Inbox

[fifty]

To be made pretty later.

Comments

[fifty]

[Not deterred, America reaches for England again.] Sorry. I'm okay! I just couldn't move until right then.

[keepscalm]

[Because of an injection. Because something happened. Of course, that's the rational explanation, but England's heart is still racing.

He doesn't knock America away this time. Rather, he leans forward to plant his face against America's chest.] What the hell happened? I woke up yesterday and you and Ginger were gone.

[fifty]

[America wraps England in a hug.] We woke up in this weird room with a pit in it. The pit kept getting bigger, but the room did, too, so it was okay. [That's not the whole story, of course, but he has to piece things together. His fingers work through England's hair.]

[keepscalm]

[Unsettling. Perhaps even a bit creepy. England doesn't have enough details to decide.] A pit? What was inside?

[fifty]

I dunno. There was like, blackness, and it was super deep, and there was something but we couldn't see, so I guess that's why some people jumped in--

[Uh.]

But not me and Ginger!

[keepscalm]

[The question is already in England's mouth when America preempts it. He pulls his face out of America's jacket to give America a look of scrutiny.] You didn't?

[America didn't leap before looking?]

[fifty]

What's that supposed to mean?

[keepscalm]

Forethought isn't your area of expertise. [And a gigantic hole seems pretty alluring.]

[fifty]

I was trying to stop other people. [His face darkens a little, almost imperceptibly. There were so many it was hard to stop anyone at all.]

[keepscalm]

[England's discerning expression falls.] ...a lot of people disappeared. You were all there?

[fifty]

Yeah, and the more time went on the more people wanted to jump, so I was kind of busy. [His own nation priorities took precedent over his curiosity.]

[keepscalm]

[England wonders how many people jumped. But he's a little wary of asking.

He rests his cheek against the collar of America's jacket.] Do you know why they were all jumping? [Norfinbury is not exactly full of cautious geniuses, but England is still confident that some of them wouldn't jump into a mystery hole without a good reason.]

[fifty]

To see what was down there. ...Some people fell trying to get down without actually jumping, too. And some people got pushed, but then Joker fell in, too. [A lot of people ended up in the pit.]

[keepscalm]

[Jesus. And America just had to watch.

England's hands start to move in soothing motions over America's back.] You did what you could.

[fifty]

Everyone should be back now since we are. [There's no proof of that but it's what America needs to believe.]

[keepscalm]

We can check the network. I'm sure people will post about their return as soon as they're able. [England reaches for his tablet, tucked against his pack at the edge of the nest.]

[fifty]

Yeah, people'll be checking in. [America lets England reach the tablet, but he seems disinclined to let go entirely.] Maybe they found out what was down there. It was like, a monster?

[keepscalm]

How did you know it was a monster? [If they couldn't see it, the possibilities that remain are a little disconcerting.]

[fifty]

It was smiling. I think. [America's tone is foggier as he tries to remember.]

[keepscalm]

[All right, that's a little creepy. England frowns.] I wonder if it was the same entity that people have seen before. [He's not really sure what else to call it...]

[fifty]

I dunno. Maybe if the other thing looked sharp. [It's pretty hard to describe the whatever-it-was, honestly.]

[keepscalm]

You'll have to ask the people who've had closer encounters, I suppose.

[England pulls back slightly from America, looking him over with careful scrutiny.] ...you're really all right?

[fifty]

[America smiles, probably bigger than he needs to.] Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine. [Physically, anyway, he is.]

[keepscalm]

[England's gaze becomes more imploring as he stares into that smile.]

[fifty]

[America's smile drops a little into something gentler--maybe a little worried, though he'd never admit it. He dips in to kiss England, quick and gentle.] I didn't get hurt. It sucked being there, and I had to watch a lot of people jump, but I'm okay.