Regret (Chapter 17)

“Do we really have to? So soon?”

“Germany, you’re better than this. You’re the one who put him in the hospital in the first place.”

Germany frowned, knowing that Italy was right. He sighed quietly, looking up at the front of Japan’s house. They were pretty surprised that Japan had been released from the hospital so soon, though going to see him was a nice excuse to get out of the house. Ever since the night before, Prussia had been acting a little… strange, being the best word to describe it. This was the perfect opportunity to have a break from him.

Germany tugged on the end of his glove subconsciously out of nervousness, staring at the door for a moment before looking back to Italy, who had his cheeks puffed out in determination. He quietly sighed, knowing that apologizing and getting Japan on their side was the most important thing to do right then, and the right thing to do.

With a dry gulp, he stepped up to the door, taking a side glance to the ghost beside him for a moment before finally knocking, quietly.

Silence followed the noise, nothing but birds chirping in the distance being heard. After about a minute or so, the door opened, revealing Japan in his around-the-house robbing, the sleeves covering past his hands. The smaller nation blinked in almost surprise in seeing the German there, Germany himself looking away in embarrassment.

“Good morning, Japan! How are you? Nice weather today!”

The blonde looked down at the Italian at the greeting, frowning as he knew what he was doing. He had to do this for Italy’s sake. They were all friends, they could let bygones be bygones.

“… Hello Japa-“

SLAM.

Germany almost took a step back as the door was slammed in his face, his jaw actually dropping a little at the rude behavior. He looked down to Italy, pointing to the door as almost a gesture of ‘you see what I’d have to deal with?!’

Italy giggled quietly, and with noticing Germany starting to turn away as if he was going to leave, without so much of another thought he stepped through the door.

“Wha- Italy, what are you doing!? Get back here!” Germany whispered harshly, quickly turning back around to the door. He huffed as the other didn’t seem to return, so instead he decided to knock on the door again, a little louder this time. In less amount of time than last time, Japan opened the door, this time his eyes greeting him with anger instead of confusion.

“Nan desu ka?”

Germany faltered at the use of Japanese towards him, knowing very clearly the other was very pissed off at him, and really he had every reason to be. Quickly, he looked over Japan and into the house, glancing around for the barely dressed nation, only to see him looking over something on the coffee table, what looked like a black silk bag. What was he doing snooping around?

Remembering what he was actually doing, Germany looked back down to Japan, frowning a bit before he quietly sighed, knowing there was no way around this. He closed his eyes with taking a breath and bowed forward, remembering how Japan had done it quite a bit when he was to apologize while standing.

“Look, Japan… I’m sorry about the other day. I guess I was just so stressed and angry about what happened I just… snapped. But that’s no excuse for me to do that to you. I knew you would heal back, it’s just, I don’t know.”

Japan stared down at Germany, his anger being once again being replaced by confusion. He held his hands together in thought about the apology, rationalizing it in his mind for a moment before he gave a small nod.

“I forgive you, Germany.”

Germany stood up straight this, actually looking quite confused himself. That… seemed way too easy. He frowned lightly, looking down at him still and seeing how his face had seemed to take on a more content look. He noticed it especially in his eyes, all flames from before being snuffed out to a calm void. This seemed very odd.

“Thank you,” he finally managed to say, Japan nodding in acknowledgement before stepping backwards a little.

“Would you like to come inside?”

“Uhm, sure. Thank you.” Germany waited for Japan to fully step away so he could enter the house. Japan instantly went over to the coffee table where Italy was looking, taking the large blanket from the couch to set it over the table, both clearing up space for the couch to set up and hiding the items that Italy was looking at.

Italy frowned at this, looking up to Japan for a moment with a quiet ‘ve’ before going back to sit on the couch, Japan unknowingly sitting next to him.

Germany went to Italy’s side and sat on the other side of him, making the ghost be in the middle of them. He glanced down to the blanket, figuring he was just making space with it, but it was hard to think of it as an innocent move as he noticed Italy was giving a very concerned look in Japan’s direction.

The air was still around them, neither of them saying anything to each other, or very much of eye contact. Japan shifted in his spot, moving his all ready covered arms into his sleeves to hide them further, holding onto his wrists before closing his eyes.

“…. Butterflies.”

“Mm?”

Germany raised an eyebrow and looked over to Japan, tilting his head to look past Italy to him.

“I feel like one sometimes. Do you ever get that feeling?”

“Uhm… no.”

“Ah, I see. Just me then.”

Germany furrowed his brows at the out of blue question, but shrugged it off and leaned back into the couch, feeling as though at least some tension was eased off with a small bit of calm conversation.

“Do you feel like a butterfly right now?”

“What does that matter?” Germany mumbled without so much of a second thought, this earning him a strange look from Japan at suddenly saying something. He tensed for a moment, remembering how the other couldn’t hear Italy talking. He leaned up again and looked over to Japan, nervously clearing his throat as he thought up something to clarify is question. “That is, I mean, why do you ask? Do you… feel like one right now?” He took a quick side glance to Italy, seeing him smile at having asked his question even though it sounded ridiculous.

To his surprise, even Japan seemed to brightly smile at the question as well.

“Hai. I do.”

“Oh dear…”

“What?”

“What?”

Germany gently bit the side of his cheek in anger of slipping up again.

“Er uh… sorry. I’m not very good at Japanese. What did that mean?”

Japan relaxed at just the simple inquiry, leaning back into the couch before he slid his legs up to be in a more contained ball on the couch.

“It’s all right, sometimes I forget I speak my own language sometimes. I had said yes.” Japan gave another surprisingly warm relaxed smile as he extended his legs over  to rest more on the couch, however when his legs passed through Italy’s form momentarily, he quickly pulled his legs back and set them on the ground. “brrr… little bit chilly.” Carefully, he pushed himself up onto his feet, “be right back, I’m going to fetch some slippers. Would you like any blankets?”

“I can use this one h—“

“No. I need that one there.”

Germany flinched lightly at the sudden harsh tone Japan took on, setting his hands on his knees to show that he wasn’t going to try anything.

“No, I’m fine.”

“All right.”

With that, Japan silently went out of the room to find his slippers. Germany waited for a few moments before looking to Italy, knowing that Japan was far out of ear shot by now.

“Is there something you know that I don’t know about him? You keep looking at him like he’s sad or something.”

Italy frowned at this, looking up to the German for a moment before reaching over to the blanket and grabbing the end.

“Italy, no. He doesn’t want that touch—“

He paused however, as Italy lifted it up slightly to show a red-ended knife next to that black baggie he had, showing it only briefly before setting it back down. Germany blinked at this, looking over his shoulder to where Japan left back to Italy, now beginning to feel a lot more nervous that he was going to plan to use it.

“I think he is sad. I want to watch over him for a bit to see what he’s doing. Is that okay?”

Germany bit his lip lightly, looking over his shoulder one more time before he nodded, pushing on his knees to stand up to his full height.

“All right, you can. Just be careful and don’t be long.”

“Did you say something?”

Germany straightened up as he heard Japan shuffle back into the room, turning around to see him come in through the door way.

“I… was saying that I need to be going. Prussia’s expecting me back at the house for dinner.

Japan very lightly pouted before he nodded, giving a small bow of goodbye.

“See you later then. Feel free to come over whenever you would like. I like having company.”

Germany nodded and quickly began out, giving a look over his shoulder to see Italy waving him. He raised his hand once as a small sign of goodbye to the both of them before stepping out and closing the door. He sighed quietly, messing with his gloves once again out of concern for the both of them. With a deep breath though, he stepped forward, ready to go home and have that dinner with Prussia, hopefully the other having calmed down a little while he was out.

Though he didn’t get more than about five steps away from the house when he felt a damp rag cover over his nose and mouth, making him thrash backwards for a second before the world suddenly blackened out and his body go limp.

He quietly groaned as he felt someone hold him under his arms, starting to drag him away. He tried his hardest to stay awake, but in his final moments of consciousness all he was able to hear was,

“Looks like I’m having German for dinner.”