Chapter 13: I'm not a hero

1943

England pulled the American back down into the bunker after almost being killed by several flying bullets. In his fear he checked America to make sure he wasn't hit, then looked at him when he saw that he was fine. America attempted to smile but England slapped him. "You idiot! What in god's name do you think you're doing! ? Are you trying to get yourself killed! ?" England yelled. America froze with the slap, only looking at the Brit in shock. He gulped a bit and tried talking but England interpreted. "You're not bloody immortal you know. If your wounds are so bad, no one can help you. You'll let us down and your country!"

"E-England…" America gulped. "I-I'm sorry… I-I didn't- I was-"

"You were trying to be a bloody hero weren't you?"

"W-What?"

"That's all you care about! Being a bloody hero!" England grabbed onto him. "Stop clouding your mind with that idiotic idea!"

"B-But I am a-!"

"You're not! You're not a damn hero!" England's words shook America to his core. "Thinking like that is what gets us into trouble, don't you get that! Just shut up!"

"But I…"

OOO

I am no hero…. Am I?… If I was… If I was a hero… I would have been able…. To stop this… but now… all this blood…it's my fault… I'm the one who got us into this trouble…

Rain poured down as America slammed the thief against the wall in their struggling fight. He tighten his grip around the thief's wrist in order for him to drop the gun, which he eventually did. He had a struggle keeping him down though, he just couldn't find his super-strength to do it anymore. The thief was strong. He quickly jabbed his knee into America's stomach, getting him to fall backwards onto the ground, and quickly took off as fast as he could. America quickly got up and began going after the thief but England's voice called for him. "Let him go." America froze in his tracks and looked as the thief got away. "Just let him go." America stood there breathing heavily for a moment but turned to England.

He sat against the wall and held onto his chest tightly as the blood soaked in more and more. America slowly leaned down to the ground where he could reach the Brit, then tried checking the wound. "Let me see." America tried moving England's hand but his grip only got tighter as he flinched in pain. "Let me see it." He moved his hands out of the way and wished he didn't. The wound was deep and still bleed badly. He couldn't be sure what the bullet had hit, but he knew it was vital. He gulped and moved England's hands back on the wound then pressed them as England gasped in pain. "Just keep pressure on it. I-I'm gonna go get my phone out of my car and I'll call for help."

"N-"

"Yes England. You're bleeding very bad and need some help." America quickly got up and ran to his car. England continued to keep pressure on the wound as he panted with the pain striking through his core. He hadn't felt the wound of a bullet since… World War Two huh?… It had been that long. He could of died that one time, the wound was bad enough. They could die… the nations could die. If their country was destroyed, broken, gone, they would quickly disappear. Their bodies were stronger than humans but they still took wounds, whether they were small cuts or deep wounds, either wound would heal faster than humans. But if it was too much, if too many vitals were hit or their own bodies just couldn't take it anymore. He thought of that back then… he was thinking of it now…

He tried moving but the pain seemed to be too much. Three bullets were fired… the noise still echoed in his head… two of them still pained him. He let his head fall back and hit the wall as he closed his eyes, trying to find some peace to calm down with this. America quickly ran over, putting his phone in his pocket, and fell in front of England. "Here." He took his jacket off and put it over England's shoulders. "Keep warm o-okay? I-it'll be fine."

"I know." England panted. "I-I know." He continued putting pressure on his wounds until he could barely feel it anymore. America helped keep the pressure on and held onto England's shaking hand. "Stop it…"

"Stop what?"

"Looking at me like that… you make it seem like you're not gonna see me again…" England gulped. He started to close his eyes again but America kept him awake. He shook his hand a bit and made stay awake, not letting him close his eyes even for a second.

"Hey come on, keep your eyes open."

"I'm tired."

"Even more reason to keep your eyes open." America kissed England's forehead. "Just until help comes okay?" England felt his eyes become more and more heavier as America tried keeping him awake. "Come on England." By now, his own hands were covered in England's blood. By now, England couldn't stay awake. But by now, help had come but America still couldn't shake the feeling that it was his fault for this. Seeing England pass out, he felt like he wasn't going to see his emerald eyes again…

OOO

America held onto England's hand tightly as the Brit stayed asleep in his bed. He didn't move from there. He hadn't let go of England's hand since he was able to see him again. He didn't want to look toward his pale face though. He lost a lot of blood, blood that still covered America's hands; he couldn't find the energy to wash it off, though he knew he should; he wanted to make sure England would wake up first.

It was quiet in the room, only the monitor's beeping made any noise. He couldn't really hear England's breathing, it was too low. He didn't make a noise himself, he didn't want to wake England but at the same time, he needed him to wake up. He rubbed his thumb against England's soft hand, feeling just how cold his skin was. It was like he was dead… America only looked down and away. England's eyes twitched as he took a deep breath before finally opening his emerald eyes. "Al…fred…" His voice wouldn't go any higher than a whisper. America quickly popped up and tightened his grip, looking toward England with happy relief.

"E-England, you're awake huh?" America softly smiled and kept his voice down. "H-How are you feeling? Are you in a lot of pain?" England nodded a bit. The Brit lifted his hands out from under America's and glided them through his hair then covering his eyes.

"What happened?" His voice cracked a bit as he continued to cover his eyes with the palm of his hands.

"Y-You were…" America's voice trailed off when he saw England lower his hands onto his chest.

"Shot right?"

"Y-Yeah…" America gulped a bit. England let out a deep breath and attempted to sit up in the bed until America held him down. "Don't! You're hurt badly and you don't want to push it."

"What exactly was the damage?" England got comfortable in the bed since he couldn't sit up.

"Two bullets hit you, one they didn't get out."

"And where is that bullet?"

"They couldn't get it out cause it hit deep into your heart." America frowned. "S-So please just rest." England gulped a bit and closed his eyes. "Y-you okay?"

"Just tired. Extremely tired."

"Y-Yeah the drug they gave you for the pain is gonna make you really sleepy for a while." America scratched the back of his head a bit. "You just gotta rest and try getting a lot of sleep. It'll do you good right?"

"Mm-hm." England mumbled. "Maybe I'll sleep now then…" His voice dropped lower and lower as he slowly fell back into slumber. America smiled with seeing him relax a little bit, the fact this stubborn Brit actually listened to America meant he really was exhausted. "H-How long have you been here?…" England's eyes were still shut, he was trying to fall asleep, using America's once soft voice to help him.

"A while. Not too long."

"You know I'm fine now… you don't have to stay here…"

"Y-Yeah but its fine." America tried smiling a bit. "I'm fine just staying here with you, kay?" He waited for a response but saw England was finally back to sleep. America stood up and kissed the Brit's forehead, letting go of his hand. "Y-you'll be fine…" He quietly left the room, he really needed to use the bathroom, and walked down the hallway. After using the bathroom, he washed up his hands then decided to splash some water on his face. He did it again and again just to wake himself up a bit. He stared looked up into the mirror and stared blankly at the image, the reflection of an idiot.

He didn't understand it. England was behind him, he shouldn't of been hurt. He shouldn't of been shot, right? It ran through his mind, the thief turning the corner and lifting his weapon. America must of jumped back in shock, he couldn't remember if he did or not. He remembered the gun going off, three damn times it went off. The first one was suppose to hit America and it missed him. The second one struck England's stomach, the third his chest and knocked him over. He remembered the blood splattering, that crimson color hitting the floor. He didn't want to think about it but he just couldn't help it… why wasn't he hit?… he didn't understand it…

OOO

1943

I remember when was hurt before… just to protect me… I was being an idiot huh? Being a stupid hero… and he pushed me down so I wasn't shot… and he was hit… the blood splattered everywhere like it did last night… and he fell quickly in pain.

"Arthur!" I yelled. I grabbed onto him and looked for the wound that had actually cut through the Brit's throat. He helped England put pressure on the open wound as the blood gushed out fast against England's gasps for air. "Hang on! D-Don't let go of it!" He held onto England as he couldn't breath anymore, the blood covered both their hands by now.

He healed back then… he'll heal this time won't he?…

"Don't be a hero please." England said as he loaded his weapon. America looked up and over at England, finally looking at him for one of the first times since he was shot. "I don't want you getting hurt like I did, understand?" He could still see the bandages wrapped around the Brit's throat under his jacket.

"Y-Yeah, I get it." America sighed. But I want to protect you… I promise I'll protect you… that's it, I'll only be your hero. If I can't help anyone, I'll at least help you so you'll never feel pain like that again. America smiled at England and chuckled.

"What?"

"You don't get heroes do you?"

"Stop with the idiotic idea already!"

"Hey Arthur, wanna know why I'm a hero?" America smiled. "Cause of this, cause of what we're doing. People need to know that there's good in the world. Children need someone to look up too. Everyone could be a hero, not just me. The men out here, those who are risking their lives to protect their loved ones at home and their country, each of them are heroes. The doctors who practically saved your life, they are heroes. Parents who do everything to protect their children, their heroes. Teachers too, those who are good. If we have no one to look up too, how do we know what's good in the world?" He looked as England's expression went blank. "I want to protect my people, I'll do anything for that. There's people I want to protect for good. You're doing the same for your people, that makes you a hero too. Just standing up and protecting something you think is right can make you a hero…. Cause in places like this… where death, bloodshed, and full out war consumes each day, it's good to have hope in the back of your mind… it's good to look up to something… to have your own hero looking out for you… and knowing that you could be hero to someone else… that's why I call myself that. I want to protect people, I want to be good, I want to show people that good still exists in our screwed up world… I want people to have someone to look up too…you understand?…."

England sat with a blank expression, he had no words anymore. "Y-Yes…" He simply said and bit his lip, he felt guilty now for some reason. "Good come back lad…" He joked. America smiled and grabbed onto England's hand, even against the Brit's will. England blushed a bit and tried to move his hand away but America's grip only tightened. The sounds of flying bullets had calmed down by now, they could only wait it out. America smiled at England then looked away.

I want to be your hero… and protect you…

But I can't do that can I?…

I'm not…. I'm not a hero….

OOOO

Merp I have such a hard time updating this fic don't I? o.o I just cant… like do ittttt. But I'm going with it! I got this now!… for at least the next two chapters I have ideas… well shit…

But thanks for reading and going along with this with me! I appreciate it! I'm gonna try to keep going~

So now America feels guilty for England getting shot and almost killed :D MUW HAHA I like drama so much it's unhealthy .-.

Also, I have a twitter now to say when I update, in case anyone cares. MomoChanOtaku09