AN: Ok so I decided I'm not gonna do Wattpad just because I don't really have the energy, HOWEVER I am going to finish this fanfiction within the next 2-3 updates. May or may not still go back and rewrite things afterwards, idk.

DISCLAIMER: I continue to own absolutely nothing

CHAPTERS 23-END

30 hours before

Feliciano's salmon eyes widened ever so slightly, the reflection of the dying embers flickering as he eyed the fireplace with an odd glee. The Italian stood from his chair without a word and let it scrape loudly as he walked to the flame, crouching. The others paused in their bickering to stare at him incredulously.

"The fuck are you doing?" Matthew asked, raising an eyebrow. He was ignored. Feliciano, wincing at the biting sting of the embers' heat, sifted through the ash.

"Are you fucking crazy?" The Canadian stood up and stomped to the fireplace, roughly pulling the others arm from the fireplace. Feliciano clutched something in his hand that he quickly deposited in the pocket of his pants. He offered no explanation for his actions and merely returned to his seat, smiling all the way.

The incident was not mentioned again by any of the present company.

28 hours before

The night was black and blue and cast shadows of the beast that lurked outside. Feliciano lay awake in his cot, examining a small metal key between his fingers.

"It was this easy to find...all this fucking time..." He murmured. The way out. Motherfucking golden ticket was here all this time in the fucking fireplace. Feliciano forced a laugh, hushing himself all the while so that none of the others could hear him. The Italian flinched when he saw a shadow move against the wall, relaxing once he realized that it was his own. This goddamn place was making a fool out of him. He was strong. He could handle it. Feliciano put his thoughts into boxes and shut the gate to his mind.

"Maybe this time...maybe we can make it out..." His voice shook, and he felt a wetness on his cheeks. The key fell from his grasp, landing on the sheets beside him. "Fuck...maybe this time I won't fuck it all up.." The Italian had to make a conscious effort to be quiet again when his voice cracked. No, no, the others couldn't see him like this. Feliciano's gaze fell upon the key and he swiftly picked it up again, clutching it tightly as if it would slip away from him . His body shook with sobs and his breathing became erratic. He fought to regain composure and lost, resigning to curl into the fetal position and cry into his pillow with the key gripped firmly in his fist. Darkness loomed over him like the beast he so feared, mocking him for his weakness as he tried not to wake any of the others with his crying. The next morning, nobody mentioned the redness of Feliciano's face or the dark circles around his eyes.

24 hours before

Operation Find Those Other Assholes Before They Get Themselves Killed was a go. The nations split up into three teams and spread out to cover each floor. Alfred was happy to draw up a plan for them, which he crudely carved into the wooden table with a knife (courtesy of Arthur, naturally.)

The plan was this.

Teams ALPHA (consisting of Alfred and Arthur) and OMEGA (Kiku, Ivan, and Matthew) were tasked with searching for the others on the second and first floors respectively. Team BETA (Feliciano and Ludwig) were supposed to search for a way out. While neither had approved of the name, Feliciano had volunteered to be a part of this team specifically. When asked why, he had no response.