Good Game (3/4)
anonymous
November 22 2010, 03:57:34 UTC
For a human, three days without any sleep would generally be the point of critical system failure. For Lithuania, it was a near thing but not quite the same. He left before Russia and traveled to the court on foot, stumbling, and worried he would only drag his own team down, but he was determined to attend at least.
Physically exhausted as he was, the moment he stepped into the Lithuanian locker room and was surrounded by his nervous but determined team he was energized. It only took them a moment to recognize him. "Lietuva! Lietuva!" Shortly he was surrounded, the coach patting him on the back and speaking to him in his own language (oh, how he missed it!): "Are you all right? You look exhausted! You'll still play, won't you?"
"Of course I will. I wouldn't miss it for anything," he promised readily, beaming genuinely for the first time in a year, and Jecis (a forward) pressed a uniform into his hands. "It's a pleasure to beat Russia," he added, and his team cheered. Lithuania thought his heart might burst with pride.
(He felt no shame changing in front of them. They were his people, and they bore his scars as acutely as he did.)
*
The game was rough going.
Russia's team played as if God Himself would strike them down for failure, which, perhaps, was true since God was the Soviet Party in the USSR. Lithuania might have felt some small measure of sympathy for Russia, caught miserably in the dichotomy of his bosses and his people perpetually for seven decades now, but he was completely distracted by the single-minded drive to win.
Estonia and Latvia had been pressed into attending the game, he noticed, and didn't blame them for cheering Russia (although Estonia clapped a hand over Latvia's mouth when the Lithuania scored a basket, and smiled tightly himself). He didn't have much time to spare them a glance, however. Russia himself did not play for the first quarter, much to Lithuania's surprise; he sat on the sideline and watched, giving the Baltic nation an uncomfortable prickling sensation between his shoulder blades with his unerring attention.
He did not wear his scarf for such physical exertion, which was strange to see. But if any nation thought that Russia's coat hid fat, they would have been mistaken. It had, in the past, hidden gauntness, and now it emphasized his bulk, but perhaps as unexpectedly as America he was in good shape, and at the height of his power.
In the second quarter he replaced a center (the coach barked at him angrily and Lithuania pretended he couldn't understand the reprimands), which put him directly opposing Lithuania's own position. He loomed over the Baltic nation and smiled, and Lithuania's palms began to sweat, but he would not be intimidated on the basketball court, buoyed by his own people's confidence and exhilaration.
"Are you sure you want to win this, Litvos?" Russia asked, softly, while they waited for the whistle to blow.
Lithuania combed his hair back with his fingers to hide a tremor and gave a placating smile. "Wouldn't you be insulted if I didn't put forth all my effort?"
Russia stared at him for a moment, then bellowed a genuine laugh. "Your spirit! It makes me proud to be one with you."
But it won't make you win, Lithuania thought grimly, and then the whistle blew and the game resumed. Lithuania darted to Russia's left to pass him.
Russia tripped him casually, and helped him to the ground with a surely accidental elbow between his shoulderblades, and Lithuania caught the ground with his knees and face. The whistle immediately blew again and the prematurely halted play.
"Oh, Litvos! I am sorry," Russia exclaimed, clearly anything but to Lithuania's ears. "I underestimated your clumsiness!"
Good Game (3b/4)
anonymous
November 22 2010, 03:58:15 UTC
"Foul!" This was Adomas, the youngest player on Lithuania's team, and the referees considered the matter while Jecis and Bernandas helped Lithuania to his feet. His nose was bleeding, but Lithuania was more embarrassed and angry than hurt.
"Is--" Bernandas started in Lithuanian but quickly switched to Russian, eying the large nation warily. "Is that Russia?" He hadn't been at last year's game.
"Yes," Lithuania murmured, wiping his nose with his forearm and leaving a streak of blood across his skin.
"I'll guard him," Jecis offered, but Lithuania smiled at him and he subsided, offering a hesitant smile of his own.
"No foul," the refs called. "Resume play!"
"Bullshit," Adomas hissed, but wisely didn't argue.
"Are you okay, Litvos?" Russia asked when Lithuania resumed his position. When Lithuania didn't respond, he said, "Your determined face is so cute. Especially when streaked with blood."
"Mr. Russia," Lithuania said, with the confidence he only gained during protests and sports competitions, "Please shut up."
He knew he'd pay for it later, but it was almost worth it to see Russia's smile falter for once.
*
Final score: 94-97 LITVOS
There was no Lithuanian fanfare, no patriotic waving of flags, because Lithuania's flag was the Soviet flag of course, and a victory for Lithuania was still a Soviet victory, even against Russia.
Everyone present knew better.
Lithuania was bruised and exhausted and stumbling and absolutely high on national pride as his team jumped on him, ruffled his hair, and cheered loudly. He drank it in like rainfall after a drought, and felt more intoxicated than he ever had on Russia's vodka. He didn't come to his senses until the teams were shaking hands (comrade, comrade) and he froze in front of Russia and his icy smile, remembering the year before and not quite high enough to repeat his mistake.
Instead he bowed. "Russia Toravishch," he said to the ground, and moved on hastily, not daring to look up and aware of the perplexed stares of his people. Much to his dismay, they all followed suit and bowed as well. Lithuania risked a glance at Russia, whose smile twitched with bemusement.
With spirits so dampened, they returned to the locker room subdued rather than jubilant. It took until their showers were complete for the congratulatory mood to return.
"Why did you bow?" Jecis asked quietly while Lithuania changed back to his usual uniform.
"Because it was wiser than shaking his hand this time," Lithuania said, and gave a choked laugh. When Jecis' face went drawn with memory, he rested his hand on the boy's head. "Quiet pride is still pride," he comforted, "and someday we won't be Soviet, and I won't bow my head to anyone."
Jecis gave a hesitant smile. "I hope I live to see it," he said.
(And a quarter-century later he linked hands with two million others, and sang the Lithuanian National Anthem in the streets of Vilnius--)
"Me too," Lithuania replied, and hugged and congratulated his team one last time before he left the court lockers.
He froze just outside the door.
"Litvos," Russia said, back in customary scarf and coat, his hair damp from the shower. "Good game."
Not OP but
anonymous
November 22 2010, 08:34:13 UTC
So, so, so amazing, author!anon. I love you for this. Aaaaaah, please please continue. I'm on the edge of my seat here. Bookmarking like a bat out of Hell and oh my God, I cannot wait to see what happens next.
So many things made me squee here. Liet interacting with his own country members, the part about Russia being totally built under his coat...you characterisation...ahhh and I love semi-defiant!Liet.
writer!anon
anonymous
November 24 2010, 23:33:00 UTC
I'm really glad you're enjoying this fill! It's now complete and I hope you enjoy the last part as well (despite a small Serbia/Siberia fail, aha).
I wanted to have a different spin on the nations and their people - they're not national secrets, but everyone seems to know their own nation on sight. And while I get why people think Russia is fat (his face is really round ... also, he has a nose unlike everyone else), Soviet!Russia probably was probably somewhere between gaunt and built, what with his suffering people but incredible military strength.
Re: Good Game (3b/4)
anonymous
November 23 2010, 01:05:58 UTC
I'm in so much pain for what might happen to Lithuania, but gah, I love this. *-* Especially Lithuania's "Shut up" I was like Ooooh, that was awesome even though it's really gonna hurt him in the long run. .__.
Please keep up the good work anon. Like other anons have vocalized, I love your characterization.
Physically exhausted as he was, the moment he stepped into the Lithuanian locker room and was surrounded by his nervous but determined team he was energized. It only took them a moment to recognize him. "Lietuva! Lietuva!" Shortly he was surrounded, the coach patting him on the back and speaking to him in his own language (oh, how he missed it!): "Are you all right? You look exhausted! You'll still play, won't you?"
"Of course I will. I wouldn't miss it for anything," he promised readily, beaming genuinely for the first time in a year, and Jecis (a forward) pressed a uniform into his hands. "It's a pleasure to beat Russia," he added, and his team cheered. Lithuania thought his heart might burst with pride.
(He felt no shame changing in front of them. They were his people, and they bore his scars as acutely as he did.)
*
The game was rough going.
Russia's team played as if God Himself would strike them down for failure, which, perhaps, was true since God was the Soviet Party in the USSR. Lithuania might have felt some small measure of sympathy for Russia, caught miserably in the dichotomy of his bosses and his people perpetually for seven decades now, but he was completely distracted by the single-minded drive to win.
Estonia and Latvia had been pressed into attending the game, he noticed, and didn't blame them for cheering Russia (although Estonia clapped a hand over Latvia's mouth when the Lithuania scored a basket, and smiled tightly himself). He didn't have much time to spare them a glance, however. Russia himself did not play for the first quarter, much to Lithuania's surprise; he sat on the sideline and watched, giving the Baltic nation an uncomfortable prickling sensation between his shoulder blades with his unerring attention.
He did not wear his scarf for such physical exertion, which was strange to see. But if any nation thought that Russia's coat hid fat, they would have been mistaken. It had, in the past, hidden gauntness, and now it emphasized his bulk, but perhaps as unexpectedly as America he was in good shape, and at the height of his power.
In the second quarter he replaced a center (the coach barked at him angrily and Lithuania pretended he couldn't understand the reprimands), which put him directly opposing Lithuania's own position. He loomed over the Baltic nation and smiled, and Lithuania's palms began to sweat, but he would not be intimidated on the basketball court, buoyed by his own people's confidence and exhilaration.
"Are you sure you want to win this, Litvos?" Russia asked, softly, while they waited for the whistle to blow.
Lithuania combed his hair back with his fingers to hide a tremor and gave a placating smile. "Wouldn't you be insulted if I didn't put forth all my effort?"
Russia stared at him for a moment, then bellowed a genuine laugh. "Your spirit! It makes me proud to be one with you."
But it won't make you win, Lithuania thought grimly, and then the whistle blew and the game resumed. Lithuania darted to Russia's left to pass him.
Russia tripped him casually, and helped him to the ground with a surely accidental elbow between his shoulderblades, and Lithuania caught the ground with his knees and face. The whistle immediately blew again and the prematurely halted play.
"Oh, Litvos! I am sorry," Russia exclaimed, clearly anything but to Lithuania's ears. "I underestimated your clumsiness!"
Reply
"Is--" Bernandas started in Lithuanian but quickly switched to Russian, eying the large nation warily. "Is that Russia?" He hadn't been at last year's game.
"Yes," Lithuania murmured, wiping his nose with his forearm and leaving a streak of blood across his skin.
"I'll guard him," Jecis offered, but Lithuania smiled at him and he subsided, offering a hesitant smile of his own.
"No foul," the refs called. "Resume play!"
"Bullshit," Adomas hissed, but wisely didn't argue.
"Are you okay, Litvos?" Russia asked when Lithuania resumed his position. When Lithuania didn't respond, he said, "Your determined face is so cute. Especially when streaked with blood."
"Mr. Russia," Lithuania said, with the confidence he only gained during protests and sports competitions, "Please shut up."
He knew he'd pay for it later, but it was almost worth it to see Russia's smile falter for once.
*
Final score: 94-97 LITVOS
There was no Lithuanian fanfare, no patriotic waving of flags, because Lithuania's flag was the Soviet flag of course, and a victory for Lithuania was still a Soviet victory, even against Russia.
Everyone present knew better.
Lithuania was bruised and exhausted and stumbling and absolutely high on national pride as his team jumped on him, ruffled his hair, and cheered loudly. He drank it in like rainfall after a drought, and felt more intoxicated than he ever had on Russia's vodka. He didn't come to his senses until the teams were shaking hands (comrade, comrade) and he froze in front of Russia and his icy smile, remembering the year before and not quite high enough to repeat his mistake.
Instead he bowed. "Russia Toravishch," he said to the ground, and moved on hastily, not daring to look up and aware of the perplexed stares of his people. Much to his dismay, they all followed suit and bowed as well. Lithuania risked a glance at Russia, whose smile twitched with bemusement.
With spirits so dampened, they returned to the locker room subdued rather than jubilant. It took until their showers were complete for the congratulatory mood to return.
"Why did you bow?" Jecis asked quietly while Lithuania changed back to his usual uniform.
"Because it was wiser than shaking his hand this time," Lithuania said, and gave a choked laugh. When Jecis' face went drawn with memory, he rested his hand on the boy's head. "Quiet pride is still pride," he comforted, "and someday we won't be Soviet, and I won't bow my head to anyone."
Jecis gave a hesitant smile. "I hope I live to see it," he said.
(And a quarter-century later he linked hands with two million others, and sang the Lithuanian National Anthem in the streets of Vilnius--)
"Me too," Lithuania replied, and hugged and congratulated his team one last time before he left the court lockers.
He froze just outside the door.
"Litvos," Russia said, back in customary scarf and coat, his hair damp from the shower. "Good game."
He smiled, and loomed.
tbc
Reply
So many things made me squee here. Liet interacting with his own country members, the part about Russia being totally built under his coat...you characterisation...ahhh and I love semi-defiant!Liet.
PLEASE UPDATE SOON THIS FILL IS PERFECT.
Reply
I wanted to have a different spin on the nations and their people - they're not national secrets, but everyone seems to know their own nation on sight. And while I get why people think Russia is fat (his face is really round ... also, he has a nose unlike everyone else), Soviet!Russia probably was probably somewhere between gaunt and built, what with his suffering people but incredible military strength.
Thank you for reading!
Reply
Please keep up the good work anon. Like other anons have vocalized, I love your characterization.
Reply
I'm really glad you're enjoying the characterization. I hope you enjoy the last part if you choose to read it! =D
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment