Hello!

Welcome to yet another one of my attempts of Hetalia tragedy.

I always wondered why there aren't heaps of sad fanfics based around the Greek economy. Sooooo I decided to write this!

Sorry if Japan's too OOC, it's my first attempt writing a story using him. I tried to make it longer this time, so let me know what you think :)

(Sorry for my miserable attempt at a kissing scene, -_-)

DISCLAIMER: If you haven't figured it out already, I DO NOT own Hetlia!


Goodbye Greece

Kiku often thought about the dwindling economy of Greece. He was always pondering over what would happen to Heracles if something were to happen to Greece. Would Heracles disappear like Germania and Ancient Rome? Or would Heracles just become nation-less, like Prussia?

Thoughts like this often troubled Kiku.

What would he do without Heracles? There'd be no-one to rest with, no-one to share his love of cats and no-one there to frequently reasure him.

Sure, he could always have Yao. Yao would rest with him, he was obsessed with cats and he would always fret over Kiku. But it just wasn't the same. He just . . . felt something else with Heracles.

Not that he would be telling him that anytime soon. If he ever did.

No, Kiku didn't really care about those things. He could always find someone else to rest with, someone else who loves cats and someone else to reassure him.

No, Kiku wouldn't miss any of those things if Heracles left him. Not as much as Kiku would miss the man himself. His olive green eyes, his soft brown hair and sleepy, laid-back personality. He'd never be able to tell anyone, but he loved Heracles. He couldn't tell anyone. That kind of thing was meant to only be said between lovers, not friends. Besides, he was sure the Greecian only thought of him as a friend. He had plenty of other beautiful, Greek women to call upon. All those times he had fought with Sadik, for Kiku, that was only as friends, wasn't it?

He was sure that, that kind of thing was normal between friends. Ludwig always did that with Lovino, over Feliciano, didn't he?

The painfully slow deterioration of Heracles had scared everyone, even Sadik. His former enemy was looking worse and worse everyday, and it was scaring him. Kiku had noticed this too. When Heracles and Sadik fought, Sadik would always let Heracles win and would make sure not to hurt him.

Kiku found this touching, but very scary. It had been easy enough just to ignore Heracles' change in favor of a cold, but with even Sadik noticing, it became so much more painfully real.

Heracles was changing. Quickly. With every step he took, he caused himself unspeakable pain and found himself resting, even more than before. Kiku had noticed this and tried to do everything he could do for Heracles. He tried to keep a straight-face and remain optimistic, but inside he was dying. It took everything he had not to break down and cry in front of the Greecian. But he didn't, no matter how much he wanted to.

Instead he let his tears come to life at night. He would cover his head with his pillow to muffle the sound and scream and cry all night, until his lips swelled up so much he couldn't cry anymore.

He knew Heracles was going to be gone soon. He had clung onto the hope that he would be like Prussia, but he had known for a long time that, he wasn't lucky enough.

So it didn't come as much of a surprise when he died.

March 25th, 2012. 7:35am.

Heracles never was a morning person. He was also never one to raise his voice. So Kiku had found it strange to hear the man shouting so early in the morning.

Kiku ran over to Heracles bedside and held his hand.

Heracles' eyes were dulling and filling with tears. He clung onto Kiku's hand, with strength Kiku didn't know the man had still possessed.

They both knew what was coming next and neither were looking forward to it. Kiku bit his lip and willed himself not to cry. He didn't want Heracles' last memory of him to be of something sad.

Heracles sat up and embraced Kiku, resting his head on the crook of the man's neck.

It was only then that Kiku allowed the tears to flow. He held onto Heracles' back and cried and cried, Heracles' couldn't let him go now.

"Shhh, Kiku. It's okay," Heracles whispered into Kiku's ear.

This just made Kiku cry harder. How could he say such a thing!? Everything wasn't going to be okay!

Heracles was dying and all he was doing was crying and sobbing all over the man. It should be the other way around. It should be Kiku holding Heracles, while the latter softly cries into his shoulder. It should be Kiku whispering reassurances into his ear.

He really had been a burden to Heracles, hadn't he? And now Heracles was just going to leave him.

Kiku hadn't even kissed him yet.

Kiku sat up and detached himself from the dying man's embrace. He straitened himself up, wiped away the remaining tears and kissed Heracles.

Kiku had never been kissed before, he had scared away all suitors with his formalities and reluctance.

But this was sweet and Kiku didn't mind. Their kiss was long, their lips molding together, with the distinct sweet, saltiness of their tears.

Kiku broke away and lay Heracles down onto the bed, hand grazing the other's cheek.

Heracles gave him one last smile, one last sentence, 'I love you,' before his eyes dulled and his heart fell silent.

Kiku continued stroking Heracles' face, tears running down his face.

He's gone to see his mother now.

Maybe he'll come back as a cat?

He gave Heracles one last peck on the forehead and walked away.

Maybe one day they'll meet again.

Kiku didn't know, he didn't want to know. All he knew was that he would never forget Heracles and never, ever, stop loving him.

'I love you, too,'

'Goodbye Greece.'