[Fanfic] Tatemae 1/5
Title: Tatemae | FF.net
Author: Me
Character (s)/ Pairing (s): America and Japan
Rating: K/ PG
Warnings: Human names.
Summary: Thought I'd sprinkle in this little fanfic. It connects to my other story The Darkness Within Me. I planned on originally having it be a rather long one-shot, but changed my mind. It'll be in five parts.
Treaty
There was a light knock on the door. A moment later, the Shoji screen silently slid open. The representative bowed cow-tow style before looking up at the back of his country. The thin man was dressed in his most regal kimono, that closest to the Emperor. It was pure white, red cherry blossoms fluttering down along his arms; the colors of his flag. This man that symbolized all that was Japanese stood by the window, watching the ocean; his ocean.
"Lord Japan," the man politely mumbled. He dared to not look at Kiku's pale skin and pure black hair. He could never hope to match him. "It's time. He's waiting for you."
Kiku was silent a moment, then, a sigh escaped his lips. "I cannot…escape from the world, I guess."
The man bowed again as Kiku turned to face him. He nodded, signaling to be taken to meet this stranger, this foreigner.
While Kiku wasn't new to foreigners, he had never met someone from this land across the Pacific. He wasn't sure what to expect with him, though there were rumors he would be forceful and rude. Kiku had to do as his government and people expected of him, though. However, he couldn't understand that small beating in his chest. Was he nervous?
The man slid the door open leading into the meeting room. Kiku stopped, catching himself. He thought he had been blinded as he saw him. He had blonde hair, like the color of wheat. One strand had stuck up at such an odd angle that Kiku was reminded of a leek. The man turned to look at Kiku. His eyes were shielded by glasses, but that didn't stop the pure blue of his eyes to capture Kiku in his stare.
Kiku had never looked another person in the eyes before, even his Emperor or-
"Hello!" the man said. Kiku was caught off guard not by his strange words, but by the enthusiasm in his voice. The man then smiled and Kiku was almost too afraid to approach him. "Are you Japan?"
Kiku stayed outside the room a moment longer before he collected himself. He bowed before entering and stood before the stranger. He had remembered how just a few months prior, Holland, Lars, had warned him of this man coming. When Kiku told his bosses, they installed in his head that this man would be evil, ugly, and demonic. But here he was, standing like any other human being, dressed in a formally pressed suit with a pleasant air about him and a wonderful smile.
"Um… Just a moment. Lars will be with us soon and he'll translate for us," Kiku mumbled. He looked down at the floor out of politeness.
"What?" The stranger came closer to Kiku. "I'm still trying to learn Japanese from those who've been here before, but…"
The silence lengthened between the two. Kiku took a chance to glance up and see the man again. He was looking out the window at the ocean. He didn't seem nervous, but rather looked very calm and collected, but hiding a hint of pure childlike enthusiasm. Kiku couldn't believe that he was staring at him again and it was a welcome distraction when Lars entered the room.
"Ah, Mr. Holland," Kiku said in relief. He glanced at the stranger. "I don't understand him."
The tall, pale European regarded the stranger and then returned his attention to Kiku. He took the long pipe from his mouth, his other hand briefly running through his messy pale blonde hair. Kiku's eyes quickly caught on to his scar that mysteriously never vanished from a war long ago.
"Yes, I know, but he knows Dutch," Lars started. "I can talk to him."
Kiku smiled and nodded his thanks. He started to sit when the stranger shoved his hand out to Kiku. The Asian man was quite startled and stumbled back from the hand. He looked up and, to his dismay, made direct eye contact with those blue eyes again.
"It's nice to finally meet you."
Lars pushed the man's hand away, shaking his head. "They don't do that here."
"Oh?" The stranger looked sad and confused. Kiku wished he could've done whatever it was the man wanted if only to make him smile again. He shook his head quickly, erasing such a thought. "Well, what do they do?"
"They bow. Like this." Lars turned and bowed politely to Kiku. "See?"
The man laughed and Kiku regretfully could feel his face warming up. "That's so cool and weird. I'll try it."
He then bowed. Kiku caught the back of his neck, where that blonde hair stopped on the base of his neck. The slightly tanned skin was incredibly flawless as it dipped down into his suit. Kiku promptly sat so he couldn't see it anymore. He pretended to cough into his kimono sleeve, hiding any trace of embarrassment at his sudden action.
Lars sat as Kiku did and the stranger sat Indian style. Kiku had seen many in the past and the few foreigners in Nagasaki do it before so he wasn't too surprised by it.
"This is Alfred," Lars started. "He's just like us, as you can guess, and he's come to you with a few requests."
"Alfred?" Kiku repeated, the strange name tumbling over in his mouth.
Alfred burst out laughing. "Is that how he says my name? It's so funny!"
Lars stared at Alfred to silence him, but his stare had no effect on the man. "Yes. There are no L's in Japanese. In any case, this is Kiku, but he prefers to be called Japan."
"Kiku?" Alfred repeated. "Why can't I call him Kiku? I call all countries by their real names."
Lars started to reply when he thought better of it. Perhaps Kiku had a better reason. He repeated the question to Kiku.
"Ah, well no one calls me by my real name. I don't find it pleasant for younger nations to call me that. It's a tradition in my culture to treat your elders with respect," Kiku replied, ever so politely.
He cast a glance at Alfred again. The man seemed to be in a trance with every word he spoke. Kiku looked back at Lars.
Lars repeated it to Alfred, but looked back at Kiku. "America's not the type to care about…respect to elders. I assume you don't know his past too well."
Kiku shook his head as a reply. Lars looked pained slightly, almost as if he didn't want to have to explain.
"He's a country," Kiku started before Lars. "He should know some respect."
"Should is a very nice thought with this one," Lars mumbled.
"Well!" Kiku jumped at Alfred's booming voice. The walls were so thin, Kiku worried others might be disturbed. "That's useless to me! I'll just call him Kiku."
Kiku was so taken aback by Alfred's attitude that he didn't know what to say for a moment or two. He looked down at the tatami mats, slightly angered, but he willed himself to not show anything. This man might have intruded and might have disturbed many people, bringing about a change to his serene peace, but he was still a guest. It was best to not show how troubled he truly was. There were still the political matters at hand.
"Oh," Kiku said softly. "Yes. May you please ask Mr. America why he has come here?"
"I've come to make friends with whales!" Alfred replied all too cheerfully. His expression and tone was so innocent that Kiku and Lars were amazed to believe it was true. "And other things, but those can wait! I want to be with you for awhile, Kiku."
Again, Kiku's heart beat lightly in his chest. He coughed again into his sleeve, his face heating up. He looked to the side and tried to think of an indirect way out of his request.
"If you want to visit with my politicians, I'm more than happy to show you to them," Kiku began.
Alfred shook his head. "No, no. I mean with you. I want to talk to you and learn about your culture, your history, and fun things like that. You know what I mean?"
"I…understand, but… Um…" Kiku had, in fact, not understood. Only one person had ever wanted to be around him for long extended periods of time and not talk about political issues, but he was gone. He'd been gone for a long time; longer than Alfred had been alive, probably.
And yet…
~hoshiko
Author: Me
Character (s)/ Pairing (s): America and Japan
Rating: K/ PG
Warnings: Human names.
Summary: Thought I'd sprinkle in this little fanfic. It connects to my other story The Darkness Within Me. I planned on originally having it be a rather long one-shot, but changed my mind. It'll be in five parts.
Treaty
There was a light knock on the door. A moment later, the Shoji screen silently slid open. The representative bowed cow-tow style before looking up at the back of his country. The thin man was dressed in his most regal kimono, that closest to the Emperor. It was pure white, red cherry blossoms fluttering down along his arms; the colors of his flag. This man that symbolized all that was Japanese stood by the window, watching the ocean; his ocean.
"Lord Japan," the man politely mumbled. He dared to not look at Kiku's pale skin and pure black hair. He could never hope to match him. "It's time. He's waiting for you."
Kiku was silent a moment, then, a sigh escaped his lips. "I cannot…escape from the world, I guess."
The man bowed again as Kiku turned to face him. He nodded, signaling to be taken to meet this stranger, this foreigner.
While Kiku wasn't new to foreigners, he had never met someone from this land across the Pacific. He wasn't sure what to expect with him, though there were rumors he would be forceful and rude. Kiku had to do as his government and people expected of him, though. However, he couldn't understand that small beating in his chest. Was he nervous?
The man slid the door open leading into the meeting room. Kiku stopped, catching himself. He thought he had been blinded as he saw him. He had blonde hair, like the color of wheat. One strand had stuck up at such an odd angle that Kiku was reminded of a leek. The man turned to look at Kiku. His eyes were shielded by glasses, but that didn't stop the pure blue of his eyes to capture Kiku in his stare.
Kiku had never looked another person in the eyes before, even his Emperor or-
"Hello!" the man said. Kiku was caught off guard not by his strange words, but by the enthusiasm in his voice. The man then smiled and Kiku was almost too afraid to approach him. "Are you Japan?"
Kiku stayed outside the room a moment longer before he collected himself. He bowed before entering and stood before the stranger. He had remembered how just a few months prior, Holland, Lars, had warned him of this man coming. When Kiku told his bosses, they installed in his head that this man would be evil, ugly, and demonic. But here he was, standing like any other human being, dressed in a formally pressed suit with a pleasant air about him and a wonderful smile.
"Um… Just a moment. Lars will be with us soon and he'll translate for us," Kiku mumbled. He looked down at the floor out of politeness.
"What?" The stranger came closer to Kiku. "I'm still trying to learn Japanese from those who've been here before, but…"
The silence lengthened between the two. Kiku took a chance to glance up and see the man again. He was looking out the window at the ocean. He didn't seem nervous, but rather looked very calm and collected, but hiding a hint of pure childlike enthusiasm. Kiku couldn't believe that he was staring at him again and it was a welcome distraction when Lars entered the room.
"Ah, Mr. Holland," Kiku said in relief. He glanced at the stranger. "I don't understand him."
The tall, pale European regarded the stranger and then returned his attention to Kiku. He took the long pipe from his mouth, his other hand briefly running through his messy pale blonde hair. Kiku's eyes quickly caught on to his scar that mysteriously never vanished from a war long ago.
"Yes, I know, but he knows Dutch," Lars started. "I can talk to him."
Kiku smiled and nodded his thanks. He started to sit when the stranger shoved his hand out to Kiku. The Asian man was quite startled and stumbled back from the hand. He looked up and, to his dismay, made direct eye contact with those blue eyes again.
"It's nice to finally meet you."
Lars pushed the man's hand away, shaking his head. "They don't do that here."
"Oh?" The stranger looked sad and confused. Kiku wished he could've done whatever it was the man wanted if only to make him smile again. He shook his head quickly, erasing such a thought. "Well, what do they do?"
"They bow. Like this." Lars turned and bowed politely to Kiku. "See?"
The man laughed and Kiku regretfully could feel his face warming up. "That's so cool and weird. I'll try it."
He then bowed. Kiku caught the back of his neck, where that blonde hair stopped on the base of his neck. The slightly tanned skin was incredibly flawless as it dipped down into his suit. Kiku promptly sat so he couldn't see it anymore. He pretended to cough into his kimono sleeve, hiding any trace of embarrassment at his sudden action.
Lars sat as Kiku did and the stranger sat Indian style. Kiku had seen many in the past and the few foreigners in Nagasaki do it before so he wasn't too surprised by it.
"This is Alfred," Lars started. "He's just like us, as you can guess, and he's come to you with a few requests."
"Alfred?" Kiku repeated, the strange name tumbling over in his mouth.
Alfred burst out laughing. "Is that how he says my name? It's so funny!"
Lars stared at Alfred to silence him, but his stare had no effect on the man. "Yes. There are no L's in Japanese. In any case, this is Kiku, but he prefers to be called Japan."
"Kiku?" Alfred repeated. "Why can't I call him Kiku? I call all countries by their real names."
Lars started to reply when he thought better of it. Perhaps Kiku had a better reason. He repeated the question to Kiku.
"Ah, well no one calls me by my real name. I don't find it pleasant for younger nations to call me that. It's a tradition in my culture to treat your elders with respect," Kiku replied, ever so politely.
He cast a glance at Alfred again. The man seemed to be in a trance with every word he spoke. Kiku looked back at Lars.
Lars repeated it to Alfred, but looked back at Kiku. "America's not the type to care about…respect to elders. I assume you don't know his past too well."
Kiku shook his head as a reply. Lars looked pained slightly, almost as if he didn't want to have to explain.
"He's a country," Kiku started before Lars. "He should know some respect."
"Should is a very nice thought with this one," Lars mumbled.
"Well!" Kiku jumped at Alfred's booming voice. The walls were so thin, Kiku worried others might be disturbed. "That's useless to me! I'll just call him Kiku."
Kiku was so taken aback by Alfred's attitude that he didn't know what to say for a moment or two. He looked down at the tatami mats, slightly angered, but he willed himself to not show anything. This man might have intruded and might have disturbed many people, bringing about a change to his serene peace, but he was still a guest. It was best to not show how troubled he truly was. There were still the political matters at hand.
"Oh," Kiku said softly. "Yes. May you please ask Mr. America why he has come here?"
"I've come to make friends with whales!" Alfred replied all too cheerfully. His expression and tone was so innocent that Kiku and Lars were amazed to believe it was true. "And other things, but those can wait! I want to be with you for awhile, Kiku."
Again, Kiku's heart beat lightly in his chest. He coughed again into his sleeve, his face heating up. He looked to the side and tried to think of an indirect way out of his request.
"If you want to visit with my politicians, I'm more than happy to show you to them," Kiku began.
Alfred shook his head. "No, no. I mean with you. I want to talk to you and learn about your culture, your history, and fun things like that. You know what I mean?"
"I…understand, but… Um…" Kiku had, in fact, not understood. Only one person had ever wanted to be around him for long extended periods of time and not talk about political issues, but he was gone. He'd been gone for a long time; longer than Alfred had been alive, probably.
And yet…
~hoshiko