The bottle was already three-quarters empty. Ivan swirled the last few mouthfuls, eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the clear liquid. He had learned to find comfort in the burn at the back of his throat and the heat of the alcohol coursing through his veins; the state of bliss one finds at the bottom of the glass was what kept many of his children going, after all.

He lifted the bottle to his lips. A mitten-clad hand clapped over his, stopping him.

"Yao?"

"Don't drink anymore aru," Yao urged softly.

Ivan thought he saw disapproval in the slight downturn of his chapped lips. He recalled Yao's vehemence that sparked the first opium war, how he had collected the drugs that were slowly killing his children and set the pile alight. He was unlikely to sympathise with Ivan's need for the drink.

Numbly Ivan loosened his grip and watched Yao pull away the bottle. He received a brief but encouraging smile in return.

The cold was beginning to set in. Ivan folded his arms and buried into his scarf, and was about to settle into sleep when he heard the unmistakable sound of a long swig. He looked up; Yao was pulling a face, looking at the bottle in hand.

"It tastes disgusting aru," he complained. Ivan smiled.

"But it warms your skin."

"…mm."

Yao sat back into Ivan, holding tightly to the bottle, and wrapped his coat tighter around himself.

"You're warmer aru," he mumbled sleepily.

Ivan drew Yao closer.

"Yao," he called again, voice low and hoarse with the burn. There was no reply. "Yao?"

When he was certain the Chinese nation had fallen asleep, Ivan gingerly took the bottle back. It was empty.

A/n:

So after ages of NOT updating, I managed to squeeze out a little Russia x China oneshot. It was meant to be all moe and lovey-dovey (personally was hoping it might develop into something hot and sexy), but it didn't turn out that way.

Er, Yao's meant to be a little drunk. 100% vodka will take its toll on his little frame and all ~

This is a little shout: GUYS I'M STILL ALIVE! PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON ME YET!

Today I was told that college will be re-marking all our Shakespeare exams for free, because impossibly everyone did badly in it. So if it does turn out we were unfairly graded and raise it for all of us, that would mean my English B grade is actually an A grade.

0_0

You know what this means? If they do raise our grades, I would actually qualify for my first choice university after all!

WTFBBQ?! Oh man, oh man, I knew it! I knew it! Take that, you s.o.b of a university! You're missing out on a double A grade super student, thanks to your snooty bureaucratic ways! Oh man, I AM AWESOME!

Please, please, please, change your minds and raise my grade! I need to be avenged for my cold, cruel and unfair dismissal!

*hops about in glee*

Other awesome news today, a kind person called Catfish graciously translated one of my RoChu fics, Protection, into Mandarin: http://www.whitewald.com/lovefriend/viewthread.php?tid=1565&extra=page%3D3

I cannot thank her enough, so another round of thanks from me, Catfish!

In true fashion of Gilbo, I have to say this has been a very, very good day for the awesome me <3

EDIT: Awesome me also happened to have completed all 120 puzzles on Professor Layton and the Curious Village without cheating online. TAKE THAT!