Two Worlds (Hetalia X Reader)

22. The River

"It snowed?" You press yourself into Gilbert's side. The cold air bites at your exposed skin.

"Yeah." Gilbert smiled. "Here; take my sweater." He slips the soft cardigan off his shoulders ans wraps it around yours.

"Thank you." You kiss him on the cheek and he pulls you out into the snow. "Oh that's brisk." You pull the cardigan closer around yourself and press further into Gilbert.

"It's January." He laughs. "Of course it's cold!"

Gilbert leads you through the gardens and down towards the river. To your surprise, it hadn't frozen over. "Why isn't it frozen?" You question.

"Arthur says its magic." Gilbert tickles your sides as he says the word magic. You giggle and push him away playfully. "He said that if the river finds you worthy, it'll bring you wherever you want." He exaggerates his words and you laugh.

"What makes you worthy, exactly?" You ask dramatically.

"I don't know." Gilbert deadpans for a moment. "We'll have to ask Arthur when this whole thing blows over."

"If." You look down at the sparkling snow beneath your feet. "If this whole thing blows over."

Gilbert stops you and holds your shoulders at arms length. "After. You said so yourself. It's going to be ok." He makes sure to look you in the eyes as he is saying this. "I promise." He pulls you into his chest.

Your nose presses against his sternum at an uncomfortable angle but you ignore it. He was comforting you and that was what mattered. You wrap yours arms around him as well. "I love you." You mumble into his chest.

"I love you too. Now just relax, okay?" He smiles down at you. "Everything is going to be all right."

You nod with a smile. "Let's continue walking before I fall asleep in your arms." You suggest.

"Of course." Gilbert begins to lead you towards the sound of running water. Despite the darkness, you are still able to see through the water clearly.

"It really is magic." You smile and crouch down to touch the water. To your delight, it's warm. Warm enough to warm your frozen fingertips.

"It's cold on the warm days amd warm on the cold days." Gilbert kneels beside you, ignoring the snow soaking through his trousers. He puts his hands in as well. "Magic really is a wonderful thing." He marvels.

Your eyes slide shut as you embrace the feeling of the warm water brushing up against your hand. You stand up quickly. "The warmth is making me drowsy." You back away quickly.

Gilbert looks up at you, his eyebrows creased. "It is?" He asks, concerned. You nod. "I might now how to fix that..." He muses.

"You do?" You ask hopefully. He nods, a sly smirk on his face. Before you can register what's going on, he scoops up a handfull of snow, packs it into a sphere and whips it at you. The snowball connects with your shoulder, sending a spray of cold flakes onto your neck and down your shirt. You gasp, stumbling backwards a few steps.

Gilbert laughs and starts to make another snowball. "Oh no you don't!" You lean over and scoop some snow into your hands. You pack it quickly and throw it at Gilbert's chest.

A small war breaks out. Snowballs explode as the hit their targets, laughter pierces the tense atmosphere and all worries are forgotten... until the pain strikes.

You sink into the trampled snow with a cry of agony. Your left thigh is searing as if you'd been stabbed. In fact, you had been. Scarlet blood leaked through the fabric of your pants and dripped onto the snow, staining it a vibrant red.

"(Y/n)!" Gilbert lughes forward and holds you up. "What happened? Was it me?" His eyes scan your body and pause on the growing blood stain.

"No-" You gasp. Another stab was inflicted at that moment, but this time in your right thigh. "It's them! In my world." You cry.

Gilbert lifts you up and drapes your arms around his neck. "Hold on." He instructs before sweeping your legs out from underneath you. He runs back towards the house keeping a strong grip on you. "Arthur!" Gilbert yells as he shoulders the backdoor open.

He lays you down on the kitchen table and runs to the archway that leads to the hallway. Your forearm starts to sting as something is carved into it. You choke back a sob as you see the wobbly letters appear in your flesh.

WA-

You look away and back to where Gilbert had disappeared. "Gil!" You call in a shaky voice. The cuts felt like they were getting deeper but you refused to look at them.

Gilbert runs back into the kitchen accompanied by Arthur. They both look worried. Good. They should be. "What's happening?" Gilbert demands frantically.

Arthur leans over you and frowns, his gentle fingers skimming over the wounds. "Wake up." He says, taking hold of your forearm gently. "(Y/n) do as it says."

"What?" You look down at your arm.

WAKE UP is scrolled across it in bloody letters. Fear grips you and bile rises in your throat.

"You need to or they'll continue to carve you up." Arthur pushes you back down on the table and presses his fingers to your temples. "I'm going to cast a simple spell. You'll be alright." He reassures you.

You look to Gilbert who seems like he's about to cry. His hand finds yours. "Be brave." He tells you. "I love you."

"I love you." You echo, giving his hand a light squeeze. You move your gaze back to Arthur. "Go ahead." You say weakly.

"Remember, (Y/n)," Arthur says closing his eyes and concentrating on the spell he was about to cast. "Don't let them in."

Arthur muttered a few words in a bizzar language then pulled his hands away and peered down at you. Your eyelids start to feel heavy and your grip on Gilbert's hand loosens. Your eyes slide shut.

Gilbert leans down by your ear before you are fully asleep. "Kiku told me something once. It's what they say when someone is leaving home in Japan." He brushes a hand through your hair. "Itterasshai. Go and come back safely."