HetaOni A Hero's Pain

"England!" Came the desperate cry of a certain American, covering his eyes and shouting as he, Italy and England were engulfed in a bright light. "England!" He shouted once more.

As the light faded, America blinked his eyes open. His vision was fuzzy, for he had lost Texas while battling the Thing. As his eyes adjusted as best they could, Italy came up beside him. "America! Are you alright?"

America didn't answer, but instead walked over to England, who was still standing where he had been when he fought the Thing. "England..." he whispered. "You..."

"It's gone!" Italy exclaimed. "The Thing! It's gone!" The Italian clapped his hands together happily. "England, you did it! You defeated that monster!"

England just stood there, saying nothing. America came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "England? Are...are you okay?"

England's head was bowed as he responded finally. "Y-yeah..."

Italy spoke up next. "America. I've been looking around...and I can't seem to find your glasses anywhere. I'll be looking in the other room." As Italy left, America began searching the room again, keeping his eyes on England.

---

Italy walked into the small room nearby. He explored every nook and crany, to no avail. "Maybe they're under the table?" Italy looked under the table, unable to find anything. "At least now they can finally make up," he muttered to himself. "The monster's gone, England's safe..." He grinned widely. "It seems as if only good things are happening!"

Just then, the light began to flicker. "Hm? What was that?" He looked up at the light as it flickered again, more than the last time. "This didn't-"

Darkness.

The light went out completely.

"Uh oh...w-where's the door?" Italy began frantically searching for the exit, when he felt something. "What's this...?"

As his eyes adjusted to the light, or, lack of, he saw it. There, standing before him, was another monster.

"I-I thought there was just one!" Italy began to panic. He couldn't defend himself! "America! Run!"

It was no use. The monster took a slash at Italy, leaving a gaping wound across his chest. "Ah!" Italy collapsed on the floor, slowly losing consciousness...

---

"Why the hell are you just standing there, England?" America scolded. "Help me find my glasses!" At that moment, Japan, Prussia and Germany came bursting into the room.

"England!" Japan shouted. He and the others came running up behind him. Prussia looked around. "We found you! Problem solved?"

Japan examined the room carefully. "Did you actually defeat it? All by yourself?!"

America spoke up from in front of England. "I was surprised too! Now we can explore this room without any trouble!"

Japan looked at America curiously. "Why is that, America?"

America looked at him. "Because that thing that was hanging around here is gone now!"

The Japanese man cocked his head slightly. "How can you be certain that there was only one of them?" After receiving no response, Germany finally spoke. "Where's Italy?" He looked around, unable to find the Italian. "He came after you..."

America turned his head in the direction of the other room. "He went in there," he expalined. "He went to look for my glasses."

As he said that, a suspicious, yet eerily familiar noise came from within that mysterious room.

Prussia gasped. "That sound...! It came from that room!" Germany's eyes grew wide with horror. "Italy!" He, accompanied by his brother and Japan, hurried off to find Italy without another word.

"England!" America shouted. "Come on! We've got to-" He looked at the British nation curiously. "England?"

"Y...yeah?" Came a faint reply.

America, glanced down at the ground quickly, grinning. "My Texas! They were right next to you the whole time! Why didn't you pick them up for me, dude?"

England stared blankly at the ground, the opposite direction of where America's glasses were. "W-were they, now?" His voice was shaky as he replied.

America took a step closer to him. "England?" Then it all suddenly clicked. "Don't tell me...you..."

England stepped backwards, cautiously. "What? W-we need to find Italy!"

Slowly, America approached the older nation. "E-England..."

By this time, England seemed to be panicking. "Wh-what?!" America grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. I remember asking you the following question...all those time loops ago...He held up three fingers in front of England's face. "H-how...many fingers...am I holding up?"

England's eyes grew wide at the question, clearly surprised. America's eyes filled with sadness. "You can answer me...right? I-if you can see..." Don't apologise...please. I can't live through that again!

The Brit hesitated. "W-well..."

America shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. "No...i-it can't be..."

England turned his head away. "I'm sorry America...I can...no longer see."

It was just as America suspected. He grabbed England's arms and began crying into his shoulder. "No...no...no!" He wailed. "England I...I'm so sorry..."

The Brit bit his lip, unsure of what to do. Hesitantly he wrapped his arms around his waist, resting his chin on America's head. "D-don't cry, America..." he whispered. "Please..."

When America's only response was another sob, England moved his hands up America's arms, hoping to place his hands on his shoulders. "America...Alfred..."

At the sound of his recently appointed human name, America looked up at him, his eyes rimmed with red. "E...England...?"

England's hands managed to cup America's cheeks gently. Without another word, he moved closer and kissed him softly. "I...I'm sorry." As he pulled away, his hands dropped to his sides and England fell to the floor with a soft thud.

Apparently, the damage had been much greater, for England had stopped breathing. America stared down at him in horror, kneeling next to the Brit's lifeless body. "England?" He whisperd. The American leaned closer to him, hoping he was just unconscious.

But, when he found out that he wasn't...

America threw his head back and wailed, "England!!" as loudly as he could. The grieving nation sniffled, reaching down to pick him up gently. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, as he hugged the dead England closely.

Without waiting for the others, America began to hurry back to the saferoom, alert for any other monsters lurking around the corner...