This Is Where We Fall (Hetalia Zombie Apocalypse AU)

"What's Done Is Done" -Sweden & Finland-

Another silent day, however this one was a bit different from the multiple ones prior. Tino and Berwald were hiding out in a small shack out in the forest. They'd hidden in there when an unexpected herd droned by. Luckily, they got inside right before they came into sight.

Now, they were sitting side-by-side in a cramped shack, listening to the howling wind outside. The only sound other than the wind was the clinking of Tino's gun as he cleaned it up. Berwald watched him, studying his features and motions. The look on the Finnish man's face was nothing and unmoving, as if he were a sculpted from stone. His hand movements weren't graceful nor delicate as they usually were. Now, his hands rubbed hard at the filth which caked his gun and roughly assembled the gun once more. Such different movements, such different emotions. It didn't fit well with Tino at all.

"I think they're gone." Berwald mumbled, listening intently to the world outside. 2No crunching leaves or deathly growls were heard, which therefore proves what he was inferring. Tino merely gave a quick glance around their closed shack and clicked his gun back into its completeness. The look on his face remained hard and unfeeling.

"We stay here." Tino replied dully, glancing up at Berwald. The appearance of his face and body language was nothing compared to the look in his eyes. Those eyes which used to be so alive. Those eyes which used to shine bright like the northern lights. Those eyes which used to resemble jolly Christmas lights twinkling happily with life. Those eyes... which now shown dull and lifeless as if all the lights had died out. It was as if someone had blown out the candle and destroyed the main source of life.

Berwald missed the old Tino. He missed his happy voice that could be compared to a little, silver bell. He missed his happy 'wife' who always smiled at the littlest of things around him. Would he ever see that Tino again? Would things ever be the same? Or did this empty-hearted, broken man permanently take over?

"Tino," the Swedish man said, turning towards the Finnish male, "do you remember wh--"

"No." Tino interrupted quickly, not wishing to hear anymore. "I don't want to talk about it." Talk about the past, especially about him, Tino tried to avoid. Anything that was related to such things brought up unpleasant memories and emotions that he wished to keep hidden. He believed if he held it in long enough, it would slowly go away. Berwald knew all this but he knew Tino just didn't want to face the facts. He knew he just wanted to forget it or refuse to accept the things that occurred. Some day Tino will have to accept it all, but as of right now, he was not.

"We would assemble furniture together." Berwald continued, ignoring what Tino said. No matter what, he would bring up old memories. It soothed him, and he wanted to try to bring back the old Tino. He wanted to bring back the old times and talks he used to have with him. "I would do most of the work while you would read aloud the instructions. Whenever I hurt myself, you would kiss where it hurt to make it feel better.."

This time, Tino didn't interrupt. He merely listened but mentally beat himself up for not being strong enough to block out his lover's words. No. Don't listen. You can't listen--

"Sometimes we'd spend whole days making furniture." Berwald looked down as he spoke. "By the time the sun set, I had wood shavings all over my front. You would be laughing and cleaning it up. Peter would--"

"Shut up!!" Tino screamed, putting his hands once again to his head. His fingers entangled with his hair, gently pulling on it. "D-Don't.. Say.. His name.."

Berwald closed his mouth, looking over at the disturbed Fin. He forgot that that name was meant to be unsaid. That name was forever triggering to Tino. Anytime that name was mentioned, it sent the Finnish man's nerves on edge and fractured his currently unstable mentality. However, Berwald couldn't help himself from saying that name. He missed him. He missed that boy very much, and he knew Tino deep down missed him too. They both did, but both confronted the situation in different ways.

Berwald looked over and sighed. "Sorry. I forgo--"

"He's dead, Berwald. He's dead!" Tino snapped, digging his fingers even more into his head. "The past is dead. He is dead! Stop talking about what is dead! I don't want to hear it! I don't! There's no point in talking about what or who isn't alive anymore!!" Ragged breathing escaped him as he, once again, tried to regain himself. He could feel himself shattering every time someone mentioned such things. Each word about the past and him added onto the many cracks on his body and mind. It'll only take time before he breaks...

"Tino, please." Berwald said, raising a hand and gingerly placing it on the Finnish man's back. "Calm down. It's okay. We're going to be ok--"

"How do you know?!" The Fin turned sharply to the larger man, eyes wide with fear. "You can't say everything will be okay!! You don't know!! Nothing is okay!! Don't tell me lies! How can you assure me it will all be fine?! Can you tell me that?! No!! We're not going to be okay!! We're never going to be okay!!" He broke off, breathing fast and heavy. No, keep yourself together. Don't succumb to it. Don't give in. Stay strong, Tino, stay strong. You got this.

"I don' know." The words were gentle and calm, something new Berwald learnt during this whole apocalypse. "What I do know, is that as long as you're with me, you're going to be okay." Tino's wide eyes stared before him, hands still roughly gripping at his own hair. It was only common now for him to do such a thing. His breathing came out ragged and unsettled, along with his own heartbeat which thundered in his ears. Such nerve-wracking sounds which chilled his already sensitive bones.

"Dad?"

Tino's breathing hitched at the call. Could it be? Was it...

"Dad!"

The voice was clear to his ears and matched--

"Peter?" Tino called out, eyes unblinking. Berwald furrowed his brows in confusion. What was his partner thinking? Why did he say the name which he thought was forbidden to say? Obviously, the call of the boy was only heard in Tino's mind, making it a hallucination. Only him alone could hear the unreal call of their late son.

"Dad! It's cold out here!"

"I-I'm coming, Peter!" Tino called, pushing himself up suddenly from off of the shack floor. His breathing quickened again as he stared at the closed door before him. He had to go out there. Peter was calling him. He had to go to Peter's aid.

"Tino wait--!" Berwald tried to stop the Finnish man from going out there. It was too dangerous to run out blindly, especially when night had fallen. Danger lurked everywhere and running out without a thought could cost a life. Just the thought of doing such a thing was an idiotic thought. However, before the Swedish man could do anything, Tino ran into the dead of night. "Wait!"

Suddenly, two noises rang in Berwald's ears.

First, was the sound of a gun going off.

Second, was a blood curdling scream.

"Tino!"

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Author's Note:

Wow. Okay, I am so so so sorry for the extremely late update. I've been so busy and going through major writer's block. I apologise if this chapter seemed a bit off. I wrote it at 3am soooooo

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and the next chapter should be up quicker, aha!

Please leave feedback in the comments/reviews! Thank you!