OK, so the next few chapters will be in this flashback, I did consider cutting it down, but since people seem to like the fluff...Ah well. I'm sure you guys will let me know if it's rubbish right?
Neither I nor RubyKurosaki own Hetalia
Yao sighed in relief as his house came into view "Not far now" he said, hoping that that would comfort the American somewhat
America nodded, smiling slightly; "C-cool!" He held on still.
China shifted slightly as they approached his door to get his key, helping the American in; he led him to the bathroom. Alfred was amazed at the size of it, this house was amazing. Letting the other direct him, he blushed, "Ya-Yao? Wh-what are you doing?"
"You're covered in blood and you have injuries all over you aru. You don't want those scratches to get infected" he pulled out a first aid kit, and began wiping at Alfred's face "Stay still!"
America pushed him back, fresh tears in his eyes: "I-it doesn't matter!" He tried to stand, only to find himself trapped: "L-let it get infected! I-I deserve it!"
Yao fixed him with an authoritative glare "You're not thinking clearly aru so I'm going to ignore that. Stop struggling and let me help!"
"N-no!" America was going to be stubborn about it! Folding his arms he looked at the others glare; "Francis said I deserved it. Therefore I'm having my punishment!"
"How on earth could you deserve this aru?" China asked, beginning to gently wipe the blood from the American's face, too used to having to do this for his siblings and...others to be affected by America's attempt at a glare
America cringed, hating the others caring touch: "F-for asking England...t-to...marry me."
China stared at him, a little puzzled "And that was enough to make you deserve a black eye and a lacerated face aru?" Sighing, he continued to dab at the American's wounds "Don't blame yourself aru, you couldn't have seen it coming"
Alfred pouted, hurt had already wrenched his heart apart; "A-Arthur said h-he was gonna stay true...He loved me!
"Shh" China gave him a soft smile as he wiped of the last of the muck on Alfred's face "He's not worth it aru. Trust me, Arthur isn't how he appears, he's a complete liu mang aru"
Alfred wanted to curl up and weep, alone, safe... Not that he could. China had a nice smile, he decided, watching him. "He'll be better off without me."
"He'll have a fight with Francis and they won't be on speaking terms within the month aru. Then he'll come back to you, beg you into taking him back, then this whole cycle will begin again aru." China answered grimly, taking antiseptic cream and beginning to dress the scratches on Alfred's face
Alfred looked dumbfounded, China was right..."B-but he said n-not this time." He frowned, wincing with every touch of antiseptic: "B-because he'd already agreed t-to let Francis m-move in!"
China sighed "Because he saw the ring coming aru. It won't last; it never does with those two. The only thing that changes is who Arthur toys with"
"B-bastard set me up?" He looked horrified, "But I..." His thought faded away, unimportant...
"The best thing to do is just refuse him next time aru. Then he'll move onto someone else, or maybe a miracle will happen and he'll actually stick with France." China finished with America's face "Are you hurt elsewhere aru?"
"J-just a-about everywhere..." America tugged off his jacket, letting a train of fresh blood loose along with his tears: "A-Arthur did it...b-because I hit France ba-back..."
China stared in horror at America's body, seeing the open weeping wounds "What with?" A pause "Alfred, what did he do to you aru?"
America glanced up, pain in his eyes as he recalled it: "Knife...I-I laid Francis out and Arthur grabbed i-it...!"
China sighed in sympathy, beginning to do his best to clean America's back "Gāisǐ, it's been a while since Arthur's got that angry...was he drinking aru?"
"Ye-yeah..." America was staring at the floor; "French wine..."
"Thought so...he'll repent when he sobers up aru. And probably kick France out. Then come looking for you. But you shouldn't take him back aru" China winced at the depth of some of the cuts. Thankfully none should need stitches, but they were still deep enough to require bandaging
Alfred stayed quiet, letting the elder near his body was strange, he was so very very gentle. And he was right, he'd argued with England many times, and one of them had stormed off. But Arthur had never hurt him before, or let France near him...Maybe...Maybe China was right. Shivering, he placed his head in his hands, biting back a cry of pain.
China continued to do his best to clean and wrap the knife wounds without causing too much pain. He sympathetically rubbed the uninjured portion near the neck. America seemed so much like a child, and it angered him that England had been so cold and aggressive with him.
America's tears finally started to subside, becoming more like hiccups than anything else, pouting he spoke, still talking to the floor as he leant into the elder's gentle touch: "That mean I'm single now, huh?"
"I guess so aru..." China replied quietly, finishing his work "But it's not so bad..."
America pouted; "B-but I've almost always been with him! For like, years dude!"
"Well, maybe you can use it as an opportunity to seek out new friends, aru?" China suggested "Anywhere else that you're hurt aru?"
"Hmm…" Alfred looked up, gazing backwards: "My Pride, Ego, Sanity...oh! And my ass!" He smiled, trying to restore the old hero.
China offered him a weak smile "Well, if you're making jokes already aru, then you must be feeling a little better" he stood back, inspecting his work "I'm done aru. Do you need anything else?"
"Food?" Alfred smirked, turning around properly; "You always seem to make a damn good dinner~"
China gave a sigh and smiled "Sure aru." This was still Alfred after all. His stomach always seemed to come first. "What would you like?"
"Whatever you made last time!" America smiled; "You're an amazing cook, really."
China blushed "Thank you aru..." How long had it been since someone complimented his food? His siblings just took it for granted, and then would moan at him for being so fussy about how they ate, and as for those Europeans... he turned to leave for the kitchen "Would you like a moment alone aru?"
Taking a deep breath, Alfred stood up, gazing over; "Nah! I gotta come be the hero if ya hurt yourself!"
"Uh huh, of course aru" China left with a small smile; at least he seemed to be recovering a bit. He led America to the kitchen, searching his cupboards for what he had. Alfred balanced himself on the edge of the table, gazing at the older man as he worked. Why did he always get crushes on older people!
China glanced over, uncomfortable under the American's gaze. He sighed "Screw it, I'm just going to use that rice cooker Kiku gave me, it's too late to boil it properly. You don't mind aru?"
"Not one bit!" America tore his gaze away from the other. Dammit. Yao had a very nice ass...
Yao tugged it from the back of the cupboard, setting it up as best he remembered "I don't like using this, but I guess its convenient aru..."
"Dude it's like, saving time!" Alfred smiled, glancing behind him: "Whoa! Is that a panda?"
China looked where the American was pointing; a panda plushie that he'd got a while ago and never bothered to move to his room. He blushed. "O-oh. Yeah aru..."
Alfred darted over, grabbed it and held it close to him; "It's soo cute!" America smiled, childlike; "Bet he likes your cooking too!"
China blushed deeper; America looked so adorable hugging the panda close to him. "Y-yeah, he's lived in here a long time" he murmured, looking down to hide his blush.
"Soo...You ever had a real panda?" America nuzzled it; the feeling was comforting, like when he was a child.
China smiled in remembrance "Several, when I was younger. I used to see them from the window. But they're so rare now..." he trailed off, trying not to be distracted by the endearing scene in front of him. How did America look so cute like that? Unlike the others, he'd never met America until well after he became independent, so it was strange to see him looking so young, even with a black eye and scratches across his face.
America had been watching the others mouth move, almost disgusting thoughts suddenly crossed his mind. Blushing, he hid his cheeks in the pandas fluff; "Heh~ I should buy ya one."
"Hmm. I wouldn't advise that you try aru" China answered with a grin, pouring something in the wok that let off a hiss and a lot of steam "They don't make good pets"
"So~" America tilted his head, watching the other work; "You've had one?"
"For a brief while aru, when Hong Kong still lived here. It was fine when it was small but..."
"It's got too big?" America smiled, still holding the panda; "That pan's on fire y'know!"
"Aiyaa!" China returned his attention to cooking, before realising that the American's idea of 'on fire' actually translated to 'There's a lot of steam' although he probably would've been right if America hadn't alerted him to it. He turned off the heat and began portioning out the vegetables and meat
America couldn't help but love the smell of China's cooking, gently placing the panda down he grabbed the now full plates from the other: "Smells amazing!" Alfred sat opposite the other, smiling still: "Have I gotta eat it with sticks?"
China nodded "I don't have any forks here aru." he said apologetically, taking the remaining plates and some chopsticks through to his dining room "I generally don't have anyone over but my family"
"It's fine!" He smiled; "Heroes can manage anything! Even this!" he yelled, brandishing his chopsticks in the air.
China hid a laugh "You don't hold them like that aru"
"Huh?" America dropped his arm, frowning at his hand; "So...so how do I?"
"Well, for a start you only move the top one aru...you place that between your third and fourth...no balance it on your thumb aru"
"Uh huh..." Alfred successfully managed to hold them upside down..."Like this?"
"Err, no; see how I'm holding them aru?" China shifted so that America saw his hands from his perspective
Alfred nodded, shifting his fingers to the same position; "There!" He smiled, shoving the sticks into the nearest plate of food taking a piece between the cutlery and shoving it in his mouth; "Its soo good!"
China smiled "I'm glad" he replied, taking some food from each dish onto his own before eating
Skit we now need to write America vs. Chopsticks XD My knowledge of Chinese cooking is limited to what I could find in a quick internet trawl, so I apologise for any inaccuracy
Sorry England and France are so mean! I feel so unpatriotic ;3;
I drew the rain scene from last chapter if anyone's interested http: / / mysteriousshamrock . deviantart . com / gallery / # / d3hnmq9 -remove spaces
Please review! I'm kinda on edge about uploading this anyway, so any reviews/alerts/faves are appreciated just so I know I'm not wasting people's time putting it on here