England stumbled through the smoke left in the wake of another explosion. Blood streamed profusely from his head and dotted the sides of his face and arms. His people lay dead all around him, their skin charred black and their eyes glassy. A mother lay motionless on her back, a baby held tightly to her chest. Her husband had thrown himself across them, in a futile attempt to save his family. England looked on as he fought back tears, stumbling further into the ruins of London.
He knew that help would not come. The world had left his country to burn and he was doomed to die submersed in its ashes. Another explosion went off behind him, causing him to lose his footing. The injured nation fell forward, collapsing against the bloodied pavement. The impact stung like a dozen sharp knives as the gravel tore into his wounds. He closed his eyes in pained dismay and allowed his head to roll on its side.
He prayed for death to come quickly, as the will to go on abandoned him.
I wonder what waits beyond this...
Where do I go when it all ends here?
"England!"
Through the deafening onslaught of bombs and gunshots, he heard a voice call out from the flames. The footsteps approached him quickly and clumsily, stopping at the side of his body. The person collapsed in a heap beside him, panting and whimpering under their breath.
"Nonono, please don't be dead" they whispered, as a hand slid over England's shoulder and turned him carefully onto his back.
…America…
America's fingers pressed to his wrist, as the younger nation searched for a pulse. He eventually found one, but it was weak. The beats were slow and far between, fading more by the second.
"Oh God no…England, you have to fight! Talk to me dammit!"
…America…You came…to try and save me.
England struggled to part his lips, but found that no words escaped them. America's eyes began to water as he grabbed onto England's shoulders.
"DON'T YOU DARE DO THIS TO ME ENGLAND! DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!" He screamed, shaking England's body violently.
England remained limp and motionless, as the darkness around him began to turn white.
…I wonder what my life would have been…
If I hadn't been a nation.
America stopped shaking England, as the tears fell miserably from his eyes. Reality hit him without mercy, as his head sunk slowly forward and he pressed his forehead against his friends.
"…I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner, England…I'm so so sorry…"
What if I had just been Arthur Kirkland.
Perhaps I'll get a chance… on the other side.
"Don't go, England…please don't go …"
Maybe I'll meet you there, America… meet you as Alfred.
I'll get to show you how much you mean to me.
"I need you…"
Be with you. Spend my life with you. Love you in the way I never could here.
America leaned forward shakily and pressed his lips against England's. The tears continued to fall as America kissed him sweetly and gently. The kiss soon evolved into something more desperate, as America clung to the front of his shirt and whispered confessions against his lips. He choked back a loud and audible sob, before crumbling into a whimpering wreck. He buried his face in England's neck, howling without restraint as his pale skin grew cold.
The white flared up and engulfed England, lifting him up from the ground and guiding him into a long tunnel.
Maybe that'll be my reward for all this…
Maybe that'll be my Heaven.