"Omg, Liet! Liet!"

sighs at the familiar voice, looking up from his gardening and waving. "Poland... you're here," he says a little tiredly.

glomps Toris happily. "You like disappeared!"

"I, yes," he flinches at the touch, rubbing the spot. "My boss told me I had to take a vacation. I see you haven't lost your energy."

notices the way Toris flinches away from his touch. His smile fades a little. "It's been like forever..."

"Has it?" He smiles; he can't remember how long he's been gone for... ah, who was he kidding? It was exactly nine months, twenty days,

six hours, five minutes and fifty-nine seconds. "Sorry I haven't been in contact. You haven't gotten yourself into any trouble, have you?"

begins to tell Toris how much he missed him, but catches hims. "You're, like, acting weird, Liet."

*himself

"I-is that so? How do you mean?" Is he really acting weird? If so, he hadn't been aware.

projecting, or maybe he's paranoid. He's been feeling a bit insecure about their relationship lately. "Like, I dunno. Just.. hug me."

"E-eh?!" Okay, well that was weird. Maybe the Pole had contracted some sort of disease while he was gone. Oh god, that wouldn't be

impossible. "Wh-why?! Poland, are you okay?"

"I'm like-- like fine."

"Are you sure?" He frowns, starting to fret and placing a hand on the Pole's forehead. "You're not warm. D-did you eat anything weird?"

struck by an awesome idea. "Hey! Have you like seen my new pony? He's like totally pink, like naturally!"

stares at the other for a second. "... Poland! Focus for a second!" Was he the only one worried here? "Why are you acting weird? I'll

try to fix it, but I told you to be careful!"

totally thought that was going to work. "Iyou you haven't been at my place in like forever, we should totally have a sleepover!"

"Is that all?" ... Sigh, Poland was really more trouble than he was sometimes worth. "But I'm not sure I can. I have to catch up on work

now..."

"Oh." He tries not to look as devastatingly disappointed as he feels. "But, couldn't you like do it later?"

now feels bad, and he can just see it on the other's face. "But I've been gone this whole time..." He sighs. "... Fine, I'll do it later,

taip?"

practically floats with happiness. "Yay! Let's go, this is going to be like totally awesome!"

smiles tiredly and follows along behind the other. "S-so... how have you been? You didn't get yourself into trouble with any other

nations, did you?"

"No, I've been like so good, you wont even believe it! Like, how have you been I've missed you!" It's out before he can stop himself.

pauses at that, feeling slightly flattered that the other cared so much. "Ohh, ah, well, I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was going. It was all

supposed to be top-secret."

"It's like okay, just don't like do it again, okay?

"

"I guess I'll try." That was weird. He'd have thought Poland would be all for him "relaxing" since he claimed Liet was always

overworked. Ah, well. "Have you done anything new with your house?"

"Yeah! I like repainted! It

It's like totally amazing! You're going to love it!" He wonders how it is he always manages to chicken out whenever he starts to say

something serious.

"Oh?" Really, the man's energy was tiring - it reminded him of America - but at least it didn't seem like he'd pissed off

Russia, or something. "Is it pink again?"

"Omg! Like how'd you know? You're like totally psychic or something!" And so much more, but he can't tell Toris that, now can he?

sighs. "It's because that's what you always paint it, Poland. Guess you haven't changed." And somehow, that both makes him glad and

worries him, all at once.

can't describe how great it is to see Toris being Toris. He has to resist the sudden urge to kiss him. It's a close call.

"... Poland?" He's confused by the sudden silence, staring at the other. He's really starting to think there is something wrong.

it when Toris says is name. Then, kicks himself for thinking like that. "Yeah? Is there like something on my face?"

frowns. "No...? You suddenly got really quiet. Are you sure you didn't eat something wrong?"

he isn't blushing, though he feels his face heating up. They are standing so close together. "Yeah, I'm like totes okay, I like told you

already." He shifts his weight uncomfortably. Is he really this pathetic?

"A-alright, if you say so." He casts the other a worried glance, before continuing on his way to Poland's house. "Did you want me to cook

anything?"

nods. It'll be just like when they were living together. The thought makes him smile a little sadly. "That'd be totally great." He wants to

tell Toris something... but he doesn't know how to go about saying it. Trying to hide the fact that he is extremely aroused isn't helping

his train of thought.

still mightily worried about the other's silence... and he keeps trying to hold it in longer and longer... but he can't take it! Turning

to the other, he gently shakes his shoulders, eyes creased with worry. "Okay, Poland! Jei yra kažkas negerai, pasakyk man! Ah..." He rubs

his temples. "I meant, if there's something wrong, tell me, okay?"

"I-- um." Think of something else, think of something else! Mother Teresa? Dying babies? Anything! It's definitely not helping. "I-- like,

um, like..." he's turning red, and can't think straight when they're standing this close. If he could just adjust himself...

"You like... what?" He has absolutely no idea what liking something has to do with the situation, but with Poland, one could never really

tell.

to scream. Then again, maybe this will work! He grabs Toris by the shoulders and pulls him into a kiss.

opens his mouth to retort, to ask again, but immediately freezes when he's pulled forward, his mind barely able to register the kiss before

his body reacts strangely to Poland. An elbow juts out to hit the man straight on the stomach, a leg circling to trip the other. He gasps

when that's over, and he immediately kneels and freaks out over his friend. "šūdas! Poland, I'm so sorry. I-I! Are you okay?!"

"I like-- I--" His face crumples and he begins to cry. "I knew it..."

hadn't realized his battle reflexes weren't all that buried after all, and he burns with shame as he slowly helps the blonde stand up and

get back on his feet. But when the man begins to cry, the largest sense of panic overwhelms him, and he throws Poland's arm around his

shoulder and hobbles the way back to the man's house. "P-Poland, calm down! I-I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to! You just... you just

kissed me! What was I supposed to do?!"

afraid to look Toris in the eye. He knew this would happen. "I-- I'm sorry. I like, wasn't thinking..."

"I-it doesn't matter! I knew you weren't feeling well! You should have told me! Stop making me worry about you!" He sighs, opening the door

and dragging the male in. "Bedroom?"

"N-not feeling well...right."

"Alright then, bedroom it is." With a grunt, he drags him upstairs, setting him on the bed. "Atsiprašau, I didn't notice earlier. I'll make

you some soup, so just don't move, alright?"

hides his face in a pillow. "L-like, whatever."

moves away and into the kitchen, preparing the most basic of chicken soup. He hopes it's enough to make Poland feel better...

sobs into the pillow.

keeps cooking. Just a few more minutes now...

he knows he must look hideous now. Why did he ever think that was going to work?

sighs and pours some soup into the bowl, careful to balance it as he heads back upstairs...

hears footsteps and his heart picks up speed. He wants to disappear.

opens the door with his leg and holds the soup in a bowl and walking over to the other. "Ah, Poland? I have your soup. C-can you sit up?"

sits up. Now or never. "I'm not like sick, Liet..."

"E-eh? Of course you are! You've been acting strange since I came back." He moves over and gingerly places it on his lap. "Just have some

soup, it'll help."

shakes his head. "No...I like, I have to tell you something...like I should have told you already..."

plops a spoon into the bowl and takes some soup, blowing on it. "Just drink some first, will you/"

?*

Takes some of the soup. It's good, but doesn't change what he's feeling. "But, before I tell you, you've like gotta promise not to hate me."

happy when he drinks some soup, but he's surprised by the sentence. Poland isn't usually so serious. "Yeah...? I couldn't hate you..."

that's true. "I-- like, you know how I'm like gay as a rainbow unicorn right?"

can only cough and clear his throat as he stares at the other. Maybe he's made that assumption, but it didn't necessarily mean it was

true. "Er... now I do..?"

Crap crap crap crap, this is harder than it looks! "I like...think I might be in love with you?" He braces himself for rejection.

now seriously thinks Poland has lost his mind. "Poland! Y-you... alright, you have to calm down. I think you might have hit your head

or something. Just... take a nap, okay? I-I'll stay here."

like hitting his head. "NO!" He jumps up knocking the soup over. "I'm like, so sorry! But, I'm like dead serious!"

"Poland!" Shocked and horrified at the wasted soup, he runs out of the room and into the bathroom, cleaning up the mess. Damn, this was

going to leave a stain on the carpet. "Relax! What do you mean you're serious...?"

trying his best not to cry again. He knew it wouldn't ever work out. He knew it. "I mean I'm serious, and I like, don't even know what to

do because you like, wouldn't like me in a million years, and I like hate it so much when I see you with Belarus... and it like hurts so bad

I don't even know what to do."

freezes. So wait, Poland was serious? Oh god, oh god, this was not supposed to happen. They were supposed to just be friends, and watch

each other's backs (well, more like him watching Poland's)! But... "I-I'm sorry, Poland... but I don't get what you mean by Belarus. I'm not

"with" her, if that's what you mean." Though that didn't stop him from trying.

sighs. "It's like okay if you don't like me back... I don't expect you to." Though if he doesn't it will hurt like hell.

"I'm sorry..." He fidgets. He really doesn't want to hurt the man, but h can't very well lie. It'd just make everything else worse. "It's

just... this is so sudden.. and.."

"Like, don't even lie to me..."

"Lie to you about what?" He's been telling the truth; what could he possibly lying about that he wasn't even aware of himself?

"No, like I mean... just say you don't like me. I'll like totally understand."

"Of course I like you, Poland," he tries to say comfortingly. "B-but just as a friend? I mean, I'm here to take care of you and all,

okay?"

"Okay..." He looks absolutely miserable. "Could you like tell me who you like?"

"I like everyone," he smiles, with the obvious exception. He hopes Poland won't ask who that is.

"How could you like like everyone?" He asks skeptically.

"Because everyone is nice...? You asked me who I like, not like like..."

sighs in frustration. "I mean who do you like like."

"A-ah..." Now he understands, and how he sort of wishes he didn't. "No one, I guess."

"Like...are you straight?"

doesn't think that was the best or nicest or even tactful question someone could have asked. "Why are you asking me that?!"

nothing if not tactless. "I'm like just curious."

"I don't really... know?" This was one hundred percent truth. He was sure he liked girls, but he wasn't sure about guys.

"Oh...like I guess that's okay too." Except now he is pretty sure it's not a problem of gender, it's just that Liet is personally not

attracted to him. Which is almost worse.

"Yeah..." Now he doesn't know what to say or do that won't offend the other... so he turns to the soup. "I'll make some more, okay?"

shakes his head. "It's okay. I'm like not even hungry."

"Are you sure?" Now he's really worried, but he'd rather tell him the truth than lie and go about it the wrong way.

nods. "I'm sure..."

"A-alright then..." He looks discouragingly at the bowl. "Look, I, uh... sh-should I give you time alone?"

"That...like that might be best."

sighs a little sadly. "I'll be downstairs if you need me, okay?"