Hullo! I am returned!
Quick note: I am going to try and update this at least bi-weekly, since I really need to get this plot established for future chapters of "Written in Blood", which takes place in the same universe, but in the future.
Another note: I'm still trying to think of a title for this. I'm currently debating something involving the words "sacrifice", "delusions/illusions", or "web", or all three, but I'm still not sure exactly what...
So, anyways, hopefully, updates will be more frequent from now on. Unless I get sick...which might be soon... My throat hurts.
Guest: Thanks for your review! :D
Chapter Two:
Although she would never have admitted it, Belarus was more worried than she had ever been in her life. It was now nearly ten o'clock at night, and still Lithuania had not appeared.
"What should we do?" Estonia asked her. The blonde Baltic appeared to be the only other person there who actually realized how much Lithuania's disappearance affected the situation.
"Actually," Belarus reflected, "Ukraine probably does know. She's just not letting on that she does, so Latvia won't be upset."
"Why are you asking me?" Belarus snapped, "I don't know any more than you do!"
"I'm sorry!" Estonia squeaked, stepping back. It was then that Belarus remembered how fragile the blonde boy was.
"It's fine," she muttered, "Just… Help me think of something to do."
"We can't go looking for Lithuania tonight," Estonia decided.
Belarus turned to look at him, her gaze accusing.
"You would leave him alone with my brother?"
"We don't even know that he and Russia are anywhere near each other," Estonia said, "Look, Belarus… We can't go knocking on Russia's door in the middle of the night. He'd kill us all."
"We wouldn't let him," Belarus said stubbornly.
"I will not abandon Lithuania. He deserves better than being left alone to serve as Russia's slave, or his plaything, or whatever he is to that monster who used to be my brother."
Estonia was frightened. The last thing he wanted to do was run off into the darkness of the house, to Russia's room, to look for Lithuania, who might be completely all right. And yet, he didn't want Belarus angry with him either.
But something inside him, his pent-up anger and frustration… It was taking over again, and it was providing a cover for his fear.
"Belarus!" Estonia snapped, "If you really want to know why I'm not going to look for Lithuania, then I'll tell you! I don't want to go because if we do, then Latvia and Ukraine will get dragged into it too. I don't know about Ukraine, but… Latvia is terrified of blood, and violence scares him. I will not let anything happen to him, even if it means we have to wait to find Lithuania."
"Really, it's for selfish reasons that I can't go knocking on Russia's door tonight. I am terrified of losing my mind again… I can't let that happen… I'm scared."
Belarus glared at him, betrayal evident in her eyes.
"Then I'll go alone."
"Miss Belarus?" a small voice asked, "Estonia? Do you think maybe Lithuania doesn't want you to be worried?"
Estonia froze.
"How long has he been listening…?"
"What do you mean?" Belarus asked, "Would he really expect us not to worry?"
"Well, I mean, he always wants to help," Latvia said, "Maybe… Maybe he thinks he can help Mr. Russia."
"Lithuania is an idiot," Belarus announced.
"An idiot who can't seem to figure out what's not good for him, even when he's been told a hundred times," Estonia muttered.
"Everyone," Ukraine said, "I think we should wait until morning."
"But something could happen to him before morning!" Belarus snapped, "Do none of you care?"
"T-the safety of the group is…" Ukraine stammered.
"I see," Belarus said, glaring at Ukraine, Estonia, and Latvia, "It's all well and good when we're in trouble anyways, but when only Lithuania is in trouble, then you leave him. Cowards!"
No one argued with that statement. Ordinarily, Estonia would have, but Belarus' words had made him feel guilty.
"I am a coward. I abandoned him, time and time again. Just like Latvia abandoned me that time. Even though I know how much it hurts, I still keep cowering away and letting Lithuania take the brunt of Russia's anger. I'm sorry, Toris… I'm not brave like you."
It was the middle of the night when Russia woke to a knock on the door. The large nation had always been a light sleeper to begin with, and so the loud knocking woke him instantly. Apparently, Lithuania was also a light sleeper. The brunet Baltic sat up quickly, his green eyes widening as he heard the pounding.
"I will be going to see who is wanting me at this hour," Russia said, climbing out of bed. However, he stopped when he felt someone grab his wrist.
"Russia…" Lithuania said, his voice pleading, "Don't hurt them. Whoever it is, please don't hurt them."
Russia paused for a moment.
"I…I will be trying not to, Litva," he said, and pulled away.
He had no intention of actually keeping his word if the person at the door proved to be Estonia. He had had it with that insolent nation, and if it happened to be him outside, then all hell was going to break loose, promise to Lithuania or no promise to Lithuania.
However, when he opened the door, it was not Estonia he found standing there, but Belarus.
"Little…sister?" Russia said quietly. He closed the door behind him, and managed to lock it behind him. The last thing he needed was for Lithuania to come out there and get involved.
"Where is Lithuania?" Belarus snapped, "I know you have him somewhere, Russia!"
"I have not been seeing him on this day," Russia lied. For once, the large nation was extremely grateful for his childish voice and constant smile.
"I will not be letting her take away my only friend… Never."
"He has disappeared," Belarus persisted, "And this is the only place he could be. Hand him over, Russia!"
"No," Russia said, "I cannot be giving you what I do not have!"
"You stubborn, ridiculous man!" Belarus exclaimed in frustration, "We both know that you have Lithuania prisoner! Give him back!"
"I do not have him, Belarus," Russia said, trying to restrain his growing frustration.
"I made a promise. I said I would not be hurting anyone. I will not. I will not hurt my sister again…"
"Then let me search your room," Belarus said, "If you don't have him in there, you have no reason not to let me in."
"You… You do not trust me, little sister?" Russia asked, making his voice sound even more childish than usual, with a hurt tone.
"Once, I would have," Belarus shot back, "Then you lied to me about the Baltics. You tried to kill them, Russia. You…you did kill Lithuania at least once… I cannot trust you, ever again. Not after seeing his scars… Not after knowing that you not only hurt them, you hurt Ukraine too. I cannot trust you."
He could hear the anger in her voice, could see the betrayal in her eyes, and he did not understand. He did not understand what he had done wrong, to make them all hate him.
"I was only trying… To keep everybody here, in our family… Safe…"
"B-Belarus…" Russia whispered, now completely in earnest, "Why do you hate me?"
"Why do I hate you?" Belarus spat, "Well, Russia, let me tell you! You abused the Baltics, repeatedly, while lying to me and Ukraine about your actions! Not only that, but what you did to him drove Estonia insane! And you…you hurt me… You hurt Ukraine… You killed Toris… He doesn't deserve…"
"Toris?" Russia echoed, "Belarus, why do you… Why do you have so much of the strange feelings for him now…? And yet, you are hating me? You used to… You used to love me."
Belarus sighed, sounding rather annoyed.
"If you can't figure that out," she snapped, "Then you are a greater fool than I thought! I know you have Lithuania hidden somewhere, and rest assured, Russia, I will find him and rescue him!"
And with that, Belarus turned and marched off, leaving Russia standing alone in the hallway.
"But… He wants to stay with me," Russia whispered to the darkness, "He said he wanted to be my friend, so he must be wanting to stay."
The Russian returned to his room, where he found Lithuania curled up on the bed. As he approached, the Baltic nation's eyes snapped open.
"You didn't hurt her, did you?" he asked.
"How were you knowing it was a girl?" Russia asked, slightly confused.
"The walls here are thin, Russia," Lithuania said with a sad smile, "I would have thought you would know that by now, from all that has happened here. And, after all… You built the house this way."
At Ukraine's suggestion, the remaining nations had decided to sleep in one of the larger rooms downstairs, rather than disperse to their separate bedrooms. So, now, at what Estonia judged to be around midnight, he, Latvia, Belarus, and Ukraine were all lying in various spots in said room, wrapped in blankets that he and Ukraine had taken from their beds.
From their slow, peaceful breathing, he judged that the girls were both asleep. However, Latvia was restless, moving around almost constantly.
"You should go to sleep," Estonia whispered, "You need to be awake tomorrow, so we can all decide what to do together."
"Mhmm…" Latvia mumbled, "I know. But I keep getting worried. What if Lithuania's not okay?"
"He'll be fine," Estonia said.
"It's not like he'll lose his mind or anything. Damn bastard! Doesn't he understand that not everyone can understand why he chooses to sacrifice himself like this?"
"But what if he isn't fine?" Latvia asked, "What if he gets hurt really bad, like…like you did?"
"He won't," Estonia said, "He's stronger than that. Now go to sleep, Latvia. It's going to be a busy day tomorrow, if Belarus has anything to do with it."
"How come Belarus cares more about Lithuania than you do?" Latvia asked.
Estonia froze.
"How come… Belarus… Cares more… Than you…"
"She doesn't!" he snapped, nearly forgetting to whisper, "I do care!"
"Okay," Latvia said, and in the darkness, Estonia could distinguish fear in his voice, "I'm sorry, Estonia. I didn't mean to make you upset."
Estonia didn't reply, merely turned away so that he did not have to look at the dim shape that was Latvia.
"Belarus doesn't care more than I do… I really do care about Lithuania… I'm just… I'm scared. I'm a coward, and I'm scared."