Chapter 42
Lithuania closed Gil's door with a sigh. His hands were shaking. He turned, inhaling sharply in surprise as Belarus practically flew into his arms.
"Bela, what's wrong?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her, feeling her shaking.
"You. You, I was so scared Torshka…"
"What? What scared you?" Toris pulled her away, touching her cheeks, looking into her terrified face.
"You were in Russia's office for hours… what did he-"
"Nothing. Just business. I promise," Lithuania nodded, "He's not always a monster."
"He's never a monster…" Belarus looked down.
Lithuania sighed, choosing not to respond.
Belarus looked up at Lithuania, touching his cheek, "I know. I know I shouldn't defend him… but…"
"I get it, he's your brother. I do understand…"
"I'm just glad you're safe…" Belarus shook her head, reaching up and pulling his lips down to her own.
He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist, sliding them up her back, "Uh uh…" He shook his head, pulling her away, breathing hard, "It's the middle of the day, and I have work to do, I can't…"
"Shut up, Torshka," She shook her head again, pulling him down again. She kissed him, letting her hands tangle in his dark hair.
He didn't fight her, taking her hand, leading her into his room, letting her pull his jacket off his shoulders. She kissed his chest as she unbuttoned his shirt. He winced a little as the fabric moved against his back. He put his hands on hers, gasping.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing…" He shook his head, looking down at her with a smile.
She stood, looking up into his eyes, "No, something is wrong. Are you still afraid of them…?" She sighed, looking down. "You're not afraid of me, are you!?" She took a step back but didn't let go of his hands.
"No! No, not of you…"
Belarus smiled, kissing him again, sliding her hands up his chest and over his shoulders under his shirt, letting it slip off.
Lithuania let his shirt fall to the floor, wrapping his arms around Belarus as her hands touched his back so gently. He kissed her hair as she laid her head on his chest, letting her hands caress his scars. She looked up at him, smiling gently, brushing the tears away from his cheek.
"Do you love me?" He whispered, breathing harder as she kissed his neck, "Do you really, actually love me?"
Belarus looked up at him, nodding. She walked behind him, laying her cheek against his back, wrapping her arms around his waist. She turned to his scars and kissed them, all of them, smiling gently as she felt him relax.
He turned around suddenly, grabbing her waist, untying the sash of her dress. He brought her hands to his lips, kissing her fingers.
"Torshka…" She whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks.
"Hmm?" he whispered back, kissing her wrists.
"Please stop letting him hurt you…" She looked into his face as he stopped, staring back at her.
He didn't speak for a moment, looking into her face. "If he's hurting me, he's not hurting anyone else…" He shook his head.
"That isn't right, Torshka… you know that isn't right. He… he can't…" She sighed, laying her head on his chest, letting him wrap his arms around her, pulling her closer, her cheek against his skin, "Torshka…?" She looked up at him, touching his face, "Have you ever thought about leaving?"
Lithuania froze, stunned by the question. "I… I don't…" he'd never considered leaving. "No. No, I can't leave. I can't, they need me. Latvia needs me, Gil needs me… you need me…?"
Belarus nodded, "Of course I need you, but I can't watch him hurt you anymore! I can't watch it happening, and I can't stop him from hurting you… he's getting more and more afraid of me, but I can barely protect you anymore and-"
"Stop," he rest his finger against her lips, "Stop. I don't need you to protect me."
"And why not!?" She shook her head, putting her hands on his face again, worried, "You protect everyone. You protect everyone until it kills you. And then you do it all over again! Why can't I protect you? Why can't I help you? Why can't you leave!? Why don't you just leave…?"
"Bela…" He leaned down to kiss her, hoping to end the conversation.
"No!" She pushed him back, shaking her head, her eyes welling up with tears, "Don't. Don't make me miss you. Don't you dare stay here for me. Don't you dare…"
Lithuania looked away, wrapping his arms around himself. He sighed, closing his eyes, "I can't leave, Bela… I can't…"
"Fine. Fine, stay here and let him kill you!" She shook her head, running out of his room and slamming the door behind her.
…
Belarus ran up to the door of her brother's room and slammed her knife through it, hard enough to break through the door. "BIG BROTHER!?" she snarled. She smiled, hearing a loud crash on the other side of the door. "Open your door… I want to play." She pulled her knife from the door and held it, turning it around her fingers, completely comfortable with the blade. "Big brother…?"
"Go away!" Ivan's shaking voice came through the door.
Belarus smiled, lifting her knife again, "I said, I want to see you!" She jammed the knife between the door and the frame, trying to break the wood so she could unlock the door.
"And I said 'go away!'" Russia's voice was still trembling, but there was anger in it now.
Belarus wasn't afraid. She broke open the door and stomped into her brother's room, twirling the knife still. She smiled, staring at Russia, who had pressed himself into a corner. "I just said I wanted to play!" She smiled, walking up to him, aiming her knife at his face. She kissed his cheek, "I miss you, big brother."
He pushed her away, "Get. Out."
"No!" She brought her knife across his face.
Russia grabbed both of her wrists, "Don't make me lock you up!"
"I'd like to see you try!" She struggled free, still gripping her knife. She stabbed his arm, digging the fingers of her weapon-free hand into the wound, licking the blood as she stared into his face.
"Stop it," he snapped, grabbing her wrists again, "Stop it or I will keep you locked up downstairs like an animal."
"Do you love me, big brother?" She looked up into his face, making her eyes big and sad. She licked the blood off her lips.
He didn't answer, "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to see you…" She looked back at the wound she'd created on his arm, then back at the one on his face. She wrenched her hand free of his grip and wiped her thumb against the cut on his face, cleaning the blood, licking it off her fingers again.
"I told you to stop that!" Russia growled, annoyed.
"Your blood is so beautiful though…" she pouted.
"That's it!" Again, he took her wrist.
"No! No, I won't go to the basement! I won't do it!" She struggled, flipping her knife in her fingers, stabbing his wrist.
Russia made no acknowledgment of pain and kicked her to her knees.
Belarus squeaked in pain, dropping to her knees, letting go of the knife as Russia gripped her wrist so hard she couldn't keep her hold on it. She looked up at him, still unafraid.
"Please… please don't hurt me, big brother…" She looked up at him, letting a few tears slip down her cheeks.
Russia sighed, and knelt in front of her, letting go of her wrists. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a gentle hug, "I won't hurt you, Bela. I don't want to hurt you. But you can't… you can't do things like that. Please, you need to calm down…"
Belarus nodded, sobbing, not even bothering to struggle against the hug, "Do you love me, big brother?"
"Of course I do…" he sighed, holding her.
"Why do you want to hurt people?"
"I don't!" Russia shook his head, sighing again.
"Yes, you do! You hurt everyone! Why do you hurt everyone?" she shook her head disapprovingly.
"Only when they deserve it. You know that…"
"I know… but…"
A loud crash broke through their words from the hallway.
Russia groaned, annoyed. He stood, letting go of Belarus, "Please be good," he whispered, exasperated.
Belarus nodded, following closely behind her brother as he walked into the hall. She covered her mouth to keep from gasping. Lithuania had dropped a tray of very old, very valuable dishes. They'd shattered, and his hands were cut and bleeding from the broken ceramic. He looked up at Russia. She hadn't seen that much fear in his face in a long time. She watched in horror as Russia kicked Lithuania onto his back, pressing his boot into her lover's chest. She shook her head, running forward. She pushed Russia away, falling to her knees in front of Lithuania, putting her arm over his chest, resting in on the ground. She held up her other hand to Russia.
"Vanya don't hurt him!"
Russia and Lithuania froze, too shocked to react for a moment. Lithuania didn't take his eyes off Belarus, terrified.
Russia looked back down at them, his eyes meeting his sister's. He frowned, but his face still held shock, "You… you would defend Lithuania? Why?"
"Does it matter!?" Belarus shook her head, "Why do you hurt people? Why do you have to hurt people!?"
Russia smiled, his sweet, childlike, unnerving smile. "Because they deserve it. Look at this mess, Bela. Tell me he doesn't deserve at least a little teaching for this."
"I'll do it!"
"What?" Russia stared at her, then laughed, "You'll what?"
"I'll do it! I'll hurt him! I want to. He gets in the way!" Belarus feigned anger, her hands shaking. She prayed Russia wouldn't notice.
Russia smiled again, pulling his pipe from his coat. He offered his free hand to his sister, helping her stand. He handed her the pipe and motioned to Lithuania.
"W-wh- you… you want me to do it right here?" She looked back at her brother.
Russia nodded with a smile, "Why not?"
"Blood stains are really annoying to get out of carpet…" Belarus shook her head, her hands still shaking.
Russia paused for a moment, looking down at Lithuania, "That's true." He smiled again, grabbing Lithuania by the hair and dragging him to the top of the stairs. He kicked the dark-haired country down the grand staircase. Lithuania didn't move as he fell over the last step onto the ground below.
Belarus forced herself not to cover her mouth as she watched his body crash against the stairs and saw the cuts on his arms.
"There. No more carpet," Russia smiled.
Belarus nodded, following him down the stairs.
Lithuania tried to pick himself up off the tile floor. Everything hurt. He looked back at Belarus. He wasn't sure what he wanted her to do. Even if Russia watched the whole time, her strikes wouldn't be as hard as his.
Russia walked up behind Belarus, who still held the pipe with shaking hands, "Is it too heavy for you?" he asked kindly.
Belarus nodded, "A little… da…"
Russia nodded back, taking the pipe from her gently, "Would you rather draw?" He smirked, taking a small knife from his belt.
Belarus forced herself to grin, nodding, "Yes!" She took the knife and looked down at Lithuania, "What would you like me to draw?"
"Anything you like," Russia smiled, leaning down at pulling Lithuania up to his knees roughly. He pulled off Lithuania's military jacket, and tore off his shirt, exposing his back. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Russia smiled, touching Lithuania's scars.
Lithuania winced, shaking, biting back tears of anger, pain, and frustration as Russia almost caressed his back. He hated it.
Belarus looked at the scars and nodded, "Very beautiful," she said, trying to hide comfort in her voice, hoping Lithuania would catch it.
Lithuania smiled slightly, the warmth in her voice reassuring.
"So, what am I drawing?" Belarus smirked, looking down at the knife. She licked it, "It's so sharp!" she grinned, "It's perfect!"
"You're not the only one who knows how to keep a good blade," Russia smiled, looking up at her, "And I said you can draw whatever you want." He stood, stepping away from Lithuania's back, letting her kneel behind the dark-haired country.
"I don't know…" Belarus looked up at Russia.
"How about 'Lover'."
Belarus didn't move. She didn't turn to look back at Russia, "I-Ivan? What are you talking about?"
Russia laughed, "You thought I didn't know?
Belarus looked down, shaking more, "H-how l-"
"How long have I known? Not very long… I was worried you both knew I caught you two upstairs. I guess you didn't see me. You two really do love each other…" Russia shook his head, "This isn't acceptable of course. Bela, I believe you were going to draw on his back…?"
"Vanyka please… please don't make me hurt him…"
"You volunteered," Russia shrugged, "I assume because you didn't want me to hurt him even more?" he smiled, "If you don't do what I've asked you to… I will hurt him. And you'll watch, chained to the wall, unable to get to him, and I will make him cry for you."
Lithuania shook his head, looking away, trembling, "Bela… Bela just… please…" he bit his lip, leaning against the ground, his hair falling in front of his face.
"I can't…" She shook her head. She couldn't hurt him. She couldn't watch her brother hurt him. She had to hurt him. "Do you still want me to write 'lover'?"
Russia laughed, "Why not? It's fitting I think!"
Belarus pressed the tip of the knife against Lithuania's skin. She tried to choose a thick scar, one that had very little feeling left, trying to keep the pain from being worse, "Big brother, please…" she whispered again, shaking her head.
"I. gave. you. an. order." Russia snapped.
Lithuania set his jaw. He said nothing, closing his eyes.
"Liet, Liet, you'll never guess what-"
Lithuania looked up, turning around to see Poland standing halfway up the stairs, the blonde country's green eyes wide with horror, staring straight at his back.
Poland brought both hands to his mouth, shaking his head, his whole body trembling. He didn't take his eyes off Lithuania's back. He screamed suddenly, shaking, unable to move from where he stood. He closed his eyes, shaking his head, bringing his hands from his mouth to his ears, covering them, "No!" he gasped, opening his eyes again, looking right at Lithuania's back again. He shook his head again, letting his eyes meet Russia's.
Russia met Poland on the stairs, realizing instantly the country wouldn't be able to move. He shoved the small blonde country down the rest of the stairs, smiling as he landed close to Lithuania. Russia walked back down the stairs, grabbing Poland's arms, pulling him up.
"Watch," Russia ordered, nodding to Belarus.
"Russia please… not with Poland here, I can't do this to him, I-" Belarus looked down, her words cut off by her brother's voice.
"If you aren't drawing in 10 seconds, I'll make you both watch what I'll do to him," he snapped, gripping Poland's arms tight enough to draw a satisfying cry of pain from the smaller country.
Belarus turned back to Lithuania, "I'm so sorry, love…"
"Do it," Lithuania kept his head down. He couldn't look at Poland's face.
Belarus laid the tip of the knife on the thick scar again and pressed the knife into it, drawing a firm line down for the beginning of the 'L'.
Lithuania didn't flinch. He'd barely felt it. She was doing well. He could feel blood dripping down his back as she continued. He wouldn't make a sound. He couldn't.
Poland shook his head, "STOP IT! RUSSIA MAKE HER STOP IT!" he struggled, kicking at Russia, trying to get free.
"Nyet," Russia shook his head.
Poland watched as Belarus pressed the knife into Lithuania's skin for the next letter. He felt sick. He screamed again for Russia to stop. Nothing. No answer. "Please… please stop it…"
Lithuania never screamed. Not once. He stretched his shoulders as Belarus finished the last letter, dropping the knife and bursting into tears.
"Well?" Russia smiled, angry, "Aren't you going to clean up the blood? You did for me."
Belarus looked up at him, shaking her head, "Please…"
"Or should I ask Poland?" Russia smirked as Poland struggled again.
Belarus shook her head, turning to Lithuania again. She put her hands on his shoulders, trying to be comforting. She kissed one of his unbroken scars and licked at the bloody letters, looking up at Russia, hate in her eyes.
Lithuania winced as her tears dripped into the wounds, stinging. He looked up at Russia as he felt her let go of his shoulders, and heard her stand behind him.
Poland immediately fell to his knees as Russia released his arms, his expression blank, his eyes empty. He didn't look at Lithuania. He didn't look at anything. He closed his eyes, passing out.
Lithuania dragged himself to Poland, moving the blonde hair away from the country's face, trying to lift his head gently, "Felya…?"
Belarus looked up at Russia, standing, wiping the blood off her lips, "Someday, when I get out of here, I'll hurt you. I'll make you pay for everything you're doing to Torshka… someday…"
Russia slapped her, grabbing her face and turning it towards him again, "I'd like to see you try. Remember, little sister, I own you too."
"But you're getting weaker, aren't you?"
Russia didn't reply, slapping her again, "Take care of it," he snapped, nodding to Poland and Lithuania as he turned to walk back up the stairs.
A/N: Woohoo new chapter! (and going into the last week of filming starting on Monday, so more updates to come! I hope to get another one up tomorrow, but no promises!) No Gil in this chapter, obviously. Quite a bit of LietBel in this one (including some almost teasing... sorry not sorry... that's all your getting though. Especially for this couple. Not much more for this couple. I'm sorry LunaTheBlackWolf...), but for a reason. LOTS of VERY big hints of things to come in this chapter. I can't spend too much time on Gil, too depressing. While he's getting worse, some of the others are getting better... and Russia may or may not be getting weaker...? *Dramatic 'thinking' face* Hmmm
The first (I think?) actual changing-canon scene I have I do believe. I need Poland to discover Lithuania's scars dramatically. So that's what I've done. They're going to have some things to talk about later... if Poland is even capable of forming complete sentences after this "little" setback...
Hopefully, the characters seem right here. My Belarus is a bit different (or at least very heavily added onto) than most versions of her.
As always, (as I always say!), reviews are so appreciated! You guys are reviewing so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Danke! Spasiba! Thank you!