A/N: So this is my first HetaOni story! *applause* I'm so excited! :D
I do not own Hetalia, HetaOni, Ao Oni, or any of the characters in this story!
Read and Review!
UNKNOWN
CHAPTER 1...COMMENCE.
Chapter 1
He couldn't believe it. No – not like that. They couldn't go like that. It's…
"It's not fair!"
Italy couldn't even believe that was his own voice, that desperate screech filled with restrained emotion. He was about to burst, he knew it. The tears that he'd held for so long slid down his face quietly, unwillingly, but within a few seconds more and more pushed free until finally he couldn't bear to hold them back. He let them fall freely, while at the same time finally allowing himself to speak. But it wasn't his voice that came out. It couldn't be. That noise was too violent, too sad, too dark. Too much emotion. Why wouldn't it stop?
"IT'S NOT FAIR!"
He screamed, once again unleashing that horrible sound. Unrestrained emotion poured down his face in torrents. Did it matter that he was staring at the very one who caused this? Did it matter that the enemy's eyes, like empty black abysses, were staring back without even a flicker of grief or regret? Did it matter that this creature's only thoughts were of blood and death?
"…it's not true."
Startled from his morbid thoughts, Italy focused on the monster in front of him. His expression hadn't changed. Nothing had changed. Then…
"I…swear."
Italy gasped, choking on his own tears. He jumped back and shook his head violently, his tears falling even harder than before.
"No, no, stop making things up, Italy," he muttered to himself as he looked down, sniffling. "Your mind is messing with you…"
Italy cast a quick, hopeless glance at the monster, still unchanged, and shook his head once more. "So are you going to kill me or not? Not like you can…" Italy called out, the sarcasm in his voice overriding all other emotion.
The monster said nothing and did nothing. He only stared like he always did. Unmoving. Unchanging. Uncaring.
Uncaring?
"…I'm not."
Italy's eyes opened wide as he stared at the monsters lips, which had moved slowly to form the words he'd just heard. Was it just his imagination? But no – not if it happened twice. But maybe this was all just a dream anyway…
A small flicker of hope flared in his chest. All a dream. No one was dead…
"…not…a dream."
Surprised, Italy stared at the monster as it spoke again. "You…how did you…?" he began, unable to form the words.
"I…understand," the monster replied.
The tears stopped. Understand? The monster understood? How? How? Suddenly, anger coursed through him as he glared hatefully at the unmoving, unreadable monster.
"You understand?" Italy yelled, his fists clenched tightly. "How could you possibly understand? You're the one who killed them! It was you! You…you…" The tears streamed down his face again as the earlier flicker of hope vanished.
"YOU MONSTER!"
Monster…
That's right, I'm a monster.
No!
The monster suddenly took a step towards Italy. Italy jumped and drew Japan's sword, which he had taken possession of, out of the hilt on his waist. He swung it wildly at the monster, yelling as he did so.
"Don't come any closer! Stay away! I'll kill you if you don't stay away!" Italy yelled, his eyes filled with hatred and fear. The monster didn't stop moving towards him. "STOP! GO AWAY!" Italy screamed, backing up.
He tripped over a rock and fell on his back with a loud thump before crumpling into defenseless ball on the ground, sobbing helplessly. The monster halted his advance and continued to stare, his mind jumbled with thoughts.
Kill…
Blood…
Monster…
Hate…
Fear…
Who…am I?
"Who…are you?"
Wrong question.
"Who…who…"
Italy didn't move from his fetal position on the ground, though he had stopped sobbing uncontrollably and was instead whimpering quietly, his eyes half closed, staring straight ahead of him. Slowly, he closed his eyes.
A few minutes of silence passed before Italy's eyes flew open and he sat up. Confused, he stared at the monster in front of him with those powerful golden eyes, still clouded with grief. The remaining tears on his face slid down his cheeks slowly and quietly as he stared.
"Why…?" Italy mouthed, but once again the words wouldn't form. Why aren't you attacking me?
The monster continued to stare back. What was he supposed to do? Kill him too? But he didn't want to. He never wanted to…
No…never again…
"Why…attack me…?" Italy questioned, his voice shaking with anxiety and grief, but the question didn't come out the way he wanted it to. But somehow, he knew the monster would understand what he was trying to say.
"I…don't…I won't."
Italy's heart skipped a beat as he gaped, wide-eyed and bewildered, at the monster whose eyes had finally betrayed a tiny bit of remorse. Italy was shocked. For a moment, he forgot about his friends, his problems, and his current situation. A sudden feeling of security washed over him, though he didn't know why. Why should he feel safe? The monster was right in front of him, after all…
But was this really the monster that had killed his friends?
There was another long silence as they stared at each other. Finally, Italy reached his hand out towards the monster and held it there, expectantly.
The monster took a step back in surprise. Italy saw the small flicker of shock in the monster's eyes and nearly laughed. He moved forward a bit, still holding out his hand. The monster stared at his hand emotionlessly, his thoughts scrambling frantically.
Kill…
Blood…
Hate…
Eat!
He slowly reached out for Italy's hand.
No!
He froze, his hand only inches from Italy's. He was breathing heavily again, as he often did when he felt such bloodlust. His eyes darted to Italy's face, which betrayed the slightest hint of fear; despite that, it was obvious that he was determined to keep his hand held out for something the monster apparently had to give. But what…?
"…not fair."
Italy saw the monster slowly bring his hand to where it usually laid at his side. Slightly relieved yet thoroughly puzzled, Italy tilted his head questioningly, determined to keep his emotions in check lest they set the monster off.
"What's wrong? You don't want to?" Italy asked, wiggling his hand for emphasis.
Want…
"…not…not fair," the monster repeated, lamely. In a small lapse of judgment, the monster let down his guard and the full wave of sadness overcame him. Italy stared in wonderment at the open display of emotion. Sad? The monster was sad?
Somehow, Italy was finding it harder to be angry. What was this monster hiding? He wanted to know…
"Why are you sad?" Italy asked, his voice sympathetic.
"…I don't know."
Those three words were filled with so much emotion, Italy almost fell from shock. He unconsciously dropped his outreached hand.
"...maybe…maybe because…"
Italy nodded his head in encouragement. "Yes? Yes?" he said eagerly.
"...because…I don't…want it. I don't want it."
Italy tilted his head in confusion. "Huh?" he said, questioningly. "Don't want…what?"
Kill…
Blood…
Kill!
"No…"
"No?" Italy questioned, his forehead creased with confusion.
KILL!
KILL!
KILL!
"NO!" The monster suddenly yelled, taking a few shaky steps back from the confused Italy. "No! Don't…want...NO!" He turned away from Italy as he clutched his large, grey head in an open gesture of frustration. His claws raked the side of his head violently. "…no…"
Italy, completely mesmerized by this new side to the creature in front of him, moved closer.
"Stay…away," the monster said suddenly, still not looking at Italy. "I…I might…"
"Kill me?" Italy finished. "But…would you really?"
The monster had no answer for that.
Neither did Italy. But he'd take his chances.
"…would you?" Italy pressed, his eyes boring holes into the monster's back.
"…maybe."
Italy's eyes clouded with sadness. Of course, this was the monster that killed his friends. What was he thinking, trying to make conversation with it? Trying to – perish the thought – be friendly with it? But still…there was something about the monster now that caused his anger and sadness to subside for it seemed that, no matter how sad and angry he was, the monster was far worse off.
Maybe he has problems too. Maybe he does have a heart. Maybe…he's forced to do this?
"…I…I don't know."
Italy's head snapped up and saw that the monster was looking at his again. "Know what?"
The monster looked down, his eyes still sad. "If I'm…I'm being forced. But…I feel…there's a voice…saying 'kill'…'kill'…and I do it."
"I see…" Italy replied, shocked that the monster actually opened up to him. "Then…you don't mean to do it?"
"I…don't want to…kill," the monster whispered, his voice filled with grief. "But…why…do I…do…it?"
Italy didn't reply. He looked down at the ground as well, his own eyes once again filling up with tears. No. Don't cry. But he couldn't stop himself. Somehow, the grief and anger he had felt earlier was coming back again.
"You…" Italy murmured, his fists clenching again.
"…me?" the monster replied.
"You…you're too weak!" Italy yelled, facing the monster again. "And here I am thinking I'm the weak one! Why are you letting someone else control you?"
The monster's grief only worsened. "I…don't know…"
"Why can't you control your own destiny? Why do something so horrible…?" Italy choked on his tears, and groaned. "Not…again…" he croaked, his voice shot from yelling and screaming too much. Why…
"Help…me!"
Italy's surprise renewed, his bewildered eyes met the monster's again. "What…?"
"Please! …I…beg of you…I….need help."
Kill...
No...
No killing…
No more.
CHAPTER 1...END.
UNKNOWN
A/N: Whoot! And so the relationship between the monster and Italy begins! :D You'll have to see exactly what the monster's problem is next chapter…hehehe~ :)
Review, please!