Welcome to the Neighborhood

GERMANY

Germany ran; he wasn't exactly sure where he was running to, or what he was running from – it was scary, that was what it was – but he knew he had to find the rest of the countries and escape before he was ripped in half just like that little girl. Stinging tears of pain filled his blue eyes and leaves caught in his now-messy blonde hair, but he didn't care; the cuts across his exposed limbs stung like hell, his jaw was clenched tightly shut to keep from screaming, his nails were digging into his palms and his feet were beginning to hurt but despite all this he kept running…and right behind him ran the horror of the woods.

Why is he running? I just want to be his friend…

Germany never looked back; he knew his voice would fail him, so he didn't cry out for help or to warn the others of who – or what – he had found. He also knew they wouldn't believe him, but judging by the wretched state his clothes were now in, he was sure they'd believe his crackpot theory that a tall, faceless man was following him for no reason whatsoever. Prussia was already back at camp…he hoped. He hadn't seen the albino since he announced that "I have to take a piss!" and promptly walked off into the depths of the forest, so he was desperately hoping with every fiber of his being – the few that weren't focusing on running – that Prussia was back at camp with England and the rest of them. Behind him, he was sure the faceless man was still behind him. Despite all the hard work and training his body was used to, he felt his strength leave him. He was failing, and fast.

Oh, he's slowing down…does he want to be my friend as well?

Germany let a few tears loose and bit his bottom lip to prevent himself from yelling Italy's name out. He knew Italy wouldn't save him – he had a better chance at getting France to admit that he was gay than asking Italy to come and save him. He took a deep breath, nearly fell into a tree and shoved a couple of branches away from his face, panting like a tired dog the entire way.

At least he hasn't found any of my old friend's notes…those would make him think I'm a bad person.

Germany never noticed that the faceless man had left him alone, that the faceless man had teleported away or even noticed that he was starting to fumble in the dark. His chest heaved and contracted painfully, but he didn't care; cramps started forming in his shins and heels but he shrugged it off and kept running. He only stopped running when he reached the six-acre clearing near the camp. When he finally managed to stop his aching feet from trampling something pale white amidst the withered leaves, he could feel his entire body trembling.

"Mein Gott, I've never been this scared…" he mumbled to himself, collapsing to his knees. The faceless man watched from afar, too shy to approach the strange new friend he thought he had made.

Are you okay, friend? Do you want some water? You look tired…

Germany buried his face in his hands, pulled his knees to his chest and cried. Yes, he cried. Tears rolled down his cheeks in hot, wet blobs and his lips trembling, pulling back to allow a single pained yell escape from his throat. He doubted anyone heard it…

Oh…he's crying…did I scare him?

Germany continued to cry and felt his fingers wind their way into his disheveled blonde hair. His legs were bleeding profusely now and his toes were curling and uncurling in his boots; the straps of his tank top were ripped to shreds; one was lying on the ground, ripped in half, but Germany didn't care. When he finally stopped crying, he managed to sit up and inspect his surroundings through burning blue eyes. "Where…where am I?" he whispered; his lips were chapped, so he licked them.

Is he hungry?

Meanwhile, up in his hideout, the slender man in the immaculate suit watched his friend and tilted his head to the side. Maybe I should tell him I won't hurt him? He wondered to himself and was barely aware of the tentacles rising from his back. He took a deep breath, focused his energy on his friend and attempted to telepathically communicate with him.

Hello?

Germany froze. "What…in the…" he said aloud, looking around nervously. Someone had said something…but who? He was absolutely positive that he was the only one in that clearing, and his already-racing heart sped up at least 100%. "Wh-who's there?!" Germany yelled, reaching for the pistol he had abandoned a few yards back. The metal was warm; it hadn't been long since he last used it on the faceless man.

I don't want to hurt you.

Germany swung around so fast that his neck cricked and came face-to-face with what he had been running from this whole time. The faceless man, the strange man who haunted the forest wearing a flawless suit, had silently walked up behind him when he wasn't looking and tilted his head to the side, giving him an ominous look in the moonlight. Just the sight of this man's pale, formless face up close made Germany snap.

I won't hurt you. Just listen to me.

"Like hell I will!" Germany reached for his pistol and fired a few successful rounds into the monster's chest. The shells bounced off the forest floor and Germany kept firing even after he ran out of bullets. The faceless creature merely stood there, but with one difference: black blood, thick and cold, ran down the wounds in his body, but he had never moved when he received the wounds.

…ouch.

Germany's eyes grew wider and wider, his fingers trembled and dropped the gun to the ground. "Wh…what…what are you?!" he screamed, his vocal cords slowly ripping till he could scream no more. The faceless man merely tilted his head to the other side and reached inside his wounds to retrieve the bullets from them. Germany shook even more and blindly took a step back, then another, and then made a full-fledged sprint for the camp.

…jerk…I only wanted to be friends.

The faceless man dropped the used bullets to the ground, brushed the blood off his hands onto a handkerchief in his pocket and turned around to head back to his home in the heart of the woods.

Will no one be my friend?