A/N: I want to start by thanking everyone who put this story in their Alert. Please, stick with me through this, as I'm sure you'll enjoy it, despite the OCs. Read and review?
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2
He had summoned Russia over a few times now and each time, Wales was always left feeling much happier and less willing to join Scotland and Ireland in beating up England. Not only that, but he was also more willing to forgive Scotland and Ireland when those two would make fun of him for becoming too soft. That left those two confused and since he was so nice to England now, his youngest brother seemed to like to cling to him.
Sure, he still messed with England to the point where he made him cry... It was fun, after all. But he always did something to make up for it. He wondered if it was too soon to start teaching him magic... The again, it probably was. Ireland was the second youngest and only now learning magic from Scotland. That was why the two were spending so much time together nowadays.
He finished his summons and was happy to see Russia standing there, smiling at him.
"You called?"
Wales giggled. "Of course I called, silly! Who else would it be?"
Russia stepped out of the circle and went with Wales, upstairs. Wales looked back for a moment to erase the circle and put out the candles, and then left the home with his friend. Wales held onto Russia's hand and led the boy down the path.
"This way! Goch is nearby today and I want you to see him!"
"Your pet?" Russia asked.
He nodded. "Yes! He's Y Ddraig Goch."
"What does that mean?" Russia seemed interested in the language, a fact that made Wales proud for the moment.
"It means, the Red Dragon," he answered. "You'll see what I mean. I hope he's still there." Wales giggled and skipped ahead for a moment, looking around and then waving as he found what he was looking for. "Goch! I brought someone here to meet you!"
The dragon, small and red, looked up at Wales and flew over, landing in his arms. Wales petted him and turned around, displaying the dragon to Russia. "This is Goch! What do you think of him?"
Russia smiled, seeming to be impressed. "Goch really is red! Small too. Unlike big and strong polar bears from my home."
Goch snorted out a bit of fire indignantly and crawled up Wales's chest to rest around his shoulders and neck. Wales smiled and patted his dragon before looking at Russia again. "Well, Goch can be much bigger if he wants to. But it's easier for him to go unnoticed if he's this size. But what is a polar bear? I've heard of other kinds of bears, but never a polar bear..."
Russia giggled and threw his arms up above his head, stretching out his body. "Polar bears are vicious creatures! Huge! Bigger than us! They have white fur and hide in snow, looking for prey! They tear with sharp teeth and pull apart with sharp claws! I once saw a man killed by polar bear. There was blood everywhere." He mimed the actions as he described them.
Wales felt a little sick for some reason, but he didn't want to upset Russia. "O-Oh... That sounds... Scary... I'm glad I won't run into one here."
"I wouldn't let Wales be hurt by polar bear," Russia replied, affirming his statement with a nod. "Polar bears know not to mess with Russia."
He smiled at that, feeling better. "Good. Thank you." He felt Goch squirm and claw at his back. "Ouch! Goch, what's wrong?"
Goch growled and nodded his head towards a rabbit that was sitting nearby, innocent and unaware of the hungry dragon resting on Wales's shoulders. Wales sighed. "It's fine. Go ahead and eat. Russia and I will leave you to that."
The dragon shot off after the rabbit, chasing it away into the nearby bushes. Wales and Russia watched until the two animals disappeared. Then, Wales turned to Russia and took his hand to lead him off again.
"Wales has siblings, da?" Russia asked as they walked down the path. "When may I meet them?"
Wales frowned a little in thought. "I'm not sure if I want you to... We're supposed to do what Scotland tells us to do, since he's the oldest, but he doesn't really trust other people. He might make me never see you again."
"Then Scotland is silly if he thinks he can stop me," Russia replied with a small giggle. "Everyone will live together with me in one home eventually. Then none of us will have to be alone."
He giggled as well and leaned into Russia's arm. "That would be nice. It's very lonely here at times. For me, at least, when you're not around. Ireland and Scotland spend a lot of time together so that Scotland can teach Ireland magic... And England spends as much time as he can annoying France and vice versa. As for me, I have the animals, and I have you. But it would be so nice to spend time with plenty others like us, right?"
"Da," Russia agreed. "And if others do not agree, I can make them change their mind..."
Wales frowned a little, recognizing a bit of a dark aura around Russia. "Hmm... Russia... Do YOU know magic?"
"Hmm?" He seemed surprised by the question. "Da. Some. But I do not think it's same as your magic. Wales says too many words when casting."
"Should I try wordless casting?" Wales asked. "That's supposed to be very difficult to do correctly. That would be great if I could figure out how to do it before Scotland gets the chance... Maybe I can even learn to do spells without a wand!"
Russia smiled and patted Wales head. "Wales is so cute, trying to be better than others! But, Wales forgets that he is weak right now. Practice first, and then we'll see if you can be good magic user."
Wales pouted and crossed his arms, but decided not to argue. Russia did have a point after all. He heard Russia giggle and looked up just in time to be pulled into a hug.
"Wales is so adorable! I like having Wales as a friend!"
He had to smile at that and nuzzled into Russia. "I like having you as a friend too. Now let me go. I just thought of a good place to take you!"
The two continued on their way, following Wales's directions. After a while of walking, Wales was bent over, hands on his knees, and taking deep breaths. Russia seemed no worse off than he was before, despite how heavy his clothes were.
"Sorry," Wales huffed out. "I forgot how far away it is..."
"Will Wales be alright?"
"I-I'll be fine," he insisted, righting his position. "I'd hate to say I'm taking you somewhere only to be too tired to take you the entire way. Come on, let's..." He trailed off for a moment, listening closely to the sounds around them. "Did you hear that?"
Russia looked confused but then listened. "Baa?" he repeated the noise.
Wales bit his lip for a moment, and then stepped off of the path. "I want to check it out... Do you mind waiting here for me...?"
"...Da?" Russia sounded unsure for once. He frowned at Wales. "Will Wales be alright?"
"Well..." He frowned as well. "Scotland told me it's safer to stay on paths... But these are my lands. I'm sure I'll be safe. You wait here, I'll be right back."
"Why can I not go with you...?"
Wales didn't know how to answer that. "Um... Well... If this is what I think it is, I rather it not be frightened by a stranger. Though, I'll bring her here to meet you, if it is her... Do you understand what I mean...?"
"...Nyet." Russia continued to frown but waved Wales off. "Be back soon or I will come find you."
"Right. Sorry about this. Thank you." Wales rushed away in the direction he heard the noise come from. That was a sheep! He was sure of it! And, if he recognized it correctly, that was the one he was hugging the day he first met Russia! What was her name again? Yvonne? Yes, that was it. He looked around. "Yvonne? Yvonne, is that you?"
There was another baa and a sheep walked up to Wales. He giggled happily and bent down to give her a hug. "Oh, it is you! Remember the other day when my brothers were making fun of me for hugging you like this? Well, because of that, I made a new friend! Isn't that great?"
The sheep baaed, seemingly in agreement. Wales smiled and patted her head gently. He knew that sheep weren't the mindless livestock other people thought they were! A person just needed to take the time to understand them. "What are you doing so far from home? Are you going on an adventure?"
"Baa." That was a no. "Baaa."
"Oh, you're doing a chore for England's fairies. Well, I won't get in the way of that. I was going to ask you to meet my friend, but I understand if you're busy." Wales hugged the sheep again and gave her a small kiss. "You're such a good sheep. I'll see you at home, alright?"
"Baa." The sheep wandered off then. Wales waved it good bye and then left to go back and meet up with Russia. He hoped he wasn't taking too long for him. He'd hate to make Russia upset.
However, he had to stop on his way back due to a strange sound coming from somewhere nearby him. This was definitely NOT a sheep. He needed to get back to Russia. Not because he was scared, of course, but because he was late... Just then, something caught onto his shoulder and he hesitantly turned to face it.
Some strange man was smiling at him. It didn't seem like one of his citizens... Or one of any of his brothers' citizens. "Are you lost, child?" He spoke English, it seemed, but it sounded deliberate, as if he didn't speak it well.
"N-No," Wales answered back, remembering to use the same language. "I know where I'm going. I'm meeting my friend at the path."
"I was just there and I saw no one there."
"Impossible." Wales had a bad feeling about this. Maybe this was why Scotland didn't trust strangers. "I told him to wait for me. I need to get back to him now." He tried walking away again, but the man caught his shoulder again. "S-Sir...?"
"I assure you. No one there. Maybe your friend left you behind? I can take you home. For some payment."
Wales frowned. "I have no money."
The man chuckled and started fingering Wales's hair. "Maybe you can pay in other ways..."
Alright, now he was scared. He did the only thing he could think to do in this situation. "Yvonne! Help me!" he screamed.
That caused the man to scowl and clamp a hand over Wales's mouth. Wales struggled but kept getting caught again. Technically, he should be able to get away from this man. He should be stronger than a human. But he didn't want to hurt the man, and it was harder to show his strength against someone who was not his citizen or when he was scared. He couldn't even get to his wand in this position.
Russia was right. He was weak. And stupid, apparently! Why did he call for a sheep when Russia should still be nearby? Unless the man was right and Russia left him behind... No! That was impossible!
The man managed to get him against the ground, probably to make his struggles less effective. He was crying by now. He should have stayed on the path like Scotland told him to... Now he was probably going to be killed! Or at least hurt badly...
"Wales? Where are you?"
Russia? He tried to scream again to draw his friend's attention, but the man seemed to guess his intentions and pressed his face against the ground. He was starting to have trouble breathing due to his panicked state. This wasn't good.
At that moment, Russia managed to stumble across the situation. He tilted his head, seeming innocent and curious in contrast to what was going on. "Sir? What are you doing to my friend?" When did Russia learn English?
The man smiled. "Just run along, child. Your friend will find you when I am done."
"Oh." Russia didn't budge. Instead, he stared at the man. "But, you seem to be hurting him. I do not like it when people hurt my friends."
The man didn't say a word, but Wales could feel the man's hold on him loosen.
"You should be letting him go now, da? Or I will have to hurt you as well." Wales could hardly glance up, but he was able to see the same dark aura from before surrounding Russia. "And you do not want to be hurt, da?"
The man pulled his hands away from Wales who then immediately shot up and rushed to crouch behind Russia in fear. The man held his stomach and groaned before looking up at Russia. "D-Demon child!" he cried. "Evil warlock!" He hurried away, in a panic.
Russia waved and smiled at the man as he ran away but then looked down at Wales, seeming to glare. "Wales let someone dirty his cute face," was all he said.
Wales's eyes watered at that and he began to sob and cling onto Russia in an attempt at comfort. Russia seemed even more annoyed and picked up the crying male and carried him back to the safety of the path. Once there, Russia sat down at the side of it and patted Wales back comfortingly until the tears stopped.
It was then that Wales realized that his friend had carried him a good distance despite being younger than him and that he was currently in said friend's lap. "Sorry..." he muttered, burying his face into Russia's shoulder, "You're right. I am weak. I need to get stronger..."
Russia continued to pat his back for a moment longer before pulling Wales away from him so that they would be able to look at each other. "How does Wales know my name?"
"Y-Your name...?" Wales was confused by that question. Russia's name was Russia and Russia had told him that, right?
"My human name," Russia explained.
Wales continued to look confused.
"Ivan?" was the offer at further explanation.
"Yvonne?" Wales repeated. "That's your name? But that was the name of the sheep I was calling for!"
Russia took on a look of disbelief. "Wales called for a sheep instead of me?"
That caused Wales to blush and look away. "I was panicking..." He had to change the subject. "B-But Yvonne is a girl's name here! Do... Do you spell yours differently?"
Taking off a glove, Russia leaned over and tried not to disturb the person sitting in his lap. He began to trace out characters in the dirt of the path. Wales watched and was surprised by the letters. They looked nothing like the letters he was accustomed to! Russia put his glove back on after that and waited to hear Wales's response.
"I don't think we use the same alphabet," Wales giggled, slightly nervous.
"Da," Russia agreed. "I have seen your writing. Very different."
Wales stared at the letters again and the looked at Russia. "Well... Since I now know your name is Yvonne, may I call you that? Around humans, of course, if you don't want me calling you that in private."
"Da. If you tell me your name."
He smiled. "It's Gavin. Nice to meet you, Yvonne."
"Priyatno poznakomit'sya, Gavin," Russia smiled back in response.
Wales giggled and leaned into Russia's chest. It felt rather nice, being in his friend's big, strong arms... He placed his face into Russia's soft scarf and stayed there for a moment before he suddenly remembered something. "Russia...?" he glanced up, trying his best not to seem nervous. "What was it that you did to that man back there?"
That caused Russia to frown for a moment his smile quickly returned, along with the dark aura that seemed to be plaguing him. He patted Wales head and giggled. "He was hurting Wales, so I hurt him as well. I stare at him and think of how fun it is for him to be in pain. Then, he is in pain. What did Wales call it earlier? Wordless casting?"
"But that... That wasn't the type of casting I was talking about..." Wales frowned and tilted his head, partly in curiosity and partly in worry. "Russia, were you cursing him?"
"Hmm. Da. I suppose."
"O-Oh..." He wasn't sure how to feel about that. Scotland had always told him that cursing others was the worst thing a person could do with magic. But... Russia had saved him by using a curse... Maybe Scotland was wrong and curses weren't so bad? He wanted to find out... There was obviously more to it than he thought, and if Russia knew how to curse others... "Will you teach me?"
Russia blinked a few times, seeming to be in surprise. "Wales wishes to learn?"
"Well... Yes..." Wales tried not to blush. "I mean, you seem to know what you're doing, right? And it could be useful so that I don't have to be so weak all the time..."
The violet-eyed nation giggled and squeezed Wales close to him. "I will think about it, da? Figure out how to teach you. What does Wales already know?"
Wales smiled and rest his head on Russia's shoulder. "I'm good at summoning things. I've made up all of my summons spells on my own and the only one that didn't summon what I thought it would was the one that brings you here."
"Oh? What was Wales trying to summon...?"
He frowned but tried to hide it. "Um... A... A demon... I suppose I should be thankful that it called you instead. Though, I sometimes wonder why it did..."
Russia didn't answer that and instead held Wales tighter. Wales looked at his friend in confusion but then smiled and kissed the other boy's cheek.
"Thank you for saving me, Russia." He giggled. "You're my hero."
"Hero...?" Russia asked, suspiciously. "You are thinking that I am hero?"
"Of course! You did save me, after all. Who knows what that man would have done if you hadn't shown up?"
"I was only protecting what is mine..."
Wales raised his brow, which happened to be much larger than the other male's now that he thought about it. "Yours?" he asked.
"Da. ...Ah. My friend. Mine." Russia smiled brightly. "Comrade?" he continued to offer.
He giggled and nodded. "Right, right. I like you a lot, too. Too bad we don't live closer to each other."
Russia giggled as well and nuzzled Wales. "One day we will be able to see each other every day, Comrade! Everybody will be together in one home and we can share our room and be the closest of them all!"
Wales smiled. "That sounds great!" He looked up at the sky then and gasped once he noticed how low the sun was getting. "Oh! I need to get home! I still need to make supper for my brothers! I'm so sorry, Russia. I didn't get to take you to that place I wanted to..."
"Comrade can take me another day," Russia answered, standing up and continuing to carry Wales. He started to walk back to Wales's home.
"Russia!" Wales laughed. "I can walk on my own!"
"Nyet! Comrade might get hurt again! I will carry you!"
He laughed again. "Alright! Thank you, Russia!"
After they got back to Wales's home, Wales kissed Russia's cheek again and sent him home. He started to cook and was surprised to see Scotland come inside without Ireland tagging along. "Hello Scotland," Wales greeted. "Did you lose Eire somewhere?"
Scotland glared. "Naw. The lad's outside watchin' over a wild unicorn. It seems tae be sick but A cannae figure out why."
"Oh... Maybe I could look at it?"
"That's whit A came in fer."
Wales nodded and left Scotland to the cooking while he went to inspect the unicorn. Ireland waved him over and Wales looked at the mythical animal. It wasn't quite a pure white like most unicorns were; it was a little greyer than that. Wales could tell just by glancing at its eyes that it wasn't feeling well. "Oh, what's wrong? Not much can make a unicorn sick... They're known for healing, after all..." Wales kept a hand on the unicorn's side and walked around, in order to let it know where he was and keep it from getting frightened. After some examination, he frowned and looked up at the unicorn. It was currently focused on being petted by Ireland. "Eire?"
"Aye?"
"Go tell Scotland to get a restorative potion. The angel hair one. Alright?"
Ireland nodded and ran off. Wales watched him leave and then went back around to the front of the unicorn. "Oh, you poor thing... Your stomach hurts? How was that caused...? Did someone hurt you purposely?"
The unicorn whinnied and pressed the side of its head against Wales. He patted the creature in order to comfort it. Unicorns were pure and defenseless creatures. It was a crime in the wizarding world to hurt them. Whoever caused this one to be distressed would be in trouble.
The unicorn nibbled at Wales hair and he froze suddenly. He glanced into the eyes of the animal again. He recognized those eyes. They reminded him of the man from earlier...
Maybe unicorns weren't as pure as he had thought.
"Wales?" Scotland walked up to him, carrying the potion he was asked for. "Whit's wrong wit him?" His older brother actually sounded worried about this thing. Wales smiled and tried not to show his discomfort.
"N-Nothing major," he answered nervously. "Just feed it the potion and it'll be fine. I'll be inside." Wales tried to hurry away but Scotland caught his shoulder and he flinched.
Scotland frowned at him but let him go. "Is somethin' botherin' ye?"
"No." Wales said that almost too quickly. He had to watch himself. "But you left Ireland inside with the food. Who knows what he's doing to it? I better get inside, alright?"
"...Aye. Alright."
Wales hurried away. He had to get away from that unicorn. He didn't understand! Unicorns were supposed to be innocent creatures! Maybe... Maybe he was mistaken and the similarity in eyes were just a coincidence? Yes, that was it. ...He should probably do more research first, just in case... But first... "Ireland! Get out of that soup right now!"
"Aw...!"