USUK Oneshots (Hetalia) [Completed]

The Creature I Call It

(Author's Note: If you're confused about what Arthur is having to deal with later in the story, it's actually a few sleeping disorders and issues, them being insomnia and sleep paralysis. I actually deal with both of these, though my sleep paralysis is very, very rare these days and was mainly a problem in my ages of 9-13. Also, the main focus is said sleep paralysis, so this is really based of what I remember experiencing with my sleep paralyzation, except only for the actual paralyzation bit of it. I never actually experienced these living nightmares, though I had, and still do experience hyper realistic nightmares like Arthur does. The actual living nightmares however were based off of stories I have found on the Internet from those who have really experienced it.)

Oh god... Not again...

Just a short while after falling asleep, Arthur awoke from a incredibly realistic nightmare. He was soaked with sweat, heartbeat rapid, and his body was shaking as he breathed heavily. He tried to glance over at the time, as the time before he fell asleep was already at least three in the morning. As he tried, he felt himself stuck, unable to move a muscle. He tried to scream for his partner, Alfred, who was lying next to him, oblivious of his boyfriend struggling beside him. Arthur tried to squirm, to get any noise out, to do anything, but he couldn't. He was stuck. He continued to attempt doing something, anything, but to no avail.

That was when It showed up. The thing that had been haunting him both in his nightmares and his restless nights. For the second time this night Arthur's worst nightmare began to play out, just as it had been doing for years, and it terrified him the same just like every other time.

For as long as he could remember, he never was worried of this thing hurting him, but of it hurting his loved ones. It has switched throughout his life, from his older brother, to his mom, to, currently, Alfred.

Laying half on his side facing Alfred, just like when he awoke, the creature bent over his side, face upside down and sideways in his view. His deep red eyes stood out in his black shadow like face, and as it opened its makeshift mouth, a low quiet sound came from said mouth.

"I know what you're afraid of, Arthur," Its voice creaked, as it pointed one its long, black fingers at the American sleeping unknowing next to him.

The creature disappeared from Arthur's sight, before it reappeared at the other side of the bed, inching towards Alfred. Arthur struggled more, trying to scream for Alfred to watch out, but he just couldn't. One of Its dark fingers rubbed its sharp point up Alfred's cheek, its face slowly moving closer.

As it was just a centimeter away from Alfred's face, Arthur was finally able to move, as he jolted upright, throwing a hand at It, a high pitched scream left his lips. All of the sudden the creature dissipated into the shadows, leaving Arthur screaming and clawing at the air just above Alfred's face.

Alfred, already knowing what was happening, as he had known about Arthur's sleeping issues, shushed him quietly, gently grabbing his wrist to stop him. Arthur slowly began to stop, before a loud sob escaped his throat and he put his face in his hands, crying. Alfred immediately sat up, turning on his bedside lamp, then taking Arthur into his arms. He rubbed Arthur's back comfortingly, shushing him quietly while he whispered confidences.

Arthur just wept. He couldn't deal with this anymore. He has been haunted by this... Thing. This creature he called It, since he was eight and now, twenty three years old, it just kept getting worse. It was like It knew how he would react and could adjust accordingly to make his reactions worse. And he never went away when Arthur tried medication. Nothing helped. Only when Alfred made everything better afterwards. But what if It got to him? What if he couldn't save him and then he couldn't make it better. He would've lost everything. Everything to that thing. The demon that haunted him. The reason his father claimed to have walked out on his family for was there was something wrong with the house and even his family, and even though it "wasn't any of their faults" he didn't want to stay with them any longer. Arthur knew it was It. Arthur even swore he saw a scratch mark on Alfred's cheek before he started crying.

Oh god, if he has lost him... But...

How long would it be until he lost everything? Arthur could only cling to Alfred sobbing in his arms, hoping for the best. He wouldn't sleep the rest of the night. He knew that at least. At least he would be able to make sure that creature didn't come back. But how long would he continue to be able to do that? He could only hope It went away and he could continue to protect Alfred just as much as he had done for him. If he couldn't... Well, he couldn't even imagine what would happen then...