Countryhumans Oneshots

Dog Therapy

For NewLostIslands. I hope you enjoy this.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Alaska asked Karelia as they sat on the rug in front of the fireplace, Alaska's dogs settling down in different spots across the room.

"About what?"

"Who my brother wants you to be. I know you are uncomfortable with it. I can see it in your eyes." Alaska said. Karelia looked away, rubbing his arm.

"I'm not-"

"Karelia," Alaska said gently. Karelia sighed.

"Why don't you call me Uhtua?" He asked. Alaska shrugged.

"You are not Uhtua. I will not call you a name that is not yours," he stated plainly, coaxing Anastasiya, one of his dogs, to come to him.

"But I was Uhtua." Karelia insisted, looking upset at Alaska's answer.

"Was. Not are. My brother is stuck in the past due to his guilt. He wants to see you as Uhtua because it makes him feel like he didn't fail to protect you. He wants to have the son he lost because he feels that underneath, all of what Russia did to you is the same person he lost. He is wrong." Alaska explained bluntly. Karelia flinched at the last sentence.

"So I failed him," Karelia said. Alaska shook his head.

"You did not. You do not dictate Finland's feelings and emotions. You do not control how he feels." Alaska said.

"I..." Karelia said, trailing off as words failed him.

"I have a question for you," Alaska said, wanting to move the topic away from something causing his nephew so much misplaced guilt.

"What is it?"

"How do you feel about Uhtua?" Alaska asked. Karelia paused.

"I don't know. I...it's hard to explain. It's like...he's...I'm...I...I don't know. I guess, in a way, I'm mourning Uhtua. But I shouldn't...I am Uhtua...or at least I was. So he's not dead. So I can't do that." Karelia said quietly.

"Uhtua is dead Karelia. And you are allowed to mourn that. You are allowed to mourn the loss of who you once were, okay?" Alaska said. Karelia nodded, teary.

"I just feel bad that Uhtua is dead. I...want to be Uhtua again...but I can't, and I don't know...I feel bad that I can't help Suomi. I just...I feel bad and guilty, and I don't really understand why and..." Karelia trailed off, unable to find a way to express his feelings. Cungagnaq, the biggest of Alaska's dogs, stuck his head in Karelia's lap. Karelia's tears welled up even more as Karelia began to scratch his head.

"That is okay. You need time to heal and grieve. Do not feel guilty for that. That is natural." Alaska assured him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Karelia nodded and began crying. Taisiya, another dog, walked over and sat down next to Karelia, trying to comfort him too.

Karelia began crying harder, and Alaska slowly pulled him into a hug, wrapping his wings around his nephew as Taisiya, Cungaganaq, and Anastasiya joined the hug, their bodies wrapped around the two states. Karelia's body shook with his sobs, and Alaska teared up as well, reminded so much of himself.

Karelia reminded Alaska of himself when he became an American state and was introduced to a non-toxic environment. Confused. Lost. Scared. Hurt. Alaska pulled his nephew closer, as he began to cry as well. Alaska was so furious with the world, so enraged at it for hurting all of the good people in his biological family until they broke or died.

The world broke him, broke Karelia, killed North Ingria, and was chipping away at the rest of his family. And they were expected just to sit down and take it because they were countries. No one would be arrested. No one could remove Karelia from the household, and that destroyed his sense of self. Alaska got out because his abuser gave him away, and even then, in a safe environment, it took him years to heal.

Nothing could be done to get Karelia to a safe environment to heal unless he wanted to leave.

And who knew if he would? Alaska remembered how strong his brainwashing had been. He didn't willingly get to a safe environment. He hated leaving his abuser. That was a horrible, unimaginable thought to him. Would his nephew be the same way? Alaska didn't know. Karelia certainly seemed more aware of the abuse now, but he didn't like either side.

That's why he came to Alaska in the first place. Neutrality. A place to sort out his thoughts. A place that wouldn't try to force him to side with anyone. A place that would just help him think.

But Alaska did have to tell him something.

"Karelia," Alaska said, pulling away but still allowing Karelia to take comfort from him as Cungaganaq returned his head to Karelia's lap.

"Yes?" Karelia asked, some fear in his voice as his hands moved to sink into Cungaganaq's fur.

"I know I promised I would not take any sides, but I want to give advice I learned while healing from my abuse. Do you want to hear it?" Alaska asked, knowing that as much as he wanted Karelia to hear his advice, giving him a choice in the matter was probably the most important thing he could do.

"I...okay," Karelia said.

"Take time for yourself. Do not feel like you have to pick a side immediately. Get away. Think." Alaska said. Karelia nodded.

"That...I will take that into consideration." Karelia said. Alaska nodded.

"Good." Alaska said, watching Karelia and Cungaganaq with a smile. Maybe Alaska should think about getting Karelia his own dogs. Karelia would probably like that.