I'm in the middle of the next chapter of Hetalia Tales 5 but this idea popped into my head and wouldn't leave me alone so this is an exorcism of sorts.

Enjoy!

Ciao Bella!

Germany was not gay!

So he did not understand the feelings he had for his friend, Italy. When they first became friends, Germany mistook the feelings as friendship, not having much experience of having friends, and WWII distracted him from properly analysing his emotions. That and constantly having to rescue Italy from the Allies. And tie his shoelaces.

Then he had to help Prussia through his dissolution, expecting his older brother to die when the papers were signed, ending him as a country but by some miracle, nothing happened to Prussia, despite no longer being a nation. It was theorised that many people still claimed Prussian ancestry and Nations are representative of both landmass and people so despite no longer have a landmass, Prussia was kept alive by his people who gathered together in communities, like unrecognised micronations, scattered around the world. The existence of Sealand, despite having no true landmass, seemed to support this theory.

But the past few decades, Germany had noticed his feelings for Italy were more than friendly, which he hid behind annoyance at Italy's exuberant and chaotic personality. He actually found it cute the way Italy showed his childlike excitement about the smallest things and felt protective toward the little Italian.

And now the dreams!

He had constant dreams of Italy, of the two of them as a romantic couple. With Italy as a girl!

In his dreams, Italy's hair was longer and, while small, she definitely had a busom and she wore a version of the blue uniform her male counterpart wore, with a short skirt, instead of pants, and knee-high brown boots. Really cute which was not surprising as Italy was a little effeminate with a voice that was not quite low enough to be truly manly. Was he dreaming of Italy as a girl because of his feelings for him? That if Italy was a girl then he could act on his emotions. Not that he could not right now but Italy had freaked out over that misunderstanding on Valentine's Day.

Germany cast a quick glance at Italy in the awake world, who was busy doodling pictures of pasta on his documents as the bickering around him slowly brought the World Meeting to a standstill.

Nothing new there.

Italy quickly glanced at Germany as he tried to restore order. So big and strong. So handsome with those blue eyes and blonde hair, slicked back. If only Italy could tell Germany his secret but Italy had kept it so long, it was hard to reveal. Besides, Romano would never let Italy hear the last of it.

But Italy wanted to be closer, so much closer to Germany but Germany would freak out if Italy approached him like this. Like Italy had freaked out that Valentine's Day. Not because Germany had done all that romantic stuff and proposed, although that had been a shock. Italy panicked because he thought Germany had found out!

Italy could have told Germany then and ease the embarrassment for both of them but Italy had been afraid of how Germany would react to being kept in the dark for so many years.

Germany might even hate Italy for it and that Italy could not live with.

"Break for lunch," Germany sighed as the bickering reached illegal decibels. At least the fistfights had not started yet. That was an improvement.

Everyone put their papers away and gathered their coats. One by one, they drifted out and Italy skipped up to Germany.

"Ve~ Can we get pasta, Germany?" Italy asked, bouncing on his heels. "Can we, can we, can we?"

"Ja," Germany replied, wearily. If he said no, Italy would be miserable and Germany would feel bad about it until he said yes.

"Yay!" Italy jumped up and down and grabbed his jacket. Germany followed Italy as he skipped out of the room. Germany had just come through the door as Italy reached the top of the stairs.

Which was why Germany was too far away to catch Italy when his foot slipped.

"ITALY!"

Germany tried to reach him as Italy fell off the edge of the stair and gravity took hold. He watched in horror as Italy bounced down the stairs and landed at the bottom with a sickening thud.

Germany practically flew down the stairs to reach Italy who lay, unmoving, at the foot of them. Japan had heard Germany shout Italy's name and came running out of the conference room. He saw Germany crouching over Italy, unconscious on the floor at the bottom of the stairs and hurried down after them.

"Germany!" Japan knelt beside Italy while Germany began to check Italy for broken bones. "What happened?"

"He fell," Germany replied, opening Italy's jacket and gasping as he saw blood spreading over Italy's side. He did not even bother with the buttons, he just ripped Italy's shirt open.

A piece of material covered Italy's torso and Japan took a moment to wonder why Italy was wearing a chest binding as Germany pulled it away.

Silence reigned.

Japan blushed and averted his gaze. Germany also blushed and recovered Italy's chest with the binding, wondering if he was asleep and dreaming again.

Italy's a girl!

Austria's House. 19th century.

Holy Rome was dead! There was no reason to stay in Mr Austria's House any more. She had the chance to leave and be reunited with her fratello when Spain fought Austria for her but she had promised to wait for Holy Rome.

But Holy Rome did not come back!

Italia was ready to go it alone but, as a girl, she would be vulnerable to others thinking that she would be an easy target because she was female.

And they would be right! Italia always believed that her gender had lead to Grandpa Rome separating her and Romano because he thought she needed more protection, to her and her fratello's landmass being invaded and taken over when Grandpa Rome died, and to Romano being sent away because he caused trouble, defending his little sister.

What she had in mind had actually come Spain. When he came that one time to try and get Austria to swap Romano for her, he had called her a guy. So oblivious that, because her fratello was a boy, he thought that she was one too.

She had spent months perfecting her voice, not too low so it would not hard to maintain. What she had planned would involve acting and she regretted lying to Miss Hungary, less guilty about Mr Austria because he sent her fratello away.

Now she would put her plan into action.

Draw a circle, that's the Earth, draw a circle, that's the Earth... The singing drew Mr Austria and Miss Hungary like she knew it would as she could hear them coming toward the kitchen as she washed the dishes.

Draw a circle, that's the Earth. I am Italia!

She knew that they were now standing at the door, watching and listening to her. She continued to sing, pretending she did not know they were there.

Ahh! The world around us can be seen through the stroke of a single brush.

And now, we make a …..toast with our boots!

Italia changed to her new voice and heard two gasps of surprise behind her. Yes! She had them. She faked a hesitation as if the voice change had taken her by surprise and then sang one last word.

Italia!

That was the beginning of Italia's life as a male. When she and Romano finally reunited, he promised to keep her secret. They had been keeping the secret ever since. That was why she was no good at fighting, not because she was cowardly but because she lacked the strength. She only acted the coward to cover for what she could not do and would be able to do if she was male. And she could tie her own shoelaces.

She just pretended she could not so she could see Germany!

As she spent more time with Germany, the more she fell in love with him but she was caught in her own trap. How could she tell him how she felt about him without telling him she was really a girl.

It made her cry to think about it.

Back to now...

Germany was in a state of shock. It was not a dream! His dreams did not involve other people and Japan knelt beside him with a blush coating his cheeks and he pulled her shirt together as more Nations were coming to see what had happened.

"Chigi!"

Including Romano!

"What have you done to my fratello, Potato Bastard?" he swore, horrified at seeing his sister prone at the bottom of the stairs. That pulled Germany out of his shock.

"Don't you mean your SORELLA!" he replied, tersely. Romano went pale. Germany began to examine Italy under her shirt and binding. After all, she was still injured.

"Get your hands off my sister, you damn pervert," Romano replied, causing murmurs through the other Nations. Italy is female?

"If you want to help your sister," Germany snapped. "Then call an ambulance. She has a broken rib and it's come through the skin. She needs medical attention!" Romano stood frozen for a moment.

"NOW!"

Romano ran to get his phone. Germany looked down at Italy, just glad she was unconscious so she could not feel the pain. Looking at her now, it was so obvious that Italy was a girl. He had never seen Italy shave, Italy's voice would go higher when under stress or over excited, like a girl's and, most importantly, Italy did not have an Adam's Apple.

Germany could not believe he had not seen it before.

His best friend, the man he had feelings for, was a woman.

Italy was taken immediately to hospital and the other Nations followed and sat in the waiting room.

"So Italia was a girl after all," Austria could not believe it. "Why did she lie to me, to Hungary?" Romano snorted.

"What!" he snapped. "You think just because Italia liked your damn music, she didn't want to get away from you, Piano Bastard? You took over our country, bullied her and separated us when we were children. You sent me to Spain and left her without family, why wouldn't she want to get away from you?"

"You were a problem, Romano," Austria tried to justify himself. "You made trouble almost all the time."

"I was defending my SORELLA!" Romano snarled. "Someone had to take care of her. It wasn't going to be you!"

"I did take care of Italia," Austria replied, insulted.

"You didn't take care of her. You made her your damn servant!" Austria looked down. He had no answer for that. Hungary put a comforting hand on Austria's shoulder.

"But why pretend to be a boy?" she asked.

"Cause she was scared that if you knew she was a girl," Romano spat. "You'd take over her because you'd think she was weak. Without me, she didn't think she could withstand you bastards."

"Then why didn't she come with me when I fought Austria for her?" Spain asked. "She would have been with you then." Spain did not understand that.

"She loved Holy Roman Empire and promised she'd wait for him," Romano replied. "For all the good that did. He never came back!" France look away, shamefaced.

Romano knew he was lashing out at everyone but he could not help it. His beloved sister was in the emergency room with a serious injury and he had no other way to release his worry so he accused everyone who had ever had a hand in any misery she suffered.

Britain remained silent, thinking of all his interactions with Italy during the WWII. The times they fought, when he captured Italy and threw him in prison. Had he know Italy was a girl...

America remembered, in the war, when he suggested they beat Italy up for information. Thank goodness that they had never followed through on that.

France remembered the sex-chat he had given Italy when Italy asked what 'sexual act' meant and flushed bright red that he had said all that to a girl.

Russia felt no shame or embarrassment because he could think of nothing that he had ever done to the little Italian. He wondered if Italia might want to become one with him now.

"You never ask to go back to Austria's House," Spain said to Romano. "Not once!"

"You wouldn't have sent me," Romano huffed. "I did everything I could to make you hate me and send me back. But you're so damned oblivious, you never got the message, Tomato Bastard!"

Spain was so shocked. All that misbehaviour, messing up his house, the disrespect, the disruption, just to get Spain to sent him back. Did that mean that Romano never really hated him?

"You kept me from my sorella and left her with no one because you never sent me back, you bastard!"

OK! Maybe he did.

"Mr Vargas!"

Everyone turned to see a doctor in the doorway. Romano stood up.

"How's Italia, Doctor?" he asked.

"Your sister's rib has been reset," he replied. "She'll be sore and take a few weeks to heal but she should make a full recovery. We don't think there's any risk of concussion but we'll be keeping watch just to be sure."

"Can I see her?" Romano asked.

"She's not awake yet but it should be all right," the doctor took Romano out of the waiting room.

Germany had stood at the back, not saying anything to draw Romano's wrath down on his head. He was not up to dealing with the other Italian's particular brand of vitriol right now. All those years and Italia had said nothing. Why had she panicked that Valentine's Day? Why didn't she tell him then?

So many questions!

Italia whimpered in pain as she began to regain consciousness, the pain in her side becoming worse. She just wanted to sink back into oblivion where it could not reach her. Then she felt another pain, this time in her hand, like an injection and the pain in her side slowly receded. She slowly opened her eyes.

There was a stranger in a doctor's scrubs who moved to make way for her fratello who looked down at her with a soft smile that only she ever saw. A smile he reserved only for his sister.

"How are you feeling, sorella?" he asked, in a voice that no other nation would recognise if they heard it.

The dislike Romano showed Italy was an act. Brothers bickering, calling each other idiots, like Germany did to Prussia sometimes. Romano and Italy bickered in private too but in the way of brothers and sisters. Romano's attitude toward Germany was out of fear of Germany finding out Italy's secret, trying to drive him away from Italy and he would often argue with her in private about it. But Romano didn't hate his sister, far from it.

She was the most important thing in his world. Like Liechtenstein was for Switzerland!

"Ve~ I've been better," she said, honestly. "What happened to me?"

"You fell down the stairs," he replied. "You're as clumsy as me." Italia gave a little laugh and then winced in pain.

"Our secret's out," Romano warned her. "Everybody knows."

"Everybody?"

"Everybody!" Romano clarified. "Even Germany!" Italia groaned and closed her eyes.

"He going to hate me," she whined. "I've lied to him for years, he's going to hate me."

"Why does it matter?"

"I love him!"

Romano suspected, of course, but to hear Italia confirm it was a surprise.

"You seriously love the Potato Bastard?" he asked.

"Ve~ I wish you wouldn't call him that!"

"Well, there's only one thing left to do," Romano replied.

"I'll go get him!"

"Oi, Potato Bastard!"

Germany looked up at the sound of Romano's voice. He stood in the doorway with a disgruntled expression on his face.

"Italia wants to talk to you!" Germany was surprised that Romano would let him anywhere near Italia now everyone knew what she really was. He went to the door and Romano stepped one side to let him through.

"Upset her, Potato Bastard, and I'll hunt you down!" Germany just nodded and went to see Italia. The last thing he heard before the door shut was his brother Prussia saying, "Hey, Romano! Are you a girl too?"

"Shut the fuck up, Other Potato Bastard!"

Italia looked like she had gone back to sleep. She was pale but that was no surprise, after all, she had suffered a compound rib fracture. He saw a young woman with short hair with a flyaway curl, lying in that bed. Germany wanted answers because he wanted to know the real Italia.

The Italia he had been dreaming about.

Had he subconsciously known what Italy really was? Is that why he dreamed about Italy as a girl? He was not one for psycho-babble but it kind of made sense. Deep inside, maybe he had always known.

Italia slowly opened her amber eyes and they met his pale blue ones. They just looked at each other for a moment and time seem to stand still.

"Italia..."

"Ve~ I'm sorry!" Italia blurted. "I'm sorry, Germany. I should have told you, I know but …."

Germany put his finger on Italia's lips to silence her.

"Just tell me why," he said. "You probably had your reasons. Just explain them to me" Italia cast her eyes down and played with the sheet covering her.

"After Holy Rome died," she began. "I didn't want to stay with Mr Austria any more. I wanted to go home and I wanted Fratello to as well but if I went home as a girl, others would invade so I made everyone think I was a boy. Fratello came home and he helped me because he thought if people thought I was a boy, it would be safer for me."

"How did you managed for so long?"

"Ve~ It was easy, really," Italia replied, looking back up at Germany. "People didn't question it and when I acted silly, they just smiled, laughed and didn't look too closely."

Germany began to realise that Italia was smarter than anyone gave her credit for and he wondered just how much of the real Italia he actually knew. She had been diverting attention for many, many years and no one caught on.

"Why did you feel you could not tell me?" he asked.

"When we first met …." Italia hesitated.

"I hit you and took you prisoner," Germany face-palmed in shame. Then he looked back. "But we became friends and allies. Why didn't you tell me then?"

"If you knew I was a girl," she replied. "You never would have let me go into battle with you. I know I wasn't any good but I wanted to stay by your side. The longer I kept the secret from you, the harder it was to confess."

"Valentine's Day?" Germany asked. "Why did you freak out? I thought it was because we were both male and you didn't like that!"

"You took me by surprise," Italia replied. "And I thought you'd found out. I almost told you then but ..." Italia broke off.

"Why did you want to stay with me, Italia?"

Italia looked back down at the sheet and blushed. She did not say anything and could not seemed to raise her head. Germany put his hand under her chin and gently raised her head and looked into her eyes.

"Why did you want to stay?"

Italia's answer was a whisper.

"Ti amo!" (I love you!)

The next thing Italia knew Germany's lips were on hers, gently but firm. She had dreamed of this. Of Germany knowing about her and returning her feelings. Of his kiss.

For Germany, his dream was coming true. Italy was a girl and in his arms, well on his lips anyway. But it was better than the dream, the kiss was sweeter. One he broke, reluctantly.

"Ich liebe dich auch!" (I love you too!)

Italia would be his.

The Next World Meeting …

Everybody was waiting for Germany and Italia to arrived. Everyone was used to Italia being a girl now although Romano was now as bad as Switzerland when it came to protecting his sister and had once pulled a gun on Russia when he tried to 'become one'.

The door opened and Germany came in, followed by Italia who was dressed in a beige skirt and a blue blouse. Her hair was longer and pulled back into a ponytail and as she held onto Germany's arm, a diamond ring glinted on the third finger of her left hand.

Right beside the wedding ring!

I now pronounce you Man and Wife!

When I thought about how everyone thought Chibitalia was a girl, I thought 'What if they were right'. Then it got stuck in my brain and I couldn't get on with the story I was writing so I wrote this to clear it out of my head. I hope it works!

(When Italia was singing, I put 'Italia' instead of 'Hetalia' because Italy did not know Japan yet and so would not be familiar with 'Hetalia').

Hope you liked!

Hasta la Pasta!