"What are you doing, aru? Why are you closing the door, aru? R-Russia, aru? DON'T TOUCH THAT, ARU!! GET AWAY FROM ME, ARU!!" China's alarmed yells came through the wall to where I was lying, unable to sleep, on Russia's bed.

"Lithuania," I looked up at the whisper. Estonia and Latvia were poking their heads through the doorway. They tip-toed in ti stand next to the bed. "We've come to see how you are." I smiled weakly at them. I opened my mouth silently, and motioned towards the itchy bandage around my throat. Not only would it hurt to speak, Russia would be angry – he wanted a speedy recovery so he could have his bed and his slave back. Estonia caught Latvia as he slipped on one of the bottles on the floor. They looked at the empty vodka bottles that surrounded the bed.

"Is this what he's been giving you to drink?" Estonia asked. I gave him a thumbs-up to tell him he was right. "But that's not going to help at all!" Another thumbs-up.

"What are you g-going to d-do with that, aru?" We all cringed as China screamed a moment later.

"C-can you alw-ways h-hear what he's d-doing in there?" Latvia stammered. I sent a third thumbs-up his way. Sometimes I could hear him saying my name. That was one of the worst things.

Estonia stepped closer and reached towards my neck. I drew away, but he didn't touch it; he just looked at it closely.

"Has this been changed since it was first put on?" He asked, obviously worried. "He has changed it, right?" A thumbs-down. His eyes widened and he bit his lip nervously. I shuddered at the sight of teeth.

"STOP IT, ARU! STOP IT, ARU!!!" The three of us fell silent, each lost in our separate thoughts.

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Estonia finally asked. Thumbs-down. He sighed. "We'd probably better be off before Russia finishes in -" He froze mid-sentence as he felt Russia's icy hand on his shoulder. We tried to ignore the fact that we knew what he'd just been doing. And that he was still naked.

"Lithuania isn't allowed to speak," he said, "doctor's orders."

"H-he d-didn't say anything, Russia-san!" Estonia explained, "We j-just wanted to see how he was!"

"He's fine. He will be better soon, da."

Estonia swallowed, then built up the courage to say,

"I th-think he'd get better s-sooner if his b-bandages were changed..." He closed his eyes, fearful of Russia's reaction, but Russia removed his hand from his shoulder and smiled down at him.

"I'll try it," he promised. Estonia swallowed, and I longed to be able to do the same.

"M-m-maybe y-you should g-give him w-water instead of... V-v-v-vodka..." he stuttered, terrified by what he was suggesting. Russia paused.

"But vodka is the very best medicine," he smiled sweetly. Estonia nodded vigorously, his bravery all used up.

"Y-you're right, of course, Russia-san, you're always right..." he sobbed. Russia patted him on the head and shooed them out of the room.

Russia sat on the chair next to the bed and stroked my hair.

"My Lithuania..." he murmured gently. He sat stroking my hair for a while, then got up and left the room. He returned with sme fresh bandages.

I winced in pain as he unwound the old bandages, dark and crusty with dried blood, from around my neck. He leaned in close to the wound as if he was about to lick it again. I felt his chilling breath on the bitemarks and shivered. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if breathing in my scent. Then he withdrew his head and started applying the new bandages.

"My little Lithuania," he whispered in Russian, "I will keep you safe, da." He brushed some hair from my forehead and leaned down and kissed me. The tastes of vodka and blood were strong in his mouth. I was left in no doubt as to what he had been doing with China. As if I needed confirmation.

He went over to the cupboard and got out a bottle of vodka.

"Time for you medicine," he smiled, opening it. He put it in my mouth and tipped it back. I spluttered and some of it came out my nose and most of it back out my mouth. He leaned down and licked it off my face. He giggled, and tried again. This time I actually managed to swallow some. It burnt my throat and tears appeared in my eyes. He took the bottle away and caressed my cheek. "I can't wait till you're better, Lithuania." he told me in Russian, "Soon you'll be well again and we'll be able to do everything we used to."