Hello everyone! This is the author... uh... obviously...

Anyhow, this is my first story, so I suppose I should warn you of the unimaginable terror and atrocious plot that awaits you in my story.

nah, i'm just kidding. (I hope.) Title taken from Commonwealth Avenue by Love, Robot (a fantastic band that you should give a listen to.) And do I need a disclaimer? Nothing concerning Hetalia belongs to me, negating this story. Nor am I making profit off of this. So, without further ado, this is chapter one of "If All of My Answers Would Wash Up on Shore". Thanks!

~your most humble author

Chapter One:

Runaway Heart

The air of the restaurant is at a perfectly good, neutral temperature, yet Feliciano can feel the uncomfortable stickiness of sweat beneath his collar. Nervously, he tugs at it, hoping to relieve some heat.

"So, Feliciano, Ludwig here tells me that you enjoy drawing?" The girl, Alicia, smiles kindly, politely inquiring at him.

"Yes, that's right. I like to draw." He mutters out, twisting his hands under the tablecloth. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Ludwig giving him a 'go on' look, so he does.

"I, erm, draw sunsets, and nature. Sometimes portraits. The world is so very… beautiful. Just like you." He says, awkwardly sliding in a compliment. She giggles and blushes lightly, pink tinging her cheeks. And well, he's not lying. She is quite pretty, with light brown hair and smooth skin, but Feliciano simply isn't interested. She doesn't have blue eyes like the summer sky, or a secret smile warmer than baked bread. She isn't Ludwig.

The date continues, with Ludwig and Liz flirting heavily, and Feliciano mainly chowing down, staring at the tablecloth, and throwing random compliments at Alicia. He can tell she's not fooled, but she's nice enough to play along. Another day- another life-Feli thinks they could be friends. She's very nice, and funny, seems genuinely interested in his art, and between the two of them they eat enough to feed an army. But in this situation, it's just so damn uncomfortable.

By the later half of the date, Feli feels so wooden and sticky under the disappointment and confusion of Ludwig's glare that he gets up, announcing, "I need to use the little boy's room!".

On his way out, he pays for half the bill, hoping he'll make it to the highway before Lud figures out what he's done.

"Ludwig, I'm sorry, it's just that I haven't really enjoyed these girls you've set me up with!"

"That's nonsense, Feliciano. They're all pretty girls, very sweet. The one tonight nearly ate as much as you! Doesn't that qualify her for some sort of award?"

Feliciano sighed, rubbing his forehead with his free hand, the other on the steering wheel. Pushing his free-flying hair out of his face, he continues. "Yes, they're all lovely signoras, but just not my… type."

He can practically feel Lud furrow his eyebrows at that through the phone.

"What does that even mean? What's wrong with them?"

Feliciano's breath catches in his throat. He'd not meant to be so blatant. "They're too… beh, dainty, I guess.", he manages, saving the moment.

"Feli, you yourself are fairly dainty. N-not in a bad way, but…"

"Well, I know that. That doesn't mean my future spouse has to be as well." He says, frustrated.

"Ugh, Feliciano, you know that you're my best friend, but you can be so irritating at times. Why can't you simply be content with a date, ever? Enjoying an evening out doesn't mean you're going to marry the damn woman." Feliciano can hear the annoyance in his tone. His mouth suddenly feels tight, like when Romano dared him to suck on a lemon.

"I'm sorry, Ludwig. I didn't mean to be so vexing to you." He says, hurt clear in his voice.

"Hey! Don't make me out to be so evil. Feliciano, you nearly ruined my own date with Lizzie tonight. She's tired of me always having to leave our dates to run after you. We barely have time to be alone anymore!"

"Well then don't run after me! Don't keep scheduling double dates for us!" Italy shouts, frustration building up inside of him, over the sound of his racing engine. Really, it is a simple solution, so why doesn't Ludwig just do it? The blonde must be struggling to make out his words as well, as he yells his next words as well.

"Maybe I won't then! Maybe I won't talk to you ever again! Gott, Feliciano, you're so infuriating sometimes!"

Feliciano could feel the burning of tears behind his eyes as his closest friend yelled these angry words at him. They cut straight through his heart, tearing into his deepest fear. "You're so pushy! Why can't you ever j-just leave well enough alone, Ludwig?"

"Fine! You can just die alone, I suppose!" Lud responds with fire in his voice. Feliciano knows (hopes) that neither of them really mean what they're saying, they're just tired and frustrated, but he can't help himself from opening his mouth to reply with equal blaze. But then suddenly he's a deer, staring headlights right in the face. Time suddenly slows, the world narrowing down to the screeching of his tires as they desperately attempt to swerve to the side of the road, and the obnoxiously bright headlights of a car, driving on the wrong side of the road- what is he doing?- flashing into his eyes until then there's-the car flipping over and over and over and nothing will stop moving-

broken glass everywhere, oh god what's happ-

sticky sticky blood drenching-

burning rubber invading, pervading every pore-

what's that terrible sound?

And then blackness consumes.

"Fine! You can just die alone, I suppose!" He says, regretting the words as soon as they leave his mouth, but they're out there now. With a mixture of anger and nerves, he clenches the steering wheel, Ludwig waits for Feliciano's reply above the sound of his car, racing along the road. He always was a terrifying person to drive with, and Ludwig can tell hes probably breaking the speed limit right now. He reminds himself to tell Feliciano to drive carefully before either one of them hangs up in a huff.

But instead of an answer, Ludwig hears the absolute worst sounds he ever could've imagined, could've dreamed up in some nightmare. Skidding tires, a blaring car horn, Feliciano's scream of pure terror, and a whump whump crunch, before the line goes dead.

Quickly pulling over to the side of the road, with a screech, Ludwig's face goes completely white, hands shaking as he brings his phone down from his ear, staring at it in total shock. Finally, as the internal clock on the device shifts from 8:27 to 8:28, his mind comprehends everything that just

happened.

"F-fel-ic-" He mutters, breath coming out in short gasps. "Mein gott, ihn zu retten." With trembling fingers, he shaking types 9-1-1 out on his keypad, hoping to god he isn't too late.

heh... hello...

I hope no one hates me now.

note: "Mein gott, ihn zu retten" means "my god, save him." at least I hope it does... to any native German speakers, I am SO sorry if I just butchered your beautiful language.

And unless everyone begs me otherwise, I will be continuing this! Not terribly long, I'd say, no more than 10 chapters? Probably not even that.

Auf wiedersehen for now, sweethearts!