December 30th

Lithuania already knew he wouldn't survive. There was no way any of them were going to make it out alive on such a day. Every year it continued to get more disastrous, but this year was different, it was going to be much worse. Instead of making the Baltic's slave away while he went and conquered, or to the country's dismay be forced to visit his sisters, Russia actually wanted to celebrate…with them.

December 30th.

It was circled, big and red, on all their calendars, like an inescapable omen. Lithuania couldn't believe it'd finally arrived. He'd gone through the entire month of December being haunted by it, getting a stomach ache every time he thought about it. December 30th…December 30th…

"Lithuania!"

"Ah!" He cried.

Lithuania's shoulders shook as he turned to his brother country.

"Estonia…" Lithuania said distantly, "You scared me…"

"There's no time to be scared, Lithuania!" Estonia replied, even though his voice shook just the same, "I thought you were decorating?"

Lithuania eyed the bag of cavetti in his hands, still full. Latvia had said the stuff was supposed to be thrown all around, but… how could he do that, it would make a mess all over Russia's things. He was going to be home soon. He couldn't just… he hadn't even found a place to hang the streamers of sunflowers without something old and fragile being in the way. Decorating would just make a mess and then Russia would…Russia would…

"I…" Lithuania stuttered, "I am…"

He reached into the bag and held a pinch of cavetti in front of them. The two Baltics held their breath as he prepared to release his fingers. His hand quaked.

"I can't do this!" Lithuania wailed in defeat, "We know nothing about throwing parties! Since, when have we ever had to prepare for such a thing?"

"Lithuania! We can't give up! See, Latvia hasn't lost hope!"

They looked over. Near the door of the kitchen there was Latvia, facing the wall with his head against it and an almost empty bottle in hand.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Russia," the young boy chanted, darkly, "Happy birthday, Mr. Russia… Mr. Russia…"

Estonia rushed over to him, with a comforting hand on his shoulder, startling the boy.

"Latvia! You must remember that Mr. Russia wants this to be a surprise birthday party. We have to wait until he's in the kitchen to tell him that."

"Yes…" Latvia said through chattering teeth, "Yes, surprise. Happy… happy birthday… Mr. Russia."

Lithuania bit his lip and scanned the room. The large kitchen was exactly the same, nothing had gotten done. The only thing that was ready was the giant cake with sunflower's shaped in icing, which had been a gift from France. The cooking Estonia had been working on was in an unorganized mess spread across the counters and stoves. It was hard to find what Russia had really wanted from it.

They were doomed.

They needed some advice from someone that knew what they were doing.

Lithuania stood and glided out of the kitchen, past a desperate, whining Latvia clinging to Estonia, and into the entrance room. He slowly grabbed for the phone, and stared at it for awhile. When he was in need of help there was only a single country he called, and that one country had pulled through for him before. With nervous fingers he dialed.

It seemed to ring forever. What was he thinking anyway, calling him? But, they were friends, though in an odd way, surely he would be able to simply…

"Hey! Like who is this? I'm totally way too busy trying to paint my toes the same color as my eyes to talk right now."

"Poland." Lithuania snapped.

"Liet," Poland's scoffed into the line, "Why are you calling me? I just told you I'm very busy with important things and stuff."

"Poland. I just… I really need your help."

"Oh." The country's voice perked over the receiver, "Liet is in need of my amazing and powerful might. I so wish I could see your helpless face right now."

"Feliks," Lithuania gritted his teeth, "its Mr. Russia's birthday today. I really just need some tips on getting ready for his surprise party, I…"

"A party!"

"Yes, a party. Can you just tell me some tips...?"

"I'm all about parties! I totally know all about them. I can't wait!"

"Feliks, wait!"

"This is so awesome! I'm so on this, Liet! Just wait…!"

Lithuania blinked at the phone. The line was dead.

What had all of that meant? Poland had given him nothing. He still didn't have the house decorated and Russia was due back any minute and he was expecting to be surprised!

With a surprising loudness the knob of the front door turned. Lithuania's heart froze at the sight. The two other Baltic countries were suddenly at his side and shaking up an earthquake already. They watched with big eyes as the door very slowly began to open, a dark purple aura entering first and then revealing a smiling Russia.

"I'm home, da!"

"Mr. Russia." Latvia approached him cautiously.

Russia smiled down at him.

"Happy Birthday, Mr. Russia." The boy blurted out.

Estonia and Lithuania blanched, "Latvia!"

Russia's smile grew.

"I'll be in the kitchen." Estonia stated and was gone.

Damn, that Estonia, always getting away. Lithuania watched as Latvia got his head patted by the bigger country, practically driving him into the floor. He really hoped Russia wasn't expecting much when he went into the kitchen or else they were probably going to be partitioned more… or worse.

"Neh," Russia chimed, "Latvia, is that one of my vodkas you have drained again?"

"No…no…Ah, I mean…I'm...I'm sorry... !"

Lithuania sighed. He glanced over to where Estonia had reappeared next to him. But, there was something different now. Estonia looked like he had already been killed.

Lithuania gulped, "Um, Estonia, is something wrong?"

Estonia stared ahead, "Po…Po…Po…"

"Oh no!" Lithuania squealed and grabbed his hair in anguish, "Did something happen to the potato kutleti?"

"Po…po…"

"The pork?"

"Po…po…"

"Oh god, it was the pot meat. I knew that was too much of a challenge to cook!"

Lithuania ran for the kitchen. He flung into the doors. Maybe, he could quickly salvage the food before Russia saw it. He stopped once inside and his heart gave out.

Poland was in the kitchen.

Poland was in Russia's home.

He was half hanging on the counter top with a finger in the cake's icing. The confetti was everywhere, but mostly on him, and the streamers were wrapped around every available space. Oh…god.

"Oh, Liet! There you are!" Poland hollered, "The party can start now, I'm here! I, like, have been waiting so long for you. Where were you? What kind of lame party did you have going? You hadn't even thrown the confetti, so my favorite part-"

"Poland, wh...why are you here?!"

He barely heard Estonia, who had followed him, when he said, "I'm gonna go find a bow."

Lithuania ignored him and circled the counter while Poland popped a sunflower of icing off the cake and into his mouth.

"Liet, we totally should'a done something like this awhile ago. I had no idea you liked parties now, you used to always be such a killjoy about them."

"Poland," Lithuania hissed and held out shaking hands to him, "Why…why are you here? If Mr. Russia gets a hold of you then…"

Russia's sing-song tone approached, "What's in the kitchen? Kolkolkol."

"Ah! He's coming!" Lithuania shrieked.

"Who?" Poland said, mouth full, "Like, I totally…"

Poland didn't finish because Lithuania picked him off the counter and bent down to try and shove him in a bottom cabinet.

"Liet, what do you think you're doing?" Poland protested.

"Poland! Please! Just wait a second."

"Oh, look sunflowers!" Russia exclaimed.

He entered the kitchen with a stunned Latvia being dragged behind him like a toy. Lithuania stood up, threw his arms in the air, and shouted,

"Surprise!"

"Oh," Russia stopped and breathed, "You surprised me, Lithuania."

Lithuania's chest heaved, "Wha…really?"

Should he be suspecting a garden pipe to strike him next, was it a good surprise or a bad one? Surely, he was about to be killed. He flinched when Russia moved, but the man only moved beside him to suspect the birthday cake better, as if he were a little child seeing one for the first time.

Lithuania took a long, deep breath. Then, took it all back in when he heard the door to the other side of the cabinet slam open. Latvia standing beside it went wide eyed. Lithuania flew around the counter and was immediately bowled over, down to the floor. Poland rolled over him and took fistfuls of his hair before he could recover.

"Liet! You dare challenge my way mightier might!"

"Did you say something, Lithuania?"

Lithuania stood up so fast that he dumped Poland to the ground.

"Um…I, um, erm…"

Russia was smiling, "Lithuania, you sure are energized today, da?"

Lithuania laughed nervously. It stopped at the sound of a crash at the other end of the kitchen. He glanced down. Poland was gone.

He gulped and croaked, "Let's go open your gifts, Mr. Russia!"

They filed into the entrance room, quickly, at the urge of Lithuania. Latvia was tugged along again by Russia, who seemed to have gotten really excited, almost in a less sadistic way. Lithuania didn't know if that was a good or bad thing yet, he just hoped all the bad would be gone when he finally found Poland… oh god; that was a bad thought.

There was another crash in the kitchen. Russia turned his head to the door.

"Here, my gift!" Lithuania proclaimed, thrusting out the neatly wrapped present.

"Oh." Russia said.

He gently took the gift. With eyes a light he started into it, slowly, like he was trying really hard to restrain himself from tearing it open. He carefully folded the wrapping down and was intent on the box he found underneath it all. He tossed aside the top of it, revealing the nicely placed coat inside.

Then, he raised an eyebrow, "Don't I own this already?"

Latvia started to rattle in his boots.

Lithuania shifted, "I… I fixed it up for you. Not…not that it was old and worn out or anything and it's really not that you're only attached to wearing antiques, be…because they're not antiques! It's really okay to wear that kind of stuff, I just thought since you like it so much that maybe you'd want it to last longer, and it was really, really worn out… not that that's a bad thing or…!"

"Thank you, Lithuania." Russia said, sincerely, "This is the nicest gift I've ever received."

Lithuania struggled for a breath.

"I…uh… you're welcome." He returned.

But, Russia was too busy to hear; excitedly he searched around the room for the next gift. Lithuania was still shock. Russia had never gotten anything better?

"Mr. Russia!"

Lithuania remembered Poland. He froze at Estonia's yell and twisted around. Estonia had burst from kitchen with something held over his head and immediately Lithuania found it wasn't just something, it was someone, and it wasn't just anyone, it was Poland; with his arms wrapped to his sides and a bow tied around his head.

"Mr. Russia! I have your best gift yet!"

Lithuania ran, like he used to back when he was a headstrong warrior, and tackled Estonia and Poland back into the kitchen and sprawling across the tile. Lithuania didn't stop there. He hastily picked up Poland and raced out the back door, tripping on the top step and slamming into the snow.

He groaned, he was getting way too old for that kind of activity. With difficulty he opened his eyes and was met with very furious green ones.

"Po…Poland."

"Liet." The blonde growled.

"Y…yes?"

"This," Poland began, "was a not so lame party."

Lithuania blinked, "Really?"

"Yeah!" Poland rose, shook off the snow vigorously, "I, like, didn't know you had it in you, Liet! Not as great as my parties, but way more better than I expected from you. You did good, Liet!"

Lithuania managed a smile in return, "Um, thanks, Feliks…"

"Yeah, whatever, hey, like, what was this party for anyway?"

A dark shadow fell across them. Lithuania's head creaked as he turned to find Russia standing there. His eyes were sparkling at Poland.

He cooed, "Happy birthday to me."

I had this lying around for a long time, for a kind of character study, and decided to finish it up in time for Russia's birthday. Happy birthday you adorable giant!