A/N: Heeey! So, AniMe-n3rd-O-O was the 25th reviewer for another story of mine, "Allied Ski Trip", so she won a one-shot. The request was Russia/Fem!China, WW2, Fluffy ending. So, here ya go!
Oh, and this is a SONG-FIC. PLEASE LISTEN TO THE SONGS AS YOU READ. THANK YOU. The song is "By The Rules" by Adam Lambert (Best. !) and it briefly switches to "Shores of Russia" by Vitas. (Look up Russia aph on Youtube, then click the video by SkadiPirate, it's really cool plus it has translation.) The next song is "Love Me Love Me" by Arsenium. Music video to that is really sexy, but slightly inappropriate.
Edit 1/10/13: So, the Powers That Be at FF.N complained, and I have to take out the song lyrics. Sorry!
Enjoy!
Ivan stared out the window at the cold snowy landscape outside. It was the winter of 1942, and the cold north wind howled outside the window, the glass freezing to the touch. America was having his annual Christmas party, and he hadn't been invited. Just because he was communist, even though China was going to the party.
China. His heart twisted as he thought of her. She was beautiful- petite, with long brown hair that she pulled up into two buns on either side of her head and doe-like eyes, her skin glowing with a light tan. She was everything he wanted, but she didn't want him.
He wished he could see her, touch her… just hear her voice. He wished he could tell her he loved her.
~China~CPOV~China~
It was the winter of 1942, and the cold north wind howled outside the window, the glass freezing to the touch. Chun Yan Wang leaned on it, struggling with her heavy luggage. The snow swirled, the flakes reaching up to heaven, blocking the moon and stars. Chun Yan had brought clothes since she'd have to spend the night in Russia's country, and then she'd wanted to cook so she'd brought cooking utensils and ingredients, and then she'd realized she should grab some guidebooks and a gift for America and Japan, and, well, it was all very heavy and annoying, aru!
She looked around for some help, but found none. Everything was written in Russian, and no one bothered to help a lost Chinese girl.
She knew what she had to do, but she wasn't looking forward to it. With another look around and a sigh, Chun Yan walked up to a phone and called Russia.
~Russia~RPOV~Russia~
The snow swirled, the flakes reaching up to heaven, blocking the moon and stars. Ivan turned away from the window and went to make himself a cup of tea. The freezing wind screamed, whipping around him. No one else was home- even though technically he controlled their land, he'd let all the other "countries" go to their homes for the holidays, even Belarus, who most definitely did not want to. Yes, Ivan loved his little sister, but not that way. The only person he truly loved was China.
China, his beautiful sunflower.
The ringing of the phone abruptly interrupted his musings of his beloved.
"Hello?" He asked, picking up the receiver.
"Russia?" A gentle voice on the other end answered. Russia felt his heart skip a beat. China! But shouldn't she be packing for America's party tomorrow?
"Da… Is there something you need, China?" He heard voices on the other end, but they weren't speaking in Chinese. They were speaking in… Russian? Where on earth was China?
"Yes, aru. I'm in the airport in Moscow, and, well, I don't know how to get to a hotel…or book a room… or even leave the terminal!" China sounded a bit panicky, and Ivan tried his best to calm her down.
"It's okay, China, da? I'll pick you up in half an hour. Go outside and wait for me in the pickup area. "
"Okay. Xièxiè." She hung up with a click and Ivan smiled. He normally disliked Chinese but it sounded beautiful when she spoke it.
~China~CPOV~China~
Chun Yan slowly made her way to the car pickup. The freezing wind screamed, whipping around her. She stamped her feet and blew on her hands, trying to keep warm in the Russian winter. The moon shining dimly above her, faintly piercing the dark clouds. Oh, why couldn't the flight change be in someplace warm? Like Brazil, maybe? Brazil was wonderful this time of year, and Chun Yan loved to dance. She stared up at the sky, wishing Russia would get here sooner. People rushed past her, families greeting their loved ones. Suddenly a scream rang out. Chun Yan turned in fear, but quickly relaxed as she saw it was an exclamation of happiness, not pain.
A voluptuous young woman with long, curly brown hair and dark makeup was hugging an extremely tall, gorgeous black-haired man with crystal blue eyes. He was wearing an army uniform. Chun Yan brought a hand to her face, her eyes tearing up. The man must have been her boyfriend or brother, come home from the war. The woman grabbed his hand and together they ran over to a group of boys, who all hugged the returned soldier, exclaiming in a dozen different languages their joy at his safe return. Bright lights shone in Chun Yan's face and she turned away from the sweet reunion scene, to face a sleek black car that had just pulled up in front of her. A figure stepped out of the car, and Chun Yan stared in surprise.
Ohhhhh….
Platinum blonde hair swept across snow-white skin. A black-gloved hand reached out and pushed long bangs aside, revealing a finely chiseled jaw and entrancing violet eyes. A white scarf fluttered in the wind, a tan coat shifting on a muscled body to reveal brown boots and toned legs.
Chun Yan had never seen Russia this way before. The last time they'd met had been a long time ago, and Russia's looks had greatly changed since then.
"Come on. You don't want to stand out here in the cold." Russia ushered her into the car, grabbing her suitcase and lifting it as if weighed nothing. Chun Yan slid into the leather seat, pulling the door shut behind her. It was warmer in the car, but not much. She shivered.
"It will warm up a bit once the engine heats up again," Russia told her, sliding in behind the wheel.
"Does the cold bother you, aru?" Chun Yan asked shyly. She still wasn't used to Russia's appearance.
"Nyet, but I am used to it." He pressed slightly on the gas, and they pulled out of the pickup, heading down the snowy streets of Moscow to Russia's house.
The house was beautiful, if slightly neglected. Ivy crawled up the huge stone walls, green leaves poking through the snow. Icicles hung like spears off the roof, and the small yard had snow-covered trees standing in it. The cold wind blew around the landscape, snow drifting through the air, giving it a ghostly quality.
"Why such a small garden for so large a house?" China asked, looking at Russia curiously as he led the way to the gate. He gave her a smile, turning a key and opening it and holding the iron gate open for Chun Yan to walk through. He was very chivalrous- she liked that.
"I do not need a larger one. I am here only in fall and winter, after all. In the summer, all Russians go to the dacha. It is a summer home out in the country, with lots of fields, rivers, forests and lakes." A faint smile was on his face as he thought of it. "Children love it- room to play, fish, swim. In the day, they collect berries and mushrooms for the women to cook with. In the evenings, they can sleep out under the stars or in the cottages, for the nights are warm in summer. Fires crackle and burn as the men and elders tell of far-off times, and great heroes, beautiful princesses, powerful dragons and wicked magicians." Russia's voice was almost magical, soft and deep, the accent giving it an edge. Chun Yan could almost see the things he described, and she wished she could experience it. His description took them all the way into the kitchen, where Russia put a teapot on the stove. He turned to Chun Yan, who was still in her coat.
"It's not that cold in the house!" He laughed, and took her coat to hang it up, pulling his coat and scarf off as well. Chun Yan was intrigued; she'd never seen him without them before. He wasn't fat, as America had called him many times- in fact, quite the opposite. The coat hid muscles that Russia's shirt showed off. He took the boiling water off the stove, and poured each of them a cup of steaming tea to warm up.
"Here- chai. It's good," Russia said to Chun Yan, handing her the cup.
"It's nice of you to make the tea I am accustomed to," she politely said before taking a sip and jerking away from the cup. This tasted nothing like chai tea!
Russia laughed, setting his own cup down.
"Forgive me. In Russian, the word "chai" means tea, any kind. I forgot that it had another meaning in English." China laughed, and took another sip of her tea.
"It is very good."
"Thank you."
~Russia~RPOV~Russia~
I was very glad she liked it. I'd made the tea myself, with some help from Ukraine. I thought about the weather tonight- cold, snowy. China would be lucky if the flight weren't canceled. I pitied anyone who was outside tonight, the moon shining dimly above them, faintly piercing the dark clouds. It would be bitter cold, tonight.
"So… Russia," China began but I stopped her.
"Please, call me Ivan. I prefer it."
"Shì. But then you should call me Chun Yan, aru," she said and I nodded. I was honored- it was rare that countries called each other by our human names. To ask someone to do so was a great honor, and one I gladly bestowed upon Chun Yan, and was grateful to have returned.
"Anyway, Ivan…"
"Da?"
"aru… is it alright if I spend the night here? I…don't want to go outside, and…" I cut her off.
"Of course. I have plenty spare rooms."
"Fēicháng gǎnxiè." I cocked my head. I wasn't familiar with Chinese. Chun Yan must have noticed my confusion.
"It means 'Thank you very much'," She explained. I smiled with a light blush.
"It's nothing. It would be very rude not to offer a guest accommodations." She smiled back at me, and for a blissful moment, we said nothing, just looking at each other and sharing in the comfort of a warm kitchen and good tea. The silence was broken by China setting the cup down.
"Can you show me to a room? I'd like to know where I'm sleeping tonight."
"Of course." I drained my cup, and headed up to the ground floor, where I picked up her suitcase. I led the way up the grand staircase, Chun Yan's heeled boots clicking on the cool marble along with mine.
~China~CPOV~China~
Ivan's house was huge! Flames roared in a gigantic fireplace in an even larger room off to the side. I was grateful for them- it would be bitter cold tonight. Inside, however, you were cloaked in warmth. The wall opposite the fireplace hung with paintings. Another hallway led off to the side somewhere, and a giant marble staircase led upstairs. Our heels clicked on the way up, and when we got to the top I noticed a long hallway stretching out in front of us. I looked over the edge of a balcony to my left, and saw a huge library below. The house was even larger on the inside than the out!
Ivan led me down the hallway, past a room with an intricately carved wooden door that I assumed to be his. A few doors down was another room, to which he opened the door and allowed me in.
It was gorgeous. Rich tapestries with hunting scenes hung on the walls. The bed was large, with a blood-red comforter. The pillows were golden and appeared to be silk, which would not surprise me, considering the grandness of the rest of the house. A gold, gauzy canopy floated down over the bed, partially hiding it from view. The walls were painted a maroon so dark it was almost black, and gorgeous Chinese fans were hung, spread out, near the ceiling. A vanity stood across from the bed, in a cherry-colored wood. A partially opened door led to a closet, and another to a bathroom furnished in gold. A window stretched floor-to-ceiling across from me, though the red-and-gold draperies were drawn. I stepped forward, and looked down as my feet sank down in a plush carpet that covered the floor. Gold thread designs illustrated a touching scene- a man and woman, exquisitely beautiful, danced together in a crowded ballroom. The lady's dress swept behind her as the finely dressed man twirled her. On her head was a sort of crown- tall, curved and pointed, decorated with designs. An incredibly long braid hung down her back, and it too whipped around as she twirled and laughed. There was a handkerchief in her hand, and the couple seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly. The edge of the rug was partially blocked by a tall wooden bookshelf, groaning under the weight of its literary burden. Ivan noticed me looking at the rug.
"It's a scene from a popular Russian fairy tale, Tsarevna Legushka- The Frog Princess," he explained. "There's an English translation on the shelf if you care to read it." I nodded, and with a slight bow and a smile, he left. I opened my suitcase, and pulled out my nightgown, spreading it out on the bed. I then went to the bathroom and set out my toiletries.
Walking back into the main room, I looked around, stumped for what to do. I glanced at the bookshelf, and decided it couldn't hurt to learn a bit more about his culture.
Just as I reached for the book, I heard music coming from downstairs. I turned away from the shelf, and quietly made my way out of the red room and down the hallway, to the staircase. I could hear the music clearly now. It sounded like a strange instrument, almost like a guitar, and a strong, clear, beautiful voice floated up to me.
I waited for him to finish before I made my presence known. The singing was beautiful, and while I couldn't understand a word, I understood the feeling of the song- sadness, pride, and love.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Ivan said, noticing me. "I did not see you there. Is there something you need?" He asked, moving to put away the guitar thing.
"What is it?" I asked, pointing to the instrument. He raised an eyebrow, but otherwise did not question my sudden interest.
"It's a balalaika. A traditional Russian instrument."
"And the song?" A faint pink tinged Ivan's cheeks, and I added, "It was very beautiful." He blushed harder. It was cute, really.
"It's a song by Vitas, a rather famous Russian songwriter." I nodded. I'd heard of him.
"Can I hear some more Russian music?" He looked surprised, but nodded, reaching for the instrument, but I stopped him.
"No- something we can dance to." Ivan looked even more surprised, but obeyed, walking over to a stereo system I hadn't noticed before.
"It's not all in Russian, but it's by a Russian artist," he said and put on a song.
The beginning music sounded a lot like the instrument Ivan had used before, but then a bouncy drum beat joined in. The artist started singing, and Ivan joined him in a duet, looking right at me, moving his hips to the beat.
It was sexy, I had to admit. I started dancing along, and he moved closer, his voice lower, huskier…
He moved away, his voice rising in pitch, his dance moves and mine becoming more and more flirtatious. He was actually an incredible dancer.
He switched into Russian, his voice lower again.
This time, as the music became sexy again, he took my hand and pulled me to him, spinning me and dancing with me, still singing. I was entranced.
On the high note, he bent down on one knee in front of me. This man…
He got up again, and this time I moved to him, swinging my hips in my tight red dress. His attitude was infectious, and I had to smile and laugh along with him.
On the last verse, he pulled me close to him, a hand on my waist and the other holding mine, as if we were slow-dancing. The words a bit more pained, almost desperate… I wanted to comfort Ivan, to show him I cared about him… That maybe I loved him…
The song ended, and we looked at each other for a moment, breath mingling. Slowly, Ivan released me, and stepped away. He picked up a guitar from somewhere- why were things always appearing in the house that I hadn't seen there before?- and began to play.
The song ended, and he stood there, in front of, me, silent. I finally knew how he felt, and… I had to say I felt the same. Slowly, I walked over to him, violet eyes watching my every move.
~Russia~RPOV~Russia~
She walked towards me, incredibly slowly, agonizingly beautiful with every step. Slowly, Chun Yan looked right at me. And then…she kissed me.
I couldn't believe it. I'd wanted the feeling of those soft lips on mine ever since I'd first seen her, ever since I'd fallen in love. I'd never thought she might like me back. I kissed back, pulling the guitar to the side so I could press her closer. Chun Yan wrapped her arms around my neck. Because of our height difference, she was on tiptoes and I had to lean down so we could kiss, but neither of us cared. After a minute, she pulled back, searching my eyes for something with her caramel brown ones.
"I-Ivan…"
"Da?" I asked, tracing her cheek with my fingertips. I was so afraid I'd lose her, that she'd say it was a mistake, she didn't like me after all…
"I think I love you, aru." I laughed and hugged her tight.
"I love you, too, Chun Yan. I always have." Tears were pricking at the corners of my eyes, I was so happy.
Chun Yan and Ivan spent the night in the red room. It was the winter of 1942, and the cold north wind howled outside the window, the glass freezing to the touch. The snow swirled, the flakes reaching up to heaven, blocking the moon and stars. The freezing wind screamed, whipping around him. The moon shone dimly above them, faintly piercing the dark clouds. It was bitter cold, that night. Inside, however, they were cloaked in warmth. Radiating from their hearts, from their love for each other, defying that cruel Russian winter.
A/N: Hope you liked it! Sorry if China's OOC here, I've never really written from that POV, whether genderbent or not.
There you go! Review/Fave/Check out my other stories!Once again, I apologize for removing lyrics.
XOXO, France