The Guide to the Protector (A HetaOni, 2ptalia and Female Reader Fanfiction)

|ChApTeR TwEnTy tHREE| Present

|Reader's POV|

"Oh, you found an exit?"

I immediately felt relieved, the tenseness in my body finally easing. I tossed the rest of the unused medical supplies into my backpack while listening to the others discuss at the same time.

"Yeah! We can finally escape! Come on, let's get out of here."

"Shouldn't we hurry?"

"We already have an exit secured! I want to explore a little! All I've seen was the basement: I want to go upstairs, too!" America enthusiastically stated.

Though I was slightly hesitant about the idea of splitting up again, it couldn't hurt to let him explore a little bit.

"Germany, you go ahead with the others. When America is like this, nothing can stop him." Canada said.

"Well, we have to make sure that that rope isn't rotten." Germany nodded, looking to Italy. "We'll go ahead and see if there isn't any problem." 

"I'm splitting up for a while! I found some Chinese medicine that I wanted; I'll go get it!" China announced. 

The countries began to file out of the room, dispersing into their separate groups

"Japan! Stay back; I want to have a word with you. The others can wait in the other room." Prussia called out to Japan. 

I assumed he was just going to have a private talk with Japan. I started to walk out of the room when I felt a tug on my hood.

"And that includes you too, frau."

"Ah, okay." I turned back around and stood beside Prussia.

Japan titled his head slightly, but nodded nevertheless. "Very well."

"So, what's eating you?"'

"What do you mean?"

I subtly rolled my eyes. 

"I haven't been through it yet, but...you see things, don't you? When we break the clocks. C'mon, spit it out."

"I had to tell him. I wasn't going to confront you alone, and I was worried." I added in.

"...I'm sorry. I was trying not to show it."

"You can tell me the details later. Just tell me the most important things now." P

Japan took a breath to gather his jumbled thoughts, speaking slowly, "I'm...not sure what it means, but...From now on...if I make a choice, I'll lose someone, and if I follow a different path to save them, I'll lose someone else..."

"......" I looked at Prussia and he seemed to be at a loss of words as well.

"I tried several options, but it was no use." Japan's voice broke, surging with distress and agitation. "The more I tried, the stronger the Thing became. I can't do this alone any more-"

"You can't defeat it on your own?" Prussia calmly repeated. "Then how did you do it until now?"

"When it was necessary to fight...I defeated it with Italy and Germany...and with you two. I also fought alongside Russia and China-"

"Huh! Why did you stop there?!"

All of sudden, it clicked. Prussia's message to Japan was now clear to me.

"I-I'm sorry."

"Dang right you should be sorry!" I sassily remarked. I inhaled, slapping my palms and rubbing them together, then tilting my hands so my fingertips pointed towards Japan. "Boi. Are you kidding? Don't you understand what Prussia's trying to get through your thick skull?"