The world we wanted 20/?
With all three Baltics, Hungary, Prussia and Serbia all in Russia's house there is a lot of room for drama.
“At least Russia isn't here,” Hungary says. “He's busy oppressing my people while I'm too far away to do anything about it.”
“I've actually been thinking about this,” Serbia says. “When Austria puts down your rebellion, you marry him. When Russia does it he's a bad, bad person.”
“It was Russia the other time around too,” Hungary coldly replies.
“Because Austria begged him,” Prussia says. This always bothered him as well. “I remember this too you know. Then Austria forgot all about his promises when Russia wanted some help in return. And you blamed Russia and Austria's boss.”
“But I'm sure Austria's boss forced him to do it the poor thing. Russia on the other hand does things like that out of pure evil. Why do we always end up as the villains?”
“For once you actually have a good point,” Prussia agrees. “Austria likes to act like the rest of the world is somehow beneath him when he's an asshole who can't even defend himself properly when we push back hard.”
“Austria was really sorry about the entire thing,” Hungary says but her cheeks flushes slightly. “He tried to convince his boss to do things differently. And then he did things differently and we had Austro-Hungary. Russia never admits he's wrong about anything and he never changes.”
“Russia keeps his promises,” Serbia protests before Prussia can. “He always helps me if he can and when Austria wanted help he was a loyal ally and did that too.”
“Oh Serbia,” Hungary says and tries to hide a smile. “For a moment I started to worry you had a good point. But you're even more delusional than the rest of us. Russia would have made Yugoslavia his cowering minions too if he could.”
“Wouldn't hurt Croatia and Bosnia to cower a bit,” Serbia mutters.
***
Hungary recovers in time for the Olympics to Russia's relief. It would have been embarrassing for him to display a badly bruised Hungary when the story is that he saved her from fascist counter-revolutionaries. Of course few believe him either way.
The Olympics reminds Lithuania of how he isn't considered a nation anymore and it makes him very badly tempered. No one gets anything to eat when Russia explains to the satellite nations how he expects them to stay close together at an event where they will be surrounded by enemies.
***
Prussia has never been to Australia. He hoped to get around to see a bit of it and perhaps talk more to Australia himself. It doesn't turn out like that when Russia has him shadowing Hungary and everyone is obsessed with their own athletes and teams.
Prussia doesn't feel the love like everyone else in the beginning. He hates the idea of the united Germany team. He should be able to compete on his own like a proper nation. Russia is not very interested in his complains, as he's busy trading snide remarks with America. Trust them to turn a sport event into serious business about capitalism versus communism.
Sweden and Finland are arguing loudly, when it comes to sports they act more like mortal enemies than a loving couple. It's pretty amusing to watch, much less malicious than Russia and America despite how they are actually even ruder to each other. And from what Finland said this is positively friendly compared to what happens when it comes to things like hockey.
But there are a lot of nations home sulking too, like China who refuses to be in the same country as Taiwan as long as she insists in calling herself China. Egypt and Iraqi because they are pissed at England and France, to Russia's badly hidden satisfaction. And to America's glee a few others, like Switzerland and Spain, refuse to be here since Russia is.
Hungary tries to speak to her own people who are very worried over what recently happened to her. Keeping an eye on that makes Prussia very uncomfortable and he wishes he could leave her alone. She doesn't exactly keep to the party line when she explains what's going on. Prussia pretends to not hear, Hungary is still displeased with him and he tries to make it up to her. Serbia on the other hand keeps bounding with Hungary over how much they like water polo. Prussia doesn't get the appeal but he notices how their teasing has became very friendly.
Russia isn't that into it, even if it's his team who is going to face off with hers over who gets to play against Yugoslavia for gold. The important thing for Russia is winning, he doesn't seem to care about each competition. Only where it ranks him compared to America. Every time something turns out well for America the Australian warmth turns a little colder.
But this is something Russia should pay attention too. The mood of the human crowd is weird, where citizens usually walk in circles around Russia they are now suddenly prone to shove him and give him annoyed looks.
It's becoming clear that Hungary's people want to beat Russia's up, not play sports with them. What was Russia thinking, the tension between him and Hungary makes it even worse. When Russia sees one player outright punch one of his he harshly grabs Hungary's arm.
“What do you think you are doing?” he hisses.
“Do you think I can control my people completely?” Hungary replies with equal anger. “If you can Russia, you have a lot more than me to stand responsible for.”
He lets go of Hungary's arm as if burned. The match below them is called off as it turns into a fight rather than a competition. This doesn't sit well with the crowd either, who are shooting at Russia's people.
“Your people hate me,” he quietly says, as if this had never occurred to him before.
Hungary flinches when Russia gets up but he doesn't make a move against her. He looks very pale and disappears without a word.
Hungary's team is declared winner since they were ahead and obviously they can't go on playing when it's practically turning into a riot.
“Wow,” Serbia breaths. “That was... special. Congratulations Hungary. And a good thing for me too. I really didn't want to face off against Russia for the gold...”
“We're going to kick your asses,” Hungary says but she looks after Russia, not at him or the players.
***
Hungary's team beats Yugoslavia's. She screams in ecstasy and pulls both Prussia and Serbia into a group hug. All of this has become so weird and political, though Prussia is happy for her he is also worried over where the hell Russia went and how he is doing.
Too late Prussia notices how Serbia drags Hungary off to celebrate with the rest of Yugoslavia. And Slovenia is bringing along Austria. Oh shit. Prussia feels vaguely nauseous. Is Austria's first question going to be 'why did you stop answering my letter?'? What had Prussia been thinking to get involved in the first place? Of course Hungary was going to manage to get a few moments alone with Austria soon.
There is absolutely nothing he can do to stop it now. From a distance he can see they all look overjoyed. Perhaps they decided to talk about happier things. Perhaps Austria thinks Hungary got mad at him and avoids that uncomfortable subject. Prussia truly hopes so.
Since Russia disappeared Prussia takes up bragging about Soviet where he left off, trying to not think about what Hungary is doing. If Russia was worried about that he shouldn't have run off. But his people did amazing, no matter how awkward this last game turned out. And even more importantly, if Prussia is going to be miserable others should suffer with him. Seeing America forced to take deep breaths to not hit Prussia in the face is very satisfying. If you're as strong as America you're going to look like a total asshole if you hit someone, even if they kind of deserved it.
“I bet Russia's people feel inspired to train hard because you throw them into work camps if they don't,” America says. “Isn't that what you do to people in commie land?”
“Be a good hero and admit Soviet superiority for once,” Czech says, because the twins are very amused by Prussia's goal of pissing off America as much as possible.
“The statistic speak for themselves,” Slovakia agrees.
Japan jumps in to America's defense. In the end they all stand around squabbling like idiots. A lucky coincidence Russia managed to avoid this. He doesn't need more bad press.
***
At least none of Prussia's worries about West's 'friends' come true. France is properly dressed and busy talking with his own people. How fortunate that he has given up the naked Olympics idea. West trails along with America's entourage for most of the time and doesn't seem to talk much.
He avoids Prussia carefully until Prussia had enough. Their Olympic team is shared and they could talk about that at least.
“We did pretty well, didn't we?” Prussia says, ignoring how America gives him an evil stare for dragging off West. He doesn't protest though, perhaps he feels that's too much like something Russia would do. Or because he's relieved that Prussia has found something else to do than to harass him. Hopefully West won't get into trouble later.
“It wasn't bad,” West agrees. “A shame we didn't beat Italy though...”
So it's still like that.
“But uhm, you and France, is that working out?”
“France and I talk a lot about European cooperation,” West says. “We don't want America to rule the world, do we?”
Prussia smiles. Perhaps his brother isn't as whipped as he looks after all.
“Good thinking. You know, the day you stop being such an idiot and acknowledge me as a legitimate nation I would consider to join a thing like that.”
“You can't have my people and my nation just because you're older than me,” West says. “I'm sorry but it doesn't work like that. But let's not do this again.”
“I like it better when we get along too,” Prussia says. “But you can't have my Germany, not now and not ever. Berlin was mine first. You know you can't take me in a fight, especially not now when Russia's got my back.”
West gives him the 'of course I could' look, it's a discussion they had for decades and mostly in a jokingly tone, but restrains himself in the last second. It wouldn't turn out friendly anymore.
“I don't want to fight. Not with you and not with France.”
There is no agreement they can possible reach at the moment. They settle on talking about harmless things and congratulate their team together. Prussia is already thinking about how he is going to show West that he is still superior. They might not be able to fight anymore but there are other ways to go, as Russia and America have proved. The German Democratic Republic is going to kick Bonn's ass as soon as they are allowed to.
***
Russia still isn't around when Prussia said goodbye to West on reasonably friendly terms. Czech has apparently decided to be the new boss of the Warsaw group with both Russia and Prussia gone and gets mercilessly teased by Poland about it.
“Shouldn't I be third in command if we are going to pull rank?” Bulgaria wonders.
“You can be third of you like,” Czech says, “I'll be second in command.”
“Thanks for sticking up for me,” Slovakia says and Czech hurries to apologize. “And what about East?”
“Yes, what about me?” Prussia wonders.
“I don't know,” Czech says. “But I'm going to be quiet from now on, before I manage to get everyone including my twin to gang up and beat me...”
Poland innocently suggests they all should be equal since they're communists. Romania breaks down laughing.
Prussia leaves them to fight it out if they please and eventually finds Russia hiding in their hotel, spending some quality time with a bottle of vodka.
“Is this how it has to be?” Russia wonders but he's mostly talking to himself. “Either I'll be the victim or I'll be the villain. But it isn't really a hard choice, is it?”
“Don't talk like that,” Prussia snaps. “If you are the villain, what does that make me? Or Czech and Slovakia and Bulgaria and the rest? Do we look like villainous sidekicks to you?”
Russia can't hold back a smile at that.
“You make a good villainous minion, don't you?”
“It's not my place to constantly second-guess my bosses... Fritz would have kicked my ass if I did that. That doesn't make me a minion.”
“You are a good ally,” Russia says. “Thank you... You're right. We should return and see the ending ceremonies. I must show my people of proud I am of them. It's not wrong of me to defend what's mine and everyone must know I'm not afraid to do it again.”
Russia shapes up and smiles as if everything went down exactly according to plan. Despite the unpleasantness with Hungary it ended pretty well. The Warsaw pact stand united for now and they proved themselves superior this time around.
I read that after Poland's and Hungary's uprisings and protests Czechoslovakia became Soviet's favorite ally. That ends up being mostly Czech having a huge crush on communism in the story (because after the war the communist party won in the Czech part but not in the Slovakia part). Czechoslovakia snark communism because they actually care.
Hungary's and Soviet's water polo match turning into a fight is true...