Hetalia © Hidekaz Himaruya

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

A/N: Well I decided to just post this new story because hey, this is a fun story to write about XD Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this. This is going to be another Reader story and the main character is a female, though if you're a male go right ahead and add yourself into the story ^^ I'll describe the details at the bottom of this first chapter and, of course, if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask ;3

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You snarled under your breath, pushing the tears away with your big wooly gloves. How dare your boss do such a thing without informing you? You! The country he governs! "Stupid, bitter old man," you growled at the snow, kicking the falling fluff around you and watching as it fluttered around you and slightly chilled your bones. Irritated by your boss you had run away, refusing to return. In reality you always went back because, hey you're a country. Where would you go?

You didn't know how long you had been walking or how far you had walked, but you always walked and walked until you calmed yourself down. Yet usually you'd go by a friendly little town in the middle of nowhere to rest and heat your freezing hands, but it seems like tonight would not be one of those nights. You paused, looking up to the sky and noticing the snowfall. You smiled slightly, letting out a few deep calming breathes as the hot air escaped your lips and dissipated into the sky. "God damn it," you sighed in frustration, a slight look of worry crossing over your features as you trudged further into the snow. "Nothing for miles… this can't be good." You had been in the snow long enough to know when the weather would change and fluctuate. If you didn't find some sort of shelter soon the winter wind would freeze you like a human popsicle. Curse that man, General Winter. He seemed to have fun freezing you to death when you wandered too far away from home. If you weren't a country you would have died instantly, but luckily, once the sun came up, it warmed you up to the point that you could move your limps and chisel your way out of the ice. Noticing the large mountains up ahead you made your way towards them, hoping to run into an empty cave or some other sort of shelter to keep you away from the cold.

It didn't take you long to wander over to the mountains, but when you walked up to the top of a hill you noticed a town off in the distance. No, not just a town, it was a whole city. "W-woh," you gasped slightly, quickening your pace as you noticed the smoke rising to the sky and the bright lights lit all around. The city was alive with celebration, probably a festival of some sort. You had never come across something so festive in your short life that you almost squealed in excitement. What was this interesting place? –

"Здравствуй девушка," an old, short elderly woman smiled to you, "you must be freezing. Surely you're here on holiday."

"H-holiday?" you answered her in perfect Russian, glad you were somewhere that spoke your native tongue. "W-hat exactly is t-this feast –"

"Svyatki!" the woman grinned happily, but you stared at her like she was crazy. "You've never celebrated the Christmastide before?"

"N-no," you shook your head, though you hated having to admit that you didn't know something. "I never came across this… ummm… S-vyatki?"

"Yes," the woman smiled, "Svyatki." She touched your gloves, but you quickly flinched back and rubbed your gloves together because of the cold. "My gosh child, you're freezing! Come, come inside. My grandson owns a bar and we'll get you warm and toasty in no time."

Your eyes widened in shock, "B-ut I have no money –"

"You don't have to worry about money," she grinned and grabbed your gloved hands, this time you reluctantly let her touch you and her grin grew wider. "All I ask is a story of your travels and why you're wandering the streets on a cold night like tonight." You obediently followed, well you couldn't get away because of the old woman's surprisingly strong grasp, and as she led you into the bar the two of you continued on your conversation. "So tell me child," she continued with a toothy grin, "where are you from? Do you live somewhere around here? I suppose not or else you wouldn't look so lost and helpless." She giggled, but you pouted when you scratched your shoulder and hoped to create some distance between yourself and the people around you.

The bar was packed with people laughing and singing drunken carols that you've never heard before. You didn't like being in such a crowd, even if it was a small bar on the edge of the city. Oh well, you sighed to yourself, letting the woman usher you on a barstool before leaning closer to you and waiting for your answer. Oh? You didn't answer? You should probably do that. "Oh," you chuckled nervously, "I, ummm… got angry with someone I work for and ran off into the snow. I kept walking and eventually made my way here."

"Dear child," she gasped in shock, your eyes staring down at her noticing how tall you were since she didn't bother to take a seat on the barstool. "The closest town to Yekaterinburg is miles away, miles! In this horrible storm, oh my gosh dear, you could have died. Pyotr!" Her voice yelled roughly, your body subconsciously jolting and you braced yourself against the top of the bar to keep yourself on the stool. "Get some soup for the poor dearie!"

"R-really ma'am," you stared at her confused, "y-you don't have to get me anything –"

"Nonsense," she snorted, "this is a day of celebration! And I will not have it if you freeze in that horrible storm. Besides you look pale. Come, eat."

As if on cue the bowl of soup was presented before you, your eyes lightening up at the bland broth, but your stomach gurgled and you realized how hungry you were. "Oh… ummm… t-thank you? Ma'am-m." She stared at you intently, waiting for you to eat the soup.

You blinked and stared down at the liquid, a sigh escaping your lips knowing you would have to try it. After being forced to visit England's house for some international relations you've become tired of trying new foods. You could stand Germany's food, even Poland's, but you shuddered after remembering the horrid taste England left on your taste buds. "… You not like food –"

"Oh no!" Your face almost flushed, noticing that you had zoned out into your own little world again. "I'm sorry. I just starting thinking about something and… ummm… y-yeah I'll try it."

She smiled at you, her large eyes waiting for you to eat, but you felt a darkening aura that if you didn't eat the soup soon she would suddenly grab a cane or something and beat you senseless. Yet the heat radiating from the bowl… You took off your gloves and put them on the table, blowing heat into them with your mouth before grasping around the bowl and smiling at the warmth. Oh gosh, you haven't felt so warm in a while. After everything that's happened this winter it was taking a major toll on your moral. You grabbed the spoon and your fingers shook from the cold, your teeth chattering as you scooped up the broth and slurped it into your mouth. Your eyes lit up and you licked your lips, an 'mmmmmm~' sound of satisfaction escaping your freezing lips. "I will be right back child," the elderly woman told you with a pat on the back, the life in your eyes bouncing back as you turned to her with a nod before grabbing the ends of the bowl and drinking down all the hot liquid you could contain into your mouth. You knew this wasn't very 'lady-like', but that didn't matter to you. You were cold, hungry, and because of General Winter stalking your place your house was freezing to the point that you had to take an hour drive to meet your boss every day.

You honestly didn't know what you'd do now. Should you try to stay here for a while, walk around the city and pay for a motel, or simply try to trudge back home in the snow? You suddenly remembered you left your wallet in your other pants, but maybe you could fish out some cash around here? Call your boss up maybe and apologize? You paused, a slight snort escaping your lips as you glared at a few of the vodka bottles leaning against the wall. Hell no! Not now and not ever will you forgive that lunatic of a boss. He insults your very name and curses the ground you walk on. Does he even understand that you don't know who you are nor where you come from?... Okay, you know you're the country of Siberia, but you had always been told that you simply appeared out of air. Found in the middle of the snow freezing half to death; someone found you and took you in. Not only that, but it was your mother… your мама.

You sighed and slumped your head, looking down at the half filled broth. Just one day she left and didn't even say goodbye. Without any warning she left you here in the middle of this world and you didn't know what to do. She said you were a country and should act like one. That you were taking her place and you will have to go through many trials, but what you should always do is follow your heart. That is the most precious thing, your heart, and to never give your heart away to anyone, especially General Winter. You didn't really know why she had said that, but after spending your first winter in that dreadful house you realized why she told you those things. He was always hovering around, causing the house to 'creek' and 'moan' and whispering little words into your head. Just who was that man? Did he live for a very long time like yourself? You had grown up so fast. In less than a year you had grown from being a small little child, whining for food and attention, to the young country that had taken up the old promises and problems that your мама left behind. You had been told continuously about your past, or rather the deeds your мама had done. Wars, treaties, and eventually she became a country. Yet she never was supposed to be a country, that's what she told you, and that's where you came in. You showed up, trudging through the snow, and when she found you… well, the rest is rather simple. You had to find allies to befriend, countries you didn't necessary like, all because you had to protect yourself. You also had a few neighbors that you were told to keep away from: Russia, Mongolia, China, and even Japan across the ocean, but you've never met them. You didn't even know what they looked like… Okay. You did meet Mongolia once, but it was brief.

Should you be scared of them? Your boss was. That's what called for all these useless treaties. America wanted a piece of you, England wanted a piece of you, Canada even wanted a piece of you, and the list goes on. Countries you've never met wanted to claim you as their own and it was up to you to push them away or accept their offers. Luckily England was a 'gentlemen', or that's what he says, but his cooking was atrocious! Plus he was too far away to really help you. You needed more allies, that's for sure, but didn't know what to do. You gulped down the rest of the bowl and wiped the excess liquid from your lips. You sighed, your stomach glad with the taste in your mouth and your eyes sparkled in a way that could make any person grow weak. It was odd that you had that affect, even odder that your eyes were the odd shade of bright amethyst. No one was bothered by your eyes, but you were. You were self conscious of them because you didn't know anyone with purple eyes like yourself. Purple was an unusual color for the eyes and no one in your country had that color. So was this a country thing or what? Canada did, he had purple eyes, but they didn't sparkle quite like yours did. Plus he seemed to disappear sometimes and you wouldn't even notice him if it weren't for that polar bear he holds from time to time.

Which reminds you, you had to figure out where you were. This was probably some city in your large country and you wanted to figure out where you were so you could start going home again. Your house may be freezing, but it was home and home is where the heart is, or that's what your мама said. "H-ello?" you raised up your hand to the person next to you, his short, messy white hairy head looking off to the rowdy people on the other side of the room and completely ignoring you. You pouted, grumbling as you looked back to your empty bowl and pushed it away. "Damn," you grumbled, your head looking away as you put your elbow on the table and stared at the calm wall beside you.

"… Да?" The man suddenly said, your head lifting up at the sound as you snapped your head to look at him.

"Oh yes!" You smiled happily, "I was wondering, what country is Yekaterinburg in?"

He raised an eyebrow at you, but after gulping down the shot glass full of vodka and refilling his small cup with the bottle next to his arm he decided to ask you his own question. "Why do you ask?"

"J-just wondering," you said, a slight gulp lodging in your throat, but you coughed and pushed it away as you smiled to him again. After all, if you can't smile you'll frown, and if you frown that means that you're in a bad mood and plan on pounding the living daylights out of someone. Your мама actually taught you that, but you would rather keep the frown on your face and just be cold to everyone then have to smile and pretend that you like talking to other people. "Because I kind of lost my way… and I want to know how far away I am from home."

"Oh," he nodded his head, but was still staring at you questionably as his head turned away from you and his long scarf wacked you lightly on your arm. "Yekaterinburg is in Russia, if you must know."

"O-oh," you frowned, turning your head down to the counter, knowing the man probably wanted to have a relaxing drink after a hard day of work and you had interrupted that feeling. Then there's the fact that this city is in Russia. No wonder everything is so lively! Compared to Russia you were a very poor country. Even if you wanted to you wouldn't be able to be as festive as he. That country is probably out somewhere enjoying the celebration instead of being cooped up in a bar or trudging through the snow like you were doing. You let out a frustrated sigh. You'll have to avoid him at all costs. Your boss told you that he's a ruthless country and if he got his hands on you, you will die. You didn't want to die, not yet! Plus you've heard stories… especially from America. You don't want to believe them, but how can't you? A man holding a large facet pipe hitting weak countries that disagree with him. Plus your мама had used her time and energy to leave that country. So you can't see him, not yet, and hopefully Russia won't do anything bad to you if he does find you –

"Are you okay?" the man asked, your head snapping around as you quickly sat up and chuckled nervously.

"O-oh yes! Sorry!" You quickly smiled. "I-I sometimes do that. I mean… I sometimes forget I was talking to someone sometimes. I'm sorry for doing that –"

"It's quite alright," he smiled back, though you wondered what his face looked like because of the dim room around you. You could tell he was large, had a large nose too, but you couldn't see the features on his face nor what he thought about you by his expressions. You could easily do that, that's why your boss would yell at you sometimes because you pointed out all his flaws just by seeing his face, but now that you couldn't you were feeling rather small and timid and wanted that old lady to come back so you could thank her. "… Your eyes are very interesting," he decided to comment, noticing that you had blanked out and was staring aimlessly at the wall behind him, again.

"Oh?" you looked up at him, blinking a few times before his words registered into your head, and once they did you smiled. "T-thank you," you grinned happily, "I like them too, but I barely know anyone who has eyes quite like mine."

"Да," he nodded in understanding, his gaze looking upon you and you couldn't help but flinch slightly. Then he lifted up his cup and gulped down his drink, slamming his glass on the table and startling you. Your eyes seemed to gaze to the counter again, trying to surpass any fear that could be boiling in the pit of your stomach as the man called the bartender over and ordered another bottle of vodka. Then you stared at the bottle confused, watching as it left the table and a new one was put in its place. Just how much can someone have until they pass out or throw up? Just how much did this man have today? Did he start drinking hours ago or perhaps he had showed up while your back was turned –

"I was going to say that your eyes reminded me of a child I used to know," the man said suddenly, getting your attention as your head snapped up and you stared at him curiously.

"Oh?" you tilted your head to the side and his smile seemed to grow at the sparkle that moved throughout your radiant eyes. "H-how? Who? Does he have a name?"

"Vanya," he told you, smirking as he began to drink his vodka and poured the alcohol into the cup. "Had two beautiful sisters, an older sister and a younger sister, but one day he disappeared into a snowstorm and when he came back… he wasn't the same again."

"R-really?" you blinked in confusion. "What… what happened to him?"

"Well~~…" the man paused, your eyes widening as he grabbed the whole bottle and took two large gulps of vodka before setting it back down on the counter. "Don't take my word on this, маленькая девушка because it's only a story, but from what I remember… there is this terrible general that wanders the snowstorms, looking for lone travelers to gobble up and swallow whole. He takes their beating hearts from their chests and eats it, the person instantly dying from the shock and the freezing temperatures that follow his creaking wake."

"W-woh!" you gasped in surprise, never before hearing of this strange creature. "Does this thing have a name, mister?"

He smirked, sipping the vodka in his glass before continuing. "They call him… General Winter." Your breath hitched. Him? That creature?! Your face paled and he noticed this, his glove gently brushing past your cheek and snapping you out of your thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," you chuckled, grabbing your gloves and slipping them onto your hands. "I'm just… a bit cold. So this general, did he do something to Vanya?"

"Indeed he did," the man told you, putting down his glass and staring off to the wall as if he was in deep thought. "General Winter comes with the snow. He is a liable comrade in wars and battles, but he requests a price. If you are able to live through the snowstorm and go back home after an encounter with the man, you will be frozen to the bone for the rest of your life. He has this strange hold over you and even as you move through the snow you can't feel anything. Your touch is chilled to the point that it scares people and you admit an aura that causes people to flee."

"That's not good," you pouted. "Did that happen to Vanya?"

"Indeed it did," the man nodded, turning to you and noticing the panicked look on your face. "Aww~, but don't be scared. I will tell you the rest of the story, да?" You nodded, your eyes staring at him with intensity as he continued with a smile. "Little Vanya ventured into the snow all alone. He had been alive for a long time, but not long enough to know when danger was approaching. Just then, a large gust of wind blew him to his feet and he was buried in snow. What lay before him was a terror to behold, General Winter in the middle of the winter storm stood in front of the boy and beckoned him towards himself… for a hug."

"Hug?" you stared at the man confused.

"Да," the man smirked, leaning closer to you as you waited for what'll happened next. "To hug such a frozen man can freeze you too. So Vanya, not yet seeing that the man was Winter, let the man hug him… and he felt a strange feeling. His hands grew cold, his face blue, and he couldn't breathe. The winter storm had a grip on his chest and had grabbed his heart, turning it to ice –"

"Oh no!" You gasped, the man quickly putting up his hands and shaking them nervously.

"Don't get scared –"

"But what happened? Did Vanya die? W-why would General Winter do that?! A-and w-what about –"

"Ivan, you're scaring the child," a voice chuckled from behind, your eyes looking down at the elderly woman as she grinned up at you happily. "Don't let the mean man scare you. He likes to tell that story so customers leave him alone."

"Madam –"

"I doubt that's the case," you huffed slightly, the man staring at you confused as you pouted at the woman. "He's just telling a good story. Your name is Ivan?"

He paused, staring at you as you turned your head and looked up at him confused. "… Indeed –"

"Then Ivan and Vanya are the same name… right?" you blinked, the old woman snickering and patting you on the back.

"Vanya is a nickname for someone who is named Ivan. Mr. Ivan here likes to use that name in his little stories, right Ivan?" The man paused, sighing as he nodded his head and looked down in shame.

"Да –"

"Oh okay!" You nodded to him, his answer sufficing as you looked back to him and blinked to him happily. "So what happened to Vanya anyways?"

Ivan smiled to you, the woman asking if you'd like some more soup and you gladly accepted before turning back to the man and waiting for the rest of the story. "… Well, the little Vanya amazed General Winter because he looked to the man and didn't fall over. If the child didn't die he couldn't eat his heart, so he had to give the child back his heart and let him go. Vanya went home to his sisters in a small cottage in the middle of the forest and… well he was never the same again. People began to fear him, his mind wasn't filled with childhood fantasies or wonder, and his heart… would pop out of his chest because it remained cold and frozen from Winter's grasp."

"W-wow," you gasped. "Was that the end?"

"Well~~…" he paused and smiled deviously, "Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the interpretation. Oh! I was wondering, what's your name? Since you know mine I should ask…"

You smiled, noticing how nervous he was getting and you giggled, his cheeks turning red from your reaction. "[insert-name]," you smiled, "the name is [insert-name]."

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

You waved to the lovely lady and her family goodbye and started walking through the streets, making your way out of the city. It was fun talking to Ivan, but you had to get home. It was getting late, but you were glad to be feed. Maybe if you ever wandered here again you'll say hi to the family and even Ivan, but you had to get back before daylight or else your boss will call a search party and try to find you in the middle of the storm. Sadly the snow hadn't stopped and by the looks of the weather it'll continue to snow even unto the morning. It took you a while to climb over the mountains and wander into the middle of the snow again. Your footsteps had disappeared, but after getting some hot broth in your system you felt a lot better when making your way through the storm the second time. You had to make your way back, you couldn't stay in Russia, and if you didn't show up soon and apologize for your outburst again you may be locked in your room again. You couldn't have that, and after Ivan's stories you were a bit nervous to stay in the snow for too long.

The man was nice, you'd give him that, but something told you that you shouldn't have been talking with him. He was acting a bit differently when you told him your name, but what bothered you was that you had seen his eyes. They were purple like yours, but a dark indigo color that sent a chill down your spine. He was probably a country, you realized, and if you were in Russia that meant he was probably Russia himself. You didn't want to act rude, but you did feel scared. After everything you've been told why wouldn't you be? Even though he was so nice to you, want if he found out you were a country like him? Would he grab you? Torture you? Even rape you?

You shuddered, the snow flying behind you as you aimed for home. You didn't want to be out here anymore and you just wanted to be home. Just then a large wind picked you up and threw you through the air, a surprised yell escaping your lips as you fell to the ground with a 'thud'. You groaned, shaking the snow out of your hair and quickly standing to your feet. You shuddered. The snow had made its way through the top of your coat and onto your skin. Just then you heard footsteps, your eyes widening in fear as you looked up to see the thing you dreaded the most: General Winter, in the flesh. Though he wasn't really flesh, you thought, and he looked more like wind or snow – What are you thinking?! You had to start running, now! –

"Where are you going, little Siberia?" the man seemed to smile, but you ignored it as you stumbled to your feet and began to walk backward in the snow.

"J-just returning home, sir –"

"I can help you home –"

"No!" you shook your head roughly, giving him a stone, cold glare as the wind picked up and blew at your clothing. "I-I can do it myself," you chuckled nervously, taking a cautious step back and fearing that you angered the man, "a-nd I'd prefer it if you'd let me return home without freezing me this time."

"If you wander into the snow, how can I not freeze you?" he whooshed around you, your gloves clutching to your shoulders as you tried to move away from him. "Though you know," the man continued, his cold breath right up against your ear and sending a chill down your spine, "if you just accept my offer I won't dare freeze you again –"

"No way," you glared in anger. "I won't do it."

"So be it," he responded, barely giving you a second to scream as the snow swirled around you and you fell to the ground with the force of the wind. You shivered, trembled, and felt your body freezing to the core again. You didn't know how long you could take this, but you clutched your eyes and waited for the worst. It was only a matter of time till your face turned blue and you were covered in snow, but what freezes you was the wind. It was always the wind that caused you to clutch up in the snow, the frozen water sticking to your body and hardening around you. You knew that if you kept running away that this would happen time and time again, but you couldn't help yourself. You didn't like your boss, but you guessed the weather doesn't care about you either. No one did, except for мама, but she's gone now and maybe that's what you'd become, alone and uncared for as you froze in the middle of nowhere.

Suddenly the wind stopped and you opened your eyes, shivering and wondering what was going on. General Winter always made sure you had, at least, stopped shivering and was completely frozen before moving on, so what was happening? You heard a voice, a deep voice, which seemed to hold authority in its tone. Then the wind was completely gone, your eyes blinking in confusion as you watched every snowflake fall to the ground, landing in front of you as its intercut forms stacked on top of each other. "[insert-name]?" you heard the person say, but you didn't say anything. You were too cold to answer the person. It was probably your boss, though you never heard a deep voice come out of your boss like you had just heard. You were kicked over by a large boot and your purple eyes stared up at the person calling your name. Even though you wanted to stare up in shock, your eyes were glossing over and you felt numb. Your eyes widened, noticing a pipe clutched in his glove as the wind blew his large scarf behind him. He raised his pipe and you flinched, clutching your eyes tightly as you began to shiver in fear.

But when nothing happened and you slowly opened your eyes again, feeling cold gloves wrapping around your waist and picking you up. "Девушка," he spoke to you in an authoritative tone, quickly getting your attention, "wrap your arms around my neck." You did as he said, but you didn't know why. Was it fear? Did you trust him? Was it because he made the mean General Winter go away? You didn't know, but you could barely keep your eyes open, even as you heard his voice trying to talk to you, you couldn't answer him or see him anymore. Then everything went dark, but you could still hear the 'beat… beat… beat' of something against your ear and you wondered what it was as it lulled you to sleep.

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A/N: I was looking at a map of the Russian Federation and noticed a province (or state or whatever the parts of the country is called) called the United States of Serbia. And since this is set in the future I could say that this part of Russia expanded and took over most of the area. I really don't know why or how, don't ask, but there's my horrible explanation for your name being Siberia ^^' Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I don't know when I'll post the next chapter, but I do have it written up. I just have to review it first =3

Здравствуй девушка – Russian – hello maiden

Svyatki, Russian Christmastide – follows the celebration of Christmas and lasts until January 19, the day Epiphany is celebrated. A two-week period closely associated with pagan traditions of fortune telling and caroling

мама – Russian – mum

да – Russian – yes

маленькая девушка – Russian – little maiden