Next chapter is here~!

And many thanks to those who review; I kinda die if I don't know how I'm doing...

Hetalia-Axis Powers: Not mine

Find Me:

Kiku could feel his head grow heavy; his body not used to staying awake so long.

"Time for sleep, Pochi-kun." He said in a soft voice as he scooped up the dog and slipped him into the little bed made just for him. "Have a good sleep."

Japan snuck a peek at the other tiny Asian, who was still sleeping soundlessly in his bed, before he left to get ready for his own sleep. He whispered a soft 'good night' to his home as he slipped under the covers and closed his heavy eyes, ready for slumber.

"Japan!" A voice snuck in from the darkness.

The little Asian bolted up from his bed. "W-what?" He breathed, taking a quick glance around the room.

"A-Arthur-san?" He asked shakily, "…are you still here?"

The only response he received was silence.

Japan took another look around the room before lying back down, pulling the sheets over his head. He couldn't close his eyes after that…still awake a few hours later.

"Japan…?" A voice almost the exact same as before called again, this time a little softer and more questioning.

"No!" Kiku flipped over onto his stomach and pulled the pillow over his head. "It's not real…I don't hear anything!"

Japan had heard this voice before, not just today…but many days ago.

"This is what happens, fools…" The voice of his brother's assassin sounded almost too familiar. "When you get too close to-"

"STOP!" The Asian would not fall into the torments of his mind just as he had the night before China's death.

"But Japan…" This time, the voice sound almost tearful, different from the one he had replayed in his mind.

Kiku had his eyes shut tightly, still under the covers of his bed, the voice returning again a bit stronger. "…Japan."

"AIH!" A screech came from down the hall, giving Kiku a jump.

"W-who…?" He thought out loud. "….the child!"

He leaped from this bed, barely slipping from the covers, snatching his Kanata from the corner, as his feet ramped from mat to mat of the tatami flooring. Japan speed down the long hallway, hardly having a moment to breath. That nation, whoever it was…had already taken his first brother…and Kiku sure as hell wouldn't allow it to take his next.

"Stop right there!" His moment now was nearly a replay to that of the night ending his last war.

Japan spotted another man, with longer hair just as the child had. Pulling his sword to ready, he held up his weapon to the back of the other, who was calmly taking side by the younger kid.

"Who are you?" Kiku words were stronger than he thought he could make them.

"…aru?" The figure, hidden by the shadows, looked up from the boy. "Japan?"

Kiku's grip on the blade tightened. "If you're going to take his life…then you'll have to destroy mine first."

The man's only response was silence, his face still hidden.

"You've already taken Aniki…" He could feel the tears harden. "…I won't allow you to take little bother.

The shadow, who sat only a few inches away from the kid; a few feet from Japan, put his hand behind him and used it to support himself as he calmly scooted himself around to face Kiku, a gentle smile spread across his face.

"Who did you say…" The man spoke with a tone that was oh too familiar to Japan, "…took Aniki?"

Kiku could feel his grip on the sword loosen, not out of security, but out of utter shock. He gaped at the man's face, features that were almost as clear as they were five months ago. His dark almond eyes, his silky hair that went from his head to his shoulder, tied at the right side, his gentle smile that could both comfort and confront those who came against him. The man's identity was not one to be mistaken.

"C-China…?" Japan could feel his face grow warm, while his tone remained cold.

The older Asian nodded.

A sudden clatter of his sword to the floor wasn't enough to wake the still sleeping child, who rested aside the room as the younger brother threw himself into the arms of his Aniki. Kiku could feel all his worries and troubles free themselves from his mind, leaving the younger Asian in almost complete peace as his real tears, ones that he hadn't felt since the day of his brother's 'death'.

"China…" He sniffed. "B-but…you…"

Yao wrapped his arm around his little brother, closing his eyes as if he too was relieved to see his other. "Shhh…" He held Japan with a strength he rarely showed. "…It's alright, aru."

The two sat in silence for the moment; both too atoned by the fact they were together again. China squeezed his brother's hand gently before pulling himself out of the grasp.

"But…" Japan looked up into the older brother's dark eyes. "…how?"

He gave a second smile, "What do you mean, 'how', aru?" China lifted his hand to place it against the cheek of his younger, "I'm here now, aren't I?"

Kiku felt his jaw lock, still trying to hold back his tears. "But you..and the Ricked man.." He sniffed in between phrases. "…and the gun..they said you were…"

"Dead?" Yao seemed more than just ok with finishing Japan's sentence.

Kiku nodded.

"Haha!" China ruffled up his brother's sleet black hair with a quick laugh. "…and I thought ,you of all people, would know that can't just kill Yao Wang!"

"But you left us, China…" Japan's eyes were still lined with tears. "…you were gone…dead."

Yao's shoulders lowered, along with his sigh. "I know, aru…and I'm sorry."

"What…?"

"I was killed ,aru…and it was unfortunate enough that you had to see the near end of it." He explained lowly; both of the Asian's minds filling with flashbacks of the day, one longer than the others.

"But…they didn't kill you, right?" Japan seemed to have confidence in that sentence. "You're alive now…I can see you..touch you." His grip on his Aniki's sleeve tightened.

"I'm afraid…" China pulled the younger's hand form his. "…that's not all what it seems to be."

"I am gone." He said shortly. "Dead, if you please."

Japan was most defiantly not pleased. "What do you mean?" His voice seemed to quiver.

"The China is immortal, aru…" His voice seemed to be tinted with a breaking disappointment. "…Yao Wang, on the other hand, is not."

When he received no answer, Yao turned his hand to the child, who had seemed to be forgotten for the past few minutes. "With that said…" His face turning back to a small smile, "…say hello to your new People's Republic of China."

Japan's eyes widened. "You can't mean…"

The previous 'China' answered with a single nod.

"Then…this little boy is…you?"

His elder looked away nervously, "Er…in a way, yes." The man's eyes were filled with mixed feelings. "He is of the name Wang."

Kiku sighed in what you could suppose was relief.

"But anyone can see that he is not large, or dare I say, old enough to be a complete nation." China's eyes took away from the child back to his brother. "Japan…I need your help."

Kiku couldn't answer.

"He is not me…the one who took you from the forest so many centuries ago. But he is China…he is me." It felt odd for the both of them when Yao addressed another by the name of China. "But he is a country…soon to be, if not already."

Yao took Japan's hand in his, "And that's where you come in."

"Japan…I need you." The words felt so wrong to Kiku, coming from Aniki's mouth. "I-…he-…we can't do this alone, aru. I need you to help us…for once, be the brother that I had to be."

Kiku could feel himself shaking. "But China…I can't…"

"Please, Japan." Yao grabbed both of his younger's hands, closing them in his as if they could both go in prayer. "I need you."

Japan doubted that he had ever cried this many times in one day. "But Aniki…I'm not…you can't really want me to…"

Kiku's eyes grew big as just in front of him, his older brother seemed to shrink, not only in size, but in age. The supposed 'dead' man who had come to him at the break of the morning was now a mere child, almost identical to the one sleeping a few feet away, a soft glow forming around them both.

"No…" The boy said, the same tone he had before. "…you are the Aniki now."

Japan grabbed little China, pulling the child into his arms, his face still decorated with fresh tears. "Brother…don't leave me now."

The boy pulled his little arms around Kiku's neck. "I'll always be here, aru…you just have to find me."

Japan didn't let go.

"Teach me where to go, aru." He went on. "Protect me, Japan…tell me right from wrong as I did you. Give me the home I can't make on my own and show me how to go on from there…"

Kiku could feel himself loose grip on China even though he hadn't moved his hands at all.

"Take me, Japan…" A pause. "…save me."

"But China…I'm not…" He opened his eyes, only able to catch the last glimpse of his brother.

The child smiled, his last moments quickly fading along with his spirit. "Find me, Japan."

Kiku reached out for China, his hand only able to grasp onto air. Seeing that his brother was no more, he too gave a smile and a nod to his brother; an answer to his older brother's self full request.

A soft "I love you." could be heard from the middle of them, being the only ones who knew from where it came from.

Japan watched, neither excited nor depressed, as his China's last breath was taken from him, leaving the smaller Asian alone. He heard a soft yawn from the corner; the child, who had finally felt the light rays of the sun begin to shine through the morning clouds.

"…aru?" The boy's voice yawned as he sat up to take a look around, his dark eyes a innocent glow.

There was a soft pause between the two. The child; still covered in sleep, and Japan; who for once, just couldn't take the mood.

"Good morning." Kiku greeted him with a weakened smile before scooting over to the child to help him out of bed.

The kid gave a bright smile when he found Japan, reaching his arms out for him as he had the previous night. Kiku put his arms under the boy's and gently lifted him from the sheets.

"Aha~!" The child giggled as he ran his fingers over his now older brother's face and sleeping kimono. His curiosity of the taller Asian lead Japan to thinking of what to tell him.

The boy smiled and pressed his small hand against Japan's cheek, "Aruuu~"

"Ah…my name is Japan." Kiku said slowly, wondering if the boy could understand.

"Ja…pon?" He tried to repeat Japan's words.

Kiku shook his head, deciding to repeat it slower. "Like this…Ja-pan"

"Japan!" The boy seemed to get it so quickly, happily bouncing up and down in his brother's arms. "Japan!"

"Yes…" Kiku smiled. "Japan."

...and the story finally starts to take off

Please R&R! It really helps.

Next chapter = Thursday