North Korea stared intensely at Korea every time they were in the same room. She had eyes like Russia and China claimed she looked like him when he was younger, but if there was one thing that didn't come from Korea it would be her. Sometimes her long dark hair covered her eyes and that was even worse, you knew she was still staring at you behind the wall of hair. The effect was even more disturbing when she was surrounded by her brainwashed soldiers. Korea wanted to grab them and run, bring them back to the real Korea but if his so called sister trusted them enough to bring them they wouldn't know him as a friend.
His patience was running out, North accused him and the world in general of the most inane things and avoided everything China wanted her to talk about.
"I'm done cuddling you," he said. He thought he saw a hint of approval in China's face instead of the annoyance he had showed in the past. It made him feel a little better over how he had been talked into seeing them without America or someone at his side of the table.
"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea needs no cuddling," she said. "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has a very large army and very much weapons and we would very much like to protect you and take care of you and love you."
North smiled with sharp teeth, Korea felt nauseated again, a strange feeling in his stomach he couldn't name. Disappointment, fear, fury, exhaustion, he couldn't tell anymore.
"North Korea, calm down," China ordered. Korea felt a little glee at that, in the past China had referred to her as 'Korea' or when he wanted to be extra annoying, her very made up name Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Now she was often only North, said with more and more distance. She tried to move closer to China, who gave her an even colder look and told her to sit straight.
Then her eyes wanders back to Korea and shadow of something terrible passed over her features, as Korea realized he had forgotten to hide the satisfied smile over how China finally told her off publicly, no matter how polite. Korea forced himself to look appropriately solemn for the rest of the meaningless meeting.
Even with China gently pushing his 'little sister' to be more cooperative things went nowhere. Korea was tired of it and he had promised himself a weekend of dedicated Starcraft gaming if he survived the meeting. America had wanted to join when he heard the idea, maybe one day he would actually learn the game properly and be a worthy opponent. Korea snickered to himself, bless America, he did try but he didn't have the right kind of focus for that game. He better hurry home and forget all about this miserable day and not lose the concentration needed to show his citizens how the game should be played.
Korea impatiently tapped his fingers against the controller as the elevator refused to appear. No problems, a little exercise was nothing the amazing Korea couldn't handle. Stairs it was. He slammed the door open, wondering what the hell happened to the light. He searched for an on-switch in the dark, finding it within a moment. Strange it didn't go on automatically.
The light flickered for a moment, Korea thought he could see something move right in the corner of his eyes. With the lights on Korea forced himself to turn around to dispel the paranoia that had began to creep up on him.
Behind the door, just out of obvious line of sight, North Korea stared at him with her huge unblinking eyes. Korea yelped (how long had she waited in the dark?) and took an involuntary step back. North's expression didn't change as she put both her hands on his chest and shoved him as hard as she could.
Korea couldn't have been out for long but when he came to his senses again everything hurt. He was on his back, looking up at the stairs.
"What happened?" he mumbled.
"You fell down. I feel bad for you, you must be more careful."
He tried to move but his head hurt, his ribs hurt and the world was blurrier than usual.
"I didn't fall. You pushed me."
North smiled beautifully. She had let her long hair loose and it covered most of her face, except for the eyes. Korea had more than one horror movie inspired by her, so did Japan. None of them would ever admit it.
"You need to be more careful," she said again. "Exchanging smug looks with China isn't being careful at all."
"China hates you too," Korea choked.
"I like to see your pained face," North sweetly said and kicked him in the side before she left. "I love all your expressions but you should only make them for me."
A cleaning lady found him a few hours later and called an ambulance.
"I fell," Korea lied and felt horrible about it. He wanted to hit back and force North Korea to apologize. If he pushed the issue she should realize she had to. If only she could be counted on doing the sane thing... At times Korea wondered if she pretended to be mad to make everyone give her space or if she truly couldn't see the difference between reality and propaganda anymore. He would lose less if they fought but it wasn't good enough by far. So he kept lying and promised himself to be more careful in the future.
Korea had a broken rib, bruises everywhere and a bad hit in the head that made him dizzy when he tried to sit up too fast. It was alright, he wasn't as fragile as a human and he would be perfectly fine in a day or two. Just in time to miss his planned weekend of gaming.
But other distractions would appear. Some thing followed a script Korea knew since long. This was a time like that.
North Korea slithered into his room in complete silence. She wasn't dressed as crazy DPRK soldier anymore but as any Korean teenager, passing without a second glance as long as no one looked too closely at her eyes.
"I love you," she said. "You know I always have. I would never hurt you. I'm so sorry I did."
She sat down on his bed, almost on top of him and began to stroke his hair. Her gaze was fixated on the darkening bruise on his chin. It made her squee in delight when he flinched without thinking.
"No, you're not sorry," Korea said. Once he had allowed her to apologize and promise things would be better from now on. He got tired of that when he realized she would twist the knife deeper and apologize at the same time, over and over again.
"If I were you, I would want me to be," North said. She caught his hair curl, twisting it slightly between her fingers. "Seoul is vulnerable, not as safe as you think."
"And your heart isn't even worth protecting," Korea said. "You must feel much safer."
North's eyes narrowed.
"I am Korea reborn. I am pure and untainted and together we will be perfect."
She always found her own propaganda comforting.
"So you say. Work harder on your sanity and I might let you play with my friends sometimes."
His sister hissed and tugged harder on his hair. Korea winced.
"I like to see you in pain," she lovingly said. Korea tried to hid his emotions but he never succeeded as well he he wished. North could read his face as if it was her own. "I love when you're hurt as long as I'm the one who hurt you. No one else should."
North's kiss was dry and hungry, like she wanted to devour him at the spot. Korea tried to not think of her as a sister when he kissed back, as violently as she did. It was easy. He was already old when she appeared out of nowhere as an unwanted red-headed stepchild. As nations they shared no parents, no childhood together. All they had was the present, the hate that was as much of an attracting force as love.
North's nails dug into his chest and she sunk her teeth into his lip. She let go and laughed when he cried out, before he could bite back. Only North managed to summon this strange mix of helplessness and murderous fury. She only liked to play this game when he was hurt, otherwise he might be able to do more than grip her arms, applying enough force to bruise. He hoped her boss would ask about it later.
"We're not so different," North said. "Except my Korea is the best Korea."
Her hands was on his chest, putting weight on his broken rib, slowly increasing the pressure. Korea pushed back but in his condition he was too weak. Another game, to see how long it would take her to make him scream, if she could make him beg her to stop.
The first she might get, the second, never. Korea bit down a whimper. Once she had looked healthier, now Korea felt only bones and muscles when he held her arms. If she ever dared to show up when he was well it wouldn't be this easy, he hated her for being such a coward.
Korea was seconds away from screaming when someone knocked at the door.
"Go away," North called in a voice any human would hurry to obey.
There was a short pause, then another knock.
Please don't be America, Korea prayed. He and North would jump each other imminently and it would be hell for America to try to explain to China and everyone else why he had beaten the crap out of North Korea. Please don't be China or Japan either, Korea would never be able to look them in the eye again. The embarrassment of being... attacked by North Korea would almost kill him.
The door opened slowly and North looked up. China flinched for a second at the sight, then he returned to a friendly expression and Korea noticed the flowers he had brought with him.
"I heard you got hurt little brother," China said.
"You're the little brother," Korea said by habit and China smiled slightly, as if North Korea wasn't there.
North slid off him, slowly, hesitantly. Korea took a deep breath, he had almost forgot what it felt like and how much he needed it. North tried to not look at China who returned the favor.
Korea's pulse was still raising, even as his sister quickly disappeared, as quietly as she had arrived.
"It's unfortunate you had an accident like this," China said, putting the flowers on the table next to the bed. It didn't look as if he had put a lot of thought behind it except it was a thing he seen others do.
"North Korea pushed me," Korea said.
"Yes, that's unfortunate..."
Korea wondered if North kissed and touched China too or if it was reserved only for him. He hoped so, the thought of China with her made him twitch. China was hisbrother.
China sat next to his bed for a while, chatting about harmless things no one could possible take offense at. Korea smiled to himself. China hadn't asked how he was feeling or if he was alright. He must know Korea was much tougher than that and this was nothing. And most importantly, he was here, not running after the sulking North Korea.
"You're smiling as weirdly as North Korea," China said, out of nowhere, frowning with disapproval.
"Maybe you should worry about me too every now and then." Korea tried to hide his hurt feelings but yet again he failed. "Not only her."
Maybe China wasn't that worried after all and had some political reason for being polite. He always tried to be positive, to think he was stronger than his sister, that China cared deep down. But there was a limit to how much he could cheer himself up.
They looked at each other in silence, feeling the distance grow yet again. North Korea wanted him, in her own demented way, but Korea often wondered if China wished he would just go away and stop annoying him. The thought hurt too much to linger at.
"I'm not going to chose her," China quietly said, then changed subject as if nothing had happened.
Korea kept smiling, in a way China must have found even creepier. But he said nothing and his hand brushed by Korea's when he finally asked how he was feeling.
"Fine," Korea replied and it wasn't a lie.