"Forgive me."

There was no answer. There was nothing to forgive. It was as if a sand castle apologized for being undone before the sea.

"It wasn't your fault."

The broad and proud shoulders were down. The hair was in disarrange. He spit on the floor a bit of the blood that pooled in his mouth.

"It wasn't?"

Not that the other was in better shape. He still felt the weight of his army's corpses and the enemy army's boots.

"No, it wasn't."

The peninsular-nation sat down and stretched out his hands. He cleaned the crust of blood, ash, tears and sweat, combed down the hair, held the back of the neck, brought comfort.

"Maybe it was for the best."

There was no reason to hold back the tears. It hurt. There is no way of explaining how much it hurt. So much planning, so much time… so much.

"…"

It was already hard with himself, but deep down, he always knew it was only a matter of time. He was the weakest, he'd always been. His only strength was the will. And now, even that had failed.

"I wish I had been stronger."

There was also mud. It was hard to discern it amongst all the bloods, but it was there, stuck to the sole of the boots and to the lapels.

"I wish you hadn't needed to be."

Japan still fought. He was strong and wise, but all the wisdom in the world would not make front to the energetic recklessness across the Pacific.

"Did they hurt you a lot?"

It was a warehouse, not more than an abandoned warehouse, filled with dust and pests. Void of troops and of color.

"It feels numb now."

It's hard to calm someone when your own state of nerves is equally deplorable. It's hard to look after someone when you barely have strength to keep your eyes open.

"I think we dreamed too high."

Scratches of fabric are good tourniquets. The salt burns when it goes into the wounds, but it helps cicatrize faster.

"Maybe I should have started with something simpler."

In the midst of the filth, a sad smile, of a sweet sadness. Hands, lips, a bowed head with eyes closed.

"Like me?"

Shared melancholy in a smile retained by the skin.

"That would be simple enough."