Chapter 9

"Please, just apologize GDR, say you want to come back and fight with me. Say that you understand…" Russia sighed, kneeling next to him, his warm hand on Prussia's shoulder.

Prussia said nothing, shivering with cold. Russia's hand was warm, but he didn't let himself think about that. The idea of relying on Russia for anything disgusted him.

"It wouldn't be so hard, would it? Then this is over, no more of this. I don't like hurting you." Russia sighed.

"Just like you don't like hurting Toris?" Prussia spat back, pulling away from Russia.

"You think I enjoy hurting him?" Russia sighed, shaking his head, "I have to teach him, don't you understand? Pain is a good teacher. How would you all stay if I didn't make you?"

Prussia looked up at Russia, shocked. "What is wrong with you? How do you not get it?"

"You're the one not understanding, GDR." Russia stood with another sigh, and looked down at Prussia, towering above him.

"I understand just fine." Prussia set his jaw.

He winced hard as Russia delivered a well-aimed kick into his shins. He looked up at Russia, gritting his teeth.

"I was trying to save you." Russia's voice was still sad, almost hurt, "I was taking good care of you…" He kicked Prussia's stomach this time.

Prussia gasped, fighting the urge to cry out.

"You belong to me, and I take care of what is mine."

"I don't belong to you!" Prussia spat back, looking up at Russia with hate in his eyes. He coughed hard as Russia's boot smashed into his ribs.

"Why can't you see that this is the only way to keep you alive? I'm keeping your people alive!" Russia's voice was growing colder, and Prussia could see a spark of rage in his violet eyes.

"You're not keeping my people safe, you're murdering them!" Prussia growled, letting out a soft choke of pain as Russia's boot hit his stomach again. It hurt more than he would admit. He instinctively tried to pull away as Russia knelt beside him, inhaling through his teeth as Russia grabbed his hair, forcing his head back.

"Don't you dare talk to be about 'murder'." Russia's eyes flashed, "Not after what you've done."

Gil struggled, trying to wrench his head free from Russia's hand. "Like you're any better…" he whispered, trembling a little. He gasped as Russia clutched his hand around his throat.

"I only kill people who deserve it." Russia didn't let Prussia speak again, letting his grip around his neck grow stronger.

Gil fought for breath, his vision starting to blur. He pulled his knees to his chest and kicked Russia in the stomach before the bigger country could react. Russia fell back, releasing Gil's neck and hair to catch himself. Prussia coughed hard, gasping, trying to breathe. He looked up at Russia with a smirk before Russia's boot collided with his face. He struggled weakly as Russia grabbed his hair again.

"Still trying to fight?" Russia's voice was angry.

Gil smirked, "Always." He spit blood into Russia's face.

Russia closed his eyes, letting go of Prussia's hair. He stood slowly, and sighed, turning back to Prussia, wiping his face on his scarf. "I don't enjoy this, GDR," his tone said otherwise, "but if you really want to do this the hard way…"

Prussia tried to steady his trembling breath as Russia pulled out the giant pipe. He kept his eyes fixed on the metal as Russia spoke.

"I'll give you one more chance, Gil." There was a hint of sadness in Russia's voice. Prussia didn't believe it.

Prussia brought his eyes from Russia's pipe to his face and smirked, "Do your worst."

Russia's pipe crashed into his ribs. Prussia felt them crack but still didn't cry out. He looked up at Russia with a smile, "That's more like it." He held back another scream as the pipe struck his ribs again, perfectly aimed to hit exactly the same spot as before. Prussia tasted blood. He swallowed it back, unwilling to give Russia the satisfaction.

"Only brave enough to fight me when I'm tied up, huh?" He swallowed blood again, enough to make him nervous. He didn't show it. He looked up at Russia, daring him to untie him. He shivered with cold as Russia pulled off his long coat, setting it in the corner of the room, and watched in horror as the bigger country pulled a knife from his belt. Prussia breathed hard, keeping his eyes on the blade. He tried to tell himself he wasn't afraid of a tiny knife.

Russia walked up to Prussia slowly, and knelt, looking into the terrified red eyes. He smiled and slashed the knife across Prussia's chest, not deeply, but enough to draw blood and a gasp of pain. He brought the knife to the ropes on Prussia's ankles, slicing through them, bringing the blade to Prussia's neck before he could kick him, "Stand up." He snapped.

Prussia tried to stretch his legs slowly. He rolled onto his knees, keeping his eyes fixed on Russia's face, the knife still resting against his throat. He stood, slowly.

"Turn around."

He obeyed, the knife pressing harder into his neck, but not drawing blood. He smiled as he felt Russia unlocking the cuffs around his wrists. He brought his hands in front of him, stretching his stiff shoulders.

"So, now what?" He turned, slowly, surprised that Russia allowed it.

Russia pushed him against the wall, holding the knife to his neck again. "Now, I deliver on my promise."

"Go ahead and try," Prussia smirked, and brought his knee up hard. He gasped as Russia's knife sliced under his jaw as the bigger country doubled over in pain. He pressed his hand to the wound. It wasn't deep, but it was bleeding heavily. He looked down at Russia, barely having time to register that he'd grabbed his pipe again as the metal struck the side of his face, sending him forward onto the ground.

He groaned, the room spinning, his vision blurry and dark. He tried to push himself up slowly and fell back against the stone as Russia's pipe hit his back. He turned to look at Russia, shaking with pain. He set his jaw as another blow struck across his shoulder blades, refusing to give Russia the satisfaction of hearing how much it hurt. He bit into his arm to keep himself quiet as Russia's pipe broke his skin. He tried to turn, but the pipe kept him down. He wrapped his arms around his head, hoping to protect it. The pipe crashed onto his back again, and again, and again, and again, breaking skin, muscle, and bone. He didn't make a sound. He strained up in pain as Russia kicked him onto his back, pressing the crook of the pipe into his neck. He kept his arms around his head, expecting to feel the pipe against his chest. He winced as Russia kicked his arm away, stepping it into the cold stone. Prussia looked up at him in terror for less than a second before screaming in pain as Russia's boot crushed his arm into the ground. Tears of pain filled his eyes as he tried to fight them back. He struggled as Russia grabbed his other arm, pulling him up, gripping his already bleeding wrist. He shook his head, pleading, turning away again with another cry of pain as Russia snapped his arm, throwing him back onto the ground, exposing his back to him again. He shivered as Russia knelt beside him, pressing his hand into his back. He screamed again, shaking with pain as Russia's fingers dug into the deep, ragged gashes the pipe had left. Prussia kept his eyes closed, pressing his face into the stone, trying not to move his arms. He trembled as Russia leaned in close to his face, dragging his hand from his back to his hair. He let the blood fall from his mouth, not trying to swallow it back anymore.

"I'm done now, GDR. Please… I hope this helps you understand." Russia pet his hair, almost trying to comfort him, "You still have many things to learn."

"At least…" Prussia barely whispered through the blood, "I'm not… the monster you are…"

"Oh, Gil," Russia sighed, and Prussia could hear the smile in his voice, "We're all monsters in the end."

Prussia closed his eyes, his whole body still shaking with pain. He relaxed a little as Russia stood and stepped towards the door.

"I'll send someone in to help you, GDR." Russia sighed, picking up his pipe and coat. He closed the door behind him, not bothering to lock it.

Gil coughed hard, letting the blood pour from his mouth. He tried to gauge the extent of his injuries. His lungs burned. He wondered if one of the broken ribs had dug into them. He tried to move, letting out a whimper of pain as he pulled his arms down far enough to look at them. They would heal, but it would take a while. He gasped for breath as he felt his lungs filling with blood. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the pain.

The door creaked open. Gil opened his eyes weakly, realizing he'd fallen asleep, or passed out, not that it mattered which. He turned, praying it wasn't Russia. Latvia stood in the doorway, with Estonia close behind him, both of them carrying medical supplies. He closed his eyes again, looking away as he saw Latvia's face. Latvia didn't look shocked, or upset, he looked like he'd expected what he saw. Prussia opened his eyes again as he felt Latvia sit next to him, and the boy's hand touched his face gently.

"Are… a-a-are you ok?" Latvia bit his lip, "I mean, obvious y-y-you're not, but… I mean…"

Gil nodded slowly, trying to swallow down the blood.

"You're going to regret doing that later." Estonia shook his head, noticing what Prussia swallowed.

Prussia looked up at him. He knew he was right.

"Y-you don't have to worry about m-me," Latvia smiled gently, pulling out a wet cloth and pressing it against the still bleeding cut on Prussia's neck, gently. "I-I'm used to blood. It… it doesn't scare me."

Prussia closed his eyes. He knew Latvia was trying to be reassuring, but it only made him feel sick.

"Now," he felt Estonia kneel behind him as he spoke, "let's see what you've done to yourself…"

Prussia winced as he felt Estonia touch his shoulder. It was close enough to his torn back to be tender. "What Russia did you mean." He let the blood flow out of his mouth now, coughing hard.

"You expect me to believe that you didn't fight back out of spite?" Estonia rolled his eyes, adjusting his glasses and taking another wet cloth from the medical bag.

Prussia ignored him, looking up at Latvia, who turned to his arms.

"He… h-h-he said… he s-s-s… he said he was going to break your wings…" Latvia trembled, and Prussia could hear tears in his voice.

"They'll heal, I'll be fine," Prussia tried to be reassuring, to himself as much as Latvia.

"I know… but it-it…" Latvia shook his head and brushed the tears away with his sleeve. "I'm so sorry, Gil…" he brushed more tears away, "Please… please don't fight him next time. Please…"

Prussia looked away, wincing again as Estonia touched the cloth to his back.

"I should probably stitch some of these." Estonia shook his head, frustrated.

"They'll heal in a few days anyway," Prussia would have shrugged if it wouldn't have been so excruciating.

Estonia sighed again and rolled his eyes. "Fine. But don't blame me if these scar."

Prussia doubted they would. He'd gotten worse injuries that hadn't. Never quite so many at once, but worse ones none the less. He turned back to Latvia with a cry of pain as the little blond touched his right arm. It wasn't as badly damaged as his left, the break was cleaner, but it wasn't any less painful.

"Where's Lithuania?" He asked, letting Latvia tend to the marks on his face and neck.

"He's sleeping," Latvia nodded, "Don't worry. He's not hurt, just tired… and a little irritable, but he'll feel better t-t-t-tomorrow. He's not hurt."

Prussia sighed, relieved. The last thing he wanted was to cause Lithuania any more pain. He turned towards the door as he heard a step. It was Russia. He shook, keeping his eyes fixed on the giant figure. Russia wasn't wearing his coat or scarf, just his normal boots, and pants, with a black turtleneck sweater. He too was carrying medical supplies, but it was more advanced than anything the Baltics had brought. He watched the giant country sigh deeply, and walk up to him, kneeling beside Latvia, who trembled in terror.

"You don't have to be afraid of me, GDR." Russia sighed, picking up Prussia's right arm.

Prussia inhaled through his teeth. He shivered in fear, trying to brace himself for the pain he knew Russia would inflict. He heard bone snap. He screamed and looked back at his arm. Russia had set it, not destroyed it.

"See? I told you." Russia smiled, laying Prussia's arm on his leg gently, carefully, while he reached into the bag he'd brought. He took out a metal brace and slipped it onto Prussia's arm, pulling the straps tight, securing the bone.

Prussia watched, terrified and curious.

"I told you. I take care of what is mine."

Prussia could hear pain in Russia's voice. He shivered again as Russia touched his left arm, which he'd crushed with his boot. He watched the bigger country's shoulders rise and fall with a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry, Gil, about all of this. I…" Russia shook his head, "I really don't like doing this to you."

Prussia looked away in disbelief. He bit back tears of pain as Russia pressed his fingers into his arm, trying to straighten the bones.

"This will take at least a few days to heal, maybe more." Russia shook his head again, "Until then, you will stay upstairs. We will continue only if we must, but first, you will heal. I'm not the monster you think I am, GDR."

Prussia didn't answer, afraid to open his mouth as Russia reached for another brace, tightening it around his left arm. He tried to pull away as Russia took a syringe from the medical bag.

"Gil, stop fighting me. This will help with the pain," Russia lifted Gil's arm onto his leg again, exposing the crook of his arm.

"The pain you caused," Prussia whispered under his breath.

"Gil…" Latvia's voice trembled.

"Only because I needed to, GDR," Russia said simply. He traced his thumb over the skin of Prussia's arm, "Your veins are easy to find at least, an advantage to being so pale, da?"

Under any other circumstances, from anyone else, Russia's words might have made Prussia smile. He enjoyed being oddly pale. It made him stand out. He flinched as Russia slipped the needle into his skin, but compared to the rest of his body, the slight sting was insignificant. He tried to take a deep breath, noticing he was still shivering. Some of it, he knew, was from cold. He was starting to have trouble keeping himself from shaking. He needed water, and food, and warmth. He watched Russia stand, and walk behind him, kneeling next to Estonia, who hadn't touched him since Russia had entered the room.

"What can I do?" Russia asked Estonia, looking down at Prussia's back with a sigh. He hated doing this. He hated every second of it. But Prussia had left him no choice.

"Here," Estonia handed Russia a pair of gloves and a packaged towel. "I'll stitch, you keep the blood from getting in my way."

"You don't have to sti-"

"If I don't, this will take longer to heal," Estonia almost snapped.

Prussia rolled his eyes and stopped arguing. He looked up at Latvia, who still trembled, not taking his eyes off Russia. He took the boy's hand carefully, unable to even close his hand around it.

"W-w-what can, can, can, can I d-d-do?" Latvia trembled.

"Go get him food, Latvia," Russia ordered.

"O-o-o-ok…" Latvia stood suddenly, letting go of Gil's hand. He smiled at Prussia and ran out the door.

"Can you lay on your stomach, Gil?" Estonia asked, trying to sound at least moderately considerate.

"I can try," Prussia said, "But…" he hated this, "I'll need help."

Estonia and Russia helped him lay on his stomach, and Estonia pulled one of the towels out from his medical bag, letting Prussia's face rest on it, instead of the cold stone.

"Are you sure we can't just move upstairs now?" Prussia groaned. He didn't want to spend another second on the floor.

"Not without making these worse," Estonia's voice was emotionless.

Prussia sighed, closing his eyes in pain as he felt gloved hands against the wounds in his back.

"I have more pain medication, some that would help numb his back," Russia sounded worried.

"That would help, yes," Estonia nodded.

Russia reached over Prussia carefully, grabbing his medical bag and pulling it to his side. He took out a few more syringes and slid the needles into Prussia's torn skin.

The relief was almost instantaneous. Prussia took a deep breath, then coughed hard, blood pouring from his mouth again, his position on his stomach driving his broken ribs further into his lungs. He panicked, trying to sit up, trying to breathe. He felt Estonia and Russia's hands on his back and sides, trying to keep him calm. It wasn't working. His head spun and he gasped for breath, blood dripping from his mouth.

"H…help me…" he whispered, desperate, choking, trying to cough hard enough to release the blood that felt stuck in his throat.

"Estonia?"

Prussia barely heard Russia's worried tone, his lungs begging him for air he couldn't give them.

"Ok, do it," Estonia said, calmly, to Russia.

Prussia felt a needle drive into his neck and everything went black.

A/N: Aaaaand, another chapter. Poor Prussia, I don't like hurting him. (neither does Russia). He's not very good at being tortured. He needs to shut up. Also, it's his panicking that caused everything at the end. If he'd tried to be calm it might have gone a bit better, however, humans (or country personifications that act like humans for the most part) tend to have a pretty bad response towards feeling like they can't breathe.

My mom was a doctor, so I had to include SOME medical stuff in here. The countries heal quite fast though, so that's why Estonia's healing expectations seems a bit... fast.

I like writing for Russia. He's so... twisted. He doesn't realize it either. I read a story once, an illustration, of a man who plucked all the feathers from a bird so it would be 'grateful for the warmth of his hand'. I think that's often how Russia thinks, even though he doesn't realize he's thinking that way. He's just so possessive that he wants the others to rely on him for everything, and he tries to take care of them. He wants them to like him. He just doesn't understand, at all. It's quite sad. He genuinely didn't enjoy hurting Prussia, that's why he came back. He's just so complicated. I like it. What do you all think?

As always, I will reply to all the reviews I can! I appreciate them all so much! They brighten my day! I can't reply to your review if you're not signed in, so thanks to Katie for reviewing several chapters now! I'm glad you're enjoying them, even if they're sad! :)