Giripan
Kiku watched his brother's gas mask become misty, then clear again. The beeping heart monitor echoed the speed of his heart—dreadfully slow.
The thought had doomed on him only after Yao-nii had been taken into the surgery room and, according to the doctors, "Stabilized, but still needs 24-hours round care", and taken back out into the ICU.
Kiku gulped, the lingering question that revolved around in his mind returning.
What if Yao-nii doesn't make it?
What would happen to China? What would happen to Asia? What would happen to the world? As a major power that's connecting the Eastern Hemisphere, the loss of the Chinese representative at the World Conference would result in major problems…possibly mass confusion and chaos.
Kiku knew whose fault it was.
The whole family, Yong Soo, Mei, Leon, knew.
It was the Russian's fault.
The whole family knew why Yao was dying—fading—away. It is impossible for a nation to fall; for example, Heracles, his lover: no matter how bad the economy is, a nation cannot fall unless taken into the hands of another ruler and destroyed.
Yao-nii was dying because he wants to die. He doesn't want to live anymore, to suffer the pain that the Russian was bringing to him. The family knew how deep Yao was sinking inside the water for Ivan—possibly more than Matthew for Francis. But the Russian himself just couldn't show his affection back towards Yao-nii.
Kiku sighed.
It would be such a good video!
Even Yong Soo and Leon were more cooperative!
Kiku peeked outside the door to see the figure of the tall man slumped across a row of chairs. Kiku left the room, tapping the man on the shoulder. Immediately, Ivan Braginsky snapped awake.
"Is he okay?"
"Hai. It's Ivan-san's shift now. I'm going to go back to the hotel," Kiku said.
The Russian nodded and went inside the ICU.
Kiku sighed (again) and started to head for home. Outside, he found a familiar white car, parked in front of the hospital, as if knowing that he would be showing up right now. The Greek sitting inside had long been away from "awake".
As Yao-nii would have said, Heracles was sitting and playing Chinese Chess with Mr. Zhou.
Kiku smiled at the warm memory of his brother pointing and rolling his eyes at Heracles who had been half covered with cats.
But those times were past.
Kiku softly rapped on the window of the car, and he was answered with a groggy, "Huh? Is it Kiku?"
"Hai, it is me, Heracles-san."
"Come in, let's go back to the hotel," Heracles said, and reached over to pull the lock open. Kiku climbed into the warm car and gazed up at the winter sky. Russia really was a cold place. Growing up in this kind of weather, in this kind of place…
It really explains Ivan-san's heart.
Cold, bitter, yearning to be loved.
When Kiku and Heracles arrived at the hotel, they found the kitten Leon had given Kiku the other day, his excuse being, "Yong Soo hates cats", sitting in the middle of the bed, emerald eyes aglow in the dark.
Kiku had rolled his eyes when Leon had showed up on the porch of their house. Yong Soo wouldn't hate anything, because he doesn't even understand what the word hate means. And, he would grope anything in the chest, especially cats', because…well, they're soft, fluffy, and warm.
Which is probably why Leon had chased the kitten out.
Kiku had brought the kitten here because he was scared if he let the animal stay by itself in the house, by the time he and Heracles returned, the "house" would no longer be a "house".
The kitten turned out to be much stiller than he thought.
When Kiku and Heracles sat down on either side of the bed, the kitten jumped up and made itself home in Kiku's lap.
"That's my spot," Heracles grumbled sleepily.
Kiku laughed. The kitten hissed. Heracles lunged out and grabbed the kitten by its front paws.
"Hisss!"
"Shh…you can sleep on my pillow…Kiku is mine…"
Kiku's flushed deep crimson as his lover drifted off into Dreamland again, this time on his lap. Nevertheless, he bent down and placed a gentle kiss on Heracles forehead. Shifting slightly, he adjusted his body so that he was too lying down on the bed.
Unknown to him, the kitten he had named Hiroshima was staring at him with dark green eyes.
Eyes like the embers of the fire in England's basement, which was currently blazing with the essence of magic.
It's almost midnight...sorry for the lateness! Things are starting to get a little more complicated...What's going to happen to Yao, Matthew, Lovino, and Feliciano? Sorry for the confusion if some of you were like...huh? Where is this now? The Nordics are the only ones that didn't go to the World Meeting because they were preparing the wedding; everyone else went to Russia for the World Conference. See you Thursday!
PuppetPainter