Manpower [Russia x Reader Fluff]

Meetings Never Go As Planned, Especially Not in Russia

Anastasia's words echoed through the throne room and my mind. Mama? Since when am I a mama? I wondered, looking down at the girl. Anastasia beamed up at me, her smile surrounded by a perfect complexion and baby fat. I wanted so badly to stroke her cheeks with my fingertips and comb her auburn hair with my fingers, but not as much as I wanted to stay alive. I had no ties to the Russian lands as far as the Czar was concerned, so me being Anya's "mama" was out of the question. As for Russia being in love with me... I wondered what that was all about. If Russia was in love with me, I would have no choice but to deny him. I am Technology, not a country. Think about it: a country and tech, how would that play out? Not very well, that's how.

Russia must have been thinking something similar to what I had in mind, because he asked the princess a question, "What makes you think I am in love with her?" I looked from little Anya to the nation, and I noticed the hardly noticeable pink tint his face bore.

"Oh, the way you cuddle her, the way she calls you 'Vanya', anything else?" the princess had taken on a girly taunting tone of voice. She was teasing her country and myself, which would not have gone off very well if she had belonged to another family.

Russia sighed, eyes closed with embarrassment. I knew what was going through his mind. Why say that so loudly AND in front of the Czar? Nikolai was not a very forgiving man; he would most definitely punish Russia if he discovered anything else about our relationship. What I wanted to know, however, is why the Czar even cared. At any rate, I wasn't allowed to be in a relationship with Russia. No one was. Every Czar Russia had had in the past had told him he was to remain single so no "mindless woman would go around poisoning his mind and keeping him from the important duties". Their words, not mine.

"Anastasia," Nicholas called, "go to your room along with your sisters and brother. Russia, Tekhnologii and I have important things to discuss."

"Aw, but Papa!" Anastasia whined.

"Nyet!"

With her lower-lip jutted out, Anastasia donned a pouting face. She slowly let go of my hand and Russia's, then shuffled over to her siblings. The other children turned to face their papa, eyes shining like those of five puppies, begging their father for play time.

Princess Tatiana called, "Tekhnologii, come play with us!"

"Yes, Tekhnologii, play with us!" Olga chimed in. She trotted over to me and took my hand. "We have so much to do! You can skip this one meeting, I know you can! All Papa wants from you is new weapons, and I tried to tell him that you'd say 'no' but he didn't listen to me! I know we'll have plenty of time together, I'm sure of it!"

For a thirteen year old, Olga was very persuasive.

I gave Olga a devious grin, then I stood tall and faced the king, my smile becoming passive. "If His Majesty doesn't mind, I will be joining his children at this time," I said calmly with a bow of my head.

Nikolai's face conveyed his emotions perfectly. "YOU ARE GOING NOWHERE!" he bellowed, scaring the daylights out of his children.

"Your Majesty, the meeting can be rescheduled at any time. Meetings are always the same, no matter what, and you may have as many as you like. But, time with your family is precious and limited. The meeting can be rescheduled, your family's time on this Earth cannot be." With that, I turned away from the sovereigns, but not before I saw Alexandria and Russia's triumphant smiles.

I walked out of the throne room with the children crowding around me. Olga and Tatiana were talking to me like we were girlfriends, and the other three, Maria, Anya, and Alexei, bounced around me. As I was flooded with children, I knew I had made the right decision.