Can you tell I'm following a course on Chinese history and may or may not be learning Chinese on the side? Hehe~

I did some internetting and read about old Chinese beds being a stone platform with a fire underneath. So, there you go.

Have a beautiful day!

"Hong Kong, get off that table!" China scooped the little boy up. "I thought you were in bed already!"

"Hungry."

"Go ask Japan to get you something. I need to check on your sister." China rushed back to the bathtub. Taiwan had splashed a fair amount of water over the edge. "Let's get that cleaned up…"

"China! China!" Korea ran towards him. "Japan stole my pillow!"

"Are you kidding me?" Did it have to be like this every evening? "Tell him to give it back."

"He won't listen!"

He lifted Taiwan out of the tub. "Tell him I'll get very angry if he doesn't."

"Okay! Japan! China says he's going to kill you if you don't give me my pillow!"

"I didn't say… Oh, he's gone already." He dried Taiwan off and left her on the stone bed before following the noise into the kitchen.

"Give me my pillow!"

"No! I stole it fairly!"

China didn't have time to interfere with the two boys because Hong Kong had managed to climb on the cabinets. "Li Xiao Chun, get down right now!"

"Kung Fu!"

"No, don't!" China managed to catch him when he jumped down in a fighting position. In the corner of his eye, he saw that Japan had started beating Korea with the pillow.

"Japan, give the pillow back to Korea!"

"No!"

"Otherwise no tea for you!"

Japan considered his options for a moment. "Catch!" He threw the pillow at Korea's face and ran away.

"Korea, go to bed, too." China tried to keep hold of Hong Kong, who was still making Kung Fu moves in his arms. "I'll bring the tea. Here, take your brother." The two darted away and China poured the hot water.

"China!" Taiwan whined. "The bed is too cold!"

"Ask Japan to stoke the fire."

"Hey, why me?"

"Perks of being the oldest." China carried the tray to the bed and helped Japan built the fire underneath the stone. "Now, drink up."

All four of them grabbed their cups. "Story!" Korea said.

China sat cross-legged on the stone platform. "Have you heard the story of the great Yu?"

"What did he do?" Japan asked.

"Once upon a time, this land was attacked by many floods. People feared for the water, for it could seize them any moment. One man was chosen to save the people. He tried and he tried, but he failed. The task was passed on to his son, Yu, who devised a plan."

"What happened? What happened?" Japan bounced up and down. China smiled. The little nation loved story time.

"He broke the mountains and forced the water to take on a different course. He tamed the river itself."

"How?"

"Well, he..."

All nations listened with wide eyes and mouth agape. China added in grand gestures and silly impersonations, making the others laugh.

"...And that's how Yu founded the first dynasty, the Xia."

"I want to found a dynasty too!" Korea said.

"And I want to kick down a mountain!" Hong Kong said.

"Sure, when you're grown up. Now, go to sleep!" After a few more skirmishes, everyone settled underneath the blanket. China gave them all a goodnight kiss – and then two more. "Wăn'ān!"

"Oyasumi!"

"Wăn'ān!"

"Annyeonghi jumuseyo!"

"Wăn'ān!"

China left the room with a sigh. He walked out onto the parlor and sat down. Me-time, he thought. China loved all of his little nations, but they could be a handful. He leaned back and looked at the moon. It was a clear night, and pleasantly warm as well. China listened to the crickets and watched the birds settle in the trees. After a while, he got up and started wandering around the area. Not too far, of course. Those kids were capable of burning down his house, even in their sleep.

The fish swam peacefully as he passed the pond, and a small animal scurried into the bushes. A light breeze caressed his neck, and he decided to let his hair down. He pulled the pin out of his topknot and let his hair fall down his shoulders. Perhaps he could take the children to the bamboo forest tomorrow. Let them run around and get tired, so they'd be drowsy and let China do his work afterwards.

"Onii-san?"

China turned around. Japan was standing in the doorway. "Hey, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I can't sleep..."

"You can't sleep?" China walked back to the house. "Come here." He sat down on the short staircase leading to the parlor and pulled Japan onto his lap.

"Look, the moon! Tsuki!"

"Pretty, isn't it? If you look closely, you can see a rabbit."

Japan peered up. "Ah!" He pointed to the moon and bounced up and down. "Usachan! Usachan!"

"It's powdering medicine."

Japan tilted his head. "Mochi. Bunny is making mochi."

"If you say so," China chuckled. Adorable. "Here, lay your head against my shoulder. Try to fall asleep."

"Will you sing? Please?"

China sighed. "Sure."

Japan curled up against him and waited expectantly. China started singing a slow song, gently rocking the boy in his arms. Soon Japan's eyes fell closed. China stroked his hair and his chubby cheeks, cuddling him long after the song had already ended. There was an ink smudge on the small hand. Japan studied so hard. Though still childish, he was growing up so fast. Too fast, China thought. "You stay small, okay?" he whispered. "Just don't grow up. It's so harsh out there. Stay here, in my arms. Don't worry about politics, or power, or war. Just sleep, and play, and study. Please stay cute and tiny for as long as you can."

Japan mumbled something in his sleep. China smiled and sang him another song, one about pandas, because he could and because he loved watching the little one's unconscious reactions.

"Panda..." Japan sighed. "Hug..."

"Oh, you can get as many hugs as you want, aru." China pressed a kiss to his head. "Now off to bed with you." He stood up and Japan clutched onto him with his little hands.

The other three were already sound asleep. Taiwan hugged her pillow, Korea laid with his limbs spread out and Hong Kong had his thumb in his mouth. China checked the fire underneath the stone and laid himself and Japan down. He pulled the blanket over the both of them and Japan curled up against him as if he were a big teddy bear, little fists still holding on to him. "Wăn'ān, little Japan. Dream of bunnies on the moon. I'll watch over you."

Yes, they were cute, those little nations. Even more so when they were finally asleep.