The saltiness of ocean mist being sprayed up onto the shores of an almost abandoned beach mingled with the breezeless and moist warm air that clung to Ivan's pale skin. He sat next to a much smaller man in comparison to himself, one who was currently pouting over having to remove his shirt and change into an outfit consisting of only a pair of thin swimming trunks. With a slight chuckle of amusement at his friend's flushed and embarrassed face, Ivan stood, turning his back against the waves crashing down upon the loosely packed sand underneath as he faced the other. "Alright Japan. Time to get in the water."
With only the slightest hint of resistance, Japan shook his head. Of course, the Russian could overpower him easily, but today was already proving to be embarrassing and insulting enough. He hated wearing weird clothing, which for him was basically anything other than suits and kimonos. Turning his gaze down to the sand, he dug his feet into it to reach the cooler material underneath the burning top layer of sand. "I don't want to Russia-san." He mumbled, trying to get himself out of this situation.
Only a snigger of amusement passed over his lips before the Russian stooped down to hoist the other into the air. Japan was the much lighter of the two, and it required little to no effort as Ivan slung the small frame of the other's body over his own broad shoulder. "I wasn't really asking." With that, Russia marched triumphantly over to the water's edge, where the sea greeted his feet with small laps and gentle splashes of foamy liquid. After a few seconds of enjoying the cool sensation on his toes, Russia splashed forward, cool wet sand sinking down underneath his feet as droplets of water were splashed up onto his and Japan's skin by the heavy steps he was planting.
A small cry of surprise escaped Japan as he was lifted from where he had been sitting. As the Russian carrying him advanced into the churning water, the other felt the need to speak up. "Russia, do I rearry have to do this?" His accent made it sound weird, but the shorter country was panicking. There was no way he could escape Russia's grip, but he desperately wanted to. Then again, this was all Kiku'sA fault; he had agreed to come along after a rather short-lived conversation with Ivan. As the cool water was sprinkled on his bare skin, he only felt sheer terror.
"Da." One simple word was all it took, and Russia had tossed the smaller country into the wavy water beneath. It was oddly clear in substance, and Russia could see straight through the churning liquid to Japan's sputtering form. The surface water lapping at Ivan's waist was warm, heated by the constant sunshine bearing down on it. "Why are you so afraid of water anyway?" It was odd that that the japanese man had been acting so nervously around the ocean, and had decided from the start that he hadn't wanted to get in the water; great lot that did. Maybe he couldn't swim. If so, then he would be provided with the, well, necessary assistance.
Somehow, Japan had managed to swallow a mouthful of the salty water in the few seconds when he had been thrown under. Standing up, he found the water to be only around halfway up his stomach, definitely not deep enough to drown him yet. The disgusting taste of ocean water lingered in his mouth and throat as he spoke. "I'm not afraid." Of course he actually was, considering that he had absolutely no clue about how to swim. The country hoped that he would just be allowed to stay in the shallow water, or get out altogether.
With a smirk, Russia leaned closer, face only inches away from Japan's. "Then you won't mind the deep water." He then latched onto Kiku's wrist, turning and dragging the smaller man into the further depths of the ocean. Russia knew all along that Japan was incapable of swimming. It was quite clear, due to the fact that he never once swam while the majority of the countries were at a pool, or maybe a man-made lake. There was also the fact that he had been absolutely petrified when Russia forced him into the water, and had attempted to escape. There was no doubting Japan's obvious fear of water, as well as his impediment in the department of swimming.
Struggling and failing to escape the other's grasp, Japan felt the water rising higher and higher; soon it would be impossible for the shorter country to stand without his head being below water. There was absolutely nothing he could do to stop what was happening, after all, he was trying to get away from Russia. Deciding instead to try pleading, he opened his mouth. "Prease Russia, I don't want to go in any deeper. Prease just ret me get out of the water." As usual, his pleas were futile, and it was a mystery as to why he even bothered trying. If Russia wanted him to do something, that was what was going to happen.
Not even bothering to offer a response, Russia just tugged him further along into the churning water; that which was becoming colder as they splashed along. He continued struggling forward through the water until the liquid was above his shoulders, and Japan was submerged, splashing wildly in an attempt to gain some air. Ivan was simply waiting until Japan swallowed his pride, along with the seawater, and asked for help. After several seconds of watching him struggle, Russia released his iron like grip around the other's thin wrist and stood, waiting.
Flailing around, the country attempted to swim on his own, only succeeding in gulping a bunch of water. He tended to be too stubborn to accept help, but without it now, he would most certainly drown; something he hoped to never have happen. In between gasps for air whenever he was lucky enough to get oxygen, Kiku managed to get out a few words. "R-Russia-san, herlp me! I'm going to drown!" Now he could just expect for the taller country to help him, but this whole thing could have also been just a setup to get rid of Japan.
As soon as he heard Japan gain his voice long enough to manage those words, Russia reached forward, wrapping one arm firmly around Kiku's waist; an awkward position yes, but one that couldn't be avoided if Japan wished to be saved. It wasn't like Russia cared anyways. Ivan promptly pulled the other from the mess of water and foam that he was currently arousing, and looped another arm underneath his legs as to not let him slip into the water for a second time. "See? I save you!"
The Japanese blushed at the small amount of contact, as he always claimed that he needed his 'personal space'. He also didn't want to accept that he had to ask for help since he had almost been suffocated. It really was pathetic that he couldn't swim; but he hadn't ever felt the desire to. Looking back on it, he should've just taken lessons or something. Then again, water terrified him, because he couldn't ever get of the paranoia of some unknown creature dragging him underneath the waves. Deciding against responding to what the other had said, he simply stared down at the water, soaking wet himself.
Russia pulled the other slightly nearer, face close enough to whisper in the Japanese man's ear. "You know, you should learn how to swim." The russian could no longer hold back the amusement at Kiku's form; rigid and probably cold, but with a face that was obviously burning red. He was scrawny and soaked to the bone, resembling something along the lines of a drowned rat. His hair hung in tendrils around his face, water streaming in rivulets down his pale skin. Allowing a chuckle to escape his own wet lips, Russia smiled brightly, once again amused by simply the situation.
Sighing, Japan offered a response, probably not a satisfactory one. "I don't want to." He knew very well that is was probably a stupid idea to answer that way, but he really didn't want to spend anymore time in the water then he had to. A shiver ran up his spine as a slight breeze blew in their direction. The Japanese honestly just wished that he had refused to come to the beach; after all, Russia really wouldn't have killed him for not going. "Prease just ret me down."
"Okay." With that, Russia loosened his grasp, allowing Japan to slip back under the churning water around them. "But...I thought you couldn't swim..?" Voice dripping with sarcasm, he eyed the sputtering man in the water, who, at the moment was flailing wildly in some futile attempt to reach the surface as he continuously sunk lower into the deep water.
When he finally managed to surface for a while, Japan coughed in an attempt to clear his lungs. "I-I take it back!" He choked out before descending down into the water, his head going below the surface. Trying to cry out, the only thing that Kiku accomplished was having his mouth flooded with the sea water. He wouldn't be surprised if Russia simply allowed to drown this time, after all, he had seemed rather angry at the smaller country.
Russia simply chuckled slightly before diving under the water to retrieve the other country; one who was currently in the process of drowning. Upon finding the japanese's squirming body, Ivan dug his feet sharply into the cool sand underneath and stood, yanking Japan from the water. Ivan was surprised to find Japan clinging onto him as he lifted the smaller one from the water, thin arms wrapped around the Russian's neck. "You okay Kiku?..." The other was shivering slightly, although the wasn't completely unreasonable considering the coldish water. Even so, Russia found it somewhat amusing that he would let his composure slip enough to behave in this manner.
Holding on tightly to the other country, it took him a minute to respond. "F-Fine." He shivered a few more times before finally warming up in even the slightest. When he eventually realized how he had grabbed onto Russia, the country blushed, but didn't loosen his grip or change his position. Sighing, the Japanese man spoke again, in little more than a whisper. "Wirll you just keep doing this untirl I agree to rearn to swim?" He figured that it was indeed the case, but just needed to confirm his suspicions.
Russia just laughed a bit, then offered a response that was actually sufficient after doing so. "Da." Ivan had realized that he was being a little more than mean; making a man experience one of his worst fears over and over again simply to have some fun didn't exactly qualify for nice, but he wasn't really the most empathetic person. Besides that, he was slightly excited to give Japan his 'swimming lessons'.
Finally consenting to what the Russian wanted, Japan muttered a single word. "Fine." He directed his gaze back at the reflective water, hardly wanting to face what he had just agreed to. However, that was the way it usually worked, with Russia requesting, more of demanding something, and Japan would be more or less forced into the activity. Kiku didn't even understand why he hung out with the taller country; but then again he did. It was just at times like this where he doubted his own actions.
Russia's already broad grin widened, stretching and contorting the features on his face pleasantly. "Good." It was only moments later when Ivan finally decided to get started; one arm still wrapped around a thin waist, the taller of the two released japan's legs and stood up straighter, hovering Kiku just above the surface of the water. His other, less occupied, hand took Japan's smaller and slightly paler one, Intertwining their fingers as to not let him slip away into the water again. The two spent the next hour or so attempting to improve on the smaller man's swimming disability; Russia laughing often at some of the Japanese's silly mistakes. It wasn't until the sky had faded into more of a dusky shade, strewn with dark clouds, that Ivan realized it was getting quite late, and decided to head back to another word to the Japanese, Russia had swept him into a bridal style position again, beginning to slosh through the clear and bouncing waves of water.
The tedious lessons had tired out Kiku, and he had to hold back a yawn. When Russia had picked him up again, he proceeded to blush, even more than he had been for the majority of the lesson. There was no doubt that he would get flustered at even the smallest of things; even hanging around the Japanese man for a day was enough to prove it. As the sky continued to darken at quite a rapid pace, Japan glanced upwards to the sky, his eyes lingering on it for a while before dropping back down to the rather calm sea. Sounds of insects and even a few birds could be heard in the background, echoing through what was otherwise basically silent.
Russia shot a few undetectable glances down at the Japanese man in his arms when he was looking down or away; he whose face was currently flushed a bright red color. The man was obviously flustered and more than likely embarrassed by Russia's actions, but what was he going to do? If Kiku really hadn't wanted to be picked up in this way, he wouldn't have allowed Ivan to do it in the first place. The russian finally decided to break the uneasy silence as the began nearing the shore, no matter how much more awkward his words might make the situation. "Your face is quite red."
The smaller country was almost positive that his face turned an even deeper shade of red, if that was possible. Sighing, Japan offered a response, although it wasn't needed. "I know it is." It was rather pathetic to just agree on a subject such as that, but Kiku's thought process had never been the greatest. He could feel his legs beginning to fall asleep, and knew that he would get pins and needles once they began to regain feeling.
Russia smirked, having to withhold a chuckle of amusement at Japan's embarrassment. "You are embarrassed, why?" This question would most likely draw an even deeper, impossible, shade of red from Japan. It was quite fun to torment, more or less, the smaller country due to the fact that he really had no social skills, making him an extremely awkward and easily embarrassed type. According to Ivan, this was one of his most useful traits. Even so, he had only said what he had in order to hear the other speak, and to see him get flustered again. It was just too funny.
"I'm embarrassed because of the way you're carrying me." His cheeks were a burning red, and he rose an arm in an attempt to block the blush from view. He knew that Russia was only talking to make him even more flustered, but he could still do nothing to stop it from happening. Wishing that his face would just stop burning, Kiku attempted to continue shielding his face.
Ivan just smiled a bit and continued pushing through the water; now shallow enough that it lapped only up around the man's waist. The two were most likely close enough to the shore that Kiku would be able to stand properly if he wanted; not that the Russian man was about to let that happen. His grip on the small man only tightened as he advanced forward, violet eyes cast upwards to the light grey sky. Stars peering out from beneath the thin clouds now sprinkled the night sky with their brightness. Finally reaching the shore, Russia continued carrying the other in his arms until they finally reached their previous spot in the sand, where he proceeded to set Japan down, taking a quiet seat beside the other.
As Japan refused to let down his arm, still shielding his crimson colored face, Ivan reached forward, dragging down the others arm, so that he could look the dark haired man in the eyes. "I don't think you should hide such an adorable face. " with that, the larger man leant forward and chastely pressed his own still damp lips to the other's colder ones. The man had been practically drowning all afternoon. Not wanting to make things overly uncomfortable for the smaller man, Russia pulled back after several seconds, taking a moment to look into Japan's dilated pupils. The shorter one's face had cooled down a bit earlier, but now the bright red hue was beginning to return. Russia smiled a little, and stood, offering a pale hand to the sitting dark haired man. "Let's go."
Ivan's smile only broadened as he felt a smaller hand slip into his own.
"Hai, let's go."