Lithuania's Room, Thursday Night

[vytis]

[Lithuania calls Sonia to his room--at least his awful position gave him a little more flexibility in when he was going to talk to people. Except he doesn't know what to say to Sonia, really. He's so, so angry, but he's so, so guilty as well. He doesn't let the guilt show on his face, but he can't quite manage to hide the anger.]

Good evening, Miss Nevermind.

[He thinks he might be waiting for her to say something. Laugh in his face or yell at him or--or something.]

Comments

[teenspirit]

[ Sonia looks tense- and fearful. But mostly she looks upset and exhausted. Still, she straightens herself up as soon as the door closes and tries to speak firmly. ]

If you lay a hand on me... if you threaten me... I will scream so loudly that everyone in this house will come running, and I will shout your secret at them. I do not care for the consequences any more.

[ Her voice sounds very dead. ]

Now. Assuming it is not to try to hurt me, what do you want of me?

[vytis]

I'm not going to hurt you. [Again guilt wars with anger at the way she's speaking. She's just a seventeen-year-old girl. She's also the one who killed Poland.

Anger wins, but not by as much as before.]

How long had you been planning on selecting him?

[teenspirit]

Since before I brought it up the first time.

It is not so much about taking him away from you... as it is about sparing him from the truth. [ She lowers her gaze. ] Do not confuse my words: what I have done is reprehensible. But you... All the time, pretending... And it made me so angry to watch.

You are complicit in the deaths of everyone here. Those from the very beginning... Poland's... and mine. Spain believes you to be another victim. His heart bleeds for you somehow. But mine does not. I do not care whether you are trapped like us or not because you have ushered along the rules of this game regardless.

[vytis]

[Sparing him from the truth. Lithuania's anger flares up again--almost out of his control.] Don't act as if you performed some sort of mercy for Poland.

[He does catch it and pull it back in, though, with effort. He knows why he's playing. He decided weeks ago. Even though--even though she's right, and he blames himself for so many deaths by now--it doesn't matter. It can't matter.]

He isn't able to appreciate or it condemn you now, though, I suppose.

[teenspirit]

I didn't. Try not to let that bother you. I won't pretend that what I have done was morally correct.

[ She folds her hands together. ]

Would you answer me this one thing?

Were your feelings sincere?

[vytis]

Yes. [The answer is automatic, but on reflection he doesn't think that's against any rules.]

Are you satisfied with that?

[He still thinks he'd feel better if she yelled at him or taunted him. This isn't like Touko at all.]

[teenspirit]

[ She just shrugs. ]

Is that all, then? May I go?

[vytis]

[This wasn't at all satisfying, but he doesn't really deserve anything. This is all his fault.]

Yes you may. Have a good night, Miss Nevermind.

[teenspirit]

[ Sonia turns to go, but for a moment she pauses, looking over her shoulder at Lithuania, and in that moment, the veneer cracks, tears rise in her eyes, and she bolts out of the room. A sob is heard before the door slams shut, and then her footsteps fade out into the hallway. ]