Chapter 1: Unnecessary Tensions
I look up as the cell door clangs open. A muscular silhouette stands there, but is forced onto the grimy floor as a guard puts a foot on his back and shoves, hard. The figure gasps, and I hear something crack.
I grimace. "Must you be so rough, Daniels?" I ask coldly of the guard. He smirks.
"Shut it, filthy Spaniard," he spits. He kicks the figure once and slams the cell door again, the click of the lock reminding me I am little more than a slave here. The cuffs around my wrists serve as a cruel punishment for my so-called "crimes."
I look around at the other countries that are sitting in the cell. Germany, America and Austria all stare back at me, wordlessly arguing about who will help the newly imprisoned stranger on the floor.
Suddenly, America speaks. "You're not chained, Austria."
Austria glares. He has no reason too. He should feel grateful; at least he has the freedom of movement, if not the liberty of leaving this accursed prison. He stands, walks the short distance from one side of the cell to the other and crouches next to the man. The blackness of the box allows no light to reveal his identity.
"All right, sit up now, to make a start," Austria says. I strain my eyes to see him make the stranger lean on him. He drags the man up to a wall, forcing Germany to move, and leans him against it.
"What's going on?" He murmurs.
"Your name would help, if you don't mind."
He clears his throat. "Netherlands. " I tense, my fingernails digging into my palms. In the dim light, I can see Germany shoot me a warning glance. "Who-who else is here?"
"Germany, Austria, America…and Spain," America says.
Everyone goes silent. Through the darkness, I can feel his amber eyes searching for mine. "I've got no time to hold grudges," he says quietly. The words ricochet off the small cell wall and seem three times as loud.
"Well," Austria says. "Now that formalities are out of the way, I heard something crack earlier. Are you all right?"
"Something in my shoulder," Netherlands grunts, and he lets out a quick breath as he shifts his shoulder.
"Don't move just yet," Austria warns. "Someone come help me. Does anyone still have their jacket?" He clearly doesn't want to give up his purple coat.
"Splint," I say, crawling towards them both. "Good idea."
After another moment of silence, Austria sighs and sheds his coat. He winces, and I hear the tearing of fabric.
"C'mere," Austria says. Getting close, I have to lean over Netherlands, and I feel his hot breath on my arm.
"Look," he says, as Austria hands help mine to construct a crude splint. "Given this predicament, I don't want there to be any unnecessary tensions. If we could just put this aside…" He gasps as Austria accidentally jostles his shoulder. "Okay, Spain?"
I pause for a moment, and then see the logic in his words. "I'm for it if you are," I say, coming back to rest on my heels. "We'll leave that to set for a while. We have no real way of judging time in here. If it feels weird, tell Austria or me."
He nods. "Thank you, Spain." He looks around the cell. "Why are we all here?"
Germany makes a noise in the back of his throat. "We don't know," he says.
"None of us do," America adds. "We know its England, though. That bastard. For some reason, he knocked us all out and brought us here. Germany was here first."
"Then me," Austria says. "Spain came next. We thought America was the last, until you came along."
"Nobody knows why they're here?" He asks. "Did you resist?"
"I was busy," Germany grumbles.
"Having sex with Italy does not count as being busy," America says.
Even in the dark, the German's dark flush is visible.
"I was battling Japan," America says. His voice is strained, and his eyes flick around the cell nervously. Claustrophobia?
"Then what?" Netherlands asks.
"I passed out," Germany admits. "There was sedatives in the beers I had earlier."
"Someone hit me in the side of the head," America says. "There's still a bruise." He brushes back his hair to reveal a nasty black and purple mark on his temple. Blood is crusted there as well, adding dark red to the colors.
"I was simply doing paperwork at home," Austria said. "The window shattered, and a tranquilizer dart followed immediately after. I alerted Hungary…but apparently he overpowered her." His voice is filled with worry.
"What about you?" Netherlands asks, turning towards me. I close my eyes and letting my head gently rest against the wall, ignoring the question.
"He doesn't say," Germany says quietly.
"There a reason why?"
"We've all had bad things happen to us," I say. "But I feel you could not comprehend the pain I suffered to get in this position."
Everyone goes silent after that. "I'm sorry," I say. "I don't appreciate forced conversations. Not the Spanish way, that. Forgive me."
"It's all right," Netherlands says. He scoots closer to me, and I strangely relax as his thigh touches mine. "I get it."
I smile. "You've joined us now. We get out together, got it?"
Beside me, I feel him nod. "Together."