, the citizens who knew he was related to her gave him. He didn't care, it was their problem if they thought he was in love with his sister. He wasn't. Sure, he followed her everywhere, he showed up usually uninvited, and he may or may not look through her mail, but he was only looking out for her. He knew she was fragile - he would never forgive himself to see her hurt. He was only looking out for her! And she didn't seem to mind, she knew he was just taking care of her. It didn't matter what anybody else thought.
"Nikolai?" Her voice, so sweet. "I hope I haven't forgotten to mention that China is coming over," She said softly. Sitting together on the sofa in Russia's large house, Belarus had never been more content. It took him a moment to register her words, momentarily lost by her voice. "Oh, yes, you mentioned that." He had actually completely forgotten. He frowned. "It's nothing political, is it?"
"Oh, no. I invited her over for the afternoon, purely personal. " She smiled, eyes glazing at the thought of the small Chinese woman. "Though... I invited her before you showed up, so she won't be expecting you."
"No matter. I can make tea for you two," He suggested. For a moment, he thought that maybe he saw disappointment in her eyes, but it then it was gone. Does she not want me here? His confusion was alleviated when she spoke,
"Da, that's fine." Her voice held it's usual cheer, so Belarus relaxed again. Although, he had to admit, he was worried about how much time Russia was spending with China. It was good that she was trying to make friends, but he couldn't help but be distrustful of China.
"I'll stay with you until she arrives," he suggested, wrapping his arm around her. She leaned into his side, nodding. It was a beautiful day in Moscow, it was sunny and warm, though by no means hot. Spring in this part of Russia weren't really as cold as people seemed to believe, and were actually quite nice. They didn't even need to turn any heaters on today.
No sooner had the doorbell rang, and Russia was on her feet. "I'll get it," She announced needlessly. For a split second, Belarus had a urge to reach out and grab her and hold her close to him forever, but the feeling was gone as quick as it came. He got to his feet as well, joints popping as he did so.
"Chun-Yan! I am glad you arrived!" The woman greeted pleasantly, and as Belarus started towards the spacy kitchen his chest tightened. She used her human name. How close were they?
"No problem, Anya! You sound like you didn't expect me to show up at all," The Asian observed with a teasing smile as she was lead inside. Anya giggled nervously,
"Sorry. I... Hope you don't mind, but my brother is here too." Anya blushed. Chun-Yan stopped.
"Oh. You could have said something over the phone," She said casually.
"I did not know he would come over," Anya said softly, "I do not think he will bother us, though. We can still talk," She smiled eagerly.
Chun-Yan shrugged, "Okay, sounds good."
Belarus scowled as he placed the water on the stove to boil, and pulled the tea leaves - Anya hadn't even liked tea until she started inviting Chun-Yan over, he reflected - out of the cupboard. Chun-Yan sounded strangely disappointed - he had more of a right to be here than she did!
"So," Anya started the conversation, "How are things in your country?"
Chun-Yan seated herself on the sofa besides Anya, and waved her sleeve dismissively. "Oh, fine. Been better, been worse, you know how it goes! The exploding watermelons are no longer a problem, though." She giggled, and Anya laughed with her.
Belarus selected three teacups from the cupboard - teacups Anya hadn't bought until she'd started inviting Chun-Yan over - and placed them down on the kitchen counter hard enough to make a loud clacking sound. The voices in the living room silenced.
"Brother? Are you alright?"
"Fine, sister!" He said sharply, and then again in a softer tone, "I'm fine. Enjoy yourself."
After a moment, Chun-Yan initiated another conversation. Belarus gritted his teeth.
Chun-Yan was a good person. She was kind enough, and she had plenty in common with Anya, both country-wise and person-wise. But it wouldn't work.
If only he had realized what was going on sooner. He should have seen it. Anya had decided she wanted more friends, and although Belarus's heart told him not to let her go, he'd simply nodded and smiled in encouragement. And so, she had immediately started trying to make friends with Chun-Yan. Nobody else, Belarus had noted. Just Chun-Yan. It didn't take Belarus long to deduct what was going on:
Anya was trying to develop that kind of relationship with Chun-Yan. Belarus wasn't stupid, he could see it. Constantly talking on the phone with her, inviting her over whenever she could, buying her gifts. But he knew it wouldn't work out between them. He knew. It was nothing but an impossible dream for poor, innocent Anya.
Anya was so fragile. And China so busy. And with them, politics would surely become involved, even if they only wanted a personal relationship. And he knew Chun-Yan would simply take advantage of Anya. He could almost feel the small woman trying to gauge what Anya could bring her in a relationship. The Chinese didn't believe in true love, did they? No, when looking for a partner, all Chun-Yan would think about was how it could benefit her. And that made Belarus's jaw clench with rage.
Several minutes later, the tea was done. He placed the three cups on a plate, and headed for the living room. He noted how close Anya and Chun-Yan were, and felt his fingers tighten on the plate. Anya looked up and smiled, "Thank you, brother!" She smiled kindly, and he handed her the cup, handle-first despite the fact that the cup was very hot and threatening to blister his skin. She was wearing gloves, but he still didn't want her to hurt herself.
"Yes, thank you," Chun-Yan smiled as well, a sweet smile. She looked rather friendly but Belarus knew that she didn't like him, he knew it! As he handed her the cup, his fingers loosened quite a bit too early, a good deal of hot tea splashed out onto her bare leg. She let out a girlish howl of pain.
"Oops. My bad."
"Oh, no!" Anya was on her feet in seconds, disappearing into the kitchen and reappearing with a damp rag. "Chun-Yan, are you okay?" She fretted as she tended to the burn. Chun-Yan winced, "I'm okay. Thank you," The Asian shot Belarus a pained and confused glare, and he stared back, challenging her.
"...Maybe I should go," Chun-Yan suggested, placing her hand over Anya's, and Belarus's heart jumped into his throat at the simple action. And then it sank at the utterly disheartened look on Anya's face.
"Already? You just arrived... But I understand. It just seems like a waste since you flew all this way."
"Yeah... I suppose it couldn't hurt to stay longer," Chun-Yan agreed almost cautiously. She looked exhausted, actually. Belarus handed her the teacup once again.
"I know this is your favorite - it's why we have it here. It wouldn't do for you to turn it down," Belarus said quietly. Chun-Yan eyed him cautiously, and then took the cup; never taking her eyes off of him. Belarus sat down on the armchair across from them, and casually crossed his legs.
Anya seemingly didn't notice the tension or decided to ignore it, though the latter seemed more plausible, and after a moment she initiated another conversation with Chun-Yan. "So, how is Hong Kong?" Chun-Yan seemed to perk up, and the two started conversing together as if nothing had happened. Just as Anya had promised, Belarus didn't bother them. He did sit there watching them and listening silently and intently the whole time, though, never even sipping his tea.
Poor Anya. He narrowed his eyes. Her pretty lavender orbs told him everything: She was smitten with Chun-Yan.
This needed to end. It would never work. Just an impossible thought for Anya. "It's getting dark!" He announced loudly, causing the Anya to jump. She had seemingly forgotten him, though it was clear Chun-Yan hadn't been able to enjoy herself as much as she could have without his overbearing presence. The Asian Nation stood immediately. "I should go," she said softly. Anya seemed disappointed, but nodded as she stood as well, stretching.
"Right," Chun-Yan said awkwardly, pulling on her black jacket. "I had fun," She smiled, but Belarus knew she hadn't enjoyed herself as much as she would have without him there.
"Wait," Anya grabbed Chun-Yan's shoulder, and then lowered her eyes shyly. Belarus tensed, slowly rising to his feet.
"What is it?" Chun-Yan asked curiously.
"Well," She hesitated. "I..." She remained silent for a long moment, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She then leaned forward - but Belarus was quick. He grabbed Chun-Yan's arm, and sharply yanked her away from his big sister, causing both girls to cry out in surprise.
"You have a plane to catch! Wouldn't want to miss it, yes?" Belarus said meaningfully, gripping her arm tightly. With a scowl, Chun-Yan swept her arm in a circular motion that surprisingly managed to break his grip, and she backed up, arms raised defensively. Anya looked confused and hurt.
"...Nikolai is right," She sighed. "Goodbye, Chun-Yan. I hope to see you again soon?"
"Sure," Chun-Yan murmured, not looking like she was paying much attention, eyes locked on Nikolai's.
"It's cold out." Nikolai said, his voice colder than winter. "Allow me to escort you?"
"I can manage on my own," Chun-Yan said, inching around him towards the exit.
"No, let me. There might be... Bad people lurking around this late."
"Trust me, I'll be fine."
Anya decided to cut in, "She can manage, little brother."
Nikolai paused, his eyes flickered towards hers. He instantly melted under her soft yet stern gaze, and after a long, tense pause, he relented. "If you insist," he said finally. Watching him cautiously, Chun-Yan reached the door.
"Goodbye, Anya. See you some other time?"
"Of course!" Anya smiled, following her to the door. "Stay safe,"
"Mhm. You too," Her amber eyes flickered towards Belarus once more, before she turned and left, Anya watched her for a moment before shutting the door behind her.
"It is getting late, maybe I should have offered to let her spend the night," Anya fretted. Nikolai placed a hand on her shoulder,
"Don't worry about her. She said she'll be fine."
"Yeah..." She murmured.
"You didn't touch your tea," He noted.
"I don't really drink tea," she admitted. "I only have it for when she visits."
"I see," He said understandably. You shouldn't have to do things you don't want to to make her like you, he thought, though none of his hostility showed on his face. He wasn't upset at Anya of course. "If you don't mind, I'm going for a walk."
"Are you sure? It is getting a bit late..."
"I can take care of myself," he assured her, pulling on and buttoning his jacket. She smiled softly, nodding.
"Da, you're right," she hugged him, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly, never wanting to let go. She really was so fragile, he realized not for the first time. Anyone could hurt her if they wanted to, despite her somewhat big size, he thought with a frown. She could take care of herself. He knew that, but he still wanted to protect her.
And regardless of her physical strength, he knew her heart was gentle. Could it handle being broken? No, a relationship with Chun-Yan was out of the question, and Nikolai remembered what he needed to do. He gently let go of her, and she backed away, smiling warmly.
"I'll be back soon," he promised. "I'll make you dinner tonight."
/\
Chun-Yan wasn't oblivious to Anya's advances. In fact, it was actually kind of cute. At first, the possibility of having a relationship with Anya had seemed... well, an impossibility. It had been going on for almost a month now, no time at all, really. First it was innocent phone calls, then Anya would ask to visit or invite Chun-Yan over. She always had a gift for her, too; sunflowers, Matryoshka dolls, even a few stuffed animals and snow globes. Anya's affections were obvious. But Chun-Yan wasn't sure. Could it work? She decided she liked Anya well enough, and they had worked together in the past... But that had been as countries. Here, it was as people.
Moscow was very pretty, Chun-Yan decided, lifting her head. Not as beautiful as Beijing, of course, but it came close. And the air was clear! Walking through the streets, she could breathe clean, fresh air untouched by smog.
Two hands reached out from behind and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her into an alley. "What! Hey!" One hand grabbed her neck, and the other clamped over her mouth, effectively halting the stream of Chinese curses. In a matter of seconds, she was pinned on the ground, in some sort of dead end, looking up into the face of...
"Belarus?" She said, although with her mouth gagged by his hand it came out sounding more like Blrrsssh! He removed his hand. Instead of screaming for help, Chun-Yan scowled.
"I have over five thousand years of martial arts experience, so unless you want me to break all your limbs you better get off of me!"
"Stay away from my sister," he said coldly, and her mind shorted out for a second trying to process what he was trying to do.
"...What?"
"I don't want you seeing Anya anymore," His cold blue eyes bore into her soul, and she cringed into the filthy ground, yet still glared up at him defiantly. "Get off."
"Promise me you'll cut off all personal ties with her," He leaned in close, glaring it her. And he did look terrifying, she realized. How had America tolerated living with him after the fall of the Soviet Union?
"I won't promise anything until you get off!" Suddenly, there was a knife pointed threateningly at her throat and alarm bells went off even louder in her mind. In several quick motions faster then lightning, she grabbed the lapels of his jacket, and yanked him towards her, causing him to lose his balance. Seconds later, he was on the ground with a throbbing arm, and she was backing away in a defensive stance. It only took him seconds to get back on his feet.
"Stay away from her," He threatened, and she realized her mistake - she was backing into the dead end. "Cut off all ties. Stop taking her calls. Stop inviting her over, decline her invitations - stop talking to her!"
Chun-Yan stared at him, wide eyed - in all her years she could think of only few who matched Belarus's fury at this moment - it was as though some sort of monster had been unleashed. She didn't doubt that he would kill her given the chance. And she could see the determination, he would never stop, would he?
Was it worth it?
No. She decided it wasn't. It couldn't have worked out between her and Anya anyway. "Okay," she sounded so much braver than she felt. "Okay. I promise. Please stand aside, I have a plane to catch!" Without waiting, she rushed by him, and he didn't stop her. She disappeared.
Nikolai felt a sense of accomplishment, mingled with sadness. It would break Anya's heart. But it wasn't that bad, was it? Not compared to the heartbreak that she would have felt had a relationship between her and Chun-Yan been allowed to flourish. Nikolai was doing her a great favor by sparing her that pain. She had already suffered so much.
His arm hurt, he realized now that the adrenaline had stopped. Gripping the knife tightly in his left arm, he attempted to stretch the right and winced. She had broken his arm somehow when she'd managed to get out from under him. He didn't even quite remember how she's done so, it had been so fast. He didn't mind. He'd known what he was getting into. He had no regrets. It had been for Anya's protection. Whistling, he walked home, twirling the knife between his fingers.
/\
"She's cut off all ties with me!" Anya buried her face in her hands, tears sliding down her cheeks. Nikolai placed a comforting hand on her head, stroking her hair. Several weeks after the incident, and he had stayed with Anya, waiting for her to realize Chun-Yan was avoiding her so that he could be there to comfort her.
"Was it something I said? Was I too clingy?" She was talking more to herself than Nikolai, so he said nothing, simply being there for her. She leaned into him, and he wrapped his arm around her, he hated it when she cried. He could almost feel her heart breaking, but he remained stoic. It was for her own good. He glanced out the window. It was a beautiful day, yet the house felt so dark; with the curtains mostly drawn.
"...I just wanted a friend," She whispered after some time. Nikolai continued to stroke her hair, and he rested his cheek against the top of her head. "I'm lonely, brother. But the others always go out of their way to avoid me," she sounded so upset. "Why? I'm trying to be nicer. I want people to spend time with..."
"There are plenty of people to choose from," He replied. "China isn't the only one."
"I know, but... I want someone to spend my life with. I want someone to love forever, who will love me in turn. I want to be in love," she buried her face in his chest.
"Maybe it was for the best," He suggested softly. "Besides, we have each other, don't we? And Ukraine."
"It's not the same," She sighed. Nikolai didn't understand, but he nodded sympathetically. Not the same? All they needed was each other. "I love you, brother, but I want more people around me. I'm sick of feeling so alone."
They stayed like that for what could have been either minutes or hours. Nikolai was just happy to be with his sister, enjoying her presence. He could tell she was thinking, and he wished he could hear her thoughts.
"We could go for a walk," he offered. "It's a beautiful day, and it would be a shame to waste it indoors."
"I don't feel like it," She replied quietly, so Nikolai didn't pressure her. She sounded distant, far away, as though she hadn't even heard him. After another long moment, she pulled away from him, wiping at her eyes. She rose to her feet, "I'll be in my office." Her voice sounded dead, and it broke his heart. She swept away, and he watched her affectionately.
He sat alone in silence for several long hours, just being in her house made him feel complete, and decided he'd bring her a bottle of vodka to help her feel better. She did love the stuff, and it would help take her mind off the pain. Ignoring the throb in his untreated arm as he stood, he headed for the kitchen and pulled out a bottle from her stash. He noticed a small stain on the kitchen floor, dried blood from an age long passed. The house was full of those. Heading up the stairs, his footsteps were silent despite the largeness of the mansion.
Knocking on the door, he stepped in. She looked up from the dusk where papers were strewn about. She looked tired and depressed. "I brought you vodka," he offered. She smiled, only a little.
"Thank you, Nikolai." She took it, popped the cap with her gloved fingers and took a long drink. Nikolai wondered what she was thinking.
/\
Nikolai wasn't too surprised to discover, weeks later, that Anya was spending lots of time with Lithuania. Anya had always had a strange sort of 'friendly' relationship with the girl, if it could be called that. It was more of Anya clinging to Viktorija despite the smaller countries obvious fear of her. But Nikolai was starting to worry that maybe Anya was seeking the wrong kind of relationship with Viktorija, or as Anya affectionately dubbed her, Tori.
Which was why as soon as he'd overheard Anya booking a flight to go to Lithuania, he did as well; though he made sure to get a separate plane so she wouldn't start to think he was stalking her. That would be absurd. She always did tend to think the worst, though, and she had been hurt so many times he could understand her paranoia.
She was packing, which meant she planned to stay a day or two. It almost hurt that he realized she hadn't even told him that she was going, or where. He already knew, of course, but he knew that she didn't know that he knew, and it was the principle that hurt. Or maybe it was just leftover pain in his arm, which had pretty much healed. He'd listened into most of her conversations on the phone, simply picking up another phone in the house and listening in, and it was obvious what Anya's intentions were.
She couldn't have picked a worse candidate for a soul mate. He felt bad, she had better taste than this! Even Poland would have been better. No, scratch that. Poland would definitely have been worse.
One plane ride later, he was shadowing his sister and Tori as they headed for the Lithuanians home. Even though he knew that Tori wasn't the one for his sister, he was happy that she at least thought to meet her at the airport and help carry her bags. They were talking, but he couldn't hear them; and if he got closer he risked getting caught. So he stalked them, hopefully unnoticed by civilians. And if they did notice, well, he really wasn't worried about it.
And finally they had arrived, Lithuania's house was smaller than Russia's. It was actually quit nice, with gardens on both sides and shrubs in front, giving it a small, homey look. Nikolai still liked Anya's better. The women disappeared inside, and quickly making sure nobody was watching, Nikolai scouted around to the side of the house where he knew the living room was, and sat outside the open window.
"Thank you again for having me," Anya was saying softly. "I know I've been a burden." So selfless, Nikolai smiled.
"Oh, it's nothing at all!" Tori replied, and there was a soft thumping sound as she set the bags down somewhere. "I'm happy to have you over," she sounded uncertain, though. Nikolai scowled. Just another reason a relationship wouldn't work - Tori was nervous around Anya. In fact, Nikolai could go as far as to say she disliked Anya - which was blasphemy.
"Your house is so pretty," Anya sighed, and then he heard her sit down. "It's so small though. So small..."
"Yes, well, it's comfortable." Tori sat as well, and Nikolai could already picture her wringing her braid in her hands nervously.
"I've been somewhat lonely, to tell the truth. Which is why I've been talking to you so often, but hearing your voice through the phone isn't quite the same as being in your presence." Anya sounded so sad. It made Nikolai sad for her - you've got the wrong one! He wanted to scream.
"Well, everyone needs company now and again," Tori said cautiously. "So, hows Belarus?" Nikolai smirked at her formal use of his country name.
"Little brother is doing well." She sighed. "He has spent the last month or so at my house. I love him very much, I do! But... he's become kind of... Overbearing."
That's not really how you feel, is it? Nikolai's chest constricted.
"I'm surprised his boss hasn't called," Anya continued. Well, actually, his boss had been calling endlessly, but he'd turned off his cellphone. He had more pressing matters to deal with, and he could listen to his boss yell at him later.
"I see," Tori said. "...Would you like something to drink?"
"Do you have vodka?"
"No." Clearly Tori had already anticipated the answer and had only asked for politeness sake.
"Then no thank you."
"Alright... When you get the chance, could you tell Belarus that he's welcome over? I know he doesn't have many friends either, and if he wants company..."
Anya giggled, and Tori presumably blushed. Neither of them heard the garden pot fly through the air and shatter somewhere outside the house.
"You like him a lot, da?" There was no answer, but Anya giggled again.
And there was one reason a relationship between Anya and Tori wouldn't work. Nikolai wasn't oblivious to Tori's crush on him. Any idiot could see it. And the fact that Tori clearly didn't like being around Russia, and they had no chemistry. Even if Anya managed to lift Tori's crush away from Nikolai - though that would be nice - it would end badly anyway. Nikolai knew his sister, and he couldn't see her with Tori. The thought made his vision go red. He did sympathize with his sister, even if he didn't understand her needs - weren't they happy enough with each other? - but he was doing this for her own good. She needed someone she could be happy with forever.
"Tori? Can I see your garden? It is very pretty," Anya asked almost shyly.
"Oh! Sure!"
Nikolai backed away from the window and behind a thick tree, waiting for them to come from the back door. When he saw Anya emerge, his breathe was taken away. She looked so lovely, the warm sun shining off of her skin and hair, her pale colors and pink jacket causing her to blend into the soft colors of the garden. It was stunning.
"I have a sunflower patch, and..." Tori cut herself off when she realized Anya was already headed that way. She followed her, yet also kept her distance. Nikolai shook his head.
Anya admired the tall sunflowers, taller than her. They faced the sun, as sunflowers did, and she smiled. She grasped Tori's hand, startling the poor woman. "Do you work on your garden often?"
"I do when I can," Tori smiled proudly up at the flowers. "Poland helps me sometimes-" She stopped, noting how Russia's grip suddenly suddenly tightened. She changed the subject, "I have all sorts of flowers! Roses, marigolds,"
She continued the list, and clearly Anya was listening, but Nikolai quickly lost interest, until she finished. "-And cornflowers, and a flax or two..." she trailed off, lowering her eyes as Anya suddenly looked at her with amusement.
"Belarus's 'signature' flowers?"
"Maybe," Tori looked away. Anya laughed, and Nikolai hissed in annoyance. Was this girl obsessed with him or something? That was so creepy!
Several hours passed as Anya wandered around the garden, smelling the flowers and enjoying the sunshine. Tori followed almost like a subordinate, rather than a host, causing Nikolai to smirk. Anya sat down in the grass and sighed contentedly. "Sit with me?" Tori did so, yet still kept her distance.
"It really is a nice day," Anya said, eyes closed. "I shall be sad when the warm weather is over."
"Me too," Tori agreed, and Nikolai got a feeling it was out of habit rather than her actually agreeing. Anya sat in the grass, eyes closed and smiling for over an hour before Tori finally risked nudging her shoulder. "I should start dinner. Would you rather stay outside, or..."
"I'll come inside," Anya replied, getting to her feet somewhat sleepily.
Nikolai waited for them to disappear inside, before crept back up to the window. The rest of the evening went without incident, as Anya and Tori talked about whatever. But Nikolai could tell Tori still felt like a subordinate, and that was yet another problem with their potential relationship. And there was also Poland, who was Tori's best friend. There were just so many things wrong with this, Nikolai decided not to even bother counting them off in his head anymore.
The sun went down, and Nikolai slept in the garden underneath the window where he knew the guest bedroom was. He was just making sure she was safe. He didn't sleep at all that night, keeping guard like a hero in a faerie tale. He smiled at the thought.
/\
Anya stayed for two days, before finally leaving. They had stayed at Tori's house the entire time, and Nikolai hadn't had anything to eat except the muffin Tori had left by the window, and was confused to later be unable to find it. "Must've eaten while I wasn't paying attention," she had said to herself. Nikolai had stayed in the garden undetected, although he was sure Tori had passed a nervous glance or two by the windows, he figured it was just a natural paranoia she seemed to have.
Tori had driven Anya to the airport - why hadn't she done that when she'd picked Anya up? The airport was several almost an hour away on foot! - so Nikolai had climbed into the floor of the backseat while they weren't looking so that he wouldn't lose them, as he didn't have access to a car here. After they arrived, the women hugged each other farewell - or rather Anya hugged a cringing and nervously smiling Tori farewell - and then she was off to board her plane home. Tori waved to her, watching for a time, and then got back into the car and drove home, seeming both confused and relieved, which served to anger Nikolai more.
After a while, as he felt the car finally pull into the driveway, he stretched his muscles as inconspicuously as he could, which was difficult as it was quite cramped down there. The car halted smoothly, and Tori sighed.
I care about her, Tori thought to herself, staring out the front window. Truly she did, and the poor Russian had seemed so lonely, but she just couldn't help but flinch, cringe, wince, and generally feel anxiety when she was around. Still, Tori silently wished her luck on her endeavor to make more friends.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she caught movement in the rear-view mirror out of the corner of her eye, and she turned to look at it.
A demon was emerging from the mirror.
Tori screamed, and two hands wrapped around her neck. No, not coming out the mirror - it was Belarus! In the backseat! Of her car! Confusion and panic consumed her, and she struggled to grab the door handle, but all movement was halted when Belarus brandished a knife close to her throat, and she let out a squeak of protest.
She tried to turn her head to look at his face, but couldn't and instead their eyes locked in the rear-view mirror; one of his hands was on her throat, the other holding the blade extra close to her jawline. She whimpered.
"I don't want you ever seeing my sister again," he said coldly, and Tori blinked in confusion.
"Huh?"
"I want you to avoid my sister. At all costs, whenever you can. Ignore her, pretend she doesn't exist no matter what she says, just leave her alone!"
Tori stared at him. "Why?!"
"Because I said so!" He yelled, and she cringed. "Promise you'll avoid her like the plague!"
"...I don't understand, I-"
"If I ever find out you've been talking with her on any lever except for country business, you'll be sorry!" he threatened, and then the fury in his eyes was suddenly replaced by an icy calm. He withdrew his hands, and leaned into the back seat; like a monster backing into the shadows. He then opened the door, got out, slammed it shut, and left, leaving Tori all alone with her thoughts.
/\
Weeks later, and Nikolai was somewhat surprised that Anya hadn't come to him for comfort. He knew she had noticed Tori had been avoiding her, but to his surprise she seemed more tiredly accepting of Tori's 'rejection.' He decided it was a good thing, it meant she knew that Tori wasn't the one.
"I want friends, but everyone goes out of their way to avoid me," She had told him sadly.
"You don't need them," he assured her. "We have each other. In the past we only needed each other, and I'm perfectly content with you." Because truly, all he needed was her happiness in order to be happy. But she wanted friends, and if that would make her happy, Nikolai wanted to provide. She deserved friends, didn't she? She sat behind her desk, cheek resting in her palm, eyes glazed and looking dead to the world. Nikolai watched her carefully, he always wondered what was on her mind when she zoned like this. It was as if she wasn't even there. He opened the curtains to let more light in. Anya needed more light in her life.
"Nikolai?"
"Yes?"
"I've decided to look for friends in unlikely places," she paused, looking not quite sure if she wanted to continue.
"Da?" He urged.
"...I've seen Estonia getting along with the Nordics, and I've decided to try and befriend Norway."
"...Oh."
"I've looked online, and it says some good ways of making friends are befriending your friends friends, and Estonia is my friend," she said quietly, so quiet he almost couldn't hear her. "Sweden frightens me, and I do not get along with Finland. Iceland is nice. But Denmark, Noway and I have worked together before. I would like to befriend them."
"...Sure," he acquiesced. That actually sounded like a good idea. Those two were close enough, but he didn't know them well, at least, not the personifications.
"I've asked Estonia to introduce me to them personally, but she wouldn't, so I'm going to ask to visit Norway." She said, eyes still distant and glazed. A faint smile graced her lips. She looked so pretty.
"Didn't you have an argument with Norway about something, though?"
"Well, our countries had some disagreements, but it was resolved a few years ago." She explained.
"I see. Well, she should hope she treats you like a good friend should, or else." He said coldly. He silently reminded himself to have a talk with Estonia about giving Anya what she wanted.
/\
"Norway, your country is so pretty! I can't believe I've never noticed before!" Anya gushed, staring at the scenery around her. At the edge of the city, she had a view of the natural rolling hills.
Norway shrugged. "It's nice."
"I should visit more often! I mean, if that's okay with you."
Another shrug. "Sure," she adjusted her cap and swept her pale bangs out of her eyes. Anya thought she was quite mysterious, and despite the woman's apparent coldness, smiled.
"You really don't mind if I stay a few days?" Anya asked shyly. She'd booked a hotel, but it seemed like too much to ask that Norway actually spend an entire day with her, no less several.
"I don't mind. I'm not busy," She said, producing a cookie out of nowhere and offering it to Anya. The Russian accepted gratefully.
"I could really just sit out here all day," Anya said blissfully. "Could you show me around your Heart some more, if you're not busy?"
"If I was busy, I'd have insisted you come another time." The woman replied, biting into a cookie of her own. Anya smiled again, her bluntness almost reminded her of little Latvia; minus the shaking. From his hiding place in the background of civilians, Nikolai watched them closely. He saw nothing wrong with Anya befriending Norway or the other Nordics, but he just wanted to be sure.
Norway lead Anya throughout her heart, Oslo. It was a beautiful city, and Anya had been here before, but only for business and never for pleasure. Nikolai followed them the whole time, easily hidden in the crowd but never losing sight of them.
Norway was okay, he decided. He just didn't like her stand-off-ishness towards his sister. Still, he didn't know Norway well enough to make any judgements yet. He would keep an eye on her. Norway really was very beautiful.
Oh, well, the land was nice too.
He stalked them as they saw the sights; they walked through streets and museums and the tall Norwegian even took her for a walk through the docks, before they finally settled at a park to rest. They settled in the grass in a relatively secluded spot. He wished he could hear what they were talking about. They were trees around, so he crept closer; hidden in the bushes.
"-So kind! You've been a wonderful host, and your country is so interesting!" Anya was saying. Norway twirled her own blonde hair in her finger disinterestedly,
"Thank you." Her voice was calm, as though the day hadn't exhausted her in the slightest. Nikolai admired that, but he still disliked how she seemed to be... ignoring his sister. He scowled. Did she even feel emotion? Was she crazy? Nikolai felt his heart jump into his throat - what if she was crazy?! It was known to sometimes happen to countries - what if she posed a threat to his sister? He narrowed his eyes.
"Hilda!" A loud voice interrupted his thoughts - and the women's conversation. Three heads turned in the direction of the voice to see an energetic looking young woman rushing towards them. Norway visibly sighed. As the wild-haired blonde got closer, Norway suddenly dove out of the way, clearly anticipating what happened next. The newcomer tripped on her own boots, rolled in the grass for a moment, and then crashed headfirst into the tree Norway had been leaning against seconds before.
"Goodness!" Anya blinked. "Are you alright?" She leaned forward to help the woman, but she was waved off; the stranger gained her bearings quickly, sitting up and grinning. Nikolai suddenly recognized her as Denmark. What's she doing here?
"What are you doing here?" Norway asked, sitting next to Anya.
"Aw, c'mon, Hilda! I just wanted to visit my buddy! Hey, Russia!" She grinned, giving a friendly wave despite the fact that she was sitting inches away.
"Zdravstvuyte, but please, call me Anya." Anya smiled.
"It's Torhilda," Norway corrected. "Please stop it with the stupid nicknames."
Denmark snorted, "Stupid? I picked apart your name! Tor would sound bad ass, but Hilda fits you better. Don't you agree, Anya?"
Anya blushed, "Well, it is pretty."
"See? Anya thinks it fits!"
"So should I call you Tilda?" Norway asked dubiously.
"Hah! That's hilarious! Call me that, totally!"
"Hmmm, how about no."
"Aw, c'mon! Say Tilda again."
"Matilda."
"No, Tilda! How 'bout I kiss you until you say it?" She smirked.
"How about I kick your face in?" Torhilda replied calmly. Nikolai's lip curled up in a smile. Maybe he did like her. Anya watched the two curiously.
"Anyway," Matilda continued undeterred, "I tried to call and let you know I was coming, but your cellphone was off, so I couldn't get a hold of you!"
"No, my phone is on. I was just ignoring you."
"So, Anya, what's brought you to Norway? Country business?" Matilda shifted so that she was facing the Russian, crossed her legs, and rested one elbow on her knee and her cheek in her palm.
"No, I'm just visiting Torhilda," Anya replied. She looked as though she was going to continue, but then stopped, blushed, and averted her eyes. Matilda raised her eye brows.
"Oh? She's given you the grand tour of this city already, then? I hope her commentary didn't get too boring!"
"Oh, it wasn't boring at all! I thought it was very interesting," Anya smiled, turning her head to gaze warmly at Torhilda. Matilda snickered,
"Sure, the first time! Come back later, ask for the same tour and she'll just repeat the whole thing, word-for-word! She's like a wind-up doll!" Matilda laughed in good nature, slapping Torhilda on the shoulder in a sisterly fashion. Torhilda grasped her wrist and twisted it.
"Ow!" Matilda laughed, snatching her hand away. Anya's head tilted, smiling in amusement.
"Only for you, because you never pay attention." Torhilda's eyebrow lifted, and Matilda grinned bigger.
"If I didn't pay attention, I wouldn't have noticed you just repeat everything!"
Torhilda turned to Anya, "I'd make her leave; but she's already here and I don't want her running wild in my country. You don't mind, do you?"
"Not at all, I would very much enjoy her company." Anya plucked a blade of grass and idly twisted it around her fingers. Nikolai decided he didn't like Matilda. She looked accident prone, and he didn't want that hurting his sister.
"Hilda, you got anything to eat? I'm starving!"
"We already ate, and it's your own fault if you didn't," Torhilda replied, nevertheless producing a cookie from seemingly nowhere and handing it to Matilda, who devoured it in less than a second. Anya looked just as curious as Nikolai felt about where they came from. Weren't they stale? That was kind of creepy.
Nikolai admitted Torhilda was pretty, and she seemed nice enough... But he didn't trust her. She seemed so mysterious, and he wondered what kind of secrets she held. Matilda on the other hand, he didn't like her simply because she was loud, obnoxious, and seemed a bit rough.
"So," Anya started, "I think I should head back to the hotel soon. It's getting late, and I'm exhausted." She admitted, yawning as though to prove her point.
"You got a hotel room? Hilda, why didn't you invite her to stay at your house, like me?"
"I didn't invite you to stay at my house, I didn't know you were coming." Nikolai could tell by the slight annoyance in Torhilda's face that she already knew it was a losing battle. "If Anya wishes to stay at my house, she may. But she gets the guest bedroom. You can sleep on the floor."
"What? I can have your bed?" Matilda smirked, "Aw, you're so sweet!" She reached over and ruffled Torhilda's hair, causing her hat to fall of much to the Norwegians annoyance. Anya lowered her eyes,
"I wouldn't want to impose..."
"C'mon!" Matilda said before Torhilda could even open her mouth. "We can have a, what's the American word or whatever, a slumber party, just us girls! Right, Hilda?"
"Torhilda." The woman added extra emphasis to the 'Tor'. "And only if Anya wants to."
Anya thought for a moment, still playing with the blade of grass between her fingers. "If you are okay with it, then I suppose I could. I'll have to grab my things and check out of the hotel first, though..."
"Great! C'mon!" Matilda leapt to her feet and grabbed Torhilda's wrist, as well as Anya's - to Nikolai's outrage - and pulled them both to their feet. "Where are you staying? I'll help carry your things! Oh, tomorrow you want to go swimming? I know this awesome little river in the countryside, it's be perfect for..." Her voice faded as she lead the two away, and Nikolai desperately searched for cover to follow them. The area was secluded enough that he couldn't blend in with any crowd, and he'd only been so lucky to find the right bush and tree to hide behind.
/\
After arriving at Torhilda's city house, (As personifications tended to have more than one home in their country and sometimes even in other countries,) Anya had fallen asleep as soon as her head hit the soft pillow. Nikolai had remained just outside, laying in the dirt much like he had at Tori's house. He didn't sleep at all that night. The next day, after Matilda had insisted on cooking breakfast, the girls had decided to go out into the countryside and enjoy the scenery, and Nikolai followed them effortlessly.
Anya hadn't had this much fun in... Well, she couldn't remember having this much fun. The weeks she had spent with Chun-Yan had been enjoyable, but not not memorable. Tori was nice to visit when Anya wanted some time to calm down and have somebody she could talk too, since she and Ukraine hadn't been getting along recently, and Nikolai was nice for comfort, but it was nice to be able to go to other people for attention. Torhilda was calm, and had a mysterious, magical aura about her that made Anya feel like she could do anything when in her presence. Simply being next to her gave Anya a warm, gentle feeling; like she could do or say anything and not be judged.
Matilda was quite the opposite, but Anya still enjoyed her company. She could be a little obnoxious, and sometimes Anya feared for her safety, but she seemed like she knew what she was doing.
If preparing to dive off of a thirty foot waterfall was something one could know how to do without injuring ones self. Anya lifted her hand across her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun, looking up at the Dane high above them.
"Matilda!" Torhilda cupped her hands around her mouth to shout the woman's name. The loud noise of the water crashing into the rocks below nearly drowned out her voice. "Don't be more stupid than you already are! There's no way you'll survive!"
"I've done this before! Trust me, it's fun!" Matilda called back, sounding way too confident. Anya wondered how many times this confidence had led to her downfall before.
"Matilda, you're an idiot! Get down here!"
"Okay! Prepare to see the coolest swan-dive you'll ever see in your life!"
"That's not what I..."
Anya blinked nervously. "I don't really think that's safe!" She called. "You could split your head open! The rocks would break your skull and your brains would fall out into the river! I've seen it before!"
Ignoring the raised eyebrow Torhilda gave her, Anya continued to watch Matilda, chewing on her thumb. From his hiding place in the woods just beyond, Nikolai shook his head in disdain at Matilda's stupidity.
"Aw, don't worry, pal! I'm a professional!"
And then she jumped. Anya tensed, and Torhilda shouted something that was lost on Anya as all sound seemed to disappear. The Dane hadn't even put on a swimsuit, wearing a simple shirt and jacket with a skirt and boots. She did a flip in the air, showing off, and then Anya's heart stopped when she finally hit the water.
Her splash was nearly non-existent in the mist and ripples the waterfall itself caused. Time seemed to stop, and Anya held her breath. She waited. Nothing happened. No sign of Matilda in the river. After several seconds of silent, raw terror, the two of them rushed to the rivers edge. "Matilda!" Anya called, eyes widening in fear. Still no sign. Is this my fault, for wanting to come out here? She felt her throat close up.
Throwing off her cap, Torhilda dove into the water, disappearing underneath the rapids. Anya waited nervously, straining her eyes and trying to see the water. There was no blood on the rocks, right? She couldn't tell. They would have heard a crack if Matilda had hit them, right? She couldn't remember hearing anything.
Finally, Torhilda emerged from the water with a gasp, pulling Matilda with her. Anya sighed in relief, but then worry clouded her mind once more when she realized that Matilda wasn't moving. "Torhilda! Is she okay?" Anya dropped to her knees to help pull the unmoving Dane out of the water. Torhilda pulled herself out, and rushed to Matilda's side.
"I don't know," Torhilda replied grimly. Matilda lay on her back, eyes closed, lips slightly parted. She suddenly coughed, and grabbed Torhilda's lapels.
"H-Hilda!" She gasped. Torhilda grasped her wrists, eyes widening slightly.
"Are you alright? Are you breathing well?"
"No..." Matilda's eyes widened in fear. "No, you have to... You have to help!"
"What do we do?" Anya asked, hands cupped over her own face in fear.
"You must..." Matilda coughed again. "To save me, one of you must..." Suddenly, she smiled as if nothing was wrong. "Give me mouth to mouth!"
"Oh, you idiot!" Torhilda shoved the girl down, wrenching her hands away. "You did that on purpose didn't you!"
"I was just making sure your reflexes were still sharp," Matilda said innocently, shifting so that she was leaning on her elbows. "You passed the test! You rescued me, the poor Danish damsel in distress!"
"Don't do that!" Torhilda grumbled, snatching her hat up and placing it daintily on her head. To their surprise, they heard laughter.
It was Anya. Anya laughed. She laughed, and laughed and laughed, and slowly, Matilda's lips quirked up until she was laughing too, and the two of them laughed until they were red-faced and with tears streaming down their cheeks. Torhilda allowed the tiniest of smiles grace her lips, though they never saw it they were laughing so hard. Nikolai didn't laugh, but not because he was supposed to be hiding. He didn't laugh because he knew his sister, and he knew that her laughter was out of relief and fear, and she should never have to fear, especially not like she had just then. To them she was amused. But he could hear the hysteria in her laughter.
"You... You got us!" Anya giggled, wiping tears from her eyes. "How did you survive that fall?"
"I told you: I'm a professional," Matilda said smugly, and Torhilda rubbed the bridge of her nose, sighing. Matilda turned to her, "You were worried about me! Admit it, Hilda!"
"Torhilda. No, I... I just didn't want you dying and ruining Anya's stay. Besides, considering your IQ, you'd probably just come back to life and then drown over and over again."
Matilda sat up, smiling. "You were worried about me!"
"No, I just didn't want your corpse tainting my river."
Anya sighed wistfully. She wished she shared a relationship with someone like these two did. Despite Torhilda's coldness, Anya had a feeling that she truly did care about Matilda. She would know about hiding emotions, she had spent many years of her life doing so. She stood up. "If... If Matilda is okay, why don't we move on? The noise of the waterfall is hurting my ears."
"Of course," Torhilda got to her feet and held out a hand to help Matilda up. Grinning, the Dane grabbed it only to have Torhilda let go of it, causing her to fall on her back.
"Ouch! Haha, I deserved that!" She grinned, rising to her feet and running her fingers through her soaked hair. She peeled off her wet jacket and wrapped the sleeves around her waist. Anya's brows knitted together in worry,
"Won't the both of you be cold?" She asked.
Torhilda shook her head, "I can handle it."
Matilda shrugged, still grinning. "I'm good. So, you guys up for swimming?"
"No!" Both Anya and Torhilda said at the same time, Anya's tone somewhat shrill and Torhilda's amused.
"Why don't we just enjoy the scenery, instead?" Torhilda suggested, and Anya nodded in agreement. Matilda groaned,
"But I've seen it a million times. Your mountains totally block the view from my country anyhow," She then attempted to jump onto Torhilda's back. "Carry me, I'm bored!"
Easily flipping the Dane over her shoulder and onto the grass, Torhilda glared at her. "I didn't invite you here, Tilda. Let's go." She stood up and gestured for Anya to follow her, and Anya did, giving Matilda an amused glance as she passed. Matilda lay there for a moment, before leaping to her feet, grinning wildly.
"Hilda! You called me Tilda! You called me Tilda!"
"No I didn't!"
/\
Nikolai wanted Anya to be happy. Lying under the window in the dark, a chilling breeze ruffling his hair, he wrapped his arms around himself, scowling at everything and nothing all at once. His legs ached after two days of stalking, and his head hurt from listening to Matilda's voice all day. But now he could relax, lying besides Torhilda's house, knowing his sister was sleeping peacefully. All he wanted was her happiness. And she seemed to get along with Torhilda, and Matilda... But it didn't sit quite right with him.
Would it last? Would their friendship work? Somehow, he didn't think it could. He chewed his lip furiously, trying to clear his head and think about things calmly.
They were Nordics. Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. Matilda, Torhilda, Astrid, Tiina and Esja. There was no Russia in the Nordics. His lip curled in disgust. She wasn't a Nordic. Would she even get along with Finland? No, not in a million years. Nikolai tensed at the very thought - Torhilda was part of a group. Anya would feel left out. She would get lonely again. His scowl deepened, and if anyone had happened to see it they probably would have thought he was going to snap and strangle them right there. He probably would.
He couldn't let a friendship that would end in heartbreak blossom. He couldn't, he wouldn't, and he was going to stop it as soon as he possibly could. Why couldn't she see that these friendships she tried to form would only hurt her? No, don't blame her, he told himself; feeling guilty. It wasn't her fault. She just wanted companionship. I provide all the companionship she needs, he thought with a hint of jealousy. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She would leave tomorrow, he could scare the two Nordics off after she boarded her plane. He slipped his hand into his jacket packet, closing his fingers around the sharp dagger concealed there. He closed his eyes and sighed, finding comfort in it.
Tomorrow, he thought.
He smiled.
"You should come in. You'll freeze out here."
Nikolai's eyes flew open, and he was on his feet in seconds despite the cold, instinctively pulling out the dagger faster than lighting and stabbing at the intruder.
Torhilda glided easily out of the way, not looking at all concerned for her safety. Nikolai had never missed a target before, and yelped as he fell to the ground. He scrambled to his feet and brandished the polished blade threateningly. "How did you-"
"Don't worry. I haven't told her you've been following us this whole time."
Nikolai stared at her, for the first time in a while, shocked. He had never been caught or even noticed before, unless he wanted to. Torhilda held up her hands in peace, "I just want to talk."
Nikolai stared at her distrustfully for a long moment, before slowly lowering the blade. Something he probably wouldn't have done for anyone else, though he'd never admit it. "How did you find me?"
"I knew you were following us. I didn't say anything, I promise. She has no idea you're here."
"You haven't told Denmark, have you?" He asked in a low and guttural tone - he'd never been caught before and he hated it!
"No. They're both a sleep. It's well passed midnight."
"I know that! I'm not stupid!" Somehow he managed to keep his voice low enough not to wake anyone inside, yet fierce enough to hopefully intimidate her. If it did, he couldn't tell, and that only frustrated him more.
Torhilda's eyes softened. "You worry about your sister. Is that it? You don't want to see her hurt."
Nikolai's defenses lowered for a split second before he yanked them back up. "That's my business." Somehow though, in the back of his mind, he felt that... Maybe he could trust her.
"You can trust me. I want to help. It seems like you need outside help," She offered. Nikolai's lips tightened, but something told him she was right.
"Why are you even talking to me?" He growled. She lowered her hands to her sides.
"I'm worried about you."
"Worried about me? You don't know me!"
For the first time, a small smile graced her lips, and he almost melted at the sight. "Please calm down, Belarus. I just want to figure out whats going on and help."
"Who said we needed help?" He raised the blade again threateningly.
"Nobody," She confessed. "But please listen. You care about your sister, don't you? She told me about how everyone else has suddenly cut off contact with her, which is why she came to me. I've put two and two together." Her eyes suddenly hardened. "Why are you driving away her friends?"
Nikolai felt an immense pain in his chest. He'd known what he was doing, he'd known it would hurt Anya, but actually hearing someone say it was another thing entirely, and he hadn't been prepared. He winced, his hands falling to his sides uselessly. Normally this would enrage him, but in Torhilda's presence, he could only feel despair, and guilt, and a whole bunch of other emotions he couldn't even identify. "Leave me alone!" He snapped, hating how childish he sounded.
"Belarus. You're hurting. And so is Anya. You want to protect her, is that right? You don't want to see her hurt, so you're cutting off her ties because you don't believe they're good for her. Correct?"
He hadn't even admitted to anything, and yet somehow she'd put the puzzle pieces together like a child playing with legos. Was she telepathic? Somehow, Nikolai figured it was possible. She took a step closer, the moonlight reflecting off her her calm blue eyes. Her platinum hair waved softly in the cold breeze, yet she seemed unaffected by the cold despite her lack of jacket. Nikolai opened his mouth to speak, but his throat closed up.
"...You can talk to me." She encouraged. Nikolai swallowed.
"I don't want her hurt. So I'm protecting her. These friendships will never work, but she's so lonely she can't see it. I'll find her friends, I will!" He felt like he could tell Torhilda anything. Suddenly, now that he'd spoken, he couldn't stop. "Chun-Yan is selfish! Tori is stupid! She'll never be a Nordic, and she'll feel left out! Oh, but there are more reasons than just those! Many more!"
"What reasons?" Torhilda asked calmly.
"I..." Nikolai's mind drew a blank. And he was angry again. "None of your damn business! I know what I'm doing! I'm protecting her and I don't need you interfering!"
"Does she need your protection?"
"Yes!"
"Why?"
"Because!"
"Can she not protect herself?"
"She's lonely! She doesn't realize what she's doing! I'll find her good friends, and she can be happy with them forever!"
"Forever."
"Forever! She deserves it!"
Nikolai hadn't said all, he hadn't admitted his deepest feelings and worries, but Torhilda looked as if she understood completely where he was coming from. "Belarus. Nikolai... Does it matter? Wouldn't a only short time of complete happiness be better than a promise of eternal happiness that you can't keep? Would you rather have memories of short but sweet happiness, or spend forever trying to achieve something that is impossible?"
Nikolai stared at her, shocked into silence. She stared back calmly, as though shattering his heart and soul was the most normal thing in the world. "You're... You're wrong!" He scowled, and dove forward, dropping the knife and grabbing her shoulders, he pinned her to the side of the house. She didn't resist, and almost seemed to anticipate it. "Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up! Anya's fragile! She'll - she'll break if not treated with care! You don't understand, you don't need to because it's none of your damn business! Listen to me, as soon as she leaves tomorrow, I want you out of her life! I don't care if you've already made plans to meet again, you're going to leave her alone! Do you hear me?"
Torhilda didn't look frightened. Or angry, or even worried. She stared deeply into his eyes, and he felt his rage ebb slightly, but that realization only cause him to become angrier. He pulled her forward and then shoved her hard against the wall again.
"I said, do you hear me?!"
She winced as her head hit the side of the house painfully hard. He shoved her again.
"Answer me damnit!"
"I hear you," She murmured. She still didn't sound frightened, or even resigned. Just tired. Nikolai's fingers tightened on her shoulders. "I hope you freeze to death," He said quietly, furiously. He hated how she made him feel, hated it! She stared at him, emotionless.
"If I find you, or Matilda even so much as talking to my sister ever again, I'll find you, and I'll... I'll cut you." Letting go of one shoulder, he gently touched the corner of her eyelid. She didn't move. "I'll cut this pretty face of yours until you scream and plead and beg..." He traced his finger down her cheek and across her jawline. "...And then I'll continue to cut it until the blade sinks into your bone, and then I'll crack your head like an egg." Suddenly he brought back his fist, and pounded it into the wall; creating a large hole. She flinched, eyes widening. He pulled back his hand, blood dripping down the pale skin of his knuckles. Nikolai smiled. "Do you understand?"
"...Yes."
"Good. I'll take my leave, then, and you'd better hope Anya feels as unwelcome as possible by the time she boards that plane tomorrow." He backed off, dusted his jacket with his hands, picked up the blade, and then tenderly licked the blood off his hand before turning and walking away.
Torhilda stepped forward. "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm willing to listen."
Nikolai stopped. She was either really damn brave, or really stupid. Or perhaps just the emotionally detached crazy he'd deemed her to be at first. For a moment, he pitied her. He would hate to be mentally touched.
"Don't forget what I said," he told her coldly, before walking out into the streets.
To be continued~
Translations:
Zdravstvuyte: Hello. (Russian, but I'm not entirely sure if that's right. Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't speak Russian X'D)
Special thanks to Tanglepelt, and her wonderful comments! She's been a great help! If you like Baltic stories, I highly recommend reading her stuff :)
I'm so sorry if this seems rushed, I was trying to cram all of it into a one-shot! It didn't work, so I'm splitting it into two chapters. I really hope BelaMan wasn't OoC XD So, yeah. In my headcanon, Male!Belarus is obsessively protective of Russia instead of madly in love, I mean he is in love with her, but in a different way. I felt it worked better. I love writing abuse! I'm a HORRIBLE person! :D
A Fem!Russia headcanon of mine is that, unlike her male counterpart, who carries an aura of terror wherever he goes; with Anya it's more like you know somethings wrong, but you don't know what. Like, you don't feel terror, you just know something is off about her but you can't put your finger on it.
For Lithuania's scene I imagined a warm, sunny afternoon with kind of an earthy brown-and-yellow scheme, especially in the garden. (I imagine Lithuania's house to be very earthy, as opposed to Russia's cold, dark mansion) Norway's part was supposed to be otherwordly, did I manage to pull that off? Speaking of which, Denmark's 'dudely' speech (Calling female Norway 'buddy' and all that,) is part of my headcanon. I think she's tomboyish, and a big sister/close cousin type of character, who uses slang usually only used for boys (Break gender stereotypes! :D) like buddy, pal, and so on.
History time!
The disagreement Nikolai mentioned Norway and Russia having: there was some sort of territorial dispute in the Barents Sea, but I don't really know details. It was officially resolved on April 27, 2010
As far as I know, in modern days, Denmark and Russa are trading partners, but I don't really know the specifics. Starting the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790) Sweden attacked Russia, and Denmark-Norway came to the rescue and fought for Russia, since they had previously formed an alliance. After the Russo-Swedish war ended, Finland was handed over as a Russian territory. Finland later gained independence in 1917. Let me know if I'm wrong!