Russia begins to look around. Everything around him swirls. Cackling surrounds him, and he begins to thrash.
Hands hold him down. People shout from around him. His vision blurs together, and he screams. He pulls violently away from the hands, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Ruby?"
Russia pauses, panting.
'Meri? He sounds so tired.'
Russia begins trying to look around, but his mind doesn't make any sense.
"Cat dad, you gotta calm down."
'Florida?'
Russia tries to breathe deeply, and his chest shudders. A hand gently brushes back his hair. Russia whimpers and scratches at the tingling on his face.
"Hey," a voice snaps, "stop doing that! You're hurting yourself."
'Ohio,' his mind identifies.
New hands pull his own away from his face. He finds himself being pulled into something warm. He takes a deep breath, and a familiar scent fills his nose.
'Meri.'
Russia relaxes. He takes a few moments, and his breathing slows enough for the fuzz in his mind to dull a little. He's laying on his side in America's lap. America is petting his hair.
Russia feels the uncomfortable pull of clothes restricting his limbs, but he's too fatigued to move to fix it.
'Where am I?'
Russia opens his eyes again and sees Texas sitting in front of him, looking concerned and sick. Russia meets Texas' eyes and Texas relaxes with a small smile.
"Hi Russ," Texas says gently, his voice hoarse and tone forced, "are you there?"
Russia nods and Texas laughs quietly. His laugh quickly turns to a sickly cough. He curls around himself, his hands in the dirt. Russia's heart aches at the way the coughing shakes Texas' torso. Russia feels the person under him shift a little and Texas is pulled out of view. Russia turns onto his back and sees America hugging Texas to his side.
Texas whines a little and tucks his face into America's shoulder. America kisses his forehead.
"I know, baby, I know. I know you don't feel good," America says into Texas' hair, "I know. It's okay. We're gonna be okay. I know."
Texas shakes and wraps his arms around America, trying to hug him with shivering hands. New Mexico sits behind him and rubs his back. Alabama and Mississippi sit nearby, looking between each other with scared expressions.
Russia turns his head at someone pulling on his tail. It brushes against his pant leg uncomfortably.
'I still have that?'
Russia sees Florida, who has tear streaks staining his face, holding his tail to his face. Russia rubs Florida's face lightly with his tail and Florida giggles too quietly for him to hear and hugs it tighter. Russia looks around a little more and sees Kansas talking to Ohio, who paces around the underbrush, violently shoving aside any branches in his way.
South Carolina sits near America's knees, rubbing his arms and biting his lip. North Carolina sits a meter or two behind him, staring up at the night sky, seemly lost in thought. Finland sits against a tree within earshot, looking frustrated and tired.
Ukraine is clumsily trying to comfort Alberta, who is ripping grass out of the dirt and crumpling it into her hands with a scowl. Brazil and Mexico are nowhere to be seen, but Russia assumes they aren't far.
"Dad?" South Dakota asks.
"Yeah, kiddo?" America replies, his voice exhausted with forced enthusiasm shining through.
"...what do we do now?"
America looks down but avoids Russia's eyes. Russia's heart sinks at the pain in his eyes.
"We move as soon as we can," Finland chimes in, shifting slightly, "but with the injuries and illness, we can't right now."
"I want to go home," South Carolina says in a shaky tone, his voice an octave higher than normal.
Russia looks up to see South Carolina staring at America with tears spilling from his eyes.
"I just wanna go home," he says, a sob escaping his chest, "I shouldn't have come. I just wanna go home."
America tenses. Texas tightens his grip and appears to try to hide.
"Hey-" America starts with difficulty.
Russia reaches out with a sore arm and places a hand on South Carolina's cheek. He numbly notices the fur that covers it. South Carolina looks down at him in shock before beginning to weep. He hugs Russia's hand to his face in a tight grip that pulls the fur in painful directions, but Russia holds off from commenting.
"You will go home and back to your siblings," Russia hoarsely promises, "Okay?"
South Carolina vehemently nods, sniffling and hiding his face as much as he could into Russia's arm and hand.
North Carolina hobbles over and sits behind her brother.
"We're gonna be okay, Scar. Dad's gonna make sure we get home okay. And Papa will too," she says, her voice calm and sweet, rubbing his shoulder.
South Carolina doesn't respond, his shoulders shaking with restrained crying.
"What a mess," America says with a watery laugh.
Russia glances back up and sees America looking around at the teens, a shaky smile and tears adorning his face. Russia feels his heart crack.
"We will do it," Russia says, his throat burns from use, "Stars, we are going to get out of here."
America forces a laugh that makes Russia flinch at the fakeness of it.
"Damn right," America replies, his tone far too soft to match the phrase.
"No, look at me," Russia says, an iron-y taste paints the back of his throat, "we got this far. We survived this much. We can do this."
America lifts his hand from Russia's head and covers his mouth as if to hide the expression growing across his face. His eyes seem to smile, but the tears continue to fall.
"We better get home cuz this would be a stupid way to die," Ohio says venomously, waving his hands around.
Alberta bites out a surprised laugh.
"You sure you don't just miss Michigan?" Kansas jokes lightly.
Ohio's face goes flush with anger and he spins around, snarling. Kansas steps back with his hands in the air and a nervous smile.
"Shut the fuck up about that cunt!"
"Ohio!" America shouts in a scolding tone.
Ohio scoffs, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.
"So Spiderman and our cousins get to say it, but I don't?" he hisses.
"You know exactly why that's different," America replies, "your uncle's culture is different."
Ohio huffs.
"What's going on?" Brazil asks.
Russia's head spins around to see Brazil walking out from the trees with Mexico on her tail. The two hold kindling and rocks.
"Ohio is being a dick," Kansas says bluntly.
"Hey!"
America sends Kansas a warning look. Kansas shrugs indifferently. America sighs and his hand drops.
"Kandy, can you not rial up Buckey for like two minutes? Please?" North Carolina asks.
Kansas sighs dramatically.
"Fine..."
Ohio hisses and Kansas backs up.
Russia looks up to see America furtively trying to wipe the tears away from his face. Russia reaches up with his free hand and brushes the tears from America's cheeks. America's eyes go wide.
"It's going to be okay," Russia says gently, his voice falling below the ever-present ringing.
America smiles gently with a sniffle.
"Okay," America seems to whisper.
Russia takes America's free hand and laces his fingers between America's. America seems to giggle.
'We will get home. I will make sure of it.'