For a while now I've been wanting to write another oneshot. Now I finally have one to write. I think this is my first time writing a fanfiction where they're actually countries, so I did it in a way where I wouldn't change/add to history.
Words in italics are thoughts and words with quotation marks in italics are messages.
"Now everyone, there is no need to fret. I am sure that there is something we can do to prevent us from losing any more nations." Arthur Kirkland, the personification of England said to the room full of other nations. None of them regarded him though. Each seemed to be stressing about something and some of them looked close to dead.
England spoke up again, "If we just sit here and wallow in self pity we will all die!"
Still, no one spoke up- not even Germany, who usually took charge of these meetings.
Prussia was the first nation to dissolve. No one except his loved ones thought much about it though. He country was already gone so everyone figured that it was just his time. When other nations began showing signs of dissolving, everyone became uneasy but decided not to think much of it. Soon, all the micro-nations had dissolved along with some of the small counties such as Liechtenstein. The odd thing about their deaths was that even though they were gone, their countries were still there; moving along without them and as fine as ever. Their own people continued on as if nothing happened.
The rest of the nations were both scared and confused. Never before had they seen a personification die so unexpectedly while their country continues. Other larger countries started to die off and every nation left could feel themselves slowly dissolving.
"What can we do? There seems to be no way to stop this! We should just give up!" France said to England.
"We can't give up! We're countries, our people need us!" England yelled back.
"Need us?" China scoffed, "Do you really think they couldn't run a country without us? We're not required anymore! Perhaps that's why we're all dying!" The Asian nation had seen many countries collapse in his lifetime, but never on such a scale.
The meeting room fell silent. China had a point- they aren't needed at all so what's the use in having a personification? Their bosses had already proven on multiple occasions that they didn't need their nations decisions or leadership.
"B-but we can't just give up." Italy spoke up, "There has to be a way to save the rest of us!"
Italy, give up! There is nothing we can do!" Germany yelled in frustration. He was tired of all this nonsense; tired of hearing his fate. The Italian flinched and like he was about to cry but took a deep breath to calm down.
"If we can't save ourselves, what should we do now? Just go on as if nothing ever happening until we die?!" America yelled. Germany looked at him with eyes glazed in gloom.
"It's all we can do."
When the meeting was over the distressed nations each went their own way. Some stayed with other nations out of fear that they would spend their last moments alone if they went to their own home.
China offered for the last of his siblings to stay with him but they refused. He ended up letting Russia stay with him for the man had already lost his own family.
The two had a very strong connection which could be translated as love. He wouldn't like to admit it but china preferred Russia's company over his siblings.
Things were starting to become hard for China. He could tell he was dissolving. He felt very weak lately and could feel the bond with his country becoming more and more out of reach. China would never dare to tell Russia until he could no longer hide it. Russia would completely freak out if he knew he would lose his lover soon. China also knew he couldn't show weakness to any nation regardless of his relationship with them. No matter the situation, he was still a country and a country must always be strong enough to protect it's people.
Both of their phones vibrated in unison and the screens showed that they each received a new message. Russia and China both checked their phone tensely.
"France, Switzerland, Egypt, and Greece didn't make it home.
-Alfred
China put his phone away. America had been informing everyone of each nations deaths since this had begun. Most if the nations were dead, but not one of their deaths had been regarded by the media. They were each mourned only by other countries and their bosses. Their people continued on, naive to everything happening and believing nothing had changed with their country.
"Did you get that text from America?" Russia asked. China nodded in response. He put his phone beck in his pocket and ran a hand through his hair to collect his thoughts.
"How many countries are left?" Russia continued.
China took a moment to think, leaving a long silence between them. "There should be about seventeen left, excluding us."
"Are you scared?" Russia asked. For once the worlds largest nation showed a hint of fear-excluding when Belarus got clingy but she was dissolved now.
"I'm not scared. Nations dissolve. History moves on. Besides, I'm lucky to have lasted this long." China replied. That was a lie. He really was scared. For the longest time he thought of himself to be the undying nation, forever to be dragging along and making his mark on history. Now that mortality was present he was utterly conflicted.
Because he had been with China for so long, Russia could tell he was lying. Even so, Russia pretended to believe China for the smaller man's own peace of mind.
"South Korea, Japan, both Italy's, and England are gone."
-Alfred
China clutched his phone in a tight grip and resisted throwing it at the floor. Korea and Japan are gone! The last of his siblings! He couldn't cry and moun them though. No. He had to stay strong or death would catch up to him.
Russia received the same text and knew China would be upset. He had lost his family also. The utter sadness he felt when his sisters died was enough to break a man- Russia could only imagine how a family person like China could take this.
He didn't want to leave China alone through all this though. Russia could feel himself dying as well and knew he didn't have very long. He feared that he would end up dissolving first and leaving China to die alone. Russia wanted to never let his lover go through that. Such an amazing person should never suffer alone. Russia had no ability to postpone death so he could only hope he would last longer.
Russia was starting to notice that China was weakening too. He would act strong around Russia and tell him not to worry, but it was obvious that he wasn't strong as he once was.
"You're dissolving, aren't you?" Russia asked. China's cheeks tinged a light pink from irritation.
"Of corse I am. Everyone is." he replied.
Russia's eyes narrowed, "That's not what I meant. You're close to death, aren't you? Don't lie to me, I can tell you're becoming weak."
China could tell how upset Russia was because of his secrecy, but surely he didn't expect complete honesty between them? They were nations after all-distrust and lies were expected from them.
"Russia, mind your own damn business." China said, forgetting to use his human name. Russia cringed but pretended not to take notice.
"We're going to die soon so there's no need for secrecy anymore! We can tell each other as much as we want now because we won't last much longer! Betrayal is the least of our worries!"
"... Ivan..." China sighed as he placed his hands on Russia's cheek, cupping the Slavic's face and feeling the rough skin tickle his fingertips, "I love you. Really, I do. But you shouldn't worry so much. I'm not very far along so I can assure you I wont be the next to go."
Russia's pupils drifted to the floor so he could look away from China. His shivering arms wrapped around China's waist and pulled him close.
"I'm serious, Ivan. Don't worry." China rolled his eyes, but rested his head on the Russian's chest. He could hear Ivan's heartbeat through the thick coat he was wearing. Each beat was ragged and fast. China feared that it would stop at that moment.
"You're not in good condition either." China said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Russia didn't have a response for that.
The next morning China woke up in bed alone. He placed a hand on Russia's spot and felt around in vain. Nothing. Ivan's presence couldn't be felt and no items had been disturbed besides the bed.
"I wasn't the only one keeping dissolving a secret, now was I?" Yao whispered mostly to himself. He sat up and stared at Russia's spot, unable to look away. If he stared long enough, then maybe Russia would reappear. Maybe this could all just be a dream and when he wakes up Russia would be there to hold him and everyone would be alive. Maybe Ivan would tell him it was all just a dream.
An extremely vivid dream which spiraled into a nightmare.
Yao took his phone and viewed the screen. One new message from India.
India? Why him? Yao pressed the green button and the message opened.
"I guess it's just you and me now." it read.
China scoffed after he read the text. Oh what irony, two of the oldest nations would be the last two left.
A single tear traveled down Yao's cheek and landed on his hone screen. He pressed his palms to his eyelids to wipe away the tears.
Calm down! Stop thinking of Ivan! You will die soon too so crying is useless! China mentally screamed.
No amount of comforting nor his dignified act stopped him from bursting into tears though.
Has my boss forgotten about me? The government officials as well?
China spent the past hour staring at the ceiling and thinking over everything. He was too weak to get out of bed; another effect of being close to death.
He felt alone. More alone than he could bare.
Did Ivan feel the same way in his last hours? I hope he wasn't awake and left peacefully in his sleep. He probably would have woken me up if he was. regret began to flood into Yao. I wish I could have been awake when he left so I could have said goodbye.
His phone vibrated and China strained to grab it. He flips it open and read the last message he would receive.
I can't go on. Goodbye.
-India Of corse. What luck that China would be the last nation! All alone and abandoned, left ignored by his own people. Maybe soon I'll see Ivan again.
His eyes closed slowly as he felt himself become more and more distant from life.
Maybe...
Yao Wang, a young man born in Shanghai, stood in the rain, waiting for the bus to arrive and take him to his apartment. He would constantly glance down at his watch, growing more impatient by the second.
The bus was ten minutes late an Yao's brother Kiku promised to come over. It wasn't everyday that the Kiku paid Yao a visit.
Yao clutched tightly to his umbrella and adjusted his jacket. The rain showed no signs of stopping soon, instead it was pouring down harder.
When the bus finally arrived, the wheels splashed water from the street all over Yao, soaking his already damp jacket. "Just my luck." He mumbled in mandarin as he walked on to the bus. Yao closed his umbrella and paid the bus driver before going to find a seat.
The bus was packed with people, so he was lucky to find a seat left. He quickly removed his wet jacket and sat down, placing the garment under the seat. He looked at the man on his right and felt his heart freeze in his chest.
Though Yao was certain he had never met the man before, an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia came over him.
In a desperate attempt to start a conversation with the familiar stranger Yao said, "What terrible weather we're having."
"Hmm, I guess it is-" the man looked at Yao and the look in his eyes proved he felt the same nostalgia Yao did.
"I'm sorry, have we met before?" the man asked.
"Not that I can remember." Yao replied with a nervous laugh adorning the end of his sentence.
After the pair had a small conversation, they exchanged numbers. When Yao's stop arrived he waved goodbye to The man, whose name was Ivan Braginsky. Ivan told Yao to call him sometime soon and Yao promised he would.
They became very close after that and every now and then Yao would have strange memories of him and Ivan. Yao decided to shrug them off as his imagination.
In each "memory" others would refer to Ivan as Russia, so obviously they were fake.