Crossing Borders [Hetalia]

шестнадцать - finale: borders crossed

Once again, Valentina isn't sure what, exactly, is going on, but she's been reasonably assured that it's both amusing and enjoyable and she is intent on exploiting this to the fullest extent.

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Months have passed, dozens of extra days tacked onto her own calendar - days she owes entirely to Arthur Kirkland and his awe-inspiring sorcery.

(As a side note, despite the Englishman's recent triumphs, many still refuse to praise his supernatural talents; these days, he tends to content himself with Valentina's gratitude)

The Russian household's numbers have declined, dwindling until it became an abode for two; though Toris and Alfred pay an extended visit every now again, bringing with them a liveliness the home otherwise lacks (neither occupants are particularly bothered by the mundane lifestyle they lead, but it's a nice chance of pace whenever a guest room takes a new resident for a few days).

Toris comes simply out of fondness for Valentina and the welcome experience of residing in that house while unbound from his fate of servitude.

Alfred, well - he claims his visits are for the sole purpose of reassuring himself that Ivan hasn't done anything untoward to the admittedly delicate and impressionable Valentina. Arthur, however, has gotten it into his head that the American has lingering feelings for the girl that he refuses to sever. He pities him, if truth be told, as he knows the pain of harboring feelings for someone who could never return them.

Speaking of, Arthur was among the first to return home after it was clear Valentina had regained a good deal of her former strength and could stand on her on - figuratively, literally, emotionally. The girl had been heartbroken to see him leave, but he explained that he had someone he'd kept waiting back in England, someone who could evoke such a radiant smile from the blonde that anyone within feet from him would have to shield their eyes for fear of going blind.

"It's a chick," Alfred was quick to deduce, "it's gotta be. He doesn't get that happy about anything, so it's gotta be a chick."

This became the group's consensus within a matter of days, and to this day remains one of their most treasured beliefs, despite never having met the mystery girl themselves.

(Arthur is ignorant to these speculations, and will probably persist in this ignorance for a long time to come, as he has a tendency to suffer from obliviousness when whispered rumors center around him - unless they come from France, in which case he is the first to hear of and combat them)

In these last few peaceful months, Valentina has had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with Ivan's current boss. The idea of countries bowing down to whatever human claimed the highest government office amused her a trifle too much at first; she couldn't help her naivety, as Siberia was never subjected to such things in her in time as a personification.

She's since learned to bite her tongue when in the presence of said boss, though, as it's never an admired idea to have the leader of a nation aggravated with you - especially when considering you have recently "become one" with the nation in question.

In any case, the two get on rather well, to most everyone's surprise. So well, in fact, that Valentina's been appointed as a fellow representative of Russia, along with Ivan. Which, of course, grants her access to World Meetings in which she'll have an opinion that actually matters. 

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"Yo, dudes, the burgers are ready~!"

The proudly American voice rings out with bell-like clarity across the yard. A few heads turn from their conversations, raising incredulous brows. It's understandable, as Alfred's prepared a veritable banquet in a very disheartening amount of time (Arthur in particular would find this to be a direct insult to his inability to cook edible foods).