Start Again

Vietnam's place was just as warm as he remembered it, even in winter.

He approached her as their bosses started talking.

"Hello, Vietnam."

Vietnam looked up at him.

"Hello, Russia," she greeted quietly. "It's been awhile."

While the words held no malice, Russia suppressed the urge to flinch. He searched for something to say.

"How have you been?" he asked.

"Fine," she said. "I've been getting along better with Thailand. How about you?"

He knew that; he'd seen even before they drifted apart. He'd wondered how Vietnam was able to become friends with someone who'd hurt her for so long so easily.

"I am fine," Russia said. "Belarus came back."

"That's—" Vietnam said, hesitating. "—good?"

Russia nodded.

"I missed her," he said. Not the requests for marriage, but he had missed his sister.

Vietnam nodded.

"Vietsovpetro's going well," Russia added.

"It is. But that's not what you're here to talk about," Vietnam said.

"No," Russia said. "It's not. Vietnam, I want us to be friends again."

For a moment, Vietnam just blinked and didn't answer; Russia was afraid she was going to refuse.

"Why now?" she finally said.

"We were friends in the past," Russia said. "I want that again. I miss you."

Russia remembered all that time with her—on the phone, visiting her, even all the time with her in her hot and humid jungles as bullets and muck and blood rained down around them.

But even with the death and destruction, helping her crush her enemies had been fun.

And at least he'd had her then.

"Yes, but—" Vietnam said, sounding hurt and confused, "I thought you didn't want to be friends anymore."

"I always wanted to be friends," Russia said.

"Then why didn't you say anything?" Vietnam asked.

"My boss back then wanted me to pull away from you," Russia said. "But he is gone now. I never wanted to leave you, Lien. But I know I hurt you, and I am sorry."

He remembered her face falling—not as he told her no, but as he didn't answer her question at all. Which, he knew now, was as good as a no.

He felt a wave of guilt; how could he have hurt her like that, why hadn't he just told her the truth—

Vietnam sighed, but looked at him, her dark eyes contemplative. She was thinking about it, Russia knew. Most people couldn't tell from her lack of expression, but even now, Russia still knew how to read her.

Finally, Vietnam spoke again.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

Russia brightened, and he reached out and took her hand; she didn't draw away.

"A partnership !" he said. "My boss called it a "Strategic Partnership"."

"Strategic Partnership?" Vietnam echoed. Her eyebrows twitched in a way Russia knew meant that she wanted clarification.

"We can focus on trading a lot," Russia explained. "That's what friends do, da?"

Vietnam nodded.

"Alright," she said.

Russia's heart soared and he smiled.

"We're going to be friends forever this time," he said cheerily. "Anyone who tries to stop us will be crushed."

"Ivan?" Vietnam said. He noticed she had a small smile on her face. "I missed you, too."

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Russian president Vladimir Putin visited Vietnam in 2001. A Strategic Partnership was formed, and trade between Russia and Vietnam picked up. Russia was actually Vietnam's first Strategic Partnership, as well. This fic takes place in 2001.

In 2004, Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong visited Moscow and a Russie-Vietnam Business Forum was created.

In 2006, Putin visited Vietnam again, and the two countries set up a joint venture bank aimed at supporting bilateral business transactions.

The Strategic Partnership was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2012.