Hello everybody! The rest of my notes are at the bottom of the chapter~ This is a 1st person perspective, by the way. This fanfic is actually my final exam in my Creative Writing class. Fem!ItalyxGermany to be safe for teachers to read (sorry yaoi fans, just use your imagination). Trust me, I don't usually like Fem!/male pairings. I'm a regular GerIta fan. Give this a chance! I tried my best to be somewhat historically accurate, but... yeah. I'm not a WWII expert. I tried though. Translations are at the bottom!
I do not own Hetalia: Axis Powers or the characters, even if I want to really badly. Enjoy!
Northern Italy, June 1943
I always wondered why people seemed so beautiful in the evening. Maybe it was the darkened sky or the messy appearance from a day at work. Their eyes grew soft and gentle, hair flying with every whisper of wind. Maybe it was only because their sleepy words became more and more appealing with their dizzy dreams.
I travel the world with a gun on my back, but for what? Everything they wanted, the government wanted, fast cars, extravagant houses resembling castles, decorated food, people waiting on their every need. But for what? A sense of fulfillment maybe, material things to pile into a void created by a tragedy, loneliness, or even fear. Beautiful, sparkling things and jewels that glistened as if they fell from the very heavens. A companion that bloomed into their loving touch much like a flower in a soft spring breeze. Selfish dreams. Lust for more, always more. More money, more land, more power, more control. That was what war means.
Under the moon's watchful gaze, it magnified. The greed blossomed through the suggestive smiles, the locked doors, the chime of delicate glasses touching each other. I stood there, foreign in the sea of swirling fabric adorned with flashing pearls and gold. Tall fish swam in military uniforms throughout the crowd. All were handsome, decorated with medals and titles to their names. The whole ballroom glittered, chandeliers twinkling with the lights shining down on the crowd. Music danced along with the moving bodies, pleasantly infecting the air. I was worn while the local under dressed guests laughed and bubbled on about the recent successes of the war and the favorable weather.
It was a shame to put those two things together. War was serious, a way for a loyal citizen to serve their country. It was a duty, not a choice. Favorable weather came and went, without motivation or support. But both subjects were comparable, being unpredictable and always promising an ending. Such as a storm will bring a rainbow, war will eventually bring peace. As a tornado brings destruction to its path, a war tears apart the foundations of a society. But could a storm be drawn out as long as a war?
"Are you stationed here?" My comparative inquiries were interrupted by a curious young voice.
"Y-Yes. I can't tell you where, but it isn't far. My fellow officers convinced me it wouldn't hurt to attend this party." I answered, looking down to the source of the accented voice. A large pair of hazel eyes stared back into my blue irises. I felt heat rise into my cheeks as I saw it was a girl, messy auburn hair matching the color of leaves changing on the brink of autumn.
"Si, it's such a lovely party! All these people are so happy." She smiled and laughed, completely careless. "Do you like it?"
"Well, I suppose so." I tried to collect myself. The girl struck me as odd, her questions were so simple and innocent, as if she was unafraid of me. Most of the local people cringed at my uniform and tried to look invisible.
Before I had my uniform, my older brother always told me I wouldn't get girls with such an intimidating look on my face. I wasn't really interested in that like he was, I believed hard work came before distractions like relationships. Parties seemed like a waste of my time. I had only been present at the celebration as long as I needed to be, about twenty minutes. The display of the ballroom I stood in wasn't like most parties of the pat. These guests were poor. They wore delicate outfits, yes, and old jewelry passed down from their grandparents, but it was a show. A show for visiting officers. This was supposed to help the German reinforcements 'connect' with the local people. "Do you go to parties often?"
"I love big celebrations with lots of people and music. And with good food! My brother comes with me to all these parties, his name is Lovino." She craned her neck, trying to find her brother in the large crowd, "He's probably flirting somewhere."
"Is that...so..?" I cleared my throat, regaining my serious composure I lost moments before. "I'm glad you enjoy these local events. You make my people feel very...welcome."
"You're German, right? Those are your people? I'm Italian, but you can probably tell." She giggled, "Felicia Vargas."
"Ludwig Beilschmidt. It's a pleasure, miss." I took her slender gloved hand and lightly brushed my lips against the dark fabric.
"Don't be so formal! You can't be more than two years older than me!" She playfully pulled her hand away, "Really!"
"I'm sorry, Miss Vargas. It's important I keep my composure at all times."
"Aw, you soldiers have no fun! I always see you all frowning. Why won't you smile? The war is going fine! Those American threats of invading up here are just threats, and we're being protected now. Besides, the weather is warm and there's so many flowers blooming!"
"I have a very clean reputation and American threats are serious. I don't have the time to think much about flowers."
"That's silly! You should come with me and dance!" Her hazel eyes brightened, shining with excitement. My expression faltered, and I shook my head. "Oh, come on! They have flowers all over this room, we can go look at them together."
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid the officers have to leave in a few minutes." I shifted my weight from foot to foot nervously, coughing. "Maybe another time."
"Si! Ciao Signore!" She waved and watched me walk away to join other uniformed men. I looked back to see her talking to another girl, laughing happily while her simple navy dress fell to her knees. I turned my gaze forward again and left the building.
My mind wandered again as I passed through the little farming town. After every field was passed, tired eyes of farmers followed our uniforms, burning holes into our backs. We were not wanted here. German reinforcements were sent into Italy to protect it from Allied invasions. South Italy was under threat of invasion, and Rome was facing possible air raids.
The dirt road beneath my feet blew up dust with each soft breath of summer wind. Wild flowers dotted the sides of the road, most crushed by the moving of troops. I thought of what the girl said, how the flowers were blooming. Most were spring flowers, waiting to wilt.
I was relieved when I reached my room some short time later, a small space I shared with another officer, an Austrian man named Roderich. He was folding his uniform neatly into a drawer when I arrived, humming to some classical tune. I kept silent, nodding in greeting as he glanced at me. I didn't mind sharing a room with the other. To the general eye, he was a stuck up heir to some wealthy family in Vienna. Selfish, self-confident. But once you live with a person, they shed their assumptions . I grew to know him as a very skilled musician and strategist, although he was obviously used to a pampered life. I didn't know why he joined the army. He seemed very uptight and neat, the very opposite of usual life as a soldier.
I remembered him telling me absolutely nothing about his family, or even his last name for that matter. I didn't know why, but he kept it hidden away as a secret. He didn't reveal how he was appointed officer, only saying he wasn't really a solider, just at the base to improve public relations, not to kill. The way he put on his uniform, eyes full of hesitation and a hint of regret, was beyond my knowledge.
"Are you going into town tomorrow?" Roderich's strained voice rose above the silence hanging over our heads.
"Ja. Und du?" I found no reason in speaking English, seeing that German was our mother tongue. I quietly changed into more comfortable clothes to sleep in, suppressing a yawn.
"Ja. Morgen muss ich mit vielen Leuten sprechen." He sighed, obviously used to repeating the same routine every day. He told me the same thing, the same plans for the next day every night.
"Glücklich. Ich hatte keine Leute getroffen. Nein...nur eins." I thought back to the brief party, to the young lady in the navy dress. I felt heat rising in my face. I turned my eyes away, avoiding the Austrian's gaze.
"Wirklich? Gut." Roderich occupied himself by opening a folder filled with sheets of music. He took out a pencil and wrote something on the page, humming a little tune as he did such.
It was my turn to sigh, "Gute nacht."
I didn't hear a reply, he was engrossed in his written music. I shrugged it off, keeping my usual monotone expression as I laid down on my bed and covered myself in a blanket. My mind ventured to the questions that existed around my roommate. Why did he keep so many secrets, who was he really? He was so reluctant to talk about the war, it made most people suspicious. I personally thought he was just uncomfortable, maybe he lost a family member or friend. Or maybe he just wanted it to end.
As sleep crept upon my eyelids, I decided to ask him personally about it later. Most nights I had thought about these questions, but it was his business, not mine. I always came to the conclusion to ask him casually within the next week. It was late, I was tired, and I had no idea what the next day in town would hold.
-Translation-
*Italian:
Si - yes
Ciao Signore- Goodbye mister
**German:
Ja- yes
Und du- and you
Morgen muss ich mit vielen Leuten sprechen- Tomorrow I need to talk with many people
Glücklich. Ich hatte keine Leute getroffen. Nein...nur eins- Lucky. I haven't met people (literally: I have met no people). No...only one
Wirklich? Gut.- Really? Good.
Gute nacht- Good night.
A/N
So, yeah. I think this turned out pretty decent, but I'm not 100% sure! Please review with your thoughts, it makes me want to update this faster!
I apologize for that awkward German part (I'm sorry to German speakers reading this) because I'm only in my second year of German class in high school. I don't know much Italian, hence the simple words. I also apologize for any OOC parts, I've never done a 1st person perspective of Germany or Fem!Italy before. Thank you for reading chapter one!