A/n: One-shot. Ever since I listened to the slow version of Ever Time We Touch I wanted to write this.
Many years have passed since you left. Many more than I can count. You left, went off to war, and left me behind. I waited and waited for your return, just like you said you would. Then when France-nii chan came and told me about you, I felt my own heart shatter into a million, tiny, pieces. I remember that night, I cried and cried until I couldn't cry anymore. Why did you make that empty promise to me? Why did you go and break my heart like that? Why? After I grew up, I was a wreck. I became a pasta-loving, useless Italian. Not that I wasn't like that before, but I became worse. I hid all the fear, sorrow, anger, and pain behind that one smile I always showed. I hid it all, because of you. You are the cause of all my suffering, all my pain, all my sadness, but all my happiness as well. And I prayed every single day that you would come back. But you never did. So eventually, I made myself give up. Then I entered World War 1 and met him. Ludwig. He found me hiding in a tomato crate. I honestly don't know what possessed me to hide in there. But I did and he found me. I was horrified that he would kill me on the spot. But he didn't. He just took me prisoner. Which, in fact, I was surprised at. It wasn't so bad though. I didn't have to fight or worry about being killed. It was nice. But my time there was short when the war ended. But then, for not killing me that day, I wanted to aid him in the Second World War. I was still scared out of my wits, but it seemed like the right thing to do. I tried my best to help him. But in then end, I was only a burden. I found that out later. When that war ended, I realized something I didn't feel before, the fear of being left alone again. I didn't know him to well. So why did I feel this? I then realized that he'd helped me every step of they way, no matter what. He reminded me of something so familiar. I had looked down at my hands and before I knew it, I saw a thin red string on my pinky finger, and I followed it straight to him. And he looked at me, and smiled. That smile I had seen so many times, so many that it would never leave my head. That's when it finally hit me. That was you. You'd been there all along, and for the first time in so long, I smiled for real.
You did keep that promise, and for that, I thank you from the very bottom of my heart.