She Arrives, and He Dies a Little More on the Inside

Belarus had always been prone to her little fits, but her family knew how sweet she could be. She had always been prone to jealousy, but her family knew how cool she could be.

She had always been prone to chasing after her brother, but he knew when she calmed down from these attempts she could be his best friend until the next one.

He was used to finding her on his doorstep the next morning, nails torn and bloody from trying to get in his house, trails sometimes frozen on her face from tears if he hadn't brought her in from the cold during the night. He was used to her taking a few minutes to sulk before turning back into the loving sister he looked forward to talking to or going out to the stores with. He was used to Belarus being herself, no matter what happened.

However, it was the morning after one such attempt that he went outside to get her in, since it had fallen quiet a while earlier, that he found himself shocked to find his frontstep empty of her sleeping form. Marks from her nails were clearly etched into his door, fresh blood and bits of her nails stuck in the gouges, but she was gone. Thinking his older sister must have retrieved her, or maybe even her boss, Russia didn't think anything of her absence and went back inside to make breakfast.

Someone else wasn't quite so calm that morning though.

A few hours later, America yawned and stretched as he walked out his front door, heading outside to fetch the daily paper, when he tripped over a large... something. He caught his balance on the rail of his steps and turned to look at his porch, gasping in shock when he saw who was laying there.

Belarus was curled up on the top step of his porch, shivering and shaking and... sniffling? America shook his head, forgetting all about the paper as he opted instead to gently scoop her up and carry her inside. He lay her on his couch and checked her temperature, and once he was certain she was fine he left to make some coffee. When he returned, he was happy to see her stirring, and set one of the two glasses he carried on the coffee table in front of her.

"Natalya, are you alright?"

Her eyes flew open, and she gaped at him for a few seconds. "America?"

"Did you not realize you came all the way here?" he looked curiously at the soles of her shoes. "Hm, looks like you walked the whole way. I'll have to get you some new shoes before you go home."

Belarus was caught off guard by the smile he sent her way, used to him acting like Russia and trying to get rid of her. But instead he leaned back in the armchair he sat in and sipped his coffee. She slowly sat up and retrieved the cup he brought for her, slowly drinking it as she watched him.

"Nat, why did you come here?" he kept his voice soft, and let a concerned look overcome his smile. "You haven't come to my house in years. Not since-"

"Not since you told me you didn't like how clingy I was..." she cut her eyes at him. "I don't fucking know why I came here, I just did."

"Easy spitfire, it's too early for me to match you hit for hit." he chuckled. "Besides, I only said I didn't like you being clingy because it wasn't the you I was used to. This you, however, is."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm." he set his cup down and gave her another smile, but his face fell when he saw her hands. "Nat, your fingers."

"I had a little trouble with a door is all."

"You mean, you had trouble pursuing Russia again." his concern turned to... was that anger? No, it couldn't be. He had no reason to be angry about something like that... did he? "Why do you keep going after him, despite knowing he's going to act so badly about it?"

"You don't know-"

"Yes I do. Why else would you cry every time? Why else would you suddenly start wearing gloves to hide your hands, then just as suddenly ditch them and act like you never had them on? Why do you keep trying to get him to marry you?"

"Because I love him!"

"Well he doesn't love you, not like that!" America was on his feet, glaring down at the woman who for the first time was frightened of the man. "He will never see you as anything but a sister, and all you're doing is running in circles, breaking yourself down a little more every time."

"SInce when do you care?" Belarus snapped, but hesitated to say anymore when she saw the pain flash across his face. America shook his head, sneering at her as he carried his empty coffee cup to the kitchen. She looked down, wringing her hands together for a moment before standing and walking after him, but she had just crossed the threshold into the kitchen when her heel snapped, weakened by all the walking she did that night, and a quiet gasp escaped her as she started to fall. She heard glass shatter a second before America's arms wrapped around her, keeping her from hitting her head on the cabinet beside her. She looked past his arm to the broken coffee cup on the floor behind him, then up at him as he helped her stand.

"I could've caught myself," she whispered.

"I couldn't take that chance." his voice was soft, and his eyes for once held none of that annoyingly persistent joy the other nations seemed to hate so much.

"America... why do you get so mad when you see I've been after Russia?"

"It wasn't that long ago you tried the same thing on me. I guess I just miss it."

"The bullet hole in my apron and skirt says otherwise."

He sighed, lifting a hand to run his fingers through his hair. "Fine, fine... The time you spent with me was wonderful. I hated how clingy you were at times, sure, but when you'd get all cute 'nd clingy, hugging my arm or my neck when you were tired or how you'd reach out and grab my shirt when you didn't want me to leave... I loved it. I loved the feeling of having you around and... I loved the feeling of having you beside me."

"That's why you let us fall asleep on the couch watching movies."

"It was worth it, but then it was over, and you started acting like it never happened. It hurt." he couldn't smile, he was trying ti, he was trying hard to laugh it off, but he couldn't. "It hurt so much and I-"

America cut off with a slight gasp, going wide eyed as he was effectively cut off by Belarus as she gave him a quick kiss. "I'm sorry America. I'm sorry I hurt you, but I can't stop going after brother Russia. I need him too much."

The man sighed, but wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "Then go after him... while you stay with me."

She let her eyes close, resting her forehead on his chest. "Alright."