Karoushi

PART II

The leather case Kiku had been holding fell with a dull thump to the floor as his fingers slackened from the handle.

Arthur lowered the Japanese man in his arms to the carpeted floor, positioning Kiku's head onto his knees. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Arthur started checking Kiku's pulse. It was fine, slightly fast but not sky-rocketing. His breathing was also calming down. Arthur sighed in relief as he reached down to loosen Kiku's tie.

"Hmm," Arthur hummed, puzzled as to why the other nation had fainted so suddenly. Gently pushing the black bangs away from Kiku's eyes, Arthur gazed into the unconscious man's face for any clues.

He hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary during the meeting. Kiku seemed alert and professional as he always did. He had seemed just fine until he simply passed out without warning.

As he mentally listed several possible causes, a previous incident crossed his mind. Ludwig had once mentioned something to him about Kiku's health a while back. "It's not like this is cos you've had too much salt is it?" Arthur said out loud although he knew nobody would answer him. He was contemplating whether or not he should give the German a call later for some advice when he heard a soft groan.

"Kiku, you alright?" Arthur asked softly, running his fingers over Kiku's cheek.

Kiku didn't reply for some time, his dark orbs staring blankly up at Arthur's anxious face, absorbing his current situation. He then opened his mouth to speak but choked and began to cough instead.

The Englishman waited patiently, rubbing circles in Kiku's back until the coughing ceased.

"A-Asa-san," Kiku heaved, taking deep breaths. "Did I pass out?"

Arthur nodded.

"Oh…" Kiku frowned. He then slowly lifted himself to sit up.

"You okay?" Arthur enquired worriedly.

"Of course," Kiku replied with a tiny smile. "Honestly, I have no clue why this all occurred. I'm sure it's not of any importance now that I'm awake again."

Arthur supposed that the Japanese man was saying this as a statement of reassurance but somehow it had the opposite effect. "Are you sure you're okay?" Arthur said in skeptically, noting Kiku was looking rather pasty and exhausted.

"Asa-san I'm feeling fine," Kiku said gently, his attempt to muster a convincing smile only resulting in an even more concerned looking Arthur.

Just as Arthur was about to argue further, an obnoxious tone of an antique phone blasted from the Brit's coat pocket.

"God damn phone," Arthur muttered, fishing out his mobile to take the call. "Arthur Kirkland."

"Iggy!"

Arthur gave a start, pulling the phone away from his ear, the speakers crackling from the loudness of the booming voice on the other end. Even Kiku jolted from where he sat beside Arthur.

"Stop yelling you bugger!" Arthur shouted back.

"Oh, okay."

Once he was certain his younger brother wasn't going to burst his eardrums, Arthur placed the phone back against his ear. "So I'm guessing you want to know where Japan and I are?"

Kiku, who had been listening quietly thus far, blinked when he heard his name. Then it all flooded back to him in a big tsunami of memories. He panicked.

"Asa-san! Oh God. The meeting! How long was I unconscious Asa-san? Haa. Look at the time! We must get moving!"

"Kiku calm down," Arthur said in alarm, startled by the Japanese who abruptly began throwing his arms around violently. "Kiku!"

"Er, Iggy? Iiiiggy?"

"Alfred, listen I have Japan with me," Arthur explained hastily. He was now holding his phone up between his shoulder and chin for both of his arms were occupied with holding Kiku still. "Kiku kind of fainted and—"

"Fainted? Wow sounds hardcore."

"Just listen will you?" Arthur snapped. "Long story short, I'm going to take Japan home then I'll go straight over, but I might not make it depending on traffic."

"No, Asa-san, what are you saying?" Kiku shook his head disapprovingly. He then reached for the phone. "America-san? Can you hear me? We will be there in fifteen, no, ten—"

Now it was Arthur's turn to shake his head, taking his phone back. "Alfred? Forget what you just heard."

"Kiku? Iggy? So…er…what?"

"Just whatever, okay?" Arthur said in frustration. "I'll explain when I see you."

"Gotchya! Well, I need to get back to eating my hamburger now."

"You mean you need to get back to hosting the World Meeting that started ten minutes ago?" Arthur corrected.

"Yeah, that too. Seeya."

The beep of the dial tone was heard for a brief moment before Arthur hung up, returning his phone to its place in his pocket. Finally he could get back to what he had been in the middle of.

"Alright, I'm taking you home now," Arthur stated, getting up and pulling Kiku along with him. He picked up Kiku's attaché case and began heading for the door.

"I really think we should just hurry to the World Meeting," Kiku protested earnestly. "I've already caused you a lot of trouble. I don't want to make anything worse by delaying us more than I already have."

"Well I think you should go home and get some rest," Arthur opined.

Kiku's eyebrows knitted in helplessness. "Asa-san—"

Arthur suddenly halted and turned to look Kiku straight in the eyes, surprising him slightly. "Frankly, I don't care what you have to say right now, it's not gonna change my mind."

Kiku drew a quick breath, flinching. "Asa-san, you are exaggerating the situation…"

"Am I?" Arthur blurted, gripping Kiku's shoulders. "Did you expect me to just run along with my life, even though you passed out because you couldn't breathe properly? Just act as though nothing happened? As if I'm some kind of jerk?"

"That isn't what I mean," Kiku insisted. Arthur said nothing, his gaze burning into Kiku's face so hard that Kiku had to avert his eyes. He wanted Arthur to stop looking at him with those passionate eyes. He hated being looked at, he hated being the centre of anything. He loved hiding from it all. "I…you are right, I do feel ill. I think I should go home…"

Arthur nodded. He bit his lip as he looked down at Kiku, adorned with a sad frown and hardened eyes in humiliation. He felt a twinge of guilt pass through his heart. His harsh attitude had reduced Kiku into something small and pathetic. That was definitely not what he had intended.

"Kiku," Arthur murmured, loosening his grip on the smaller man's shoulders, his hands sliding down the sides of Kiku's arms. "I'm worried Kiku. Will you please let me help you? Even just this once?"

Kiku's eyelids closed midway as he exhaled a long breath. "Asa-san, I was also acting irrationally…" he trailed off, hesitating for a moment. "W-Will you please help me back to my home?"

The sides of Arthur's mouth tugged upward into a warm smile. "It's my pleasure. Let's get you home."

XxXxX

After they left the conference room, Arthur had driven Kiku back to his home. He had wanted to stay and make sure Kiku would be okay. However, the two agreed Arthur should make a late appearance to the World Meeting. They decided no one was likely to complain about his lateness considering Arthur had always been the first to arrive in all prior meetings.

Kiku sat in his home at a low table, passing his eyes over some sheets of paper laid out in front of him, occasionally making a mark here and there. He had changed out of his stiff suit into some more comfortable clothes from his own culture.

Several hours had passed since Arthur had pulled out of Kiku's driveway. It was now dark outside with the moon hanging high in the sky. Since Kiku had ended up not attending the World Meeting, he decided to launch straight into what he had had originally planned to do once he got home after the meeting. He had also confirmed that he had mistaken the date for his meeting with Antonia, the cause of his dilemma earlier that day.

Kiku glanced over at the large wooden clock on his shelf, which ticked loudly in the quiet home. The long hand was just about to strike midnight. As though on some cue, someone rapped on the front door just as the date changed over.

Kiku stood, removing his reading glasses and setting them on the wooden surface of the table. He swiftly moved to the front entrance to open the door.

"Hara-san, good evening," Kiku greeted with a deep bow, allowing his superior to enter the house. Kiku had been expecting him with the documents, the ones he was supposed to have received a few days ago. "Please come in."

The old man grunted, staggering passed the threshold. The front door rattled as Kiku closed it behind Hara. He then bent down to assist the man to remove his shoes.

He could smell whiskey in his senior's breath and tobacco on his black suit. The man was quite drunk—which came as hardly a surprise for Kiku.

Kiku took Hara's coat then lead him to a small room, seating him on a cushion. Kiku hung up the heavy coat and was about to go and prepare some tea when Hara spoke in a husky voice.

"Bring out sake," the man ordered.

Kiku hesitated. The man could barely sit upright on his own, more alcohol would only serve as poison.

"Forgive me, but allow me to prepare some tea?"

Immediately, Kiku felt a sharp pain from Hara's fist meeting with his shoulder. Exactly the same spot from a few days ago, Kiku thought dully, feeling his bruise ache.

"You think you can talk back to me like that?" Hara growled.

Hara stumbled forward, grabbing the coarse fabric of Kiku's haori. Another strike, this time to his ribs. Unfortunately, Hara's motor skills worked poorly when he was intoxicated but his strength was never effected, if not increased by the influence of alcohol.

Kiku stood absolutely still, not saying a word. Hara lowered his face, almost knocking Kiku over with how close he brought himself toward the shorter man. "I hear you were—what?—'absent' from the World Meeting?"

Kiku still remained silent, his face void of any emotion.

"I'm asking you if that is right?" Hara roared. "Were you absent?"

"Yes," Kiku murmured, his voice hardly audible. Another cruel blow to the ribs. Maybe he should have given his senior a bottle or two of his strongest sake, then maybe he would've been too drunk to even stay awake.

"Good for nothing," Hara hissed crudely. Then Hara brought his face even closer, their noses touching now. Kiku almost backed away but restrained himself from doing so. "There's also something funny I've been hearing about you."

Suddenly, Hara began laughing, or cackling rather. What was so funny was beyond Kiku.

"You have started the whole Asa-san garbage again I hear," Hara patronized. Then, as quickly as he had started laughing, he was back to snarling. "Do you not remember back then? Has that empty head of yours forgotten?"

Kiku knew exactly what Hara was referring to—London, 1902.

"You foolishly disregarded me and chose to deepen your 'friendship' with England, not Russia," Hara spat. His drunken state made him sound a little psychotic. "You don't mean to tell me you forgot what happened to you after just 21 years of your 'friendship'."

No, Kiku would never forget. Arthur, he chose Alfred…He chose Alfred…But…

"Nnn!" Kiku suppressed a groan as he was struck across the face. Now this managed to surprise Kiku. Such abuse from his superiors wasn't a rare happening, but due to their cowardice they would never leave any marks that could be viewed by the public eye. This was partly why Kiku was so conservative, especially in regard to revealing any skin. But just now, an angry bruise was developing on his cheekbone, a little blood trickling from his mouth.

"Fool! Fool!" Hara repeated.

Kiku held his breath, continueing to suffer through Hara's assaults late into the night. Kiku couldn't remember clearly when Hara had left his home, or when he'd dragged himself into his futon. He just remembered Pochi-kun's comforting warmth in his arms as they snuggled together under the large quilt.