Lament's Echo 🌸 Hetalia//China

🌸Sticks and Stones🌸

The memory flashed back in, showing Yao walking through a small playground. He looked around ten years old now. His trusty panda, still somehow looking the same as when he first met Greece with it, was hanging loosely from his left hand. Around him, several other children ran around and played.

He was alone, and he slowly trudged over to the slide, where no kids were. He sat in the wood chips beneath it, revealing a small book of sewn bamboo pages and a charcoal pen from his coat.

He flipped it open and scribbled a drawing, and as Kiku and Xiao looked closer, they could make out two distinct people in the messy drawing.

A woman and a child with a ponytail held hands, and Yao had a heart drawn in the top center of the page.

However, Yao was so into the drawing that he didn't notice three shadows walking over to him.

Suddenly, the book he held was ripped from his hands. Yao yelped in surprise and anger, looking up to see three human boys in front of him.

The one with his notebook had brown hair and blue eyes. His other companions stood at his sides. One smirked down at Yao, his green eyes gleaming and blonde hair blowing in the slight breeze. The third also smirked at Yao, and he rocked back and forth on his heels and toes. He had black hair, with amber eyes.

"Hey!" Yao yelped, standing up. "What do you think you're doing?"

The little boy's hands shook, revealing that he was actually a lot more scared than his tone let off. The blue-eyed boy snickered and flipped the notebook back to Yao, shaking it a bit.

"Aww, were you drawing your mommy?" He teased, and held the book higher as Yao ran up to snatch it back.

"Give it back," Yao ground out.

The blue-eyes boy acted as if he was in thought. "Uhm... how about no?"

He shoved Yao back, who landed on his butt hard. "Jason, give it back now!" He shouted from the ground.

Jason blinked his blue eyes, which flickered with malice. "Alright then, if you're so desperate."

He held the thin papers in his hands, before smirking at Yao. Yao's eyes widened in realization as he scrambled to his feet.

Kiku grimaced as he watched Jason rip the papers in half, and let the pieces flutter to the ground. Kiku noticed the tears forming in Yao's eyes, and so did the bullies.

"Awww, is she gonna cry?" The blond boy beside Jason asked. Yao flinched at the boy's words, but his eyes glared daggers at the three.

"I think so, Dylan!" The black haired boy responded. The three took a step forward simultaneously, and Yao stepped back, still holding his panda.

"What's that?" Jason asked, pointing at the panda.

Yao gritted his teeth and stepped back. "Mine. And you aren't going to touch it."

"She won't share with us, Jason!" The black haired boy chimed.

"I am not a girl," Yao growled. His voice held a hidden threat as well.

Jason continued to smile as he walked closer, successfully pinning Yao to the back of the slide they were still under. "That's just what your mommy let you believe," he said, voice low.

Yao's eyes widened and a single tear slid down his cheek. "No! I am a boy! My mom would never lie to me, and besides, why would your opinions matter to me?"

Yao began to continue, before a small fist connected with his stomach. He whimpered out a protest as Jason stepped back, now scowling at Yao.

"You don't even have a mom, she just felt bad for you and took you in." Jason said, eyes showing that he knew just how toxic he was being.