Author's Note

Hi everyone! So, here's yet another Hetalia fanfic, centered around Russia, fem!China, and General Winter. This is actually a sort of background story for the RP that I've been doing with Catherine Wheels that involves Russia and fem!China. The second half of our story involves General Winter, who we decided started working with Russia when he was really little.

Anyways, I'm really sorry if this doesn't make sense. If you have questions, feel free to post them in a review, and I'll try to get back to you on it. ^^

Also, there's a reference to almonds in this, which is sort of a reference to cyanide, which is a reference to a fanfiction that Catherine Wheels wrote, called "Cyanide and the Old Regime." Go read it. It's excellent.

So, I think that's all there is to say. Please review, and enjoy the story!

Oh, and I don't own Hetalia, Russia, or China. Also, this isn't historically accurate in any way, shape, or form. Just FYI.

"For the last time, General, I'm not interested, aru," China said, sighing a little as she re-entered her house, General Winter close behind her.

"China, darling, I'm not so bad of a guy, am I? Come on, don't be this way," General Winter replied, sticking his foot in the door as Yao tried to close it. "A woman like you needs a man like me to protect you, isn't that right?" he asked, a cold smile on his face.

"I don't trust you, aru. I can protect myself without your help, aru. Besides, if I were to accept your help, I'm not so naïve as to think it would come without a price. You would want to own me completely, I assume, and I'm not going to do that, aru. I can take care of myself, and please don't refer to me as a woman. I run my nation as well as any man could, and I prefer to be addressed as such, aru. Please, just go away." China was becoming annoyed. She hated having to put up with this every time the General came by, which had gotten more frequent over the last few months.

General Winter stopped to visit China at least once a week, and sometimes more. He had decided a while back that he was in love with her, and wouldn't stop until she was his.

It really was tiresome for China, but she didn't think the General would hurt her, so she wasn't afraid to turn him down.

"General, please, just leave me alone. I'm expecting company later, and would like to finish my cooking, aru."

The General's face immediately began to fill with rage. "You…there's someone else then, darling? How could you, when I've been courting you for so long?"

"It's nothing like that, aru," China said, exasperated. "I'm not romantically interested in anyone. I'm simply expecting a friend, aru. Our relationship is no different than one between two brothers, aru."

General Winter had seemed to calm down a little as China explained, but he had a new look on his face, a very strange look that worried China, though she wasn't quite clear about why.

"Well then, I don't want to get in your way, darling," the General said, turning to leave. "Farewell, dear China," he said, pulling his foot out of the door and leaving. His voice almost had a taunting tone to it, but China ignored it and went back to her cooking, wanting to finish before Russia arrived.

She watched out the window as General Winter left, unable to see the small, cold smile on his face as he walked away.

Once the General was gone, China went to stand by the window in her kitchen as she cooked, staring outside. She hoped to see her friend, the young nation that resided north of her own, sometime soon. Today seemed the day though.

She'd spent all morning cooking, finding that it was easier to watch for her friend from the kitchen. Not too long after, she noticed someone making their way towards her house.

"Russia, aru," she said quietly to herself, smiling as she recognized the boy.

Moments later, there was a knock on the door, and China rushed to answer it, smiling broadly. She threw open the door, and immediately pulled the small boy into a hug.

"Russia, aru! I'm so happy you're here!" China exclaimed, letting go of the boy, and holding him at arm's length.

Russia smiled bashfully before speaking. "N-ni hao, ni-ni, a…aru," he mumbled, a light pink blush showing in his cheeks.

If China had been merely smiling before, she was beaming now. "That was so good, aru!" she cried happily, pulling the boy close again. "I didn't know you were able to speak any of my language, aru."

"I've been trying to learn, ni-ni, but your words are so hard to say, da…" Russia replied, scowling.

China laughed softly. "It's alright, Ivan, aru. You're trying, and that on its own makes me happy, aru," she said gently, taking Russia's small hand in hers.

"Really? It makes you happy, da? Even though I'm not very good at it?"

"Of course, aru. You always make me happy."

Russia grinned as he squeezed China's hand. "Then I'll keep trying! For you, da!"

China laughed again, leading Russia to the kitchen. "I already made lunch, aru. I thought you'd be hungry."

Russia nodded slowly as the sight of China's table full of warm food met his eyes.

"Does it look alright, aru?" China asked, getting Russia sat down. Russia nodded again.

"It looks amazing, da!" He started pulling the different dishes closer, adding food to his plate.

China poured them both cups of tea, then sat down, dishing up her own plate.

"You remembered to make that one I like!" Russia suddenly said happily, as he pointed at one of the dishes.

"The one with almonds? Ah! Yes, aru! I tried to remember after last time which ones you liked best so I could make them for you again, aru," she remarked, smiling.

Very suddenly, the kitchen seemed to grow a little colder, and China shivered.

"Is something wrong, ni-ni?" Russia asked, frowning slightly.

"I…I think I just left a window open, aru," China responded carefully, as she got up and walked to the window. She stuck her head out and looked, wondering if General Winter was still around, listening to her conversation with Russia. She didn't see him, so she just closed the window and went to sit down again.

"Russia, aru…" she started, looking out the window for another moment, before turning to look at Russia again. "…did you see anyone outside before you got here, aru?"

Russia thought for a moment. "Da, there was a man. He was leaving as I got here. Why?" he asked, looking quizzically at China.

"No…no reason, aru," China mumbled, picking at her food. She looked up again and smiled, deciding not to worry. "Everything's fine, aru."

Russia accepted that, and went back to eating.

China began to eat again too, but she couldn't help but worry that General Winter was lurking close by.

"I don't want to leave, da!" Russia said loudly, three days later.

"I never said you had to go, aru," China replied, sighing a little.

"But I have to…" Russia said sadly, frowning as he looked down a little. "My boss said I had to come home, da…"

China bent down a little so she could meet Russia's eyes straight on. "You can come back soon, aru! You know I'll always be happy to have you stay here," she said, smiling.

Russia smiled a little at hearing that, and threw his arms around China, hugging her tight. "I'll come back soon, da! And I'll try to learn more of your language!" he said happily.

"Please be careful on your trip home, aru," China replied, smiling as she hugged him back. "I love you, aru."

"Love you too, ni-ni!" Russia said, before heading out the door, waving one last time before turning and walking away.

China watched until Russia was completely out of sight, before going back inside to catch up on the work she'd been neglecting during the other nation's stay.

General Winter watched as Russia left China's house, and followed him silently. He had heard China say she loved the boy, which had made him furious. Even so, he had managed to keep his temper in check.

An idea had also come to him. If China was as attached to the boy as she acted, could he use him to get to her? Well, if nothing else, he could at least take Russia away from her. If he molded the boy in his own image, an image China loathed, would she still care so much for him?

"Hello," General Winter said, smiling as he approached Russia. "You're awfully young…what are you doing out here all by yourself?"

Russia turned, surprised to see someone else on what was usually a very quiet trip home.

"I'm not that young…" Russia mumbled, slightly annoyed. "I'm just going home to my own nation, da."

"Ah, and is your nation far from here?" General Winter asked, still smiling as warmly as was possible for the incarnation of the coldest season.

Russia tried to ignore the feeling he had that this man wasn't safe to be around. Besides, running away now would just make him look like a scared, little kid, and he didn't want anyone to think that of him.

"Not really. I'm about half-way there, da," he said, shrugging slightly.

"Ah, but you're so small, and you've already been walking for a while. I imagine you're getting tired," the General replied, looking intently at Russia.

"I'm just fine, da," Russia replied, starting to walk again. "I really do need to get home though. Um…it was nice meeting you, da."

General Winter walked a little faster, and caught up with Russia. "I'll walk with you. To keep you company. You don't mind, do you?"

"Um…I guess not," Russia mumbled, not looking at the man walking with him. "Why're you so interested in me anyways?"

"You're just so young, and I know it can be difficult to be a nation at that age," the General replied, smiling as warmly as he could. "Of course, I'd be happy to help you, if you need me to."

Russia looked up at the General, confused. "How could you help me? And what would you help me with, da?"

"I don't believe I have introduced myself yet," General Winter said, as though he were suddenly remembering. "I am General Winter. The snow and ice? I control it all. I could help you become stronger, by using the snow to help stop your enemies, which would protect you." He tried hard to sound trustworthy, something he wasn't exactly experienced with. Even so, it seemed to be working, as the boy started smiling.

"I want to be stronger! You could help me with that, da?" Russia asked excitedly. "China would be very happy if I were stronger, da!"

The General kept smiling, but his eyes grew a little colder at the mention of China. "Yes, I believe Yao would be quite happy if you were strong," he said simply, knowing that he had the boy caught in his trap.

"I want to make ni-ni happy, da! You can help me become stronger than? What do I have to do?" Russia asked eagerly, dropping all his earlier reservations about this man. He really did seem sincere in wanting to help Russia. "Are you friends with China?" he asked suddenly.

General Winter hesitated a moment before answering, deciding on the best way to address this. "I care deeply for China," he said simply, thinking that would be enough for this impressionable, young boy.

"So you want to make China happy too?" Russia asked, his eyes wide.

"Yes, you could say that," General Winter replied, putting all his effort into smiling warmly. "I want China to be happy just like you, and if you let me help you, we can make him happy together."

Russia grinned, putting his trust in the General. "Alright! As long as it makes China happy, da!"

The General's smile became colder as he heard those words, but he wasn't looking at Russia anymore; only at the path in front of them. "Yes, as long as it makes China happy, my boy," he replied, leading Russia back to his own nation, and, unbeknownst to the boy, to his future, frozen in captivity.