A.N. Hello again! First of all if anyone is still reading this, thank you! I know the summary is pretty bad but whatever! Thanks to Naya, Reader, Silver Tarot, Viofan238, It's-effing-fusha, Poisonlilie, and Patient Harmony for being the first reviewers! Just to be clear I have no pairings planned for this story. *And now some shameless self-advertising* I do have a fluffy romance fanfic called 'Soulmates of Hetalia' so check that out! *End of shameless self-advertising* And now, ONWARDS!

Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of Hetalia!

Yao sat uncomfortably on a log across from the blond stranger. The two hadn't spoken much since they had encountered each other, but that didn't matter.

"What's your name?" Yao finally asked and the blond looked up panicked.

"Oh, uh, Alfred." A lie. Yao could tell when someone was lying. In the case of this kid, he didn't seem confident in what he claimed his name to be and it didn't roll off his tongue easily enough.

"So what's your name?" 'Alfred' asked and Yao blinked trying to think of what to say when he spoke, "Uh Kiku."

The blond smiled and shook his head. "We're both really bad liars aren't we?"

Yao nodded and held his hand out to the blond to shake saying, "My name is really Yao."

"I'm Matthew." The blond said shaking Yao's hand before relaxing. Matthew coughed into his arm and started to talk. "So you're on the run too, right? I didn't think I'd meet another person out here."

"Neither did I." Yao said biting his lip. Matthew fidgeted and pulled a small bag from his pack and offered it to Yao. "They're crackers. You want some?"

Yao shook his head. "I don't want to use your supplies." Matthew nodded and sat back before looking Yao in the eyes.

"I know I just met you and you probably don't trust me," Yao nodded recalling how Matthew had tried to lie about his name "but I want to live. And I'm sure you do too." Yao raised an eyebrow. "What're you getting at?" the brunette asked, a small feeling of hope rising in him.

Matthew replied, "Can we travel together? We'd have a better chance at survival with two of us."

Matthew seemed dependable, a bit shy and obviously not physically strong, but he looked like someone who wouldn't betray a comrade. Yao ran a hand through his hair and nodded. "If you don't mind I'd like to stay alive, and having a travel companion seems like the wise decision."

The two sighed and Yao grabbed a stick and started drawing a map of the kingdoms in the dirt.

"My village was here." Yao said marking a spot and Matthew nodded while pointing to an area slightly closer to the border saying, "That's where mine was. I would hazard a guess that we're somewhere around here." Matthew circled a spot just a bit further south. Yao sat up and sighed.

"We'll have to get through Diamonds. I heard from some soldiers that they're paying people to turn in Jacks and Aces."

Matthew nodded again and stood up after wiping their dirt map away with his hand. The two started walking and Yao thought of what they should do as they walked: obtain weapons, hunt for food, and maybe look for other survivors. The brunette relayed his thoughts to his blond companion who nodded. "I think that's a good start."

Yao smiled as he thought to himself that Matthew didn't talk much. He was comforted by this fact, after all, he didn't talk much either as he was a "thinker" and was worried conversation might distract him or give away their presence.

-LINEBREAK-

Vash hadn't thought of what to do in this kind of situation. The blond had stumbled into someone about 15 minutes before, panicked and ran. The person following him was just barely taller than Vash and obviously knew about the Diamonds kingdom paying for Jacks and Aces, as he was armed to fight and kill. Vash crashed through trees and panting he was trying to lose the hunter but was so far failing.

An idea burst in Vash's mind. Dropping his things, he grabbed a rock and started climbing up a tree, trying to be quiet, when the man hunting him came into view. Vash hoped the leaves hid him well enough as the hunter had a sick grin of his face and was obviously ready for a fight. A one sided fight.

The man had notched an arrow, ready to shoot at any sign of movement. Vash felt his heart speed up as the man almost silently made his way through the trees to where Vash had left his pack. The man bent down, lowering his guard, and Vash acted. Jumping down from the tree, Vash slammed the rock in his hands into the back of the man's head near the neck.

A sickening crush came from the area of the hunter's head and Vash fell backwards onto the ground while the man flopped forwards. Vash blinked and his hands started shaking. Did he just…kill someone? Vash nudged the man's leg with his foot and felt cold when there was no response.

Vash crawled over to the hunter and grabbed his hand, checking for a pulse. Nothing. Vash felt bile rise in his throat and he fought not to vomit. His chest tightened and it felt hard to breathe. He had just killed someone. True that person had been trying to kill him, but that didn't excuse what Vash had done.

"I'm sorry." Vash whispered, still fighting back the urge to puke as his vision clouded and became fuzzy. Hands shaking, Vash took what he could off the hunter. The man had owned a bow and a quiver of arrows, a dagger, food, some cash, and clothes. Vash slung the bow and quiver over his shoulder while he strapped the dagger to his hip. Although the clothes were a bit bigger than the blond, he took them just in case.

Vash felt overwhelming guilt surge through him. He had just killed someone and took their possessions. What kind of person was he? Could he have done something different so the man lived? Vash inhaled trying to calm himself, but failed. The blond kept walking through the trees a new fear resting on Vash's mind. Would he have to kill someone again?

Vash stopped resisting and allowed himself to hurl into some bushes. Standing back up Vash realized just how alone he was.

A.N. So that's that! In summary: Yao and Matthew are heading to the Diamonds and Spades border in hopes of finding other survivors and supplies, while Vash is feeling extreme guilt and remorse over killing someone who was hunting him. As always I appreciate reviews and can't wait to see what you guys think! Until next time! - Ryuu