(Author's Note: Two quick things. One, this was written for the theme "Run" for a 100 Themes Challenge I'm doing. Two, it's not just the journal Italy goes back in time with: he does need this certain clock. He tells Japan that at one point (forget when...).)
His legs are burning, but he can not stop running. If he stops for even one second, he will be caught. And if he is caught, then it is "game over" for all of them. They will not escape, and all those times he went back in time will have been for naught.
So he forces his legs to keep moving. He pushes them as hard as he can, panting to get the much-needed oxygen back into his lungs. It's not enough, but it's at the very least something.
Rounding a corner, he glances back. The Thing is still hot on his tail. Honestly, he's certain the only reason why it hasn't caught him yet is because he always did run his fastest when fleeing, as Germany always said.
Germany. A sob threatens to escape from Italy's lips, but he forces it not to come. Breathing is hard enough right now; crying will only complicate things.
Still, he can't wipe Germany's mangled body from his mind's eye as he keeps going, other similar visions of fellow nations soon following that. He wills himself to keep from wailing and sobbing, but he does allow the tears to spill down his cheeks.
He failed them. Again. Once again, he is all alone. Once again, they were all taken from him.
How many times is he going to repeat this cycle? How many more times will he run and run, desperate to save them, but still fail in the end?
Part of him whispers to just give up. His friends die each time anyways; what's the point of going through all this pain over and over again if nothing changes?
Ashamed, Italy shoves that whisper away. How can he stop? How can he just give up now? His friends gave their lives to protect him; the least he can do is continue this nightmare so he can save them this time around.
It doesn't matter if he has to run until his lungs burst; he will make sure they escape.
Sliding into a room, he shuts the door and firmly locks it. He can hear the monster's angry roar from the outside, but he ignores it. He knows that the item he is searching for is in here; he had spotted it earlier, back when he did not need it.
Sure, enough, his amber eyes fall on it, and he can feel hope rise in his chest.
The clock.
Dashing forward with his last ounce of energy, he practically throws himself at it. Ignoring the rattling door, he fumbles with the clock hands, turning them back.
The clock face lights up, as does his journal. The room is filled with a blinding, golden light that makes Italy's eyes shut instinctively, and he feels as if someone just blasted a fan at his face.
The light dissipates, and the Italian nation slowly opens his eyes.
"Hey, Italy? You ok?"
Blinking, the brunette looks at the speaker, a best friend he has missed greatly.
Germany.
Willing himself not to cry, Italy smiles cheerfully and nods. "Ve, yeah!~ Why do you ask?"
"You just… randomly stopped, that's all."
"Oh, don't worry about me. I was just taking in the scenery, ve~"
Germany looks unconvinced, but he shrugs. "Alright. Vatever you say."
The blonde continues forward again, and Italy quickly accesses the situation. He can see Japan and Prussia immediately up ahead, so it appears that he is going with the rest of the Axis and Prussia to the mansion this time. They are still in the forest leading to the mansion, so they haven't arrived yet. He doesn't bother accessing himself; he already knows from past experience that whenever he goes back, his wounds are healed.
Stamina, however, is another thing.
He follows after his friends, breathing deeply to restore the oxygen his lungs have been craving. If this is like the last times, which it will be, he will need every single one of those molecules he takes in.
So he replenishes his lungs as discreetly as he can while he walks there, for he knows that it will be time to run once again.
And maybe this time, he will finally be allowed to stop running.