It was strange, really, how a few simple words could be so much more. How a careless comment could set off a chain of events that could turn your world upside down. If he had known what a mess such a seemingly innocent statement would get him into, he surely would've held his tongue. But he couldn't have known at the time. And in life there are no take backs.
And so, tired after a long day of menial chores and dealing with his insane master's capricious moods, Lithuania set off in search of his two younger brothers.
He found them in the kitchen, sitting at the table, Latvia with a half-drunk bottle of vodka, Estonia simply sitting nearby to keep him company.
Sighing he stepped into the room, immediately drawing the attention of his two younger brothers. "Latvia, I really wish you wouldn't drink so much."
And with just those few, innocent words, everything fell apart.
"What would you know?!" The unexpected shout sliced through the tense air of the room, causing Lithuania to stumble backwards a bit as the youngest abruptly stood up, wobbling slightly, hands clenched into fists at his sides, a look of pure hatred in his eyes – a look that the brunette had never expected to be aimed at himself.
"You wouldn't understand!" Latvia continued, brushing off Estonia's attempts to quiet him. "You don't know what it's like! Russia never hurts you because you're perfect! You say you understand how it feels, but you don't! If you did, then you'd understand why I drink… This is all I have… But I guess you don't care about that. You pretend to care about us, but all you really care about is sucking up to Russia!"
"Raivis, that's not true – "
"Don't give me that! I've seen you go off with Russia and disappear for hours on end! You pretend to suffer with us when really you're probably off drinking tea with Russia and laughing at our misery!"
"Latvia!" Estonia finally managed to cut in with a sharp reprimand, effectively shutting the boy up, but it was too late. The damage had already been done. When he looked up to apologize, Lithuania was already gone.
"Russia never hurts you because you're perfect!"
Latvia's words – that sentence in particular – rang throughout Lithuania's mind as he shoved open the kitchen door and ran down the hall, desperately trying to escape the youngest's words, his hatred.
'Oh, Raivis, if only you knew how wrong you are…"
And then, as if to prove his point, he ran straight into Russia himself.
He stumbled backwards quickly, putting as much distance between himself and his master as he could without making it look like he was trying to run away. He could see the amusement lighting up Russia's eyes.
"Are you crying, Litva?" he asked teasingly. "I haven't even done anything to you yet."
Lithuania didn't reply, slightly scowling down at the floor as he scrubbed at his eyes in an attempt to erase any signs of tears. He could hear a soft chuckle escape Russia's lips.
"Seems there's dissension among my little Baltics~," he hummed in an all-too-cheerful voice.
Lithuania glanced up at him warily and caught a glint of something darker underneath the amusement – something almost predatory. Past experience taught him that he wasn't going to like wherever this was going.
"You heard?" he asked cautiously, and he swore he saw Russia's smile widen slightly.
"It'd have been a little hard not to." He gave Lithuania a fake pitying smile. "I guess little Lithuania's friends don't like him after all. How sad."
"T-that's not – I –" He sighed, giving up. There wasn't any point in trying to argue. He'd lose anyway. He just wanted to get this over with. "What do you want?" he asked helplessly.
"Pack your things. You're moving out."
Lithuania was taken aback. "I-I'm what?"
"I'm separating you from the other two. From now on you'll be staying in the room across from mine," came the simple reply.
"But, why? And so suddenly, too…" Russia had been the one who had forced the three of them to become so close in the first place. The Baltics really didn't have anything in common. They hadn't chosen to be friends, but with Russia making them share one tiny room with one small bed and with no one else to go to for comfort but each other they really hadn't had much choice but to get along. And now Russia was trying to separate them. It didn't make any sense. But then again, neither did much of anything Russia did.
"It's not sudden," Russia replied matter-of-factly. "I've been trying to separate you from the other two for awhile now, trying to find a way to make the others distrust you, to hate you, so that I could take you away from them without them rebelling to get you back.
"But it seemed little Latvia and Estonia trusted and loved you too much. I realized I'd have to sow distrust among the other two, but I couldn't figure out exactly how to do it. Turns out I didn't have to do anything. Little Latvia did my job for me. I guess you three aren't as close as I had thought."
"And if I refuse to play your game?" Lithuania asked. He wasn't entirely sure yet why Russia was so adamant about trying to separate him from his brothers, but he doubted it was good.
Russia's smile turned into the pout of a disappointed child's, as if he just couldn't understand why his little Litva didn't want to play along. But soon enough the grin was back, eyes glinting malevolently.
"You know what happens when you disobey me, da?"
Lithuania cringed inwardly. Yes. He did. All too well.
But he couldn't back down. His brothers were all he had in this cursed wasteland, and he couldn't give them up. And, if he were being honest, the thought of being alone with Russia even more often than he used to be was terrifying.
"I don't care! Do whatever you want! I'm not playing."
The corner of Russia's mouth twitched slightly in amusement. He took a step forward, and Lithuania instinctually took a step backwards.
'He's enjoying this!' The thought flashed through Lithuania's horrified mind, and he knew in that moment that he was going to lose.
Sure enough, Russia's next words killed any more possible protests on Lithuania's part.
"It'd be a shame if anything happened to your brothers, wouldn't it?" The words were spoken softly but with a menacing edge that didn't match his cheerful smile at all.
Lithuania hung his head, shoulders slumping as he numbly shook his head 'no', signaling that he had given in.
Russia clapped his hands together like an excited child. "Excellent! You know what you have to do."
A/N: I can't make any promises about updates, so I won't. I do have the second chapter written, so I can guarantee that that'll probably be posted next week, but I can't make any promises for after that. Life has a horrible tendency of getting in the way. I will try to stay sort of on top of updates, though. Please review so I know if this is worth continuing.