[I'M AFRAID OF THE DARK: Sequel My Love is only Sheathed / fanfiction / T / darkfic, death, angst ]
Final sequel to my JapanChina story. Just if you're interested. The full story can be read through my fanfiction.net link.
Title: I'm Afraid of the Dark
Author/Artist: HikariKame
Character(s) or Pairing(s): JapanxChina
Rating: T, or really, M.
Warnings: Idealogically sensitive material, character death, angst
Summary: Black Kiku's actions have caused Yao to commit suicide, and Japan must now come to terms with Yao's violent and brutal death. The problem? He doesn't.
Read the full story here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5471704//My_Love_is_Only_Sheathed
Special thanks to dreamsofdestiny, who gave me a nice lengthy review for one of my latest stories. I hope I've improved, especially since all her suggestions were so good. And I just realized that dreamsofdestiny is also one of my most favorite writers on this site. Took me long enough; obviously the same username wasn't a good enough give-away. -Sigh- Half A Millennium is so good! And I have to thank her for making our lovely JapanxChina livejournal community. So, if you’re reading this, thank you!
Listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra right now. Dark moods is win. By the way, when it’s Japan’s POV, it’s his own inner thoughts about everything. It’s a nice vulnerable piece of writing. Lengthy reviews and constructive criticism is my soul food. Hope you like it!
I'm Afraid of the Dark
Final Epilogue to My Love Is Only Sheathed
Xxx
The sun beat on the heads of the nations who had come to say goodbye. America stood on the right of the coffin, dressed in his usual attire. His face shadowed by a fake cowboy hat he had bought off the streets of China. Although he had been laughing about Yao’s plagiarism earlier, he wasn't smiling anymore.
England stood stiffly beside America, swallowing nervously every few minutes. He didn't want to be there, and it was bluntly obvious. Beside him, the rest of Europe stood, respectful and solemn. No one shed any tears at all.
Japan was at the head of the Asia group. He stared straight at the crystal coffin, at Yao's sleeping face. His eyes were dry. The whole place was silent.
Who else wasn't crying? The better question was, who WAS crying?
Taiwan was crying, but only because it was she who had found Yao's mangled and bloody body. Hong Kong was crying, but only because he was scared that he would have to become China.
No one else besides Yao could have stood as China; it’s too tasking and stressful of an identity. Now, no one could be China.
Korea was crying. His whimpering sobs and bloodshot eyes were pitiful to look upon.
Liechtenstein was crying, but only because she was young, and scared that nations could really die. Besides, she had a soft, sensitive heart. Switzerland held her close, ever the compassionate brother.
Italy was bawling like a baby, but only because he was a crybaby. Or maybe he was going to miss the noodles that China used to make for him.
But no one else was crying. And no one cried for Yao. America, the self-appointed leader of the UN, said a few meaningless words, and the body was buried quietly and without a real ceremony.
America cleared his throat, "Ehem. We have gathered here today to see Wang Yao off. He was the representative of China, and was greatly admired." America said in a monotone voice. Only the mosquitoes voiced their complaints about the terribly boring and slightly cold-hearted ceremony, their voices buzzing loudly by the nations' ears.
"He lived a great long life, and we are all very sad to see him go. Goodbye, China. We're...not sure who's going to replace you. It's going to be hard." America admitted at the end. France nodded at America's words. No one else reacted.
America gestured quickly after, and four men walked out from the shadows of the house, and quickly buried the coffin. With nothing else left to do, the nations walked out of China's house, and went home in a daze.
xxx
I'm afraid of the dark.
I'm afraid of the dark. I am. To me, walking through my own hallways without light is a horrifying experience. To me, staring into the dark unknown is more frightening to me than facing death, or war, or England's food.
I'm TERRIFIED of the dark. Truly, I am. Nothing is wrong with anything; my desk is in that corner, my chair is on the left. Sailor Moon smiles cutely at me from my shiny alarm clock. Nothing is wrong. But that dark veil upon my eyes called night sends shivers up my spine and quakes to my fingers. I shiver like a terrified child who has just witnessed the death of his parents. Often, I have been so scared by the shadows in my house, that I cause earthquakes and destroy my buildings and architecture. All because I am afraid of the dark. You're laughing at me aren't you? Aren't you?
Why am I scared of the dark? I don't understand this, and yet I do. I'm scared of the dark because it hides me, shadows me. It lets me hide my face, lets me drop my guard. It lets me release all my inner desires and set them free onto the world. The darkness lets me be myself.
And I am not a nice person.
The darkness is when "Black Kiku" comes out of me to hurt the people I care about, the people I THOUGHT I cared about. I thought these people were important to me. I thought I would die for them. I thought...I thought China was important to me. For so long I believed, truly believed, that it was Yao who defined me. I wanted to be his loving shadow, his loving disciple. I wanted to be his favorite amongst the four of us. I wanted him to treasure me beyond anything and anyone. But Black Kiku showed up one night, and proved me wrong. My beliefs were destroyed like a tiny paper lantern in the unmerciful tornadoes of time. Now Black Kiku shows up every night, and all the time.
I thought I was nice; I thought I was just shy; I thought I was RIGHT...I was wrong. I was so very wrong.
My beliefs and my ideas about the world and about ME define ME. But I was wrong about them, ignorant about them. And so, it seems that I don't know myself. My mind is screaming for me to stop thinking about this, but I can't stop. I have no self-control. I have nothing now.
I have failed life. I have wasted 3000 years of my life to search for my identity, and I know no more about myself then when China found me in the bamboo forest those many years ago.
I have failed life because I have spent it hiding in the shadows. And I fear it because it is not love and light and heroic deeds and the samurai code, Bushido, that define me, it is the unmistakable darkness that comes to swallow the lively sun. The darkness is me; every aspect of it is me. No matter what I try to do to hide or change it, the darkness will always be me. What folly it is to think that I am where the sun rises; no light will ever grace my soul. Black Kiku will always be a part of me.
I'm afraid of the dark.
Xxx
Japan stumbled into the dark graveyard, kicking up stones and knocking leaves astray. The strong scent of sake was permanently entangled with his mangy breath. He snuck around China's house, and unlatched the rickety back gate. He crept into the backyard like a cat. There, beyond the pond was the grave of Yao.
'How sad,' Japan thought, 'to be buried in your own backyard. You'll never be able to leave this disgusting godforsaken place.'
Japan walked over to the grave, and peered at the grave marker. It was a full moon; no need for a flashlight.
Wang Yao
Representative of China for 5000 years
The one and only China
The one and only mother to us all
He will be sorely missed.
Japan felt his blood boil. Mother? Yao was no mother to him! Yao was a hell of a lot more than mother to him!
You certainly don’t go around taking your mother to your bed, now do you?
'But he's supposed to be your mother. You just had to fuck up the situation, didn't you? You're probably the reason why he killed himself, the miserable bastard.' A voice in his head said smugly. It was high-pitched at first, but quickly changed into a more deeper voice. The voice echoed his own.
'Shut up,' Japan hissed to his head.
"Ni...hon-san?" A timid voice called out. Japan whipped around and pulled out his katana. Taiwan squeaked and ran.
"Oh Wan-chan, it's just you. You scared me." Japan said, schooling his expression. He didn't put his sword away.
"It was you who scared me. What are you doing here, brother?" Taiwan asked.
"I am here to visit Yao. What about you?" Japan said curtly.
"I...I was looking for a reason. A clue to why China killed himself." Taiwan confessed.
The backyard was silent.
"I know why." Japan answered suddenly in a singsong tone.
"You do? Tell me!" Taiwan demanded.
"It's us. His ungrateful kids." Japan smiled as he said it. Taiwan backed up in shock, and Japan simply smiled more and followed her. “What?” She replied dumbly.
"Didn't you know? It's all our fault. We made him miserable, so he killed himself." Japan continued.
"You're lying. Yao wouldn't...wouldn't do that! I know it!" Taiwan called out, tears starting to pool in her eyes. “He’s…he’s…”
Japan's smile stretched from ear to ear now. "You know nothing about Yao. You never did. And just for the record, you know nothing about me too." Japan finished, hefting his sword up.
Taiwan's eyes popped out of her head. "Get ready, sister. I'm not happy that you bothered me.” Japan warned.
Taiwan pulled out a butcher's knife, and Japan charged. The battle was on.
Japan swung down at Taiwan, who blocked it with her blade, and pushed quickly. But before Taiwan could regain her footing, Japan had unclasped his wooden sword sheath and tripped Taiwan with it. Japan brought it down violently onto her head.
"Aaah!" Taiwan cried as the wood connected solidly with her head. Her whole body shook with the pain. Her only weapon bounced away.
The backyard was silent again.
"Neh, Wan-chan. You want to be China, right?" Japan started as an idea appeared in his head.
"Please, brother, stop this. This isn't like you." Taiwan pleaded. She had started to cry.
"Let me HELP you with that." Japan roared, and sliced through Taiwan's back. Taiwan screamed, and Japan boxed her ears with the katana sheath. Taiwan, unconscious now, fell silent.
Japan smirked and walked back to the grave. "Look, Ni-ni, I hurt Wan-chan. Aren't you going to scold me or something?" He said to the mound of dirt.
Nobody answered him.
"Come. on, I know you're still alive in there." Japan said, barking madly as he laughed at the sheer absurdity of the situation. Yao? Dead? Never! China was immortal, and this was just some pitiful scheme of his. It was.
It was!
Japan dropped to his hands and knees and started digging through the dirt like a dog. He kept laughing at random intervals as he dug.
"hehe...heehee...hehe..." He giggled. Japan stopped laughing when he got to the coffin.
With a triumphant grin, Japan unearthed Yao's grave. Inside the crystal walls, Yao' face was unchanged; the picture of death.
Japan cracked the coffin top using his katana, and pulled Yao's lifeless body out.
"You're not dead." Japan said again. He shook Yao, once, then twice. Yao's head bobbed lifelessly, and Japan spotted the rope burns on Yao's neck.
"Come on, Ni-ni, wake up. You have to-"
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Kiku's phone rang, and he dropped Yao's body, and cursed. Italy was calling; no doubt to talk about something stupid. He hit ignore, and threw his phone away. It hit the water and sank into the pond.
He grabbed Yao's hands again, and put them to his face. "Alright, Ni-ni, that's enough. Stop pretending you're dead. Your body is too cold; you'll get sick. And you said I didn't care about you."
Kiku's hands slowly dropped to his side, and Yao's hands, no longer supported by Kiku's bounced on the ground before coming to a rest. Japan stared at China's lifeless face vainly as he waited for a response.
Nothing.
"This has gone on far enough," Japan declared, pissed off now. "If you won't wake up, I'll have to use a more extreme method."
Japan pulled out his katana and put the tip to his stomach. "If you won't wake up, I'll kill myself. You hate it when I hurt myself, right?"
Nothing. Without hesitation, Japan pushed the blade in.
And screamed. He swore vehemently, as if the cuss words were flames coming out of his mouth. A waterfall of bloody spurted out, slowly dying Yao's body red.
"Come on, Yao, wake up." Japan hissed through the pain. The blade moved left, and Japan almost collapsed from the pain.
"Fine, damn you. Stay dead." Kiku yelled, and choked from the exertion. The blade moved right, and Japan collapsed onto his side. His face ended up eye to eye with China's. "You'll never escape me."
'Might as well finish the job,' Japan thought mutely. The air was filled with his screams of pain for a long, long time.
Japan’s katana was now sticking out his back, and his body was beyond repair now. He peered desperately at Yao's face again. Just once, just once, couldn't Yao’ eyes open just once?!
As Japan felt his life slip away, he let go of his bloody intestines and reached out a shaking hand to touch Yao's face. Japan's hand stopped just short of making contact. His arm was too short, and Kiku was too weak now to scoot any closer.
"Onegai," Japan begged, tears and blood streaming down his face. "Please, Yao, open your eyes." He strained his arms again. What a terrible way to die.
Kiku's eyelids fluttered, and it was getting harder and harder to keep them open.
"I'm going to die Yao, and I'm crying for you. Please Yao, open your eyes." Kiku croaked out.
The moonlight outlined Yao's face and Kiku's fingers. For an entire second, China's eyes snapped open. Kiku gasped, and blinked his eyes. China didn't open his eyes again.
Kiku groaned in pain. Behind him, Taiwan stirred. She turned slowly, and screamed.
A pool of dark blood had gathered around Japan and China. Yao was halfway out of his coffin. His body lay on the ground awkwardly, and so very dead. Japan had skewered himself with his sword, and his intestines were now clutched in his shaking and bloody hand. Almost his entire body was now covered in his own blood. The other hand was stretched despairingly towards China.
"JAPAN!!!!" Taiwan screamed.
"Hehe, Taiwan, look. China's smiling at me. He opened his eyes…He opened his eyes. Look, look." Kiku repeated.
Taiwan glanced over. Yao's eyes were closed. "I don't see it."
"His eyes are open. They are!" Japan screeched.
"Japan..." Taiwan whimpered, sobbing fearfully now.
Kiku blinked a few times and squinted with the last of his strength. Yao's face swan in and out of his vision. When it focused, Yao's eyes were closed. Japan gasped, choked out a sob and finally died, still clutching his torn up stomach with one arm and reaching for Yao's face with another.
China had been dead the whole time.
Yu chun de ren zi ji qi pian zi ji.
xxx
After that, Taiwan had dialed Hong Kong's number in a panic, and the other nations quickly learned of the news. Unfortunately, no one arrived in China until the morning, and Taiwan had to stay alone with the bodies until then. The full moon glowed ominously above her head the whole night as the dark shadows of the night danced around her, mocking her pain.
Taiwan never did recover from China and Japan's deaths.
Yu chun de ren zi ji qi pian zi ji: Foolish and stupid people trick only themselves.
Title: I'm Afraid of the Dark
Author/Artist: HikariKame
Character(s) or Pairing(s): JapanxChina
Rating: T, or really, M.
Warnings: Idealogically sensitive material, character death, angst
Summary: Black Kiku's actions have caused Yao to commit suicide, and Japan must now come to terms with Yao's violent and brutal death. The problem? He doesn't.
Read the full story here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5471704//My_Love_is_Only_Sheathed
Special thanks to dreamsofdestiny, who gave me a nice lengthy review for one of my latest stories. I hope I've improved, especially since all her suggestions were so good. And I just realized that dreamsofdestiny is also one of my most favorite writers on this site. Took me long enough; obviously the same username wasn't a good enough give-away. -Sigh- Half A Millennium is so good! And I have to thank her for making our lovely JapanxChina livejournal community. So, if you’re reading this, thank you!
Listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra right now. Dark moods is win. By the way, when it’s Japan’s POV, it’s his own inner thoughts about everything. It’s a nice vulnerable piece of writing. Lengthy reviews and constructive criticism is my soul food. Hope you like it!
I'm Afraid of the Dark
Final Epilogue to My Love Is Only Sheathed
Xxx
The sun beat on the heads of the nations who had come to say goodbye. America stood on the right of the coffin, dressed in his usual attire. His face shadowed by a fake cowboy hat he had bought off the streets of China. Although he had been laughing about Yao’s plagiarism earlier, he wasn't smiling anymore.
England stood stiffly beside America, swallowing nervously every few minutes. He didn't want to be there, and it was bluntly obvious. Beside him, the rest of Europe stood, respectful and solemn. No one shed any tears at all.
Japan was at the head of the Asia group. He stared straight at the crystal coffin, at Yao's sleeping face. His eyes were dry. The whole place was silent.
Who else wasn't crying? The better question was, who WAS crying?
Taiwan was crying, but only because it was she who had found Yao's mangled and bloody body. Hong Kong was crying, but only because he was scared that he would have to become China.
No one else besides Yao could have stood as China; it’s too tasking and stressful of an identity. Now, no one could be China.
Korea was crying. His whimpering sobs and bloodshot eyes were pitiful to look upon.
Liechtenstein was crying, but only because she was young, and scared that nations could really die. Besides, she had a soft, sensitive heart. Switzerland held her close, ever the compassionate brother.
Italy was bawling like a baby, but only because he was a crybaby. Or maybe he was going to miss the noodles that China used to make for him.
But no one else was crying. And no one cried for Yao. America, the self-appointed leader of the UN, said a few meaningless words, and the body was buried quietly and without a real ceremony.
America cleared his throat, "Ehem. We have gathered here today to see Wang Yao off. He was the representative of China, and was greatly admired." America said in a monotone voice. Only the mosquitoes voiced their complaints about the terribly boring and slightly cold-hearted ceremony, their voices buzzing loudly by the nations' ears.
"He lived a great long life, and we are all very sad to see him go. Goodbye, China. We're...not sure who's going to replace you. It's going to be hard." America admitted at the end. France nodded at America's words. No one else reacted.
America gestured quickly after, and four men walked out from the shadows of the house, and quickly buried the coffin. With nothing else left to do, the nations walked out of China's house, and went home in a daze.
xxx
I'm afraid of the dark.
I'm afraid of the dark. I am. To me, walking through my own hallways without light is a horrifying experience. To me, staring into the dark unknown is more frightening to me than facing death, or war, or England's food.
I'm TERRIFIED of the dark. Truly, I am. Nothing is wrong with anything; my desk is in that corner, my chair is on the left. Sailor Moon smiles cutely at me from my shiny alarm clock. Nothing is wrong. But that dark veil upon my eyes called night sends shivers up my spine and quakes to my fingers. I shiver like a terrified child who has just witnessed the death of his parents. Often, I have been so scared by the shadows in my house, that I cause earthquakes and destroy my buildings and architecture. All because I am afraid of the dark. You're laughing at me aren't you? Aren't you?
Why am I scared of the dark? I don't understand this, and yet I do. I'm scared of the dark because it hides me, shadows me. It lets me hide my face, lets me drop my guard. It lets me release all my inner desires and set them free onto the world. The darkness lets me be myself.
And I am not a nice person.
The darkness is when "Black Kiku" comes out of me to hurt the people I care about, the people I THOUGHT I cared about. I thought these people were important to me. I thought I would die for them. I thought...I thought China was important to me. For so long I believed, truly believed, that it was Yao who defined me. I wanted to be his loving shadow, his loving disciple. I wanted to be his favorite amongst the four of us. I wanted him to treasure me beyond anything and anyone. But Black Kiku showed up one night, and proved me wrong. My beliefs were destroyed like a tiny paper lantern in the unmerciful tornadoes of time. Now Black Kiku shows up every night, and all the time.
I thought I was nice; I thought I was just shy; I thought I was RIGHT...I was wrong. I was so very wrong.
My beliefs and my ideas about the world and about ME define ME. But I was wrong about them, ignorant about them. And so, it seems that I don't know myself. My mind is screaming for me to stop thinking about this, but I can't stop. I have no self-control. I have nothing now.
I have failed life. I have wasted 3000 years of my life to search for my identity, and I know no more about myself then when China found me in the bamboo forest those many years ago.
I have failed life because I have spent it hiding in the shadows. And I fear it because it is not love and light and heroic deeds and the samurai code, Bushido, that define me, it is the unmistakable darkness that comes to swallow the lively sun. The darkness is me; every aspect of it is me. No matter what I try to do to hide or change it, the darkness will always be me. What folly it is to think that I am where the sun rises; no light will ever grace my soul. Black Kiku will always be a part of me.
I'm afraid of the dark.
Xxx
Japan stumbled into the dark graveyard, kicking up stones and knocking leaves astray. The strong scent of sake was permanently entangled with his mangy breath. He snuck around China's house, and unlatched the rickety back gate. He crept into the backyard like a cat. There, beyond the pond was the grave of Yao.
'How sad,' Japan thought, 'to be buried in your own backyard. You'll never be able to leave this disgusting godforsaken place.'
Japan walked over to the grave, and peered at the grave marker. It was a full moon; no need for a flashlight.
Wang Yao
Representative of China for 5000 years
The one and only China
The one and only mother to us all
He will be sorely missed.
Japan felt his blood boil. Mother? Yao was no mother to him! Yao was a hell of a lot more than mother to him!
You certainly don’t go around taking your mother to your bed, now do you?
'But he's supposed to be your mother. You just had to fuck up the situation, didn't you? You're probably the reason why he killed himself, the miserable bastard.' A voice in his head said smugly. It was high-pitched at first, but quickly changed into a more deeper voice. The voice echoed his own.
'Shut up,' Japan hissed to his head.
"Ni...hon-san?" A timid voice called out. Japan whipped around and pulled out his katana. Taiwan squeaked and ran.
"Oh Wan-chan, it's just you. You scared me." Japan said, schooling his expression. He didn't put his sword away.
"It was you who scared me. What are you doing here, brother?" Taiwan asked.
"I am here to visit Yao. What about you?" Japan said curtly.
"I...I was looking for a reason. A clue to why China killed himself." Taiwan confessed.
The backyard was silent.
"I know why." Japan answered suddenly in a singsong tone.
"You do? Tell me!" Taiwan demanded.
"It's us. His ungrateful kids." Japan smiled as he said it. Taiwan backed up in shock, and Japan simply smiled more and followed her. “What?” She replied dumbly.
"Didn't you know? It's all our fault. We made him miserable, so he killed himself." Japan continued.
"You're lying. Yao wouldn't...wouldn't do that! I know it!" Taiwan called out, tears starting to pool in her eyes. “He’s…he’s…”
Japan's smile stretched from ear to ear now. "You know nothing about Yao. You never did. And just for the record, you know nothing about me too." Japan finished, hefting his sword up.
Taiwan's eyes popped out of her head. "Get ready, sister. I'm not happy that you bothered me.” Japan warned.
Taiwan pulled out a butcher's knife, and Japan charged. The battle was on.
Japan swung down at Taiwan, who blocked it with her blade, and pushed quickly. But before Taiwan could regain her footing, Japan had unclasped his wooden sword sheath and tripped Taiwan with it. Japan brought it down violently onto her head.
"Aaah!" Taiwan cried as the wood connected solidly with her head. Her whole body shook with the pain. Her only weapon bounced away.
The backyard was silent again.
"Neh, Wan-chan. You want to be China, right?" Japan started as an idea appeared in his head.
"Please, brother, stop this. This isn't like you." Taiwan pleaded. She had started to cry.
"Let me HELP you with that." Japan roared, and sliced through Taiwan's back. Taiwan screamed, and Japan boxed her ears with the katana sheath. Taiwan, unconscious now, fell silent.
Japan smirked and walked back to the grave. "Look, Ni-ni, I hurt Wan-chan. Aren't you going to scold me or something?" He said to the mound of dirt.
Nobody answered him.
"Come. on, I know you're still alive in there." Japan said, barking madly as he laughed at the sheer absurdity of the situation. Yao? Dead? Never! China was immortal, and this was just some pitiful scheme of his. It was.
It was!
Japan dropped to his hands and knees and started digging through the dirt like a dog. He kept laughing at random intervals as he dug.
"hehe...heehee...hehe..." He giggled. Japan stopped laughing when he got to the coffin.
With a triumphant grin, Japan unearthed Yao's grave. Inside the crystal walls, Yao' face was unchanged; the picture of death.
Japan cracked the coffin top using his katana, and pulled Yao's lifeless body out.
"You're not dead." Japan said again. He shook Yao, once, then twice. Yao's head bobbed lifelessly, and Japan spotted the rope burns on Yao's neck.
"Come on, Ni-ni, wake up. You have to-"
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Kiku's phone rang, and he dropped Yao's body, and cursed. Italy was calling; no doubt to talk about something stupid. He hit ignore, and threw his phone away. It hit the water and sank into the pond.
He grabbed Yao's hands again, and put them to his face. "Alright, Ni-ni, that's enough. Stop pretending you're dead. Your body is too cold; you'll get sick. And you said I didn't care about you."
Kiku's hands slowly dropped to his side, and Yao's hands, no longer supported by Kiku's bounced on the ground before coming to a rest. Japan stared at China's lifeless face vainly as he waited for a response.
Nothing.
"This has gone on far enough," Japan declared, pissed off now. "If you won't wake up, I'll have to use a more extreme method."
Japan pulled out his katana and put the tip to his stomach. "If you won't wake up, I'll kill myself. You hate it when I hurt myself, right?"
Nothing. Without hesitation, Japan pushed the blade in.
And screamed. He swore vehemently, as if the cuss words were flames coming out of his mouth. A waterfall of bloody spurted out, slowly dying Yao's body red.
"Come on, Yao, wake up." Japan hissed through the pain. The blade moved left, and Japan almost collapsed from the pain.
"Fine, damn you. Stay dead." Kiku yelled, and choked from the exertion. The blade moved right, and Japan collapsed onto his side. His face ended up eye to eye with China's. "You'll never escape me."
'Might as well finish the job,' Japan thought mutely. The air was filled with his screams of pain for a long, long time.
Japan’s katana was now sticking out his back, and his body was beyond repair now. He peered desperately at Yao's face again. Just once, just once, couldn't Yao’ eyes open just once?!
As Japan felt his life slip away, he let go of his bloody intestines and reached out a shaking hand to touch Yao's face. Japan's hand stopped just short of making contact. His arm was too short, and Kiku was too weak now to scoot any closer.
"Onegai," Japan begged, tears and blood streaming down his face. "Please, Yao, open your eyes." He strained his arms again. What a terrible way to die.
Kiku's eyelids fluttered, and it was getting harder and harder to keep them open.
"I'm going to die Yao, and I'm crying for you. Please Yao, open your eyes." Kiku croaked out.
The moonlight outlined Yao's face and Kiku's fingers. For an entire second, China's eyes snapped open. Kiku gasped, and blinked his eyes. China didn't open his eyes again.
Kiku groaned in pain. Behind him, Taiwan stirred. She turned slowly, and screamed.
A pool of dark blood had gathered around Japan and China. Yao was halfway out of his coffin. His body lay on the ground awkwardly, and so very dead. Japan had skewered himself with his sword, and his intestines were now clutched in his shaking and bloody hand. Almost his entire body was now covered in his own blood. The other hand was stretched despairingly towards China.
"JAPAN!!!!" Taiwan screamed.
"Hehe, Taiwan, look. China's smiling at me. He opened his eyes…He opened his eyes. Look, look." Kiku repeated.
Taiwan glanced over. Yao's eyes were closed. "I don't see it."
"His eyes are open. They are!" Japan screeched.
"Japan..." Taiwan whimpered, sobbing fearfully now.
Kiku blinked a few times and squinted with the last of his strength. Yao's face swan in and out of his vision. When it focused, Yao's eyes were closed. Japan gasped, choked out a sob and finally died, still clutching his torn up stomach with one arm and reaching for Yao's face with another.
China had been dead the whole time.
Yu chun de ren zi ji qi pian zi ji.
xxx
After that, Taiwan had dialed Hong Kong's number in a panic, and the other nations quickly learned of the news. Unfortunately, no one arrived in China until the morning, and Taiwan had to stay alone with the bodies until then. The full moon glowed ominously above her head the whole night as the dark shadows of the night danced around her, mocking her pain.
Taiwan never did recover from China and Japan's deaths.
Yu chun de ren zi ji qi pian zi ji: Foolish and stupid people trick only themselves.