The only things I own are the document and plot itself. All Hetalia characters belong to Himaruya.
However, the mentioned British Isles are of my own imagination and influence of other OCs (with the exception of Scotland, which I use the Pixiv version).
Enjoy.
X-X-X
January 23, 1976
London, England
Kirkland Manor
The estate, in which the Kirkland family resides, as they are the personifications of the various parts of the British Isles, excluding Ireland, was a large house out in the country. Its gardens surrounded it, with a little bit of space to separate it from the woodland it resided in. It was made of stone of a light gray color, with white windowpanes and blue bells in the flower boxes. It had stone steps with a small patio in front for an entrance.
In the large living room, Japan sat reading one of the many books that he has discovered to be in England's possession. The room had dark oak paneling with light blue wallpaper in between sections with an antique white floral pattern. Even the floor was made of the same dark oak wood, with the chairs and sofas of a similar design to the walls. There was a large fireplace in front of the sitting area, and there was a tall, gray vase with white roses on the dark oak coffee table. A ways behind the sofa, a split landing staircase led to the large balcony that split off towards studies and bedrooms, mostly for nations or their officials to stay in for long durations. There were large bookcases along one side of the room, some of them were encased in glass doors, and others were open.
Kiku heard a cabinet open in the other room, where the "family" dinning room was. In the house, there were two dinning rooms, one for official business with multiple members of Parliament, and one for the actual inhabitants, though the said inhabitants often don't get together that often, whether by coincidence or choice, so it's not quite a "family" dinning room. Then Kiku remembered that it wasn't called a cabinet, but rather a hutch, which it was for the special china for either special meals or tea, which the latter was more common than the former.
He couldn't tell if it was England or one of his brothers in there for two reasons. One, being the foremost obvious, he couldn't see from where he was. Two, it was very likely that, even if you left one room one way, you could reenter the same room from a different direction due to the layout of the house. He remembered England telling him that just in 2 hours he himself had made at least 15 laps just on the first floor on a busy day, and each time he somehow found the room in different ways.
It wasn't until the person the voice belonged to leaned back to peer into the room that Japan could figure out who it was. "Japan, would you like some tea?"
Japan saw the male, longhaired, brunet nation lean back with a slight questioning tone and raise one bushy eyebrow. "Ah, yes, please. Thank you for asking."
The former nation nodded his head, brought out an extra set of cups, and went away towards the kitchen farther back in the arch doorways.
Japan left the book he was reading abandoned on the coffee table to be left with his thoughts about England and his brothers.
The one that he had just seen was Wales. He was considered the most levelheaded of the Kirkland family, if one included Ireland, as he didn't let his temper get the better of him. He acted a bit like England, mostly a gentleman but minus the tsundere attitude, making him quite an honest person, and he had what some people would call a "pretty face." Yet he also had what women called a charming disposition, and could turn suave if he wanted to. Though that was rare, and he mostly opted for either a slight hospitable disposition or a neutral stance if company was around. His hair reached to just slightly past his shoulders, making him the only Kirkland with longish hair. Though, like his brothers, his hair was quite unruly, even if it did look neater than the others.
He was brought out of his pensive thoughts when he heard a small "tink" as Wales set down the tea set on the coffee table. Japan muttered a "thank you" when Wales poured him a cup.
A few things he had noticed about Wales came to mind as he recalled the times when he would observe England's brothers from afar. Like himself, Wales preferred his tea straight without any sugar or sweeteners. Wales also crossed his legs when sitting like England did, probably one of the habits of a gentleman. He also noticed how chivalrous Wales was in comparison to the other brothers, not to say the others weren't chivalrous, but he was more so. Also, he seemed to be very fond of this brown trench coat that one would see on detectives, as he often wore it. Though now, since it was pretty warm inside, he took to letting it rest on his shoulders.
There was a moment of silence until Wales put down his cup of tea, threaded his fingers and rested them on his lap. "I have a few questions I wish to ask of you, Japan."
Japan blinked in slight astonishment, as he never really had a lengthy conversation with any of the British Isles, and it surprised him that one of them would really care to have one with him. "Ano…what did you want to ask me?"
Wales leaned himself a little closer to Japan, even though he was seated in a chair just beside the sofa where Japan was sitting, and his eyelids narrowed slightly. His eyes gave off an accusing feel and he felt the piercing gaze as if Wales was trying to see straight into his soul. That's the one thing he also remembered about the British Isles. While their eyes revealed their emotions when their faces otherwise didn't, it was very uncanny that all of their emerald green eyes had that same piercing gaze. It made him feel quite uneasy.
Wales gaze held, "I've been hearing from my brother a few… interesting tales about you."
Japan raised an eyebrow in question. "You have? And which brother are you referring to?"
Wales puffed air in a type of mock laughter, "I'm pretty sure the only one you've been around these past few months was England."
Japan looked away in slight embarrassment for the stupid question. "Right. I swear these months have almost blurred together."
Wales mildly raised one of his bushy eyebrows, a trait that is well known in the Kirkland family, at the remark, but it had vanished a second later. He then waved his hand as if he was brushing it away. "No matter. That isn't the point."
He leaned back into his chair, but the gaze was still there. "He's been awfully concerned about some of your actions."
When he saw Japan wasn't going to respond, he continued. "Are you aware of these actions that he has spoken of?"
Japan looked at him warily and with confusion, "W-what do you mean?"
Wales's eyes narrowed even more, and there appeared to be venom in his eyes and words as he continued to speak. "That you seem… distant with him. Rarely talk to him anymore. You push him away when he gives you… attention," The mere thought of that made Wales cringe slightly as he probably had a hard time imagining that his little brother would do such things.
Japan didn't know how to respond to these statements. He kept questioning if that was what it looked like to others. He didn't mean to cause England any trouble or to feel this way.
Wales continued on, noticing Japan was beginning to drift into his own thoughts. "It's concerned him quite a lot, and even started accusing you of doing certain things. Such things that could jeopardize your marriage. Were you aware of this?"
Japan froze and looked at him with fear clutching at his heart. "W-what do you mean?"
Wales's venomous glare nearly dissipated noting Japan's apparent fear in his voice. Curiosity took over, and he tilted his head in thoughtfulness. He then leaned back into his chair and intertwined his fingers together.
"Sorry, figured I needed to crack that façade of yours to get somewhere." He then waved his hand to dismiss his earlier attitude. "In all honesty, I believe he's overreacting and not thinking straight."
Japan slightly relaxed, but was still on guard. "How would you know that? Other than that you know your little brother the best. Especially when we barely have been around each other for more than a few months."
Wales gave a small chuckle, "It doesn't take long for me to figure out the nature of a person. And you definitely don't seem like the kind of person to do the things that my little brother was questioning about."
Japan inwardly questioned the kinds of things England was accusing him of doing, as Wales didn't seem like he would be willing enough to disclose something like that. "When had he been talking to you about this?"
Wales smirked slightly, "I see sometimes my brother can do things on the sly, even under your watchful eye." He then leaned forward a little with a voice laced with light curiosity. "Or is it that the watchful eye has been preoccupied with something else and hasn't noticed?"
Japan tensed again under Wales own watchful eye, and darted his eyes from the floor to Wales and back again in nervousness.
Wales chuckled lightly, "Thought so."
He leaned back into his chair, "You see, I have a different… theory on the matter."
Japan warily laid an eye on the Welshman. "…And what would this… theory of yours be?"
Wales gave a smile that resembled the Mona Lisa, "You see, he made two phone calls to me. The one I told you about with his accusations was the second. However, he mentioned in the first a few… peculiar things that had been happening to you."
Japan raised an eyebrow at the Welshman, loosing some of his previous tension, "And those would be…?"
Wales smirked as he saw how easily Japan walked into his little trap. "Well, there were the spouts of sickness that plagued you for a while. Then there was the fact that you were quite moody, often changing from one to another."
He then raised his pointer finger, and moved it slight at Japan's face, "There was also… your weird appetite. Like… eating quite a bit of his cooking." He raised an eyebrow at that.
Japan eyed him warily, hoping he wasn't thinking what he was sure he was thinking.
The Welshman leaned forward again, getting really close to Japan's face. "But the most peculiar thing was that… you refused to let him touch your abdomen for these past few months."
Japan tried desperately to hold in his emotions at that moment, fearing what the Welshman might do. However, a small twitch of his mouth was enough to give him away.
Wales whispered, "You know we're thinking about the same thing, Japan."
Japan held his gaze for a few seconds before hesitantly moving his head away to stare at the floor below his feet in defeat.
Wales nodded his head slowly while still starring at the Japanese man intently, "Thought so."
He then sat up and started collecting the tea set and leftover tea that had surely gone luke warm by now, purposefully going around the couch where Japan sat.
As he was doing so, Japan spoke in an almost pleading tone, "Please don't tell him."
The Welshman stopped in his tracks to look back at the Japanese man before taking the tea set to the kitchen, "Oh? So that you could play chicken for a couple more months, which I no doubt know is what is going on, or do you have some sort of lame excuse for delaying it?"
Japan raised a hand at Wales to halt him, "Please! I already get enough of that from South Korea!" He hadn't meant to yell, but he couldn't control his emotions anymore.
"Then perhaps it is time to face the music instead of going into… what was it you called? Splendid isolation? C'mon, Japan. You can't keep stalling forever." Wales had set the tea set on a side table and turned to face Japan.
"Sooner or later that baby will come and when it does without you telling him first, it will most certainly lead you to the undesired situation that you are fearing will happen now. Granted, he may be busy now and not have any time for the kid, that's understandable, but at least give him some time to prepare so that maybe he could actually be in the child's life instead of having the child wonder where his or her dad is or why their parents are separated because their mother couldn't buck up the courage to say anything about it and it caused their marriage to fall apart!"
Japan had tears in his eyes as Wales continued.
"Seriously! If it was that easy for Kenya and I to see that this was happening-"
Before he could continue, Japan blurted out in rage, "How would you have known that Kenya knew!?"
"Oh? Perhaps maybe England, due to his paranoia, decided to hire me to follow you around and see what the fuck was going!?"
Japan froze in place. England… hired someone to spy on me?
"Do you even understand how that if Kenya and I knew almost immediately what the rest of the world already knows!? And more importantly, how the gossip circle seems to keep this topic out of sight out of mind!? It's because they know better than to stick their noses in this! They aren't going to tell him anything unless you are the first one to do so!"
Japan screamed at him, "I don't want to hear this anymore!" He then turned around and started to dash out of the room.
Wales added one more comment before Japan couldn't hear him anymore, "If this marriage goes to shit you have no one to blame but yourself!"
As he turned a corner, Japan could hear a vaguely British voice that had just entered the room, "Wales!"
He didn't bother to stay, and went towards the large balcony that overlooked the back gardens.
X-X-X
A few hours later
He stood on the balcony in the cold wind crying what tears he had left. He had locked the doors that lead to the sitting room just beyond the glass doors to the balcony for some privacy, and to keep an unwanted Brit and Welshman out.
He stood out there for several more minutes until he heard the glass door behind him open and a hand rest on his shoulder.
"Hey… you should like come in. This cold isn't doing you like any good."
Japan turned around to see Hong Kong standing by the now open glass door. He looked at him with a blank look, with some straggling tears in his eyes. A few seconds later Hong Kong came over and lead an emotionally distraught Japan inside to sit on a couch.
Japan questioned in his head how Hong Kong had managed to get into the locked room until he saw on a side table a little piece of wire, which may have once been a paperclip, used as a makeshift lock pick. Sometimes he wonders where he had learned how to do such things, until he remembered that, when England was overseas, Ireland would be the one to take care of him prior to becoming independent, so he perhaps learned it from him at some point.
The older Asian man held himself as he sought comfort. He kept his eyes on the floor as the minutes of silence ticked by. Hong Kong sat beside him, albeit with a little distance, and looked to the ceiling as if he was trying to form his thoughts together.
Japan gave a heavy sigh before speaking, "If you're hear on England's behalf don't waste your breath nor my time."
Hong Kong starred at Japan for a few seconds before he looked forward with a slight down casted glare at the floor. "I see that you and England are, like, not on speaking terms?"
Japan paused for a few seconds and attempted to change topics. "… Still refuse to call him 'father'?"
Hong Kong gave a small airy laugh, surprising Japan a little, "You should, like, know already I don't do it in front of others. But, like, I'm hear on my own curiosity."
Japan frowned some and continued to stare at the floor as he asked, "Where's England in all of this?"
Hong Kong glanced at him, "Downstairs beating the living crap out of Wales, I suppose."
Japan sighed, "Is he or isn't he?"
"Yeah. Really."
Japan leaned into the cushions of the couch as he thought about it. Hong Kong, however, interrupted his thoughts, "He said something about, like, he shouldn't have approached you and, like, let him do it."
Japan's arms sagged around him as his thoughts took a different turn. So he really did have him spy on me…?
Hong Kong leaned in to the couch, "I figured that was what was totally going on."
Japan slowly turned his head towards him and quirked an eyebrow, "How'd you know?"
Hong Kong looked him directly in the eyes, clearly forgetting some of the Asian customs but not caring either way, "Honestly, I, like, totally saw him tailing you one day. So I, like, tailed him. And… well, it's, like, history."
Japan lightly tossed his head back to rest on the top of the couch in pure aggravation that the secret was out, with the exception of England as far as he knew. He still asked to be sure. "So… you know about my situation?"
"Totally."
Japan covered his eyes with his hand as he let out a frustrated breath. A few moments of silence passed by before Hong Kong spoke again, "You know… this reminds a little of… like, what happened to me… I suppose."
Japan removed his hand from his face and sadly looked at Hong Kong. When England was married to China, which was an unhealthy relationship from the beginning, they had Hong Kong. Then shortly after when he was the equivalent of a 6 year old, his parents split and caused the Opium Wars. He understood that Hong Kong still had some issues regarding that and found it difficult to adjust and readjust during the custody battles. Then when he finally was settled in with England, Japan and him got married and that ensued a lengthy opposition between the two Asians.
Japan starred at the floor again and heaved a heavy sigh, "I understand, Hong Kong. You're worried my child will end up like you?"
Hong Kong glanced at Japan, "I suppose. You know, it's my stepbrother… or stepsister. And… I guess it's a little about me. I, like, don't want to see this happen again."
Japan couldn't help but hold Hong Kong's hand, even if he himself wasn't a fan of touching, "I understand. I don't want this to end in a divorce or as badly as it did with China. That's the last thing I want."
They stayed like that silently for about 10 minutes; just letting the words sink in. It wasn't until Hong Kong stood up that the conversation continued. "What about just getting away from this family for a while? It's not as bad as a divorce and it would give you time to think."
Japan thought for a moment, but then shrugged, "If I wanted to, I have nowhere to go. I moved almost everything here, and I don't go back to my country unless I'm called back there."
Just then, a phone, which there's at least one phone in the sitting rooms and offices in the house, rung. Hong Kong sat up to go and answer it, leaving Japan to sit on the couch and contemplate. Where would I go? Where…?
Hong Kong picked up the receiver, "Hello, Kirkland residence."
There was a moment of silence before Hong Kong motioned Japan to come over. When Japan approached, Hong Kong handed him the phone, "It's your boss. Perhaps this may be your ticket out?"
Japan rolled his eyes as he put the receiver to his ear, "Moshi moshi."
Japan's boss, Takeo Fukuda, spoke, using Japan's last name, "Honda-san, I know this may be bad timing, but I'm requesting that you come back to Japan as soon as you can."
Japan quirked an eyebrow, not that his boss could see it, "Why is that, Fukuda-san?"
Fukuda calmly answered, "Just some minor things I need you to do here. And… well, I've had someone keeping tabs on you for sometime."
Japan sighed in frustration again as he found out more of his personal life was being put on display. Apparently, Fukuda heard the sigh on the phone, "I know, I know. But understand this, I understand that you needed to get out of the house due to some… how should I say… displeasing circumstances?"
Japan narrowed his eyes, debating on whether or not everything had happened by coincidence, "Yes. May I know how you know?"
Fukuda awkwardly coughed on the other end, "Well, Hong Kong-"
Before he could answer, and as this was unusually rude of Japan, Japan interrupted, "And how, by chance, did Hong Kong let you know?" He looked at the Chinese teen as he spoke, seeing how the teen kept looking at the ground in embarrassment.
Fukuda calmly stated, "We have this buzzer, you see. He keeps the remote with him and I have the actual machine that makes the buzz. Since he's the only one who has the remote to it, I know he would only use it when he picked a good time to get you out."
Japan positioned himself so that he could have a more private conversation, "And why would he agree to this?"
Fukuda sighed, "He came to me a few months ago, almost in a panic. When he found out about… well, your pregnancy, and he saw how England's brother was tailing you, he started panicking thinking of how bad this could turn out. He just wanted to have your back if things got… well, dicey. So, he figured I was the person to come to about that."
Japan was silent for a moment, and looked out of the corner of his eye towards Hong Kong, touched by the fact that the teen went to so much trouble for him, despite them being still at odds every once in a while, and slowly realizing how this was eating him alive just as much as it was for himself. He turned his attention back to the phone, "Alright, I guess this can slide… for now." He added the last part to himself.
Fukuda gave a small chuckle, "Well, I'll be seeing you hear soon. I would say, there is a flight late this evening if you want to take that, or one in the morning."
Japan smirked, "Let me guess, you are already booking it for me?"
Fukuda spoke, "If you like."
Japan sighed, though unlike all the other ones he gave today, this was a relaxing one, "Put me on the morning one."
Fukuda scribbled the note on a piece of paper on his desk, "Alright, then I'll see you when you get off the plane."
The phone was put back on the receiver and Japan turned towards Hong Kong who was leaning on the wall a few feet away, "So…"
Hong Kong sheepishly looked up at Japan, "…So."
Japan hid the smirk that attempted to grow on his face as he spoke, "You know, I appreciate your help, but for doing that behind my back… you are helping me pack."
Hong Kong had a blank face, but his eyes betrayed, for once, his shock. Japan gave a quick smirk, which Hong Kong returned with a mischievous look in his eyes.
Japan was about to walk out of the room before he quickly turned to look at Hong Kong, "Oh, and by the way, it's half, not step sibling. And… you don't need to worry about your half sister."
X-X-X
Later that night
Hong Kong had left a few minutes ago after helping Japan pack up. Japan had sat down at his vanity, yes he had one, and glared at his specially locked box, the one that contained the pregnancy test, deciding what to say if England were to walk in. He heard the door open and he looked up to look in the mirror to see who was there.
Speak of the devil.
England stood there after closing the door, looking away from Japan's accusing eyes in the mirror. All was silent before England decided to speak up. "Hey, Kiku, I'm sorry that Wales was treating you like that."
Japan ever so slightly tilted his head and hummed in response, clearly knowing that Wales hadn't told England that he knew about the spying. He ignored him, though, in favor of brushing his hair and giving him the cold shoulder.
England noticed the cold shoulder he was giving and decided to say one more thing to try and console his husband. "I'm really sorry. I don't know what got into him."
The Japanese man remembered the day when they were returning from America's place shortly after finding out South Korea was pregnant. He remembered what England had said to him.
I don't like being lied to, much less liars.
Japan slowly put the brush down so that he was holding it just above the wooden surface as he spoke in an eerily calm voice, having about lost it, "You sure are a piece of work, Arthur."
England's eyes widened as he heard his husband's voice in that tone. "What do you mean?"
Still not looking at him, and looking like he was talking to the mirror, he spoke in the same calm voice, "You know. You were an empire, a colonizer, a pirate… and now a hypocrite," until the last part of his sentence, which came with a slight snarl and gritting of teeth.
England, shocked at hearing this from him, was dumbfounded until he finally answered back with a question, "Why am I a hypocrite?"
Japan slammed the brush down onto the vanity and stood up, facing him with rage in his eyes, "Oh? What? You're going to play dumb and pretend I don't already know?"
Taken aback by the outburst, England put his hands up in front of himself out of instinct, "Bloody hell, Kiku! Calm down! Know what?"
Japan took a large step towards the Englishman, "I already know that you hired Wales to fucking spy on me! Don't even try to fucking argue it either!"
England, shocked that Japan would use curse words and that he knew, couldn't speak. It wasn't until he himself started feeling rage that he spoke up, "I wouldn't have done that if you at least told me what was wrong!"
Japan barked back angrily, "You didn't even ask! Instead of actually trying to confront me about it you decided to have someone do it for you!"
"Because I thought you were cheating on me!"
Japan stopped for a second before giving a death glare, "You thought I was cheating?"
England shouted back, "What else do you think I was thinking during these months!?"
Japan stood almost a foot away from England, "Do you really think I would throw away our vows like that!? Do you think I would dishonor either one of us like that!? You above anyone else should know I would be the last person to do such a thing to my partner!"
"And how was I supposed to know you weren't cheating!? Just walk up to you and ask that!?"
"At least if you did we wouldn't be here fucking arguing right now!"
Japan turned to walk away when England grabbed his wrist, "I'm not done speaking to you!"
Japan whipped around, "Don't you fucking touch me!"
Smack!
England fell on the floor, putting a hand to his now reddened cheek where Japan had smacked him. He sat there silently when he heard Japan begin to cry. Japan held his face in his hands as tears were overflowing from his brown irises.
England stood up and barely was able to whisper, "Kiku…"
Japan chocked back a sob, "Get out."
England froze before he tried to reach a hand out towards the other's own, "Kiku…Please…"
Japan shook from holding in his tears, "Get out. Now."
England's hand stopped moving, and, after a few seconds, retracted it, and slowly turned to leave the room. He looked behind him for a few seconds, wondering if he really should leave. With a down casted look, he shut the door behind him.
Japan sat on the edge of their bed, freely letting his tears and sobs out. He sat there for a few minutes before he felt the baby kick. It had been kicking for a few weeks now, so it wasn't anything new. However, these kicks, unlike the others, were softer, just enough to be noticeable. Japan placed a hand over the area where the baby was kicking as tears continued to stream down his face. The kicks then kept to where his hand was, lightly kicking as if to say: It's okay. I'm here.
Japan sniffed, "I'm fine. Okaasan is fine."
The baby girl continued to lightly kick, as if it continued to reassure her mother from the womb. Japan stayed like that, often saying "Okaasan is fine. Don't worry" or other similar phrases.
It was about 15 minutes to midnight when Japan finally calmed down. It appeared England had taken the hint and had slept in a spare bedroom. Japan, remembering he still had a plane in the morning, started getting ready for bed. He was about to climb into bed when he stopped, almost frozen like a statue. He then turned back to his vanity and took out some paper and a pen to leave a letter for England after he left.
X-X-X
The next morning
Japan had already left for the flight to his country. England had already known about the fact that he was leaving, but he decided not to be there when he left as the sting on his cheek hadn't left quite yet and thought it was best to let sleeping dogs lie for now.
He was walking down the hallway and turned towards the master bedroom where the fight from last night still wavered in his mind. He opened it up to change into a suit for an upcoming meeting at noon. He opened the shared closet and looked sadly to the left where some of Japan's clothes were hanging up. He pulled out a suit and tie and layed it out on the bed. He was about to grab a pair of socks when he saw an envelope on Japan's vanity with his name on it. Beside the envelope was a small pouch.
He slowly went over and picked up the envelope. He pulled out the letter that was inside. England frowned slightly, realizing it was a 5 page letter. He sat on the edge of the bed and began to read it.
As he read, it recounted all of Japan's honest emotions and how he felt during the fight that they had from anger, to frustration, and to sadness. He repeated that he never once cheated on him and that he would never had dreamt of doing something like that to him. He recounted their wedding vows and how he meant every single one that he said that day, and that he wished to still be his husband. However, he truly felt upset with himself when he read the last few paragraphs.
… I wish we could stay as a married couple. Just forget that we had this fight. That I hit you…
But I know I need some space right now. I can't guarantee that after all that was said and done that we will get back together. I promised Hong Kong and another precious person that it wouldn't happen like it did between you and China… But I didn't, or couldn't, promise that we wouldn't divorce. I'm not saying that I want to right now. All I need is space and time alone to think and clear my mind.
I'll call you about my decision when I feel I've made up my mind. I don't want you to contact me while this happens. I did leave the wedding ring in the pouch, just for you to keep for now. If I call and say I want to come back, then I'll take the ring back. But for now, please leave me alone while I think.
Also, I left the key to that special box that I always kept locked and away from you. There's something in there I wanted you to see. It'll explain the way I've been acting for these past few months. I figured you seeing it will save me some words… and maybe some tears.
Until then, I guess this is goodbye,
Kiku
He sat there for several minutes, slowly trying to stop the tears that were breaching and overflowing from his eyes. He then took the pouch and held both the ring and the key. He enclosed the ring in his fist and clenched his teeth to hold back a choking sob.
The key was placed into the lock of the box and England turned the key. The lid popped open and he slowly lifted the lid to see two objects.
One was a picture of Japan and him on their wedding day.
The other was a pregnancy test.
X-X-X
End of Chapter 11
Reviews are most welcomed.
