Title: Metronome

Pairing: Russia/Estonia

Rating: 'M' to be safe, warnings include; violence, slightly disturbing imagery, implicit rape and blood... if any of this offends you please hit the 'back' button and proceed no further.

Author's Notes: Wierd little fic that I wrote in the middle of my Spanish class...don't know where it came from but I hope you like it all the same. Please favorite or review if you enjoyed.

Tick… Tick… Tick…

"Now then, go on." A voice instructed.

Emerald eyes glanced up at where the voice came from, his previous thoughts interrupted by the harsh command. The owner of the voice smiled down at him, resting his chin in the palm of his gloved hand. Russia continued to smile at the submissive Baltic, crossing his legs to bring a boot within close proximity of the spectacled youth's face. Estonia flinched when he felt the cool leather of the boot slowly rubbing against his cheek. The bitter smell of shoe polish stung his nose, and the sharp scent made bile rise within the blonde's throat. Estonia knew what was expected of him, and if he didn't hurry up and comply with Russia's demand the boot rubbing against his cheek would quickly turn into a kick upside his head.

Estonia swallowed thickly, and down with the bile went any remaining traces of his pride. The blonde closed his eyes as he tentatively brought his tongue to the toe of the boot. The shoe polish tasted even more acrid than it smelled and the Baltic struggled to keep his gag reflex in check. Violet eyes sparkled with delight as Russia watched Eduard lick his boots; the boy's little pink tongue slowly making its way across the leather surface. 'Yes, Eduard always such a good boy, such a very good boy indeed.' The silverette mused.

"Be sure to get the other one too."

Tick… Tick… Tick…

"I'm sorry."

Those words rung out in the deadened silence of the room. Eduard didn't say anything, as there was nothing he really could say, but he did nod to let Lithuania know he heard him. The eldest Baltic continued to bandage the younger's arms and body noticing the scars on the blonde's back that were so much like his own. They were the same red, angry welts; nasty permanent scars. Lithuania stared at those lines and felt the guilt intensify, he was the oldest, he was the Russian's so called 'favorite' he should have been the one that had to carry those scars, he was the one that should protect his two 'siblings' not let them be hurt by their master.

But he couldn't.

Lithuania couldn't protect those closest to him, and that truth tore at his insides and made bile rise in his throat. To put it simply it broke his heart. The eldest Baltic finished cleaning and bandaging the blonde's wounds placing a final bandage over Estonia's horribly bruised left eye. As Lithuania moved to leave his brother placed a hand on his arm softly whispering,

"Thank you." The brunette smiled, even though it wasn't returned and placed the bandages and ointments back into the first aid kit. As Lithuania was leaving the room he stopped as Estonia spoke for only the second time,

"Toris, please…it's not your fault…"

The door shut with a quiet click behind him.

Tick… Tick… Tick…

After Toris left Estonia remained perfectly still sitting on the edge of his bed making little notes in the back of his mind on the different throbs of pain that racked his body. Each surge of pain attached to an unpleasant memory. There was the ticking of a clock that wasn't there mocking him from the background, its persistent 'ticks' and 'tocks' matching in perfect time to the sound of dripping blood…

Eduard shut his eyes blocking out any more than that…

His bedroom door opened revealing a tentative Raivis peeking inside. The tiny blonde was trembling as usual, and his soft violet-blue eyes were brimming with tears at the corners. The frail nation swallowed thickly before speaking,

"Russia is looking for you… he wants you to go to him…"

The dammed clock still mocked him.

Tick… Tick… Tick…

Drip… Drip… Drip…

Even though Estonia would never admit it aloud he was fascinated by the way his blood drops off of Russia's pipe… almost leaking from its rusted spout gathering into a small puddle upon the cold floor. A small glimmer of white flashed in the shadows of the room from a pointed canine revealed by a smirk. A hunting cat's maw. Estonia remained still in his position on the floor feeling light-headed and dizzy from the first blow waiting for another. He was sitting on his knees glancing up cautiously at his owner, the blood from his split lip cascaded down his chin and neck drying in certain areas making him itch. The Russian smiled even wider than before as he gripped the front of the blonde's dress shirt pulling him up slightly and closer towards himself.

"Tell me my little Estoniya, why do you hide your pretty skin behind these things?" The silver haired man asked, emphasizing the last bit as his bare fingers traced the bandages along his face and head. "I like it so much more when I can see them, my little ptitsa…My little Eduard."

The Baltic flinched internally, and his heart-stilled as the other nation addressed by his human name. The boy turned his head away from Russia, from Ivan; he began to unravel the bandages Toris had spent two hours putting on slowly revealing the red wounds and blue and black bruises all over his body. Ivan isn't disappointed and hums in appreciation resting his lips on the youth's forehead.

"Good boy…" He purrs in a sickly-sweet tone.

Eduard says nothing and just stares waiting for the next command. It never comes, only Ivan's hands now cupping his scarred and bruised face turning his head up to kiss him roughly the Baltic's blood staining the Slav's lips. He is pushed against the hardwood floor a heavy body on top of his and for the next god knows how long pain courses through him. Blunt nails opening old wounds, a burning pain between his thighs, tight pleasure curling like a snake in the pit of his stomach coiling up before striking, then a feeling of something warm filling him as well as leaking out from down there. Eduard is exhausted and slowly blacking out but is still conscious enough to know the body above his stirs and Ivan redresses from the waist down. Grinning at the boy and trailing a hand down his heaving chest.

"You look so pretty like this… dressed in nothing but red…"

Eduard smiles, a defeated, given up smile replying before everything goes black, "Blagodaryu vas, gospodin."

Tick… Tick… Tick…

Drip… Drip… Drip…

Fin