Chapter 7

"Will you leave Ravis alone if I do?"

"Da~ I'll leave your brother alone…" Toris' shoulders slumped knowing that he saved his brother for the time being.

"Alright then," His hands wandered, idly stroking his master. "I'll stay the night with you." Ivan's kiss was the gentlest Toris had ever received, and he was soon herded up the stairs to the bedroom. The entire time, Toris kept his eyes searching for any sign of Ravis, some symbol to let him know that his brother was safe and unhurt. The doors in the long hall on the second floor were shut, and all of them were dark, except for a faint flicker of light coming from under the middle brother's door. The Lithuanian held his breath, hoping that their Russian Master wouldn't notice it.

Ivan opened the final door in the hallway, the door leading into this room. Toris walked into the chilled room, goose bumps rising slightly. Ivan's voice was soft and quiet, "Being with Estonia is always safe, da?" He shut the door behind them, locking it then coming back to his toy. Toris chewed on his lower lip as he got a sad look from the Russian. "Why do you want to leave, Liet?" Childishly Ivan pulled his toy into his arms, holding him tightly. "Don't I make you happy?"

"Yes, sir…" Liet looked away hiding his sad eyes, thoughts of leaving his brothers with this tyrant flitting through his mind. "But… But my government has been… has been taken over."

"You're lying to me, Toris. I know you lie when you say you're happy." He frowned "None of you love me... so you have to be taught to..." Ivan's deep voice was barely above a growl as he spoke the last.

"Ivan, I don't kno-" he was suddenly cut off by Ivan's hand slipping around his neck.

"You're marked, Toris! You're mine!" Pulling his butler off his feet and into the air, Ivan whispered into his ear. "The day you declare your independence is the day your brothers will know what horrors can truly happen in that cellar."

Toris choked and gasped. "T-Then I'll free them before me..."

"You'll have no power to free them unless you're free, my pet... you're trapped." He tossed the Lithuanian into the corner with a thud.

Groaning as he stood, Toris got to his feet. "I'll figure out a way..." He felt nauseous as he put a hand to the back of his head, feeling his own warm blood.

"You'll never want to leave again" A quick fluid motion caught Toris screaming as the pipe made contact with his side.

In a flash of blind rage Toris yelled, "WHY? Any place is better than this frozen hell hole!" His eyes widened as he spoke the words that had been on his mind since he was taken over.

Ivan's voice dripped honey. "Finally I hear the only true words you've ever said." In two long steps Ivan had dragged his butler to the center of the bedroom.

"What…What are you doing?"

"Maybe I should send you to Al in a card board box!" He laid Toris' wrists under his boot and used his weight to keep them put. Then almost lazily, he swung the pipe again. Toris tried to curl up for protection; however Ivan's boot kept him from doing so.

"J-" He was interrupted by a sickening crack against his ribs. "J-Just remember your promise!" Toris coughed as the Russian knelt, putting more pressure on his wrists.

"Too bad they aren't related to you in any way…"

"Y-You promised!" He kicked at his Russian master, whining at the newfound stress on his wrists. Ivan swung the pipe again with a blank face.

"You need to learn to use specifics! Now…" A wintry smile appeared on Ivan's face. "You're going to call America, and tell him you can't make it. DA?"

"Yes…" Toris grunted in pain. "At least keep your promise about Ravis." A small pleased smirk touched his lips. "You said if I spent the night… but you never said how…"

"I'll leave him alone…" Ivan's eyes glittered at how Toris played his game, "But you didn't say for how long." He removed his foot from Toris' wrists, "Now, call the American." He tossed the phone down from the desk, almost hitting Toris in the head. Reaching for the phone, his hands shaking, and wrist joints not quite back in their place, the Lithuanian managed to dial Alfred's number after a few painful seconds.

The phone rang a number of times, and once it was picked up all that could be heard were screams from a movie. "Hello?"

"Hello… Alfred?" He fought a hard pressed battle to keep the pain from his voice. "About coming over Thursday…"

"That pinko commie bastard didn't threaten you, did he?"

"He did…" Toris sighed, "I can't leave my brothers…" Al paused and another scream filtered over the line.

"Then I'll come there-" As if hearing America's words, Ivan shook his head 'no'.

"No…" The response was too quick. "It's ok Alfred… I'll be fine…" In a quiet but hurried tone, "Can you free my bro-" The line went dead, as Ivan chuckled. Toris slammed the phone down.

"Happy?" The master's response was cracking the pipe over Lithuania's back. He collapsed back to the ground as Ivan kicked his sides, breaking some ribs. He kicked again to return Toris to his stomach. Toris groaned and tried sitting up, finding it hard to breath. "Just try to break my spirit." As if to prove a point he spit the blood building in his mouth on the rug. Ivan kicked him once more making him land on his stomach and then he stepped on Toris' back. Placing his full weight on Liet's back, he waited for it to snap. Toris screamed, feeling it give out; Ivan however pressed harder wanting to hear it crack.

"You will allow you brothers to think you're still leaving…."
"W-Why? When Thursday comes I'll still be here…"

"Are you sure?" He slammed his foot down and Toris' scream echoed in the room, as his spine finally broke.

"Yes…" He coughed up more blood, "I'd never die and leave them alone with you…"

"I never said you'd die…" The unseen smile spread along Ivan's face as he went on to break his butler's wrists and ankles. Unable to move or defend himself, all Toris could do was whimper or scream.

"Wh-What do you mean…" Toris closed his eyes in pain voice barely above a whisper.

"You will drop off the face of the earth, America will think you're here, and your brothers will think you're there." A dark cold chuckle of victory echoed in Toris' ears. "And you, you will be stuck in a dark box only able to hear your brother's screams."

Toris' eyes widened. "No…." He tried to move, but was too broken to lift more than his eyes.

"OOOH… look at the time…" Russia picked up his favorite toy and cradled his broken body.

"What time is…is it...?"

"It's time for bed, Toris." He carried his toy down the hall, past Estonia's door and down the stairs. "You aren't leaving 'til Thursday, but you'll stay in the cellar until then." A suffocating hand covered Toris' mouth, muffling the response. Toris tried to fight, but his energy was gone and he was in too much pain. He lay limply in his master's cold arms. Once downstairs, Ivan looked like a lost child again. "I'm sorry Liet… but you won't learn…"

"I'm not the one who needs to learn anything."

Ivan's eyes fogged over unseeing, as though he was drunk. "Things will get better… you'll see… once that damn capitalist pig leaves us alone it'll be perfect…"