What a sight for the sore eyes
It's getting colder in here it's sobering
To see them shuffle to the back of the line
while they suffer and fear the mark that was made is so clear.

Stay with me

He was in his apartment…he had become rather introvert lately. Everything happening in his life currently was shaking him to the core. Every sole voice in his head telling him things were bad, every cell of his body aching. He could feel despair taking over him, a particle of his soul being splintered and lost for ever. Something had died in him that day. He could not even answer back when Turkey tried to mock him-fact that left his neighbour country speechless. He just wanted to stay alone for a while, shutting the world out so as to be able to was evening, the night would be soon to fall and the blood stained sky, result of the sunset, was especially breathtaking that day, but he was unable to notice. Now he could feel tears coming to his eyes and nothing could be done for them to stop. He tried, in vain, to distract himself by picking up one of the cats from the floor and petting it. He tried to concentrate on its glossy gray fur and the pleased purrs it made. It didn't help. He brought the cat into a hug touching its nose with his, letting the tears fall from his eyes with soundless sobs.
A knock at the door made him jump a little. Who could it be? I don't want anyone… to see me… he thought wiping his tears away with the back of his hand.
'Greece-san, would you mind opening up? It's Japan.' He had heard his friend was at a rough time and decided to pay him a visit.
Kiku!

'I-I am coming…' he let the cat jump off his lap and went to get the door.

Kiku knew at the moment he laid his eyes on his friend that he had been crying. Although he tried to smile to him Heracles could not conceal the redness of his nose and eyes neither the sadness in them that prevented the fake smile from touching them.

'Are you okay Greece-san?' he asked concerned.

'Yeah, everything's fine why do you ask? He wouldn't gaze Japan saying those words, he knew Kiku could feel something was wrong.
It became worse when the other country frowned, now sitting next to him on the same couch, giving him the- oh so polite- «don't make me force you tell me.» glare.

'How is everything okay when you're sad?' he really wanted to help.
When Heracles turned to look at him his eyes were glassy and he was violently biting his lower lip, not letting himself brake under that, pleading and intense at the same time, look Japan was giving him. His voice hoarse when he talked just to say the same words one more time.

'Its fine…' the little rivulets falling on his cheeks said else way, as he turned to look down his lap once more. Kiku had never seen him this way, his friend was always happy and relaxed, no concern clouding him, seemingly free of any worries. Now he looked devastated, and yet he was so subtle about it, keeping it all for himself. Japan wanted to change that, he wanted to make him feel right, to ease the pain. But he was still so shy to make any intimate move like hug him…He took one of his friend's hands, tangling their fingers together. Greece turned fast to see Kiku smiling softly, he couldn't help but do the same, nodding as he squeezed gently at the small hand that gave him so much comfort. He laid his head on Japan's lap looking at him, lashes wet, gleaming at the fading light of the day. Greece was such a kid sometimes, but Kiku liked that about him, he acted slowly and gently never shying him away like other countries did. Japan played with Heracles hair, stroking gently, helping him calm down a bit.

'Japan do you think I'll be okay?' he murmured, eyes half-lidded.

'Mhm…' he stopped fondling the other country's head for a while, taking one curly lock and swirling it around his finger softly before continuing his task.

'Why don't they do something? I hear them in my head complaining, they are fed up with all that is happening. It's not enough, what happened to my people? …they were not like this, they would always fight for their freedom, fight for their rights…They didn't use to give up so easily. Are they sleeping or something? Then they must be in such a deep lethargy, because they don't see what is going on around them. I thought they were hard to handle, but have they lost all spirit? Why don't they act as one anymore…what they do is not enough. The power within, they don't unleash it, they don't fight, are they afraid of something? …I have disappointed my mother Japan. How have I come to this?' he was whispering the whole time, eyes shut.

'I don't want to hear that stuff…You are who you are and you mother couldn't be more proud of you. She loved you, you are the only thing left of her. All it takes is try, you know what you power is and you will make it…besides'

'Signomi, I'm sorry' his fists clenching, his face buried in the lap of his friend.

'Sshhh…' another caress. Kiku wanted to take the pain away. He didn't know why but his heart was hurting too, seeing the other male in this situation.

'How could you stand up strong, feeling your people's pain and indignation,how could you find your legs strong enough? What happened to you is ten-no it's a hundred-times worse…What if they leave me? Will you leave me too? Mi m'afisis, fovame… Don't leave me, I'm scared…se parakalo, parakalo…please, please.' He was crying again.

'I am going no where…sshhh…I'll stay with you.' Kiku tried to calm him down and couldn't help the faint blush that crept on his face, at the thought that Heracles needed him. He tried to push that away, being unimportant.

'You will?' he sat up, emerald eyes meeting coal ones anticipating the answer, craving to hear those words once more.

'Aha…' Japan looked away a bit intimidated by the closeness.
He gasped at the feeling of Heracles' hands sliding around his waist, his face against the little man's chest. The red shade at his cheeks must have been the cutest one Greece had ever seen when he turned up to take a glimpse of him. He gave him a shy smile and the bigger man sighed snuggling a bit closer to Japan. The other encircled his arms around Heracles, getting even redder. It actually felt nice…soothing. They stayed for a while like this until the Grecian broke the embrace, he didn't want to because Japan wouldn't usually show any signs of affection, and if that happened they were so subtle that a random person couldn't pick up on them, but he had to. He couldn't suppress it anymore, he had to tell Japan. He thought his feelings were already obvious enough however he didn't want to ruin the friendship they had built, but he needed to speak loud and clear, or rather act. The hand still at Kiku's waist pulled him closer and the other one was finger-tangled with the smaller man's.

'G-Gree…mghm' Japan's face changed, if possible, so many colors in those mere seconds. From white to pink to red to end up in a magnificent deep scarlet one. His soft lips tasted like nothing the Greek man had tasted before: like cherry flavored tea, so strange he didn't even know a flavor like that would exist. He licked the bottom lip to feel more of the taste of those velvet rosy buds, but he wouldn't dare slip inside Kiku's mouth, in fear this would be way too much for him. At this the other man pushed Heracles away and landed on the floor on the verge of hyperventilating.
'N-Nippon-kun!' Greece reached for him but then pulled away so as not to scare him more. Japan looked away more embarrassed than he had ever been, the blush spread at his face, ears and neck. None of the two dared to speak for a while, the bigger one allowing some space between them for the smaller one to feel more comfortable. At some point however he had to apologize.

'I 'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel awkward…' a guilty look in his eyes '…Please forgive me.' He drifted his gaze to look at the floor.

'Don't be sorry that much…there's no need to, daijobu…' and with that he got closer placing a gentle, feather-like kiss on the side of the lips of a shocked Greek man. It was his turn to blush but Japan's red tint was still obvious on his cheeks and nose.

'Thank you Kiku…' he brought him into a warm embrace, kissing the top of his head after saying those words.
The raven haired man smiled shyly against his friend's…wait- whatever he was supposed to be now- chest.
'Now let's go eat some Mousaka!' he dragged gently the other man towards the door, smiling and looking light-hearted again.
That's my boy…It's a good thing to be able to leave the bad moments behind and cling to the good ones, it's nice having the heart of a child…

Author's note: So this was kinda random but I felt sort of Giripan fan today( I always was but today I felt like it)…It gave me the chance to make some complains on how I see things lately. So actually my parents had a serious talk about economy (both of them being accountants) and this thing popped in my head. Don't blame me I needed some fluffiness…Soooo hope ya liked it, let me know- because it was my first time writing about those two- and because reviews make me happy! See ya when an idea comes to me O.O

Explanations: 1# signomi= I'm sorry
2# Mi m'afisis fovame = don't leave me, I am scared.
3# se parakalo,parakalo= please,please
4#daijobu= it's okay ( wonder if there is someone out there that doesn't know this one by now,lol, hope the spelling isn't shit but based on hearing...* shruggs*)

Q.V O.O