A WEEK LATER

Estonia's fast was over. That day, he was the first one down, and at breakfast, it was the first time he was present for a meal in a few days.

Russia, on his part, was on Belarus' bed.

"Belarus, why are you so late today? Usually, you're the first one up, but today, you broke your record."

"Do you want me to get up, Brother?" Belarus was doubtlessly exhausted, but she made an effort nevertheless.

"It's alright, Sister. Get your rest." Belarus didn't protest at all.

"Estonia," Lithuania was saying at the table. "Don't be so rude. Eat in mannerful bites!"

"I'll pass," Estonia managed to empty his mouth.

"Why didn't you eat for the past week?" Latvia asked.

Estonia smiled sweetly. Latvia shouldn't be exposed to such a terrible truth. "I was trying to make myself pure, and dizzy, since I feel as if something was dirtying me."

"What was it?" Latvia looked eagerly.

"I contracted too many of the seven evils."

At that moment, Russia returned to the table. "Which one? Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Avarice, Gluttony, or Lust?"

Estonia looked up briefly. "Probably Sloth."

"Then if that is the case, go clean up the library. You messed it up."

With that, Estonia was expelled into the room of books.

"Where's Miss Belarus?" Lithuania was worried about his crush.

"Resting."

"Ah."

Next there was a silence, except for chewing. Then Russia shooed Latvia off with the duster, and Lithuania got a day off.

"Thanks! Are you serious?" the State babbled happily.

"Of course, Lithuania. Go enjoy yourself."

There were no complaints whatsover, just a happy young man skipping off. Russia looked after him smiling, but the smile soon turned sinister, and Russia headed for the medicine cabinet.

Estonia was organizing the piles of books in their proper categories, when he found a hidden bill. When he left the library to deliver it, he ran into Latvia.

"Did you see Russia anywhere?" Estonia inquired of Latvia. "He...He was heading towards the medicine cabinet," Latvia stuttered. "He said that he wasn't feeling too well."

"Ah."

Russia looked through the medicines, searching for that one potion he needed. He already had the tickets to Siberia ready, and all he needed was that medicine.

Finding it, he headed next for Belarus' bedroom, where the girl was still sleeping. She was so pretty, but Russia knew that when she awoke, her actions would outweigh her looks. Waiting for her to wake was a bore, but Russia bore it patiently, and was eventually awarded.

"Hello, Sister," he greeted her sweetly. "Today I have to go to Siberia to check on a political matter. Do you want to come with me today?"

He already knew the answer: "Of course."

A few moments later, Belarus found herself on a train to Siberia, with her brother right by her. She savoured the closeness, the way Russia ran his fingers through her hair; she did not notice how he depleted it of its hidden offense, and how he pocketed it.

Finally, they came to Siberia. Russia walked off, followed by Belarus, to a lowly populated region. The snow was beginning to fall, the winds were beginning to blow so fiercely, ears every where were praying that no one would swat them off.

Any sane person would have noticed a change over Russia. His sweetness was becoming more and more deadly, and that smile seemed like a decoy. But was Belarus sane? No, or at least not on the subject of her brother. She offered no resistance as he lunged forward, pinned her to the ground, and tore off her dress, and all her garments.

Russia knew the meaning of making hay while the sun shone. In his case, the sun would be shining for a very long time, or at least long enough for him to do what he wanted he do.

Slowly, he began to run his fingers of Belarus' delicately curved body, groping it tenderly, and kissed her; the kiss a distraction. Russia's hands traced her pale, round breasts, and located her heart, and took out his knife. He plunged it in with force, causing her blood to erupt.

She thought nothing of it, not even when Russia forced a foreign liquid down her throat, and left her in the heart of the Siberian winter.

It was a plan of perfection. But the location could have used more planning.

"Great, China. It doesn't look like you learned from last time, even when your wounds haven't completely formed."

"Aiyah, I don't think she'll hate me that much after this, Hong Kong!"

Hong Kong was having a very animated conversation with China.

"You know Lithuania, right?" Hong Kong asked China, trying to pursue his point at a new angle, and return to the old. "Belarus' lover? He treated her better than Russia ever did, but she broke his fingers, and leg, and she talked to him as if he was nothing worth noticing."

"Aiyah, Hong Kong! I'm sure Belarus has manners!" China took little to no notice of Hong Kong's information. Finding this conversation pointless compared to food, China walked away. Hong Kong let him go, until an idea struck him. "China!" he called. "Come back!"

China did, but was quite annoyed. "Yes, Hong Kong?"

"May I make a bet with you? You'll probably lose, but I still have hope."

"Aiyah, do you take me as a fool?" China sighed despondantly. "But alright, I'll hear the terms, though I'm tired of you making so many bets. When did you get so into it?"

"It's the English way of solving things," Hong Kong told China cooly. "Belarus hasn't awakened, has she?"

"No."

"You're keeping her, you're sure?"

"Aiyah, of course! 100%!"

"So how about these terms- if she tries to kill you within six months, you'll have to find a way to become one with her, and do it, as well. If she doesn't attempt murder in that span, you could have your way with her, which would probably be very similiar."

China knew that it was more prudent to turn down the bet, but eventually, Impatience gave him away.

"Leave the second part of your terms out, Hong Kong," China demanded. "I'm not that perverted!"

"I'm sure you are. It's just that you don't know how to do it properly,do you?" Hong Kong teased. "If you want," he offered next. "I'll teach you how."

"Aiyah, I'll pass."

Later that night, Taiwan asked Hong Kong about the bet which she had overheard slightly. She got nothing but confusion, as Hong Kong laughed himself sore.

"You know," China told the two before bedtime. "Maybe I should get you two different bedrooms instead of one. Because aiyah, I don't want to know that happens under the covers."

Hong Kong just nodded, but Taiwan slugged China.

Belarus awoke to see a whole new enviroment. That itself would have rested with her, but the face looking at her made it many times worse.

"You again," she snarled at China. "Let me go-now. I don't want to stay here."

China was firm. "Aiyah, you shouldn't go back to your brother's house. He'll abuse you, and it'll be worse than murder and injury, and abandoning."

"I'd rather go back than be here stuck with you." Belarus stuck like a wall. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd take your hand off of mine."

China did, but his expression had changed from relief to rejection. Belarus honestly didn't care.

"And also," Belarus went on ranting. "Why am I in you house? Not to complain about safety, but it would have been less burdensome to just dump me at someone else's house."

"Aiyah, I had time to take you over to my place, and-" China paused.

"And what?"

"I wanted to keep you, so there no problems with your being here."

An awkward silence ensued, in which Belarus became aware of her current state. She was feeling worn it, it was true; she also had an unusual feeling-it was like a certain sick feeling that made you peevish and apathetic to everything but yourself. Next, Belarus noticed that she was clothed in a loose silk gown, and was on a bed. She must have looked like she was having a light relapse, since China sked her if she was feeling fine. Belarus remarked she was well, thank you very much, before questioning her state when she was found. She was not done with questioning when China finished how he found her.

"And how do I know that you did not make what you just said up?" she persisted.

China looked her in the eye, and there was an odd light in his, as if thinking how feisty Belarus did. " Aiyah, I'm not sure how you are feeling right now at the moment, but when I first brought you here,you were ill, and there's that place above your heart where you were stabbed."

Belarus felt her breasts, and did find truth in China's statement.

"Aiyah, I'm just so happy you awoke!" he smiled at last. "Do you need anything to eat?"

"No. I'll do without."

Belarus was cold, and emotionless, and talked minimumly, and sometimes China felt as if she was void of feelings. He watched out for himself, for China saw that another part of the rumors about Belarus was true: she seemed capable, if she was not, of murder; China did not want a knife in him.

Five months later, he had a close call.

Belarus smoldered anxiously. She was usually of the patient, quiet type, but in her situation, Patience had long left her.

For five months, she had tried every door-opening technique on China's door, but it stubbornly refused to budge. A 100-numbered combination had been set on it sometime during the second month. The window, the next target, were too small, and China closely monitored Belarus as if she was a rebelllious marble.

That was a poor comparison, but it was true that if there was a way out of East Asia, Belarus would have taken it. She did not like the way China studied her, in that same way she studied him, watching every move and every action.

He's beginning to trust me, Belarus announced to herself. It's the perfect chance to do it.

China didn't have own any of those knives that were sharp and dangerous, the kind Belarus was accustomed to, but China was practically a cooking utensil collector-wok, pan, roller, cutlery, you name it, he had it.

A cooking knife would have to do, Belarus thought. They're not that sharp, but it'll still hurt. Now, at this point, it's not about finding achance or choosing a weapon, she mused next. Hong Kong is blocking the cutlery, and if I get a knife he'll ask how I got inside the house, and why I would need a knife. And if I said that I was going to carve, I'd probably be held under the suspicion that there's a second purpose for the knife.

Indeed, Hong Kong was preparing something to eat, for he had been out at a party, and as he was telling Taiwan (who entered the kitchen a moment later) the food was more or less sugar.

"Where have you been?" Hong Kong asked Taiwan.

"Outside eating," Taiwan replied.

Belarus wondered if love of food ran in China's family.

"I see," Hong Kong remarked, not even turning.

"Why are you saying that eating is bad, Hong Kong?" Taiwan erupted.

"I never said it was bad," Hong Kong replied suavely.

"If you haven't noticed, Didi, you're eating also-"

"I'm not eating, I'm preparing to eat!"

"Yes, but that's just about the same as eating"

The two began to argue, and Belarus couldn't understand their Chinese; it was too fast, and Belarus only knew a little of the language. The argument eventually ended with Hong Kong surrendering to Taiwan with a few resigned words.

It was a good thing for Taiwan and Hong Kong that the argument stopped. Belarus was considering knocking them out.

The bad side came to Belarus. She had to find another hiding spot, as Hong Kong left the kitchen, and sat down at the table under which Belarus was hiding, forcing her to choose another hiding spot. This time, she picked a spot behind the bamboo next, and managed to deliver herself there without causing a commotion. Behind the bamboo was a relatively good hiding spot, for the bamboo was tall and thick, though it was too close to the door leading out of the kitchen and as Taiwan exited, Belarus found it necessary to compress herself.

Hong Kong was more annoying. He took his time, and Belarus felt pangs of annoyance.

These people think of eating as a pleasure, she realized. Not so much a necessity.

Apparently, Hong Kong was either very hungry, or he liked the food alot, since he took multiple helpings. At around the third helping, Belarus was ready to tear him to pieces. Fortunately for her impatience, that helping was the last that night.

After Hong Kong left the kitchen, Belarus stepped silently to the cutlery, and carefully picked out the sharpest blade of the bunch, and even that knife was below Belarus' standards.

But Belarus was not a complainer, and she let the matter go. Clutching the knife tightly in her hands, she treaded silently to CHina's room. Except for the moonlight, it was dark.

She was so close that the knife was right on top of China's heart; it almost went it, until a hand pushed the knife out, and a moment later, Belarus was unarmed.

Belarus figured she was going to be kicked out of the house, which would have been almost as good as killing China, but she only got suspended from the knife.

She was such a pretty girl, and expressionless most of the time, but whenever something bad happened to a group, she was, for most of the time, singled out first, and this time she expected nothing less than being rebuked.

Instead, China's mouth was silent, and his hand humane, as he pulled her towards the phone.