New story. My way of apologizing for the long hiatus. Hetaoni, cause tears.
Part 1 – America
Current Time Loop
Shortly after breaking one of the clocks, America quietly asked Canada a question.
"Canada...?" The younger Nation was surprised at how quiet his older brother sounded.
"Yeah?"
"Can you promise me something, bro?" America whispered, gently grabing his little brother's shoulders. Canada looked at him questioningly, and he continued, "Promise me, if it comes down to us against that thing, that you get the hell out of there, no matter what happens to me."
"W-what brought this on, eh?" Canada looked at him worriedly, "Meri, you know that the clocks aren't showing the future, just past...time loops...oh." The smaller blonde looked up at his brother, "W-what did you see, eh?"
"Just promise me, so I never have to see it again. Please, Canada." America looked ready to cry, eyes helpless and afraid. Canada sighed, looking at his feet.
"I-I'll try. But I really can't promise I will." At America's bewildered look, he grinned wryly, "You're my brother, Meri. If there's even a chance I can save you, or anyone else for that matter, I'm not sure I'd think twice before doing so."
America shuddered, but nodded. He knew very well that if Canada had asked the same of him, his answer would have been a flat 'hell no'. But the similarity between what his brother had just said, and what he'd said in the clock vision, terrified him...
...
Unspecified Past Time Loop
"Th-they're dead. Papa and England." Canada's dull voice was the first thing America heard upon regaining consciousness. He blinked up at his brother, whose hands were covered in blood, and whose violet eyes were dead and cold.
"What...? How?! We're Nations, we can't-" He choked back a sob as he saw the corpses behind his brother. France had a gaping wound in his chest, and his eyes were half-lidded. He wore a sad smile, even in death. England's face and throat had been brutally mauled, leaving America praying that he had died quickly.
"I couldn't save them." Canada whispered, eyes still fixed, almost catatonically, on the wall across from him. America pulled himself into a sitting position.
"Canadia, I don't think anyone could have. That thing, it's too strong..." He reached up, and brushed blood-stained strands of hair out of his pale twin's face.
"They were the c-closest thing we ever had to parents. A-and I couldn't save them." Tears began to flow from his violet eyes, as sobs built in his chest. America pulled him close, conscious only of his twin's sobbing, and a throbbing pain in his head.
"YoU wIlL nOt EsCaPe."
Until the voice of the thing interrupted his thoughts.
Canada screamed in rage, picking up his bow and loading it within seconds. America whipped out his gun, wondering briefly where his brother's polar bear was. As the thing advanced, barring its teeth, he saw clumps of flesh, and white fur, stuck between them. The thing, dear God, the thing had killed Kumajirou. He recognized a few of the French Canadian curses that Canada was yelling at the thing, as he repeatedly shot it. He raised his gun, and pulled the trigger.
The click of an empty barrel greeted him.
He cursed, as the thing flung Canada to one side, and advanced on him.
"DiE!" It screeched, lunging towards him, only to jerk back with a scream. Canada had leapt onto it's back, stabbing it with France's sword, and was holding on for dear life.
"NON! You've killed EVERYONE ELSE I care about! I won't let you take him, too!" The Canadian roared, the sword dragging deeper and longer as the thing thrashed, attempting to throw him off. America realised a moment too late that his brother didn't see the arm reaching back to grab him.
"CANADA!" He wailed, as his brother was ripped from the thing's back, even as he dealt a fatal blow, and was thrown into the wall. A sickening snap told him that bones had broken. Even as the creature faded, America raced to his brother's side.
The image would be forever seared into his mind.
The left side of his body, where the thing had grabbed him, was a mess of shredded flesh and snapped bones. His body lay at a bizarre angle, and his breathing was soft, but ragged.
"Oh, God, no. Canada! Bro, hold on, you're gonna be fine."America felt tears falling down his face. His brother gave him a weak, bloody smile.
"L-liar..." America practically sobbed at that, holding his twin close.
"Why? Canada, why did you do that?" He managed, locking eyes with his twin one final time.
"Y-you're my b-brother...c-couldn't let it g-get you...not wh-when I could s-save...you..."
America let out a cry of anguish, as his brother died in his arms.