Chapter One

With his head resting on one hand, Tao absentmindedly sketched pictures over his school worksheets. Every minute or so, his eyes would slide over to the old clock hanging on the wall. In fact, everything in Tao's house was old, used, or cheap, but that was all he and his brother could afford. Ever since they moved away from their parents' house to the big city, they have been scraping together all of their cash and living with the cheapest necessities. Sometimes, Tao wished that they had stayed with his parents in their nice little home on the countryside, but his brother, Yao, reminded him that there was nothing for them if they had stayed. Here, Yao said, there are so many more opportunities for a higher level of success. With that mindset, Yao worked multiple jobs and Tao went around their apartment complex and nearby neighborhoods, babysitting, walking pets, washing cars, and other such jobs to earn more money. Finally, a year ago, they had saved enough to get Yao into college. It was definitely not a popular or high-class college, but for Yao, it was just fine.

Tao glanced at the clock again. 5:02 PM. He was too busy daydreaming to realize that five o'clock had come and gone! Eagerly, Tao looked across the room to his brother. Yao was still hunched over his own schoolwork. Tao exhaled loudly, trying to get attention from his brother, but Yao did not look up. After a moment's hesitation, Tao stood, picked up his pencil, and flung it at Yao. The pencil spun through the air, nailing Yao in the back of his head. Yao flinched, surprised, then looked at Tao with an annoyed expression.

"Why did you do that, aru?"

Instead of replying, Tao slid into a kung fu stance, feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, one hand raised as a high guard and one as low guard.

Seeing this, Yao checked the clock as well. He sighed. "Not tonight, aru. I'm feeling tired and I still have to finish my work. Sorry, Tao."

Tao's hands dropped back to his sides in disappointment. "Fine, teki na."

He trudged to his room moodily and flopped down onto his mattress. He was utterly disheartened and frustrated. This was the fourth week that Yao had dismissed their weekly sparring session, and, dejectedly, Tao wondered if he should even call it a weekly session anymore. Until four weeks ago, he and Yao had sparred every Wednesday night for some "brother-to-brother-time." Ironically, the first Wednesday that they had sparred was caused by their incessant bickering. Their cranky mother, with little patience left, suggested that a sparring match could determine who was right about the matter. The match was fueled with aggravation in the beginning, but towards the end it was nothing more than playful wrestling. When their energy was spent, the brothers apologized to each other, laughing and admitting to their own stupidity and stubbornness. Afterward, they began to spar every week simply for the joy of it. Even in the face of other disagreements, Yao and Tao put aside their emotions for just one hour while they sparred.

Though Tao would never voice his thoughts, he knew why Yao was so tired and distant lately. Tao knew that Yao was taking opium. Even though Yao made an effort not to smoke around Tao, his little brother had seen him with the drug several times. For Yao's sake, Tao did not tell him that he knew. He wanted Yao to at least feel successful about this issue, and by doing so lifting this small piece of stress off of his brother's shoulders.

Tao thought about this and considered talking to Yao about it. Yao seemed to be taking the drug more often, and it was obviously affecting him. Maybe it was time for Tao to admit that he had seen Yao with the drug and tell him to try to quit. Tao knew that people who take drugs end up in bad places. He didn't want his brother to lose his job or education. Maybe if he brought it up with Yao, his brother would see reason and make efforts to stop.

"Tao, you know you don't have to wake up this early for school, right?" Yao asked as during breakfast the next morning.

"I know," Tao answered. "I like seeing you in the morning, before I go to school."

In truth, Tao didn't like being alone in the apartment. If he got up early in the morning, then he would at least be able to see Yao before his older brother left for his classes.

Yao smiled. "That's nice of you, aru. I appreciate it. Also, I'm sorry we haven't sparred lately. I'll make it up to you somehow."

Tao looked from his cereal up to his brother's face. "Do you really want to make it up to me?"

Yao nodded. "Of course."

Here goes nothing, Tao thought to himself. "Then, you should quit smoking, teki na."

He watched his brother's face change between expressions of shock, disbelief, anger, and then shame.

"How did you know…?" Yao muttered.

"I've seen you," Tao answered softly.

Yao lowered his head, staring at the surface of the table. "Aiyah…! I'm sorry. I didn't want you to see me like that, aru…"

Tao shook his head. "That doesn't matter anymore. Please, can you try to stop? I can see that the drugs are changing you. I don't want you to change."

Yao stared down for a long time. Tao wondered if Yao would realize that he would be late for class. Don't think about that right now, Tao scolded himself. That's not important right now.

Finally, Yao took a deep breath and looked Tao in the eyes. "Yes, Tao, I promise I will try to stop. I've actually been thinking about it myself, aru. In fact, I will call Mr. Kirkland and tell him to cancel future shipments…"

Yao started muttering to himself as he rose from the table. Tao grinned, seeing determination in Yao's face once more. His determination and strong will had slowly faded while Yao was taking opium, but now that they had reappeared, Tao knew that Yao would stay true to his word.

Yao picked up his school bag and opened the front door, but paused in the doorway. He glanced back at Tao and gave him a wide grin. "Next week, we will spar. And if your silly old brother forgets… well, I give you permission to throw a handful of pencils at me, aru."

Tao returned the grin happily. "Okay, Yao! Now go, before you miss your class!"

"Aiyah! I'm late!" Yao cried, looking at the clock. Then he rushed out the door, closing it hastily behind him.

The house was eerily silent after Yao left, but this time, Tao was at ease. He stood and locked the front door, since Yao had forgotten to do so in his haste, then began preparing for school.

Tao always hated the hour just after school because he was alone in his apartment until Yao came home. This day was just like any other. As usual, Tao walked home and entered the vacant apartment cautiously, as if someone had snuck in and was waiting for him to come through the door. Once he was sure he was alone, Tao got a snack from the kitchen and started his homework. When he finished it, it was around 4:30 PM.

"Where's Yao?" Tao muttered to himself, to break the endless silence. "He's supposed to be home at four."

The telephone's sharp ringing pierced the still air like a knife, making Tao jump. Collecting himself quickly, Tao went to the counter and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Tao." It was Emil, one of Tao's school friends. "Are you done with your homework yet? Want to come to my house for a little bit?"

"Sure, but I need to ask my brother first. He's not home right now."

"Okay. Call first before you come. And come before seven."

"'Kay. See ya."

"Bye."

Tao hung up and put the phone down, looking at the clock. Only a couple of minutes had passed. Tao felt his shoulders fall, knowing that it could be a long time before Yao came home. Where was his brother? Tao suspected he had gone to get groceries or run some other errand.

Only another half hour passed before Tao grew bored of entertaining himself with reading comic books and sketching. With nothing else to do, Tao simply flopped down onto the couch in the living room and watched the front door for Yao. He lay there for quite some time, day dreaming.

Yao, where are you? Tao asked himself as he waited. The sun was setting and Yao still hadn't come. Tao was starting to get worried.

Finally, a little past dusk, Tao heard a click! as the door unlocked and the knob twisted.

"Ni hao, Tao… Were you waiting for me?" Yao muttered as he stepped through the door. He kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with Tao.

"Yes, I was! What took you so long? Where have you-Yao!" Tao cried as his brother slumped forward onto the floor.

He scrambled off the couch and ran forward in an attempt to catch his brother, but Yao was too heavy for Tao; he was only able to soften his fall. When Tao turned his unconscious brother onto his back, he got a clear look at Yao's face. Blood was smeared around in a clumsy attempt to wipe it away. His left eye was swollen, already turning purple. Tao ran to the kitchen to get ice for Yao's eye. Then he went to Yao's bedroom and grabbed a pillow. He pushed the pillow under Yao's head, and then placed the ice over Yao's eye. Afterward, Tao took a wet towel from the kitchen and started to clean the blood away from Yao's mouth and nose, wondering how this happened. Who picked a fight with Yao… and won?

Then Tao noticed the package sticking out from Yao's school bag. He picked it up and opened it carefully, peering inside.

It was full of opium.

So this is my second ever fanfiction~ This fanfic is like a Dark!Hetalia version of history with my own personal additions. ^^ Thanks for checking it out! I hope you keep reading!

Human Names:
Tao Wang - Hong Kong
Yao Wang - China
Emil Bondvik - Iceland
Arthur Kirkland - England

Historical Parallels

1839 - Conflicts involving opium trade laws started the first Anglo-Chinese War, also known as the first Opium War.

P.S. The fanfiction's actual title is Dúzì, but since it is very hard to type that on a keyboard, I only titled it "Duzi."