Gladkov found a really shocking setting when he reunited with his nation after he got his call. Russia showing bruises, the Baltics and Lithuania's president lying unconscious on the ground, America with his glasses crooked...Thinking that this was his fault, he ordered the men coming with him to arrest him. It was Russia who stopped them, and ordered them to call a doctor. He understood nothing, but, seeing how they had hundreds of thousands of people fainted at the gates of his house, this was not the moment to question anything.
Russia put all of his health system to work to care for all of them and America sent as many doctors as he could to give him a hand. In fact, several neighbors sent aid too, much to their relief, though the sick woke up soon and showed to be in perfect condition. It took the nations a lot longer. They slept at Russia's home for three days. It seemed their heads needed a lot of rest.
Muskietiene never woke up.
"So...What will become of them?"
Italy couldn't help smiling a bit. America looked kind of cute, like a child, asking that question with such a worry. Germany, on the other hand, was way more interested in the fact that Russia was standing by his side, showing the exact same concern.
To answer his question, he showed him the minutes of the last European Parliament meeting. To the question 'Should the states of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia be expelled from the European Union?', 25 answered 'no', and 2 abstained.
"I thought you'd make them go through their own Nuremberg Trials..." America said.
"We understand that they were under external influences when they committed those crimes—however, unlike in my case, they didn't have the choice to refuse the ideas inserted into their brains." Germany replied, leaving the paper aside. "And if none of you want to take actions..."
Russia shook his head.
"I'm sure the NATO will leave them alone too." Italy shrugged, taking a sip from his coffee cup. "They've got enough with their conscience."
"Still no signs of them?" America asked.
"Nope. Like they vanished off the face of earth."
America and Russia glanced at each other. They hadn't been able to talk to any of them. They were busy with some crazy and mighty uncomfortable explanations to their bosses, and when they heard that they finally woke up, they were gone without saying a word.
"It will take them long to show themselves in public again. Or not. Poland and Finland are being very insistent and they might drag them out of their houses by force." Germany crossed his arms. "Now, I am glad you came because I wanted to have a word with you two..."
"We aren't fighting anymore, so don't worry." America said.
"Not my point, though I'm very glad to hear that." Germany replied. "Belgium, France, some other nations and I are preparing a proposition paper for the United Nations..." He fixed his eyes on them. "We would like to have your oath that you will never resume the brain communication experiments, not use your findings to this date."
Silence. Russia nodded.
"Reasonable..." He muttered.
Germany nodded too.
"I really hope you keep your word."
Oh, yes, there they were. The stone stairs at Grīziņkalns Park.
So this was where they usually hanged out? It looked like a nice place, Russia thought. It had nice views and seemed pretty sunny. However, there was a certain gloom which spoiled the prettiness. The three Baltics were sat in a corner, not to get out of the way of anyone who tried to use the stairs, but almost as if they had punished themselves. They were talking among each other, but quietly, without a smile or a laugh to indicate they were having a good time.
Lithuania turned his head before America and Russia reached them. The three of them stood up.
"You really are good at hiding from me." Russia smiled.
"R-Russia...America..." Lithuania muttered.
An earthquake? Oh, no, that was just them, trembling from head to toes.
"There's no reason to, you know?" America smiled at them, his hands inside of the pockets of his jeans. "We're not going to hurt you or anything."
"We sure deserve it..." Latvia muttered, unable to even look at them. He was probably the one who trembled the most—he could have made a hole on the ground, and all.
"Well, you didn't give us the chance to say that we understand that you were not on your sound mind when you did that, and we're not mad at you."
"But we knew very well what we were doing!" Latvia exclaimed. He knew he was probably convincing them of being severe, but still...
"Yes...J..., that woman only made the desires and feelings come to surface, encouraged them...We could have said no, but didn't! Everything we did, we did it...enthusiastically..."
Russia stepped forward and placed his hands on his shoulders. Now he was trembling as well. He put pressure to try to stop it.
"Boys..." Russia said calmly. "Remember what the project wanted to achieve: the enemy doing things to our benefit without them even realizing."
"Yeah." America nodded. "You're being too hard on yourselves, guys."
"You can act like you don't mind, but all the people who have died because of us..." Estonia sighed, looking down.
"True, but...Still not your fault. I don't think there's one single person on this planet who doesn't have tons of shit deep down their soul."
"I know I am not the boss of you anymore, but I have an order that you must obey, and it comes from the whole world" Russia drew a smile. "Forget it, alright? Forget this happened, go see your friends, who are very worried about you, and live a happy life."
The Baltics seemed reluctant. Russia sighed.
"I hurt you very bad, didn't I?"
"...Yes, you did..." Lithuania replied.
"And, after so long, you haven't still forgiven me."
"...It's going to take very long." Estonia admitted.
"And I didn't help things." America said.
"Not at all." Latvia replied.
America pursed his lips. "Yeah...Easier said than done..." He turned his gaze at the Baltics again. "But...just make an effort, okay? Promise?"
("So easy for you guys to just move on...")
America opened his mouth, about to say that he had heard Latvia's thought. But he closed his mouth without saying anything.
"...Did we ever move on?"
Russia had always thought that America wasn't the kind of guy who never asked himself deep questions—or anything at all. This took him by surprise.
They didn't do anything special to celebrate their peace agreement. They didn't sign any papers or made a public announcement. They just sat, at America's door, and watched the sunset, the only fancy thing they did being America getting ice-creams. There was no need to. The whole world was fed up with them at this point, probably, anyway.
"Hm." Was Russia's reply. America took it as a no.
"I thought I could relax after I put you in your place...But you always come back, wanting more..." America said.
"You are as insatiable as I am." Russia turned his eyes towards him, rising his eyebrows. "It's just that you dissimulate it better."
America acted like he hadn't heard that. "And we're back at it again, and again, and again..."
"I guess some of us are born with that deep connection Muskietiene talked about."
"Yeah, well, I don't believe in red strings and that kinda stuff...I believe in unresolved issues."
"Maybe we'll resolve them one day. But you know, when that day comes, one of us will be dead, probably."
"Or perhaps not."
"...Yes. It would be nice if no one needs to die. But I see no other way to solve our...unresolved issue."
"There must be."
"How?"
"I don't know."
"We are nations. That is how we function. Whether we like it or not." Russia licked his chocolate ice-cream and savored it.
America gazed at his own vanilla serve.
"...Yeah..."
He then turned his head towards Russia and found him staring at him.
The very moment their eyes met, violet and blue, their hearts started beating at the same pace, the connection was established.
(Perhaps not born with it...But created with the years—with years of fighting and scheming and spying...)
America was the first to look away, finally licking his ice cream, for it was starting to melt.
"Well, that was close." President Weaver sighed in relief, but that didn't save America from getting a severe look. "I hope you learned your lesson."
"If you're talking about Lithuania, he apologized." America had stolen his seat at the Oval Office, sitting with his feet on the desk and his arms behind his head.
"I'm talking about you investing on shady projects psychopaths can take advantage of! Did none of my predecessors tell you it was a bad idea to mess with people's minds?"
"Yes, some of them did. I just didn't listen to them."
"You really hate Russia, don't you?"
"I don't hate him. I just think...the world will be a safer place if he doesn't get his hands on it."
"I would say you are obsessed with him: whatever he does, you do it, whatever he says, you quickly reply, even if he's not talking to you. You were even willing to blow up the moon so the world forgot about Russia sending a dog to space! You act like my fifteen-year-old daughter."
America smirked at that.
Though...he honestly wondered what he was doing at that moment...
If he closed his eyes, if he focused...He could see him...
(He could see a woman's face...lying on a bed...)
He blinked slowly and smiled at his boss again.
"But you're gonna stop barking at me because I'm adorable and you love me." He said.
"Good try, boy, good try." President Weaver frowned. Yes, it didn't work.
Muskietiene had shown still no signs of life. She was in the same posture they had left her in many weeks prior. Only the monitor on one side showed that there was a heartbeat.
Russia gazed at her for long. Just the way he did years before, he caressed her face and felt its softness, which hadn't changed a little bit. She was not pretty but she had a determined look, sure that convinced Lithuania that she was the boss he needed.
"I am sorry. For creating you." He said to her.
Although he wasn't sure she could hear him.
He had created many children like this one. Only she had displayed noteworthy abilities. Where were the others? Did they live happy lives, or even regular ones?
The things he had done, only to surpass America...
«It's just that I don't like the idea of him bossing around.»
Yes, and he had to stop him, no matter what...No matter who he harmed in the process...
Muskietiene...The Baltics...
Did America have these little moments? Did he ever feel regret's bite?
He closed his eyes, trying to find out.
(There was he, joking with his president, making him mad...He was laughing, though deep inside he...)
He opened his eyes back slowly and shook his head gently.
Don't give America any more thoughts. Not without a reason. Not yet.
He had done mistakes, but he was sure he could correct them. The Baltics would be back eventually, and forgive him for everything he did to them, and they would all be happy.
As for Muskietiene, he took the pillow her head rested on and pressed it against her face until the line in the monitor went flat.
It was about time he corrected that big mistake...
China had heard stories, but he didn't believe them. All of that sounded like one of America's Netflix shows. But the facts were the facts: they were not going to fight anymore and he could relax. Thankfully, because he really didn't want them to get him involved in their stupid fights, and, had he intervened, he would have put an end to them once and for all.
They knocked at the door.
"Come in."
A man dressed in a black suit walked into the room. He didn't say a word. He just handed China a folder he opened.
«UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. TECHNOLOGIES OF INTUITION.»
«Комите́т госуда́рственной безопа́сности. Биокоммуникация»
He took another sip from his tea and sighed with satisfaction.
Yeah, once and for all...
THE END