Germany stared up at the ceiling as he laid in the bed. These past few, for a lack of a better word, days had taken Italy away from him three different ways. It had also brought up feelings deep inside him and these lingering memories that he couldn't place. Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose and sat up. He looked over at the small Italian as he continued to sleep and the blonde couldn't help smile sadly. He knew he had to keep Italy from dying, but he wasn't sure how.
Quietly getting out of bed, Germany went to the bathroom and washed up. As he walked back into his bedroom, he found Italy sitting up in the bed.
"Ve, Germany, I thought you left without me!" Italy exclaimed like he had the first time.
Tears almost broke through, but the larger nation managed to stop them. How many times was he going to see Italy die before he stopped the cycle? He almost couldn't bare to think about it.
Germany dug through his dresser and pulled out his uniform, still thinking about how to keep his ally alive. He pulled on his pants and shirt absent mindedly then turned to the bed and found Italy staring at him. A blush appeared on his face, but this time it didn't seem to bother him as much. A new feeling that he had never felt before began to rise in his stomach.
"It's time to get up Italy."
Italy jumped out of bed and ran up behind Germany, about ready to jump onto his back, only to be stopped by the blonde. Germany turned around quickly and placed his hand on the small nation's shoulder.
"Italy not now."
"Okay... umm, Germany?"
Without letting Italy finish Germany spoke. "Yes you can make pasta for breakfast."
Italy looked at the German in awe, about to ask how Germany knew what he was going to ask, but decided not to.
"Grazie, Germany!" Italy yelled excitedly. With that the brunette bolted out of the door, leaving Germany to his thoughts.
The German couldn't fingure out what he should do. Anything could happen to Italy in any situation he was put in. The last time he had left him with Prussia and that didn't help... PRUSSIA! Germany was ripped from his thoughts as he remembered his brother and, faster than Italy could run in retreat, he ran to his brother's room. He opened the door so fast he thought he was lucky that it didn't come off its hinges.
He found the albino sleeping peacefully on his bed and the blonde released the breath he was holding. He walked over to his brother and tried to wake him up. If the soldiers infiltrated his house last time they would probably do it again. Going through trial and error once again he finally succeeded in rousing the slightly smaller man.
"What do you want, West? I'm tired and I..." Prussia looked into the glare of his younger brother and clamped his mouth shut. He knew better than to keep talking when he looked like that.
"I need you to get up..." Germany had to think of a reason for waking him up. "because it's morning and... you'll waste the day." Germany almost cringed at his choice of words.
The white haired man simply stared at the blonde with a dumbfound look on his face. "Waste the day? Did you really say that?"
"Just get up!"
Prussia jumped at the forceful words and got out of bed.
Turning on his heel, Germany left the room in embaressment and went to the kitchen where Italy was waiting for him with made pasta.
"Germany~," Italy smiled and sat down at the table with the bowl of pasta. They served themselves and ate in silence like the other times. Germany's heart began to hammer against his chest as the inevitable drew closer and closer. The end of breakfast came fast and Germany felt as though his heart would break through his rib cage. Just then Prussia came in, happy, as he walked over to the table and picked a noodle from the bowl and popped it in his mouth.
"Hmm, not as good as wurst, but hey," Prussia said with a shrug and smiled. "Italy made it."
"Knock it off, brother!"
"Aw come one, West. You know that's the only reason you eat his stuff." Prussia realized he said the wrong thing when a blush broke out across Italy's face as he stood and ran to the kitchen.
Germany almost slapped his brother when a crash was heard in the other room. Both German's stood up and ran to the kitchen, finding Italy on the floor with various pots, pans and other dishes lying around him.
"Italy!" Germany ran to the brunette's side and lifted him to a sitting position. He didn't know why he was so shocked at finding Italy on the floor in pain. It had been happening the last few days.
"Germany! Rome..." Italy began to cough. Shaking his head of all thoughts, Germany turned to Prussia and told him to organize the armies. The albino ran to the phone and did as he was told while his brother took the Italian to the couch.
Prussia ran back when he was finished. "Okay, everything is ready."
"Good," the blonde helped Italy to his feet and they both headed for the door. Germany stopped and turned back around to face his brother. "Prussia come with us."
Prussia saw a looked of concern in Germany's eye and began to wonder if he had known this was going to happen. Germany had woken him for no reason this morning and now he was trying to get bring him with them. He was about ready to object when he decided he could probably talked to his brother about this later. "Okay, let's go."
Germany nodded in appreciation and all three of them headed for the Rome. When they arrived, Prussia and Italy both stood in shock, but Germany tried to convince them that they needed to continue on. They were shaken out of their awe and brought back to reality. They didn't split up as they searched the battle field for survivers and enemies.
The sound of French words reached the ears of all three of them, but Germany had decided to not go that route this time. However, Prussia had a different plan. Once he heard those words a realization came over him and he ran towards the sound.
"Prussia, no!" Germany yelled after him.
To late. Prussia had already disappeared. The two remaining nations ran after him and found him aiming his gun directly at France.
"Prussia, don't hurt big brother!" Italy yelled, but his voice was drowned out by the sound of a gun going of.
The bullet ripped through France's uniform and a red stain blossomed on the cloth around the wound. France fell to his knees and leaned over, coughing up blood. He breathed in shakily and fell all the way forward. He remained still with no signs of life. Italy shook his head and sunk to the ground.
"No!" Italy screamed. Tears flowed down his cheeks. "Prussia, why?"
"Italy, it wasn't me..." Prussia trailed off as he looked to Germany's hand, holding the perpetrating weapon.
Italy looked up to the white haired man then to the blonde and found his arm still extended with the smoking gun.
"Germany?" Italy breathed, eyes widening. "W-why?"
Germany didn't answer, but simply stared at the dead nation with cold eyes.
"West." Prussia reached out and laid his hand on Germany's shoulder.
Without looking at either one of them, Germany turned to the direction of the battle and walk away from them. The albino and Italian followed with a good distance between them. The blonde stopped and looked at the rest of the battlefield, sighing as a tear rolled down his face. He couldn't believe that he pulled the trigger and ended France's life, but it had to be done. He did it to protect Italy.
Italy stopped a good ten yards from Germany, but Prussia continued past him. Now was a good time to ask his brother how he knew what would happen.
"West." Germany turned and saw Prussia walk towards him. He saw Italy standing a little ways away and felt a pang of guilt.
"What do you want?"
"How did you know that Rome was going to be attacked?"
Germany faltered and tried to act like knew nothing, but failing. "I... I don't know... what you're talking about..." Germany swallowed the lump forming in his throat.
"You're a bad liar," Prussia stated plainly. "I could tell something was off when you woke me up and I figured you knew what was going on after you asked me to come with you."
Germany inhaled deeply and spoke. "You won't believe me."
"Try me."
"I've been reliving this day over for the past three days. This is the forth time."
Prussia looked at him like he was crazy.
"It told you that you wouldn't believe me." Germany marched off in anger, ready to kill anything that got in his way. That is until the sound of a gunshot went off and Germany whipped his head sround to find Italy's eyes wide. Right behind him was a dying Russia soldier. The soldier shouted something in Russian only to be shut up by Prussia shooting him.
"Italy!" both nations ran to the fallen Italian.
Tears fell from Germany's eyes and Prussia wasn't sure if this had actually happened.
"Italy, stay with me, please!" Germany yelled at the bleeding nation in his arms.
"Germany," Italy choked out. His breathing was very labored, but was slowing down. "Germany..."
Italy never got to finish his sentence before he fell into oblivion for the forth time. Just then, a memory of a promise made long ago brought itself to the surface. A promise to return and see a girl after the war. Germany wracked his brain. Who was this girl he promised to see again and what war did he go to? Just then it clicked. Somehow he knew that the girl wasn't a girl, but Italy. Before he could decipher anymore of the memory before it was ripped away from him and a bright light took over once more.
Germany opened his eyes finding himself in his bed next to Italy like it had never happened. Now, however, Germany was sure that the memory he had was somehow the key to stopping this loop and save Italy. Immediatly the blonde went to work, searching his mind for any clues in the hidden memories hopping for them to surface once again.