Drabble – Only a Little While…

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hetalia

For Scatterheart Angel

"I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being."

- Hafiz of Persia

"I'll be back in a little while, Vanya," Irina tenderly embraced her brother's small torso, his head resting on her ample chest. "...take good care of Natasha while I'm gone. Make sure she eats and gets to sleep on time."

Every time Irina left her little brother and baby sister to fend for themselves, she felt like stones had been put in her feet, cotton in her fingertips, and boiling water in her brain. It was the guilt, that terrible, awful, all-consuming guilt. How could she leave them so readily, time after time after time? Was it really to protect the two young children as she so often told herself?

"Irunya," his voice was muffled, trapped in the vast expanse of her bosom. Reluctantly Irina let him go, straightening his worn tunic as she did so. He blinked, his strange violet eyes reflecting the light of the flickering fire in an almost unnatural way. Out of the three siblings, he was the only one with eyes the color of amethysts.

"Irunya," the boy began again. "Why do you leave us alone?"

Her brother did not look at her with accusation, or vengeful spite or hatred. He was simply keen on discovering exactly why it was his beloved older sibling abandoned them, defenseless, so often. Such innocent wonder…

But the fact it was innocent did not stop Irina's reply from catching in her throat.

"I…I leave you so I can protect you," she told him. Irina silently prayed Natalia would not hear them talking by the fire and be aroused from her sleep; she'd toddle over on her chubby little legs, and start shrieking about something, just like she always did. Putting that child to bed was absolute murder.

"Protect us?"

"Da, to protect you and Natalia from the others."

"Others…"

"The nations who live around us."

"…oh."

"Most of them are very young, harmless - but some are very strong…strong enough to hurt you," she met his gaze. "Do you understand now why I leave?"

The fire crackled, and the air smelled of smoke. In the tiny little hut, it was hard for the wood-perfumed air to diffuse itself into something more breathable. Before Ivan could answer her, Irina got up and propped the make-shift door open, just the teeniest bit – smoke would go out, and the paralyzing cold of the night would be kept at bay.

"Nyet," came the sudden and quiet reply. Irina turned, sadness and guilt crawling through her veins like ice water.

"What don't you understand?" she returned to the boy, who was staring at his feet. The air in the hut had taken a sudden chill, and the fire cast odd shadows on his face. His expression looked older than his physical six years, more like his chronological one hundred and twenty three. But still, that unsettling calm and childish nature constituted his aura, his effect.

Irina, despite herself, felt hairs rise on the back of her neck. This is my brother, she thought to herself. Why am I afraid of him?

Then he looked up, the moment was gone, and his face was empty again - just a small, meaningless smile and a slightly tilted head. "Don't worry," he said, his high voice sliding through the air like rare, imported silk through soft fingers. "Irunya, I understand now."

There was a moment's pause before she could speak, remembering to play her part, to maintain her façade of serenity. "…Good," she said, planting a quick peck on his forehead and one tight squeeze. Irina did not meet his lingering gaze – had she, she knew wouldn't be able to hide her inexplicable aversion to the boy.

"Take care of Natasha," she got up, gathered her things, and left the hut without a backwards glance. Trudging through the snow towards the departing encampment of her countrymen – countrymen ready to go to war, for however long and hard – she understood. Irina now knew why her brother unsettled her so.

It was his eyes. His beautiful, unnatural eyes…empty. They said that eyes were the windows to a person's soul, but if Ivan's were devoid of emotion and thought then what could that possibly mean? Irina shook her head, pushing away the nonsensical little thoughts.

I have a war to fight, she reprimanded herself. And two siblings to take care of. I don't have time for this.

So she forged ahead, willing herself to forget about her inner misgivings. Just for a little while.

END

(A/N) So, this is for Scatterheart Angel! XD I hope I did everything right, what do you think?

This is the first in a series of drabble-ish one-shot things I'm writing for people who guessed the correct sequence of Hetalia cameo's in my other story, "Lessons in Housekeeping" ^_^

Thanks for reading, and I hope you stick around for the other ones! ;)

Adieu! ~ Vots :D