All turned to dust 4/17
Prussia expects Russia to lose interest in him when he has his sisters back but it's the other way around. Russia is just as horrified as him over Belarus's disinterest in changing into an uniform that isn't splattered with blood since she thinks she will just end up the same again within hours.
After a first happy reunion Russia and Ukraine agree to split up to maximize the area they can cover and Belarus is sent in a third direction despite her protests. Prussia is glad, he suspects that Belarus is planning to stab him while he sleeps. He would like to ask Russia why Ukraine doesn't want to be around him too but it sounds like a dangerous question.
“I always thought my sister was crybaby,” Russia says when she has left. “I didn't listen to her the way I should have. But I did save her, didn't I?”
He explains nothing more and it almost feels like the sisters were never there in the first place. When Belarus isn't around watching Russia dares to lend against Prussia again, moving up another step by lightly stroking his back.
“Will I find Lithuania when I liberates his country?”
It's the first question Russia ever asked about the war effort and even now it's more personal than strategical.
“No,” Prussia says, wishing he could give a better answer. “He's in Berlin with the other Baltics.”
Germany was right to invite them to his capital, they are as important to Russia as they suspected. Invite might be the wrong word, it was the same kind of invitation Prussia received to Moscow.
“I miss Lithuania,” Russia says and sighs.
It reminds Prussia that no matter how inappropriately found of him Russia is at the moment it's only because he doesn't have his usual minions to keep him company. He doesn't like that thought.
“Hands off,” Prussia says and gets to his feet. “I'm going to pick up my dinner, want some too?”
“More field rations,” Russia says. “I look forward to it.”
Prussia takes that as a yes. Russia could have better food if he complained a bit, but Russia is weird like that. Both he and Belarus appear to prefer to melt into the anonymous mass of soldiers in the front lines and do the insane kind of damage only a almost immortal being can.
**
Prussia hear the rumors about Hitler being assassinated all morning and he learns it failed. He thinks his guys must be behind, they complained a lot even when Prussia still defended him and said he would make Germany and Prussia great again.
Russia provides him with a German newspaper that confirms his suspicions. Prussia does know these guys, most of them were friends.
“Stalin said you should read this,” Russia says. “He told me they were executed by being hung by piano wire from a meat hook.”
“What?!” Prussia is outraged. That is so pointlessly nasty, no way to treat his people. Germany should have put a stop to it, at least made sure they got shot, a proper military execution.
“It's a horrible thing to do,” Russia agrees. “That is why you are the bad guys.”
“They are the bad guys,” Prussia protests. “It was my friends who were killed, who didn't want Hitler. I don't want him either. He took over my nation and I was an idiot to ever trust him.”
“Would you tell your brother that too? To get rid of his boss before it's too late?”
“Yeah,” Prussia says. “I guess I would.”
It's not a big secret that he regained his sanity about the issue, not like he would be the only one away from the reach of the Nazis who speaks up publicly against Hitler for the greater good of their people.
He tries to explains this to Germany when they get to talk over the phone. But Germany remains skeptical.
“I'm not being tortured or badly treated or anything,” Prussia says, trying to sound as convincing as possible. “It's a bit weird, but...”
“I'm sorry,” Germany says. “But I can't trust anything you say right now, you understand that, don't you? My boss will turn this around. I will not let my country down. We will never be defeated.”
His country. Not their country.
“Shouldn't you tell me you're going to save me then?”
“That too,” Germany says but his thoughts are elsewhere, Prussia can tell.
“I'm afraid I'm going to see you soon,” Prussia says before Russia hangs up for him. He hopes it isn't true but at the moment Russia seems unstoppable.
**
Prussia later hears Paulus encourage disobedience and desertion against the Nazi regime on the radio. He supposes that is what they have already done. It still feels out of character until Prussia remembers that several of the conspirators were close friends to Paulus too.
***
They are close enough to see Warsaw burn at Hitler's orders. Or Germany's. Prussia can't tell the difference any longer.
“I know we don't like Poland... But shouldn't we do something?”
“We're not ready,” Russia says.
“But we are right here.”
“We can't risk our entire war effort because Poland is inpatient. My boss says so.”
Warsaw keeps burning.
**
Russia and his army pick up a badly damaged Poland later. He is unconscious and Prussia who almost starts to consider himself an expert on the subject patches him up as good as he can.
“You two,” Poland says with venom as he wakes up. “I must have died and gone to hell.”
“You must rest,” Russia says. “When you get better you are going to be happy over how I saved you.”
Poland curses them in his own language until Russia gets bored with it and puts his hand over Poland's mouth. Poland struggles of course but he is too weak to do anything about it.
“I'm sorry,” Russia says when he realizes Poland has passed out from the lack of oxygen. “I didn't mean to.”
He pats Poland's hair and looks very guilty, whispering apologies to his unconscious victim. Prussia believes him but he will still remember this every time he wants to yell at Russia.
It's true that Paulus and some of the other officers from Stalingrad turned against Hitler and pretty much joined up with Soviet instead eventually.
There was actually quite some time between the Warsaw uprising and the Red Army taking over but for the pacing of the story it appears like it happened right afterwards.
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