LOL, Phili [Rusphil]

Chapter 32

Russia fanned his face, a drop running down the sides of his face and water dripped from his wet hair. It's still feels hot even though he just took a shower. Is it the ac?

He checked it. It was at the max...

Wiping the sweat forming on his forehead with a damp towel, he concluded, he can't do anything about the heat. A sigh escaped his lips. He was worse than an ice cream melting from the summer heat.

A knock interrupted his brooding mood and he stood up to answer the door. He looked down on a small figure who was deep in thought, standing on his doorway. The corner of his lips tugged when she didn't notice him. How cute.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Phili jumped in surprise and took a step back. "Gah! Oh my gosh that scared me," she muttered in embarrassment. She then looked up to his tall figure and a deep flush spread across her face like wild fire, her blue almost unnoticeable. A trail of red drip down to her lips and she slapped her mouth to cover it up. "Yo-you're naked!"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, " he replied casually. "Just the top though. It's hot."

Damn hot, alright. She agreed, staring at his toned muscles. It took her a moment to snap herself out of her reverie and diverted her attention elsewhere. Anywhere, just not at his- him! Right him.

She mentally facepalmed at her own self. Just why is she like this? Why in mother pangea? When she just came here to give him this.

"Do you want to come in?" He made way for her to enter.

"A-ah, no." She waved her hands frantically, forgetting the smudge of red on her palm and mouth. "I just came to give you this."

Russia accepted the lunchbox with a curious face. However, he grabbed her wrists, stopping Phili from getting anywhere when she attempted to flee. He still wasn't done talking to her.

"Your nose is bleeding."

Ah, well, shit.

Before she knew it, she was already sitting down on the sofa with a dozen of tissue in her hand and a crumpled one sticking in her nose. Her face—in a daze. All she wanted was to give him lunch as a thank you gift, not result to this.

"Oh, uhm, right!" she shied away and fiddled with the tissues while Russia, already had a shirt on, was at the table preparing the utensils. "I wanted to thank you for yesterday..."

He perked up. "Hmm, for what?"

"I called a friend today," a small shy but victorious smile graced her lips. "...and well, we kinda sorted it out." She snorted.

The way she smiled so brightly of fulfillment afterwards was a smile so genuine that Russia felt the first time seeing it.

He nodded absentmindedly, preoccupied savoring this rare moment.

"All I just really wanted to say is...thank you for your help." She sent him a grateful smile.

Russia nodded, this time, pleased. It seems like it worked out for the two of them. However, simply talking on the phone wouldn't resolve the whole political dilemma, that, they both know. It's still there, and it needs to be sorted out.

But setting a line between duties and personal is crucial. And that, Russia was proud that she was able to draw on her own.

"You made this?" he pointed at the lunchbox. He could smell the strong scent of sourness from where he was standing. It was odd, but the aroma was enticing at the same time.

He could see reddish-orange things floating around in the somewhat-pasty soup, some vegetables he could identify. He could also see beef meat.

"Eat with me."

Phili shook her head frantically from his invitation and tripped on her tongue. "N-no, uuh, I just ate. Don't worry," she assured with a smile. But instead, he hung his head down like a dejected puppy left by his owner to go to work, and it squeezed her heart.

She sighed, the corner of her lips upturned. "I guess I could still eat."

Good thing he already had her plate set beside him. Phili swore, if Russia was indeed a puppy, he would have been wagging his tail enthusiastically right now with those sparkly eyes despite his poker face.

So cute. Phili chuckled as she sat down. -and hot. Her mind added and her face instantly exploded.

She stood up, slamming the table out of shock and embarrassment. What the heck is wrong with you?! But it added more embarrassment to her already half-dying state who already wants to be delivered to death's door upon realizing Russia was looking at her, puzzled. Just...let the ground swallow her whole.

She's basically a melting mushy marshmallow right now as she sunk to her seat.

"You're weird," Russia snorted and Phili nervously laughed. "It's like you have your own world."

"Hehe." She scratched her head, not knowing whether to take that as an insult or a compliment, and turned bright pink. As if the nosebleed wasn't enough, now she's having an attack of constant redness.

Despite the air-conditioned room, the atmosphere felt warm compared to how they first met. She glanced subconsciously to the carpet where coffee-stains should have been on it, but it was clean as new. It was just a week? A few days? But it already felt like months.

Well she certainly did not expect having lunch with the Russian either. But she was glad she got to know him, it made her vacation all the more enjoyable and worth-while. Before she knows it, they would need to part. She felt a squeeze in her chest again, but this time, it left an unsettling taste in her mouth. It couldn't be the sinigang...

He helped her...a lot more than he knew. Phili realized, as she held a melancholic smile, that's why I- She stopped in her train of thoughts. Her eyes felt hot and vision glassy, but she tried to blink it away.

Stupid feelings. She has no time for this.

Tormenting... a wound from the inside is even more unbearable than physical. It's clawing her heart out and she can't do anything about the indispensable turbulent emotions raging and quelling her whole. Why does she feel so much, yet be so numb...

"Philippines." She snapped out from the storm of acrimony building up inside her. Their eyes met, cold-grayish possessing an irony of kindness and consideration—from a man she just met, over a cold penetrating one from a man she called her brother.

Ice flecks danced in his orbs like dewdrops of snow in a frosty winter of Russia, Phili never knew how life lived inside those beautiful cages of his.

He leaned in, cupping her cheeks for the first time, intensely staring at her. Staring at him now made her feel conscious as she felt her cheeks heat up, but his next words made her heartbeat drop.

"Why...are your eyes lonely?"

~~

A/n:

A new chapter mMmhM