Third person pov
(Oh my god I haven't used this pov for so long)
"So, are we ready?" The countryhuman with the ushanka on his head nodded. The two had prepared everything they needed, the backpacks were full of water and food. They had found several ropes and one of them had tied it around the waist, so that, if one fell, the other could catch it. Their goal was to get to the laboratory and they were preparing to say goodbye to this house. There, perhaps, they would find something to create a cure, at least they had hope.

America turned one last time, admiring the house that had given him shelter up to that moment, until Russia put a hand on his shoulder. America nodded, even though the other hadn't made any sound, he understood what he meant. Both went down the ladder, moving away from the house for good.

After a couple of alleys, America became suspicious, there was too much silence, no hoarse sound came from the surrounding alleys, as if the zombies had disappeared. "Wait a minute, let's climb up that roof, it seems too strange that there are no zombies ". Russia nodded and America started climbing on the roof of a building, by a ladder placed to the side, followed by Russia. When they reached the top, they both admired the view, you couldn't see the whole city but at least they could see their destination and how many zombies there were hindering them.

"I think we'll have to go through the alleys again, avoiding the main road," said America resigned. Going through the alleys meant lengthening the path a bit, but, if they wanted to go on without falling prey to a zombie, they had to adapt. Russia, once again, just nodded and they both rose from the palace.

"Mr. I'm always serious, have you decided to just nod today? You haven't said a word since this morning." Russia found himself a little baffled by the sudden start of a speech from America, but after all he was America, he should have expected it. "I'm thinking... yesterday I was optimistic but now, thinking about it... find a cure takes months... years... but we don't have that time". America looked down and stopped, Russia had managed to destroy even his optimism.

"Russia ... can you not make me think about it? ... I want to continue to have hope ...".

"America I know we need hope but this one is too vain ... if it should-".

"HEY! It was you who said not to think about ifs and buts, so, don't think about it, otherwise, I'll give you the name of hypocrite forever".

America did not intend to make Russia laugh, but, the angry tone with which he said it and the silence that followed, led Russia  to a kind of laugh. "Why are you laughing?! STOP it ... it's not funny". Russia slowly stopped laughing as he caught his breath.

He looked America in the eye and smiled in relief. "You remembered what I told you last night, and then the tone in which you said it, I couldn't help but laugh." America returned his gaze, not trying to hide the blush of his cheeks, he was too mesmerized by his companion's amber eyes. The laughter he had heard, to him, from that moment on, was among the most beautiful things that ever existed.

Russia noticed America's penetrating gaze and swallowed some of the saliva that had been created on the edge of his throat for his embarrassment.
Only then, America came to his senses, realizing how long he had been looking at Russia. While they were talking, without realizing it, they had stopped and inevitably had lost time. "You're right, let's proceed."

They continued to advance, along the various alleys, Russia kept looking forward while America also paid attention to the alleys next to them, from there, he thought, a zombie could appear.

Continuing to look around, America's attention was captured by a dead end where, on the ground, something lay, perhaps a piece of cloth, white as snow. America was so attracted that he walked towards the object without saying anything to his companion and without the other noticing it, Russia, in fact, realized that the striped country was no longer beside him only when he felt the rope tighten. Hesnorted at this sudden and further stop, running to the place where America had stopped, who, in the meantime, had bent down to pick up the cause of his distraction.

: "America let's go ... we have already lost too much time". Russia felt America's breathing heavier and, he hated to admit it, he too had begun to feel curiosity. "Russia ..." America got up slowly and turning around, showing his partner what, for him, in reality, was nothing important.

"I thought it was something more important than just a scarf ... sorry."

Russia looked at it with a look of terror, the white scarf with a red pattern.

: "Belarus's scarf ...".

Russia pov
I wanted to look away but couldn't, at the sight of my sister's scarf, my blood froze in my veins and with it, time seemed to almost stop. My head was spinning, I felt like a loud ringing in my ears and, despite this, I couldn't move my eyes, I was hypnotized. "Russia can you hear me? Are you okay? Why are you crying... Russia... RUSSIA" .
I could hear America talking to me but the words came almost soundless to my ears, I felt that tears full of pain were pouring from my eyes, which continued to stare at that damned scarf.

"RUSSIA, COME BACK TO YOURSELF".

Suddenly, a very strong pain on my cheek managed to make me look away and come back to me. America had slapped me and I could feel the pain of the blow that had been inflicted on me with great violence. When I opened my eyes, however, I noticed that America too was crying and on hIS face you could see the fear that, a few seconds before, had also taken possession of me.

"CAN YOU HEAR ME?" America screamed crying. He was out of breath, trembling and the fault was only mine. I slowly nodded and he seemed to calm down slightly by relaxing his shoulders. "What's wrong with you?! You gave me a heart attack! Suddenly you started crying... a-and your eyes were terrified, you were breathing hard and I... I didn't know what to do... ". He closed his eyes and let the last tears fall from his face and I couldn't help it, my gaze rested on the scarf again and that feeling of dread filled me again.

"No... she's not dead... no... it can't be...". I used my hands to keep my head as I knelt on the ground, scared and helpless, not wanting to accept what now seemed evident. "RUSSIA NO... NOT AGAIN... CALM DOWN" this time America's screams and cries came normally to my ears. "That's not true... she's not dead...". I was going crazy, I couldn't take it anymore, I wanted that feeling to stop, I felt like I was in a storm, my head seemed to be able to finally burst and then ... peace.

Arms twisted around my neck and the weight, also due to the push that America had given himself, made me lose balance, making me sit on the ground. "RUSSIA... PLEASE... COME BACK... I DON'T KNOW WHAT DO ... p-please ... I-I need you ... "
Strangely, I felt a strange sensation, pleasant, indeed, relaxing. I didn't hear the ringing in my ears anymore, my head had stopped spinning so fast and it all stopped with a simple hug from him.

Now I could clearly hear him sobbing in the hollow between my neck and shoulder, I could see his body going up and down from the gasping sobs that didn't give him time to get enough air. He was in that desperate state because of me and I couldn't help but return the favor. With one hand on his back, I squeezed him as close as possible to me while, the other, I rested it on the back of his neck, stroking him as I had done twice. It was the third time since we met that a simple hug could improve our mood, it seemed almost a remedy against any negative emotion that existed.

He winced at first, but then relaxed as I continued to hold him against me. His breath, after several minutes spent in that position, stabilized and finally we both found the strength to look into each other's eyes. His eyes were all red and his face emanated sadness, pain, but also relief. He still had a few tears that, undeterred, ran down his cheeks and that I promptly wiped away with my thumb.

"What's gotten into you?... I saw you shaking and... and-and crying... I didn't know what to do... if I lost you... I would lose everything I have left."

I sighed in response, I understood his concern, it was normal, on the other hand, at that moment, it was just me and him.

"I'm sorry America ... I couldn't control myself ... the fact is that ... that scarf-". I froze for a second without continuing, squinting at the thought. I had to fight myself not to look at the scarf. After taking more deep breaths and letting a few tears fall, I started again.

: "It belonged to my sister ... Belarus".

I saw his eyes open wide and his mouth open and then immediately close it again. "Oh my, I'm so sorry, I didn't... I didn't want you to remember- but you know what?, She might still be alive" said America with an embarrassed smile on his face.
: "This means nothing," he added, waving the scarf in my face. He must have noticed my frightened look and, for that, hid the scarf behind his back.

"Oops... anyway my point is worth... Belarus may have simply lost the scarf...  she could be around and maybe later we will find her again... maybe... we just need more optimism and hope... ".

I looked down, it was impossible. I was still recovering from the shock of seeing Ukraine in that state, I didn't want to have false hopes when the chances of at least Belarus being saved were only 2%. America, however, had tried, had tried to cheer me up and give me hope, I couldn't help but thank him and show how important at least the attempt was for me.

"Thank you America... for trying to lighten my despair... I don't want to have false hope, I know... I-I know it's not going to be how it was before but... thank you very much... who knows what I would do if not you weren't here ".

That said, I placed my hand that was behind America's head on his cheek. He blushed and continued to look at me with wide eyes. I too blushed, I felt both cheeks, both mine and America's, warm up. Those blue eyes ... how could you not stay and admire them for hours and how could you not be enchanted by them. America managed an embarrassed smile, perhaps, partly because of my long, penetrating gaze. I smiled back and lifted both of our bodies, still holding America close to me.

We looked at each other for a while, ending up, in total embarrassment, leaving each other, diverting our attention to the side.

"We should leave, don't you think?" I nodded and we both walked forward, me with a doubt:

Why do I react in such a strange way when I think, look and am close to America? Why do I have so many emotions in these moments?

Perhaps I will find the answers going forward and, in addition to these doubts, a probable certainty began to assert, that was killing my optimism and my determination:

My siblings, as well as all the rest of the countries, I will never see them again.

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I am happy to be back with a long enough chapter, I hope it is not too heavy, confusing and poorly written.
I'm sorry I left this book for so long, I hope this is a long-term return.

I also believe that I will put a title for each chapter if I want.