CH 5

The door slammed shut and the Russian had a wicked smile on his face. "You're home early sir…" Euard gulped, worrying for his brothers' safety. "D-did you forget something?"

With a vicious glare and dark violet eyes, Ivan grabbed him round the neck and began to choke him. Toris ran downstairs in time to see Ivan's hands clench around Euard's throat, and he screamed. "Ivan! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Toris ran to Euard's side.

"Where were you Liet~" The craze was deep in his voice as Ivan continued to choke the Estonian male, who was turning bluer with every second.

"In the bathroom. I was cleaning it...Why are you choking Euard?" Toris said, starting to pull Ivan's hands apart, but Ivan only made his grip tighter.

Childishly, the Russian answered, grinning madly. "He made it seem as though you were sneaking around." The grip tightened once more, and Euard blacked out, straining for breath. Toris caught his brother just as the Russian let him drop.

"I'm sorry sir…we were really just cleaning…We'll get on it right away." He glanced up cautiously to read the other man's face. "Did you forget something?"

The response was a glare. "You'll never leave Da?" It sounded more like a threat than a question to Toris' ears.

"No sir." He shook his head and straightened slightly. "You just said you wouldn't be home till dinner….We simply assumed you forgot something here…" He bowed, pulling off his best butler act. "We are sorry if we seemed surprised."

"If you're not leaving, then why does Alfred say you're going to live with him…" His eyes narrowed and his hair cast a shadow across his face.

The servant's eyes widened. "What? What are you talking about; I'd never leave you Mr. Russia."

"So you aren't leaving for America?" Ivan asked, watching his butler carefully, waiting to catch him in a lie. Toris shook his head.

"Sir...the only news I know about is what you come home with." He continued to meet his master's eyes calmly, but he shuddered slightly in the anger burned behind the Russian's eyes.

"Then, perhaps it's Ravis plotting to leave." A dark smile played on his lips again as Ravis came downstairs. Upon seeing the Russian, he instantly hid behind the Grandfather clock. Only Toris' voice could be heard by the boy as he peeked around the corner. Ivan had seen him but chose to ignore him for the time being.

"No...Ravis would never leave you...he loves you too much sir." Immediately he mentally kicked himself for saying such a thing. "I-Im sorry I lied...I am going to America."

"Now Toris...you know better than to lie...you wouldn't want your brothers to take your punishments would you?"

"No. I'll take my own punishments." He looked deep into the Russian eyes, no hint of fear in his own. Ivan smiled and murmured quietly.

"Answer yes to the next question and you and your brothers will be left alone after you leave." He smirked wickedly knowing that Ravis would hear his brother's next words.

Toris bowed his head. "What will my punishment be then..."

Ivan spoke louder now, loud enough for the boy hiding to hear. "If you take your own punishment, does that mean you refuse to take your brother's?"

He winced at the specific question and hissed, regretting the promise he had made just before, but was comforted by knowing his brothers would be protected. "Yes." He glared then muttered "I hope you're happy." Ivan merely looked past Toris to the corner where Ravis now stood in plain view.

"Da~" Toris picked up Euard and turned to take him upstairs then stopped, seeing Ravis running down the hall. "Ravis! What are yo-" He stopped short realizing, and he turned on the Russian. "You knew. You knew didn't you?" He asked quietly, the anger growing in his voice.

Ivan's creepy smile played on his lips once more. "Da~" The tone was slightly musical. "And that's just the beginning." Toris hung his head once again angry tears running down his cheeks. "Get Ravis…then we'll talk punishment." As the words left his lips he handed his butler chloroform. "Knock him out and bring him to me." Ivan bared his teeth in a wicked smile.

"NO!" The butler looked as though he'd snapped. "I refuse to do anything more to my brother!" Before his master could speak, he turned on his heel and carried Euard upstairs, placing him in their often shared bed.

"When you're done with dinner, your punishment will come.." Ivan's voice echoed up the stairs eerily. "I'm finished with my errand…" Toris returned as the master set down a light-saber toy on the table.

"It's bloody….."

"Da…finish your work." The Russian started down the hall.

"Will I be returning it?"

"Da~ I think he may want it back." His deep laugh met Toris' ears as the Lithuanian mumbled his response. He headed to the kitchen as Ivan went once again to find Ravis.

The boy was sitting in a corner looking at his hands, not crying, but wondering why Toris would lie to him. Ivan sat next to him quietly.

"M-m-m-mr. Russia…." The boy scooted away. "Why are you home s-so early?"

"Alfred told me Toris was leaving us…" Ravis noded.

"I-I heard…" He eyed the Russian cautiously, wondering where the sudden kindness came from.

"Then you also know he's leaving you and Euard in my care." Ravis froze, then slowly nodded.

"W-We have no choice…" The boy whimpered quietly, knowing what this would mean for him.

"He was thinking of bringing Euard with him…"

"H-He probably would….Euard has a girlfriend in America..."

"But why not you? Aren't you just as much a brother as he?"

Ravis refused to look at Ivan as he spoke." I-I-I don't know….why don't you ask my brothers?" This was his last ditch effort to get the Russian to leave, and he prayed it would work.

"He's making dinner…." Another evil smiled touched his lips. "Can't have it be late…"

"No… w-w-we cant b-b-b-boher him…" Ravis whispered, his stomach twisting as he realized that he was cornered, and Toris would be busy for quite a while.

A hand shot out and grabbed the Latvian's jaw, shoving three pills down his throat. Ravis gagged, trying to spit them out, but the hand kept his mouth shut, and forced him to swallow them helplessly. Ivan stroked the boy's hair and carried him silently to the cellar. Ravis struggled weakly, slowly becoming lethargic.

"W-w-w-w-what are y-you doing…." The boy closed his eyes and sunk into black, the sound of the Russian's laugh echoing in his ears..