A/N: So, just wanted to say, thanks for the reviews and alerts and all, and I'm aware that I am new to this, so if you have some advice, please take a minute to tell me. Thanks!

Awakening

The whole house – no, mansion was a more fitting word – was quiet.

And not a comfortable quiet, either. To Gilbert, it seemed as if the house was dead. He hated the silence, though, in all fairness, a house should be quiet at 2 in the morning.

But Gilbert's state of mind prevented him from registering that simple fact. All he knew was the house was quiet.

Sickeningly so.

Very sickeningly so.

And he was scared.

He couldn't go back to sleep because the dreams would come and chase him back out of it.

But when he stayed awake, the unreal silence felt too similar to the nightmares he used to have as a child.

Being alone in a world without colours and sound.

Gilbert couldn't really decide which type of nightmare was worse. The being-alone ones or ex-nation ones. At the end, he supposed they were both even..

Stop thinking about that. Gilbert hissed to himself.

Gilbert started thinking about what he would do once he got away from Russia to occupy himself.

Not that he was totally evil.

Sometimes he could almost believe Russia wasn't the monster he was claimed to be. He knew the beatings were for Punishment, not fun - contrary to Popular Opinion. Ivan told them how much it hurt him every time he had to do it. Ever since he had arrived here, he had had only three beatings.

Not exactly a reason for celebration, but this was Russia, our friendly neighbourhood Psychopath, so that had to count for something, didn't it?

Oh fuck he didn't really need a fucking guilt complex to top it all off..

..not that it mattered. He had a full-out Guilt Complex now, but he - being the awesome Empire that he was - pushed those thoughts to the periphery and focused on talking loudly to himself about his Future Plans.

Ivan stood outside Gilbert's door, listening to the silver-haired man ramble to himself about what he was going to do once he was free from Russia.

Why does he want to leave? he thought, coming to the conclusion that little Gilbert just didn't understand what was good for himself. After all, he was known to be headstrong, wasn't he?

But knowing him, he'll probably try to leave very soon..Russia couldn't allow that.

That small voice in the corner of his mind spoke up : Make him love you.

Satisfied with his solution, Ivan made his silent way back to his room

A/N: grrr..at last..the frustrating Gorundwork behind me..I can now concentrate on Plot..er...wait, what plot? /shot/

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