The Soul's Fire

Chapter 18

  "Go away!" he said, burying his face in his hands again.
He didn't want her to tell him that she hated him, he didn't want her to yell at him.
He heard Masha sigh and then heard the door open.
"Russia," she said softly. "Why are you crying?"
"Because I hurt you," he whispered. "Masha, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, please don't hate me."
"I don't hate you," she sighed, her voice weary. "I can't hate anyone anymore. Just tell me why you were hurting Lithuania."
Russia looked up. Masha looked tired, and her shoulder was bound tightly with clean bandages. At least she wasn't dead.
"He was hugging you," he muttered.
"And that bothers you?" Masha asked gently, sitting down next to him. "Why?"
"He likes you," Russia admitted, not meeting her eyes. "So do Latvia and Estonia. And . . . me."
He was blushing, but Masha didn't seem to notice.
"So you did it out of jealousy," she concluded. "That wasn't exactly smart. You don't know if I like him. You don't know if I like you, even. I do like someone in this house, and you don't know who it is, so there's no need for you to get jealous of anyone, because it could be you."
She stood and limped out the door, almost running smack into Latvia. She raised an eyebrow.
"Were you eavesdropping?" she asked, continuing down the hall with him.
"Well, yes," he admitted. "Estonia told me that you got hurt, and I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Thanks," she smiled. "I'm fine."
"You actually like one of us?" Latvia asked.
Masha nodded.
"You can't like everyone," he pointed out, stopping to watch Masha more closely.
Masha sighed and stopped as well, leaning against the window sill and staring outside without really seeing anything.
"I know," she murmured. "I think I already have my mind made up . . . or my heart, anyway. It's just . . . difficult to turn any one of you down, let alone three of you."
"And who is it?" Latvia whispered, not sure if he really wanted to know. After all, there was a seventy-five percent chance that it wasn't him.
"It's -" Masha started to speak, but broke off. Her hand slipped on the window sill and she stumbled.
"M-Masha?" Latvia sounded worried. "Masha, are you alright?"
She fell to her knees on the floor, and her hand flew to her heart. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Latvia stared in horror at Masha's fallen form, and dropped to his knees beside her, clutching at her limp hands desperately.
"No!" he screamed. "Masha! Oh, god, somebody help!"