When Time is All I Have – HetaOni

Time was all there was in a place like this. At least that was what it felt like to Feliciano Vargas, the living personification of Northern Italy, anyway.

Time and time again, Italy would re-wind the clock, to try and save his friends, only to fail again. He knew that this nightmare would never end, that he should give up, to just live-and-let-die. However, young Feliciano was a stubborn boy, courtesy of his late older brother Romano. He refused to just let everyone near and dear to him perish, no matter how many times he would pay the price himself.

He would be willing to turn back the clock countless times in order to save them. It was the only thing he knew.

Feliciano had lost track of how many times he had done this. He figured that this was the tenth time he had failed to save them… Yes. That was right. Time loop number ten. Casualties: 11. All of which nations. All like him. Trapped in a place where nations become human, when powerful countries, even Italy's old enemy Russia, could die so easily… just for the enjoyment of some unknown, malevolent being that wanted their heads.

The usually scatter-brained, joyful yet cowardly nation was now determined, and strong-willed. Yet at the same time, he was utterly broken in every aspect. All of his closest friends were dead yet again, and it was his entire fault. If only had hadn't begged Germany, Japan, and Prussia to come to this place with him. If only he hadn't invited their old enemies, known as the allies, to come with them… If it wasn't for Italy, they wouldn't be dead now… Italy's hands wouldn't be stained with the blood of his friends…

Italy was able to name every one of his friends that had perished here, and how they came to be so.

Germany: Severe brain damage.

Japan: Loss of blood.

Prussia: Stabbed.

England: Missing, assumed dead by all.

America: Crushed against wall.

China: Exhaustion.

France: Possessed by being, killing fellow nation and dying soon after.

Russia: Beaten with his own iron pipe.

Canada: Crushed underneath the grand piano.

Spain: Strangled by possessed France.

Romano: Suicide.

His brother's death was the hardest to come to terms with. In all of the time loops, nobody had gone in such a way. They had all tried to stay strong… To keep a brave face… But to think Romano, the strong-hearted, stubborn, but above all determined boy that he was would do such a thing? It was close to unthinkable. That was what broke Italy's heart more than anything.

Well. Back to the present, I suppose.

Italy stared up at the large grandfather clock, letting out a loud sigh. "Here we go again…Time loop number eleven…" He chuckled sadly. He walked closer and stood on his tip-toes, reaching for the handles of the clock.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Italy whirled around, expecting to see another large and malicious monster. However, in its place there was a weak looking figure, around the same height as him-self slumped against the door frame… a figure with unusually large eyebrows.

"Oh my God… England?" Italy murmured, causing the blonde nations head to snap up, emerald green eyes boring into Italy's own.

"Haha… Hello, chap! It's nice to see you again!" The Britt laughed.

"It's you… It's really you!" Italy said, bewildered. "How is that possible? You're supposed to be dead!"

"Charming." England muttered, back to his usual sarcastic self. He leaned upright against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest.

"Veh… Sorry, Mr England! I'm… just a little surprised, is all… I mean, you'd been gone for so long! We all thought you were dead!" Italy apologised franticly. England sighed with highly exaggerated frustration, due to Italy's 'rabbit in the headlights' attitude at the given time.

"Don't worry about it, Italy. I understand. I was gone for ages, after all." England paused. He stood from his place at the door, closing and locking it behind him, as to avoid contact with a monster. "How long was I gone for before you guys gave up looking for me?"

"Three days. All of us, especially Alfred, were scared out of our minds! And that's actually quite ironic, if you look at it in a certain way…"

"Right…" England walked up to Italy, who was still on edge after the shock of seeing his 'dead' friend reappear so suddenly. "A clock, eh?" England said, finally acknowledging the large clock's presence. "I suppose I needn't ask what it is you're about to do… They all died again, didn't they?"

"Yeah…" A now very sullen Italy replied, turning back to the clock and taking hold of one of the handles. England took hold of the other.

"Then, Italy, let's end this together. Let's save them all. We'll get out alive, I promise you."

Once again, Feliciano turned back time… And he did just that.

THE END