Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia: Axis Powers, all rights go to its creators.

Warnings: Graphic Descriptions of Violence'

Chapter 7: Downhill Progression

It was about a week after Natalia, Feliciano and Elise had dinner. Natalia, trying to be as inconspicuous as she could, was within hearing distance of Feliciano and Arthur.

"Sooo. I was browsing around the horror section and guess what I found?~" Feliciano said, adding melodic tones to his pronunciation of "found."

Natalia peeked her head around the aisle to see Feliciano showing Arthur his book. She quickly ducked back into the aisle, a low growl at the base of her throat.

"I actually didn't know you could read."

"I-I don't read a lot." His voice got really soft and quiet. Natalia looked again to see his head hung low. Natalia felt a smirk twitching at the corner of her lips.

"Hey now, I was just pulling your leg."

"Oh! Well I love horror novels! They're my favorite genre to read!"

"And my book was to your liking I assume."

"Sì, I could easily put myself in the main character's shoes almost as if I was being followed. Fantastico!"

Natalia frowned and peaked around the aisle again to see Arthur's previous frown be replaced with an arrogant smile.

"You wanna know what I think?" Feliciano asked leaning forward ever so slightly. Natalia gripped the bag of chocolates in her hands so tight the paper crinkled pretty loudly and she had to go back behind the aisle.

"I think it's really good, maybe even better than some other works I've read!" Natalia heard his voice raise to a higher pitch.

"R-really? I-I mean of course you'd think that. It's not as though you'd be able to tell the difference." Natalia heard the slight inflection in Arthur's voice and could tell that he was slightly flustered.

"No! No! I'm serious!"

And then Feliciano started talking about one section of the novel where the main character, Linda, is sleeping and could feel the presence of someone but tries to write it off as a sleep paralysis demon. The feeling of helplessness as Linda tries to convince herself that she's dreaming and to go back to sleep as she can't move, Feliciano said, made him feel itchy all over.

By then Natalia had moved to another aisle, and glanced at the two again, noticing the slight reddening of Arthur's cheeks.

"I-I'm glad you enjoyed my work. I honestly didn't expect this from you of all people."

Natalia decided to make her way over there. Feliciao pushed his pointer fingers together in an almost bashful gesture. Natalia could assume he was looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. "Sooo does this mean we're cool? I'm really really sorry for punching you in the face; I shouldn't have done that. You're not going to hurt me are you?"

"You little weasel!" Natalia stopped upon hearing the swift change in tone.

"You were only buttering me up, you didn't really like my book! How dare you try to make a fool out of me!" Arthur had by now taken a hold of Feliciano's collar.

"W-what? No! I-I did like your book! That was true! I-I was just trying to be nice!" Feliciano was trembling. "Don't hurt me please! I-I'm fragile!" He added, and Natalia could help the snicker that escaped her lips.

Two sets of eyes darted in her direction.

"So this was some kind of set up!" Arthur practically yelled looking between the two of them

Natalia shook her head, relief flooding over her, and approached the cash register.

"I guess you were right. It doesn't work on men." Natalia smirked.

Feliciano let out a whine at the even angrier expression on Arthur's face.

"What!?" Arthur said, giving the other man a shake.

"Feliciano wanted to avoid you beating him up in retaliation for that nice little bruise he gave you. He thought this would be the best way to apologize. I thought he was going to seduce you, because I know how he can be." Natalia turned her gaze to Feliciano at that last part, narrowing her eyes at him.

Arthur let out a huff and let Feliciano go.

"I accept your apology. I was going to apologize to you for making you upset." He muttered.

Natalia made her way behind the register and wrapped her arms around Arthur. "Everything is back to normal."

"Yay! We're friends again! Group hug!" Feliciano joined them, managing to sandwich Arthur in the middle.

"Get off!" He said, squirming around. Natalia reached up and kissed the spot where the bruise was located.

"Insufferable, you lot." He muttered, cheeks red.

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Natalia was standing in front of her house, arm looped in Arthur's as they waited for Ivan to pick them up. Kat told her and Ivan to visit her. Natalia didn't want to be alone with her siblings for the weekend and asked Arthur to come with her. They'd been dating for four months at this point, and she figured that this could knock out the "meet the family" stage of their relationship.

"A few things you should know about my big brother and sister. My big brother Ivan looks very intimidating but trust me, he is the nicest man you will ever meet. He is very insecure about how big and tall he is. So do not mention it."

"We're carpooling with him right?"

Natalia nodded.

"I'll be sure to make a good impression." He looked away from her then, off into the distance, "I remember when Alistair would bring home a girl and he was a completely different person. I didn't know he actually had a polite bone in his body. Didn't stop us from testing his limits though." Arthur smirked.

"My big sister Kat is very sweet and very sensitive, you might not want to go into detail about your books to her. She also can't keep her nose out of my business. So be ready for any questions she might throw."

"Dylan told us about the time he was interrogated by a girl's mother and didn't want to go back there because she asked him if he had erotic magazines. It was bizarre, and a bit personal. If she isn't going to ask anything like that then I'll be fine." He said before his prasiolite eyes met hers.

Natalia shook her head, "She might ask about kids."

His eyes widened before he looked away, "A-ah well…"

"I assumed after we got married, da?"

"Right." He nodded.

A little later Ivan pulled up in his small burgundy colored car.

"Hello!" Ivan said, rolling down the window. His smile was so wide it made his eyes squint so tight they appeared almost closed.

"You could set your bags in the trunk. I'll pop it for you."

Arthur grabbed their overnight bags and made his way over to Ivan's trunk to put them in.

Ivan made his way out of the car, making it appear almost like a clown car because of how tall he was.

Natalia crossed her arms as her brother made his way over to them.

"Natalia, I'm surprised you agreed to come with me to visit Kat but I am happy you did!"

"I thought it was the least I could do because I never called her."

"That is great! If all goes well, we might be able to put the past behind us, da?"

"We'll see, big brother." She muttered. Ivan then turned to Arthur who had just shut the trunk. Arthur's eyes widened taking her brother in, as most people's did.

"So you're Natalia's boyfriend. I think Tolys mentioned that he did a book signing with you. I'd been meaning to stop by and get a copy but Gilbert's been working me to death."

Arthur let out a laugh that seemed to be because of nerves, "O-oh well that's quite alright. It's nice to meet you Ivan." He said, holding out his hand.

"You are too formal Mr. Kirkland." He said before grabbing the man's outstretched arm and pulling him into a hug.

Arthur looked mildly uncomfortable but did not say anything. Ivan let go of him. "I-It's Arthur." He said to which Ivan nodded.

Ivan turned back to her, opening his arms. "You did not think I forgot about you little sister."

Natalia reluctantly went into his embrace, and she would never admit how nice it felt to be there.

"Alright, alright. Let's go before Kat starts crying because she thinks we died." Natalia said when he let go.

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They pulled in front of the lone house that had a few acres of plotted land. Kat's neighbors were quite a distance away.

Natalia stepped out of the car to see the buxom woman emerge from her home. Natalia tried not to stare as her sister ran down her walkway to meet them, her bust bouncing quite noticeably with each step she took.

"Sweet sister, I am so happy to see you!" Kat wasted no time pulling her into her arms and hugging her so tight she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Yeah, yeah maybe now you'll stop calling me."

Kat let her go after one last squeeze.

"You know I won't. I worry about you sweet sister!" Natalia rolled her eyes.

"Vanya!" She said peering behind her and at the male. Kat ran up to Ivan and hugged him just like she did her. "I'm happy to see you too! You do not visit as often as you should."

Ivan let out a nervous chuckle, "You know I am busy at the repair shop."

"You should take a break sometime. Do not work yourself to death." Kat said letting him go and shaking her head with a frown on her face.

"I've got bills to pay Kat, and Mikhail to feed." Mikhail was Ivan's cat. Tolys was watching him for Ivan this weekend.

"Ok Vanya." Kat said with an angry pout.

When Kat turned to see Arthur, her eyes widened.

"Oh Nat! You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend! I thought this day would never come!" Kat said, clasping her hands together. Natalia wondered if she knew she was squishing her breasts together.

She always called attention to them, didn't she?

Natalia shook her head, eyebrow twitching in irritation.

"You must be Kat, Natalia's told me so much about you. I'm Arthur, glad to finally be in your acquaintance." He said, giving her a small bow to which Kat giggled.

Natalia pursed her lips.

"I like him already, Nat! When should I expect little nieces and nephews?" Kat gripped Arthur's wrists, smiling wide and eager.

Arthur let out a chuckle in response. Natalia took a mental note that he was good at faux politeness.

"Don't play dumb. You know we have to get married first." Natalia said.

"Oh right! My little chaste sister, marriage first, then babies." Kat giggled.

Kat led the three of them inside after Ivan and Arthur got their bags. Natalia took her own.

"I only have one guest bed and a pull out couch. Would you two love birds like the bed?" Kat smiled sweetly.

Kat was actually the sexual deviant of the family, she'd lost her virginity in high school, despite how innocent she seemed. Natalia was just secretly jealous because she thought Kat could get men to do whatever she wanted because of her endowed breasts. Natalia would have liked to have the control and the power to crush men under her feet.

Natalia said she'd wait until marriage, which wasn't hard because it wasn't like she had suitors lined up anyway, to her mother's delight. If she couldn't beat Kat, she would just go hard in the opposite direction.

Natalia shared a brief look with Arthur.

They'd never literally slept together, nor had they had sex. Would this provide unneeded temptation? Probably not. Natalia actually liked cuddling and wanted to be cuddled while she slept.

"That is fine," She said.

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Kat made golubtsy, which were rolled cabbages stuffed with meat and rice. She took after their mother with cooking and Ivan was the one who was good at baking. Natalia herself wasn't a disaster in the kitchen, she was painfully average compared to her siblings.

"Oh, is this some kind of vegetarian thing?" Arthur asked, with genuine curiosity, when Natalia passed the basket containing golubtsy to him.

Kat giggled in response.

"It's stuffed with meat." Natalia told him.

"Oh." He said, digging a few of the rolls out with his fork and placing them onto his plate. She noticed his ears were a bit red.

"Oh my, how inconsiderate of me. You are a vegetarian, da?" Kat asked.

Arthur passed the basket over to Ivan, "No, I'm not." He gave her a smile.

They'd prayed over their food beforehand and had now settled into the silence that followed. Only the sounds of scraping forks against glass plates, chewing and gulping down of vodka could be heard.

"Arthur what exactly do you do?" Kat asked him, beginning her interrogation.

The man in question let out a giggle, and Natalia almost spit out her vodka. She looked over to see the man's red cheeks.

"That's a stupid question. I work at the grocery store in town, either that or I fucking starve to death because nobody buys my fucking books."

Kat frowned, "Oh, well I'll buy one of your books!"

"Really Kat, you don't have to. It's not your style." Natalia said with a sneer.

Kat pouted, "You don't know."

"One book isn't going to make a fucking difference Kat." Natalia said.

"Every little bit helps!" Kat said, eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

"Just let her buy the book Natalia." Ivan piped up.

"You're always on her fucking side. Figures." Natalia muttered. "I just dont want her calling me because the book fucking spooked her and now she can't sleep."

"I have never done that!" Kat said, raising her voice a bit like a frustrated child.

"Remember when we watched The Ring?"

"You know I don't like scary movies! You two forced me to watch it when you came over!"

"Then why are you trying to buy the fucking book then!"

"Why won't you let me help you? I-I just want to help you Nat!" Kat said, bursting into frustrated tears. She stared her right in the eyes, midnight blue to sapphire blue.

Natalia stuffed another piece of golubtsy into her mouth as she narrowed her eyes.

"You know Arthur if you need your car fixed, I work at Gilbert's Autoshop, you've probably seen it in town, da?" Ivan spoke up, trying to shift the conversation.

"I have but I don't have a car. Stuck with fucking public transit."

"Oh, that is unfortunate."

"So why's this Gilbert arsehole working you so hard?"

"He has some kind of vendetta against Russians because of the Cold War. I've said before that I've lived here longer than I have lived in Russia."

"You shouldn't take shite from him because of that!"

Ivan shrugged, "He is my boss. It pays the bills. I can put up with extra work."

"Ivan you have to stick up for yourself!" Arthur practically yelled at him.

"I'd rather not make a fuss." Ivan smiled in the way he usually did, unbothered, although his eyes had heavy bags underneath them.

"Ivan would rather stick his neck out to appease someone than have them not like him. He's always been like that. It is a lost cause." Natalia said exasperated.

"You shouldn't get confrontational, Ivan." Kat said, "But you should at least ask for a lighter load." Kat by then had taken a napkin and dabbed away her tears.

"Damn politeness, make some demands! You deserve basic human decency."

"I'm fine really. Please do not get upset, Arthur."

Natalia put her hand on the other man's shoulder, and gave him a look as to tell him to drop the subject. Ivan's expression was nervous, and Natalia didn't want him to get upset.

"Have you heard of those string of murders in town? The number is up to six. All blonde women." Natalia decided to change the subject. She also really wanted to talk about the murders.

"Oh yes, I've been watching the news. I'm worried for you sweet sister, I hope there isn't a serial killer in town."

Natalia waved her off. "I'm not scared, I always carry my knives."

"Are we sure that you're not doing it, little sister?" Ivan said, raising his eyebrow.

"I knew you still hadn't let it go!" Natalia slammed her fist on the dinner table causing their plates to jump.

"I was making a joke." Ivan smiled.

"No you weren't! I don't care if you don't trust me. I didn't kill anyone." Natalia said, crossing her arms.

"Vanya, apologize! This is serious. You two have to look out for each other." Natalia noticed she adopted her motherly tone, and scolded them like children.

Ivan and Kat shared a glance. Ivan ducked his mouth into his scarf and looked at Natalia with innocent eyes, "Sorry."

"Fine. I accept your apology" Natalia waved Kat off. "I don't need to be looked after. I'm not scared, I always carry my knives."

"And I'll protect her if need be." Arthur spoke up and she looked at him in disbelief. He met her gaze and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I don't think so." She said,

"What?"

"That is a nice gesture but, you are weak."

That elicited snickers from both of her siblings.

"Nat!" Kat scolded her, although she did not suppress her giggling.

"What? Look at him! Look at his noodle arms."

Natalia by then had reached over and squeezed his bicep, which had proved her point. There was a moment of silence between the four of them. Ivan glanced between herself and Arthur, his cheeks dusted pink. Natalia could see the blush on Arthur's cheeks, and glanced over at Kat who blinked and raised her eyebrows.

"Well! That is enough dinner for me tonight. I am going to head to the shower." Ivan said, pushing his seat back.

Natalia noticed Arthur clear his throat. She let go of him.

"Oh! I should start gathering your dishes to clean." Kat said, making a similar motion, and grabbing her own plate.

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They were now in their pajamas. Arthur got in on his side and she got in on hers. She wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled against him and laid her head onto her pillow, soon drifting off to sleep.

They were here in her bed somehow and she was straddling Arthur. Her hands were around Arthur's throat. She squeezed and squeezed as she stared him down. Genuine fear in his eyes as he gripped her wrists, trying to pry her hands from around his throat.

And then she felt a sharp pain. Natalia cried out from the foreign sensation. Her hands loosened from around Arthur's throat.

Natalia blinked her eyes open to be face to face with Arthur who she was straddling. He was breathing heavily, a glint of something in his hands.

Natalia was then reminded of the same startling pain in her dream. She grazed careful fingers over her arm to feel a wetness there.

"What the bloody hell were you dreaming about?!"

Natalia didn't say a word, it was dark and the middle of the night. She hoped that she hadn't done what she thought he was suggesting she did.

Natalia reached over and turned on the bedside light. She drew her eyes to his neck, angry red hand shaped marks were there.

"Natalia?"

She looked down at her fingers, a couple of the tips stained with blood.

She looked over at her left arm, blood was flowing in ribbons from an open wound. And the glint of a knife reflected in her eyes, as she looked down at Arthur's hand.

"I-I-" She couldn't form any words.

"We should get you cleaned up." Arthur said, gripping the arm that had blood dripping from her wound. Natalia then heard thumps coming from down the hall. They only got louder the closer they got to the room the two blonds shared.

"Is everyone alright? I heard-'' Natalia turned her head to see Kat in the doorway. Kat's eyes were wide in surprise before she brought a hand to her lips. "Oh I didn't mean to interrupt." She said before giggling.

"No you dumb bitch! I've been cut!" She jerked her arm out of Arthur's grip. She climbed off of him and shoved past Kat in the doorway to go towards the bathroom. She slammed the door shut.

Useless! They're all fucking useless!

She used her good arm to look through Kat's medicine cabinet, when she found the bandages she pulled one end with her teeth and wrapped it hastily around her arm.

"Sweet sister, what happened?" She heard Kat outside the door.

Natalia was losing her mind, that was what was happening. Was I really going to kill him?

Natalia felt her hands shaking; it was alright when they were just dreams but now...

She felt as though she couldn't get a hold of her breathing.

Psycho bitch.

Cat murderer.

Heartless.

Monster.

You know that means she's going to be a serial killer.

Watch out, you might be next.

The taunting voices flooded her thoughts. The one's she thought she buried down a long time ago. "Stop! You're wrong about me! You're wrong!" She screamed at the voices but they only screamed louder.

"Nat-"

Heartless!

Monster!

She's going to be a serial killer!

Watch out!

"NAT-"

But what happened tonight? How wrong could they be? Maybe they were right about me.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, she couldn't think of anything to say to regain her bearings.

The door handle jiggled furiously, "Natalia?" She could hear Ivan on the other side of the door.

She unlocked the door and saw three sets of eyes staring back at her: Arthur, Kat and Ivan all with varying looks of concern on their faces.

"I need to go to the hospital." And with that she promptly collapsed.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Criticism Welcome.