'Til Winter Ends

A/N: For those of you reading this, if you're reading it or reading it over, I have finally edited my grammar and spelling so the story is overall much cleaner than before. I hope you all enjoy this fic, and please, leave your reviews, they make me happy, and check out my other stories too.

(1)

It was winter. Bitter, Russian winter. And Russia was in a solemn, depressive mood due to the grim weather. He was also alone, which did not help either.

He decided then, to phone Lithuania. If he had a friend over he wouldn't feel so lonely and sad.

He walked to the phone and dialed the number. It rang a few times until it clicked and Lithuania picked up.

"Hello?"

"Lithuania?" Russia started.

"Oh...Mr. Russia...hi...what can I do for you?"

"I'm lonely. I want you to come to my house today."

"Umm...well uhh...I..."

"Please? I don't like being alone. And its winter too, which makes it worse...and I doubt anyone else will come because no one wants to spend winter at my house."

"Okay...I guess I can."

Russia giggled, "That's my little Lithuania. See you soon, da?"

"Yes...see you."

Russia hung up the phone and then walked a little further down to turn up the radiator.

-xXx-

The doorbell rang as Russia was finishing with the tidying up of the main room where he and Lithuania would be hanging out. He adjusted the pillows on the sofa and then went to answer the door. There was Lithuania, with a small duffel bag, dressed in several layers of outerwear.

"Hi Lithuania!" Russia smiled sweetly, "Here, I will take bag for you."

"Hi Mr. Russia...umm...thank you." He walked inside and closed the door behind him, wiping his feet on the welcome mat. Then he took off his boots and began to strip off one layer at a time until he was down to a fuzzy green turtleneck, similar to the grey wool one Russia had on.

"Did you have a good trip?" Russia asked as he made his way back down the hall.

"Yes. It was okay."

Russia appeared back at the entryway.

"You don't have to stand in the entryway, silly!" Russia beamed with a friendly smile, "Come inside and make yourself at home."

"O-okay..." He followed Russia into the living room, which was completely clean, and looked more modernized than the last time he had been here, in 1990. The mantle though, still had the same pictures.

The living room itself was very large, with wood floors and a large rug in the middle. Two armchairs were in front of the fireplace, which was on and burning, and the sofa, which was facing the large television, was to the right of the mantle, the T.V. forming a 90 degree angle with the fireplace. In front of the sofa was the coffee table, and some movies were stacked on it. There was also a large plaid blanket draped over the back of the couch.

"I am liking how you changed your living room."

"Oh, da. I thought it was a little old fashioned and that it was time to change."

"You did good job."

"...So what do you want to do Lithuania? I was hoping we could watch movies or sit by the fire and tell stories."

"Yeah, that sounds good. I brought the hot chocolate you like...if you want any?"

"Da. I made piroshki earlier, so we would have something warm to eat. I also have some left over shchi from yesterday if you want any of that too."

"Okay. I'm going to go make the hot cocoa."

"Can I come?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can I come watch you make the hot cocoa?"

"Umm yeah...if you want to. It's nothing wery interesting though."

"That's okay. I still want to watch my little Lithuania work, like I used to do."

"Umm...alright then."

Together they started towards the kitchen. Russia sat down at the table and Lithuania went to work.

"Is the kettle where it always is?"

"Da. I haven't moved it."

Lithuania opened the cupboard and looked up. He took the kettle down, filled it with milk, and put it to boil on the stove. He also took out two cups, and went about his work, trying to avoid eye-contact with Russia. The fact that he was just sitting there watching made Lithuania a bit uncomfortable. He was afraid to be handling the Russian's dishes, and his hands were slightly trembling. What if he dropped one? Russia would have his head for sure.

He set the mugs beside the kettle, put the cocoa packets beside them and went to sit down at the table while he waited for the kettle to boil. Then, the two old acquaintances started with some small talk, which allowed some of the awkwardness in the air to melt away. That was when Lithuania felt something rub and vibrate against his leg. He nearly jumped a mile.

Russia giggled.

"What is that?" Lithuania asked, startled.

"It's Vanya."

Lithuania looked down. Sitting at his feet was probably the largest cat he had ever seen. It had long, dark brown hair with a white band around the neck. It was purring, and it seemed to be smiling, and its face for some reason, reminded Lithuania of Russia.

"I got him a while ago so I wouldn't be so lonely. He is very friendly."

"Oh." Lithuania reached down and started to pet Vanya on the head. He began to purr and mew very loudly and Lithuania couldn't help but smile. "He's cute."

He stopped petting the cat just as the kettle began to whistle.

Lithuania got up and poured the water into the mugs, and then dumped in the powder and stirred each one.

He set them both on the table and then sat down again.

"Let's go in the living room." Russia said.

"Oh, okay." Followed closely by Vanya, they got up and walked into the living room, and set the hot drinks down on the coffee table, and sat down on the couch. Lithuania sat on one end away from Russia, who was sitting in the middle of it. Vanya jumped up after them and walked over and curled up in Russia's lap. The large nation giggled and stroked the cat on the head.

Lithuania couldn't help but smile weakly when he saw the cat interacting with his owner. In all honesty they looked kind of cute together-and there was a childish delight on Russia's face, that looked almost adorably innocent. He blushed when he realized he had just described his former boss as "cute", Russia would not like that.

Then he realized that it was quite cold inside the house. He found himself shivering.

He glanced back at Russia and Vanya, who were wrapped in a large, thick blanket. He picked up the mug from the coffee table, the sides of the cup warming his hands, and took a sip, succeeding in burning his tongue. He put the cocoa down and then hugged his body, rubbing his shoulders and shivering.

"You are cold, da?" Russia asked, violet eyes studying the smaller, thinner form.

Lithuania nodded and said, "Just a little."

"My heater doesn't work very well," Russia replied, "So it's been cold in here for the past couple of days." He opened up his blanket, "You said you are cold, da? Come share my blanket with me. It is big enough for both of us." Lithuania took another drink of cocoa and then timidly scooted over to the middle of the couch, where Russia's extended arm was waiting with the blanket. When Lithuania got close enough, Russia pulled him, slightly rougher than he intended, into his side and wrapped the blanket around them both. The first thing Lithuania noticed was that Russia was very warm.

"Better, da?" Russia looked down at the brunette for an answer.

Lithuania nodded.

Awkward silence.

"Can I pet Vanya again?" Lithuania asked.

"Da~ just because he's on my lap doesn't mean you can't pet him."

"O-okay..." He reached over and stroked the cat's silky head.

"How long have you had him?" Lithuania asked.

"I got him in October. I walked into Moscow one day to do some shopping and go to lunch and someone was giving him away. So I took him and then he went to lunch with me. After that I brought him home and he's been my friend ever since."

Lithuania looked down at the cat, which he swore was smiling. "He seems happy here."

Russia smiled, "Da~ since he's been here, I have been happier too. I don't feel as lonely with him around." His gaze wandered as he spoke about his loneliness, his smile faded, and Lithuania couldn't help but feel guilty.

Since he left Russia's house in 1990, he hadn't made much of an effort to visit or call just to check up on him at all. He had had plenty of time...but he hadn't even bothered to contact him, and only saw him at world meetings, and most of the time their conversations were kept short and impersonal, scarcely extending passed "Hi, how are you."

"I'm sorry Mr. Russia," He said, "For not contacting or visiting you."

"It's okay. You are probably too busy with things going on at your own house to have time for me."

He wasn't. More guilt slapped him in the face.

"But I am glad you are here now." Russia said. "How long are you staying?"

"Umm...I don't know." In all honesty, Lithuania did not want to stay. It was cold and gloomy, and Russia still creeped him out a bit, considering that Liet knew what Russia was capable of.

Briefly, phantom pains rippled his back with those painful memories.

However, as much as Liet didn't want to stay, he knew that winter drove Russia mad, and that he probably wanted someone that wasn't a cat or General Winter to keep him company in this biting cold season.

"H-how long do you want me to stay?" Bad question to ask, Lithuania.

"Forever...but I know you won't be able to. So I will settle for a few days." Russia answered.

"Okay...that works I guess."

"Good." Russia replied, and then he smiled at the smaller nation.

Then he sat up and leaned forward to grab the mug of cocoa, and took a drink.

"Let's watch a movie," Russia said, "And then we can eat."

"Okay... Uhh...what movie?"

"I borrowed it from America who got it from Britain. It's a romantic comedy. It's called Notting Hill.

That sounds nice. In all honesty Lithuania was a sucker for light-hearted movies. He had watched so many rom-coms, comedies, and chick flicks with Poland that he had grown to love them.

"Okay, that sounds good."

With that, Russia gently shooed Vanya off of his lap and got up and got the movie set up. He turned on the TV, changed the TV input and put the movie in the DVD player. The movie started up and the two old acquaintances sat side by side on the couch with Vanya curled up beside Lithuania.

The movie was very enjoyable. It told the story of an Englishman that owned a bookshop in Notting Hill. He then encountered an American movie star when she entered his shop to buy a book. Then later, they collided in the street and he spilled orange juice on her. He then allowed her to go to his apartment to change and then she surprised him with a thank you kiss...and thus a romance began.

Overall, Lithuania found the film to be very enjoyable.

-xXx-

"Did you like that story, Lithuania?" Russia asked when the credits began to roll down the screen.

"Yes," Lithuania replied, "It was wery nice."

"I liked it too."

Lithuania glanced beside him at Vanya, curled up, asleep in a ball.

"I think Vanya thought it was boring, he fell asleep." Liet commented. Russia looked down at the cat and started to giggle, and Lithuania quietly joined in.

-xXx-

The remainder of the day was spent drinking cocoa, telling stories about past, present, and future, and eating warm food. The end of the day crept up on them like frost crawling up the windowsill, and before either of them realized it, it was close to midnight.

Russia was the first to yawn. And it was probably the cutest yawn Lithuania had ever heard. He blushed again. Then he decided that if Russia was always like this...sweet, gentle, and calm...he would not be near as terrifying.

"Lithuania, are you tired?" Russia asked.

"A little."

"Me too. I am going to go to bed now." He got up from the couch, and Vanya trailed after him.

"Okay...goodnight then." Lithuania replied. Russia started towards the stairs. Before he went up, he turned and looked over his shoulder.

"You're old room is still set up. If you want to sleep in it."

"Oh...thank you."

Russia smiled his close-eyed, closed-mouthed smile. "I always knew you'd come back. Now you stay, don't leave me when I go to sleep."

"O-okay Mr. Russia. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Litva." With that, Russia turned and headed up the stairs.

Translations

Litva: Lithuania (Russian)

Vanya: Vanya is actually the pet name for Ivan.