"There, that wasn't so difficult, now was it?"

Russia and Chun Yan sat, side by side, on the bank of the small lake behind her home, a picnic basket full of lovely things she had cooked for them open nearby. The reason they were here in the first place was- well, it was because Chun Yan was teaching Russia to swim.

Because the land Russia personified was so cold most of the time, he'd never had the opportunity to learn. When Chun Yan had heard this, she was surprised. "But that will never do, Vanya," she told him (she had begun referring to him by this nickname as of late, and he rather liked it). "Everyone should know how to swim."

"I think I am too old to learn now, Chun Yan," he answered sheepishly. "Nonsense," she replied, smacking his arm lightly. "Don't say such things. As long as you live, you still can learn. I'm going to teach you to swim." Russia smiled at Chun Yan's enthusiasm. I hope I don't disappoint her, he thought...

Now, after a few months, it was the hottest part of the summer and, although he wasn't going to win any Olympic medals, Russia was now at least a competent swimmer. After their lesson had finished, they changed out of their swim clothes and sat down to enjoy their meal.

"I told you that you could learn, Vanya," Chun Yan teased, eyes twinkling as she glanced at him. He was happily devouring the delicacies she had prepared... swimming was a much more strenuous activity than he had imagined it to be when he started out, and now he had worked up quite an appetite.

"Well," he commented, chuckling and grinning back at her, "I had an excellent teacher, da?" She teasingly poked him, and he caught hold of her hand...

"Spasibo, Chun Yan," he said softly. "You don't know how much you've done for me lately." Chun Yan looked momentarily taken aback at his sudden seriousness, but then she squeezed his hand.

"You're quite welcome," she answered softly, moving closer to him. "You... I will say you have done the same." The two of them sat looking at each other wordlessly for a few minutes... until Russia spoke, breaking the silence.

"Hearts are funny things, da?" he said quietly, slipping his arm around Chun Yan. At first, he questioned the wisdom of this move, fearing she would be offended... but to his relief, she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "You can try to control them all you like, but... they have... I guess you could say a mind of their own."

Chun Yan laughed softly, a delicate and pretty sound, then she carried on with his train of thought, almost as though she could read his mind. "Shi... not only that, but just when you think they're broken beyond repair... they mend. And even though it would be wrong to say you forget... you never do..."

"It doesn't matter as much anymore," Russia finished, tightening his arm around her.

"You move forward," Chun Yan added, putting her arm around Russia.

"And..." Russia suddenly giggled.

"And what?" Chun Yan said, poking him again.

"And... you start feeling and talking like you're in a silly romance novel or something like that," Russia said, giggles overtaking him. Chun Yan stared at him for a moment... then she too began to laugh. After a few minutes, they both were gasping for breath.

"We did sound like some terrible romance novel, didn't we?" Chun Yan exclaimed, wiping her eyes.

"Da," Russia answered, smiling at her. "But I won't hold that against you."

"What?" she answered in a mock indignant tone. "If I recall, Mr Braginsky, YOU started the whole exchange..." he shushed her by putting his hand over her mouth.

"Shh... let's just start from here, da?" Russia took both her hands and looked into her eyes. "Chun Yan Wang, you are... the first one who has made me truly happy in almost a hundred years... and I..." he got flustered. "I am sorry, I can't find the words to say what I'm saying..."

"You don't have to say it, Vanya," Chun Yan whispered, gripping his hands tightly. "I know... and I feel the same..." She reached for him, putting his arms around her neck... just as he began tickling her. She yelped and began squirming, trying to get away from him. He finally released her when he saw the wrath in her eyes...

"We were getting into bad-novel territory again," he shouted over his shoulder as she chased him around her back yard. "But I still love you, Chun Yan!"

Chun Yan continued her pursuit, ladle in hand, and shouted in reply, "I love you too, Vanya, but when I catch you, I'm going to..."

o0o0o0o0o0o0

Okay, I just had to break up the sappiness. It was getting out of hand. And fem!China is just as much a spitfire as China, so that last part wasn't OOC at all. And I see Russia as being the playful type... maybe not really completely comfortable with really romantic-type stuffs. Hence his getting silly when he gets in that type of situation (much like this author).

At least Vanya told her he loves her! Yayayayay!

I promise this time, I'll update faster. I am so sorry I took so long... between work, the loss of a much loved family member and some other personal events, I haven't had much time to write. But now things are different, so I will finish this soon. (I just have one more part I want to finish this out with.)