Hello~ It's been quite a long time since I've posted anything on here. I've lost all of the files on my computer and have FINALLY gotten a new laptop. DX This is my first Hetalia story, so I hope it's alright. I know that the subject of Pompeii is a very sad one. I think everyone knows the story, but for those who don't, it pretty much went like this: Sometime around the 24th of August, 79 A.D. Mount Vesuvius, a huge volcano towering over the Roman city of Pompeii erupted, killing an estimated 20,000 or so people. The city was covered in ash, forever frozen in time. It was a horrible event in history, and I couldn't help but want to write it out in the view points of people living during that time. Now, enter in Italy, Germany, Romano, and Spain into the picture, and you have the makings of a tragic fanfic! For those who decide to read this, I hope that you will keep in mind that my depictions of the city and events are not entirely accurate. For one, a Spaniard and German might not have been found in the city of Pompeii at the time, so I merely said that they were abandoned children who became slaves in the story. How else would I add them in? XD Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy it~
Would you dance, if I asked you to dance?
Would you run and never look back?
"So this is it," Alfred Jones, a young American said as he gazed at the ruins before him.
"Yes," his friend, an Englishmen known as Arthur Kirkland, replied. "This is the ancient city of Pompeii."
"Woah! It looks pretty old if you ask me!" He took in every painting, every block of stone in front of him. "The famous city." He whistled. "Seems like old garbage if you ask me."
"Don't say such things!" Arthur retorted. "Don't you know what happened here?"
"Huh? There were coliseum fights and plays and the Olympics here, right?"
"No, you git! You're getting this confused with Greek cities." He scoffed, shocked that Alfred knew just about nothing of the city. "This is an ancient Roman city."
"Ohhh…" He used his hand to shade himself from the sun, glancing off to the silent giant in the distance. "So… that's a huge mountain, huh?"
"It's a volcano," Arthur corrected him. "Mount Vesuvius. Although the people who lived here probably only thought it to be a mountain…"
"What do you mean?" Now Alfred seemed curious, head tilted to the side as he gazed at him questionably. "They were like, ultra-smart back then, right?"
"Not quite…" He looked over to the remains of a large house sadly. "If only…"
Alfred kept his mouth shut then. Judging from the gloomy look on the Briton's face, something horrible must have happened here years ago. "It was a much different time than our own," Arthur continued. "A simple time… one that was destroyed by nature."
"Tell me about it!" Alfred insisted, beyond curious now.
"Alright. You might want to sit down." He plopped down next to the American on a patch of grass in front of the ancient house. "Well… it all started sometime around 70 A.D…"
17 August, 79 A.D.
Ludwig didn't have many memories before that day. He had heard that as a child he had been found abandoned by Feliciano's father. By some chance of miracle, the man had decided to take him in as a slave. Bearing nothing besides a scribbled name upon a ring on his finger, Ludwig was simply known as that.
The day that had stood out in his memories was the one in which he met his master for the first time. He remembered an innocent voice saying his name and a pair of chocolate eyes accompanied by a dazzling smile that stunned and awed him. This beautiful boy was the son of Mr. Vargas, a wealthy businessman, and he was instructed to do anything that he asked. It took many weeks before the young blonde had gotten used to the daily jobs around the city he had been brought into- this intricate city known as Pompeii.
It was on one of these usual mornings in which the sun had just risen above the horizon to illuminate the world above the figure a towering mountain that Ludwig made his way to his master's sleeping quarters. Along the way, he came face to face with Feliciano's brother, Lovino, who greeted him with a scowl.
"Bastard," he had muttered, pushing past Ludwig in search of his own slave. Ludwig merely ignored this common occurrence and entered Feliciano's bedroom. A small smile came upon his face when he saw the auburn haired boy in his sleep- curled up to make himself comfortable on the small cot he occupied.
"Master," he said, shaking the boy's shoulders gently. "It's time to wake up." A yawn answered his words and sapphire met amber as Feliciano peered up at him.
"Eh? Already?" He questioned in a voice laced with the last remnants of sleep as he sat up and stretched. Ludwig pulled him out of his sleeping attire and set it down beside the cot when he heard a small sound on the other side of the room.
"What was that?" Ludwig asked as he looked over his shoulder. He saw a small figure laid out in the corner and Feliciano grabbed his arm.
"Please don't make him go away!" He begged, pointing towards the small puppy that he had brought into his room. "I just found him yesterday and he has no one to take care of him…"
"Master…" He sighed to himself, dressing Feliciano for the day. "You know what your father told you. Animals can't just be picked up from the street, they could belong to somebody."
Feliciano pouted, his cheeks puffing out in a cute way as he slipped into his sandals and stood up. "I know but-"
"No buts," He insisted, pushing a few stray bangs from his master's face. "You can keep him for today, but tomorrow you will have to release him."
"Okay…" Feliciano finally relented, crossing his arms. Although Ludwig was his slave and was to do all that he asked, the two had a very close connection. In the end, Ludwig had to answer to the boy's father, however, and so even when Feliciano would beg him for things he sometimes had to say no.
"Fratello!" A booming voice echoed across the room as Lovino appeared at the doorway. "Father says that your jerk of a slave needs to go to the market and stock up on food today."
"Oh! Alright, Lovino!" Feliciano replied, looking towards Ludwig. The blonde was standing in front of the small dog, effectively blocking him from Lovino's view. He then glanced back at his brother and noticed that someone was missing. "Where's Antonio?"
"Already at the market," Lovino simply replied before getting tired of this conversation and leaving the two. Feliciano waited until the sound of his brother's footsteps faded before turning around.
"Thank you, Ludwig!" He said, running towards him and capturing him in a huge hug. "I was so worried that he was going to see the puppy and-"
"Just make sure to get rid of him by tomorrow," Ludwig returned the hug as Feliciano continued to shower him with words of appreciation. Seeing Feliciano so happy always brought a smile to his face and stirred a warm feeling in his chest. He decided to enjoy the moment while he lasted; there was a long day in front of him.
()
"Hey, Ludwig!" Antonio greeted when he arrived at the market a few minutes later. In the midst of the crowd of people rushing and trying to get what they needed as fast as possible, Lovino's slave was grinning and taking his time, looking over each tomato before picking the best ones to buy.
"Hello," he said in reply, standing next to him and picking up some fruit. It really was a beautiful day. There seemed to be not a cloud in the sky, allowing the sun to shine freely upon the world. Its rays glistened from every direction and sent warmth to every citizen of the bustling city. Ludwig took notice of this and felt his good mood increasing as he gave the man selling the food some coins.
"Thank you for coming!" The chubby man said, flashing him a beaming smile. "Wait…" He examined Ludwig and Antonio briefly before his eyes lit up in recognition. "You're Mr. Vargas's slaves, aren't you?"
"Yep!" Antonio was the first to respond, cradling the pot of tomatoes he had purchased.
"Tell Mr. Vargas that I said hi, would you? We've always been good friends, but I haven't seen him much lately."
"Sure thing, sir!" It seemed that Mr. Vargas had known much of everybody in the town. Everywhere they went, people were mentioning him, asking how he was doing and such. It was no surprise. The man was not only kind, but owned many a business in his time. Now he ran one from home, mostly dealing with trade and other such things. It was rare to see him away from the huge house that he lived in.
"Wait!" Antonio called out before they were able to leave the market. Ludwig turned around with a raised eyebrow, wondering what he wanted to stop for. He watched as the curly haired brunette wove through the crowd towards another vendor on the opposite side of the area. No more than a few minutes later, he returned with a proud look on his face and a small pouch in his hand.
"What-"
"A surprise~" He simply said, a small bounce in his step. "For Lovino."
"Oh…" He truly felt sorry for Antonio. Unlike Feliciano, Lovino seemed like such a cruel person who was always in a bad mood and complained about everything. "What did you get him?"
"This," He put the pot of tomatoes underneath his arm and opened the pouch with his free hand, revealing a delicate ring inside it. Ludwig found his mouth open in shock as he gaped at him.
"WHAT? Antonio, what are you thinking? You can't just give him, a growing man a-"
"It's cute," The other man interrupted him, still wearing the same goofy smile as always. "Like him." Ludwig didn't know how to reply to this, so he instead glanced down to the stoned street below him as they continued towards the Vargas home. For one thing, Lovino was anything but cute. How somebody could find a person who blew up at everyone, broke things constantly, and caused trouble cute was beyond him. Second of all, a ring wasn't exactly something you would buy another guy, especially if he was your master. His thoughts were brought to a halt when Feliciano greeted him at the door with a tight embrace.
"Ludwig, you're back!" He said in his cheery voice, pulling the man inside the house after Ludwig had set down the fruit he brought back. Like many of the children of rich families, Feliciano and his brother didn't work. They were currently being trained by their father how to run the business, however, so that they could take it over when he passed on. More responsibility was placed on the older sibling, so it seemed that Lovino was the one busy with things most of the time. "Look!" He picked the puppy up when they were in Feliciano's room. "He looks really happy, doesn't he? I decided to name him Poochie!" Ludwig couldn't help but pat Feliciano's head and chuckle at his childish antics. Even though he had come to be seventeen years of age, it seemed as though he would forever remain a child inside. He carried about him a sort of innocence that he had seen only in the eyes and laughter of small children.
"Yes, he does seem quite taken with you," he admitted after returning from his thoughts.
"So can I?" Feliciano looked up at him with sparkling eyes, obviously using every tactic he knew to beg his slave into submission. "Can I keep him?"
"Only until tomorrow," he wrenched his gaze away from those eyes, knowing that he would give in if he held their gaze for too long.
"Awww…" Feliciano looked down, pulling the puppy closer as if that would deter him from his fate. "Okay then…" Silence passed between the two for a few moments as Ludwig stood up and began tidying up the room, picking up stray clothes strewn out upon the floor and pieces of discarded food that Feliciano had just eaten. It was as he stooped down to pick up a bowl that he heard the melody. A sweet sound laced with such sincerity that it tore at his heart. He knew instantly that the person singing softly was Feliciano, but he found himself in a state of awe. The words were absolutely ridiculous, something about his darling Poochie or whatnot, but then it drifted on to other subjects.
"Oh Poochie will be happy for all eternity~ And Ludwig will forever wear a smile! Lovino will glare at Antonio, and Papa will laugh all the while." Yes, truly absurd the song was, but it was the voice, the sound produced by that boy that shook Ludwig to his very core. This continued on and then Feliciano stopped.
"Ludwig…" He said, placing the dog on his cot and standing in front of him with that stunning smile of his. "Will you dance with me?" The question had come from nowhere and was so unexpected that Ludwig found himself at a loss for words, muttering nonsense as his face heat up slightly. "It's been such a long time… Such a long time since I've danced with anyone," he continued, oblivious to Ludwig's inner turmoil. "I know that father doesn't approve of dancing… but I want to… with you." For some reason, those words awoke something inside of Ludwig- something in which he couldn't name. He felt warmth surround his hand as Feliciano took it within his own. "Please?"
"F-fine," he finally said, averting his gaze as Feliciano guided his hand to his hip. The song continued and Ludwig found himself swaying in tune to it, Feliciano's body warm against him. He knew- he knew that master and slave shouldn't be so close, but for some reason it felt right. This act was something so genuine and heartfelt- so Feliciano- that Ludwig found he couldn't pull away.
()
"BASTARD!" Lovino screeched as he stormed down the hallway towards the room Antonio shared with Ludwig. As expected, he found his slave eating a tomato and sitting on his cot.
"Lovino!" Antonio greeted with a grin. "How were the lessons?"
"Forget the lessons, I need your help, filthy slave!" He yelled, causing his slave to look at him with complete attention.
"With what, master?" He asked, wondering what tedious job he would request this time.
"I-it's… well…" He watched as Lovino's face became as red as the tomatoes that he loved so much. "A-about a girl…" Antonio found himself freeze at this, heart thudding painfully in his chest. Of course… he knew that this was going to happen. That Lovino, his secret object of affection, would eventually find a beautiful woman to marry. As selfish as it was, Antonio hoped against all hope that Lovino would one day fall for him- servant or not- but it seemed as though that day would never come.
"What would you like me to do?" He asked, all joyfulness lacking in his tone and he stood up.
"S-see… if she likes me…" Romano tugged at the sleeve of his tunic in embarrassment. "That's all. Now, hurry up you jerk!" He nearly dragged Antonio through the house towards the front, where a group of women were talking amongst themselves. "That one!" He said in a hushed voice, pointing to a pretty girl with coal black hair. "Ask her!"
"You should do this yourself," Antonio said, a part of him not wanting to do this task at all. "Otherwise-"
"DO YOU DARE GO AGAINST YOUR MASTER?" He boomed in a loud voice, quieting down when he saw that the women were looking around, wondering where it had come from. "Now do it."
"Fine." He walked towards the girls and singled out the one Lovino liked. "May I talk to you for a moment?" He asked, averting his gaze and trying to push away bad thoughts- thoughts of jealousy and hatred that threatened to consume him. When he finally pulled her aside, he took a large gulp and asked the question. "My master is Lovino Vargas. I was simply wondering… if you found him attractive."
"Oh?" She tapped her chin, as if trying to remember who he was. "Feliciano's brother?"
"Yes." Here it goes, he thought to himself. My chances are gone.
"Well if it's him, then no," she said, her face scrunched in disgust. "Between you and me, he's not much to look at. Now his brother," she practically swooned in front of him. "That's a different story." He felt his hands clench into fists at this response. This girl was offered the world and somehow, she threw it away. How did she not realize how amazing Lovino was? He heard rustling behind him and caught a short glance of brunette hair before it disappeared. Great. Lovino had been hiding behind the tree and had heard the whole thing.
"What was that?" She asked, backing away as if a monster was about to jump out from behind the tree.
"It was nothing," he reassured her. "Just a dog, I'm guessing."
"Oh," and with that, she was on her merry way with her friends discussing god knows what it is that girls discuss when they're in a group by themselves. He quickly ran inside, determined to find Lovino.
"Master!" He called as he entered the house, gazing down the hallways in search of him. "Where are you?" He stepped to Lovino's door and heard sniffles coming from the other side. Shocked by this, he knocked on the door. "Master?"
"GET OUT!" Antonio flinched when something smashed against the other side of the door. "STAY AWAY YOU ASSHOLE!"
"Lovino…" He said in a quiet voice, turning away from the door to give his master some space. He fisted the small pouch he had kept hidden and vowed that he would never allow his master to cry alone again. He would be there for him when he was down and make him feel loved. "I'm sorry…" One day, he would make Lovino see just how much he loved him, but for now, he would have to ensure his happiness.
End of the first chapter. Is it alright so far? Did ya like it? Please review and let me know what ya think! X3 I'm sorry if there were any mistakes in this chapter. I'm like, half asleep while I'm writing this and have no beta editor LOL I don't even know if they had doors or cussed back then! XD Well, either way, for the sake of good fiction, that's the way it shall be in this fic. See ya guys in the next chapter!
