Author's Notes: Hum, I have never written Ukraine before so excuse me if she is a bit OC. This was betaed by Jackidy so many thanks to her.

Ruska Zemlya

She was running out of yarn again. She was always running out of things in seem. The blond woman stood, her back making a rather unpleasant sound as she did, and rummaging her closet in search for another roll to finish her self imposed task. She knew that she had at least one left, but two would be nice. She was pleasantly surprised when she found not two but three hidden in the bottom of the closet, underneath a cardboard box with a label in black blackboard marker.

"I will look at those later. I'll finish Vanya's scarf first." Yekaterina whispered to herself, sitting back on her rickety window chair and picking up her knitting from her side table. The yarn was a bit rough but would keep her brother warm during the winter. "I still have some time before I had to turn those in..."

Ukraine didn't remember when she had been taught how to knit, but for as long as she remembered she had been making her clothes and her siblings this way. Nowadays there wasn't really a need for her to continue knitting a scarf for her brother, or thick woollen gloves for her sister, but she continued to do it, it reminded her of past times, and made her feel like an older sister.

Even if it was pricier and more time consuming it was soothing, almost the only thing that could distract her from worrying about her siblings' troubles and her other responsibilities. It made her feel useful, it made her happy.

"Vanya's scarf is getting really frayed..." The nation whispered to her self while she measured the fabric with her hands. "I'll probably have this ready for his birthday... It will make a good present for him."

She knitted quietly, nodding politely when her neighbours walked past her window back to their homes. A gentle smile adorned her face while she worked, her mind lost to memories. The shim of a clock somewhere in the house startled her as the blond had lulled herself to a trance. Ukraine stood up stiffly, stretching before making her way down the stairs toward her small kitchen.

The female had never really had a maid or servants like his brother or Feliks. Even when she had had the money in the past, she preferred to spend it in something else. She had always preferred to live in a small house, big enough for herself and having tea or celebrating Christmas with her siblings and acquaintances. Maybe even a place for her few friends to rest after a visit, but not much else. She hadn't ever needed or wanted much more for herself, just a warm place for her loved ones.

Yekaterina sighed as she prepared herself a sandwich, turning off the stove when the kettle whistled and poured her self a cup of tea. The blond noted to herself that she needed to go shopping soon; she was running out of food. She hesitantly checked the messages on her phone, dismayed at the amount that had gathered since she had checked it last during lunch.

"Ms Braginskaya, we need you to come early tomorrow so we can..."

"...the tax report is ready..."

"...the government is ready to issue a..."

"...Katenka, I will come tomorrow to collect the..."

Ukraine drank her tea with tremulous hands, the beverage not really soothing her nerves as it should had. Maybe it's because there was almost nothing left for it to sooth. The blond finished her supper in silence and returned to her knitting after washing the dishes. Maybe she would have time to start Natalya's gloves if she hurried up. She won't have much free time the coming week or maybe even for the rest of the month. An afternoon to her self was a rare event in itself.

The female knitted for an hour before the sound of her doorbell rung through her house. When she opened the door Belarus was standing there frowning unhappily as she offered her a wrapped package. "I baked this for brother but he wasn't home when I went to look for him. Will you eat this with me?"

"Oh, I would love to Tasha." Natalya nodded grumpily and entered the house while her sister fixed some tea to go with the pie she had brought. Yekaterina noted that it was slightly burn on the edges but was otherwise quite tasty. "This is delicious, I'm sure Vanya would have loved it as well."

"Thank you." Ukraine didn't mind her sister laconic attitude and smiled warmly at her, the girl scowling darkly at the floor. Her sister had never talked much, but she cared deeply for her, always had even if the girl managed to land herself in trouble quite often...or the people around her.

Belarus left soon after, probably still irritated about not finding their brother but the older female knew that her anger won't last long. "I do hope she doesn't find him..." Poor Vanya would have a heart attack if she did. Tough she wondered where he had hidden this time for Belarus not to find him. Knowing her sister, she probably had searched the mansion and destroyed more than one thing during her search. "...I will go during the weekend to help him fix it back up."

As she returned to her room she noted it was just past ten o'clock. Yekaterina placed the yarn and almost finished scarf in a basket and returned it to her closet. Ukraine sighed as she removed the cardboard box at the bottom, tears already gathering on her eyes when she opened the lid. But she didn't have to cry now. Yekaterina placed the contents of the box across her desk and gazed hopelessly at them all.

She knew she wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight, like the night before and the one before that. But Yekaterina had long gotten used to going on without sleep. She had long gotten used to a lot if things.

Author's Notes: Vanya is a diminutive for Ivan, Tasha for Natasha which is also a diminutive for Natalya and Katenka is a diminutive for Yekaterina. I thought it would fit better if I used this instead of Japanese honorifics.