The warmth along his side was what gave the whole situation away.
England couldn't really remember much that happened, nor could he see it. Really, what could he see anymore besides the obvious darkness he had encased himself inside?
He began to feel as if he were drooling, and his body started to grow numb.
Why...?
Why had he done this?
Why hadn't he kept his promise...
He could hear a symphony of crying voices and screaming, but throughout the banter, he could only really focus on the one voice...the main one. The one he'd been seeking out the whole time.
"IGGY!"
He instantly knew he was on the floor as soon as his knees hit the cold surface and his head made contact roughly. Though, the pain in his side was a bit stronger...
However, the numb feeling all over was starting to work it's way into his side as well.
He was glad that, soon, there would be no more pain, if the numb feeling continued to escalate.
"No...no...no! United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, you better wake up this damned minute!" He could hear that voice again. One that reminded him of angels...of one particular angel, in fact: one with wheat-colored hair, bright eyes the color of a summer's sky, and an atrocious cowlick that wouldn't stay down no matter how much you tried.
Finally, he was able to collect some of his barrings and licked his already damp lips.
"A-Amer..Americ-ah-ow..." The pain in his throat was increasing. Best to save his voice for when he really needed it.
That voice...it had said his whole name...his whole country name...
"England...please...l-look! G-Germany's here! He can help out! A-and China's got the medicine! H-He'll be able to fix you up in no time! So...so please, for the love of God, don't...don't leave...don't fall asleep!" He really wasn't in the mood to retaliate back some snide comment about him not being able to "look" at anything. His body was increasingly becoming even more numb. Even his throat stopped quaking in pain.
"A-ameri-cah...I...I-"
"Shut up! Don't you dare! D-don't...don't you..." There was a series of wetness that sprinkled onto the surface of his skin, dancing onto his blank and open eyes and face. The voice was sobbing, trying to hold steady. England could hear the sadness in his voice when he spoke again, "You promised...you promised...you wouldn't leave again..."
"I-I..." England breathed in deeply, his air supply growing faint. What was this...high feeling...? He felt incredibly tired all of a sudden... "I'm sorry..."
"Don't you dare f*cking say that!" The voice cried, and he could feel the warmth of arms circle around his waist. Though, he wasn't sure exactly what was going on, for the rest of his body was cold. Cold, besides the retreating red liquid that spilled from his side, mouth, and throat. "It means...it...it means..."
"I'm sorry...I'm breaking...our promise..." England whispered faintly, his head feeling as if he was inside a cloud. He could have sworn if he hadn't been still here in this damned mansion, he would have thought he was flying.
"Please...don't say that..." America sniffled, lifting up the bleeding man so he rested in his lap. He cut out the sounds of the others fighting the Monster behind him, as to put all his focus on his main importance: his dying friend.
"Y-you'll-" England gave a short cough, a spout of warmth escaping his lips, "You'll get out...of here...right...? Y-you have to..." Another coughing fit, "Y-you and Italy and the others h-have to escape and-"
"I don't care about that right now! It's not like it would work anyway!" Alfred all but shouted, holding England closer to him, "I only care about...a-about saving you...I am the...the Hero..." England would have, again, made another snide comment about that, but he refrained, as he took notice of the doubt laced inside the American's regretful words. If he hadn't been numbed all over, England would have hugged the man above him back, in comfort.
"D-don't worry...about me...you bloody git..." England slurred, feeling even more elevated and a sudden increasing longing for rest overtook him, "S-save...s-s...save..." England gave a raspy enhale, his chest convulsing at a slow pace, so slow... "y-yourself..."
"Don't you understand, you stupid geezer?" America seethed, bringing his face closer to England's, England could tell from the heated air blowing into his hair and dark eyes. "I f*cking love you, alright? I'm in love with you! Can you hear me? England?"
England suddenly became painfully aware that his heart wasn't beating as fast as it should. In a normal situation, his face would become rapidly red, and his heart beating like a hummingbird's swift and soft wings. But, as he so unfortunately became alerted to, his heart continued to thrum the same pattern...so slow...
"Am...America..." England muttered, moving his head a bit so his forehead touched America's, "you...t-too...bloody git..." He whispered, but it wasn't as if he could care less.
There was a sharp pain. And then darkness, even more so than his usual blindness. He made a sudden intake of air, a gasp, if you will, before his breath ceased to flow from his drying lips.
America widened his eyes then, noticing how cold England's skin was becoming. And that...and that his breath no longer moved along with his own. "I-Iggy...?"
There were no more replies. England's dead and glazed over emerald eyes-some that America thought reminded him of the mossy hills and forests that he had found resting in places around the island nation's home-stared back at America with such a sad expression...
"N...no..." America shook his head. "No...No, this can't be happening..." He began to kiss the other's forehead, repeatedly, smudges of blood dotting his skin and leaving him covered in the red and brown liquid, "Please, God, please...please don't let him...please don't leave me, Iggy..." Tears were streaming down his reddened cheeks, collecting up the smudges of drying blood and trailing them down his face as well.
America caught onto the moment when life stopped, and his sobbing began. Those nasty, loud, and breath-taking sobs that exited your body at a irregular pattern, leaving you gasping for air and curling down in the middle of your body.
That's what he wanted to do.
The United States of America wanted to curl inside of himself and die with everyone else.
He knew from the fighting behind him that the effort had been futile.
Italy had been killed along with Japan back at the safe place, as the Monster had figured out where they were staying during one of their labored routines, and while the others ran away, Prussia had been slaughtered as well as Spain and Romano, who were grieving over the dead Italian not too many feet away.
America had grabbed onto England-who at the time, had no idea what was going on-and Canada, dragging them with him as he escaped with the others. There was no way he could lose them too.
Though, as Germany, China, and Russia stayed behind to fight back the Monster, America sprinted along with a gasping and out-of-breath England (who still was beyond confused, mind you), a panicked Canada who was clutching onto his oversized coat for dear life, and an injured France, who was grabbing onto his bleeding arm, panting heavily.
After a bit, the foursome found themselves inside of an abandoned room, America closing the door and locking it behind him. They thought they were safe, then.
Until the Monster came crashing in, swiping a large, sharp-nailed hand at both Canada and France. As the two landed into the floor in a bloody puddle, America above them with tear-filled eyes and a ragged breath, the Monster decided to barrel down on him and England.
With quick reflexes, and a regretful heart, America exited the room, tears spilling down his face as he left his brother and friend behind.
It wasn't supposed to end like this...
America was practically carrying England away by the time he reached the dead end of the hallway on the first floor, heading towards the bathroom and bathing area.
"Let me go, you-" But, before England could finish his sentence, another large hand clamped down on America's side, tossing him and the British nation over. England went flying down the hallway, hitting his head on the door to the washroom. With a flinching gasp, America noticed he himself was in the opposite direction, laying across the wall next to the bathroom door.
He shook his head, the room fuzzy until he heard a small groan. He blinked, aiming his sight towards where Iggy had been thrown.
"Wha-" He watched in fright as the Monster ignored him and headed in England's direction, the man trying to stand and raise his fists up to fight the Monster as it was approaching.
"Come at me you bleeding wanke-" But, right as he aimed his fist towards an empty space, his small and frail body shaking in dawning fear, he heard the swift movement of something being flung in his direction.
KSSSTTT
BANG
America gaped as he saw the Monster attack England.
Blood began to pour from a small incisine in his neck, as well as a few scratches on his arms and face. But, more of the red liquid began to flood from a gaping hole in his right side.
America then saw the trail of blood exit the Island nation's mouth, his legs becoming wobbly and him beginning to fall...
"IGGY!"
Now, America was leaning over the dead nation, tears streaming down his face as he noticed the silence of the Monster lingering behind him. Germany, China, and Russia must have lost the fight as well...
And the nations fighting outside had stopped contacting them through the telephone about a day ago...
He was alone.
The Monster made a small sound-something portraying a weak growl-as he set his blood-lust eyes on the statue like American.
But, America stood up, his legs nearly giving out on him, and turned towards the beastly Monster.
"You sure do know when to pick great timing, dude..." He murmured, his face completely emotionless, "I was just about to share a little secret of mine to my buddy over here..." He grit his teeth, placing his hand in his bomber jacket's pocket, "But...maybe I can fix that."
The Monster growled loudly as he noticed a familar book in the American's grasp as he pulled the hand-made journel from his pocket.
"See this...?" America mumbled, turning the torn book in his hands, staring at it as if it contained all the answers to the world inside it, "I brought it with me when I noticed Italy being slaughtered by you. I knew that if I brought Iggy here with me and we turned back time with this book, we could do it all over again, just like always..." America lifted up the book, raising it so it lined up with the Monster's head from across the hall, "But now...now that will have to change. Maybe...maybe it's time for me to be the Hero this time around..." He opened the ragged book, a paper greeting him on the inside. His eyes caught the familar name on the surface.
Veneziano Italy
"It's my turn..." America slid his hand across the side of the paper, wincing a bit as the paper slightly cut the inside of his palm. With a shake of his hand, a few droplets of blood lined the white and thining paper. The red spots instantly sank into the paper, a small light emmiting from the book.
America raised it again, watching as the Monster stared at him with cold, heartless, wide gray eyes. He smirked.
"TAKE ME BACK!"
Thus, a mixture of light and power exploded from the book, enveloping him into the bright ecstacy, until he was gone.
"You imbecile...haven't I told you plenty of times not to fall asleep next to me..." A grumpy British voice brought the American back on Earth, and while opening his eyes, America took notice of a healthy England laying near him, lying on a small futon on the floor.
The room was dark, but even through it, America could see the way the Brit's emerald eyes were glazed over and tended to flicker around the room unconsciously.
He's...still blind. Wow, it didn't take me back far...
Actually...
"Everyone! Something's happen-" America heard the familar phrase from China, before the door to their safe haven was bust down by the claws of the Monster. Canada and Italy gasped loudly, eyes wide, while Germany and Russia, who were closest to the door, launched themselves at the thing.
"Everyone, run!"
But, America grabbed England up and held him tight.
"What are you-"
"Don't give up..." America kissed the smaller nation's forehead, then jumped up, running towards the others. He had his sights set on a certain Monster.
I'll do this. I'll do this for you, Iggy, and everyone else.
England, Canada, France...
Italy, Japan, and the others too...
Because I'm a Hero...
And Hero's leave no one behind.
America jumped onto the Monster's back, raising his gun up above to rest on the Monster's neck.
A vital region to the Thing.
"Goodbye..." He muttered, as the Monster grasped his waist and started to squeeze, so tightly that the American could feel his breath leave him. The nails of the creature embedded themselves in his skin, leaving long gashes that left his skin raw and bloody. He knew that, soon, they would go deep enough to damage anything vital, even organs.
Which, they did, as he instantly concluded. Blood began to drip along the floor up under him and the Monster.
As soon as he felt himself being crushed, he knew he would die. But, before he heard the snapping of his own bones as blood began to pour from his dying body, he took the final move.
BANG
BANG BANG BANG
"AMERICA!"
I hope I was the Hero...Iggy...everyone...
I hope I made you all proud...