This is the rise and fall of the Soviet Union through Belarus's eyes, along with the change in Ivan.
I'm sure that there are many historical inaccuracies so don't bitch about it because this is a fanfiction and it is not supose to be 100% accurate. This also includes genderbending in America's case, who's name is Emily in the story. Also includes RussiaFemerica and PruCan, maybe hinted BelaUkraine.
You can see the BelaUkraine parts as sisterly love or yuri I don't care. It can go either way.
Belarus always knew that her dear brother would lose it. Ivan had never really been stable, even when they were children. But when Nicholas and Alexandra and the rest of the family were murdered in the revolution, Ivan seemed to have lost it completely. Natalia knew that one day he was going to crack and lose whatever sanity he had left.
She remembered finding her brother holding Anastasia in his arms, the rest of the family lying on the elegant floors covered in their own blood. Ukraine came running into room, stopping at the sight. "Brother…" Katyusha whispered, raising a hand to cover her mouth as the larger nation held the Grand Duchess in his arms and sobbed silently.
Natalia then watched as Vladimir Lenin soon took control of Russia and soon after him to Josef Stalin. During this time her brother became ruthless, taking countries and bringing them into his Soviet Union. Belarus joined without question; she would follow her brother anywhere, at least that is what she had thought at the time. Katyusha tried to reason with Russia, wanting to bring him back to the way he was before the revolution. Natalia then saw her sister make a big mistake; she brought up Anastasia. Ivan snapped suddenly and backhanded the Ukrainian across the face, sending the woman to the floor.
But Natalia did nothing; she was loyal to her brother and his decision.
Katyusha did not speak up to Russia for a very long time after that because he had forced and famine on her, leaving her people to starve.
But Natalia did not help her sister; she was loyal to her dear brother and his decisions.
One day Belarus heard word from her sister that a wall went up in Berlin, separating the east and the west side. Prussia came to live with them several days later, not in good spirits. Natalia overheard him talking to Katyusha about missing someone in the West.
Through this time America had strongly opposed her big brother, wanting him to stop spreading his communism. Ivan would smirk at America at the world meeting, causing the blonde girl to glare fiercely at the taller nation. At one meeting in particular her brother snapped at the American girl harshly, pushing her away from him and into a wall, causing the room to become uncommonly quiet and stare at the two. Emily said nothing the rest of the meeting, sitting quietly next to England and Canada. After the meeting was over Belarus made her was slowly out of the room, and overheard a conversation between the North American siblings.
"Mathew! They are never coming back! Just give up." America exclaimed, her voice cracking with withheld emotions. The other nation looked at her, "I'm not giving up on Gilbert, Emily." He whispered. Belarus watched quietly as the strong United States began to crack, tears falling down her cheeks slowly as her brother pulled her into a hug.
America and Russia continued to feud, trying to stop the other at every turn. Ivan called China, asking him to bring his siblings into the 'war'. Yao agreed, calling on Korea and Vietnam. America went to war with both countries, which caused a permanent split in Korea, who became South Korea, and Vietnam to lose her mind.
The Baltic's were more and more restrained, tortured by the Russian. Hungary and Poland had tried to fight back at some point, but were crushed by Ivan's power. Nations were being brought to their knees by the Soviet Union's terrible power with Stalin at the head of it and Ivan loyally by his side.
But Natalia never questioned her brother, she was loyal to him.
Katyusha came to visit Belarus one day in a large coat that was out of character for the Ukrainian. Belarus made them tea and sat across from her sister at the table. They talked nonchalantly about nothing important as they drank their tea. Natalia felt annoyed that Katyusha would not take her coat off and demanded that she do so.
Ukraine looked uneasy and hesitated for a moment before slowly sliding her coat off. Belarus let out a small gasp at her sister's condition. The girl was cover in bruises and skin and bones thin. Belarus demanded why she was this way only to have the Ukrainian look at her and say, "It is brother's will that I be this way."
Natalia felt uneasy after that day; what was Ivan doing? Starving his own sister, the woman who had taken care of both of them when they were too small to take care of themselves, what was his logic? Sure Katyusha had spoken up once to Russia, but did she deserve this?
That was when Belarus began to question her brother and his decisions.
Another world meeting came and Belarus found herself watching as Russia beat America in the hallway. The blonde woman did not fight back, but was pleading in a very un-America-like fashion for Ivan to stop this conflict and come back to her.
Belarus's eyes widened as she finally understood why America did not want to full out fight the Russian. It was because Emily loved him.
Russia stopped his hitting her and stood up straight, "Capitalist slut." He spat at her, walking away and brushing past Natalia without a word. Jealousy rose like acid in Natalia's throat as she watched Emily weep pathetically on the floor.
"He'll never love you." Belarus told the larger nation. America sniffed, looking up at her, "The old Ivan did." She replied. Natalia frowned, "The old Ivan died along with Anastasia and the rest of the Romanov family." She replied and walked away, leaving the weeping woman alone. After that day Ivan never talked about what had happened, at least her to but she was sure he never did to anyone.
Who would he talk to anyways? Certainly not the Baltic's or Ukraine, perhaps he would have talked about it to Belarus herself, since she was there after all, but he never said a word about it. Natalia slowly began to realize that he was never going to love her after that day at the world meetings. He love America, and he always will. Once she stumbled onto him looking at a photo album in his library filled with old pictures of him and Emily.
His violet eyes shines with a nostalgic happiness as he caressed the pictures gently, "Emily.." he mumbled into the book, closing his eyes. Belarus slowly backed out of the room, and leaned against the hallway wall, holding her chest. Her breaths became deeper as she sank down to the floor. "Brother doesn't love me."
And with that, she wept.
-
Stalin died and Nikita Khrushchev took over the Soviet Union. Belarus noticed this man was different from the previous leader. He was not as ruthless as Stalin was. But there was no change in Ivan. Natalia found herself wondering if he was every going to be okay again.
Years passed by slowly during this time, the day before seeming the same as the last. Belarus knew that one day this would be over; that one day there was going to be no more Soviet Union and she knew her brother felt it too.
-
There was a knock on her door one day, causing Belarus to look up from her new paper. She rose from her seat and answered the door. On her doorstep stood Gilbert, his red eyes shining with an emotion Natalia could not place. "Belarus," he began, "Can the awesome me come in?" The woman shrugged, stepping aside to let the albino in. They sat in her kitchen, drinking coffee. Natalia stared at him, "Why are you here?" she asked, knowing that this was not just some casual visit, because Prussia never came to visit her.
Gilbert looked up, locking eyes with her, "You know as well as I do that Ivan has completely lost his mind." He stated. Belarus stared at the man across the table, "Yes." She replied slowly. Gilbert sighed, "It's only a matter of time before everything falls apart." Natalia looked at him, her gaze steady, "Yes…"
-
Natalia knew everything was falling apart now as she stood outside her brother's study, listening to the crashing sounds from inside the room. Gilbert had already been freed a couple years earlier and now the whole Union was falling apart.
The crashing sounds stopped, giving Belarus a chance to slip in the room. She found Russia curled up on the floor, crying. "Brother." She whispered, kneeling beside him. Ivan looked up at her, "Natalia…" he whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist. The woman tensed for a moment, but relaxed into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his shoulder. "Where is Katyusha?" he asked quietly. Belarus rubbed his back soothingly, "She cannot get out of bed…" she whispered in reply. Ivan tensed slightly, "That is my fault, isn't it?" he asked.
Belarus sighed, "Dearest Brother, I wish I could tell you it wasn't." Ivan nodded, sobbing silently into her chest. "Everything is gone." He choked out. "Yes, it is." Belarus replied, holding him tighter. They sat in silence, other than Ivan's quiet sobs. No words were needed; they both knew what was done and what needed to be done now.
"Maybe if I help my people now, Emily will forgive me."
Belarus tensed suddenly, "Why do you love her?" she asked, bile rising in her throat. Ivan did not reply for a few minutes, playing with the ribbons on her dress. "Because," he finally said, "She completes me."
It took everything Natalia had not to jerk away from as he continued speaking, "I know that you love me, and I do love you, but not in the way I love Emily." He told her, "Being away from her all this time, I finally figure out where my sunflower field is, Natalia," he said, a smile in his voice, "It is with her." He looked up to meet her gaze, "One day, you'll find where your field of sunflower truly is sister."
After that day the Soviet Union completely collapsed and each nation in it gained its independence. A world meeting was called to discuss what was going to happen with the former Soviet Union. Belarus walked in with her brother and sister, all of them holding hands. Ukraine smiled at each nation, her weight and strength still dangerously low, but it did nothing to dampen her spirits.
Belarus glanced around the room, seeing Gilbert cuddling up with Canada in the corner. She looked the other direction noticing America standing by England and France. She nudged her brother next to her and gestured to the blonde girl.
The large Russian shook his head, saying how nothing he said could make up for the things he had done to her.
"Brother, she misses you too." Natalia stated as she looked up at him. He played with his scarf and sighed, walking over to the woman. Belarus felt herself smile slightly, as Emily and Ivan stared at each other for a long time before embracing passionately. A weight felt like it was lifted off her at this sight; the long years of tensions and hatred were over and everyone could breathe again.
Katyusha came to stand next to her, "Everything is going to get better now." The woman said, leaning into Belarus. Natalia nodded, "Yeah…" she replied, watching the reunion between the former enemies. Ukraine nodded, giving Belarus a smiled and taking her hand, lying her head on the other girl's shoulder.