The hills have eyes... Maybe not literally, but pretty damn close.

Warning: Angst, tension, suspense, innuendo... that's pretty much it.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HETALIA. I have fun manipulating their characters, though

Against the Clock IV

Ivan watched the scene below with intrigue. He recognized that pale complexion and those cocky movements anywhere.

"Is Prussia," he identified.

Alfred flinched and looked at him as if he had grown three heads. "How the fucking hell do you see that?!"

Ivan smirked, not bothering to return Alfred's look. "Heh, I pay attention. Besides, are you not the one with glasses?"

Matthew's small and astonished voice floated to him from his place beside Alfred. "And is that… Romano?"

"What!" Feliciano's scream echoed as he rushed forward to look, Ludwig right behind him. As soon as he saw what was going on, he began crying. "No! Lovi!"

Ludwig peered around the Italian, his hold tightening on Feliciano. "Hmph, East. Of course. The dummkopf's finally got himself trapped."

"Ve! Will he g-get out of there, G-Germany?"

"I hope so, Italy."

Ivan scoffed, and they all flashed him scathing looks. "I wouldn't be surprised if he escaped. Bastard gave me the slip a few times when I had him. Actually sent me on the hunt for nearly two days once. Heh," Ivan chuckled. "But he never made it over the wall."

He thought he could hear Ludwig let out a growl, but Ivan ignored him.

"Holy shit!" Alfred said in disbelief. "They're tying them up!"

"Ve… what's Lovi doing?"

Ivan scoffed. "Crying, of course."

Alfred was about to flash an insult at Ivan, when Kiku came between them and muttered, "America-san, Russia-san, please don't argue. You will make it worse."

"He's right, Al." Matthew agreed when Alfred was about to retort. "Just leave it."

Alfred mumbled to himself irately, but said nothing, all of them now watching the action below with bated breath.

"They're taking them away!" Feliciano cried into Ludwig's shirt.

"Wait," Kiku said, squinting. "He placed his thumb in the knot."

Alfred flashed him a disbelieving look. "How can you s…?"

Kiku smiled. "You forget I have skills of a samurai."

Alfred snorted, and said nothing more.

Ivan watched with a blank expression. He was everything but concerned about Gilbert and Lovino's situation—if anything, he was more bored. It was about time something happened… like one of the fierce escapes he knew Gilbert was so good at.

Then, "He moved his thumb—the knot is loose." Kiku reported as if he had binoculars.

Alfred leaned forward, squinting as though he expected to see if he made his line of vision even narrower. Ivan snorted in amusement.

"Oh… look! He's got free… damn, and he's kicking ass." Not as good as Alfred himself of course, but still pretty damn impressive.

Ludwig scoffed. "Only because he's been so lazy ever since he became an ex-nation that he's reserved his strength…"

Feliciano straightened and sniffed before crying out, "Ve! Lovi is on the truck!"

"Of course he is," Alfred replied. "He ran fast enough."

Matthew flinched beside Alfred as gunshots rang out below them. "Shit… they've started shooting."

Ludwig stiffened. "Come on, bruder, actually live up to your awesome ramblings…"

A few tense, silent moments passed before they all sighed in relief, the truck set trundling up toward the hills again, the mob being quickly outstripped by its speed.

"C'mon, Artie." Alfred mumbled, suddenly quite restless. Ivan watched with annoyance as he began to pace atop the crest of the hill. "Put the pedal to the metal, man."

"They're almost here." Matthew muttered. "You should go and prepare the fuel tank, Al."

"Yeah, right. I'll do that." Alfred said hesitantly, not taking his eyes off the truck as he turned, as if expecting something bad to happen when he wasn't watching.

"Hurry!" Matthew hissed, and Alfred gave him an insulted look before leaving.

Kiku sighed, not bothering to look at the Canadian. "You are on bad terms with him."

"I know." Matthew huffed, running a hand through his blond locks. "But I have no choice but to be firm with him at times, no matter how much he might hate me for it in the future. You know how he is."

Kiku nodded. "Yes. America-san can be stubborn—"—Ivan laughed at this… 'at times'?—"But it is important for you to make up. We do not know how long we may live these days."

Matthew bowed his head. "Yeah… I should probably appreciate his presence more, no matter how exceedingly annoying he is…"

"You lost Cuba, I've heard?"

Ivan pulled his attention from the truck to listen to Matthew and Kiku's conversation.

Matthew stiffened and felt his heart sink. "You've heard right, then. His country was one of the first to fall… you know, communist streak and all that. Thought he needed nobody's help in order to right himself. I tried to warn him, but…" Matthew's eyes grew wet and he felt a tingling sensation in his throat, as if a sob was wanting to escape. But the Canadian faked a cough to expel the feeling and blinked back his tears. "Carlos was a very firm man when it came to dealing with other countries who did not think the same as him, especially when it came to Al. If Alfred had ever known Carlos and I were dating, Cuba would have been but a big black spot on the face of the Earth, I can assure you." He laughed a bit in spite of himself. "But despite his faults, Carlos was a very good man… Alfred just never took the time to realize that."

He sniffed softly, and Kiku fell silent, allowing the Canadian time to cope with his grief and feeling guilty for even bringing it up.

Ivan thought back to when he last saw his sisters, and he felt his insides twist with suppressed sorrow. He had never really had time to mourn Katyusha and Natalya, as he had had to deal with his own country at the time. Now, he found whenever he thought of them, he felt sadder than he had felt in a long while. Sure Katyusha had left him for the EU and Natalya was completely terrifying, but he still missed them… therefore, he redirected his attention to the truck, which was currently making its way up the steep hill.

Finally, the truck heaved its way to the top of the hill and zoomed between them, stopping under the fuel tank. Arthur immediately jumped out, helping Alfred hook up the hose nozzle to the truck's tank. Francis then exited the truck himself in order to supervise the filling of the tank. Sadiq and Yao leapt off the back of the truck to stand at the ready on the crest of the hill while Gilbert joined his brother, Lovino still clinging to his arm.

"That was a close call there, East." Ludwig said with a smirk.

"Ve, Lovi!" Feliciano cried, hugging his brother who was still thoroughly attached to Gilbert.

"Get off of me, stupid bastard." Lovino growled, still in shock.

"Well," Gilbert said, chuckling. "At least we know he's still the same."

Ludwig pulled his hand from around his brother's shoulders and examined his fingers which were dripping with blood. "Uh… bruder, did your cuts reopen?"

Gilbert looked a bit embarrassed and scratched the back of his head. "Kesesese, I guess they did, then. But really… it's no big deal…"

Ludwig gave him a concerned look and was about to respond, when Kiku yelled, "They are at the base of the hill!"

"Everybody, back on the plane!" Arthur shouted from his place standing in the bed of the truck, straddling the hose. "And Russia, pop that damn slide!"

Ivan scowled, hating being ordered around but nonetheless walked over to said slide, produced his pickaxe from his coat and slashed at the slide, more violently than need be. Hell, he needed to take out his rage on something.

The slide deflated very fast for being so big—as Ivan had ripped the whole bottom out. Afterward, he shouted, "How the hell are we going to get back in, hm?"

"The cockpit ladder!" He was surprised when Alfred answered him. The American was clambering down the rungs of it, letting go a few feet up from the ground and landing on his feet. He gestured to the ladder. "C'mon, who's first?"

"You, obviously, idiot." Arthur said with annoyance. The Brit was now standing on the extendable ladder, flicking switches and pushing buttons on the fuel tank. "You're our pilot."

"I'm not getting in before Mattie."

Matthew sighed, slinging his gun back over his shoulder and walking toward the ladder, shaking his head. "Al, why do you always think I'm going to hurt myself when you're not looking after me? I made it all this way just fine."

Alfred shook his head. "No. I don't care if you scaled Everest and are still alive, you're getting in this plane and will stay there as long as we are on the ground and this mob is still around!"

Matthew flashed him an annoyed glare and commenced climbing the ladder into the cockpit. Alfred did not move until Matthew disappeared into the cockpit. Then he turned to Ludwig. "Pass over the Italy brothers. They've been through more danger than in their whole lives today."

Feliciano quickly clambered up the ladder along with Lovino, who looked as though he was being chased by a pack of wild dogs.

Alfred then eyed Kiku. "You next, Kik."

Kiku frowned at the nickname, but proceeded up into the cockpit.

"France?"

"I am afraid I cannot, mon ami. I am busy helping England at the moment~"

"Get the hell away from me, Frog! I don't need your help—and you're not doing anything anyway but staring at my bum!"

"Why must you be so cruel, amour? … Though you are partly correct with my current view, honhon~"

Alfred's eyes shifted to Turkey. "Turkey?"

Sadiq shook his head. "Not until the Chinese bastard does."

"What you call me, báichī?"

Alfred turned to Ludwig. "Germany?"

Ludwig sighed. "Ja, well, I guess I should see how the Italies are doing." And he began to clamber up the ladder, turning back and shouting, "East! Get your arsch over here!"

Gilbert looked defiantly at him. "I can help defend the truck, bruder! Surely you must have noticed my awesome display of strength down there on the runway?"

"Your back doesn't look like it could handle much more. Get up here, now."

And with that, Gilbert quickly made his way over to the ladder, climbing up with haste.

Ivan knew who was next, and he nearly laughed aloud when Alfred hesitated.

"Russia?"

Ivan turned to him, his creepy, childlike smile on his face. He just wanted to see Alfred's frightened reaction. "Da, Amerika?"

Alfred swallowed, but retained his stoic stance. "Y-you're next up the ladder."

Ivan considered for a moment. "Nyet, I think I will stay down here until they are done." He indicated Arthur and Francis.

Alfred growled with frustration. "Everyone has to get on. So… Turkey, China, why don't you both climb the ladder together?"

Yao scoffed. "So that Turkish bastard could jump down after I get in? No way in hell!"

Alfred sighed. "Fine then. But when that mob shows up and you're not on board, I'm leaving your sorry asses behind!" Fuming, he clambered up the ladder.

Ivan scoffed and rolled his eyes. Alfred was such a child, trying to control everything.

Meanwhile, Yao shouted, "They're at the base of hill!"

"Done!" Arthur declared, Francis helping him detach the nozzle, much to his displeasure. After he had recoiled the rope, he stood, hands on his hips and shouted, "No more of this nonsense! Everyone up that ladder in the next few minutes or you'll be a feast for the mob!"

Ivan did not like being ordered around, but he obeyed nonetheless, giving Arthur a don't-try-that-shit-with-me-again smile as he climbed. He thought he heard Arthur swallow and cough shakily before he entered the cockpit.

Alfred was sitting in the Captain's seat, his back to him, fiddling with the knobs and checking the controls and air pressure. Ivan knew Alfred heard him coming up, as the American had stiffened a bit, but he was utterly ignored. Ivan slid open the cockpit door and stepped into the cabin, taking up his usual seat by the window and examining the scene below.

Arthur looked as if he were ordering Francis to go up as well, but the Frenchman was refusing, his arms crossed. Exasperated, Arthur turned to Sadiq and Yao, both of whom were glaring at each other, no doubt daring the other to go up first to prove their cowardice. But Arthur eventually convinced them to go up the ladder. They both went up at the same time, watching each other closely to see if one of them would drop down at the last minute. But they made it all the way up without a snag… and looked grudgingly out of their windows when they took their seats.

Francis and Arthur argued for half a minute or so before Francis went up the ladder and Arthur followed after.

Once Francis found his seat and Arthur situated himself in the co-pilot chair, Arthur said rather loudly, "Right-o, lad. Ready for takeoff. And please be careful. I didn't just risk my neck for nothing."

"We, amour!" Francis reminded.

"Shut up, Frog. He has to concentrate!"

"I suggest," Ivan cut in, observing the crowd below. They had just gathered on the crest of the hill, congregating around where the cockpit ladder had been pulled up. "we leave now."

"Okay, okay!" Alfred said, starting the engine and trundling across the length of the hill, which was quite big. "I'm goin', don't rush me!" Then the plane gave a little jerk followed by an amused muttering.

Arthur's anxious voice floated up from the cockpit. "I don't care if the cloud looked like a penis, Alfred, just focus on getting us into the air!"

Francis shifted in his seat a couple rows behind Ivan, mildly interested. "Good eye, amant! When this is over, we should go cloud-watching together."

"Shut it, Frog, or I'll punch out both of your eyes! I'm sure it would do everyone else a favor!"

Translations:

Dummkopf-Fool

Báichī-Idiot

Amant-Lover

A Word From the Writer: Alfred: Let's fly into the giant penis, Artie!

Arthur: That's bollocks!

Alfred: Uh, I'm pretty damn sure that's a penis, bro.

Oh I couldn't help including some sort of innuendo. That and I have seen a cloud in the shape of a penis before. With bollocks and everything! Next I'll be looking for one in the stars. I'll name the constellation "Arthur Kirkland" just so France can say he's seen England's dick. Oh would that Hetalia was real *sigh*

Ta for now!