AN Says:

So this is a birthday fic for Artificial Starlight, writer of the as-awesome-as-Prussia RusCan fic "Giving In". (If you haven't read it already, DO IT! DO IT NOW!~) :( sorry it's so late, but here you go! Happy Bday!

So, this idea came to me from another idea I'd had. It'd started when a friend was telling me about a book series (I can't remember which one it was now, which is shame on me considering my profession) that was based off of fairy tales continuously being acted out. My idea had been "hey, what if the Hetalia characters were forced to act out their fairy tales to keep them alive with their people?" Which lead to reading about different fairy tales, which lead to reading about Baba Yaga, which lead to this.

The basic idea I'm going with, is that every couple years, they have to re-enact one of their fairy tales. If a nations people still tell a certain fairy tale, then that nation gets one of the roles in the story when it gets re-enacted. Only, they don't have much choice about which role they get. And the story itself is like an almost-sentient being that knows the general plot of the fairy tale and guides the events to get it to play out right. Or at least mostly right.

TLDR : the nations are forced to re-enact their fairytales to keep them alive with their people.

The first time he'd heard about it, he'd been in shock. Sure it was normal, even he and America practised it, but he'd thought the other man would at least put up more of a fight.

The second and third times, he'd found he could sympathize with the other man. His sister was creepy enough when things were normal, but make her the witch of a fairytale and force Russia into the role of the witch's captive ... and yeah, he could see how that could be a little terrifying.

But this was getting near the tenth time (that he knew of, and he was sure it had gone on for far longer than that), and he was starting to get sick of it. Surely the other man wasn't THAT terrified? What happened to the nation that always sent others trembling in fear and hurrying to get out of the room?

Not to mention he was tired of their hockey games mysteriously being cancelled at the last minute. Now he was going to do something about it.

"Birdie, you don't just interfere with another nation's fairy tales! They have to play out to the end."

"You just like the idea of Russia cowering in a corner."

"Kesesesese! Yeah ..."

"Either you help me get him out, or I tell Germany that you posted those pictures of him and Italy online."

"... ... And England thinks you're the nice one. Why not just wait for Ukraine to bail him out? She always gets the hero role anyways."

"And what happens when she's sick and can't go anywhere, and Russia's left with no one to rescue him from the witch?"

" ... Sucks to be him?"

Canada sighs and turns to leave. "See you later, Gil. Good luck with your brother."

"Hey! Wait! Okay! Okay! I'll help you sneak in!"

Canada watches him silently with an expectant look.

"... ... And I won't give Russia back to her once he thinks he's out." He grumbles half-heartedly, before muttering under his breath. "Even if it'd be funny as hell."

"I just need you to tell me where she keeps him, and for you to distract her. You don't even have to see him. ... And don't say you don't know where he'd be. I know you were sucked into his stories when you lived with him."

"... ... How much do you know about Baba Yaga?"

"Come on out, old witch! I can see that pestle sticking out of the chimney. I know you're home!" Gilbert has a little too much confidence in his stance, but that's what the story calls for, a confident hero. Good thing the stories don't tend to look too closely at the details.

An old wooden hut stands on a pair of skinny chicken legs in the middle of a clearing. It sits among it's palisade of bones and skulls in a stubborn silence, refusing to acknowledge the loud nation standing at the gate.

"Oi! I'll knock down this morbid little fence of yours. Or maybe I'll torment the Trembling Trio again. If I'm stuck out here waiting for you, I should at least get some fun out of it."

Meanwhile, Canada is taking advantage of his invisibility and creeping through the trees. He's just managed to climb to a branch about level with a window when the house itself starts trembling violently, likely from Prussia's last taunt that he'd take away her hostage and give him to America.

Looking inside, he can't see Russia, but he can definitely see Belarus. She's fully in the role of Baba Yaga, dressed in an old hag's clothing and sending a baleful glare through the wall of the hut. She's visibly trembling with rage and a violent aura is filling up the house.

And Prussia, of course, doesn't know when to shut up and keeps going about what Russia and America would probably do once they were alone. Matthew has a hard time not laughing out loud at some of the things the other nation comes up with. Really? Filling the Bering sea with coffee and vodka so the world knows they've become one is a beyond ridiculous idea. Plus, who'd really believe that America'd be willing to hook up with Russia?

But, Belarus believed. Before he can smother his gasps of laughter at another ridiculous idea from Prussia, she's already out of the hut, riding in Baba Yaga's mortar and pestle and charging towards the albino.

Taking the opportunity for what it is, Matthew climbs through the window and tumbles onto the surprisingly dusty floor. The hut is smaller than it looks, with only a small bed and table for furniture and a large brick oven dominating most of the one room. He can't find Russia at first, but then he hears a creaking noise above his head and looks up.

Looking up, he sees a large bronze cage hanging from the ceiling. If he hadn't stumbled on his way in, he probably would've hit his head on the bottom. Walking out from underneath the cage, he finds Russia curled into a ball in the corner, hiding his face in his scarf. He looks up when he hears a different voice calling his name though.

"Matvey? What are you doing here?"

"I came to get you out. Gil's acting as the hero right now and keeping Belarus busy. Where's the key?"

"Here." A hand pokes the key out between the bars of the cage. Matthew takes the key, but gives the larger man 'a look'.

"She never left. And it burns my hand if I try to use it."

"And to think everyone's so scared of you" he whispers to himself, careful not to let the other man hear him.

Taking the key, Matthew laughs at the obviousness of it all when the key starts melting as soon as it touches the lock. "Of course. They never make this easy." He whispers grudgingly, but he does manage to get the lock open before the key becomes a puddle of metal-coloured goo in the lock.

Russia though, doesn't move.

"Come on. Let's go while Gil still has her attention."

Still no movement.

"Do you really want her to come back with you still here? While she's a witch and can actually do something to you?"

That earns a terrified look from the Russian, and he quickly scrambles to his feet and out of the cage. They climb out of the window and down the tree, hitting the ground just as the house starts shrieking an alarm, much like a panicked chicken.

"She will be coming back ..." Russia whispers, before he starts running for the front gate in the bone palisade. He gets faster when he's scared, Canada muses.

They make it through the gate and into the tree line just as Belarus, still in the guise of Baba Yaga, comes out of the forest from the opposite direction and zips into the house.

A pulsating aura starts emanating from the house, and a piercing shriek, high and wild, joins the ongoing alarm of the house. The two northern nations take that as their cue to start running down the path away from the chicken-legged house. Especially when it turns around, two large windows glowing from the inside and front door resembling a very angry mouth, and starts walking towards the gate, stepping over it as if it doesn't even exist.

They start running as soon as the house starts turning around. Hopefully they can reach the end of the forest, and the end of the fairy tale before they get caught.

They manage to sneak into a copse of trees just off the path and hide for a couple minutes, watching the hut wander round a clearing as it tries to find them. Some sort of sound is emanating from the hut, and Russia visibly shudders at what he hears.

As it gets closer, it becomes clear that the sound is actually Belarus' voice echoing from inside the hut. She's chanting the words 'brother', 'come back', and 'marry me' over and over until they sound like little more than a constant hiss of steam.

"Let's go, Matvey" Russia whispers, tugging on Canada's hand as he slowly rises from his crouch. A determined light enters his eyes, and it seems like he's starting to turn back to normal.

Silence reigns as they creep along the edge of the clearing, the story forcing them to at least stay near the path. Once they leave the clearing behind, Ivan finally asks the question that's been filling his mind since Canada first lowered the cage. "Why are you here, Matvey. Where is Katyusha?"

"She's sick." Seeing Ivan suddenly get a look of worry, he clarifies. "Nothing serious, it's just a human flu. But her boss isn't letting her leave her house. And no one else would have come. Belarus made the Baltics be her three guardians, and I had to trick Prussia into even telling me where to find you."

They lapse into silence again until Matthew's curiosity gets the better of him. "How does Ukraine usually get you out?"

Ivan suddenly looks very uncomfortable, and his answer is mumbled into his scarf. "She asks Natalya about her wedding plans. It usually distracts her enough that I can sneak out." Matthew gets a sullen glare sent his way when he fails to hold back a laugh.

They don't have to worry about staying quiet anymore, since it seems like they've managed to lose Belarus. if it weren't for the near constant tug they feel that leads towards the end of the story, it would feel like a regular hike through the woods.

The fairy tale comes back in full force when they come round a bend in the path and find an obstacle in their way. Three obstacles, really. With a fourth standing guard.

Apparently, Prussia's further torment of the Baltics consisted of tying them upside down over a deep pit dug into the road. The albino is nowhere to be seen, but Gilbird has been set as a guard. The little yellow bird is flitting around the three nations, pecking at Lithuania's and Estonia's hands when they wander too close to the knots in the rope suspending them from a tree limb. Latvia is trying to wiggle free from his spot between the other two nations, but that turns into trembling when he sees Russia.

Russia smiles childishly when he sees this and steps closer to the three smaller nations, laughing when they all start shaking. "Sometimes, Prussia has good ideas, da?"

"Ivan!" Matthew quickly steps between Russia and the Baltic nations, trying to avert whatever it is Russia seems to be planning.

Gilbird stops his pecking when he hears Canada's voice quietly berating the larger man, and flits over to sit on the top of Matthew's head, bright yellow feathers blending in with the almost golden waves. The little bird chirps a greeting at Canada, and what sounds almost like a warning towards the Baltics, before it settles down for a nap.

Apparently used to this, Matthew doesn't react to his new companion and instead turns toward the Baltics. His hands start to venture towards the knots on the ropes, only to be stopped by what seems like an invisible force-field surrounding the rope. This story apparently doesn't like it when the 'hero' tries to help the 'villain'.

He tries multiple times to either untie or cut away at the rope, but each time his hands are stopped before they can get near it. Canada seems to be the only one surprised by this though. Lithuania sighs, he should have known better than to hope it would be possible in one of Russia's fairy tales. "Thank you anyway for trying, America. We'll get down somehow."

Ivan loses his grin and marches forward until he's staring Lithuania in the face. "He is not America. His name is Canada. You will not call him that again, da?"

"Yes Russia!" The brown haired nation pales at Russia's dark look. "Er, I mean, no. It won't happen again!"

Russia's expression changes so quickly back to its former grin, that it almost seems like it had never changed. "Good." With that, he turns and starts walking away from the trio, clearly expecting Canada to follow him. Which he does, after a quick apology to the stunned nations that are still left hanging upside down.

They fall into another silence again, but this isn't cold or awkward like the past couple ones had been. Russia seems almost embarrassed by his outburst, partially hiding his face in his scarf and trying, unsuccessfully, to hide from the Canadian's warm gaze.

Canada isn't sure if he should be amused at Russia's obvious embarrassment, or flattered that the other man had jumped so quickly to his defence. He settles on a mixture of both, trying in vain to stamp down the small smile that's blossomed on his face. "Thank you, Ivan." He finally whispers, almost hoping that the other doesn't actually hear him this time.

"Da. You are welcome, Matvey."

He should've known better. Russia's one of the nations that almost always sees him. That's why Matthew likes him so much. That and he's always up for a game of hockey. "You weren't actually going to do anything to them, were you?"

"Nyet. It would have been funny to spin them around though, da?"

Matthew laughs faintly and shakes his head. "It would've been mean."

"But funny. They're always shaking so much. It would be amusing to watch."

"If you say so, Ivan. Do all your stories play ouy like this?"

"Not all of them. Some are more fun, some I don't like as much. I liked this one a lot better when Ukraine was Baba Yaga. It was much more fun then."

"Eh? What was different?"

"She wouldn't lock her hostage in a cage. They'd get a set of tasks, usually cleaning the hut or baking of some sort. And she'd give us an item before we get sent on our way home. And she always changed who she picked as a hostage."

"That does sound a lot more fun. Have you ever been the witch?"

"I used to. When we all lived together, I always became Baba Yaga." His tone is solemn and disappointed now. "No one seemed to enjoy it though."

"I'm sorry."

"But, now it seems like Natalya is always Baba Yaga. And she always picks me. And I always get stuck in that cage." His tone is bitter now, filling with resentment for his younger sister.

"Is Kat the only one that comes to get you out?"

"... ... Da."

Matthew doesn't really know how to respond to that. The feeling of loneliness that's been packed into that one word is almost tangible. He's about to say something along the lines of an apology or a reassurance that someone else must've been about come this year, when Russia turns around and their eyes meet. A faint blush can be seen poking above Ivan's scarf.

"... Thank you, Matvey. I ..." Ivan suddenly breaks the eye contact, turning to continue walking forward; apparently deciding he's more comfortable saying what he wants to say to the open air. "I thought that no one would come this time. It had been so long, and she usually comes a lot sooner. I ... "

He jumps and visibly steels himself when Matthew's hand lands on his shoulder. "It's okay Ivan. We're almost out now, and then things will be back to normal again. At least for a couple years, eh?"

"Da." Russia is coming back to his regular self now, stride normal instead of quick and hurried, and his shoulders are looser, no longer hunched in as if he wants to hide himself.

It's nice, Matthew thinks, to be able to see Russia getting back to normal. There's been too much of the 'scared and jumping at shadows' Ivan packed into the day. For such a strong and proud nation, it's surreal seeing him like that.

"Oh! I am sorry!" Matthew snaps out of his thoughts and focuses on the man in front of him who's apparently just remembered something. "I missed our hockey game, didn't I?"

"Two of them. Yesterday was supposed to be the second one." He rushes to add some sort of encouragement in there when Russia's shoulders slump again. "But that's okay! You were trapped in a story. They creep up sometimes. We can reschedule!"

Beyond a nod from Russia, there's no other response and they fall into a comfortable silence, no other attempts at conversation made beyond the occasional apology from Canada whenever they bump elbows.

Finally, the end of the forest is in view, and soon they're free of the tug of the story and standing in the sun instead of the dappled light of a magical forest.

"... Let's play now."

"Eh?"

"Hockey. Let's go play a game."

"So soon?"

"Da. Right now."

Canada grins at him, suddenly in the mood for a good game. "Sure. Your place or mine?"

OMFG CHEESY ENDING IS CHEESY! I am SOOOOO sorry to put you through that! I had to end it, or it would've kept on with the rambling and the silences, and it would've been terrible. And believe it or not, this is better than what I originally had. -_-

XD and how can you tell I'm a Prussia fangirl? I swear those parts with Prussia and Gilbird were the easiest parts for me to write. /fail I'm so bad at serious!fic.

Anyways, this is done now. Hope you at least get a lol out of it

~Koosei