Kaliningrad is furious when he hears he is not to join the world meeting. Even useless trembling Latvia is allowed to go.
"Why can't I come?" Kaliningrad complains. It's not whining when he does it of course.
"You are not even a country," Lithuania says with more acid than expected. "Of course you're not welcome."
"You are just jealous because my oblast is more militarized than your stupid country."
"I don't even want Russian military all over my-" Lithuania puts his hands over his mouth and falls quiet but it is too late.
"Really?" Russia says and his aura of darkness sweeps over them all. Latvia trembles uncontrollably but Kaliningrad is happy. Misery loves company.
After traumatizing the Baltics a bit further Russia takes Kaliningrad aside.
"Comrade Stalin says you are not going, so you will stay here, da?"
"Yeah, yeah, but don't expect me to clean up your breakfast mess..." Kaliningrad is an enclave, not a conquered nation and he has decided it makes all the difference. He can be trusted while the Baltic nation can't, the boss said so himself.
Russia giggles creepily. "Liet can do that," he agrees. "You are so cute with that troubled face but-"
"But what the boss says will be," Kaliningrad finishes.
Stalin is probably worried the former empire would start to openly chant for bloodshed, rile up Russia and escalate things beyond control. He totally would, Kaliningrad admits to himself with a smile. A cold war is so incredibly boring.
Back when he was still Prussia things had looked bleak when Russia dragged him back to the motherland as his battered trophy. Prussia had been livid, though possessing enough survival instinct to direct the brunt of his angry rants towards the other allied forces, especially America. If he hadn't been on the losing side Prussia wouldn't had much against Russia. Sure, the man was obviously insane but he had never been afraid of throwing himself into war and get down and dirty. Not like America who whined at the other side of the world like some attack on one little base was the worst thing ever when the war never even reached his own soil. Prussia hated young whiny countries, he even hated his own brother for his breakdown during their defeat. Prussia screamed out his defiance against the winners but he wouldn't be caught dead breaking down crying or something equally pathetic.
Russia's boss was very amused by the fallen kingdom. Without his insistence Prussia would probably have been dissolved and gone. Instead he was offered the shattered remains of Prussia's former capital and a new name. And even more important, a promise to be a part of the new world order. Prussia pushed aside the pain of the last of him being destroyed and his people dying and said yes. If his people couldn't stand against Russia he would rather be a nation of stronger Russian citizens.
When he stopped being Prussia Kaliningrad had found himself almost wishing he didn't have to share Stalin with Russia. Stalin might not be Frederich II but he has such dreams, such potential, if he could just restrain himself a bit...
"I hate gulags and prison camps and all that shit. It's messy, it's unpleasant and we should be out conquering instead of dealing with that," he says when Stalin is far away.
"Sometimes I have to be a stern parent," Russia says, almost wistfully. "My children have a long history of not behaving nicely..."
Kaliningrad shudders. Yeah, war is one thing, but you are not supposed to kill your own citizens.
Despite everything Kaliningrad finds himself grieving when Stalin passes on only a few years later. The three of them could have done so much more together.
One almost feels sorry for Russia's bosses these days. Russia demanding the reclaiming of the Baltic states and more in one ear, Kaliningrad begging for war with anyone in the other. Kaliningrad wanting nuclear weapons (and of course use them, what is the point of having weapons of awesomeness if you aren't going to push the button?) and Russia agreeing he should have them.
Currently Putin is on top of the situation, he knows exactly how to placate Russia. He promises world conquest, soon, the time just isn't right... Kaliningrad doesn't believe him but Putin keeps Russia happy and there is nothing the enclave can do but wait. He is an old nation and what is a few more human life cycles? Sometimes he is so tired and going down in a blaze of glory sounds more and more appealing. Perhaps Russia feels the same way he does, perhaps he just don't understand the implications of today's more effective warfare. It doesn't matter, not when they are both on the same page and spend pleasant evenings together toasting for a glorious future.
Sooner or later there will be a boss who gives in and let them have what they want. Then the world will remember the awesomeness of Prussia. Ehm, Russia, Kaliningrad corrects himself. Russia.