A Nuclear Retaliation

Planning ahead [2/?]

They had already made it home, Belarus heading up to her room the moment they reached the house. Ivan sighed, following his sister into the kitchen. She set the paper bag onto the counter, pulling out some muffins.
"I took some muffins from the break room, there are blueberry and chocolate chip." Ivan nodded, sitting down on a stool by the counter. He sighed, watching his sister place the muffins into a basket.
He put his arms onto the counter, leaning his head into them. Ukraine looked at her brother, speaking up.

"What's wrong brother? Did something happen during the meeting?"

Ivan peeked at his sister through his arms, sighing. He spoke softly, sounding exhausted. "Somebody is talking bad about Natlya." Ukraine furrowed her brows, sighing the same way her brother did. She walked around the counter island, standing next to her brother.
She placed her hand on his back, rubbing circles to try and soothe him. "I heard. That's why I was late earlier."He lifted his head, looking towards her in a worried manner. "They said more? Are you alright sister?" He stood up, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"They didnt say anything about you did they? I...". Ivan was normally calm, extremely calm. But lately he has been more expressive, and not in a good way. Ukraine's eyes furrowd in worry, putting her hands atop of her brothers.
"This isnt a good environment for you two," At this point he was talking to himself. "Who knows what they will do next. They a-" "Ivan!" He stopped talking, looking back at his sister. She placed a hand on his cheek, her worried expression finally processing to Russia. He lowered his arms down to his side, "Yes big sister?"

"Its going to be okay." She spoke to him calmly, making sure that her words sunk in. "They did not talk about me, and I am making sure that they wont talk about Belarus for any longer." She smiled sadly, looking up at Ivan.

"Why are you so persistent at taking care of this yourself? I can help plenty." Ivan shrugged, "I'm the biggest. I can handle it, you two do not need to go through this." His voice was stern and heartfelt, "They fear me sister. I can use that to stop them from-"
"Dont talk like that!" Her voice became a whisper yell, making sure not to be loud enough for Natlya to hear. "You do not need to take care of these matters on your own! We are a family- we are supposed to work through this together!" Ukraine crossed her arms, sighing. She hated the fact that the countries feared her brother, and hated the fact that he was trying to take care of it on his own even more.

"You may be bigger and feared, but you are just as much as a person as we are! I am not just going to sit here and let you turn yourself into some type of- human shield!" Ukraine took his hands into hers, looking up at him. Her eyes were sad and filled with determination, pleading for him to listen.

"I am your big sister. Let me do the protecting this time, please brother?"
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Ukraine tapped her foot impatiently, looking around the room. The meeting just finished, and she had told her siblings to head home without her. The day had gone how it usually did, ending with yelling and no work being done.
She was the oldest sibling, she didnt want to be the one who was protected. When Russia was younger she had took care of him and Belarus, but over time Russia had started to do the protecting. Ukraine sighed softly, keeping her usual smile on her face.
She appreciated her brother for shielding them for this long, but it was starting to take a toll on him and she could tell. She wanted to do something for her siblings, but she couldn't do it upfront like her siblings. She wasnt intimidating or feared, she was one of the kindest countries out there. When she was angry people listened, but she still wasnt feared.

Ukraine was not hugely influential, people wouldnt listen to her right away. It would take forever for the other countries to take her seriously, it takes time to gain influence. If she wanted to resolve everything in the time she wanted then she would have to find someone who WAS influential.
From the corner of her eye she spotted the person she was waiting for. He was talking to Prussia and South Italy, laughing loudly with a cup of coffee in his hands. She walked down the hallway, calling out when she was in range. "Excuse me?" He turned around, noticing her right away.

"Sup dudette? What's up?" She looked up at him, smiling softly. "Hello America, Prussia, Romano." She placed her hands behind her back, "I'm sorry Alfred, could I steal you for a bit? If it's no trouble of course." The blonde nodded, waving goodbye to the two behind them. Ukraine and America walked down the hallway, the aura around them being light-hearted.

"I'm sorry to pull you away from your conversation, but me and my siblings are having some troubles." Alfred raised an eyebrow, his smile becoming stiff. "Troubles? You're gonna have to expand on that dudette." She nodded, sighing softly.
"Lately some countries have been acting....unfavourably towards my younger sister." She looked up at him, making eye contact. She grabbed one of his hands, her pleading tone becoming more noticable. "I need to take care of it, but if I try to do it by myself I'm going to be the one getting in trouble. If I have someone strong behind me I can be a proper elder sister!"

She smiled angrily, talking to him like they had talked normally for years. "What type of older sister would I be if I couldnt protect them? Ivan is taking the brunt of it full force, I cant just stand back and let it happen." Alfred knew that feeling too well. The feeling of wanting to protect your siblings and having to ask for help. He he looked down at her nodding along as she spoke.
"I'm not asking you to fight them for me. I'm not asking for you to scold them, or to threaten them after I leave. I'm just asking for you to stand behind me, to support me if anything happens that isnt part of the plan." She let go of his hand, placing her hand on her chest. "Please, will you help me with this Alfred? Can you help me defend my family's honor?"

Alfred pondered for a moment, narrowing his eyes. He looked down at her, seeing how determined she looked. While he and Ivan had their problems, there was no reason to have a grudge towards his sisters. Ukraine was a kind country, and Belarus was nice to talk to when she wasnt giving out constant death stares. His eyes lit up slightly, this was a perfect opportunity!
"Okay. I'll help you dudette, but you gotta promise me something." Ukraine's eyes lit up like a christmas tree, her smile becoming wide. "Спасибо! Thank you so much! Yes, what is it?" He smiled widely, glad to see her smiling. It's the first time in a while that he had received a genuine smile from someone other then the people in his friend group.

"Become my ally. I will help you and in the future you can help me. It will be an equal deal, nobody will be treated unfairly in this alliance." He was being honest, he was sick and tired of allies treating him differently. He was taught to treat people how you want to be treated when he was a colony, and has yet to see it since he's become a country.
Ukraine looked into his eyes, seeing no specks of dishonesty. She contemplated for a moment, then nodded. She smiled at him, glad that she wasnt being looked down upon.

"Alright. Let's be allies, I will send down the paperwork in the morning." Alfred smiled a genuine smile, putting a hand out for a handshake. "I see the beginning of a new friendship about to form." Ukraine laughed lightly, shaking his hand. The air had become lighthearted, and the two had silently agreed they were now friends.

"Agreed, I feel like I'm about to gain an important comrade."