♡~Ice n' Rice~♡

Chapter 20. Crashing down

The time passed quickly.
The sleepless nights turned into days, which turned into weeks, which turned into months.

Hong Kong had sent China as much money as he could gather, finally being stopped by England.
"You need that money, Hong Kong. Japan is already helping China", his words pounded into the teenager's brain.

Actually, the changes in Hong Kong's life had changed his aspect as well. He was slightly taller now, but scrawnier. He had let his dark hair grow into a small ponytail, like the one he used to have as a child. His only apparent change was the little tuft of tied hair in the back of his head, his now precious ponytail.

He was laying on his bed, while texting Iceland.
-"I miss ya"
-"I miss you too, Hong♥"
-":)"
He had spent too much hours texting while charging his phone, only to defeat the loneliness, and his phone had started to glitch.
He was typing when his phone's screen turned black, with only the animation it had when turning off.
-Shit! Not now! -He whined.
He tapped the screen and played with the few keys, trying to turn it on again.
The boy cursed in Cantonese, taking his phone with frustration and walking up to England.

The British man was quietly sat at the coffee table, sipping his tea while the morning daylight filtered through the window into the rooms.
-Yo.
-Good morning to you too, Hong Kong. -He sipped quietly.
-Good morning -The younger groaned.
-What brings you here, outside your room?
England loved being sarcastic to his son figure.
-How funny you've become -He glared at the Briton.- My phone. It just turned off and won't turn on again.

The adult nation picked up the tactile device and pressed the keys and buttons, raising an eyebrow.
-You're right, it won't turn on.
-And so?!
-What?
-I'll need a new phone, you wanker.
England held back a proud smirk at the boy's slang, keeping it as a small smile.
Soon, the reality slapped him back to real life.
He found himself to tell Hong Kong the truth.

-Hong Kong... Look, we can't afford that now. A mobile phone means a lot of money -He stared at the teenager with the clearest eyes ever, without any sign of parental superiority complex.

Hong Kong's anger and demanding seemed to fade, looking into the man's eyes. He felt some metal claws caging his heart and stomach, tying a knot of uneasiness into his throat.

He just nodded and took his phone, unable to stare at him again. He walked, -almost dragged himself- to his room.
He threw the phone into the bed, his eyes were wide in panic. He stared out of the window, starting to understand everything perfectly.
Why was it happening again?

♡~·~·*♡*·~·~♡

"NOT JOINING NEW BRITAIN WAS A MISTAKE"
"ENGLAND'S ECONOMY DROPS LOW"
"POSSIBLE DISAPPEARING OF THE GREAT ENGLAND?"
England sighed as he swept his fingers across his newspaper's pages.
It had been years since the United Kingdom ceased to exist. Now, it was New Britain.
Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
A mistake? His brothers had left him apart, knowing that the situation was too dangerous.
He frowned, his hands clutching the newspaper to hold back an anger fit.
The agony of the dying countries was usually quick. In a matter of only months, they could go from a rich, important place in the world; to an empty territory that the stronger countries could take.

The rowdyism and the street crimes increased, until a point that no one thought of the city as a safe place.
Only a little people had enough money to live properly. The value of the pounds had dropped horribly.

Not even Hong Kong's money could help him. Of course, he tried to hide it as much as he could. Still, he knew that the shaky gestures of his hands, his slightly paler skin and the death in his eyes would eventually tell on him.

A question pounded onto the Briton's temples, not letting his weak embodiment rest; a single worry that made his heart skip a beat.
"When will my time to go finally come?"

♡~·~·*♡*·~·~♡

Hong Kong knew. He could feel it in his forgetfulness, in his unusually soft manners, in every step the British man took.
He also knew that his dying process was being slower than China's, as he could actually feel it as his incredibly long days.

World seemed to crumble down for him. Unable to text everyone to take all of his pain out, he had to watch how his father figure slowly got weaker.

He ended up getting aware of the danger that isolated them. At least, the danger that threatened to take England.
He knew that he was too weak to try and help him economically, but he also knew that he wouldn't die even if England did.
He was too insignificant to die.

The razors of the guilty stabbed the Cantonese's heart. He felt responsible.
Japan was already helping China. He sent them the money that England needed now.

The angry crowds have emerged from their houses many times to try and make England go join the New Britain.
He brushed them off and acted as if it just wasn't his will to join his siblings. When they left him alone, he wouldn't speak for the rest of the day.

-It's as simple as that. They won't let me join them. If they would, they'd have told me when they allied, wouldn't they? -He had explained the teenager once.

But, what about the people? The population's behavior was just a reflection of the country's thoughts and actions.
Probably England was mad at himself for being too proud to show them his weakness.

Hong Kong had to take care of England all day. At least, he wanted to behave as a proper son for England's last time.

He had rested the older nation on his bed, making sure that he was comfortable all the time. He cooked for him and spoke to him everyday.
He let the Briton speak about the great wars he had witnessed and fought. About how he conquered almost the whole world. About how he found America.
Such old stories that England loved to re-tell.

-England...
-Yes?
The older's voice was hoarse, with a slight stutter.
-Can... Can I ask you for a story today?
-Of course... Which one do you want to hear, little boy?
-... -Hong Kong went silent for a few seconds.- The... Opium Wars...
England widened his tired eyes.
-What? T-that's what you want me to tell?
-Yeah... China always refused to tell me about what happened. I was too little, I can't recall what was it exactly.
England nodded.
-Alright... -He cleared his throat.- It all started when opium was banned...
He rambled on about the war. Hong Kong just nodded and tried to remember something by himself.

He could see the light in England's eyes fading as he spoke. The usual brightness of his gaze was turned into the hard surface of a rock.

Hong Kong feared what it could mean... He could feel small tears bubbling on his eyes, knowing that England wasn't focused enough to notice them.

He grabbed his hand, nodding as he tried to follow the story, wanting to unfocus from his lost stare.

Suddenly, the British man's words turned into whispers, slowly stopping.
-S-Sorry... -He rasped.
-No! N-No, it's alright!

England whimpered, holding his own chest.
-L-London... -He barely whispered
-No!! NO! Dad!!

The British man's eyes widened at Hong Kong's words, noticing that he was crying.
He wheezed out. He wanted to fight, to stay with his son-figure.

Hong Kong sobbed softly, holding onto England's arm tightly.
-D-Dad! Dad, please don't leave me...
England smiled softly, running his hand through Hong Kong's tied hair.
-Shh...

He seemed to gain strength for a second, as a little, soft noise distracted them.

A light knock against the front door.