A/N: Please review it if you like it!

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Raivis worked around the neighborhood for the next month to be able to pay for a way to Russia and back. Vash was pitching in money for Lilli, even though he knew how perilous it was going to be. He figured that it Raivis was able to make it safely before, he could do it again, this time with his sister in tow. Vash didn't want to think about what else could go on if Lilli were to be left home alone for a week or two. The boys in the neighborhood weren't exactly the most subtle when it came to their intentions for his baby sister.

"Lilli," Raivis told her near the middle of February, "we're going to be leaving in a few days. And I'll warn you ahead of time of some of the things you may see. There might be some dead bodies. Hell, there may even be people dying on the road, but we'll have to keep going and ignore them. Can you do that?"

Her eyes widened. "People dying?"

"Soldiers," Raivis answered. "There's a hellish war out there. It's not exactly the prettiest thing you'll see. But I will protect you, I promise that much."

She nodded. "Okay," she answered. "We're not going on foot, are we?"

"No," he answered. "We're going the long way, though. Just to ensure safety. Your brother has hired someone to guide us."

Lilli's eyes lit up. "That's wonderful! Will he keep us safe, too?"

Raivis sighed. "I sure hope so. From what I've been told, he's made the trek many times. He's an old friend of your brother's from what I've heard."

"What's his name?" Lilli asked, blinking in confusion. Did she know this man?

"Ivan something," the male answered.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Ivan is taking us?!" she exclaimed. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?! Of course he knows that area! He's from Russia!" She giggled. "He's been friends with Vash for as long as I can remember…"

"That's good," the Latvian boy answered. "So we'll be good with him?"

"Of course we will," she giggled. "Ivan is a very trustworthy man! He has taken me places before when Vash had business elsewhere." Lilli's smile was contagious, and Raivis found himself smiling as well. "He's like a second older brother to me."

"Then I'm glad he will be helping us," Raivis answered.

"So am I," Lilli happily sighed. Her smile was wide and bright. "Is he bringing us back as well?"

Raivis nodded. "He will be in town as long as we are, just staying at an inn. That's all."

Lilli nodded back. "I see. Where will we be staying?"

"We will be staying with Toris, if that is all right with you."

The girl blushed. "Together?" she softly asked. "As in maybe even in the same bed?" Her face turned a bright shade of red as her hands reached for Toris's. "I would love it if we did." Lilli's green eyes sparkled. "Please say that we'll share a bed."

"We can share my old bed," Raivis told her. "Why is that so important to you?"

Lilli looked down into her lap. "It's just that I've never slept in the same bed as a man before," she softly said. "It sounds fun, especially since Vash won't be around to spy on us or anything." She looked up at him. "I want to sleep in the same bed as you, Raivis. I want to know that I'm safe with you."

Raivis could feel himself blushing. "Then we will share a bed," he decided. "I don't mind it at all." He was looking forward to sharing a bed with Lilli, if he was being honest with himself. He couldn't think of any other place he'd want her to sleep than right beside her. "I'll keep you warm during those Russian winter nights."

She blushed and giggled. "Oh, Raivis!"

There was a loud knock on the door that caused them both to jump. The sun was no longer up, so both were wondering who it could possibly be. No one ever stopped by after sunset. Was Vash expecting someone? If he was, wouldn't he at least be waiting somewhere other than the ammunition room?

Raivis stood just as Vash marched swiftly into the room. He sat back down at Vash's command and curiously watched the Swiss man hurry off to the front room. Was this the beginning of the "business" that Vash was going to be tending to?

Lilli suddenly perked up at the sound of a lower voice that accompanied Vash's in the entryway. "That sounds like Ivan!" she exclaimed. She rose to her feet and bolted toward the door with a swiftness that Raivis had no idea she even possessed.

He quickly followed after her, though, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the tall man in the entryway.

This Ivan man was a giant! He wore a long trenchcoat and heavy-looking black boots. If Raivis had a guess, they were probably steel-toed. The scarf around his neck was long and looked extremely warm. His violet eyes rested on him, nearly hidden behind platinum blond bangs.

"You must be this Raivis that they have told me about," he said, a smile coming to his face. The smile was intimidating in itself. "I am pleased to meet you. My name is Ivan Braginsky. I'll be your guide to and from Russia."

"P-Pleased to meet you, sir," Raivis answered, feeling his old tremors coming on. He hoped that he wouldn't start shaking in front of Lilli and Vash. He thought he was over that point in his life. "That is true. I am Raivis Galante."

Ivan's smile grew wider. "That is wonderful news. I am sure we will make good friends, da?"

Raivis only nodded, looking to Vash and Lilli for help, but the siblings were too preoccupied with admiring their friend. He wondered how Vash and Lilli had ever become friends with such a person, but he decided to keep that to himself. This was going to make for an interesting adventure to Russia. That much was for sure.

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"Raivis, is everything all right?" Lilli asked him the next morning as they sipped at tea together. It was just the two of them in the house as Ivan was helping Vash with an errand.

The Latvian boy nodded. "Yeah, everything is fine," he answered. "Why would you ask such a silly question?" He laughed nervously. Was everything fine? Things didn't feel fine. Why did Ivan make him so nervous? What was it about him? "What makes you think things wouldn't be all right?"

"It's just that you're acting oddly," she observed, setting her teacup down on its saucer. Her green gaze studied his face. "You seem so nervous, but I don't understand why. Is it because of Ivan? I mean, I get that he's tall, but he's not very scary at all."

"What do you mean by not very scary at all?" Raivis gasped out. "The man is terrifying!"

Lilli giggled. "What do you mean? Ivan is like a giant teddy bear!"

"What kind of teddy bear are you imagining?" Raivis asked, eyes wide. "Because I sure don't see a teddy bear when I look at the man!" He tried to imagine Ivan dressed as a bear and the mental image of the man got even scarier. "That just sounds scary."

"Don't tell me you're too scared of Ivan to go to Russia with him," Lilli softly said. "That would be sad."

"No, it's nothing like that," Raivis quickly assured. "I would never be too scared to do that. I'm just glad you're going with me."

"I think that's why my brother hired him to take us," Lilli softly giggled. "I think he did it to intimidate you into not doing anything you're not supposed to be doing." Her giggled burst into full-on laughter. "That's so funny, Raivis!"

"Yeah, for you," he grumbled.

She smiled, running her fingers through his curls. "There's nothing to be afraid of, I promise. Ivan is a gentle giant, I assure you. He may be a bit rough around the edges, but he really does mean well for everyone. He's just a bit different from most people."

"Really?" Raivis asked, looking up into her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"He doesn't really know how to make conversation," Lilli admitted. "I think that is why he and my brother get along. They don't really talk much when they're together because neither of them socialize, but they like the same things." She put her index finger to her chin as she thought. "He also cares very deeply for people and only likes to do things with the best intentions in mind, even if it may seem like he doesn't."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Raivis asked, eyes wide.

"It's hard to explain," Lilli giggled. "You'll have to see for yourself."

Raivis groaned. "What a pain."

"But once we're to Russia," Lilli softly began, "we'll be staying with Toris, and he will not." She winked at him. "Need I remind you that we'll be sharing a bed?"

He felt his blood rushing in his body. "Lilli…" he softly said. "What are you thinking?"

"I just want to sleep beside you," she answered. "That's all. I don't want sex or anything like that. I'm too young." She folded her hands in her lap and looked down at them. "But I would give anything to share a bed with you as if we were married, Raivis."

"Why is that so appealing to you?" Raivis asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Because you're the first boy to come along who never expected anything from me," she softly admitted, looking up at him. Her cheeks were flushed, but Raivis could tell how serious she was. "The other boys expect me to kiss them all the time. You usually only kiss me when I kiss you. You let me initiate things. You seem to actually respect me and my body, Raivis. I don't understand why you do things like that, but I thank you for it."

"Maybe it's because I see you as something more than just a woman?" he suggested. "I see you as an individual. You're strong enough on your own, Lilli. You don't need another person to complete you, and I hope you know that."

Lilli nodded to herself. "Vash always said that I need to get married one day to a boy from our village, but why do I have to marry a boy from the village when I can marry you, Raivis?"

"Marry me?" Raivis asked, stunned. "Where is all of this marriage talk coming from?"

"Vash wants me to be at least engaged sometime soon, but to someone successful," she softly said. Her eyes looked up at Raivis and pleaded with him. "Raivis, please become successful so I don't have to marry another man!"

He blinked his eyes in surprise. Lilli wanted to marry him? "Why me?" he dumbly asked.

"Because you're the only one who treats me like a real lady," she softly answered. "I would be honored to marry a man such as you." Lilli smiled up at him. "Please try, for me? I don't want to marry Michael or any other man from the village. I want to marry you, Raivis."

"But you don't know me that well," he said.

"But I know your heart," she countered. "And it is a good heart indeed. You've never let me down, and I hope you won't do it now either." Lilli leaned over the table and kissed Raivis's cheek.

And in that exact moment, Raivis knew that he would never be able to say no.

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The next morning, Raivis got up early to pack. They would be leaving early the next morning, and he wanted to be prepared so Ivan wouldn't look down upon him. If anything, he wanted their trip to Russia to go smoothly, and knew that the only way that would be possible would be to make sure that he was able to cooperate with Ivan well.

Lilli was out in the dining room when Raivis finally emerged for the day. "Good morning," she greeted, smiling at him. "How are you today, Raivis?"

He yawned. Getting up early wasn't exactly his favorite thing to do, but he wasn't nearly about to complain in front of her. "I'm doing well," he told her, "I got up early to make sure everything was packed properly and that I wasn't missing anything."

"You are so responsible," she giggled. "Vash won't let me pack my things alone. He made sure to supervise all of my packing yesterday." Lilli smiled at Raivis. "Since I'm going to be with two men, he didn't want me taking anything too revealing or anything like that." She giggled once more. "My big brother can be so silly sometimes."

"I'm just being a good older brother," Vash simply stated, walking into the room from the kitchen. He was carrying a plate with toast and jam on it. "You have no need to make fun of me for it. I am only looking out for you, Lilli."

Lilli giggled. "And I thank you kindly, from the bottom of my heart," she told him. "I just wish you cared a little less. I'm sixteen years old now, nearly an adult."

"You'll never be an adult in my eyes until you are married with children," the older brother told her, sitting at the table. "Even then, you still probably won't be."

Raivis had to fight back a smile at the look on Lilli's face. "So when do you plan on heading out, Vash?" he asked his friend.

Vash sighed. "I am planning to leave this evening. Ivan will be in charge, watching over you two since I will not be available to. That means you need to be on your best behavior. Is that understood?"

"Yes, brother," Lilli sighed.

"Yes, sir," Raivis answered. "You know, Vash, I was thinking of getting a nice job when we get back."

"Oh really?" Vash asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "Tell me, what kind of work have you done before. I might be able to help you find a job."

"I did odd jobs when I lived in Poland," Raivis began. "I was a local handyman of sorts." He thought back to his time in Poland and felt his chest begin to ache slightly for Feliks. His mind told him to ignore the feeling and continue. "In Russia, I also did odd jobs, although Natalia also had me working in her father's shop sometimes so she and Toris could go on dates."

Vash nodded. "So I see you have more experience working than I thought." He thought for a moment. "There is already a local handyman here, but he is quite old. I will see if he needs an apprentice of sorts. He has no family to speak of, kind of like you. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Vash," the Latvian boy said with a nod. "I appreciate it."

"Please," the Swiss man sighed. "What's a small favor between friends? Besides, it's not like you don't clean my house for me already and all that. It's the least I could do."

Raivis decided to keep quiet about the fact that he was cleaning the house and doing chores so that he could live there. He wanted Vash to stay in this cheerful mood for awhile. A mood like this was rare for the man, and who knew when it would come back.

Lilli smiled at her brother. "So where is Ivan?"

"He's out gathering the last of the things he will need for the journey," Vash explained to her, his whole attitude and expression changing to a more soft one when speaking to his sister. It was almost as if he were an entirely different person. "He wants to make sure you all will be safe. I've lent him a few guns and plenty of ammunition, but he insists on acquiring some knives as well. So typical of Ivan." Vash rolled his eyes and looked to Raivis. "What's with the look on your face?" he asked. "Don't tell me you're nervous."

"Nervous?" Raivis asked. "No way. I'm sure we'll be fine with Ivan. He seems like a strong guy. I'm sure with him and I together, Lilli will be completely safe."

Vash smiled. "That's what I like to hear, Galante. I like that confidence. Keep that up."

The Latvian boy sat down and smiled nervously. He really hoped it wouldn't take forever to get to Russia. He honestly didn't know how long he would be able to manage with Ivan. The man gave him such nervous vibes and was like something straight out of his nightmares. But the worst part was that Raivis couldn't figure out what made Ivan so terrifying.

"Raivis and Ivan will keep me nice and safe," Lilli chirped. "I know they will!" She grinned at her older brother. "There will be nothing to worry about with them around! Isn't that right, Raivis?"

"Of course," he quickly answered. He was glad that Lilli had that much faith in him. Now if only he had that much faith in himself...

"I doubt you three will have too much trouble anyway," Vash answered. "Ivan knows stealthy paths where you won't run into anyone. It will take about a month for you to get there that way, but it's guaranteed the safest way."

Raivis nodded, feeling his stomach churning. A month with Ivan? That sounded awful. "Thank you, Vash." He couldn't help but feel a bit unsure about being around Ivan for that long. At least Lilli would be there to make things better.

"No problem," Vash answered. "Thank you for taking Lil with you. I don't know what I would do if you weren't here. I don't trust those boys in the neighborhood like I trust you, Raivis."

Lilli shot Raivis a discreet smirk. She was glad that Vash trusted Raivis. It would be that much easier to get him to let her marry the Latvian boy. All they had to do was play it safe until Vash gave them permission to marry.

Raivis noticed the smirk and wondered if she had planned anything for the trip to Russia. He also wondered if Ivan was just as oblivious to Lilli's craftiness as Vash seemed to be.

Because in Vash's eyes, Lilli was a sweet and innocent little girl who could do no wrong. But the thing is, Raivis knew a completely different side to the girl. He wondered how much of that side would show on the trip to Russia.

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That night before bed, Lilli grabbed Raivis's arm and dragged him into the living room. Vash and Ivan were already in bed, and Lilli and Raivis were supposed to be asleep as well, but neither of them were tired enough.

"Raivis, are you nervous about tomorrow?" she asked him. Her green eyes sparkled in the moonlight that flooded in through the windows.

"A little, why?" he asked.

"Don't be," Lilli told him. "I have Ivan wrapped around my little finger. He won't intimidate you if I tell him not to. You see, Raivis, I talk to him about a lot of things. I think Ivan already knows I want to marry you. The thing is…" She leaned in closer to Raivis. "If we can prove to Ivan that you're worthy during this trip, he'll put in a good word for Vash."

"He will?" Raivis asked, eyes wide.

Lilli nodded. "He will." She then leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Now get some sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us starting tomorrow."

But how could Raivis sleep after being told something like that?