So close. They were so close. Italy looked over his friends who were all gathered in the safe room. Weary, beaten, and bloodied, but alive. All of them were alive and so close to escaping. But of course the monster had realized this and now stood guard down the long hallway leading to the front door. To the outside. To freedom. Veneziano had so long ago lost count of how many times he had gone back in time to try and save everyone. Now, sitting alone in the corner while his friends caught their breath, he could think back to all those times. His gaze traveled from one nation to the next, remembering how each had died at one time or another. And each had died protecting him at least once. America, Canada, France, Prussia, China, Japan, Russia, Germany, England.
Especially England. How many times had the British nation died protecting the rest of them? No one else could remember, and so take notice, but Italy could see that the effort of using his magic to protect the others had taken its toll on the normally scary man. He was tired, Italy could see it. Even when they went back in time England's magic continued to dwindle. And lately the monster had started to target the Brit along with Italy. The southern nation wished the others could understand how exhausted he and England both were, but they wouldn't believe him even if he did tell them. It was that understanding, Italy figured, that had over time worn down his fear of the island nation.
"This is pathetic! And you call yourself a former empire! How can you be so useless!" China was shouting at England who had just admitted that he did not have enough magic left to teleport the group past the monster.
"Hey take it easy on him! He's an old man after all" America laughed with his normal light-hearted tone. He jokingly pat the shorter blond on the back who did not look like he appreciated the gesture very much. Italy wanted to say something, but didn't.
Shoving America's arm away England stalked away from the group muttering to himself and told the others to "piss off" before slumping down against the wall a few feet to the side of the Italian. "Hope you don't mind me joining you in the sulking corner." Italy just shook his head and England shrugged before making himself comfortable.
For a few minutes the two remained silent, listening to the sounds of the other nations arguing over the best course of action to get past the monster that didn't involve one of them dying. "Well if SOMEONE was a little more useful with that magic they keep bragging about..." China again.
"Wankers" England muttered darkly, glaring in the direction of the other nations. He then raised a hand before his face and slowly opened and closed his hand with a frown on his face. "It's not my fault my magic's gone and disappeared on me. I just don't get it. I hate feeling so useless."
"You're not useless. You do a lot to help everyone here. More than me." Italy offered his comforting words before drawing his legs up to his chest and burying his head in his arms. The cowardly nation jumped at the feeling of a hand on his head, ruffling his hair slightly, though thankfully avoiding his curl. Glancing up he saw England looking down at him with a concerned frown.
"Don't say that. You think I haven't noticed? That book of yours, it's magic isn't it?" Italy gasped and unconsciously gripped the book tightly in his hand. He knew that at some point England had needed to use the book to reset time, but he wanted to avoid anyone else touching the journal if possible. At seeing the other's distress England backed up a bit. "I don't intend to take it from you so don't worry" the Brit soothed. "I can see it in your eyes, this isn't the first time we've been here. You've been reversing time with it." Italy gaped.
"How did you realize?" This hadn't happened before. England gave a sad smile.
"There is a certain aura that surrounds anyone who has used magic. You have it, but you didn't when we started the meeting. To grow an aura as large as your own would take more time than has passed so I can only conclude time has passed without my knowledge. A lot of it." At this last England's expression grew even sadder. "You've had it hard haven't you?" He asked kindly. It was weird for Italy to be comforted by the nation he was usually quite terrified of. But it was not unpleasant. He had grown a certain admiration for the other over the course of this ordeal and come to understand the deep compassion the other had buried deep beneath his prickly surface. Much like Germany really. It was what had driven the former empire to use his magic to protect everyone even to the point of dying time and time again.
"We're not going to make it this time either are we?" Italy asked, already knowing the answer in his heart. They wouldn't be able to make it past the monster without at least one of them dying.
England sighed and lightly punched the Italian's arm. it wasn't very hard but then again Italy wasn't very strong so he winced and rubbed the limb. "Yes we will."
"But the monster! It's too strong, we won't make it without losing someone!"
"Yes we will." Again England made the simple statement. Speaking as if it was the simplest fact in the world. Italy didn't understand where he drew his confidence.
"How do you know?" Italy looked up to the other who smirked back.
"Because you will save us all. You're going to be the hero. Regardless of what America over there thinks." Once again the Italian was stunned to silence. Him, a hero? The small nation shook his head in denial.
"I'm not strong enough. A hero needs to be able to protect everyone with his strength. That's why America is always the hero. I can barely take care of myself. I can't even tie my shoes without help." It was an embarrassing fact. He always had to ask Germany to do it for him. Why was he telling this to the Englishman? Speaking of which, England was looking at him a little shocked.
"Really?"
"Si, I have to ask Germany to do it for me" Italy confirmed with a sad nod.
"Well then let me show you. I had to show a ton of my colonies how to do simple things like this so I'm pretty good at teaching if I do say so myself." With that England scooted closer and started to explain how to tie shoes to the Italian in a way that was quite patient and easy to understand. Italy was shocked to discover that in no time he was able to complete the task without the blond correcting him.
"Grazie!" Italy smiled as he thanked the English nation. It was the first smile he had cracked since they had entered the safe room. England couldn't help but smile back. Italy stared a little. England should smile more, he looked much nicer when he smiled like that. It was so genuine, so kind. Kind of like Germany, he though fondly. They looked scary on the outside, but they were both big softies on the inside.
"There, now there is nothing holding you back." Italy held his smile for a short while before the image of the other dying flashed before his face. A bashed in face. Empty green eyes. Blood pooling over the white sheets of a bed. The small nation turned away in shame. "Now what's bothering you?"
"Mi dispiace. I'm just scared. I really don't think I can keep going like this. No one else remembers everything that has happened. I can't keep going. I'm not strong enough." Italy shut his eyes tight and clamped his hands over his ears to try and drown out the sound of the others arguing over how they were to escape. It would all be futile anyway.
Soon enough though the southern nation felt two hands grip his own and pull them away from his ears. "Italy look at me." Slowly, the Italian raised his head to obey the order. England looked down at him with calm determination. "You can do this. There is a reason you were the one to find the journal. If there is anyone who can save us all it is you." England picked up the journal discarded previously at Italy's side and placed it in the other's hands. "And if you ever feel like you aren't strong enough to carry this burden. Let me be your strength" Italy felt tears well at the corner of his eyes and before he let them spill, threw his arms around the island nation and wrapped him in a fierce hug.
"Thank you Inghilterra!" he squealed. The Brit tensed under the other's tight embrace but slowly began to awkwardly pat the other on the back as an acceptance of the gesture. Well, this was odd.
"Are you alright now?"
Italy nodded. "Si. Scusami but I just want to stay like this a while." England made no verbal reply but Italy could feel him nod his head and begin to rub small circles on his back. "Inghilterra?"
"Hmm?"
"Make sure you don't die okay?" England froze in his movements.
"What do you mean?"
"You... you die the most. Because of your magic. Because you keep using it to protect everyone. We need to escape together. All of us. So make sure you don't die this time okay?"
England chuckled a little. "If you say so." The Englishman slowly untangled himself from the clingy Italian, wondering all the while how Germany put up with this all the time. "Now, I'm hungry I think I'll go cook something."
Italy watched him go for a bit before realizing what it was the Brit had actually said. "Oh wait let me do it!" Italy ran past the other and sighed before cracking a small smile and ignoring England's annoyed grumbling. Crisis averted.
"We aren't going to make it!"
"He's gaining on us!"
"Italien!" Germany skidded to a halt and turned around to see his worst nightmare coming true. The group had miraculously made it passed the monster and were making a break for it. But by some cruel trick of fate Italy had tripped. Stumbling to the ground the amber-eyed Italian lost his grip on the journal and fell to his hands and knees.
Time seemed to slow down. Italy watched as Germany, Prussia, and Japan, leading the pack of nations, came to a halt to call back to their fallen ally. Russia and China ran past him followed by France, America, Canada, and England. They were running away from him, from the monster. The door was so close. Italy started crying, not willing to even attempt to rise and resume his frantic race. He knew he had made a mistake and this time there was no escaping for him. It was his turn to die.
"Italy run!" Big Brother France was calling to him. But he just couldn't go on. France threw the Italian one last sad glance before turning and running as well. They were all running but Italy didn't blame them. This was all his fault to begin with so really he was just making amends. He would die so the others could live. And without the journal there was no risk of them going back.
Italy closed his eyes. Waiting for when the monster would reach him and crush him. "England what are you doing!?" America's outburst caused Italy Veneziano to open his eyes once again to see a green-eyed nation racing back for him.
A strong hand wrapped around his arm in a vice-like grip and attempted to haul the fallen nation to his feet. "Italy move!" England shouted down at the other. The monster was closing in fast.
"I can't! Just go!" England ignored his objections and instead threw his other arm around the Mediterranean's back to better lift his weight.
"I'm not leaving you here idiot!" Italy shook his head and pushed the other away, subsequently causing himself to stumble and fall. "Don't be a stubborn git Italy."
"You promised!" England froze in his attempt to approach the Italian. His eyes steeled and his face grew grim.
"Aye. That I did. I promised that when you were weak I would be your strength so that you could be our hero" England took a step back and bent over to retrieve the fallen journal. With the smirk of a pirate the Englishman tossed it to Italy who was too stunned to reject the reflex of catching the bound pages. Reaching into his own uniform, which was somehow equipped with enough pockets inside to hide many things there should not have been room for, he withdrew his own worn spellbook. "And that's exactly what I intend to do Veneziano."
The flustered nation gaped when the realization of what England intended finally hit him. "No England you can't!" A harsh wind like a hurricane rushed through the long hallway. The choppy blond hair of the Englishman whipped about and his green eyes began to glow. A clear sign that he was summoning up magic to use. Far more than was safe. "England stop!" A crackling like lightning reached Italy's ears and the monster let out a frustrated screech. It had hit a barrier it could not cross. Keeping it at bay. With one arm raised England looked from the frightened Italian with a sad smile to the monster, with a fire in his eyes that could kill.
A sight he had not seen since this whole ordeal began reached Italy's eyes. Two downy wings of the purest white sprouted from the island nation's back. Like those of an angel they unfurled brilliantly in a sight of unparalleled beauty. Italy wanted with all his heart to paint their image and preserve them forever. But just as quickly as they appeared the soft white feathers began to darken to grey and tumble from their places. Fading from existence before they even touched the ground.
His arm began to shake. England could feel the energy the magic was taking from him drain from his body like a cup tipped on its side. He could see the monster behind Italy thrashing against the invisible restraints keeping it stationary. A wet substance built up behind his throat and England felt himself cough. Something warm dripped down the side of his mouth and his knees buckled but still the island refused to falter. Like the other had said. He made a promise.
"Oh shit" he muttered.
Arm still raised England felt the last of his energy run empty and he slumped to his knees, the color draining from his eyes and yet the barrier remained. Still draining even as there was nothing left to take. His wings were gone, their power spent. And his vision was fading as well. "So this is what it feels like to die" he whispered quietly to himself. He did not focus his last sights on the monster. Instead he tried to follow the hazy figure of a short Italian kneeling in front of him. There was no longer any need to fear the beast. The price had been paid, now Italy would be free to save the rest.
His sight faded completely but the island could hear his friend crying tearfully in Italian. He could sense the body near him and leaned forward, unable to support his own body weight and landing so his forehead was pressed against the other's shoulder. "Y-You promised" Italy cried, shoulders shaking. The Italian's tears wet England's shoulder.
"Yeah I did. And now you must keep it for me." All feeling was gone from his legs, and the numbness was growing. England collapsed further forward until he pressed up against Italy's chest, the young Mediterranean keeping him up with his own arms.
"H-how?"
"Get the others out." Darkness swallowed him whole. All feeling, all sensation gone. Nothing.
Italy felt the nation he held grow limp and fall. The body before him dropped off his shoulder to the ground and Italy turned slowly. Fearing what he would see the Italian rotated his head around to peer at the dead body beside him. "England?" Italy reached down and brushed the hair from the other's pale face. Dull green eyes staring unseeingly into empty space. "You promised you wouldn't die remember?"
The slight nation received no answer from the other. He knew in his mind and in his heart that England was dead but still he could not will himself to leave. To get up and return to the others. Behind him Italy could still hear the monster thrashing about, but it could not touch him. "Italy come on, it's too late!" America was at his side. The North American nation knelt down next to Italy and cast a single pained glance towards the fallen island before taking Italy's hand in his own and forcefully tugging him up and away. Within moments he was outside. Safe and free on the outside of the fence that separated the mansion from the rest of the world.
Around him the nations were exchanging congratulations and sharing their relief for having escaped with their lives. Expressing their desire to return home. But all Italy could do was stare back at the mansion, and the friend they had left behind. Knowing what needed to be done, Italy tightened his grip on the journal in his hands.
"We have to go back" he whispered, but he had been so quiet that like Canada he was ignored.
A hand clapped him hard on the back, probably America. "Come on man, we should get out of here. And we also have to tell England's boss about what happened to him" the American's voice was solemn.
Italy just continued to stare and repeated his earlier statement. Louder this time. "We have to go back." This time he was heard and the others silenced. They each turned to stare in confusion at the oddly assertive Italian.
"What do you mean Italy?" Japan asked in confusion. Of course, they wouldn't remember that it was possible to go back in time. They never did.
Italy lifted the journal. "With this journal we can go back in time. We can go back and start over. Start over, and save him" the small man looked up to the eyes of the other nations to gauge their reactions. He had never before actually asked their opinion about going back. He had simply done it because he felt there was no choice. But this time only one of them had died. And he wanted the others to agree with him. To give him the strength to go through this whole ordeal yet again.
They all looked various degrees of shock and disbelief. "A-Are you serious?" Canada asked. Others mumbled their shared doubt. But after seeing the resolve in Italy's eyes they slowly came to terms with the truth.
"You can't actually expect us to want to risk our lives just to save that Opium bastard can you?" China asked with a look of distaste.
"I agree" Russia was quick to add.
Well, Italy couldn't say that the reluctance of those two were unexpected. But he did hope for the rest of the nations to want to take the risk. "America?" he asked earnestly.
The wheat blond scratched the back of his head nervously and refused to meet the shorter's eyes. "Well, um... I mean- that is to say" Italy gaped. How could America say this. This is the same person who had stayed behind after England and Canada had both died so that he could be with them up until the end! "If we go back there is no guarantee that we would all survive. I don't think Iggy would want us to risk it." He had a point. Italy had no doubt that England wouldn't want him to go back for him. But that didn't make it any less wrong to not do so.
"Canada?" Italy turned to the other desperate for some support.
The quiet nation gripped his polar bear tightly. "Of course I would want to go back for him, but we have a responsibility to our people. We can't just risk our lives for one person. No matter how much we want to."
"Big Brother France?" The elder European nation refused to look Italy in the eyes and said nothing.
Italy started shaking in rage. "H-he would go back for any of you" he hissed. "He came back for me and died so that I could get out. If what you say is true, then he would have let me die." The surrounding nations looked down in shame. But still they were too afraid to go back. None of them wanted to die. Luckily, it didn't matter if they were too scared. Italy didn't need their cooperation to do what was right. He took a step backwards and passed the threshold of the mansion property.
"Italy what are you doing!?" Germany shouted in concern and reaching out towards him. But even he was scared to cross after him.
Italy gave his ally a sad smile. "Sorry Germany, but I need to do this. I-If I had this power to save Holy Rome, I would have. I won't let another friend die." Germany looked so confused but that was okay. He didn't need to understand.
"Italy don't!"
Italy shut his eyes and ignored the protests of his friends who were all too afraid to come in and stop him. He imagined the green eyes and that brief smile he had glimpsed of the island nation. Yes, he would save them all. If that was what it took to save everyone. Then he would be a hero.
When Italy opened his eyes again. He was at the world meeting, and he scanned the room, smiling when he caught sight of a familiar head of messy blond hair and green eyes.
A/N: I was bored, going through HetaOni for inspiration and decided to kill England again. I'm so mean to him. Anyway, please let me know what you think!