China smiles when he sees the ash-haired boy struggling weakly to sit up, sucssesful in only pushing himself into an awkward position that balances his upper weight forward over his weirdly twisted arms.

"Do you need help aru?" He asks and walks in further. Japan doesn't reply or even look at him, but China isn't put off and instead gently pushes his chest up, then guides his hands to better supporting positions. "See? That is better."

Japan lifts his head and turns his blank stare to his elder brother, bringing a surprised smile to China's face. "You must be doing better now, Aru!" China says happily. It was all too rare that Japan would pull himself far enough from his mental fog to actually look at someone. To stay that far wasn't something that had happened yet.

True to this, Japan's gaze falls to his lap.

China reaches out and squeezes Japan's hand softly. "I'll get you something to eat, Aru. It might help you feel better."

With that, he leaves the room.

In the kitchen, he runs through his too-small food supply, wondering what he can make with it, when a phone rings.

"wéi." China says in the customary phone greeting of his country.

"Konnichiwa China, this is Japan's Prime Minister."

China smiles, knowing exactly what he'd called about. "You want to know how Japan is doing, yes, Aru?"

"Hai."

"Japan is doing well. You must be making good improvements in restoring your nation, his fever was lower this morning."

The Prime Minister sighs in relief. "Hai, we have recovered some fishing ships and some farmland, so less people are starving now. Kyoto is being rebuilt as well."

"How is Tokyo?"

The Prime Minister hesitates. "We are still unable to reach it I'm afraid. Most of the survivors are staying at Niigata, so it is our unofficial capital for now."

China is silent for a moment before saying quietly, "But... Tokyo is still the heart of Japan. I am worried he will worsen if it is left unaided."

"Yes, I know. We are making our best efforts, but we cannot afford to make it our every effort. We must rebuild what we can or we will risk more deaths, and that's something we cannot allow to happen."

China leans against the counter tiredly. Of course, the death tole couldn't be allowed to rise for Japan's sake. It would only weaken him further.

"So how is your government?" China asks, wanting to change the subject.

"It is slightly better. We have reformed some of the Diet, so we are able to have some officials taking care of different areas." The Minister pauses. "How is your country?"

China sighs. "It is kinda failing badly, aru. The Government is all fighting over what to do and getting nothing done. My people are beginning to starve again, and I can't help but remember what happened during Mao's rule..."

"It isn't that bad is it?!" The official says, sounding almost panicked. It was unusual to hear that in his voice, but anyone would become unnerved over the thought of another Great Chinese Famine. The death toll had been far above the number from the Holocaust after all.

China smiles at his concern. "No, that is only what I'm fearing for the future. Most people have enough to get by, for now at least."

"I see."

China glances at the cupboards again and suddenly remembers why he was in the kitchen. "Oh, sorry Sir, but I need to get myself and Japan something to eat, aru."

"Ah, yes. I apologize for keeping you."

"It is fine!" China smiles at his polite mannerisms, reminded of the ash-haired boy he was taking care of.

He hangs up and China pulls out what he has to get started on some concoction for breakfast. By the time he's almost finished, he notices a shadow move at the doorway. He turns, and recognizes dark empty eyes watching him.

"You have gotten up already, aru?" China says with a smile and Japan blinks blankly at him before looking down at his feet. "You have a short attention span Nihon," China notes, rembering how frequent and easy it is for him to suddenly lose interest in something nowadays.

Japan's head jerks back up at the name and he blinks at China, his mouth slightly parted, before letting his eyes to drift around the kitchen lazily.

"You used to be so focused, what happened?" China hadn't meant for his voice to lower, but it becomes a light murmer by the second part. Understanding that going on like this would only make him depressed, China turns back to the food.

"Oh, Nihon. By the way, there is a meeting coming up. I might bring you with me if you're feeling well enough." He adds, though he doubts Japan can even understand what he's saying.

Japan just slowly shuffles to a chair and lays his head on the table, silent.

-_!

"Canada, go get your brother ready for the meeting."

Canada looks up at the Englishman fixing his tie and nods, then turns and walks down the hall to America's room. With a soft knock, he calls, "America? Its me, can I come in?"

The door cracks open and Canada pushes his way in.

"America, you have the lights off again," he murmers as he blinks to adjust his eyes. "That isn't good for you, you know."

"That's just what England says." America mutters from the bed.

Canada smiles gently at him and says, "Well, most people don't sit in the darkness when their perfectly fine."

America just glares at him. "Does he even remember what a severe depression is like? Why the crud does he get to decide what's 'good' for me? I'm not his freaking colony, so he should stop pretending that I am!"

"America," Canada says carefully. "I don't think he thinks like that. He's just concerned is all, and I agree about the darkness too. You should know its bad from Alaska's population."

"You're forgetting that I don't have Alaska anymore," he snaps and crosses his arms. "I don't even have an equal amount of states anymore!" As if to taunt him of that, his bomber jacket with the large white fifty on the back hung from the doorknob to his closet.

Canada sits down next to him, knowing that he wasn't blaming the people who had taken his states, but himself for being unable to keep them. Several had been sold to whoever would buy them, and Canada often forgot that the majority of it belonged to himself.

"When you pull yourself out of the depression you'll be able to buy them back. It'll be alrigh-"

"If."

Canada blinks. "Huh?"

"If I get out of the depression. Things are just getting worse and worse, it wasn't even this bad in The Great Depression and that could have torn me down." America sighs pessimistically and hangs his head. "Let's face it. It's the end of the USA. Even my citizens are trying to escape now."

"America!"

His brother's dull gray eyes, once shining blue, swivel at him and stare, as if daring him to say everything was ok. Inside, Canada aches at the loss of color in America's eyes. They seemed to reflect the bleak future that stared at them both in the face.

Canada break away from them and mumbles, "Please... Don't talk like that. You will get out, you're the hero, right?"

America lowers his head. "The hero. If there's one funny thing about heroes, it's that they don't exist." He sighs and tilts his head up. "You can kill all the bad guys, save the world, and learn to fly..."

A glance at an old pilot's helmet on the wall seems to weary America even more.

"... But you can never save yourself. Nope. The hero always dies in the end."

Canada's heart feels heavy. This wasn't right. America was the optimistic one, the young world power with so much potential. It was unfortunate that he was dying, growing weaker daily.

Canada sigh in resignation. "At least you're not like Russia."

America won't look at him. "Russia still has a chance."

Feeling very small and defeated by his brother's gloom, Canada reluctantly turns to leave, then pauses at the doorway. "You need to get ready for the meeting."

He then strides out, trying to ignore the sound of his brother stumbling over the floor.

I've got no idea what to name this, nor what to write for the summary/description thing. I also only have partial direction going. Any thoughts?