Chapter 1

The silent sound of the funeral hymn could be heard from where three adults stood in a tight circle. Two were a couple; the husband had his arm firmly wrapped around his wife as she dabbed a stray tear or two that leaked down her cheeks. His long piano fingers ran through her ringlets of soft brown hair as her teary green eyes looked at the young man across from her. He had the same shade eyes and soft brown hair with the same wavy consistency as her own, but they were barely related- just one ounce of blood that connected them.

"Antonio, Roderich and I just don't have the funds to take in the eldest boy. Last year we had to take in Roderich's second cousin. We barely have enough room for Feliciano!"

"Then why don't you take Lovino while I take Feliciano? You two placing that boy in my hands is too much." At this his distant cousin frowned. "Don't give me that look, Elizabeta. You are asking me to take in a crippled boy when I know nothing about children. You and Roderich would know more on how to…" He licked his lips as he thought of the appropriate word, "Treat Lovino. Besides I am not even related to the boy!"

At that, he seemed to release the beast from his somewhat cousin, "Listen here!" She seethed. "Your brother married their aunt! By that connection alone, it is your duty to take Lovino in. Roderich and I don't have the funds for such a… such a special case!"

"Quite honestly Elizabeta, I think I forfeited my right to any connections to the Vagras when their aunt left my brother for that American."

"But now they are both dead-"

"It's not my problem. If you want me to take one of the children, then it will be Feliciano and not Lovino."

For the first time, the silent Roderich spoke, his lips pursed at the Spaniard, "Don't you work in a hospital of some kind?" He asked with a snap.

Antonio frowned deeply, "I work at a home where I teach old people to dance. If you are saying that I am medically qualified to take Lovino in-"

"More so than either Elizabeta and I. We are poor; we'll be lucky to feed both Italy and the new boy at home three meals a day. Imagine if we took in Lovino instead. Someone of his condition will surely take most of our funds. What will it be? Eat when we can? God gives us trials, Antonio. That boy is practically made for you and you know it! Taking the easy way out just because he's too much of a burden is not what Christ wants. You are a God fearing man, are you not Mister Carriedo?"

Antonio rubbed his forehead, feeling a distinct pressure beginning to build up into a migraine. "Are you telling me that I should take Lovino in because some invisible man made this child for me?"

"No. Because it's what's right. If you have a shred of humanity in you, you will take in that boy." Roderich finished leaving the hymn to pour back into the room.

For the first time since Antonio had arrived, he decided to take a quick peak past Elizabeta and Roderich to see the two brothers viewing their family's caskets. Feliciano was on his knees, praying silently while the older brother sat in a chair, his legs incased in metal. In the short amount of time that Antonio took his quick peek at the boys, he saw Lovino's hand jerk at least three times. Guilt built up in Antonio's stomach as he watched the hand twitch and cease.

"Alright." He half whispered.

"What was that?" Elizabeta asked in half disbelief.

"I said alright, I'll take the oldest in. Like I actually have a heart to turn him or anyone else down."

His cousin smiled in relief. "Then maybe you should go and at least say hello to him?"

Antonio thought on it for a moment before answering, "Well, he is the cutest boy I have ever seen- besides Feliciano that is." He laughed and Roderich rolled his eyes.

Elizabeta let out a sigh, "Well, I guess it's time we let the boys know of their fate."

The three of them walked back into the parlor room. Feliciano stood from his prayers, tear stains covered his cheeks. A second later there was a crash as one of Lovino's flailing limbs made contact with a vase, knocking it onto the floor causing it to shatter.

"Damn it!" The boy cried.

Feliciano sniffled and whispered, "I picked those flowers for mama and papa, Romano."

"Like I did it on purpose!" Romano snapped at the younger boy.

"No…You never do." Feliciano replied weakly.

"Boys, boys," Elizabeta interrupted them; "It's just a cheap vase of flowers." There was a poignant pause, "Come with me Feliciano, we'll go pick some more flowers for them okay? Oh don't cry Feli!" She cooed as the boy began to howl into her gown.

"Would you stop making so much damn noise, you big baby!" Romano shouted from his chair and he shakily stood up, his metal incased legs stood awkwardly straight.

"Lovino." Antonio said warningly causing the boy to narrow his eyes.

"What did you just call me?" His voice went up a few octaves, "Who the hell are you to speak to me such a way? I don't go by Lovino, you dumbass. It's Lovino 'Romano' Vagras. My father was Lovino and he's dead in that casket right there. I am Romano. Do I look dead to you?"

"R-Romano…" Feliciano whispered softly from Elizabeta's skirts.

"No! I don't know these people; you don't know these people! For all we know they could be in the slave business! Where is the proof that they are our flesh blood, huh? You tell me!"

There was a resounding slap that echoed through the room. Romano was silenced as his jerking hand found its way to his now red cheek. Roderich stood above him, the light whiting out his glasses. "I have heard enough out of you. All I've heard since I've been here is your constant bitterness. I do realize, Romano, that your parents have just died, but you have no right to treat the only family you have left this way."

Romano's yellow eyes locked stubbornly with Roderich's blue ones, "The only family I have left is hiding in that woman's skirts!" He spat up defiantly.

"Is that so?" Roderich deep voice hissed, "Well then, don't complain when you're starving on the streets. Come Eliza, let's go pick some flowers with Feliciano. Romano doesn't see us as family after all."

"Roderich…" Elizabeta said uncertainly.

"I said come, Eliza. If this stubborn boy wants us gone, then we're leaving and we're taking Feliciano with us." Her husband snapped.

Without another word, Elizabeta guided the sniveling Feliciano towards the door. The younger looked at the older, who was leaning heavily on the chair he had been sitting on. "Romano…" Feliciano cried weakly.

"Get out of here!" Romano squawked. "I don't need you! I don't need anybody! Certainly not you!" Romano let go of the chair and walked after his brother in a heated rage. "You are all worthless bastards!" He shouted before his legs jerked violently, and Romano lost his balance, collapsing into an undignified heap.

The door closed. His brother was gone with his new parents to pick fresh flowers for the dead ones. Antonio stood in his forgotten spot, as he watched Romano struggle to sit up, but his hands and elbows shook violently, causing his upper body to collapse in each attempt. Finally, for the first time, Romano let out a wail. The fierce cry was full of not only tears and sorrow, but something else. Frustration, brokenness, misery. The young man's shoulders shook as he let out sob after sob.

Romano missed his parents, missed his younger brother that was now outside picking flowers. Most of all, Romano was plain frustrated and couldn't get up from the floor. After letting Romano cry for a good few minutes, Antonio moved. He placed his hands gently on Romano's shoulders.

Instantly the boy reacted, "What the hell do you want?" He hissed in between his sobs. Antonio let his hands grip Romano and helped the boy into a sitting position. "I don't need your help." Romano fussed.

"I know."

"Then why did you move me?" Romano spat.

"Because…" Antonio thought his words through, "You looked as if you were too busy letting it all go."

"Damn straight." Romano said as he began to wipe away his tears. "Not because I can't sit up on my own."

"Exactly." Antonio replied.

Romano sniffled and wiped his face on his sleeve before quietly muttering. "Could you help me to my feet so I can place some of those flowers I knocked over on their caskets?"

Antonio barely heard him, but instead of asking Romano to repeat that he crouched beside the boy, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and standing up. Romano legs instantly began to do a jig, the boy's weight shifting radically, causing Antonio to stumble the first few steps they took together. Quickly, Antonio got used to the dance and made his way to the first casket without stumbling. The boy placed his palms on its wooden surface, holding himself up as Antonio plucked a few flowers from the shards of vase.

"Here." Antonio offered the delicate tulip.

Romano took it silently and began to think, even though his body jerked and twitched as he stood. "You… They said that we shouldn't see their bodies because it might scare us. But I want to see and Feliciano isn't here. I agree he's too young to see… to see…" Romano choked.

"Are you sure?" Antonio was shocked by the kid's bravery. "What happened to them will be visible, especially your mother."

"I can handle it." Romano stubbornly argued.

Antonio complied, nodding as he unlocked the top half of the first coffin, containing the boy's father- taking a deep breath, not sure even if he himself was ready to see the body. Romano let out an audible hiss and a half screech. The man lying in the casket was missing half his face, which had been blown off when the bullet had left his skull. Romano's tears were renewed but as gently as his jerking body would allow, he placed the tulip in his father's casket. The boy nodded and Antonio replaced the lid.

They went to the next casket and Antonio looked away, not wanting to see the horror inside. There was a loud scream from Romano before the boy collapsed on his butt. Antonio went to his knees to hug the shaking boy. Hysteria began to grip the Romano, his breaths ragged and laced with hiccups.

"How could bastards do that to my mom!" He screamed. "She was goddamn beautiful! Why did they do that to my mom? What had she done to do deserve that?"

"Shh, Romano those men were evil. She couldn't have done anything to deserve-"

"How do you know? What could you know? You're a fucking stranger!"

"Shh, Romano, calm down, everything is going to be alright."

"Nothing is alright! My brother is probably going to live with those two and I'm…" And he stopped. Romano dropped the flower he was going to give his mother to cover up his face once more, sobbing out his pain. Antonio picked up the tulip, placing the bloom inside the coffin, at the same time not having the courage to look at the woman inside. Antonio felt like a coward. This fifteen year old boy had had the courage to look at his mother. But Antonio was fine with simply shutting the lid.

"Would you like to come live with me, Romano?" Antonio asked at long last.

Romano shook his head. "I want to go wherever my brother goes."

Antonio gave him a sad smile. "I'm sorry but they don't have the money to take you both in."

Romano gritted his teeth as he looked angrily at the carpet. "It's because of my… condition isn't it?"

"No." Antonio lied.

"Will I be able to see Feliciano often?"

"Probably not." Antonio admitted.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Probably not." Antonio admitted again.

"Then fine." Romano agreed.

"Alright." Antonio said as he stood up, helping Romano once again to his feet before placing him in his chair. He was about to leave the boy to go and break the news to Roderich and Elizabeta- that Romano had agreed to live with him, when the boy spoke up once again.

"My mother was the most beautiful woman in the world, you know. That's probably why they killed her."

"Probably not." Antonio admitted for the last before leaving Romano to mourn.

Wow I just wrote that all in one sitting! This is my first Hetalia fanfic. In case you were wondering Feliciano is three years younger than Romano at 12 and the illness that Romano has is choreia or at least a severe version of it. I don't know much about it, but I took char of an old lady that had a bad version of choreia and I am basing Romano's movements and actions after what happened to her. I'm sorry if this was a bit long. I don't think chapter 2 will be anywhere as long as this. Also I have yet to decide if this will be a romantic Romano/Spain or if Romano falls for another or what. Time will tell by what audience picks this up. Oh right, Antonio is only about 20 at the start of this fanfic. That's right, years are going to pass by in this fanfic.