What is it about Russia being sick/in a hospital that's so appealing sometimes? Maybe because he's such a big guy or mentally unstable or... I don't know.

Anyway, unlike most of my other fics, this one is Russia/Lithuania. Let's hope I can pull it off!

I don't own Hetalia.

There were rumors that Russia's bosses had something in mind for their country, some sort of scientific study.

Now that Lithuania thought about it, it was strange that their leaders had not asked about or studied how personified countries came to be and how they worked on the inside. He shook the little plastic bottle in his hand. The sinking feeling in his chest told him that was probably what this was about. Russia's bosses probably were holding him at least partially responsible for the fall of the Soviet Union, and Russia, as a country, their country, would be an easy subject to work on. He was there and had to listen to them. Then why was Lithuania in charge of…?

He walked quickly and quietly over the freshly mopped linoleum floor. Hospitals, no matter where he was, always unnerved him. Those fake bright lights, the smell of cleaning supplies, and the overall feeling of "too clean" sanitization seemed inhuman.

For a moment, he found that thought amusing: an inhuman place for an inhuman being.

The elevator in front of Lithuania opened and he stepped inside. It was empty and no one else was coming in so he scooted over to the rows of buttons, pressed number 2 and the close-door button.

The country wondered as the elevator made its way up to the second floor how long had Russia been in this place? In private, while living with Russia (and obviously when he was not in the room), he and the other two Baltic states would joke about Russia being put into an asylum or hospital or something.

Now that he was in a hospital, regardless of the fact that it was a medical one and not a psychiatric one, it seemed a lot less funny.

And the pills in his hand weren't helping at all.

The door opened and Lithuania took a deep breath. Get in, give the pills, get out. Get in, give the pills, get out. Easy enough to remember.

He muttered the mantra to himself all the way down another blinding hallway until he reached the door that his boss said Russia would be in. The marker read "217".

It didn't take long for Lithuania to remember how to put on a fake smile. He turned the door handle and stepped in. "Hello, Russ-"

The larger country sat facing away from him, toward the window on the opposite wall. There was bed and a small table on the left, and a row of cabinets on the right wall. The table had a vase of sunflowers with a card. He recognized the handwriting on it as Belarus's.

"Russia…"

"Ah…." Russia turned around and Lithuania felt his heart stop. "Toris…? It is nice to see you. How have you been?" The Russian smiled, but everything about him looked exhausted. His violet eyes were dull and ringed from a lack of sleep. He was hunched over, his hospital wear (similar to scrubs) was the same pale off white that his skin was. His hands were settled on his knees, as if to hold himself up, and he shivered every now and then.

"I'm….I'm okay."

"Ah…Good. Good to hear." A shaky hand patted the spot next to him. "Come sit with me."

Lithuania did as he was told. His boss had not told him about Russia's condition. He expected Russia to be more…well, his personal definition of "normal". Smiling. Purple aura. Stature like a brick wall. Not this broken, weakened mess next to him.

"How have you been, Russia?" Dumb question, Lithuania mentally kicked himself.

Russia chuckled. His voice turning into a cough. "Ah, ugh. I do not know, Toris….I do not know. They won't tell me why I am here."

Lithuania resisted the urge to pat Russia's back to help him get over the cough. It probably would just make it worse. "Oh…"

"…bottle?"

"Huh?"

"What is that?" Russia pointed to the medicine in his hand.

"Oh, uh…" The bottle must have rattled when Russia was coughing… "These are for you. My boss told me to give them to you."

The Russian frowned and Lithuania sputtered, "W-wait! I know what you're thinking and after everything that's happened you don't really have a reason to trust-"

"Give them to me."

"What?" He blinked, and Russia stared sadly at him.

"Give them to me. I will take them. The…." His eyes went out of focus for a second. After a moment he shook his head and groaned. "…nurse said I would have medicine today."

"….she did?" The hospital knows?

"Da. Now…" He held out his hand. "Please?"

Lithuania's boss had instructed him to give Russia two pills and he did. They didn't look out of the ordinary, plain white pills that seemed minuscule in comparison to Russia's giant hands. With one swooping motion, Russia lifted his hand to his mouth and swallowed down the pills.

"R-Russia! Let me get you some water for that!"

"Ah…too late." He giggled a small laugh that was nothing like his usual intimidating one.

Lithuania sighed. Russia was still Russia no matter where he was, and though he had lost some of his…aura? Intimidation? That element that made Russia, Russia, he had not lost sight of all of it.

At least not yet.

"Russia, how long have you been in here?"

Russia's head dipped down and he closed his eyes. "Ah…I do not know… I have been fed five times since I was brought here."

Strange example of time… Five times. So, two or three days? Lithuania frowned; his former master had changed so much in that time. He liked to think Russia was stronger than that. Then again, the Soviet Union had just fallen apart. Maybe the mental stress had gotten to him? Still something was telling him this wasn't right.

Lithuania was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of Russia's stomach growling.

"Ah…" Russia blushed and smiled weakly, "Would Toris be kind enough to ask the nurse to bring me something to eat?"

"Oh sure… I actually need to leave anyway. I'll see if I can find a nurse."

"Thank you, Toris." Russia's hand reached over and held his hand and squeezed it gently. His had was cold enough to make Lithuania shiver.

With a strained smile, Lithuania stood and slipped his hand out of Russia's weak grasp and casually bee lined for the door. Once on the other side he spotted a nurse. Luck, I guess…

"Excuse me."

The nurse looked up from a chart in her hand and smiled. "Yes?"

Lithuania motioned toward Russia's door. "This patient was wondering if he could have something to eat."

The nurse frowned and pulled Russia's chart from his door. She flicked it open and shook her head. "He has surgery today, and isn't allowed to eat until afterwards."

Surgery? "Oh, okay… What type of-"

"Sir, I can't tell you that."

"R-right. Sorry."

The nurse left with a curt nod, placing the chart back in its spot on the door and leaving Lithuania with his broken thoughts. Surgery? Is that what those pills were for? Were they just for whatever procedure some doctor was going to do to Russia?

Lithuania turned to leave the hospital. There was too much to think about and not enough was making sense and…

…And the chart was right there. Unprotected. No one else around.

A little peek wouldn't hurt would it?

As casually as a burglar under a spot light, Lithuania slipped back over to Russia's door and picked up the red chart. Just as he cracked open the cover, however, a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Ah! Uh? Huh?" Lithuania whipped around and found himself face to face with a rather large, mustached man.

"That chart is classified information."

"I'm…sorry. I'll just put it back and-"

"Yes. Put it back."

Lithuania did, and smiled nervously. "I was…uh, on my way out."

"Good."

"So… I will be going now."

"You had better."

Lithuania left the hospital shortly after putting the chart back in place. He left with a heavy, worrying mind.

The only bit of information he saw was Russia's check in date.

Seven days ago.

What sort of experiments are they doing to Russia? What are the pills for? Stay tuned for Chapter 2.