Led by his military officers, China's boots echoed down the long, dimly lit hallway. Lights flickered across his face with each passing overhead lamp. In the distance, China could see two guards standing next to a metal door. They stood at attention in front of their nation personified as China waited patiently for the door to be opened, tapping his leather riding crop against his hand. Inside the dank room were two more guards, flanking a figure tied to a chair. With the flick of his eyes, the guards saluted and left, leaving him and the prisoner alone in the room.

When the heavy doors finally slammed shut behind him, China walked towards the table directly across from the prisoner. The flimsy lamp on the table wavered for a moment as China settled his weight against it. From where he stood, China slowly ran his eyes over the captive, the tapping of his crop the only noise filling the room. The large man in front of him had his hands tied behind the chair and a brown cloth bag over his head. Even in this situation the man managed to sit comfortable like he was at home. Hm, that would have to change.

The man didn't react as China ran the crop first gently down across his shoulders then down his torso. China smiled when the man stiffened the moment the crop slid across his inner thighs intimately.

"I thought I made things clear the last time I saw you," China purred in his throat.

Hearing China's voice, the man asked hopefully, his voice muffled by the cloth, "Yao?"

Instead of answering, China ripped the bag off the other nation's head. Amethyst eyes blinked up at him. Despite the intimate touch earlier, China's demeanor became chillingly cold , "What are you doing here, Russia? You know you are no longer welcomed at my house."

Russia cocked his head to the side, "Will you no longer call me Ivan anymore?"

"Answer the question, Russia"

At China's refusal to say his human name, Russia slumped in his chair and made a big show of his sigh. "How cruel. I just wanted you to say my name. I especially love the way you say it as I plunged myself –"

China grabbed Russia's hair at the back of his head and jerked, forcing the other nation to look up at him as well as effectively shutting him up with the sudden pain. China loomed over Russia, his nails scraping the back of the other man's scalp. Shadows created by the lamp danced across China's face as he leaned closer, almost allowing their lips to touch, "I said answer the question Russia. No more games."

"Would you believe me if I said I got lost and wandered into your house on accident?" Russia answered cheerfully, raising his head up to brush their lips together lovingly.

Russia hissed when China bit his bottom lip, opening the wound on his split lip. China moved back from Russia but ran a hand across his face, touching the bruise on his cheek. "They roughed you up quite a bit didn't they? Even though you didn't resist your capture."

Russia closed his eyes, resting his head into China's hand. "It was worth it if it meant I could see you."

Abruptly China stood up and turned his back on Russia. "Since you're not going to answer why you're here, I can't force it out of you. Regardless you're going to be sent back to your house as soon as I finish my interrogation. We can't have the Soviet think we want to wage war on them."

Russia felt the lost of China's warmth immensely. He desperately wanted to run his hands over the other nation's shoulders, waist; kiss every part of him. However, tied to the chair, all he could do was tenderly trace China's every outline with his eyes.

"I've missed you," Russia finally spoke truthfully, "I wanted to see you. You didn't answer any of my letters and when I asked for you, they would turn me away. This was the only way I could think of to see you."

"How stupid," China said with his back still towards Russia, "I told you the last time we met that my boss no longer wishes to associate with the Soviet Union. It's over. We're done. We're through. What you're doing now is nothing short of foolishness."

"Is that what you honestly feel?"

"It doesn't matter what I feel. It's what must be done."

Perhaps it was Russia's hopefully imagination, but he thought he heard uncertainty in China's voice. "Won't you at least face me when you say that?"

China hesitated, Russia was sure of it, before turning towards him. His face was unreadable to the Russian. "You can't stop this, Russia. Neither of our leaders like each other. This split is inevitable. So just return home."

Russia heaved a sigh at the Chinese man's stubbornness. His repetition of words sounded like he wanted to convince himself more than Russia. Perhaps another tactic was needed.

Russia fumbled in his chair, "Yao-Yao, won't you untie me please? My hands are starting to chafe."

Russia smiled innocently when China arched one of his eyebrows. "I promise I won't do anything you don't want me to."

China felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth. Russia said the exact same thing when he asked him to spend their first night together. In the end, they went without sleep the entire night, the satin sheets tangled around their sweaty bodies. China's smile wavered at the fond memory. Two of them can play this game, even if it's for the last time.

"Alright, I'll untie your hands," China walked behind Russia, running his hand across the other man's shoulder blades, "but under one condition."

Russia shivered even though his body burned at China's featherlight touch trailing down his arms to the ropes wrapped around his wrists. "What is it?"

China bent until his mouth was right next to Russia's ear, his hot breathe playing with blond strands of hair. "No touching."

Russia turned his head, meeting China's eyes. "What do you mean 'no touching'?"

"Exactly what I mean. You're not allowed to touch me."

"And if I do? Who's going to stop me?"

"No one of course," China laughed, loosening Russia's ropes, "but just consider it my parting gift. Something like a goodbye kiss?"

Russia flexed his fingers, getting feelings back into them, "And if I don't touch you? Do I get a prize?"

"Maybe," China leaned back against the table facing Russia.

He should stop this dangerous game they were playing, he really should. It was hard enough sitting here, talking to him as if there was nothing wrong, that everything was fine. He tried pushing him away but the damn Russian wouldn't stop writing him, calling him. It took all his will power to burn all the unread letters and turn a deaf ear to his calls. Now? Now, here Russia was sitting in front of him, his hungry eyes devouring his every movement. China fingered the knot in his tie. He'll break, they'll both break if this continued.

China saw Russia lick his lips. If this was to be their last time together then maybe it's best to end it on a happy note. China loosened his tie and exposed a collar bone. Perhaps they can sear each other's heat and warmth into one another's body for their time spent apart before they reunite again. China smiled invitingly. He had no doubt they would form an alliance again. Alliances were always formed, broken, and then reformed. It was just a matter of time; whether it would be a year, a decade, or a hundred years, before another alliance would be made. It's just can his human heart, not his immortal soul, survive their time apart?

He didn't have time to think of an answer as Russia lunged at him, knocking the lamp to the floor. Plunged into darkness and robbed of their sight, it only heightened their feel, their need for each other. Their lips collided into a frenzied kiss. Rustling of clothes were heard in the darkness as they frantically tore them off their bodies.

"I thought you said no touching if I untied you," China panted out when Russia finally released him from the bruising kiss.

Russia finally got to run his hands over the smooth skin that haunted his dreams the instant he thought he would never do so again. He pressed China close, pressing him close as he breathed in his scent. Oh God his scent. The pillow China used at Russia's house no longer smelled of incense or plum blossoms. No matter how hard Russia buried his face into the pillow, China's aroma would not come back. China was in his arms now though. He won't let go. He won't.

"I never agreed to it. You just decided to untie them yourself," Russia murmured against the other nation's neck, marking China as his with red bruises.

A heart beat passed then two. China raised his hand and softly ran it through the exact same place he dug his nails into earlier, whispering, "I know you didn't."

Russia paused at China's collar bone before lifting his head up to cup the Chinese nation's face. They couldn't see each other but they didn't have to. Without a word Russia knew what the Chinese man left unsaid. This time their kiss was slow and excruciatingly thorough. Russia placed a kiss gently on China's forehead, kissing away the worry. His lips traced the other man's eyebrows tenderly, loving how they frame China's face. China's eyes fluttered close as Russia delicately ghosted over them. The larger man trailed kisses down China's soft cheeks until he found the corner of China's mouth. He lightly nipped at China's bottom lip before finally capturing the other nation's lips in an open mouth kiss. It was gentle, so gentle. Tears formed at the corner of China's eye. This was nothing more than a dream they would wake from.

As if sensing China pulling away from him, the kiss changed. Russia held onto China tightly and tilted his head so he could fully explore the other nation's mouth.

"Russia stop."

"Don't call me that!"

China hesitated, knowing the intimacy of using their human name. "Stop Ivan."

"Why? Why stop?" Russia asked between desperate kisses.

China turned away from him, "Because it'll just make our separation that much harder."

"Then don't leave me!" Russia grabbed onto China's shoulders, "I don't want you to leave me."

The larger nation wrapped his arms around China, trapping the smaller man in his fierce embrace, "I can't handle it. I can't handle Stalin and you leaving me. I need you. Please. Please stay with me. Not as a country but as my lover. Stay. Please."

China bit his lip, stopping himself from making a sound as he heard his heart break." I…I can't. If I stay with you, I'll always depend on you. My country needs to stand on its own. You understand don't you?"

Russia shook his head vehemently in denial, "No. No, I don't understand."

China returned Russia's embrace and said in a hoarse voice, "I love you."

Russia stared into China's eyes and clung onto those words. "Then why? If you love me, why are you doing something that both of us don't want?"

China's eyes were crystal clear as he answered his northern neighbor, "Because it is my duty above all to love my people more than anything else. It's my responsibility for being China."

China grazed the side of Russia's face with his hand, "And it is your responsibility as Russia to accept our leaders' decision. No more of this foolishness of crossing borders."

Russia clenched his fists at his side, but said nothing. Their silence continued even as they re-clothed themselves. As if on cue, there was a knock on the metal door.

"Come in," China said, shrugging into his jacket.

Light illuminated the room as an officer stood in the doorway, saluting China, "Arrangements have been made to escort Mr. Ivan Braginski to the Russian border, Sir."

China nodded his head and looked at Russia one last time. Russia didn't even spare him a glance and just walked past him. China's back faced the doorway. The last image of Ivan burned into his mind forever was the look of contempt Russia gave him.

"Goodbye, Ivan," China wouldn't let his voice betray the pain he was feeling.

Moments passed and there was no answer. Just as China thought that perhaps Russia had left without a word, a voice he would cherish forever finally whispered back, "Goodbye Wang Yao. Goodbye."

Russia hesitated but eventually said, "Thank you for your 'parting' gift."

China did not turn around to bid Russia a last farewell. The guards shut the door and darkness returned. China did not have to see to know tears ran down his face.

A/n:

There is a semi-sequel to this story called "Rain Falls". It's set around the 1990s when China and Russia's relationship normalized.