Siblings

They both had them, and even though on some (read: many) occasions they could be annoying, they had their moments.

This was not one of those moments.

The couple had been sitting in their living room in content silence, curled up together on the couch. Ivan was on his laptop, dealing with public affairs, and Matthew was reading a novel, when there was a loud bang on thier porch. They sighed in unison, shutting their book and laptop. Ivan hopped up first.

"I'll get it," He told Matthew with a smile. "Da, I'm coming!" He yelled to whoever was outside their door. Matthew waited patiently after Ivan disappeared from his view, but jumped up in alarm when he heard a shrill scream. Immediately he knew who it was, and Ivan came racing back into the living room and dived behind the couch. Matthew stood up and walked toward the door. It seemed Natalya had returned.

"Hello Natalya," He greeted her nervously as she stepped through the doorway and into their home.

"Where is my brother?" She snapped at him, and he barely surpressed a flinch.

"He, uh, went upstairs," He pointed toward the staircase across the room. She didn't look at him twice before she was gone in a whirlwind. Ivan crept out quickly and they began their Natalya evacuation plan. Shutting the door, Matthew grabbed both of their keys and tossed a set to Ivan. "The dummy's in the car, right? So you take the bike." Ivan nodded once before going into the garage hastily, and before Matthew could even pop the trunk, the Russian was out of sight (headed to Yao's place).

The Canadian pulled out a life-sized doll with a blonde wig, long scarf and big overcoat out of the trunk and shut it quickly. He climbed into the driver's side, propping the dummy up in the passenger side, and shut his door. Starting it up, he waited one moment, and then another, timing it just right... He heard a loud roar from upstairs and took that as his cue. He sped off, deliberately driving past a window where Natalya would see the dummy and mistake it for Ivan.

Only when he hit the road did Matthew realize he had no clue where he was supposed to drive to. This hadn't been planned on his part, only Ivan's. So, he hit the gas pedal and headed one place far enough to draw Natalya away; his brother's place.

He was two thirds of the way there when he caught sight of Natalya in his rear view. She was gaining quickly, and she was on foot! He pushed the pedal to the floor and sped up. He had to make it to his brother's so he wasn't completely pulvarized in the middle of nowhere.

When he arrived, he parked the car outside and positioned the doll so it's face couldn't be seen. He then ran up to the door, pounding on it. "Alfred!" He cried loudly. "It's an emergency!"

To his surprise it was not his brother who answered, though, but Ivan's other sister Katyusha (she and Alfred had been together only a month, Matthew didn't know they were already living together!). "Oh, hello, Matvey!" She greeted him with a warm hug, but pulled off when she saw her sister speeding toward them. Her face melted into a frown and she murmured a small, "I see your emergency."

Natalya broke open the car door (Matthew would have to get it replaced again) and pulled the dummy out. When she actually realized it was not her brother, she ripped it apart (they'd need a new one of those too) and turned to face Matthew. If not for Katyusha right next to him, the Canadian would be scared out of his mind and running for his life.

"Matvey," she bit out with an icy-fake sweetness. "Where is my big brother?" He chose not to answer.

"Natalya," her sister spoke instead, "why did you chase poor Matvey all the way out here?" She sounding disproving, scolding almost.

"He tricked me!" The Belarussian accused, pointing at him with an intense hatred.

"Natalya," the scolding was clear now in the Ukrainian's voice. Natalya lowered her head and murmured something neither of them could quite catch, but before they could ask her to repeat it, another loud voice joined the conversation.

"Hey, Katyusha! What's all the fuss about?" Matthew's laid back older brother Alfred appeared in the doorway with a relaxed smile, and he threw his arm around the busty woman. He looked over to him and smiled. "Oh, hey Mattie! What brings you here-" he froze dead in his tracks when he saw Natalya glowering at him with a hatred almost as thick as reserved for him. "Hahahahaha, oh, hey, Natalya!" He asid nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, are you, looking for Ivan?" She merely nodded and he still gulped. "Well, let me go give him a call!" The American dashed back into the house without another word, and Matthew cursed his brother mentally.

"Matvey," Natalya tried again. "Tell me where my brother is and I will leave your face somewhat recognizable." She threatened, and Matthew grimaced in horror. Katyusha, though, was taken aback.

"Natalya, apologize to Matvey right now!"

"But sister-"

"Now!"

She walked up to him glumly, holding out her hand. Hesitantly, he took it, and she gripped it tighter than anything he'd ever felt. "I apologize," She spat out between gritted teeth.

"Now Natalya, I want you to leave Matvey and Ivan alone for the rest of the day!"

"Sister, you can't really expect-" The Belarussian tried to protest, but Katyusha gave her a sharp 'do-it-or-you're-grounded' look, so she kept her mouth shut.

Matthew turned to his brother's girlfriend. "Katyusha, thank you so much!" He breathed out a sigh of relief. She smiled at him.

"Of course, Matvey; you're practically my brother." Matthew's face flushed red, and the Ukrainian smiled before taking her sister's hand and leading her inside. "Come on now, Natalya, come watch a movie with Alfred and I!" The door shut, and Matthew was left alone on the porch, feeling intense pity for his brother.

He did a once-over of his car and sighed, pulling out his phone. He pressed number 1 on speed dial.

"Yeah, Ivan? You're in the clear. But... can you come pick me up?"

-fin-