(Author's Note: More HetaHazard. I really love this series. More than HetaOni, actually. AT LEAST HETAHAZARD STILL GETS UPDATES.
Disclaimer: I don't own HetaHazard or Hetalia. I wish I did.)
Italy quietly follows Russia down the dark, deserted hallways, clutching the two small vials in his hand to his chest. To him, these are as important as life itself. Nothing, nothing will separate him from them. Absolutely nothing.
They are the only things that can save Germany and Japan.
Or, at least, Germany. Italy knows Germany is infected; he'd stated himself that the water he'd landed in was infected, and to not drink any. And Japan had told him that when Germany had made his crash-landing into the pool, he'd ingested some of it. So there is no doubt in Italy's mind that his best friend is on the verge of becoming like these monsters that had attacked him. Shuddering, he grips the vials tighter.
"Italy, are you ok?" Kumajiro asks from his position in the sack Canada had given him when he'd gone back to help China and Big Brother France fight those monsters.
"Ve? Oh, y-yeah…"
Japan, however, he is uncertain about whether or not he's actually infected. From what Germany had said, it sounded like you needed to actually ingest the water, not simply come into contact with it. But Japan had said that when he went in to rescue Germany, he had slipped and gone under. For all Italy knew, his other good friend could be infected as well.
Carefully, he slips the vials into one of his chest pockets. If they run into any of the monsters, he will need to fight, and that will be too hard to do while holding the small, oh-so-fragile vials that contain the salvation for his friends.
Besides, with how badly his hands are starting to shake, he could very possibly drop them, and he does not want that.
He feels more nervous and uneasy with them not in his hands, but at least he still has them on him. Russia had offered earlier to hold onto the vials, but Italy had refused. Even though they would probably be safer with Russia, who could probably scare away any of the monsters with a single glance, he couldn't bear to part with them. They were the only thing that had to save his friends; he just had to keep them, no matter how selfish it was.
"Will I even make it to them in time…?"
That's the thing he worries the most about right now. Not about whether or not they'll escape, or about the monsters that prowl the hallways, or even if the scary nation in front of him will suddenly turn on him. His sole worry and greatest terror at the moment is that he will be too late in giving this to his friends, that they will mutate into horrendous monsters.
That sole thought shakes him to the core, increasing the tremors running through his body.
"Italy, are you sure you're ok?" The polar bear pipes up again in concern.
"Y-Yeah. Just a little scared, ve…"
"Don't worry," the bear attempts to reassure him. "We'll be fine."
"Da, we will."
Startled, the Italian nation and the polar bear look forward. Russia has glanced back at them, a small smile formed on his face. For once, he seems to be lacking his usual creepy aura. "I will keep you two safe. We'll find the others, meet back up with France, Canada, and China, and then escape from here. We'll be ok."
Italy nods, a slight smile gracing his face for the first time since he'd found out about Germany's infection. "Gr-grazie, Russia."
Slowly, he lifts one hand up to his chest pocket, feeling the outlines of the slender vials hidden underneath. Yes. They'll be ok. They'll find Germany and Japan. They'll get the cure to them in time.
Everything would turn out ok.
It had to.
