for those of u who got here early, i fuzzed up. (or rather, my beta did by labeling two documents the same, and i didn't know. lolz) pleaze message me with ur reviews then if u pointed this out to me. thankies!

A Little Drop Of Healing: A Promise of Forever

"Heracles, how do you know if you love someone?"
Greece's dark eyes widened slightly and he rolled over onto his stomach, leaning down and kissing the other man between the shoulder blades, "Dunno. I think that the phrase 'making love' displays it quite clearly."
Kiku blushed, levering himself up so that his head rested in his hands. "But not everyone who does that sort of things has those kinds of feelings," he pointed out.

"You're speaking of Francis?" Heracles assumed, trailing a kiss down Japan's bare back, smiling slightly as the other country shivered.

"Among others," Kiku said, reaching out to pet one of the many cats that had decided to perch at the head of the bed, "You're answer isn't all that valid then Heracles."

"Then you're speaking of the future?" the dark haired man questioned, curling his fingers into the back of Kiku's hair and tilting his head up for a light kiss, "I think that in your house they refer to that as the 'thread of fate.' You believe that there is only one true love."

Kiku nodded.

Heracles smiled softly, "Then I'll tell you this, Kiku. The one your string is tied to is not me."

Japan looked surprised at this, "What? But I-"

"One can love many times in his life, but there can only be one true love," Heracles smiled, "My people believe something similar too. I think that in Arthur's house, they call it 'soul mates.'"

"Soul mates?" Kiku whispered, turning brown eyes to the cat once more as he scratched it beneath the chin.

"It's a pretty term, isn't it," Heracles murmured in his ear, his arms twining around Kiku's waist, "It means that your souls were tied together long before your birth. If you are hurt, then they feel your pain. If you cry, they want to cry with you, even as they hold you in their arms. And if you die, they will follow."

"Sounds morbid," Japan muttered, reaching down to interlace his fingers between the ones spread out along his stomach, "But why do you say that you and I are not such?"

"Would you risk the lives of your people to protect me? Defy your boss if he forbade you to ever see me again?" he smiled sadly as Kiku grew silent, and did not answer, "The person that would do this for you, and you for him in return . . . I hope I'll get to meet him someday."

"Hmm . . . I'm sure you will then. You might have to point him out to me if you find him," Kiku laughed.

"I probably will," Heracles smiled, drawing the smaller country deeper into his embrace.

Alfred was doing laundry when the doorbell rang. He rushed to answer it, the hamper still in his arms, and somehow managed to trip over absolutely nothing. The clothes went flying into the air and ending up all over his living room. He groaned and stood up, shuffling over to the door and pulling it open slowly, half expecting an angry Arthur to come barging again.

But the visitor wasn't England. In fact, America barely recognized him at all, having only met the man a few times before. But he remembered the odd hat the other was wearing, as well as the strange multitude of cats that were sitting on the front steps behind him. "Erm . . . Good afternoon Greece."

Heracles smiled lazily at him, "And to you as well, America." He lifted a finger, pointing at the other's head, "By the way, you have some underpants stuck to you."

Alfred flung the item off with an embarrassed laugh and opened the door fully, gesturing for the other country to come in. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, eyeing the small parade of cats that pranced inside behind the older man.

Greece had crouched down to pick up a rather round cat, and he turned his eyes up to America with a curious gaze. "You don't have to be so formal, you know?" he smiled.

America sighed in relief, dropping the horribly straight pose he'd been holding, "Good. Can I ask something then?" When Heracles didn't answer, he took that as a yes, "How the heck do you get all those things to follow you around like that?"

"I have no idea," Heracles answered him honestly; staring at the cat he was holding as if he had never thought about it before, "But anyways, I did not come here to discuss cats, America."

Alfred feigned surprise as he led the older country into the kitchen, "Oh? Then why did you come?" He pulled out a chair from the table, offering it for the other to sit. "I mean, it's rare to see you over on this side of the world. Or at all for that matter," he added.

Heracles smiled again, "Kiku is here, is he not?"

"Uh, yeah?" Alfred answered uncertainly, "Did you want to see him? He's sleeping right now, but I'm sure-"

"Don't wake him," Greece murmured, setting some of the cats that were all trying to pile into his lap on the table instead. "He need never know I was here," he smiled, "Anyways, I came here to see you, Alfred."

"Me?" America repeated, running a hand nervously through his sandy-blond hair. "Why?" he grinned, "Did you just want to see a hero in person?"

"No," Heracles laughed, "Though I have been waiting to meet you in person for a very long time, America."

"We've met before . . ." Alfred started.

"But I didn't realize it back then," Greece said, "You're a rather new country, whereas I am rather old. So it wasn't until I heard what had happened to Kiku that I realized it."

"I'm sorry, I have absolutely no idea what you just said," Alfred muttered, blue eyes blank beneath his glasses, "Was that even English?"

Greece seemed to ignore the younger man's remarks and continued on with what he was saying. "You disobeyed your boss's orders by brining him here, didn't you," he said, "Would you protect him with that same determination as well?"

Alfred blinked, rising up from his chair, his hands slamming down on the table, "O-of course! I won't let anyone ever hurt him again! Not even . . ." Brushing a hand across his face, he whispered, "Not even me . . ." He started in surprise as Heracles rested a hand on his head, messing up his hair with a small smirk.

"Someone like you . . . Who is wiling to mark you're heart for him . . . You are definitely that person," he murmured, placing his hand against the left side of the younger country's chest, making Alfred flinch slightly.

"You're spouting gibberish again," he whispered, drawing away from the hand.

Greece smiled at him, striding past America and towards the door, his heard of cats following him. "Look after him," he said softly as he turned his back, stepping out the door, "Because . . . He was once important to me too . . ."

"Uh, yeah . . . Sure," Alfred mumbled, looking thoroughly confused as Heracles left as suddenly as he had arrived. And he still wasn't certain on what they'd even been talking about. The only thing he'd learned from this whole event was that Greece was weird.

He wandered back into the living room, picking up the laundry he'd flung everywhere as he made his way towards the bedroom. Kiku was awake when he entered, holding another book and looking at him expectantly. America grinned, setting the laundry down near the bathroom and hopping up onto the bed next to Japan, "Another book?"

Japan held it out towards him, eyes narrowed slightly, "A Tale of Two Cities," he stated.

Alfred laughed, leaning back against the headboard and taking the book from him, "Right then, where shall we start?"

Kiku rolled his eyes as he scooted closer, leaning unconsciously on America's shoulder, "At the beginning, teme."

The blond smiled, propping the book open to the first page, and had just opened his mouth when Japan reached over and pulled something off of his shirt, "America-teme, why are you covered in cat hair?"

"He need never know I was here." Alfred smiled, "Oh, that? I got mobbed by a crazy bunch of cats on the way back from the store. I barely escaped with my life! But as you know, a hero always prevails!" When Kiku merely stared at him with the look that obviously stated, "You are insane," he returned his attention to the book, "Right then . . . 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' . . ."

^-^ ^-^ ^-^

Italy stared down at the kitchen counter, which was absolutely covered in sugar and flour. "Neh, neh . . . Doitsu's going to be mad . . ." he said to himself, looking over his shoulder as if the blond would suddenly appear behind him. He'd been trying to bake some cookies as a surprise and he had succeeded. Unfortunately, Feliciano wasn't the neatest of people, as Germany often pointed out to him. He left things lying around, like his clothes when he suddenly decided to strip.

But he definitely had to clean this up before the other country returned home, or face the consequences. Those usually coming down to Germany refusing to talk to him, at least until he got so annoyed with Italy begging him to talk that he snapped. And even though that was slightly entertaining, Feliciano feared that one of these days, he'd make Ludwig hate him by doing such things.

So he skipped out of the kitchen in search of a mop, or a rag, or anything that could clean up a mess. Maybe he should find an outfit to wear to match as well. He wondered vaguely if Hungary had anything he could borrow next door, but decided that if Ludwig came home to find him in a maid outfit again, it might get him in even more trouble. Though he did make a mental note to go visit Elizabeth sometime soon; he needed more cute clothes.

He skipped his way into Germany's bedroom, throwing open the closet. Ludwig was a very tidy person, so Italy had no doubt that there'd be something he could use in whatever room he checked. And indeed there was.

One of those vacuum things sat in the sat in the very back, and the auburn haired man eyed it warily. Vacuum cleaners were scary, and they made scary noises. Didn't Ludwig have anything else in here? He stood up on his tiptoes, peering at the shelf over the clothes rack. He grinned, spotting a wooden handle, and jumped up to grab it.

But he was disappointed to see that the broom was unusually small. Like something a child would use, not a grown adult. "Darn," he muttered, spinning it around in his hands lazily. "Why's Doitsu got such a small deck brush sitting around any . . . Ways . . ." his eyes widened and he stared down at the item, nearly dropping it as he sat down heavily on the edge of the bed.

He remembered when Francis had told him what happened; he remembered it as clearly as he remembered it as clearly as he did his own name.

"Holy Roman Empire is gone, Italy. I'm sorry."

"G-gone? What do you mean?"

"He's dead, I'm sure. He disappeared after he fought with Prussia. He's just . . . Gone . . ."

Feliciano felt his hands begin to shake, and he gripped the broom tighter. Prussia was Germany's brother. He should have seen it sooner. He was so stupid.

At that moment, Ludwig walked into the room, looking startled as he noticed Feliciano sitting on the bed. "Italy, what are you doing? I was sure you'd run off when I saw that horrible mess in the kitchen. Are you-"

The smaller country's eyes narrowed uncharacteristically, their light brown color darkening as Germany spoke. "You lied to me," he whispered.

"Huh?"

Italy held up the deck brush, his whole body shaking with grief and anger now, "You lied to me! You lied to me, Ludwig! You knew who he was all along! You're Prussia's brother, I should have seen it before!"

Ludwig held up his hands defensively, "Wait, Feliciano, hold on a-"

"You killed him! You and Prussia both!" Feliciano screamed, stepping towards him, hitting him with a closed fist on the chest, "You killed him!"

Germany caught his hand, holding him back, "What are you talking about? I've never killed anyone in my life!"

"This belonged to Holy Roman Empire!" Feliciano sobbed, pressing the broom against the taller country's uniform roughly. "Why else would you have it?!" he choked on his words and pushed past the blond, running from the house with a strangled cry.

And Ludwig could only stare after him, feeling hurt and confused. "I . . . Killed him?" he whispered, "How can that be . . ."

RANDOM AUTHOR RAMBLE

Lalalala . . . 11 pm on a schoooool night . . . I hope you're all happy with me. :p anywho . . . Yay Greece! I like him a lot, just not with Japan. He's cool by himself though, hahaha. I think he and Kiku may have had a past relationship, though I can't actually find any historical evidence of them interacting before the 1900's. So ignore my lies please. And silly Italy . . . *sighs* oh well, love is never easy. And neither is realizing that Ludwig isn't a murderer. Prussia, Hungary, and Austria-san should be in the next chapter tho! I love them all. 3