(A/N: I don't really think I have to do much explaining, but thank you for 2K people!! You all probably got bored of these so I'll keep it short, thanks. Thank you so, so much for the support. I'll do my best to keep my attention on this book and, for a person who tends to abandon a lot of her stories, I'm actually pretty proud of this. Yeah, I'll probably look back on this in the future and cringe, but it'll be worth it. So yeah thanks again. Have an extra long chapter that I'm actually proud of! Enjoy~!
PS-I hope I excited some of you with that title because...well, if you get it then you should most definitely read on hehehehe no regrets-)
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I didn't even have to wonder where I was because I could already guess.
However...it felt different. It might've been the warmth of the sun shining down on my face instead of that dark, chilling room. Or perhaps the gentle breeze that stirred my hair into a mess, rather than the eerily, still atmosphere in the other room.
My eyes whipped open, and I took in a short, sharp breath.
I carefully pushed myself off the ground, or, as I realized when I had to pull its stems to keep me from losing my balance, the grass. The blades of lush, evergreen colored grass that surrounded me was swept around in the wind, as was my tangled (H/C) strands of hair. Even with waves of nausea immediately attacking me upon sitting up, I could feel the beauty of the mysterious, yet calming scenery I had been brought to. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue, with the exception of a brilliant sun peeking behind a couple of puffy white clouds. It was quiet, but not the eerie kind of silence in the dark room from before. It was very peaceful.
So deceivingly peaceful that the tranquility fooled me for a while.
I was observing everything around me, the brightness, the liveliness. I turned my head in a slow circle...suddenly coming to a stop.
The wind picked up, circling around me in an intense whiplike kind of way that reminded me of a tornado, like a blanket of soft and deadly morphing together to create...something.
"(Name), it's nice to see you again," The lethal wind whispered. "Are you alright?"
No. I am anything but alright. I was just sitting in a field of velvety grass and enjoying the warmth when I spotted something that made my entire body go cold, even with rays of sunshine beaming down on me.
The Oni mansion.
I was sitting in what seemed like a calming change of scenery, but was really right in front of the cage that has trapped me.
"I realize you might not particularly enjoy this, but,"
'Yep, and I hate it. I'm sitting right in front of what has took my freedom away!'
"It was the only place I could think of. I was forced to create a location right away...you did help Italy, right?"
"Wha...U-Uh, yeah. I did. How did you know?! And how do you even know Italy?"
"......A long story that you do not need to suffer through."
"But-"
"And a story that does not have the time to be told. I'm afraid our time is almost up, (Name). It took a lot of work, effort and, most especially, time to heal you. You took quite the blow, I must admit...but I have to thank you. You have not only my gratitude, but my respects as well."
I could've fought back, argued like I usually did. I could've demanded questions that truly did deserve answers.
However, I chose not to. I didn't know what he had done to me, but whenever I got the chance to speak to him, I did feel better when I woke up. Perhaps, even though I'm still confused and don't exactly believe it fully, he did heal me.
I kept my jaw tightened and nodded. I reached out to the swirling wisps of wind around me, my fingers brushing along its gentleness. I could've sworn another hand reached out and met mine, clasping it tightly before fading away as quickly as it appeared.
"Please, I ask that you continue to take care of Italy for me."
He trusted me. The least I could do was take care of him.
"I would've done so without being told." With a palm pressed against the part of my chest where my heart would be, I bowed my head, making sure not to strain myself too much. "I humbly accept your respect and gratitude and hope I will not disgrace such an honor."
"I have faith that you won't...and I hope you do too. Good luck, (Name)."
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|Reader's POV|
The stray spark that jumped out, stung my arm and made me flinch was what jolted me awake.
"C'mon West, did you seriously miss that tiny spark?!"
"Shut up, bruder..."
When my eyes fluttered open, I think my lungs had bursted because I could not breathe.
I instinctively rose in a quick, sharp way, gasping for air that moment I was sitting up.
"Ah, it's a little like "La Morra". Okay, I got it, Japan! Let's do it!"
"Frau!"
"(Name). Italy, Japan-"
"Guys, come here!! (Name) woke up."
I groggily gave a wave of my flimsy hand. "Sup. I just got back from hell."
"Really?!"
"No, Italy. It was just a joke..." The familiarity of Japan's brown eyes stared at me, making me feel at ease even though they were sharp and full of worry. "But not especially funny. We almost thought you were going to die, (Name), and with a wound as deep as the one you got you should've..."
"Then the cut started closing up on its own! It was like actual magic." Prussia said.
"How are you feeling? Did the fire I make do any good?" Germany asked.
"I'm okay. And yes, it really did help. Thank you." I smiled as I tugged the bedsheets over my head, like a hood. The warmth from its flames were banishing the frigid feeling I felt when I saw the mansion. "Anyone care to fill me in on what happened?"
The three explained how they defeated the Oni and barely escaped to the room, and about how Germany was the only one not freaking out and trying to dress my wound, with Italy still traumatized by all the blood I had spilled, and Japan and Prussia flipping the heck out and thinking about my funeral. It was kind of funny, imagining the scenario, but I also felt kind of guilty because I made them lose their cool and stuff.
"In the morning we're going to try to make our own escape route ourselves." Germany concluded.
"And now we're trying to figure out who's going to keep watch with a game of janken, which is basically like Rock, Paper, Scissors." Italy stated.
"Alright, then let's play." They all looked like they were about to argue with me, but I was having none of it. "At least let me play. I want to do this fairly, not just because I'm wounded or whatever."
"Okay, if you say so, (Name)."
I pretended to suck at Rock, Paper, Scissors. Like, extremely bad. All four of them were purposely trying to lose, but I wasn't having any of that either.
"There. I lost fair and square. Now go to sleep."
"But (Name)-"
I immediately shushed Prussia, giving him a glare. "Shut it. I can perfectly take care of myself. Alright?"
He looked like he was going to argue, but paused. I could tell the fatigue was really getting to him. Plus, I did owe him for carrying me all the way to the room.
My gaze softened and I pat his shoulder. "Get some rest. Please."
"Danke, frau." He gave a weak smile and sunk into a bed, instantly falling asleep.
"And off with you three as well." I said, looking at Germany, Italy and Japan. "Don't you dare try and argue with me. I need some...time to think, anyway. I'm not going to be falling asleep anytime soon." That technically wasn't a lie. I did truly need to sort out my jumbled thoughts.
After a lot of convincing, they retired off to bed.
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I stood beside Italy, Germany, Japan and Prussia's bedsides. I stifled a giggle, listening to their different snores. Japan's was really quiet, it was more like he was breathing really loudly. Italy's was similar to that, just a mix of hyperventilating and snoring. If I had a phone I would literally be recording Germany and Prussia's snoring. I guess extremely loud, lawnmower-like snoring ran in the family. I sat on the corner of Italy's bed, sitting as far away as possible from him so I wouldn't disturb his precious sleep. I really was glad to see them asleep and hopefully getting some rest, especially after running for our lives a countless amount of times.
Suddenly feeling a little weird after remembering the hollow eyes of that Oni, I stood up and cautiously looked around. When I felt something brush against my leg, I jumped, and quickly looked down. Italy's arms were spread out like a snow angel, tangled between the covers, his fingertips barely touching my knee. I spot the bible Italy always carries with him lying on my foot. Curious, I picked it up and parted the pages at a random section in the book. Since it actually looked like a bible, I expected to find the pages filled with words in a tiny font...but I happened to find something much worse. My shaking fingers stroked the brittle parchment, smearing a dark shade of crimson red against my pale skin. The pages were painted with blood splatters and a single sentence was scribbled messily in black ink,
"Why can't we escape?"
Before I could react, its blood stained pages began to glow. It was anything but the warm glow I anticipated, quite the opposite really. It was a frigid and dangerous kind of cold, like walking alone into a dark alleyway at night.
My first instinct was to throw it as far away from me as possible, of course.
Yeah...that didn't really stop the glowing. At all.
Wait.
Silence...
.
..
...
Something felt...
Off...
"Ciao, ragazza~"
Before I could even turn around, the blade of a knife threatened to cut the side of my neck and a gloved hand was pressed to my lips.
The man who popped out of nowhere and began to threaten me whispered into my ear, "Now, hush. Scream and I'll be sure to very neatly slice that pretty neck of yours."
Alright, now I should've been a little more panicked but for some reason I wasn't. If he was going to kill me, he probably would've by now. Since I just happened to be in a curious mood, I was just awkwardly standing here...trying to figure out where I heard that voice. Where?! I was also kinda creeped out because his warm breath was literally brushing against my ear. Like okay dude, relax. I can hear you. Oh and no need for the random knife. You're lucky I'm not armed with my sword or I would be holding this up to your neck.
Wait.
Ragazza...Oh snap.
The alluring rhythm. The patterned tone and pacing. The subtle sharpness of certain consonants. An Italian accent. Italy, of course.
"It would be a shame to hurt you. If I let go, you won't make a single noise, will you?"
I nodded to the best of my ability. His grasp was very tight. I immediately sucked in a gulp of air when I'm released and start to smile. "Okay Italy, it's game over. I'm guessing it was probably a dare from Prussia or something but-"
I turned, my heartbeat falling short.
A maroon haired man wearing a tan uniform that matched the color of his skin stood in front of me. He tossed a knife into the air and snatched it with ease. His magenta orbs locked with mine and I shivered, getting drawn into the forbidden temptation of his beautifully bloodlust filled eyes. Unlike the warmth Italy radiated, his aura was deathly cold. What really annoyed me was how dreadfully handsome he was: The irritating attractiveness in his overall appearance, the small, teasing smirk that played along his lips, the elegant posture, the husky voice, and the manipulating, smooth and charming way he spoke. How dare the universe bless this guy who literally might kill me with such awfully good looks?!
And why the hell did he look so much like Italy?!
"Italy? Other than the physical features, am I really," He flicked his knife upwards, taking a step closer to me. "Truly," He caught the handle of the blade, his fingers mercilessly wrapping around the weapon, capturing its lethal power and allowing himself to use it at any point in time. "Him?"
"Wh-Who are you?"
"Ah, perhaps I have forgotten to introduce myself." He bowed gracefully, using his fingers to sweep off the hat that sat atop his head and press it to his chest. "Luciano Vargas." He lifted his head up, hiding a bit of the amused smirk on his rosy red lips by lightly pressing the tip of his knife to his mouth. "Your worst nightmare, bella, at your service~"
Oh jeez, I think my heart skipped several beats. What's worse is that I can't tell if it was from fear...or something else.