Incubo

Italy could never forget the time spent in the mansion. He could never let the horrors of what happened within its walls slip from his memory. No matter how much he tried, he simply couldn't.

It haunted him, those memories. They would sneak up on him when he least expected it. Quick flashes of unspeakable horrors would attack him, causing him to fear even after they had all gotten out. Those horrific memories would creep on him when he would sleep, manifesting themselves into painful nightmares, often of which he could not escape from. They would wake him up in the middle of the night, and cause him to doubt his safety. Tonight was of no exception.

A loud, frightened gasp pierced the silence. Amber eyes, bulging out their sockets in utter fear, searched the room frantically, ferally. Trying to quell his rapidly thumping heart, the brunette reached over to switch on the lamp, which sat on his desk. For a split second, as light flooded into the room, Feliciano's body froze up, his hand clenching the blanket in petrified fear.

To the average person, if they had walked in, they would simply see a bedroom, with nothing of out the ordinary.

For Italy, he saw a room full of the crimson blood of his friends, and heard the bone-chilling sound of the monster's footsteps, as it grew louder by the moment. But none was worse than the memory. This time, it was from the first time loop, where Germany, his best friend, and his brother, Prussia. Italy wished he could run away, but his body simply sat there, petrified in unimaginable fear. Feliciano could only watch, watch as the heartbreaking recollection replayed before him.

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To say the scene was heart-wrenching would be an understatement.

Italy had found the two brothers slumped against the wall. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he stared at the two in both shock and disbelief. Why? Why didn't they just do what they said they would?

"We got back with the key," Prussia's voice cracked as he spoke. Even as his blood pooled around his body, he managed to crack a faint smile. He wasn't going to die without one.

Veneziano, on the other hand, couldn't help but sob. Seeing the two like this ripped his already weeping heart to shreds. He felt it was his fault. He should have protected them. He should have stopped them. There were so many "should have"s. He had made another mistake. But instead of him, everyone else had to pay for it. With their lives.

"Hey, don't cry Feli," Germany coughed out,flecks of vermilion spraying out his mouth. "We risked our lives and went through so much trouble to get that back."

"Why did you lie to me?" He wailed, his legs shaking as he collapsed to his knees. "You only said you were going to look around! Why? ..Why?" His voice grew thicker with sobs each time, cracking at the end as he sniffled.

"Ah..Yes..Well, it's mostly the same reason you didn't tell us that everyone else was dead." The blond's eyes glimmered with pain and sadness, as well as unshed tears. Ah, but Germany never cried. He never would, not even now.

"You...knew?" His breath caught in his throat as he stared at the two. Mixed emotions punched him in the face, with staggering strength. Guilt. Sadness. Frustration. But the last one was certainly the worst; heartbreak.

"Kesese," Prussia spoke up again. "Well now, bruder...Why don't we take a little rest...I'm really..tired." The albino's voice began to grow softer, his eyelids beginning to hood over his ruby eyes.

"You're right...You go on ahead, I'll catch up later," the blond replied, a thin line of blood dripping from his lips. Italy's hands clenched in desperation. They can't leave! Not yet! I'll be alone..All alone.