Chapter Text
It was times like these, very rare and far between, that made him feel much like a neutered dog.
As the “Nuclear missile” launched by North Korea landed just outside his home, right in the sea of Japan, every solider in every base was on high alert. Whether they be Japanese blood or American born, guns were loaded, planes fueled, and eyes kept on the lookout.
Today, Japan had been wanting a peaceful morning of trimming his bonsai trees and sitting with his cat. Instead, he was dressed in full formal regalia, complete with sword at his hip. He was looking forward to a visit from America, her concern for him being a major part of the visit, however, she was also coming to renegotiate the terms of their defensive pact.
It was true, that as it stood, Japan had little defensive capabilities on his own. America and he had long since agreed that she would be responsible for his safety, and for nearly seventy years no one had dared even threaten him, not with the bombshell blonde at his back.
Kiku stared straight ahead, flicking his sword out of his sheathe with his thumb, then placing it back.
Flick.
Clack.
There was no other sound in the room, as he and his Prime Minister Abe waited for America's arrival. In the meantime, he would deal with the fury of his people in the only way he knew how...
Flick.
Clack.
“Dude! Japan!” The sliding door to the meeting area opened, as the superpower herself strode right in and hugged the infuriated island nation. “Hey – you okay? Nothing hit you right? Oh I'm going to kick North Korea's ass – Just you watch!”
Kiku tensed at her touch, and for a split second forgot his manners as the imperialist in him, thought long dead, glared at his ally. But at hearing her concern, he relaxed. It always was her loyalty to her allies that softened him towards her.
The tenseness in his shoulders eased ever so slightly.“I'm fine, America-san. No, the missile did not hit me, but I do want to talk to you about the treaty...”
“Yes! Absolutely!”
“I want to be able to defend myself America-san. I don't need to have a huge military complex, I just want to be able to protect my own, even your troops too, without being in violation of the treaty. Let me at least shoot my guns at our enemies...”
“Yes- that makes perfect sense! It shall be done!”
“Hold on there Amelia, there is considerable amounts of paperwork to do,” America's president walked in the door, just now able to catch up with his energized country. “Did you tell them about the warships?”
Kiku perked up. Was there more enemies around that needed destroying?
“Oh yeah! Japan, we already got in contact with South Korea, and we are bringing warships your way! If things heat up, we have your back Japan – no doubt!” America pounded a fist to her chest twice.
Smiling for the first time today, he silently enjoyed the spark in her eyes. Like he said, loyalty.
For fuck's sake, couldn't this woman give him a break? Ivan glared at America from across the table, the world meeting rather tense and quiet due to the situation.
“We need to make sure that Syria has a stable leader, someone not willing to use chemical weapons on it's people! Any suggestions?”
He sighed again. He was hoping that with his country going into Syria to help fight ISIS, it would help bring him and Amelia closer. But it was clear that fighting ISIS was not America's only goal. Could she not see that by taking Assad out, she was depriving him of one of his closer allies? Not only that, but she was destabilizing another nation, yet again! Ivan pinched the bridge of his nose with his gloved hand.
“You know as well as I do that your 'proof ' of Assad's chemical weapons is not proof at all! Even your ally Germany has had his doubts! Just help us defeat ISIS then we can discuss this matter after.”
“H-Hey... We weren't sure back then...” Germany began to defend himself, but the command of attention was not on him; when it came to these two, nothing ever deviated from their intense focus on one another.
Ivan knew she wouldn't listen to him. She never listened to him- not anymore. Sometimes he even wondered why she showed up to the meetings... the fading superpower was so far gone that she mistrusted even her own allies and government.
“Tch.” America met his eyes for once, used to doing that now that he'd put his military where his mouth was. “Russia, you have way too much bias for me to listen to you. You're not even there to fight the enemy- you're there to defend your dictator buddies! Besides, the flood of refugees won't stop unless we solve the war.”
“They won't go back to an unstable country with no leader and you are likely to pull out before things are finished – like you usually do.” Ivan glared at America, a shared history burning between the nations.
To his surprise, it was her that gave out first.
She must have been far more exhausted than he thought.
“Look, Russia, the refugees won't go back to a country that kills them. You're right about that. Which is exactly why we should get rid of Assad. They won't go back to a fascist state! Surely we can figure out someone to take his place who is more reasonable, who will be able to let you have your access to the Mediterranean, and who will not abuse the people. Please Russia, we can figure this out!”
The whole room was stunned. What just happened? They could see Amelia shiver, and England and Japan, who sat nearby America, turned to her. Japan actually stood as England questioned, “What happened to you girl?”
Ivan was struck. Did America just say something... mildly reasonable? Kind even? He narrowed his eyes as Japan put a hand on America's shoulder. She was quivering, cheeks flushed from embarrassment... or was the country ill?
“I- I just spoke for... my people. Well, that was weird ... Guess they don't want to fight or something -”
Without warning, she screamed. England seemed scared, and Japan made a move to guide America to the floor, her legs not having the slightest chance of supporting her. Ivan noticed Canada floating somewhere behind her sister, as the entire world shoved their way towards the now crying stars and stripes.
Ivan hadn't seen her tears in almost a century.
He stood, hands clenched, a feeling that as a man, he should go help the woman, but Japan was already there. The gut wrenching in Ivan's stomach worsened as he saw Japan wrench open her bomber jacket – with surprise at the Island's actions towards a female washing over him. A sense of dread came after as he saw red bloom on the tops of her breasts and shoulder.
“Kuso! America-san! Who did it?” Japan met America's eyes, and Ivan saw Japan take off his jacket, using the white cloth to put pressure on her wound. It didn't much help...
Who did it? Who attacked America...? This I would like to know as well. Ivan did understand that whoever it was, it made even Japan curse.
“Japan I... I'm so sorry. I had no idea. If I'd.... known it would have hurt you.... this much, I -”
“No need for that now, you've apologized for seventy years. We need to get you to a hospital. Especially -”
America began to scream and to Ivan's horror, the open wound began to sizzle, and a spider like bubbling began crawling across her wound.
“Germany-san, call for help, then come over her and help me soak up the blood!”
England somehow found his voice as he knelt next to his daughter. “What in the bloody hell is going on!? Japan?!”
The other Island nation said nothing, and instead gave all his focus to the woman lying prone on the floor.
Ivan moved closer to get a better view, but he could no longer get really near to her, as she was surrounded by other nations. Germany had to shove France and Canada aside to get close enough to help.
“What just happened to Amerika!?” He heard himself shout – louder than the other clamoring nations.
Japan looked up for once and merely said, “Nuclear Detonation. Once she heals, she's going to war!”
The pain was.... She couldn't breathe! She clawed at the hands that clamped down on her chest, but then she remembered:
Japan.
Had this been the pain he'd felt when she -? …Seventy years wasn't nearly enough of an apology.
Her people were in shock, and she could feel their screams racking her body as if it were her lungs in use. Amelia could see California's valleys burning, and she could see the massive destruction in Alaska's territories. People were going into underground bunkers in Oregon and Washington... People in D.C -
“America-san! Breathe or I will do it for you!” Japan's face swam in her vision before her attempt to obey him.
Wow, me, obeying him? Such a strange day today... A distant part of her, the part of her that was probably going into shock, seemed to be amused at the situation.
The United States of America attempted to expand her ribcage and fill the two little bags in her chest with air, but the attempt was so painful she stopped with a cough. I think... I think my lungs are bleeding... Hmm, I wonder...
She felt smaller, but noticeably steady hands hold her jaw open and squeeze her nose. Suddenly, she felt air push against the blood in her chest, and pain flew through her after that. On instinct, Amelia coughed and felt blood come up past her lips. She opened her eyes and saw red against Japan's pale skin. Remorse flooded through her and she tried to fight to get air, just so she wouldn't spit up all over Kiku again.
Where was she? America couldn't remember. Wait... She was arguing with Ivan...
Ivan. Had he done this too her?
No. His look of shock had been to genuine, and they'd spent so long threatening each other with nukes, she doubted either one of them would actually use them now... North Korea?
Now that felt more like the truth. She could feel it in her gut... or was it just pain?
Well, Amelia supposed that Ivan would get the chance he wanted in Syria...
He took off her jacket and set it aside. On his private plane back to his house, Japan constantly busied himself over America. Thankfully, they were only in China's home when America was attacked, so they were not too far away from the shores of Kiku's country. He could have left her there, in the hospital bed of a communist country, but he felt she would be safer making the trip across the yellow sea. China had been extremely insulted and confused as Kiku loaded her into his plane.
Japan didn't care. As far as he was concerned, China was more likely to poison her as to heal her.
Still, perhaps he should have taken the risk? No, it felt too much like abandoning America behind enemy lines to him. Regardless, it was too late now as the plane began to take off.
A bead of sweat formed on the back of Kiku's neck as a new worry as to what altitude would do to her wound came over him. He himself had been taken back to America's home when she nuked him, but the details of how it had affected his body were lost to him.... Perhaps he should have stayed behind with her in China? but then, they would both be in danger...
Germany was with him, as was England, France, Italy and what felt like a spirit. He was thankful at least for the ever focused Deutschland, because as America surprisingly kept bleeding, he felt his hands begin to shake.
“We need to get her shirt and necklace off, Japan.”
England looked shocked at Germany, even as the spirit tried to calm down a tearful France and Italy.“What did you say Kraut!? You will not undress my daught- Japan what are you doing?!”
“We have to take off the shirt because it's already sticking to her body. There is too much blood!” Japan looked up at his friend then turned his attention to the scissors that were already making their way through the tan cloth of her shirt. Kiku didn't even notice her naked torso, nor did he let her nudity bother him as he removed her necklace and placed her jacket under her head. What did bother him was the stillness of her body.
“Can she breathe at this height? Should we put a mask on her?” He asked Germany, but the blonde shook his head.
“Ja, we will. But she is breathing for now, so our first order of business is figuring out how to stop her blood loss.”
“Take the cover off of my bed. There should be a medical kit in there as well. Hayaku!” Japan could already feel the strain in his shoulders as he leaned over America, trying to keep her chest from the eyes of everyone else. After a long tense battle and the lack of cooperation from the wound, Japan and Germany finally got America's wound to stop bleeding.
How did she heal this wound on me again? It was a radiation burn so...
“We need to decontaminate the wound. We can not do much here, but we can wash the affected area gently – to remove some radioactive particles from her skin and -” A feminine voice seemingly from the void startled Japan, just as he was starting to finally breathe.
“Hey uh, France, Italy and I are girls, so we could take her and give her a bath? Please let us help!” It was Canada, and Japan didn't even have the energy to question where she came from. He nodded, and just like that, America was lifted out of his arms.
He felt his hands clench and release as a feeling of helplessness took over his limbs. Japan just sat there on his knees, the hum of the plane the only noise in the room as Germany and England just stared off into nothingness.
“So that was nuclear wounds huh?” Germany mumbled something else, but Japan just ignored him. Who could have done this to her? They will pay once I find them -
“Japan... I had no idea.” Germany was staring at a spot on Japan's shoulder, and it was then that the dark haired nation just realized that his jacket was gone, left in the meeting room, drowned in America's blood. His scars were clearly visible against his pale skin as he tried to cover them with a bloody hand, but stopped.
“It is nothing Germany-san. Only...” Kiku hesitated, “Only now America-san and I match. This is not at all what I would wish...”
Germany nodded and England looked out the window as the cabin drifted into a long, painful silence.