Hetalian Protectors

Two

Romano's POV: My feet carried me through one cavern after the next; Arwen in the lead and dragging Scarlett along as they took one twisting passage, then another. Right, right, left, right. It was an underground maze my mind couldn't keep up with and more than once I wondered if they even knew where they were going, but they didn't hesitate, so we didn't stop following them.

Somehow, I stayed in step with Luna the entire way, and it made me feel a little better. Then again, maybe it was just because I could put on a front, pretend I wasn't afraid of whatever the hell... that had been when the Major had found us. Why had they been so afraid? When had the girls gotten so injured? Even now, I could see the red splotches leaking through her shirt, her face twisted in something more than fear or frustration. Pain deepening the crease of her brows, dulling the the shine of her eyes.

I found myself inching toward her in fear that she might collapse on the spot, the sweat beading on her face and threatening to drip off her chin. Aching to sweep her off her feet and make her sit down, even knowing we didn't have the time for that, I forced my feet to keep moving. Later. I'd do it later, I swore to myself, and I'd properly tell her off for not taking better care of herself to, because right now I was supposed to be acting like I was angry with her. And I was!

...

Yet, somehow, in the face of the unknown - which was completely foreign to a country who'd been alive for thousands of years - the fury had faded and been replaced with growing dread. A heavy stone in my stomach, it dragged me down, spreading ice through my veins like a virus determined on eating me alive from the inside out. Guilt festering in the mix, screaming at the top of its lungs. "How could you let this happen to her! Again!"

Again?

Again.

It was right. Of course it was. How could it not be. Years ago we'd been in the same place, a headstrong girl willing to do anything to get us out of the situation we'd unknowingly gotten ourselves into. And I'd been stupid enough to fall for her. Knowing the consequences. Knowing the chances of making it out of that damn mansion alive. But here I was. And here she wasn't.

And I'd fucked it all up all over again. I thought I could protect her, though I acted like I didn't care. Now-

The thoughts stopped with a single gunshot. Luna's form disappearing into the gloom as it fell. A chorus of screams swallowing my desperate shout as I was carried off my feet, my brother's hand clenched tightly around mine, Germany practically lifting us both off our feet.

And I couldn't see her anymore. Just like before.

*****

Luna's POV: The burn was familiar, yet it took all my nerves and set them aflame in one second. Everything going white, sounds distant and alien to my ears, with rang with my heartbeat, loud and far too fast.

I might've screamed. I'm not sure.

The next thing I knew, I was looking into the eyes of a man I wanted to dig my knives into. Wanted to shred, but my arms wouldn't move, wouldn't cooperate, wouldn't even twitch. His fingers barely registering where they clenched on my jaw.

"Carry... Coming with... Can't... this..." His voice, as vile as it was, came in and out of focus, and I wondered if I could work up the facial control to spit. By the time I deemed I could not, one of his lackeys had already grabbed my arms and tossed me like a ragdoll over his shoulder, not bothering to wipe away the hot blood that splattered over his uniform.

That time, I can confirm. It took drawing blood to hold back the scream threatening to tear free from my throat. Head lolling to the side, I tried to look up, see how far away the nations were. To no avail.

But a familiar lanky form, in a similar position to my own, swung helplessly nearby, and my mouth went dry at the thick red dripping down her legs. Her name dying on my tongue as the man carrying her vanishing into the throng, leaving me alone in a mass of strangers and-

Oh, please... get them out of here. Arwen... Aridan... Scarlett. Please.

Run.    

In response to my thoughts my fingers sparked, a black mist floating around the digits unnoticed. A means to an end we had never wanted.