Aha… This one was kinda difficult, because I wasn't sure how everything fit together… enjoy, ne?
I don't own Hetalia. *starts another letter* Dear Santa…
Japan stared in shock. Had he heard China right? No, that couldn't have been it. "I…I'm sorry, Yao-nii-san, but could you repeat that?"
Staring back at him was China, his older brother, looking as if Japan himself had gone crazy. I haven't, right? Japan's thoughts were worried, chaotic, far from their normal sense, far from their normal order.
"You skipped the demilitarization meeting, aru. Japan didn't." China was still looking at him as if his sanity was fragile, breakable. The worst part was that Japan was beginning to agree with him. And he could hear the hatred, the bitterness and hurt in his brother's voice.
Still, it would be better to try get through to him. "Y-yao-nii…I think that-" Before he could finish, Hong Kong burst in.
"Kiku-nii! It's good to see you. I'm glad that you are better, actually, I wished to speak to you at the meeting, but you left before I got the chance." Japan stared in shock at the boy. This was the most he had ever heard the boy speak at one time.
"Xiang Gang, do you need Kiku for something, aru?" China was bemused.
"Ah, yes, I wanted to show him a project I was working on." Hong Kong grabbed his arm, and began to tug the stricken country from the room. "May I borrow him, gege?"
"Oh, of course, aru!" China smiled. "I will see you some other time, Kiku!"
"A-ah, yes, o-of course…" Hong Kong pulled him fully into another room.
"Are you insane?" Hong Kong was staring at him. "The only thing keeping China from treating you like he did at the meeting is the fact that he thinks you're not Japan!"
"Wh-what? What are you talking about? I am Japan!"
Hong Kong sighed, and leaned back against the door in a world-weary way. "Greece is your friend, correct?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"What would you think if he suddenly walked up to you and slapped you, then refused to speak to you at all?'
"I would wonder what I had done wrong…Maybe think it was a prank, or that it was not him, but someone who looked like him…why?"
"Because that is what gege is doing right now."
Japan's eyes widened. So I am so inhuman that my older brother must separate me into two parts… Country and person. He still hasn't realized that neither are human…
"He is disassociating "Japan" and "Kiku"?" Japan questioned, barely able to believe this was happening.
"I think so." Hong Kong looked suddenly serious. "I…England let me visit gege, after the war was over, to make sure he was okay. When I saw him, he kept muttering that he wouldn't believe that Kiku could do such a thing. When I asked after you, as "Japan", he told me: "I don't care if that bastard lives or dies, aru!", and walked away."
Japan shivered. If this hadn't been so serious, he would have laughed at Hong Kong's impression. "He said that?"
"Yes. However, when I asked about Kiku, he went into a panic, worrying whether you were okay or not."
"A-ah." Hong Kong pulled him towards the door.
"It's best if you go now."
"Yes, of course, I understand." Japan bowed to Hong Kong as he stood in the doorway. "Thank you for letting me know."
"Of course. You are still family." Japan looked up at him in shock, and was nearly hit in the face with a door. Yao-nii said that too…
***
"America. Stop pacing this instant." England was glaring at the younger nation, who was currently wearing a hole in his Persian rug.
"I can't help it, England! How could you let Kiku go talk to China on his own!?" America had turned on him and was practically shouting now.
"Kiku?"
"That's beside the point!" America wasn't blushing. At least, he hoped he wasn't. "It's not safe for him to be there, what if China snaps or something?"
"Hong Kong already bloody said that he'll be fine as long as he shows up in traditional clothes." England sighed. First the war, now this? As if to make things worse, Russia was giving hints of worse to come. "If something goes wrong, Hong Kong will help him. He will be fine, Alfred."
America sighed as well. "I know, I just feel responsible. It's my fault he's injured, and I'm supposed to be the hero!"
This was the last straw for England. "Just get the bloody hell out of my office, you git!" His well-aimed empty teapot hit right next to the blonde's ear, sufficiently scaring him.
"AH! I'm going, I'm going!" America sprinted to get out of the office, and England went to pick up his shatterproof teapot.
"Oh good, this one didn't leave a dent…" He sat down at his desk and stared at the phone. "I'll just check in with Hong Kong. After all, it wouldn't do for Alfred to worry so much…"
***
"Hello, Wang Yao's home, Xiang Gang speaking."
"Hong Kong, it's good to hear that you continue to work on your manners." England smiled, forgetting that his charge could not see him over the phone.
"Oh, hello, England. Do you need something?" Hong Kong leaned against the wall again, wondering if it was time to go home already.
"Er, I was just wondering if Japan came to visit today…" Hesitant as England was about prying, he could not help but be curious.
Hong Kong merely laughed. "You are wondering if China did something."
There was no being subtle about it, not when the boy knew him too well. "Yes."
A brief silence reigned, and England wondered about the connection. "It's fine." Hong Kong's voice was almost bitter. "He wore his traditional clothes, gege was absolutely ecstatic, and everyone enjoyed themselves. Then gege asked why "Kiku" skipped the meeting."
England hissed under his breath. That was bad. That was very, very bad. "And?"
"Kiku-nii was about to convince him that he had gone, I managed to get there just in time. I explained, sort of, what we think is happening. Then I sent him home." Hong Kong felt more than ready to bash his head against the wall. Being around Ivan for so long had made his elder brother somehow, not himself, not right.
"Thank you, Hong Kong…I'm so sorry you have to go through this on your own." England wanted to convey regret, apology, somehow, over the phone.
"It is fine. When do you want me home?" That was more like Hong Kong. Just the facts, and nothing else.
"Whenever you wish. Leave immediately if things get too dangerous. No unnecessary heroics, you're not the bloody git."
Hong Kong could hear the tremor in England's voice, well disguised as it was. "That's not polite, England."
England laughed, wincing at how fake it sounded. "Of course. Are you certain that you will be all right?"
"Yes. Gege would never hurt any of his siblings."
"Japan?"
"Japan is no longer a sibling. He lost that right a long time ago. However, Kiku may still have a chance."
There was a click, and England's line went dead. He sighed as he hung up the phone. "I will never understand those Asians…"
Yay, Hong Kong to the rescue! So yes, here you go… I actually was stumped for the longest time on this one. *was up at 12:54 AM writing* Thanks for reading!
Actually I get why writers petition for reviews so much… each one is kind of like a big hug, ne? Sorry, being weird~!