Worldwide Secrets - The Rewrite

3: Chinese Secrets

The scene was dark and silent for a moment before the cry of a baby broke the quiet. Two groans accompanied the noise before the sound of shuffling and the striking of a match is heard. The flame casts light onto what's revealed to be a bedroom. Two figures are lying in a bed together.

"Mmmh, your turn aru," the sleepy voice of China is heard.

The other occupant of the bed shifts, rolling over towards China. They practically roll on top of the Chinese nation, kissing his cheeks. China laughs, kissing them back before pushing the other nation off of the bed. The other falls with a grunt and a sigh.

"I told you, it's your turn," China says a bit cheekily.

"Sim, you did," the voice of Portugal comes from the floor.

He stands, running a hand through his loose hair. He makes his way to a part of the room that the light doesn't quite reach. China props himself up on the bed, watching his lover. Portugal lifts something, presumably the baby who's cries woke the two of them, and walks back to the bed. He coos the the baby, talking to it in cheerful Portuguese and bouncing the baby lightly. Once Portugal sits back on the bed, the baby, who looks a bit familiar, reaches out and makes grabby hands towards China.

"Aww, Cheng wanted his mamãe," Portugal coos, handing the baby over to China.

"I am a man, same as you João," China says with a shake of his head, taking the baby and resting his head on China's own shoulder.

"Yes, but you gave birth to him," Portugal teases, making China blush. "That's makes you his mother."

"You would have if the positions were switched," China comments under his breath, revealing the reason for his blush. Portugal chuckles and leans over to kiss China's lips, a chaste kiss China returns.

The scene ends. China's face is a bit pink after watching his intimate moments with Portugal being shared. Especially since their personal relationship was something they kept hidden for the last few centuries, the only other nations who know being England and Japan.

"Is," Macau is the first to speak. "Is that me? The baby?" He asks, looking between Chin and Portugal. The two nations nod.

"It is," China confirms verbally. He scans his son's face for signs of disgust or any other reaction. Instead, Macau appears confused and upset.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't I know?" He asks, looking desperately at the two.

"We wanted you to know, growing up," Portugal beginning. "But-" he's cut off by another scene beginning and falls silent.

Watch this before explaining. Text on the canvas screen reads before the scene plays.

This scene takes place in the daytime, on a dock in a Chinese shipyard. China is standing there, a child around the age of eighteen months at the oldest held to his chest and England standing next to him. This scene is not domestic bliss like the last, no. As the scene focuses, it becomes apparent that China is crying and England is comforting him.

"It's too soon," China's heard saying, his voice hoarse from crying. "I can't-" he cuts himself off as more tears trail down his face. He buries his face in the baby's hair.

"I know love," England soothes, tears in his own eyes and an arm around the older nation. "If it was up to me, we'd have more time, but we need to leave for his safety. I don't want their threats to be enforced." He makes a sick face at the reminder of whatever the two have been threatened with.

"I know," China takes a shuddering breath, kissing the baby's forehead. "I know. It's just so hard."

"I'll write to you," England promises, taking the baby gently from China. The baby reaches out to China with a small whine, but after being situated in England's arms, calms down a bit. "Every month. And I'll send photographs." He kisses China on the cheek, a gesture the other returns with a sad smile.

"Goodbye Arthur. Goodbye Jia Long," he says sadly. The memory fades out.

Japan, sitting next to China, moves a bit closer to his brother in comfort.

"I hated the 1800s," China says with a sniffle and wet laughter. "I really did."

"That was me," Hong Kong says a bit quietly, staring wide-eyed at China. The man nods.

"We, England, Portugal, and I, wanted you both to know," China begins to explain to the two regions. "We would have loved nothing more than for you two to grow up knowing that we're your parents. But we couldn't. When João had to leave, he was ordered to take Cheng with him, same with Arthur and Jia Long. The first time, I protested and fought, I wanted to keep Cheng with me, you were so young, but older than Hong Kong was." China looks to Macau as if remembering him as a child.

"João even agreed with me, he said that you should know both of us as your parents and stay with me until you were older. We knew, since you were technically Portuguese territory at the time, that you would eventually have to go to Portugal. They said no. They called you an abomination since you were born of two men. So, Cheng, they took you with them by force, and I let them, hoping João would explain things to you. It wasn't until you were in Portugal and I had gotten a letter from João that I learned you wouldn't be told we were your parents, on orders that couldn't be fought against."

China then turns to look at Hong Kong. "I think loosing you was almost worse, you were a lot younger, I barely had time with you. Arthur and I were willing to fight to keep you with me for a while longer. We weren't even given a chance. Our rulers played the 'abomination' card again before saying that, if we didn't give in, they'd set the city aflame and kill you." China becomes visibly upset as he remembers this. There's a tense silence for a while as everyone process the information given, then Hong Kong speaks up.

"Did you ever send those pictures?" Hong Kong asks England, shifting the subject. After learning that he was practically ripped away from China as an infant, Hong Kong feels like it would be a dick move if England went back on his word. England nods.

"Every month for a century. I showed them to Yao in person during the Second World War. But after that, communications between our countries became difficult. For us, anyway," England answers, and Hong Kong nods. At least England wasn't a total dick during his buccaneer days.

The rest of the nations are horrified at what they've learned. Within the span of a hundred years, China had birthed and lost two sons. The Chinese emperor and English nobility threatened to set fire to and murder an infant personification - something that definitely would have killed Hong Kong at the time.

"That's pretty fucked up," Romano comments what everyone else is thinking.

"Tell me about it," Hong Kong replies dryly. "How do you think we feel?" He asks rhetorically, motioning between him and Macau.