"Big Brother! Natalia called. Ivan froze; afraid of what she was going to try this time. She walked over to him and grabbed his hand with both of her small ones.

"Dance with me." She gasped excitedly in her heavily Russian accented English.

Russia raised an eyebrow wearily. "Dance?" He questioned. It was unlike Belarus to request anything. Normally she would simply just do it.

"Da, dance with me Big Brother."

"But there is no music to dance to."

Belarus gave him a smile that normally sent him crying to hide, but he stood his ground this time.

She disappeared around the corner and a moment later a deep tenor bloomed into the early night air.

Ivan went to investigate and found Bela raising from a small speaker system. She turned with a flourish and said in Russian,

"Now there is music, Big Brother."

She looked so afraid that Russia couldn't help but step to her and place one hand on her waist and the other hovering, waiting for her to place a dainty hand into it.

"And we will dance, Belarus." Her face lit up and, uncharacteristically, without frightening him. If anything it was endearing.

Belarus grabbed his hand and placed the other on his expansive shoulder. They danced at a swift pace for a heartbeats, keeping in beat with the song's tempo until it faded into a different song.

I know this song, he thought. Natalia slowed to the new tempo and inched closer to Ivan with each step. They slowed even more as Bela gently laid her head on his broad chest.

Russia smiled lightly and absent mindedly began to hum the song. He felt Natalia's heart flutter wildly in her chest. Again without thinking he began to quietly sing the chorus into her ear in his husky bass.

Любовь

Belarus hugged him closer to her body. This was all she ever really wanted. For Russia to hold her. His voice continued to rise and fall with the song.

The singer's voice hushed and the piano's solo began. Russia's voice fell back to hum the melody before he stopped. Belarus could feel him heasitating but didn't loosen her arms encircling him.

"Belarus," He hesitantly started. She lifted her head up to look into his violet eyes.

"Da, Ivan?"

In the most honest voice she had ever heard he spoke three words; "I love you."

Her heart began to beat unnaturally fast, almost uncomfortably so.

"You mean it?" Her voice shaking slightly for fear he was teasing her.

He smiled, his eyes crinkling as he did so.

"Da, Belarus."

Natalia felt as though her face would crack from the large grin that was playing on her lips.

"I love you too," She laid her head back onto his chest, murmuring, "More than I can explain."