Toris had not spoken with Feliks in the past week since the meeting. It was not as if she could bring her mind away from the Russian for too long. The week before when they had shared something neither of them suspected the other to have had left her dazed. She even found herself trying to remember exactly what he tasted like. Of course, she recalled, when they were embracing each other that day, they had to come apart once they realized that the entire meeting had ended and voices down the hall broke them apart. The two of them had scattered apart and to their homes before anyone could suspect anything of them. A squirming feeling haunted her everytime she thought back on it, but it wasn't necessarily unpleasant.

The brunette hummed while doing some cleaning around the house. It's been very quiet the past week; no Feliks over, not too many business calls... I wonder if Ivan will ever stop by...

She mentally slapped herself for thinking of him so fondly. It wasn't as if she didn't...it just felt strange. It made her feel as if she had some sort of disease. Spending so long on the verge of hating the man as he had done so many things. So many horrible things with that twisted smile on his face. It was just wrong. And yet everything about him was so...fascinating. Toris had to wonder if being a woman really had anything to do with it or if it had just brought their feelings forward more rapidly. Whether that was the reason or not, she still was annoyed with being like this for so long. A joke is a joke, Feliks, but I want my normal body back!

She sighed heavily and leaned back onto a kitchen chair. Who was to say nations had actual genders anyway? Sure they had a body structure of male or female, but weren't they all embodiments of land and people under a set of laws? Maybe the only thing in Toris that had changed at all had been his body, but their souls were neither male nor female. As long as their population would have at least one woman or one man, a nation could never be just one being. Maybe becoming a woman had nothing to do with it. Maybe I'd loved Ivan for a long time and never realized... The chain of thought was interrupted suddenly when she lost her balance and tumbled backwards onto the floor.

"...silly clutz" she murmured at herself as she climbed off the floor, rubbing her sore backside and lifting the chair back into its legs with her foot. When she straightened out, she winced at the pain that shot up her spine. Well, today was just going to be one of those days.

Just as she picked her washing cloth back up, she heard a knock on the door. Eduard did say he wanted to stop by to discuss recent economic changes earlier in the week, and more than likely Raivis would be tagging along. She should have remembered to bake something for them! As she made her way to the door, she winced at the back pains. Putting on the smile the Lithuanian was remembered for, she opened up and nearly fell back over again at the towering grin that she found.

Ivan stood sheepishly at the doorway, dressed quite casually. 'Expecting to be let in', she assumed, so she stepped aside for him. "Hello, Mr. Russia."

He turned to look at her with a rarely seen glimmer in his eyes. "Toriya, you were cleaning?"

She looked down at the apron she had over her around-the-house garbs. "Why, yes. I was."

He responded with a bright smile, then faced the ground rubbing two thumbs together. "I wanted to visit before but was a little busy."

Well, he was not lying, was he? The Russian pondered this. He hadn't been so busy that he could not stop by, but he was considering a lot about what his older sister had told him; that trying too hard to be with his Toris would backfire into having Toris avoid him all over again. When he noticed the brunette just staring at him, he fished out the world wide conversation tool. "How are you?"

The Lithuanian looked taken aback. "Ah, very well? You?"

Somehow, in the Russian's head, this response is an invitation to smother the Lithuanian and she found her face buried in the breast of his coat. Arms squeezed tightly around her and the owner made a happy noise.

Toris hissed as the pain up her back exploded with the force of his arms. The Russian only cooed in his ecstatic high of holding his precious. "Something wrong, Toriya?

A nervous laugh followed by a pained grunt as she tried to push away from the vodka and winter-air scent. She cringed as it only succeeded in bringing more pain. "I-Ivan."

He only pulled back when his name was croaked out. "Toriya, you are hurting, yes?"

"How did you guess?" It was hard to hide the sarcasm in that, sadly. More composed, "I'm fine, Mr. Russia."

He tilted his head, expression hard to read. "Why are you hurting?" She tried to brush off the question, along with the fact that his pale bangs fell over his eyes in a way that looked almost ridiculous on someone she had found intimidating.

"Fell and hurt my back earlier. Nothing serious" she said when he continued staring persistently for an answer.

Ivan smiled and continued insisting she would lay down or get some warm damp cloth to put on it, but Toris would much rather get to baking the rye bread she was donning on then let the Russian go a step over her. It was a long built habit of trying not to show too much weakness around anyone; especially him. Habits were hard to break after all, and she had to admit, despite the turn of events, she might always hold a splinter of fear as long as her scars remained embedded in flesh and mind.

She wobbled as steadily as she could muster back to the kitchen. The afternoon sun shone onto the walls, leaving a homier look about it. "So, did you want something?" she asked warmly as clanks and ruffled sounds came from the kitchen and Toris found materials to cook with.

"I wanted to see you." he smiled.

I wanted to see you, too... "Oh."

He pattered into the kitchen soon after and stood at the doorway, admiring his cute little Toris bustle about with cooking, just like once upon a time in a large mansion only this time, he was a guest. He wondered how much Toris still felt of the last time they had seen each other. She had actually kissed him. It still made his heart burn with passionate warmth just to recall. He had had to keep himself from tearing up in front of her, in fact. After centuries of living the way he did, having his precious love him back was almost like having one of those dreams you never want to wake up from. But he wasn't dreaming, was he? As if to test whether he was dreaming or in some vodka induced fantasy or not...

"Does Toriya love me?" He inquired in a featherlike voice.

She froze in place, silent. He felt his heart pace quicken uneasily. "I w-wouldn't have spent that meeting with you b-before if I hadn't..."she said, glad her head was turned and he could not see her blushing.

"Why?"

"Well, because...", her arms, which were kneading dough, began making uncomfortable shakes as she groped through her mind clumsily. She must have been silent too long, she realized with dread as she heard something move behind her and a hand clamp roughly over her shoulder. Closing her eyes, bracing herself, the fingers curled and Ivan's whine broke her train of thought.

"I would be upset if Toriya was not really wanting to be with me~"

A shaky sigh escaped her and she turned around, looking up at the towering man who slowly retreated his hand from her. He was still expecting an answer, though, she could see in his eyes. "Because you..." her mouth closed and opened a few times. Why was it so hard to say this to him? What did she love about him?

His eyelids drooped ever slightly and his smiling expression was suddenly colder. "Ah. I understand." he said with a much more saturated tone of 'happiness' and turned, sweeping out the door with heavy footsteps.

So the Lithuanian was lying? Was this a game? Was this revenge for the years he kept her and her brothers at his mansion? Ivan did not find this funny! Perhaps she was trying to be nice, but this was a very cruel thing to do. You didn't pretend to be somebody's friend. Because when they finally leave you, it hurts way too much...

He passed the porch and tread through the garden. Ivan had shown Toris way too many of his heart's feelings and genuine smiles. This made it hurt so much more to be lied to than lied to by someone who you knew suspected horrible things of you. Before Toris, it seemed basically everybody had only feared him...Maybe he gave them reason to.

His steps slowed to a stop as the depressing thoughts hit harder. He took a deep breath, trying to reason that maybe he had overreacted. Garden greens surrounded him, a simple yet calming sight. Emotions truly did tend to be quite troublesome, the Russian thought to himself. Smiling and starting again from square one was probably the best option. Being strong enough to have everybody grow to like you-

His head shot up and he heard a noise behind him. Not turning his head, he pretended to observe the garden, straightening his slumping shoulders.

"Mr. Russia?" That same cursed sweet voice.

When she was a mere two meters behind him, he turned his head, a large grin masked over his inner features. "Your garden is lovely, Toriya."

She smiled weakly. "Thank you." Then they were both silent.

"Mr. Russia. Ivan." she corrected. "You can be very fun to be around, and well... the way you smile and care for things...even if you have an odd way of doing so..." Ivan stared at her.

"There are glimpses I have seen in you all these years... You get so excited over very simple things. I have seen... you do bad things... and I have also seen bad things done to you. You probably hurt the most out of all of us, Russia. I have always noticed that, but I was never sure. When I see you in your most normal state... You are simply a hardworking person with a simple and sweet dream to have family, to be in a field of sunflowers... You are... very refreshing and cute, it is just hard to get close and see it with the damage done to our minds in our very long and difficult lives... " she trailed off, worrying she was only going to trigger bad memories and make him unhappy. And he's predictably unpredictable, she added silently.

Ivan couldn't tell if the grin he was wearing was real or fake anymore. "Toris is telling me why she loves me?"

She gingerly touched his shoulder, cheeks burning pink. "Taip. Iva- look at me. There. I'm telling the truth. I..." Her colored face turned downward, no longer able to hold his gaze too long while speaking such a way to him.

"I love everything about Toriya." he said distantly, not seeming to react to the Lithuanian's failure to complete her statement.

She smiled, hair tousled over her lifted cheeks and eyes reflecting the garden greens behind her. Ivan gave a small chuckle and snuck his arms around her waist, leaving his face against her shoulder. So maybe she would not admit it but as long as he could help it, Toris will be his. She smoothed a hand through his fluffed blonde hair, fingers slipped through the milky curves. He made a small noise and lifted his face, nose practically pressing into hers. Slowly but surely their faces moved closer and the two shared a tender kiss.

"Let's go back inside." said Toris uneasily, finding this awkward from both being outside of walls and growing a desire to kiss him again. Ivan gave his answer by placing another firm kiss on her cheek.

"Ivan- N-ne-!" Lips trailed back to the warmer pair and pressed in. Toris made a muffled protest which was drowned out into a small moan. Her fingers wrapped back into the blonde's hair and she tilted her head, deepening it. Ivan's mouth dig eagerly yet gently against the Lithuanian's and she was beginning to fear losing her self control with how fast and heated her body was getting. Suddenly, they pulled apart for breath, Ivan's warmth blowing over her cheek as he stared at her. She was half thankful and half sullen that it ended.

His hands gripped tightly onto her shirt and he leaned in again, deciding this was too good to end so soon.

"I-Ivan!" Toris gasped before her mouth was engulfed more passionately. The Russian's hands released her shirt, sliding slowly up the curve of her back and to her face where he cupped each of her cheeks, holding the frantic Lithuanian's head in place. Having no choice or strength to resist, she kissed back, pressing forward against her former tormenter. They each felt a thousand songs would burst through them as they tasted each other, blending from two unsure beings into a heart-bound unit.

Just as she felt the man's mouth widen against hers, a sound suddenly brought the rest of the universe back around them.

"Mnh- Stop, Ivan, stop!" she whispered gruffly, pulling away. What caught her side vision just then struck her mute. Raivis and Eduard, from the walkway to the front door, stood there, staring at them. Raivis seemed to be shaking, watery eyes wide as golf balls. Eduard looked particularly pale, stiff beyond shaking. Both gazes were fixed wide on what Toris realized with horror was the two of them. This must be what being slammed in the face with a ton of bricks feels like.

Ivan's face acquired a rosy color. "Good Afternoon Estonia; Latvia~" He chirped despite the embarrassment radiating in his expression. Nobody spoke as the four shared the most stiffened silence in history.

Finally, Eduard regained a bit of color in his face and cleared his throat. "Good afternoon." Something died a little inside for those two as the guilty couple finally released each other as if just remembering.

Nobody spoke of the ordeal. They all went inside, ate rye bread, and avoided eye contact through forced conversation as Eduard made his discussion on recent economic changes brief. Toris couldn't help but realize how blank his expression looked as he spoke. The poor man must have shut down his emotions to prevent mental breakdown. Raivis was holding back tears and shaking enough to loosen the legs of the chair he sat on. Toris felt sick to her stomach from embarrassment and guilt. It must have felt like she was betraying them. Ivan only sat there silently and listened, not even daring to pester his little Raivis today. Nobody spoke of it.

The two younger of the Baltics had eventually left, forcing a cringed smile as they bid farewell. It was her and Ivan again.

"Toriya, are you...?"

"I think I should finish cleaning." she cut in gently. "S-see you another time." The Russian wanted to press questions as to what was going through her mind, but instead reflected back and nodded. He was out the door and Toris peeked out to catch his large frame turn out of sight. Toris sighed heavily and shuddered. What was worse? Finding that you're overly eager for romance with someone who made your life miserable countless times or having your brothers catch you shamelessly doing so?

Toris went to finish her cleaning in pondering silence, ignoring the stomach pains. It was so difficult to explain her feelings for the Russian to him, just as much so for herself...I hope he visits again soon, none the less.

Gwah! Late updates! I'm such a lazy, forgetful bum! Anyways, hope you like and thanks a lot for the reviews and such. They are loved~

(And hopefully Eduard and Raivis will be recovering from that mental trauma. Mwahaha )