Claire let the wind encase her in a chilly breath taking hug. It ruffled her hair and made her bangs blow into her face. She blew them out of her vision and knocked softly with a gloved hand on her friend's door. General Winter had come early but it was a good thing Claire was always ready for him. She loved the cold and how General Winter painted everything a crystaly white. The trees, houses, ground and buildings glistening with snow was her favorite picture in the world.

The door was opened by small Latvia and he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight before she even got in the door. "Hello Latvia, it's good to see you again." He had buried his head in her dress. She giggled and removed him from her dress and stepped inside shutting the door behind her. She smiled and bent down to hug him. She let go and smiled as Lithuania entered the room. "Hello Claire, may I take your jacket?" She rolled her eyes and pulled Lithuania into a hug. "Hey Lithy! It's so good to see you." She was crushing him so he couldn't speak. She let go and beamed at both of them. Latvia smiled back at her and Lithuania sheepishly did the same.

"Claire!" The voice boomed down the hall, Claire didn't have to turn around to know who it was. "Good to see you Ivan." Before she turned around he scooped her up in his arms and spun her around.

Yes that is usually how Claire's visits to Russia went, but not this time.

Claire knocked on the door and braced herself for being tackled by Latvia but the door swung open by itself and there was no one waiting to greet her. She timidly set a foot in the house and when nothing happened she went ahead and walked inside. The house was usually cold but it was a different cold this time. It was a hollow, melancholy and lonely kind of cold. The kind that hit you and dug down into your bone making the shivers come from inside. Claire looked around but the house had been almost stripped of its amazing décor. Her shoes made echoing clicks as she walked down the hall and into the living room. She could hear low whispering but was able to make out what it said. "Someday I will show them all, da? They all will bow down to Russia and become one with Russia one way or another. If they refuse, they will all fear Russia, Russia will concur all." She had never seen him like this; sitting in a chair next to the fireplace, purple/black aura around him and just all the horrible feelings she had ever felt seemed to bubble to the surface. "Ivan?" She whispered and he looked up. "Da?" She took a step closer to him. "It's Claire." He stood up and she didn't mean to but backed up. "Claire?" She gulped and nodded. She walked up to him and gave a shaky smile. "Hi Ivan." He pulled her into a hug and lifted her off her feet. "You didn't leave." He whispered into her hair. This struck her as odd. Why would she leave her best friend? He had always been there for her and always let her visit. He had taken care of her when she needed help and support. Leaving was something that had never crossed her mind.

"Of course not Ivan, why would I leave?" He set her down and looked in her eyes. She noticed that his eyes had a red tint and dark circles under them. "Ivan you've been crying." It wasn't really a question, it was more a statement. She hugged him and pulled the large man on the couch then sat next to him. "Tell me what's going on around here! Where is everyone?" He looked at the ground and the aura seemed to come back. He started muttering to himself again and Claire tapped his shoulder. "Kolkolkolkolkolkol." That's all he kept repeating. "Ivan?" His head snapped up and he looked in her eyes. She could see all the loneliness, sadness, pain, and devastation piled up in his eyes, slowly swirling around pressing tears back over the years, keeping all the pain tucked away. "Ivan?" He looked down at the small country on his couch. She was so kind and sweet to him. He still remembers when they met, she hadn't been afraid of him for a second. She never failed to visit every year around winter time and keep him company. That America had gotten her hooked on Christmas so every year she had him celebrate Christmas. He didn't mind too much. Watching her run around hanging little glass figures on a tree and baking sheets and sheets of cookies. He smiled thinking about how Lithuania had burned last years' cookies and she hadn't even gotten mad at him. She just smiled and melted them all back down to batter and remade them.

He sighed and took her hand. "Claire you wouldn't leave me, da?" He asked and she smiled at him confused. "I haven't left these past eight years what makes you think I'd leave now? Of course I wouldn't Ivan; you're one of my best friends." She smiled and he swore he felt his heart start beating again but, just for a second. "Claire?" She looked up at him with her sparkling eyes. "Yes Ivan?" "Become one with Russia, da?" Her eyes grew wide and she blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. "Huh?" He smiled at her. "Become one with Russia." It wasn't a question this time it was a command. She looked at him confused but he simply smiled and leaned forward. Her heart skipped a beat and she scooted back a little but he pressed his lips firmly against hers.

She sat there unmoving, in shock. He pulled her body against his and slowly licked her bottom lip. She didn't know what that meant or why he did it. She had never kissed anyone before and was very alarmed her best friend of eight years had just kissed her and was proceeding to.

He pulled back and let her get air. "Yes." She whispered softly. She had to take a minute but she knew that she had always loved this man and always would. He smiled and pulled her closer. "But you have to come to my country every summer and we'll come here every winter." He nodded and hugged her again. This time she hugged back.

He swung her off the couch and picked her up bridal style then started to head up stairs to his room. "Ivan where is everyone else?" She asked again and he didn't even turn a little purple. "It doesn't matter now that I have you." He kissed her forehead and continued upstairs.

When Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia returned later that night from an all day trip to the market where they traded all the furniture for new sets, they could hear Claire and Ivan upstairs. "Is that big sister?" Latvia asked Estonia. "If you mean Claire then yes I think it is." Lithuania turned bright red. "You mean she's….with….doing….?" He couldn't even get the words out. Latvia looked at both of the boys then ran into the nearest bathroom and came out looking paler than usual.

~The End

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Hello Lily here, I hope you liked this. I wrote this during the car ride back from South Carolina. I wanted to do something with Russia because he's one of my favorites but I wasn't sure about what to put in the story. So I hope you enjoyed it.