"Fratello~ hurry up or we'll be late and Germany will scream at us!"
Feliciano, or Italy as most people called him, was delusional. Sure, he has a few screws loose here and there and so does everyone, but this was one that others couldn't help fix. They know how it started, they knew when. They just didn't know how to end it. But Feliciano was happy, they didn't want to break him anymore than his heart and mental state can handle. This was something only he could fix by himself.
Romano sighed. It was another world meeting and Italy was very persistent on bringing him along even though he refused many, many times. It took Italy two hours of begging and pleading and threats of tomato murdering for Romano to, regretfully, agree. Don't get him wrong, the only reason he came was because he didn't want Feli to murder his tomatoes, not out of pity for his brother.
Italy yanked his brother's arm and laughed and cheered as he ran to the meeting room in a government building in Berlin. Some people, strangers, stared at the odd duo while the ones who knew them just laughed along the cheery Italian nation. Italy, being the friendly nation he is, waved at the people as they walked by with his arms locked on his elder brother. Romano blushed and faced down as they continued to the meeting room. After that incident, he could never look at others again.
They reached the door where the world meeting was being held. Italy was excited for his brother to finally come to a meeting again and to see Germany. Romano on the other hand was not. He didn't was people staring at them. He didn't want them staring at his brother. And he didn't want to see him again. They opened the door and waltzed in, all heads turn towards them.
"ITALY! YOU'RE LATE!"
Italy jumped at the booming voice that which belong to none other than Germany. Some other officials peeked in the room to see what was going on and left as soon as they saw Germany. They knew he could be a bit harsh on nations who arrived late. Italy laughed nervously and grabbed Romano's hand. They closed the door and walked in together.
"Look everyone! I brought Romano with me today!"
Silence. Just for a second though, but not long enough to notice the deathly looks on some people. After all, who could forget. Espicially those who were close to the Italian brothers. Feliciano giggled and brought him and his brother to two empty seats beside Germany. Germany, who was quite shocked, returned back to his normal stern demeanor.
"Good day Romano. I see you're still doing fine."
Romano replied with a small nod to to the German. He glanced over at Spain, he looked like he just saw a ghost. Romano smirked to himself. He hasn't changed one bit. The same messy brown hair, tanned skin and bright emerald eyes, only slightly darker. Spain smiled at the Italians and proceeded back to talking with Francis and Prussia who also seemed quite shocked.
"All right. Now that most of the nations have attended, the world meeting will now begin."
Most nations went back to whispering to each other or setting up their presentations and papers. Everything was like a normal meeting. Italy begging Germany for pasta. England and France fought. Prussia teasing Austria while Hungary held her frying pan very close to his head. Greece was sleeping. Japan was agreeing to everything America said and Switzerland threatening him. Almost everything was normal. Almost.
Romano couldn't help but feel out of place. Like this wasn't where he was supposed to be. He felt cold inside eversince that day. Like he wasn't needed. Romano shook the depressing thoughts from his head. All those bastards could go and die. Italy was the only one who needed him. They were practically one nation already. Italy was dependant on him and Romano, he can't let Italy find out.
"Ve~ I'm so happy that meeting is over. Now we can eat pasta!"
"Yeah, sure. But you better not invite that potato bastard over. It's enough having to deal with you."
Italy grinned. He knew Romano didn't mean that last part. They knew eachother for centuries and both learned to know each other. Romano was tended to lash out when he was confused or flustered but never really meant what he said. Italy was tended to act weak and submissive but is usually very serious; he just didn't like trying a lot. The two walked down the hall talking about pasta and tomatoes and other nation bastards, well that was mostly Romano.
"Wait! Italy!"
Italy beamed at the voice and turned around to see Spain. He liked him because Spain was one of the few nations that stayed with Romano a lot when he's not around. Also because his tomatoes are delicious. Romano frowned and continued walking down the hall, trying to find the nearest exit of this unnecessarily large, barely used building. But he couldn't escape the grasp of Italy who held him tightly.
"Ciao~ Did you need something? Or did you want to talk to Romano?"
Spain's eyes were a little red and puffy but he was smiling as if nothing was wrong. Romano didn't understand that man and never will, he doesn't even understand how he fell in love with that Spanish idiot. He cursed himself. Spain looked over Italy and saw that he was holding Romano from getting away. Spain smiled sadly.
"Hey Roma~ How are you today?"
Romano glared at him. "Fine." He answered sharply.
Spain reached into his pocket and pulled out a pure white envelope with small golden designs bordering it. He handed the envelope to Italy and Italy, confusingly, accepted.
"Give this to Roma when he feels like reading it."
That was all he had said. Spain waved goodbye to them and rushed back to the rest of his buddies who patted his back and comforted him. Spain took a small glance back and felt his heart skip a beat. He blinked a couple times and it was gone. He sighed, it was something that could never be he thought.
"Bro, you okay?"
Spain nodded at the Prussian's direction.
"Yeah, just a little lost in thought."
France gave him a peculiar look. The Spaniard's face was obviously denying what he was saying and he wasn't going to let it be that way.
At last they arrived back home. Italy ran to the nearest couch and collapsed on it while talking about how boring the meeting was and other details Romano didn't pay attention to. He looked at the clock that hung on the wall and read 7:46. There was still time to make a quick pasta dish.
Romano hastily boiled water and threw the pasta in along with a bit of salt. He waited with Feli by watching the television for about twenty minutes and drained the water from the pasta. Grabbing another pan, he placed in the pasta with a special tomato sauce curteousy of himself and mixed the pasta together along with some mozzarella and a pinch of salt. He poured the pasta onto a clean plate and touched it up by blacing a parsley leaf in the center.
"Here Feli, I finished making your pasta."
"PASTA~"
Italy dashed over to the kitchen and grabbed the plate. He looked over to Romano and saw that he didn't have pasta.
"Fratello, aren't you going to eat?"
"No, don't feel like it."
Italy eyed him suspiciously.
"Are you sure~"
"Yes. Now, I'm going to be busy with work for a while since you never do the paperwork our boss gives you."
With that, Romano left the kitchen and continued to their office room, which Romano was quite surprised they even had one. Italy pouted and walked back to the living room with his pasta and began to watch an anime Japan recently recommended to him earlier at the meeting. Figure skating Italy remembered Japan saying.
It's been awfully quiet Italy thought. The time was 10:25 and by now, Romano would come down to take a break and complain about how he doesn't do what his boss says and how annoying Spain is. Italy looked away from his show, which turned out to be really interesting, and outside the window. It was dark.
Was the night sky always this dark in Rome? There weren't many stars at all and no one walking in the streets. Italy frowned. It was too quiet. It was too depressing. He went over to his phone and began texting Germany and Japan. Maybe this will make him a litle brighter. He tried calling them both but they were too busy. Sighing, he set his phone down and continued the anime.
Romano looked over at the clock on the desk. It was 11:18.
He rubbed his eyes and placed his pen down on the papers in front of him. There were tons of documents that were needed to be signed, some even from months ago. How did his brother even get by he wondered. He stood up and stretched a bit, then shivered.
Did he always feel this cold?
Romano shook the thought from his head and sat back down in the chair. It was the only thing he liked in this room only because it could spin and was comfortable. He slouched in the comfort of the chair. His mind began to wander.
Memories of the old, from when he and Italy and grandpa Rome lived together. Of the time when he stayed with Spain to the time Rome disappeared. The good and the bad...
He looked down at his hands and his breath hitched. It was barely noticeable but he could feel it. He ran to the window and opened it, letting the cool night air of Rome blow in. Romano lifted his hands and covered the moon from his sight. But it was still there, faintly glowing through his hands.
Italy slowly began to doze off and jerked back up right after. When ever he closed his eyes, he kept on seeing things. Italy presumed it was just his imagination since he had never seen those things in his memory before. He reached over to the remote and paused the episode he was on.
His eyelids felt heavy and the air was warm around him like a blanket. Slowly, he closed his eyes for two seconds, then three, then five.
And then he fell into slumber.
.
.
.
.
.
What is this place?
It was a meeting room, just like the one he went to earlier. But it had never looked like this. He looked around and saw people, nations surrounding him. Many of them were sad. Some were crying and telling him things he couldn't even hear.
He felt something warm stream down his face and touched it.
Tears? Why am I crying?
He had gotten of the ground and the nations began to push him back. He didn't know why, but he had to see what was on the other side of the crowd. He kept pushing, and they pushed back. Whatever it was, he needed to get there.
Soon, they slowly began to dissipate. Just as he had gotten through the crowd, a bright white light shone and blinded him.
.
.
.
.
.
"ly... taly... ITALY!"
Italy's eyes shot open and met with another's. Blue eyes.
"Ve~ Germany? What are you doing here? And Prussia?"
Germany was trying to get his attention but Italy just stared at Prussia. He was frantically walking around the house and seemed to be looking for someone. The door was still slightly opened so Italy assumed they had just gotten here. And the clock read 11:49.
"Italy? Do you know where Romano is?"
Germany acted calm but he could tell something was off.
"He's upstairs in the office room."
And just like that, Prussia sprinted up the stairs. Italy watched and tried to follow but was held back by Germany. He looked over and tried to pull but the German wouldn't budge.
"What's going on Germany? Why does Prussia look so scared?"
All Germany did was sit and hold him and whispering something in German that Feli couldn't catch. At this point, he began to feel sad. Or nostalgic. Or maybe both. Like this had happened before. But surely Italy would've remembered something like this, right?
"Hey, Italy, do you remember what happened a year ago on this day."
Germany stuttered a bit which was unusual. But somehow, he did recall having a meeting last year on this same day. Italy nodded quietly.
"And do you know what happened?"
At this point, Italy was very confused. Nothing didn't happen if he remembered correctly. He and Romano just attended the meeting like the one earlier today. It was sunny and everyone was very happy.
It started with Germany starting the meeting like usual. And ending with Germany closing off like usual. He was going to get Romano when suddenly, evrryone began to surround him. Surrounding him...
Just like in the dream.
But what happened after that? Feli didn't know. Feli wanted to know. He looked up at Germany and pulled his arm back. Germany tried to catch him but Feli was too quick. He ran up the stairs and to where Romano was. He turned left at the hallway and busted open the first dor on the right.
He froze. Time had stopped, or maybe it was his mind that unfroze from.
.
.
.
.
.
"Romano! Why are you sleeping on the ground?"
He pushed the shoulder of his brother's form on the ground. There was no movement. Tears dripped from the younger Italian brother's cheek. The elder coughed and rolled over, facing the other.
The boy, Romano, however wasn't frowning or scowling like he always did. Instead, he was smiling, softly yet sad. This wasn't right. Italy knew his brother would never smile like that. Where was his grumpy, tsundere brother?
"Fratello? Is something wrong? A-are you sick? Hurt?"
Romano shook his head. He pulled Italy's face close to his and whispered in his ear.
Prussia stood there, at the door of the office room. But Romano was not found, or rather, could not be seen.
Of course he couldn't be seen, he doesn't even exists!
Prussia face palmed himself. Romano disappeard like Rome a year ago. Why did he come here. Who sent that text? He checked his phone and read the name of the sender once again.
S. Italy
Then why? Why did he recieve that text?
"I guess you can probably hear me now."
Prussia perked up but no one was there.
"Bastard! It's Romano. Don't tell me you've already forgotten."
Prussia couldn't believe it. Had he gone mad too? No, that would've likely happened to Spain than him.
"Stop thinking dumbass. Anyone can hear me because my contract is almost dissolved."
Contract? What contract? Prussia looked around some more and blinked a couple of times. He still couldn't see Romano.
"You can't see me, only Italy."
"What did you mean by contract?"
"Wow. Way to change the topic potato bastard two."
"Why did you sign it!"
Romano silenced at the response.
"You saw it too?"
Prussia paused and then smirked. "Yeah, all nations do before they die."
"So, what did you give up and for how long?"
Prussia didn't want to say. It was the one thing in his life he regrets the most. The one sin he'll never be forgiven for.
"I take you don't want to answer. Fine with me."
"You don't have much time right?"
Romano laughed. It was so sad it was hilarious seeing that they both were in the same situation. He looked over at the clock. 11:56 it read.
"Yeah. Four minutes to be exact. But I need you to tell Italy something for me."
"And that is?"
"M-"
The door slammed open with Italy on the other side and Germany catching up. Italy paused and stared at Romano.
"Sorry you had to see me in such a pitiful state again."
Feliciano shook his head in denial. All the memories came back. The day Romano disappeared. The day Italy became Italy. He didn't want to lose Romano again. Ever since the unification, Romano had acted weird. Feliciano finally understands. All what's worse, Romano doesn't even deny it. He, he accepted it.
Italy broke. He fell onto his knees and sobbed. Why didn't he remember? Why him? Why Romano?
Romano walked over to Italy and hugged him. He glanced over at the clock. 11:59. Romano smiled. It wasn't the ending he hoped for. But it wasn't the worse. Romano couldn't help but smile when a fond memory of Grandpa Rome came into mind. They were happy. He was happy. Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.*
Romano leaned into Italy's ears and whispered the same words Rome had said to him.
"My legacy will never die, I know that for sure. But only if you promise to remember me."
Italy hugged Romano closer. He elder frowned once more and looked at the Germans who stared in shock. But couldn't help but laugh at their reactions when they could finally see him.
"Tell that Spain bastard he was annoying but thankyou, I guess."
And then Romano was no more. That was the mystery with nations. They come and go as quietly as they did. And no one knew why. But no one questioned it. And it was better that way.
"Ti amo, Romano"
*A quote I saw in Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5 novel. I wanted to use it in a fanfic once so this was the chance.
And we meet again . First let me just say sorry in advance. The ending was kinda rushed and confusing. I also don't write much so that's another reason all by itself. The theme of this was supposed to be memories and I guess I did okay on that. But I hope those who understood it enjoyed! Oh, and sorry the characters were a bit OCC.
Reviews and favorites are always appreciated! Thankyou for reading this and have a lovely day/night~