Japan bit his lip as he sorted through his thoughts. He knew he would have to tell his brother eventually. He needed permission after all. It was tradition.
"Y-Yao-nii," Japan stuttered, to gain his brother's attention.
"What is it Kiku?" China turned around with curiosity in his amber eyes.
"You know how you like Russia-san?" Japan asked, his brain felt like it was stuck in a tar pit.
"Yeah?" China raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What are you getting at?"
"Well, you see," Japan was trying to think of ways to say this so his brother wouldn't freak out.
"Kiku, are you in love?" China guessed at random.
"H-How did you-" Japan started, but China silenced him.
"Because I raised you. I know when you're trying to tell me something that you don't think I'll take well. You always pace for a bit and bite your lip before saying anything." China chuckled. "So, who is it?"
"A-America-chan," Japan almost whispered.
"Who?" China asked, though he had heard the other clearly.
"I said, America-chan," Japan spoke up looking directly into his brother's eyes.
"You're kidding me, right?" China burst, fury radiated off of him. "You're actually wanting to be with that sad excuse for a nation? Don't you know he's just using you?"
Japan was shocked. He hadn't expected his brother to respond so angrily. He took a precautionary step back.
"He's not a sad excuse for a nation and he most certainly isn't using me!" Japan defended America bitterly.
"I forbid you from seeing him. You are to go straight to your room immediately!" China snapped, pulling his wok out of nowhere.
Japan opened his mouth to spit a retort at his brother but thought better of it and instead glared at China as he walked past him towards his room. Once he got to his room he paused before closing the door.
Japan walked across to his desk and sat down. He took out a picture of America he kept hidden between a few notebooks. After staring at it for awhile, Japan turned to look out the window at the moon that was slowly rising in the night sky. He heard his brother's footsteps outside his door and wondered if he would knock or try to enter. The phone ringing made his brother leave to go answer it.
"I wonder who would call at this hour." Japan thought out loud before smirking. "Yao-nii can't keep me from him forever."
He heard China hang up the phone and come back to his door in a hurried step. His brother knocked lightly.
"What do you want?" Japan growled, still upset.
K-Kiku, please come out. I have something you need to hear face to face." China's voice was still stern.
Japan sighed and walked across the room and opened the door. He studied his brother's expression to find it filled with something that seemed to say 'I told you so'. He followed his brother to the living room and was forced to sit down. He gave China a quizzical look.
"Kiku, that was England just now." China sat next to him and refused to look him in the eye. "He was calling to let us know that something terrible happened at America's place."
"W-What do you mean? What happened?" Japan asked as worry began to fill his mind.
"America was killed." China stated simply, handing his brother a picture that had been printed onto a piece of paper.
"No," Japan plea was little more than a whisper as he studied it. "Y-You're lying! This is a fake!"
"I don't lie and England faxed that over to us." China responded, standing up and walking to the hallway before looking over his shoulder at his brother. "Now while you try to process that, I'm going to bed. Good night Kiku."
Japan simply got up and ran past his brother to his room, closing the door firmly and locking it again. He listened silently as his brother went to his room and went to bed. He waited until he was sure his brother was asleep and then some before breaking down completely with the paper clenched in his hand.
Japan sank to the ground with tears falling like a waterfall from his eyes. He wanted it to go away. The pain. The anguish. Everything. But nothing would leave him be. His sobs were broken and silent for he didn't want to wake his brother who slept across the hall from him. Oh how he wanted to go curl up next to his brother. Feel warm and strong arms wrap around him in a protective manner, but her would never. China was the reason he was like this. It was his brother who told him after all.
His window sliding open made Japan jump. He rose shakily and tried to look somewhat threatening. The trespasser slowly entered and stepped quietly towards him. Japan couldn't make out the other's face, but he didn't have to. He knew exactly who it was.
"A-Alfred?" Japan sobbed and ran into the other's arms.
"Shh, Kiku. Hey, what's wrong? What happened?" America asked, slowly getting to his knees.
"H-He said I could never see you again. That you were killed or something." Japan cried with renewed sobs.
"Hush, I'm the hero. Most importantly, I'm your hero. The hero never dies and nothing your brother says will change that." America soothed, holding the island nation close and whispering softly in his ear.
Japan gripped America's jacket for dear life. He felt his sobs slowly reducing to sniffles and soon he felt sleep dragging at his eyes to close. He nuzzled his head into the American whose strong arms remained around him.
"I'll still be here when you wake up," America smiled down at him and picked him up, carrying him to his bed.
"Arigato," Japan replied sleepily.
America laid him down gently and laid down himself. He kept his arms around Japan and said nation gladly snuggled close.
Japan slipped into sleep with those strong arms around him. He felt truly safe in those arms.
Lunara: *sniffles* Sorry China. I had to… Hey, I was thinking of turning this into a little thing where each chapter is a different pairing and such. Review and tell me whether or not that would be something you'd read or not. ^^ Thank you~