The sun was only just hitting the center of the sky when Spain and Romano arrived at the beach. As the ocean continued to toss and turn, waves lapped at the shoreline and moistened the soft sand, rocking back and forth as they created a gentle lullaby that echoed across the beach. Spain looked out across the ocean and smiled faintly, glancing back into the car to see Romano asleep in the passenger's seat. Slowly, he opened the door and twirled Romano's curl in his fingers. "Roma," he crooned gently, leaning in towards the other boy. "We're here, wake up."
"Nn...don't touch my hair, you bastard," Romano mumbled gruffly, shifting slightly in the seat to get more comfortable. Spain chuckled, shaking his head at the familiar, though a bit rude, nickname. "I'll get up when I want to..."
"Oh, Roma," he said again, sighing with some exasperation, before smiling, unbuckling the seat belt, and lifting Romano into his arms with ease. "You're still so light, my little tomato..."
"Don't call me that," Romano said softly, shaking his head in disagreement (though his eyes were still closed) and frowning. "I'm not a tomato..."
"But you are mine, so I'm afraid there's not much of an argument." Spain smiled again, trudging forward, with the sleepy Romano cradled in his arms, towards the shoreline. "Just hang on, we're almost there."
"Where? ...we're already at the beach?" Romano said softly, finally opening his eyes to look around. They widened when he saw that they were, in fact, at the beach, and he finally smiled a little as Spain gently set him down on the sand just before the shoreline. "Oh, Spain...you're so nice to me."
"And you're always grumpy when I try to give you my love," he teased, sitting down beside his lover. To Spain's surprise though, Romano suddenly took his hand and pulled closer to him, resting his head against Spain's shoulder.
"It's because I don't want you to leave me," he said, yawning softly. He was still sleepy...Spain wasn't sure if he was speaking truthfully, or out of tiredness. He didn't want to pry, but still...something compelled him to ask for more information.
"What do you mean, my Roma? I would never leave you..." he said, gently brushing the other's cheek with his fingers. Romano scooted closer and buried his face into Spain's shirt, not even seeming to mind the closeness which he so usually resisted.
"I...I like to act upset and grumpy with you, and I always tell myself that I'll never be as good as my brother, because I feel like...if I don't, then you'll think I don't need you anymore and leave me," Romano explained, his face still buried into Spain's shirt so that Spain couldn't see his expression. "But I just...I'm so happy," he mumbled into the man's shirt, "Because even though my brother is so much more polite and kinder and...cuter than me...you still chose me. Even though you didn't need me, you still...still chose me."
Spain couldn't help but smile at this, resting his hand on Romano's head and running his fingers through his hair. "Oh, Roma," he said gently, kissing the smaller boy's forehead and looking out to the ocean. "Whether or not you need me...I will always, always need you. I love you, and I could never let you go without a fight. Don't you see that, Romano? No matter what happens, or who wants you, or whatever happens to get in our way...I will never let you go. I need you, always and forever."
When Spain looked down again, he found that Romano was looking up at him with tearful eyes. "I love you too, Spain," he said softly, leaning upwards to kiss his lover gently. "Please don't ever let me go..."
"I won't, my love. I promise you. As long as the ocean meets the sand, I will always hold onto you. Always, and forever.