Almost Lover, a hetalia - axis powers fanfic

Warning: Human names will be used at times, kind of sad and depressing, happy ending, 90% Spaus, 5% Spamano, 5% new pairing (Austria/….) you have to read to find out who he ends with

A/N: This is a sequel to my other SpAus one-shot: A GIFT. This can be read alone but it would be better if you read that one first. I suggest while you read this that you go on youtube and listen to ALMOST LOVER by A FINE FRENZY.

Your fingertips across my skin
The palm trees swaying in the wind
Images
You sang me Spanish lullabies
The sweetest sadness in your eyes
Clever trick

Austria sighed, lost in his thoughts as the nations around his argued and yelled. He was not even sure why he came to these meetings; they were a waste of his time.

Suddenly he heard it, a familiar sound that he used to hear on a daily bases. He turned his head and watched as Spain leaned back in his chair and laughed at something Prussia said. He found himself staring at the Spaniard, memories flashing through his mind of days passed. He felt the tears threatening to fall and he quickly looking away, trying to regain his composure.

When he looked back he was shocked to find Spain looking at him. As they stared at one another, separated by five or six chairs, it was as if they were the only two people in the world. In those few minutes Austria forgot everything; he forgot about wars, his worries, his fears, his empty home, he even forgot about his music in those few moments of eye contact.

"Hey! Listen to me you tomato bastard!" Romano yelled.

And like that the moment was gone.

Spain gave Austria a weak smile, his eyes holding to many emotions for the Austrian to decipher, before turning and facing his current lover.

Well, I never want to see you unhappy
I thought you'd want the same for me

Austria sighed as he tried to get lost in thoughts of music compositions. Though no matter how hard he tried all he could think of was Spain and that brief moment they shared. He snuck a quick glance at Spain and Lovino, the former of the two smiling and hugging the latter, who had a dark scowl on his face. At least the other was happy. There was that much. He would have been more depressed if Antonio was as unhappy as he was.

Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
can't you just let me be?
So long, my luckless romance
my back is turned on you
should've known you'd bring me heartache
Almost lovers always do

Not soon enough they were allowed to leave. Austria almost jumped out of his chair and ran out of the room, but that would be undignified so instead he gathered his things and walked out of the room. Once out of the room and out of the curious eyes, Austria speed walked out of the UN building. Once outside he took a deep breath and sighed in relief, happy to be away from the sight of Romano and Spain being happy together. No matter how often he saw them together it still hurt so much. He pulled out his cell phone, something Hungary forced him to buy, and texted his driver to pick him up to take him back to his hotel.

We walked along a crowded street
you took my hand and danced with me
Images

Austria looked up from his phone for a split second when he heard someone laughing. He watched with a heavy heart as a young couple walked down the street hand in hand. His eyes glazed over as he got lost in a memory.

Austria smiled softly as he strolled down the streets of Barcelona holding his husband's hand. He ignored the looks of the people around him as Spain hummed the melody to a Spanish lullaby that he has sung to Austria just the night before. It was a song he had learned many centuries ago and he always sung it Austria when they lay in their bed together.

Soon they came upon a group of musicians, their music filling the air as it invited others to come and dance. Austria shook his head as Spain tried to get him to dance. Spain huffed before grabbing his husband's hand and pulling him into the middle of the crowd of people. He ignored Austria's blushing face as he danced with the other. Though Austria would never admit it he enjoyed dancing with the other. He gave Spain as shy smile as he was spun around.

Austria was pulled out of his memory by the loud voices of the young couple that passed by him. He turned and watched, longing for the days when that used to be him laughing with his lover.

A black car pulled in front of the Austrian and the driver quickly got out opening the door for him. He nodded his head and got into the car. As the car drive down the streets, Austria rested his chin on his hand and stared out the window, pulled into another memory.

And when you left you kissed my lips
you told me you'd never ever forget these images, no

Austria watched from the doorway as his husband, his now ex-husband, packed his things, "so that is it?" he asked, appearing nonchalant on the outside but falling apart on the inside, "Our marriage is over?"

"Lo siento, but there is nothing I can do…" he paused in his packing to look at his husband, the wedding band still glittering on his finger, his heart breaking as he saw the pain in the other's eyes. If Austria was less dignified he would be crying and asking Spain not to go, but of course he couldn't. Orders were orders after all. They both knew their marriage wouldn't be a long one, hell they were both surprise that they managed to stay together for as long as they had.

"Yes there is." Austria whispered when Spain resumed his packing.

"I…..I can't. France has taken over my country and he wants our marriage over. (1) This is the way it has to be, "Spain explained once again, his voice pained as he did so.

"Are you going to give into what France wants?" he asked, spitting out the name like it left a foul taste in his mouth.

"What do you want me to do Roderich? His country as invaded mine and his royals are making mine dissolve our alliance. THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO!" Spain yelled, his temper getting the best of him as the stress of the last few months finally caught up to him.

"You can fight it!" Roderich argued back, forgetting all about being dignified, "you can fight for your country! For your freedom! FOR US!" he screamed back.

Spain moved quickly over to Roderich and grabbed his by the shoulder, "you think I want this? Do you think I want to leave you? I don't want this to end. I love you." He said.

"I love you too. I don't want you to leave." Roderich admitted before turning away from his husband, "but like you said this is the way it has to be right?"

Spain grabbed Austria's chin gently and turned the other to face him, "you will always be in my heart." He told him.

"Und you in mine." Austria leaned up and kissed Spain softly.

This continued on for a few minutes until they were interrupted by a maid telling them that Spain's carriage was waiting outside for him. Austria turned to face his husband, his eyes filled with unspoken words.

Spain gently kissed Austria for the last time before pulling away, "I will never forget our time together." With those last words, Spain turned around and left the room.

He was gone.

He was really gone. Austria felt his legs give out from under him and he fell to the floor in a heap. The tears that he had kept at bay fell from his eyes as sobs racked through his body. His husband, his only true love, was gone. He knew that this would one day happen; their marriage was for politics not love, but he did not think it would hurt this much.

I never want to see you unhappy
I thought you'd want the same for me

Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
can't you just let me be?
So long, my luckless romance
my back is turned on you
I should've known you'd bring me heartache
Almost lovers always do

Once the car stopped Austria stepped out and made his way to his hotel room, ignoring the others around him. He stripped off his clothes and fell face forward onto his bed. He closed his eyes, hoping that would help him stop thinking of his ex but that only made it worse. With is eyes closed he could clearly see the smiling Spaniard with his messy hair and beautifully tanned skin as easily as if he was right in front of him. He groaned and opened his eyes, rolling onto his back. He mentally cursed Spain for making him fall in love with him. He never felt this kind of pain when he divorced Hungary, though they never really loved each other.

But Spain…..he sighed, Spain was different. Spain had a way of making everyone he meets fall in love with him; no one could ever stay angry at the Spanish nation for very long. Not even Austria, even after all the pain the Spaniard put him through…was still putting him through. If he knew this would happen he would have tried harder not to fall in love with the other. If only he had stuck to his original plan of keeping their marriage purely a political one void of any feelings, he wouldn't be feeling like this now.

Austria sighed once again, something he did often when thinking of his old lover, before closing his eyes once again. This time he fell asleep and just like other times he slept, his dreams were filled with the Spaniard.

I cannot go to the ocean
I cannot drive the streets at night
I cannot wake up in the morning
Without you on my mind
So you're gone and I'm haunted
And I bet you are just fine
Did I make it that easy
To walk right in and out of my life?

Austria woke with a gasp as he sat up in his bed, turning to look at the clock only to see that it had been just a few hours since he fell asleep. He groaned as he rubbed his eyes, trying to will away memories of long walks down the Spanish beaches and picnics in the gardens.

He hated this.

He hated waking up most mornings with Spain's name on his lips. He hated having a broken heart that made it hard to breathe as if it was suffocating him under the weight of his loneliness. He hated being reminded of the man almost everywhere he went. He hated going to meetings to see him laughing and smiling with someone who was not him. Most of all, Austria hated the fact that one look from Spain caused the butterflies in his stomach to take wing and made his heart beat as fast as a hummingbird's wings.

He needed to get over Spain, he needed to move on. It was obvious that the other had. He sometimes wondered how Spain was able to leave him so easily. For Austria the days following their divorce had him locked away in his room (he had only come out when he found out that a part of his lands had been seized by Prussia.) But Spain…..Spain was the opposite. Spain was always happy, always smiling, and always busy. Though he said he would miss the musician, the green eyed nation did not seem all that broken up over the end of their marriage. Maybe…..maybe he didn't love Austria the way Austria loved him….

The violet eyed nation groaned and shook his head, trying to get rid of such depressing thoughts. Of course Spain loved him, he had said so on many occasions. But that did not matter now, Spain was with Romano and Austria…..Austria was left alone, as always. He just wished that one day he would find someone who would love him completely and not leave him like everyone else in his life had.

Deciding that he couldn't waste the entire evening away in his hotel room, Austria got up and quickly changed out of his clothes into something more comfortable. He grabbed his phone, his wallet, his room key, and left the empty room. He locked it behind him before putting his things in his pockets and walking down the hall.

BAM!

Austria groaned and rubbed his lower back from where it had met the hard floor. He looked over at the person he crashed into.

"I'm sorry." He apologized, standing up and sticking his hand out to the other.

"No it was my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going." A soft voice answered. The owner, who grabbed the extended hand and pulled himself up, was looking up at Austria with the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. They were a beautiful cerulean blue with flecks of violet. (2) The unique set of eyes belonged to a familiar looking blond who had a weird curl, was holding a white bear, and smelled strangely like maple syrup. He could tell right away that this person was a nation though he did not remember seeing him before…but then again Austria never really paid much attention in the meetings.

"I'm sorry I did not catch your name. I am Austria." He extended his hand again, though this time to shake the other's.

"I'm Canada." The younger nation replied, shyly shaking the musician's hand.

"Ah Canada, you are America's brother are you not?" Austria asked to which Canada nodded, "Well I'm glad that you seem to be nothing like him." His face scrunched up as he remembered how the excited blond had yelled loudly in the middle of the meetings more than once.

Canada beamed at the Austrian nation, happy at finding someone who didn't put him down for not being more outgoing like Alfred, "well I have to get going….." He said softly.

Austria was pulled from his thoughts by the voice and nodded, "of course. I will get out of your way." He said before continuing to the elevator, a bit shocked when he saw Canada get into with him.

"What floor?" he asked politely.

"Lobby." Canada replied.

Austria nodded and pressed the button for the lobby. He looked straight ahead as the elevator began to close. Just before it shut, Austria saw Romano and Spain walk into their room together, Spain nibbling on Romano's ear and the Italian blushing something fierce. He made a face at the pair before he realized that soft spoken nation next to him was calling his name.

"Hmm?" he asked, "I'm sorry, I was…distracted." He admitted.

"It's fine." Canada said as he was use to people ignoring him, "I was just asking where you were heading to…if you don't mind me asking that is." He said.

Austria thought for a moment, when he had left his room he actually didn't plan on going anywhere really. Though he was a bit hungry, "Out to dinner."

"Oh…." Canada said, looking down.

Austria nodded, getting lost in his thoughts. Instead of thinking of Spain, his thoughts began revolving around the Canadian next to him. He had never really noticed Canada before, his brother's loud personality and actions usually took the spot light away from the other. It must be lonely standing in someone else's shadow like that. No one really seeing you for who you are, always comparing you to your sibling. Austria knew what that was like a bit, his own Vater had always compared him to Prussia and complained when Austria choose to pursue a more artistic path in life. Suddenly he could imagine that him and the Canadian could share much in common. It was with that train of thought that he did what he did next.

"Canada." He said, getting the other's attention, "would you like to join me to for dinner? I would love to get to know you better and talk to you more as I'm sure we somethings in common." He explained, turning to the other.

Canada nodded his head, lifting the bear to hide some of his face, "I would like that Mr. Austria."

"Please, call me Roderich." Austria insisted, feeling the butterflies slowly begin to fly around in his stomach.

"Only if you call me Matthew." Canada replied.

"Alright Matthew." Austria smiled softly, his heart feeling lighter than it had in centuries and he could of sworn he felt the butterflies in his stomach take flight.

A/N: *gasps* WHAT A PLOT TWIST THAT WAS! Who would have thought that Austria would end up with Canada in the end?

I didn't, not when I started this. I actually didn't plan the ending to be so…happy. I know this pairing is just random and doesn't get much love (like Austria/America) but I think Canada and Austria would be good friends or even…lovers. I have actually read some good Austria/Canada fanfics and I like this pairing a bit. They were both pretty much ignored by other members of their family, only one person really getting to know then (for Canada it was France and for Austria it was Switzerland) plus I think Canada's somewhat relaxed and calm personality will help balance out Austria's more uptight attitude. I think Austria needs someone like Canada, someone sweet and loving, in his life that won't disappoint him like everyone else. I never wrote Canada before so I hope I got it right… It was actually between Russia and Canada as someone Austria meets to help him get over Spain (all of them just need someone who will love them and no leave them). To everyone on tumblr who voted for Hat or No Hat, do you get it now? I was going to put scarf and hat but I thought that would give it away too much.

Footnotes:

1: I read 'The Pit and the Pendulum' by Edgar Allan Poe in school once that had a part to do with the end of the Spanish inquisition. In the story the inquisition came to an end when French troops invaded Spain. I just quickly googled this and that part seemed to be true. I'm still a bit confused about it so I'm not sure if this is exactly what happened. I'm also not sure if France really wanted the Hapsburg empire to end but when France invaded Spain the alliance with Austria ended ((or at least I think it did…does anyone know for sure?))

2: I am not a hundred perfect sure what Canada's eye color is. Some say it's purple but others say its blue. Of course in fan art and in the anime and manga he has one or the other so I decided to mix them together.