A knock sounded on the door, and Japan went to open it.

The lady- no, man- he was a man with long hair- coughed up blood, choking on the black liquid as it dribbled out of his mouth.

His adopted brother stood there, smiling warmly, wearing traditional red robes as he was wont to do.

The other man next to him knelt down with a careful expressionless look, wiping the liquid away, muttering something about civil war.

"Chugokku-nii-san," he said, bowing, "I didn't think you would come."

The ponytail of the firstman was coming loose, and his brown hair, sticking to his face, became tainted with blood.

China smiled, and said, "No, it's just that I haven't seen my Kiku-di in a while, have I? And that's as good a reason as any."

The second man lifted the other over his shoulder and started jogging away from the spot where he had collapsed.

Japan bowed again, and, after China had removed his shoes, he led him inside the house.

What seemed like minutes later, but was in reality hours, the sick man was lying on a table, like one you would see in a veterinary office, strapped down.

The two sat themselves down around Japan's kotatsu, and sipped freshly made green tea, quite comfortable in the familiar quiet.

Another young man came in, dressed in patched clothing (which was better than anything the other two had), and snapped on plastic gloves, leaning down to examine the man as he twitched, as if in a fit, with more black blood spilling out of his mouth.

"So," China said, draining the last of his tea, "Gung hai fat choi, Riben!"

"Japan, what were you two doing before China collapsed?" the examiner inquired.

Japan raised an eyebrow playfully, deciding to humor his brother: "The lunar new year was yesterday, nii-san."

"We were walking," the young man now known as Japan replie, his voice trying to be steady.

"I know that; I am five thousand years old after all," China laughed lightly.

The other man adjusted his glasses, mulling over for a moment what Japan said, then asked, "What has been happening politically in China?"

Japan gave him a small smile at that, reminded of old times.

"He got a new leader a month ago, although he is still a communist, like his predecessors."

China was elated: he had made his stoic baby brother smile!

"He must have changed something, probably the law, and incited unrest in the populace."

Japan tensed when China reached over and hugged him, then relaxed, resting his hand on the back of China's red robe.

"What can we do?"Japan asked, internally reassuring himelf with I can trust his advice now; he takes life more seriously now after Beikoku...

The moment was ruined when China started twitching and jerking around, his grip on Japan tightening reflexively.

"Not that I know of; it'll be like this for a long time. These are the signs of a revolution, it happened to France too."

Knowing what was happening, but also knowing that he couldn't do anything about it, Japan hugged his brother close, not caring as a Nation's black blood stained his pristine white uniform.

Cradling the now unconscious China in his arms, Japan took his leave, calling over his shoulder, "Arigatou gozaimusen, Amerika-san."

Because things like this had been happening for centuries now: China's people wanted to revolt, but, never having the tools or strength to do so, it all effected China like this.

America stared after the two Asian men disappearing over the barren horizon that used to be Russia, now a nuclear tainted wasteland, wondering idly what would happen when the last economic powerhouse collapsed.

Pressing his face to the soft black hair, Japan let tears escape from the corners of his eyes.

Things were changing again.

Things had changed.

Hi! I'm Zinc. This is my first published story, which was originally written in March of 2010, when my OTP was ChuNi. I recently found it and decided "eh why the hell not" and revised it.

If y'all don't understand what's happening, the italics are the past, and the normal print is the present. Notice how China says he is 5000- this is written a thousand years in the future.

Translations, even the basic ones:

"Chugokku-nii-san": (Japanese) Big brother China, roughly.

"Kiku-di": (Chinese) Little brother Kiku, again roughly.

"Gung hai fat choi, Riben!": (Chinese) Happy New year, Japan! Forgive me if I'm wrong; the last time I've heard someone say that is in fifth grade.

Beikoku: (Japanese) England, basically. Igirisu is Britain; Beikoku is England. Interestingly enough, Eikoku is the name for America.

"Arigatou gozaimusen": (Japanese) A very formal thank you.

Thank you for reading my old crap! I don't mind if you review or not.