Title: Naming nations
Rating: T
Summary: Japan and China discuss what it means to have a human name as a nation. Sucky summary but I promise it's better than it sounds. Human and country names used. *Child Japan*
Pairings: none
Disclaimer: I do not own Axis powers Hetalia.
***Hetalia***
Yao looked around the house again as his panic began to mount. Ever since he had taken Japan in, there hadn't been a single problem until now. Now the younger country had just up and vanished and Yao was panicking. He had checked the house twice and had already searched through the gardens, however he didn't even have a clue as to where the other could have possibly gone.
"Japan! Japan, where are you! Japan!" China shouted, rushing around the grounds for any clue as to his whereabouts.
When he only received silence in the way of a reply, he took to pacing nervously, wringing his hands and fidgeting with his hair.
"Aiyaa, this can't be happening! I can't believe this is happening, where could he have gone, aru? I've looked everywhere; there can't be anywhere else he could be! Dammit, where didn't I look, aru? I have to find him!"
He stopped dead as he realized that there was one place he hadn't looked yet. Heart racing in panic and pinning all of his hopes on this final possibility, he ran into the woods, following his path as fast as his legs would carry him until he arrived at the sunny little clearing where he had found Japan for the first time. Just as he had hoped, Japan was indeed in that clearing, sitting with his knees to his chest and his head buried in his arms.
"There you are, do you have any idea how worried I was! You can't go running off like that, aru! Are you trying to give me stroke?" he stopped there when he realized the other wasn't looking at him and his tiny form was being wracked by silent sobs.
As the realization hit, any fury he had been feeling earlier melted away as he knelt down in front of the child and placed a hand on his tiny shoulder.
"What's wrong, aru? Did something happen?" the older asked, his concern lacing every word.
The younger looked up at him, his chubby cheeks flushed and fat tears falling down his face. At first the brown-eyed boy couldn't form a coherent sentence but after a few minutes of trying, finally got his message out.
"I-I... I thought that... that if I stayed, th-then you'd get tired of me a-a-and kick me out."
China looked shocked at this, then sympathetic and a little hurt.
"Japan... what on earth made you think that?"
The one in question shrugged, keeping his chocolate gaze on the ground. Forlorn at the sight before him, Yao placed both hands on the younger country's shoulders and spoke gently as Japan looked up to meet his gaze.
"Japan, I would never do that to you. If I didn't want you, then I wouldn't have brought you home with me to start with, aru. Sure you're only my adopted brother, but that doesn't matter. Do you know why?"
Japan shook his head 'no' and China smiled before continuing.
"It's because I still love you as though you really were a member of my family, and that isn't about to change, aru. I'm your older brother and I care about you, that's why I had been looking for you all day once I found out you had disappeared. If I didn't want you, I wouldn't have done that, would I?"
Again Japan shook his head.
"No, I wouldn't have, aru. But the fact that I did and that I didn't stop until I found you shows that you are cared for, and don't you ever forget it, aru." China finished.
Japan gave a small smile and China stood up, holding out his hand for the other to take, which he did.
"Yao-nii... can I ask you a question?" Japan asked tentatively.
"You just did, aru. That was easy." China joked, giving a laugh before giving a more serious answer, "I'm just kidding. Of course you can, aru. What's on your mind?"
The child was silent a moment before finally finding the nerve to ask his question.
"It's kinda pointless, but I was just curious why you have a human name as well as a country name. Don't you only need one?"
"Actually no, aru. When a country gets old enough to inherit their birth rite as a nation, they're required to have a human name as well for when they interact with their bosses and citizens. You're still young enough that you don't need to worry about that yet, but eventually you'll need a human name too, aru."
"How will I know what it is?" Japan asked, his large brown eyes wide in curiosity.
"It's not a predetermined thing. You get to choose what your human name will be. But you have to be careful what you choose, aru. Once you decide on your human name you can't change it. But like I said, you're still young. You don't need to decide on that just yet, aru."
Japan quieted, considering China's response.
***Hetalia***
Some time had passed since then and Japan grew up quickly, now no longer the child he once was. No, he had grown into his birth rite now and was facing a dilemma. Luckily, he knew just who he had wanted to talk to about it and found him walking through the gardens.
"Yao-nii, I'm sorry to disturb you but can I talk to you for a minute?" the raven-haired boy asked once he had reached his elder brother's side.
"Of course. You know I always have time for you, aru." the other replied with a smile.
Japan returned the smile briefly before his face returned to its previous state of thoughtfulness.
"Do you remember back when I had ran away and on the way home we had that discussion on human names?"
"I remember, aru."
"Well, my boss has told me that I now require one and I can't decide on what my given name should be. I've already decided on Honda as my surname."
China looked thoughtful at this before his eyes wandered over to the newest blooms.
"Look, aru. The chrysanthemums have finally bloomed." Yao said brightly, walking over to the flowers and searching through them.
"Yao-nii, I'm serious." Japan said helplessly, watching his brother rifle through the flowers.
"So am I. Tell me Japan, is there a name in your language that means chrysanthemum?" the older inquired, not once looking back at the shorter boy.
Japan considered that before finally speaking again.
"Hai, it's Kiku."
"Then that is your name, aru. Honda Kiku, the most precious flower in all of Asia." Yao said endearingly, picking the prettiest bloom he could find and placing it in the younger's hair, "Or at least, that is how I see you, aru. I'm sure your people feel the same way."
China smiled sincerely and Japan was silent for a moment before trying it out for himself.
"Honda Kiku... that sounds nice."
He smiled softly before meeting Yao's gaze again. Yao just smiled back and gave a single sentence in reply.
"Welcome to the world... Kiku."
***Hetalia***
A.Q.: Holy crap, this whole thing ended up being much deeper than I thought it would. And it was completely unplanned. Still, I'm happy with it. Let me know if you like it and if you people think it's worthy of a sequel then I'm thinking of doing a WWII fic to follow this one up. If enough people wants it I'll try and write it for you. 'Till next time, see ya!