Hong Kong

Like Father, like Son

"Aiya! Hong Kong! You'd better stop hiding and come out right now, mister! Give me back those poems! HONG KONG!"

The young Chinese man with distinct European features and thick eyebrows walked out from behind a closet. His face was as straight and expressionless as usual. China's angry eyes darted towards the man taller than him. He always hated that Hong Kong was taller. And also …

"Hong Kong! Give me back my poems!"

"What poems, shifu?"

"The ones you took from my personal locker in my room! How you even managed to open it is beyond me!" China fumed. He was angry. Very angry. But Hong Kong simply shrugged dismissively.

"Easy. Dad showed me how pick locks and undo codes."

China's eye twitched and he hissed between gritted teeth in annoyance.

"OH? He did, did he? That …! That …!"

"He said I needed at least a minimum of MI6 training. Just in case."

"In case of WHAT? Aru! Don't you listen to that man! He's bad influence on you! I'm sick of your sneaking around and your blackmailing! You're becoming like him!"

For a moment, China thought he saw the ghost of a smile on Hong Kong's lips but it vanished so fast it was probably just an optic illusion. Hong Kong shrugged and decided that this conversation was getting boring. So he walked off to his room.

"Hong Kong! Get back here this instant! Aru! I am not finished talking to you!" China shouted before rushing after him.

He found the younger nation sprawled out on his bed holding a sheet of paper that he was reading and that looked very much like one of China's poems. The older man's face turned red instantly and panic rushed over him. He reached out to grab the poem away but Hong Kong was too fast, too tall, and held the paper away from China's grip. The man cursed as he felt Hong Kong push him back with more strength than he had. It's infuriating.

It's soooo infuriating that your own son is able to push you off like you were nothing more than an annoying cat. And he's too tall! Much too tall for a Chinese! And those damn European traits! But most of all … those stupid eyebrows! They fit him well … but that's the problem! They keep reminding China of the man responsible for them! And why can't Hong smile a bit more? Why is he so goddamn serious all the time with a cold expressionless face! Just like HIM! Exactly like HIM!

Hong Kong watched his shifu curse and grumble all the while sending him dark glares. He didn't care. He knew why China was angry and he had good reason to be. The taller man glanced to the poem he was still holding, his dark brown eyes laughed at the content of it. This was China's poem. Written by China about China's feelings for a certain someone. Someone with … how does he say it? Oh yes …

Eyes like jewels, deeper than the seas of his travels - Hair like gold, flowing with winds of his North - Skin like pearls, marred by infinite proofs of glorious battles - An enchanting smile, inviting you on board to sail off into the crystal horizon - His laugh rings across lands of the world, a soft tease, childish and innocent, and the world cannot but listen - The red of blood, his coat is the last thing I see as he walks away, again searching for another discovery.

Hong Kong let a small smirk corner his lips. That was only one poem. He had discovered countless more in China's safe. And that is good blackmailing material! Definitely! He could easily bribe China into letting him take a holiday off to England! He really wanted to see his father again! The brown eyes shifted from the poem to the sulking Chinese man.

"Shifu, I'll give you one poem back for each day you give me to leave China."

The smaller man lifted suspicious golden eyes, very similar to ones of a dragon. It amused Hong Kong very much how nations could show resemblances to animals. He vaguely wondered what animal he could be compared to.

"If you wanted a holiday, all you needed to do is ask."

"I want to go to England."

"NO! Absolutely NOT! I am not letting you go anywhere near that man!"

Hong Kong raised a questioning eyebrow and started reading out loud the words of the poem. China's face turned redder than the blood red of England's pirate coat in the poem. He reached for the poem once more and this time is fast enough to catch it. Holding the sheet dearly against his chest, almost trying to hide it, Yao wished he could simply disappear forever. He never wanted anyone to see those words. And the last person … no, the second last person on earth whom he wanted to see was the one blackmailing him with it! That boy is just …! Just …! Just so like him! Now, China clearly saw the teasing smile on Hong Kong's face. The exact same smile he had seen so many times on that man's pale face.

"Shall I phone Dad and tell him all the wonderful things you wrote about him? Shifu?" Hong Kong's voice was cold but China heard the amusement ring through every word. He looked and sounded like him. So much like him.

"NO! P-please! No! He … He must never … Th-That was ages ago …"

"Then give me permission to go see him."

"NO! If I let you go, you'll tell him!"

"I won't. I keep my promises. If you give me a day in England for each poem, then I'll promise not to speak a single word of what I saw or what just happened now."

"… Why are you doing this, Hong?"

"I want to see my father. Why won't you let me?"

Yao cringed at the accusation and hidden anger he discerned in Hong's voice. Rarely did the young man show signs of emotion. And when he did, China knew how serious the boy was.

"I'm scared … I'm scared he'll take you away from me again …" China whispered after a long silence.

"… But I never was yours to begin with." Hong Kong stated, causing China's eyes to widen as he stared at the boy. "Hong Kong was born from British colonising. I'm not solely yours. In fact, dad says that I only belong to myself."

China's eyes narrowed. His breath hissed like a snake.

"Dad this! Dad that! You're always talking about him! How do you even know what he would say to you? You don't see him anymore!"

"We Skype. I had to ask Japan to help him install the webcam." Hong chuckled as he remembered.

Yao stared in shock. Hong had actually laughed? And what was that about Japan? The older man frowned angrily.

"Well, you seem very good friends with Japan! Aru!"

"Not really. But Mei is." Hong shrugged, grabbing his phone and starting to play with it.

"Taiwan?"

"Yeah. Oh and she told me about that competition thing you and the other nations are having."

China didn't think he could blush anymore but he did. Hong glanced sideways, head tilted, in deep thought. When he spoke, his voice was cautious but with an unusual eagerness to it.

"If you win … does that mean I'll be able to stay with dad more often?"

"W-what?!" China chocked.

"If you go out with dad like in the past, then you'll let me see him, right? If so, then I'll help you."

"Y-you … what …?"

"I'll help you seduce my dad." Hong concluded his eyes shifting back to his phone. He already considered this conversation over. China however didn't and could only stare agape at the young man on the bed.

"… Why?" he muttered darkly.

If anything, China wasn't even sure he wanted to go out with England. Ok, no, he did. But, just not yet. His heart wanted England but his mind screamed that it was a mistake. Another opium war was the last thing he wanted! Ah … but the soft touch of England … No! That's just fantasy! Besides, England would never agree to go out with him! He could have anyone … literally. With all those sexy Europeans around him … How could England even think of looking at him?

"Because I want my daddy." A soft, slightly childish complain reached Yao's ears, interrupting his thoughts. He looked down at the frowning young man on the bed. Hong had a pout on his face (well, the closest you get to a pout on Hong Kong) and his cheeks were slightly pink. He kept his eyes fixed on the mobile's screen, not daring to look at his Chinese parent. China smiled softly. No matter how cold or devious his son was, he knew that Hong still had the heart of a child.

"Hong … I don't want you to keep on looking up to him." China explained gently. "I'm worried he might turn you like him … you already look and act so much like him … I'm worried."

"… But what if I want to be like him?" Hong whispered angrily.

"Don't. Just like Arthur said: You are an individual. Aru .And I don't want you to be like him … or like me. I want you to be yourself."

Hong Kong, for the first time, looked at China with what seemed like respect in his deep brown eyes. China could only smile weakly at his son. Hong was so cute he looked like an adorable little panda!

"I still want to see him." Hong stated as if it were an absolute universal rule.

"… Hong …" Yao sighed but got interrupted.

"It's not Hong! My name is Leon Hong Kirkland!" Hong Kong growled angrily as he rolled on his bed, turning his back to Yao.

"… I know. And I'm using your second name. Please … Hong …"

Silence.

China sighed.

"Leon, I will allow you to see your father."

The Cantonese man jumped in both surprise and excitement, a large grin adorned his face as he turned to look at China but it vanished in an instant. Hong would never show that much a smile for too long to anyone … or maybe he might for England. Yao hoped he was not making a mistake.

"For each poem a day?" Hong smirked with a dangerous glint in his eyes. God , he looked so much like him!

"Yes. Aru. But … about the competition … I don't …"

"I'll help you! We'll definitely win! I won't let anybody else get my dad!" Hong's tone changed to determined and slightly murderous as he glared at no one in particular.

Yao sighed. That is exactly what he doesn't want. Blackmail is fine. He can deal with Hong's mischief but if the boy got serious, he could really hurt people. A panda may look cute but it is a bear able to rip you to pieces. And Yao was worried if Hong actually succeeded. He still wasn't sure if he could go out with England. He clenched the poem in his hand.

Of course, he wanted Arthur. So badly. He wanted to feel his touch, hear his voice, gaze in his eyes. But he was scared. He was scared of a repetition of last time's disaster. And more than that, he was scared Arthur might not want him. But he couldn't bear to see Arthur with another nation. What a stupid competition! If only things had remained the way they were!

"Shifu, do you love dad?"

Yao looked at the awaiting stare of his charge. Hong knew the answer. But that's not why he asked that question. His face was as cold and calculating as England's when he thinks up strategies. And China could only sigh. No matter how much he denied it, he loved England, and he loved seeing him through Hong. He loved noticing the resemblance yet the distinct few differences between father and son.

"You are as annoying and meddling as your father." The old nation grumbled and walked away.

Hong watched him leave and once he was sure to be alone in his room, he allowed a wide pleased smile to greet his lips. He was proud of being similar to his father. But he wasn't like him! Oh no! He knew very well that he was not the same. And that was fine. He didn't want to be like England. He wanted to be Hong Kong, son of England and China. With his smile still on his face, he dialled a number on his phone.

"Hello?" a strong English accented voice answered.

Excitement made Leon chuckle. He couldn't stop smiling and that is not something Hong Kong does often. The man on the other end of the line seemed to have recognised his laugh.

"Leon?"

"Dad … I'm coming home!"