Hi guys, I'm back. I'm a day late again when I promised I wouldn't be! I'm so sorry. But I just had my last exam two days ago so I've been busy. And yesterday was my birthday so I've been really busy. But I'm here now!

To the ever-faithful elizabeta H. Austria, I have to be honest; I doubt this chapter will resolve any of your questions. But I hope you like it anyway!

To Night Dawn, glad you like it! Praise and glory to love triangles! And yeah… I often double-space when I change from one paragraph to the other. But fanfiction does not like that, oh-no it does not. So it often changes back to one line spacing after I update, which is annoying. I've been meaning to go over the chapters again and fix this but…yeah…I'll get to it. One day.

Anyway, hopefully it worked for this chapter! Thank you both so much for reviewing, you guys rock!

And here's chapter 13, enjoy and leave a review guys! I own nothing!

Chapter 13: Bittersweet

China laughed awkwardly and subtly tried to remove her arm from Kuro's grip. Kiku sat at the table across from them, his dark eyes impassive. Yao couldn't really tell but she sort of felt he wasn't really happy with this situation, why would he be?

"Look, let's just go back to Russia's place. Yue and Vadim should be there. I'm sure Olivia and Arthurine have found some way to get you all back to your own world, we can end this madness." She said.

Kuro and Kiku eyed each other across the table, "agreed, my jet will be ready in an hour," Kiku said, standing and pulling out phone, walking away from them. Yao glanced after him with concern.

"Is it just me, or is he acting more like me than he should be?" Kuro asked in a mock sweet voice.

"There does seem to be something troubling him that he's not telling us," Yao agreed mildly, ignoring Kuro's tone.

Kuro snorted and took a sip from his glass, "don't delude yourself sweetheart, he's been an ass since the second he got here. If there's something bothering him, it must be eating at him inside. Hope it's really hurting him."

He sounded so like Yue, the woman who had raised him, that Yao had to fight incredibly hard to keep the smile off her face, she covered her mouth with her sleeve and faked a cough to hide her laughter.

Kuro didn't buy it, "what's so funny?" He demanded.

"Oh nothing," Yao replied airily, "I was just thinking about the impact of family."

Kuro looked at her as though she had just sprouted a second head, "…right," he said after a while.

He too got up and left, going the opposite way to Kiku, China watched him leave and then turned to stare at the door her ex-foster sibling had left through, "what is wrong, Kiku?" She murmured softly.

Yue Chung was staring listlessly out the window again, this time at the front of Russia's huge house when a car pulled up and three people got out. Yue's eyes widened, the person who'd gotten out of the front passenger seat was a small Asian male with a bowl cut and huge brown eyes wearing a white military uniform. He looked almost exactly like her foster brother but she didn't know this man personally. She knew the two who got out of the back though.

"Vadim, Ivan! Get here now!" She yelled. She heard two replies and the sounds of footsteps.

"Yao's here, she's got Kuro and your Japan with her," she said as the two of them reached her.

Vadim looked surprised, relieved, confused and anxious all at once. Ivan just smiled sweetly, "I knew he'd find her." He went out to the front of the house to greet the three of them.

Vadim and Yue glanced at each other, "well, we were going to have to tell him eventually, right?" Vadim said philosophically.

Yue tugged on a short strand of her black hair, "yeah, I know, I'm not worried or anything. It's just…" she twirled the strand around her finger, "I guess I do feel kinda bad, for breaking his heart." She took Vadim's hand with her free one, "I don't regret this though."

Vadim gave an unusually heavy sigh and squeezed her hand briefly, "I don't want to say this Yue but…I'm really not so sure Kuro has anything to break in the first place."

He squeezed her hand again before dropping it and walking towards the newcomers. Yue tugged on the lock of her hair so hard it hurt, "you're wrong about him," she whispered.

After they all got out of the car Yao barely had time to stretch the kinks out of her old bones when she was swept into a huge bear-hug by the usually reserved Russia, "Ivan. Can't. Breathe," she gasped.

He released her, "glad you're back," he said simply.

She grinned, despite herself, "glad to be back, I don't even know where Kuro took me."

Too late, Yao realised her mistake, Ivan's eyes looked like two chips of pale purple ice. "So, the little other-Japan is the one who took you, da?" He said, the sweet, yet menacing tone of voice sending shivers up and down Yao's spine. Even after all these years, even after knowing full well that he was actually a pretty great guy underneath his terrifying exterior, Russia could still scare the crap out of her with his intimidating aura.

He was scaring the shit out of her right now.

"No. Nononononono, it's not like that-aru!" She yelped, waving her arms, he was trying to kidnap Yue Chung, not me. She didn't say that though, it wouldn't help. "Don't hurt him," she begged, she didn't want to hit Ivan over the head with a wok because of Kuro –what? No! She didn't want to hit Ivan over the head at all!- but she would if she had to.

Russia seemed to stop and consider her words for a second before shrugging and taking her hand, "I suppose you're right, Yue and Vadim's surprise should be punishment enough, da? Let's go inside." He tugged on Yao's hand and she walked with him, Russia stopped by Kiku, "thank you for finding her," he said sincerely.

Japan folded his arms and looked away; okay seriously, did he hit his head or something? Her brow furrowed, what is wrong with you-aru?

She turned back to Russia, "and just what is this surprise Vadim and Yue have in store for Kuro? Don't tell me I need to hit them over the head with a wok?"

"Nothing bad. You'll see," Russia said mysteriously, leading her towards the house. They reached the door but as she walked through it something prompted Yao to turn around and look back, Kiku was still standing by the car, lost in thought; Kuro appeared to be saying something to him and Kiku was nodding occasionally. Yue and Vadim walked towards Kuro and his dark red eyes flicked to them. When they were still a meter or so away from him, Vadim leaned down and, very obviously, kissed Yue on the mouth.

Yao froze; Kuro did too, though his only outward reaction was a tightening of the skin around his eyes.

Yao's hand gripped the doorframe so hard the wood creaked, "I see. So that was their surprise, didn't have the guts to tell him they were in a relationship so they decided to take him by surprise and break his heart in one go. That isn't even bad, Russia, it's just plain sick," China turned on her heel, brown ponytail whipping around her, and stormed off down the nearest corridor, let someone else deal with it for a change.

Russia looked from her, to Kuro, to Kiku who was still standing impassively in the driveway, oblivious to his surroundings.

I feel as though I'm missing something here.

Leaning against the balcony, looking out into the starry, snow covered night, Kuro Honda turned slightly as someone approached him.

"Am I interrupting something?" Yao asked.

Kuro shook his head wordlessly and she came to stand beside him, looking over the railing.

Kuro had both hands fisted gently on the railing that he hadn't bothered to dust free of snow. Both his hands where so numb it took him a few seconds to realize when China placed her dainty left hand over his right one.

He glanced up at her, surprised, Yao picked up his hand and held it between both of hers, trying to offer warmth and comfort at the same time.

"I'm sorry about Yue and Vadim; you didn't deserve to find out like that."

"Actually, I did," Kuro confessed.

Yao didn't press and she didn't judge him, "maybe you did. But it was still the wrong thing to do." She rubbed his hand again.

"I disagree," Kuro didn't argue his point and neither did Yao; they just stood there in silence for a while then;

"I'm swearing off guys, I'm so done with all this drama-aru," China heaved a sigh. "I don't know how anyone could find all this drama exiting. It's exhausting-aru!"

"I wouldn't know personally but I've been told that swearing off men can get rather boring," Kuro said, he was almost smiling now.

"I dream of boring these days. Boring would be the new Heaven for me," said Yao with a sigh.

"I disagree," Kuro said again. "You know just because you ignore a problem doesn't mean it'll go away, we'd have gotten rid of more than half the wars that way if that did work. But it doesn't. You can ignore this for as long as you like but Russia's not going anywhere. And your own feelings for Japan wont just dry up overnight."

China glanced down at him, creeped out, "you are much more perceptive than you let on," she murmured.

Kuro did manage a proper smile this time, "no actually. Just that when you get Vadim to start talking, he never stops. And you need to talk to Kiku."

"You're damn right I need to talk to Kiku," Yao agreed. "I'm starting to think he's been possessed or something. I just can't tell what's up with him! Aiya!" She hit the broad stone railing with her free hand in frustration.

"I think I might know," Kuro murmured.

China pounced on him (metaphorically), "you do? Than tell me, please. I can't think what might be bugging him so much! I've tried asking but he's so secretive and stubborn."

"Nope, can't do that, you need to find out on your own," said Kuro, smiling slightly.

Yao whacked him with a ladle for a bit but that was all she could get out of him on the subject, "forget about me, I'll be fine out here, go find him." He squeezed one of her hands like Russia had done earlier and then dropped it.

"And thank you."

Yao glanced at him quizzically, "but I haven't done anything."

"Trust me, you did a lot."

China left and after staring at the door she had disappeared through for a while, Kuro pulled himself up onto the railing and lay down, balancing on it, facing the stars. A couple of snowflakes drifted onto his face as he stared up at the billions of twinkling stars. Slowly his eyes slid shut.

"Kiku? Can I talk to you?" Yao poked her head around the door of the room Japan was using for the night.

It had been late by the time they had gotten back, after they had all eaten dinner together it was decided that the three newcomers would stay the night too and they would all figure out what to do in the morning, starting with calling England.

Russia had texted both England and France that China had been located earlier. France expressed his sincerest relief but they had yet to get a hold of England, which was odd. She was usually so good at answering her phone.

Japan turned, "certainly, China-san," Yao frowned, oh, so they were back to China-san, were they?

"What's wrong with you Kiku-aru?" Yao asked, annoyed.

Japan raised a slim eyebrow, "forgive me, China-san, I have no idea what you-"

"-I think you do Kiku," the older nation replied, cutting him off.

The fight went out of Japan, so did all of the aloofness, "sorry," he muttered, "I was not expecting all these emotions, they threw me off balance."

China blinked, "what emotions-aru?" She asked.

Kiku turned away and placed his katana on the bedside table, he didn't turn back around. "All of them. The fear I felt when Russia told me you were missing. The disgust I felt when I realized that your kidnapper, the man who had potentially hurt you had my face. The rage I felt when I found out that you were staying with him willingly-"

"Willingly?!" Yao interrupted, it was unlike Kiku to share so much of himself with anyone and she was grateful but she really had to object, "I was kidnapped in case you've forgotten-aru!"

Kiku did turn around now, he gave Yao a cool look that froze her in her tracks, he was so different now to how he usually was. He was throwing her off balance.

"Are you telling me that you honestly could not have escaped Kuro's clutches if you had wanted to?" Kiku asked softly. Yao didn't answer, of course she could have, and they both knew it.

Japan took a step forwards and took both of Yao's hands, he gripped them so tightly that the pressure started to hurt. China winced, what was with all of the hand holding all of a sudden?

"But most of all, was the sadness and absolute despair I felt when I thought you had chosen Russia."

Yao understood what Kiku had said immediately but it took a few seconds for the knowledge to sink in.

Wait. WHAT?! China winced again, mentally this time; I knew I should've sworn off men. Despite herself, her heart rate picked up until her heart was thudding erratically against her chest.

"You can't be saying what I think your saying," she mumbled through stiff lips.

Japan's gaze was soft, yet unyielding, "I am actually." He was very close.

"B-but, what made you realize-?"

Kiku actually smiled, "realize? Yao I've been aware of my feelings for you for decades now. And well aware of your feelings for me for centuries."

"You-" heat flooded China's face, turning her cheeks the same colour as her crimson shirt. "You knew?"

Japan nodded.

"W-why did you say something?" She was completely stunned and mortified by this revelation.

Kiku shrugged, "you did not wish for me to know, so I kept quiet out of regards for you. Before that, when I first realized, I did not share those feelings so I did not bring up the subject in an attempt to avoid the issue. But it can no longer be avoided."

"B-But don't you think I'm sick-aru?! Twisted? Perverted?" Demanded Yao, Kiku had to, there was no other way he could look at this, was there?

A small smile crossed Japan's face; he reached out and gently took her cheek between his thumb and forefinger. "Of course not, how could I when I felt the same way about you? When I knew how perfect you really were?"

Perfect.China closed her eyes and shuddered, she had been so wrong about him. "Sorry I doubted you Kiku."

He leaned forwards, so did she, "that's perfectly alright Yao."

They were inches apart...

"I've waited for this for seventy years," Kiku whispered.

Yao smiled, "I've waited for this for five times that."

They were centimeters apart...

Kiku stopped, "but I lost all right to this, to you, long ago. I'm sorry."

Yao kissed him, "please don't be an idiot, out of all of us, you're the only sensible one."

Japan brushed back a lock of her brown hair, "sorry."

Yao smiled and leaned forwards again, pecking him on the nose, "see you tomorrow," she promised before darting out the door.

"I'm sorry," Kiku whispered as the door clicked shut.

Outside in the corridor Yao stared at her knees wordlessly, she played a decent part but she was no longer acting. She had been so sure she would never have Japan. And now, considering her emotional reaction to what essentially surmounted to a confession of love, she was beginning to think she was exactly right.

She flexed her fingers, "this is everything I've ever wanted. I was so happy when he said that. So why did I run away like a scared child? What is wrong with me-aru?"

What is wrong with me?

Complete! Hope you guys liked it. Things are really wrapping up now! The chapter after the next one should be the last one if everything goes according to plan. (Plan? What plan?)

NiChu or RoChu guys? FrUK or USUK? If you don't tell me I refuse to be held responsible for sinking your ships.

I named this chapter 'Bittersweet' because it means 'truth' and this chapter was bittersweet, Hehehe…

R & R guys, hope you enjoyed.

See ya!