~Race Ya~

"Alright," America said squinting down at his map. "We're now entering Tomorrowland. There's lots of stuff to do here...it should be a blast!"

He chuckled at his rather bad joke and then sighed in exasperation when the man walking next to him said nothing. He turned his head slightly to look at the taller nation. He wasn't the only one giving Russia curious looks as they passed by. He'd dressed down somewhat for the occasion, jeans and a plain yellow t-shirt but his trademark long white scarf was wrapped securely around his neck. In the middle of August. In Florida. Yeah to say Russia stood out just a little bit amongst the tourists wandering around them was putting it mildly. America knew better then to point out that the scarf was a little out of place in the sweltering heat. It wouldn't do anything anyway Russia never took that think off even when he was sleeping, even when he was doing...other stuff... It had been there for as long as America could remember and death came rather swiftly and nastily to anyone that tried to take it from him. America had seen one of those highly deadly hissy fits back in the Old West days and had made a mental note to never try it himself.

The scarf was like a big long white security blanket.

America had made the mistake of teasing Russia about it only once. Back towards the beginning of the Cold War before America was taking it all that seriously. Russia's response had been to punch him so hard that his ears had rung for a week. That was the last time America ever made that mistake. It was also the last time that America made the mistake of telling any of the other Nations what happened when he and Russia happened to meet up privately. England had been so livid that America had thought he was going to go right out and put a bullet in Russia's head, he'd just barely managed to avert another war by distracting England with a babble about hamburgers. Considering some of the things he and Russia got up to later...yeah it was probably better that the other Nations didn't know about it.

He watched Russia's wide violet eyes take in the open area around them. There was a slight grin playing across his face that was either really sweet or really creepy. America could never tell with that grin until the very last minute and usually by then it was too late. His eyes narrowed and he took a step closer to the other nation. He'd been put on babysitting duty because his boss thought that Russia and Disney World might not be the best combination. In truth it was a duty that America didn't mind overly much. Not that he wouldn't rather be off causing trouble with Spain, France or Prussia or pestering England but...spending time with Russia wasn't that bad either when he was behaving which he had been all day. It had been...well...centuries really since he'd been able to spend any extended period of time with Russia that didn't end in an argument or angry sex. So far this seemed like it might be one of those rare days and for some reason he couldn't really understand that made him happier then it should. He supposed it was a good sign for further smoothing out the relations between the two countries. It was something that was high on his new bosses list of 'Things to Accomplish,' America had cautioned him not to get to hopeful about it. He and Russia weren't friends, they weren't even tentative allies really and he didn't see either happening any time in the near future if ever. Still the possibility that they might be able to meet in the middle on the same page more often then not was something to hope for.

"You alright?" he asked as he watched Russia's eyes trail what was obviously a family group with a mom, dad and a little boy and girl, they lingered longest on the girl and America didn't have to guess very hard as to who Russia was thinking about even after all these years.

"Da," Russia answered softly his eyes turning to meet America's. "I am fine.

"We can take a break if you'd like..." America said tentatively not sure if Russia was just brushing his question off because he was playing host country it was something Russia was known to do.

"No...I am fine," Russia repeated firmly. "Lets go have this blast you were so excited about..." his eyes twinkled just slightly in America's direction as he teased him.

America grinned back in response. "Alright so...if we go this way we should get to one of the best rides in the whole park!"

He glanced over his shoulder at Russia who raised an eyebrow in response and made a 'lead on' gesture. America turned and started off smiling softly to himself as he moved. Russia was so nice...almost fun...to be around when he was like this, when he was in the moment and...clear. Yeah clear was the best word for it. America didn't like to use the word sane when talking about Russia because in reality he didn't think that Russia was any more insane then any of the rest of them. He just...was less able to control and sift through the millions of voices they all carried around in their head on a daily basis. The voices of their people. They all got lost in them once in a while it just seemed to happen to Russia more often. And when he got lost like that he started getting paranoid and thinking that they were all going to abandon him. And when he got like that was when the grasping hands and 'one with me' tended to come out and make their presence known. Russia was very dangerous in those times, more dangerous then even he really realized. But in moments when he was clear he was almost...sweet, childlike...and actually a lot of fun.

America sighed and shook his head. They were at Disney World. Disney World was not the place for such heavy thoughts.

It was that moment he realized that Russia was no longer following him. He stopped in his tracks and turned back the way he'd come. He was relieved to find that Russia was only a few feet behind him. The other nation was staring in a direction slightly off the path that they were traveling on, out across a large open space crowded with people, with a smirk twisting across his features. America hurried back to him turning his head to look in the direction that Russia was looking not sure he wanted to see what was causing that look to cross the other Nations features.

That look on Russia was almost universally a very bad thing.

But he couldn't see anyone that might have drawn Russia's attention like that. Just a lot of tourists and a few attractions and far across the open area was a familiar triangleish round building that stood out above everything. Then it dawned at him what Russia was smirking at. On the side of the path was a bunch of road signs one pointing in the direction of the white building that declared in large happy looking letters that Space Mountain was in that direction. He grinned mischievously as he sidled up to Russia. The other Nation glanced out of the corner of his eyes which were twinkling in much the same manner.

"Wanna race?" America asked slyly.

"What do I get it I win?" Russia asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Well..." America drawled folding up the map and shoving it into his pocket. "I kind of thought I'd leave that up to you to decide..."

"Really...?" Russia drawled in the same tone of voice. "Oh the things I could ask for..."

"You'll have to beat me first," America said with a smirk.

"I think that I can manage that," Russia said.

"You didn't the last time..." America reminded him with a sunny smile as he recalled just what prize he had claimed the night Armstrong and Company had landed on the moon.

"That was a long time ago, America, I have learned quiet a bit since then..." Russia answered with a soft smile.

"Oh really...like what?"

Russia smirked and then without warning reached out and shoved America and then took off across the open area towards the ride. It wasn't a very hard shove, rather playful really, but it was enough to send America struggling to retain his balance and gave the older Nation a decidedhead start.

"Hey!" America squawked in indignation and then took off after Russia.

The annoying bastard was always cheating.

They dodged through tourists and staff who hollered after them as they passed by. America knew he was going to get in trouble for this but he didn't care. He used his slightly smaller size to his advantage and quickly caught up to Russia as the other Nation had to dodge around a large group of Japanese tourists at the last minute. America had seen them coming and easily adjusted his path so that he looped around them. The tourists looked startled only for a moment before they whipped out their cameras to record the strange event. America pulled ahead just as they reached the entrance his hand touching the sign just a few seconds before Russia's but it was enough to claim victory.

"Whoo, hoo!" he exclaimed happily as he danced in a circle around a panting Russian. "I won...I beat you again!"

His grin only grew as Russia lifted his head to glare at him. The expression on the other Nation's face was dark and not very easy to read. He was either thinking about punching America in the face...or kissing him. America decided that either option would probably not go over very well in the middle of Disney World so he opted for distraction.

"Come on," he said pulling out his special visitors pass and then shoving his hand into Russia's front jean pocket to pull out the other Nation's pass. Russia's expression turned smoldering and America shivered as the gaze swept over him. He knew exactly what sort of prize he'd be claiming later. He somehow thought Russia wouldn't mind it either. He looped his arm through Russia's and pulled him up towards the entrance. "Come on let me show you the stars!"

Russia muttered something under his breath in Russian that America's rather rusty ears picked out as 'I'll show *you* stars' but Russia allowed himself to be pulled forward. Because there was one thing they could almost universally agree on no matter what side of love/hate they were currently residing on it was space.

Even if it was just in the form of a roller coaster.

The End

-Space Mountain is an indoor roller coaster with, you may have guessed, a space travel theme. It originated at Disney World in Florida back in 1975. It is now located at all five of the main Disney theme parks and is widely regarded as the best/most popular ride in the parks. The ride located at Disney World is currently closed for renovations and has been since April of 2009 (it will reopen in November). We'll pretend for the sake of this silly fic that it's not.