Chapter Thirteen

A/N hhh my brain hurts. Reviews/comments would be nice but of course you don't have to, I just wanna know what everyone's thinking, Wattpad or , you are all great.

So far I have up to chapter 95 planned out, but I haven't updated in a bit because of some nasty real life stuff. However, I'll keep updating as I am working on an actual schedule, any recommendations as to when?

This chapter is a bit longer than normal I guess? A/N over.


"China," Russia finally spoke up, briefly pausing to take a sip of the tea that his companion had just placed in front of him, "I'm very sorry if I…" he internally made a face, tea had never been his favorite. Noticing the awkward pause and wondering what he could do with it, the Russian man stopped as if forgetting what to say, turning his head downward and staring at the floorboards near his feet.

He tried again after a beat, "I'm sorry if I…" again he trailed off, sneaking a peek at the other nation who was staring intently at him, as if waiting for a sincere and real apology.

"I'm sorry," Russia hurriedly managed, bowing his head in a respectful manner, "I don't know how else to put it."

China bitterly spun his cup of tea between his hands, a sour expression on his face. He grunted in acknowledgement and Russia sighed, frowning worriedly towards the smaller man, "you are acting strange Yao…"

When China looked up at him with a frown pasted on his face, Russia continued quickly, "I mean, you are acting strange for you."

Sighing, the Asian man adjusted his sitting position, cracking his neck in either direction before responding, "I can't tell if that is an insult or not aru."

Russia smirked to himself, "Perhaps it is, perhaps it is not."

Quietly snorting in amusement, the smaller country smiled before catching himself and sitting up straighter again, yet again tightening his mouth into a stiff line, "Sorry." He muttered, sounding partially embarrassed.

" 'Sorry' ?" Russia asked, mystified by this new take on the expression of emotion. He saw laughter as a tool as well as a declaration of amusement, but most definitely not something to apologize for.

When no response came, or even any sign that the other personification had heard him, Russia's mouth twisted into a bemused smile, "I'm not sure why you are sorry, it has been a while since I've seen you laugh,"

China tilted his head to the right, still looking down at the cup that he held between his hands. Russia's smile broadened as he continued in his statement, "...though the reason for my missing out might be only because of who I am."

At this, the older man smiled and lifted his hand to his mouth, trying to hide his amusement from his ally. His shoulders shook gently as he scrunched his eyes shut, his expression only visible through a crack between his fingers.

"Look, see?" Russia exclaimed, gesturing over to his ally, "You are doing it again!" China turned away further but Russia tilted his upper body, laughing himself at the ridiculousness of the situation, "I can still see you, you aren't hiding anything!"

China exhaled in one loud puff, trying and failing to turn it into a cough as Russia continued on about his pathetic excuse at a poker face.

"You really aren't good at staying serious all the time are you?" Russia stated, an amused and astonished grin stretching across his face, "In all honesty this is kind of sad to watch!"

Unable to contain it any longer China tilted his head back, letting out a high pitched cackle and giving in to his sense of humor. Watching him laugh, Russia also chuckled, which China, of course, found hilarious in his current hysterical state.

"Wow," Russia grinned, resting his chin on his hand, "this is pathetic!"

" you Ivan~!" China choked, sounding much like Hong Kong is his speech, trying to breath through his giggling, "该死的!" he exclaimed, whipping around to face the man opposite him, "This isn't even funny aru!"

"I know." Russia smiled sweetly, "I made the joke."

"They aren't even jokes though…" at first China tried to frown, but seeing Russia's expression in reaction to it, his pouty expression morphing into a childish smile again. Russia followed suit only seconds later.

It took the two personifications about fifteen minutes to get out of the spontaneous giggle-fit and calm down. (Most of this time consisted of Russia trying to politely drink the tea that he hated and China pacing around the kitchen in the background muttering 'I'm professional,' over and over again, at which point they would make eye contact and the whole thing would start all over.)

"Oh good Tsar that took a long time," Russia groaned, leaning backwards in exhaustion.

"You can say that again aru," China sighed, closing his eyes and rubbing his cheeks with his palms, "他妈的地狱, I didn't know I could laugh that much at such a stupid statement..."

"Ah it's okay, I did not know I was capable of such mirth either," Russia sighed before cutting himself off, awkwardly frowning when he saw the near-concerned expression on China's face "What?"

" 'such mirth'? What are you, English aru?" China frowned in confusion.

"I learned English English first," Russia explained quickly, sounding embarrassed, "Why?"

"As did I," China smirked, placing his cheek in his hand, "But you sounded very not-Russian there aru."

"Oh," Russia smiled, "I suppose that makes it a cause of worry."

"Yes," China frowned, "but is there anything you wanted to tell me when you…"

Russia finished his sentence, "...showed up on your doorstep with flowers even though we are not together?"

"Yes." the Asian personification nodded, "exactly that."

"O-oh…" Russia trailed off, "well, I kind of did,"

China raised an eyebrow, sipping his tea, "and what is that? Can you not tell me or are you forgetting what it was?"

"Neither of those things," the white haired man sighed, "I was just wondering about the 'secret'..?"

Half-growling into his drink, China's eyelids slowly shut over his eyes in a look of sheer annoyance. Russia gritted his teeth, preparing to be kicked out as he internally screamed at the forwardness of the statement.

"Really?" His mind yelled at him, "you were doing so well and your social skills just had to go and ruin it!" Admittedly it was not what he had had in mind for asking the question again, in fact it was quite the opposite of what he had planned.

Before China could even tell him to leave Russia started to stand. "Sorry," he apologized, trying his best to look realistically regretful, "I should not have asked that."

The tone of their meeting had turned serious very suddenly and it was clear by the looks on both of their faces that they were uncomfortable with the tension. China was just annoyed at the question and how it was all Russia seemed to see him as, though Russia did seem to be genuine in his apology. Little did he know that Russia was really worried about if he would have to rebuild the trust that had started to form.

"Прощай…" Russia muttered, barely remembering to make a messy bow before turning. Trust was a huge part of this, a few days of waiting would be nothing in comparison to the potential months that distrust would take them though. He walked to the entryway, realizing that this was an over-estimation of how much China's anger would flare. Yet he did not care.

Just as he was reaching towards the door handle, however, China spoke up from behind him.

"Ivan," He sounded annoyed, but more so at the country's sudden departure than the question, "Why in the world are you leaving aru?"

Russia turned around slowly, savoring the sound of the floorboards that creaked under his feet. Not wanting to blow his cover of the real reason he had come to his ally's house, the Russian man tried his hardest to look confused, "W-what? Why?" he tilted his head, looking concerned.

Looking frustrated now, China responded, "You don't just walk away from someone in the middle of a conversation when you are the reason for it's pause,"

Narrowing his eyes as his frown deepened, China continued, "especially if you started the conversation as well aru."

When Russia only awkwardly stood in the space between the dining area and entryway China rolled his eyes. Speaking again to the man who was towering over him he gestured to the seat across the table and bowed his head, "sit down… now."

Only then did Russia slowly edge his way back to his seat.

Now sitting again, and much closer in height to the other personification than before, the larger man felt obliged to speak, but even as he started, China interrupted him. Forcing himself to listen, Russia closed his mouth and moistened his upper lip as China began, preparing for the worst.

But when he spoke, instead of words of anger, China (if still frustrated) sounded pleased with his power in the situation, "I'm not going to kick you out for asking one question aru, you didn't break into my house this time, think of that as a point on your record aru,"

Russia awkwardly nodded, the nation was correct, jumping to conclusions wasn't exactly the first thing he should have done. Plus, he now was aware that waiting for people to open their doors instead of climbing in through their window was a positive in China's books, who knew?

"You know," China was saying, "when I was still raising my siblings they also jumped to many conclusions, similar to you aru,"

"Did they?" Russia stuttered, anxious not to mess up as badly as he had only a few minutes before.

"Yes aru," China mussed, "though it was more often for things to do with food and murder rather than fear and anger,"

Nodding, Russia acknowledged this statement. For as long as he could remember Ukraine had tried her hardest to keep him and Belerus safe from harm. Clearly she hadn't done too well in many patches of history and because of that kindness she had gone through a lot of pain in recent wars. Much of this was his own or his government's fault, but Russia refused to see this fact.

It made him wonder why she bothered, since her siblings had only hurt her or at least faced up against her in thanks to her hard work in their early lives. In fact, it made him wonder why China bothered with his own 'siblings'. Especially considering how China was not even related to the rest of the East Asian countries (unlike Russia and his sisters) it was strange to see so much pain and effort put into keeping them alive. At least Taiwan still saw him in positive terms when they didn't have to think about political powers. The rest of them however…

There was definitely some mutual hatred in a few places, yet he still wanted to care for them if they were in need. He always made sure that they were safe and still checked in on them when they hated him.

"They are sort of like your children!" Russia blurted out suddenly, drowning out whatever China had been saying.

Said nation stuttered, his words dying in his throat, "W-what?"

In response to his confusion, Russia began listing the East Asian's off to him, counting each on his fingers to make sure that all had been named, "Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan…"

But he trailed off after seeing China's expression, he looked uncomfortable. Biteraly uncomfortable.

"...Yao?" Realizing that he had said the wrong thing again he lowered his shoulders, "What is it now?"

For a moment his face stayed frozen in that pained, choked expression. Russia stared at him, he didn't look scared or annoyed. Just pained, as if Russia had twisted his arm too far backwards instead of accidentally yelling out one innocent statement.

But suddenly, that frozen moment passed and China looked normal again, as if he was trying his darndest not to smile, "No idiot, they are my siblings~!"

Noting the incredibly strange reaction, Russia decided to play along with this story, "Even though they aren't related to you?" Carefully adding a fake laugh just to make it more realistic he quickly added, "Does that make you siblings?"

"Well it takes us even farther away from being a parent and child aru," China said, his voice small.

Bringing that up unnecessarily was strange, so Russia kept playing along. Careful not to accidentally hit another trigger, he added, "But how does it work to be siblings like that?"

China contemplated this for a moment and as he did Russia patiently waited, trying his hardest to remember China's exact wording.

"I see us as siblings, but I don't think the rest of them do aru," China mused, "It probably makes it easier to hurt me if we don't seem related. I guess the same thing would go for kids though so I'm not really proving my point am I?" He smiled awkwardly, seeming to not notice how Russia had not mentioned children in his previous question.

That made two times that China had brought it up. Russia smiled and faked a laugh, as if amused by his ally's statement. Yet in his head he made the quick decision to keep track of how many times the shorter man brought it up, so they kept talking.

...by the end of the night his count was up to six.

A/N so yeah… that was a bit bad, so sorry!