It isn't that Lithuania doesn't want to say no. He doesn't think he can.

Lithuania has known Russia since they were both much smaller, and the world seemed much bigger. He knows what Russia's like, and he knows how important Russia thinks it is for everyone to be happy. He wishes that he noticed earlier how much Russia's idea of making everyone happy was becoming dangerous and worrisome.

He fears for his own people. He doesn't want them to risk starvation, to stay quiet to avoid the censor, to sacrifice freedoms in the name of unity.

He also fears for Estonia's, and Latvia's, and Poland's. He doesn't want to see their culture made more like his, more like each other's, more like Russia's. He wants to hear their beautiful accents and go to their museums.

He also fears for Russia's. He doesn't want them to turn on themselves. He doesn't want them to be wiped out of the history books, he doesn't want them to go to war, he doesn't want them to die.

What does Lithuania want?

Lithuania wants what he thinks everyone wants. He wants peace, culture. He wants for the hatred and the violence and the war to stop. He wants his people—everyone's people—to feel safe again.

Lithuania wants to stop having fear. He wants there to not be a reason to be afraid.

But right now, he is afraid. Right now, with the old bedsheet curving around the motion of his body, right now with Russia on top of him, he is afraid. He's not afraid because of what's going on but he's afraid because he doesn't think he can stop it.

He isn't afraid of telling Russia no, he's afraid of what will happen if he does.

But he isn't afraid of what will happen to himself alone.

He's afraid of what will happen to Russia.

Because the nation on top of him has such gentle touches and such loving caresses. Their lips press together like they've been in love for ten thousand years. His eyes glaze over, but Russia's glow with affection. Russia…

Lithuania is afraid that Russia loves him.

It's not that he hates him. He can't. He hates his leaders, most of the time, hates his policies and hates what he's become. He hates the stories he hears and the expressions he chances to catch, he hates knowing that Russia is turning into someone possessive and ideological and terrifying.

He's known Russia since the world seemed much bigger.

He fears for their people, because what Russia's become is a threat, but what Russia is right now is caring.

Lithuania doesn't think that he can say no, because he knows Russia, and he knows that Russia can be nice, and he thinks that if he says no, he'll ruin that. Lithuania doesn't think that he can say no, because Russia thinks that he's said yes. Lithuania doesn't think that he can say no, because he fears for his people.

But he wants to.