Title: Baby Steps
Fandom: Axis Powers Hetalia
Characters: Romano + Veneziano
The wooden gate was freshly painted and smelled of varnish; it used to be made of iron and steel, once, and Lovino once slathered it with a coat of red paint, dismayed at how it caked in his nails, left marks on his apron he'd thought he would never get rid of.
There were other memories, too, but after centuries of childhood it was easy to forget. Easy to forget the hesitance in Antonio's gait, the stillness in the doorway. Baby steps, he told himself. That's fine. It's fine. Baby steps, that's all.
Pushing open the gate, he said, "I'm home," and on the porch, Veneziano smiled.
