An unfamiliar scream rang through the house and woke me up from my seemingly endless slumber. I furrowed my eyebrows and slowly opened my eyes, noticing the hall lit up with the newly rising sun rays glittering the floor. I blinked a couple of times before realizing I had fallen asleep on the floor, next to Romano's door. The night seemed like a giant blur and I couldn't even recall why I had decided to sleep in the hall to begin with. I yawned as I stretched out my arms as far as I could, feeling my spine pop as I did.
Another scream echoed from behind the door to Romano's room. My eyes widened and I stood as quickly as possible, finally registering that the scream didn't belong to my little tomato. My head ached from the sudden movement and massive amounts of tequila I had consumed the night before. The house seemed to spin and I stumbled, losing my balance and using the wall for support. Luckily, I hadn't been too far off from Romano's room and easily reached over to bang on the wooden door.
"Romano?! Are you in there?! Estás bien?!" I questioned, my ears ringing and my voice hoarse. I struggled to reach over and attempt to twist the door knob, but quickly found it to be locked.
"NO! T-This can't be..." An unfamiliar high pitched voice shouted from beyond the wall. My heart raced quickly at the sudden realization of this stranger breaking and entering my house.
"Who are you?! Intruso! What have you done to Romano?! Show yourself!" I demanded, slamming my fists on the door. My head was pounding terribly.
"S-Stay away! P-Please!" The voice cried out, pleading and shaking.
"I demand that you show yourself or I will break down this door! I used to be a matador and a pirate! I can easily rid you from my house!" Declaring proudly, I decided it was best not to mention the fact that my head was in too much pain to actually do any damage to the intruder. I pushed myself off the door and ran into it with my shoulder, the door not giving way to the lock.
"P-Please! D-Don't... I'll open the door." The voice gave in and the sound of footsteps inched their way closer and closer towards the door. I took a couple steps back from the door, tightening my fists and readying myself in case this stranger tried any funny business. The person unlocked the door, slowly turning the doorknob and opening the door at a painfully slow pace.
My eyes traced up the pants which looked like they belonged to Romano, but seemed like they wore looser on this person. Continuing to look up the stranger, they wore Romano's button up, filling it much tighter in the chest area. Long, brown, curly hair was strewn over the small shoulders of the person. Their head was facing the ground, red and unwilling to look me in the eye. This person was beautiful. Muy hermosa. But why was she in my house? How did she get into my house to begin with?
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice filled with curiosity and wonder.
My question only seemed to piss her off. "Can you really not tell?! Stupid tomato bastardo!" The woman looked up at me, her hazel eyes looking me straight in the face. Her soft looking skin was a cute shade of red. She remarked a strikingly similar appearance to Romano. My confusion and bewilderment must have been quite apparent since the woman sighed at me and shook her head. Her temper looked like it was getting worse as she took in a huge breath. "Listen, idiot. Who else could possibly be in your house? Wearing these clothes? Sleeping in this room? Actually putting up with someone as dense as you?"
I took a step back, losing my balance and falling against the wall. I stared at the woman in amazement, unsure of how to understand what she was saying. I studied her up and down, trying to piece together what was going on. It only made the pain in my head worse and I grit my teeth to take my mind off the pain.
"Romano...?" I whispered, rubbing my eyes and hoping that whatever was going on was just in my drunken head. The woman closed her eyes and nodded at me, still looking discontent. After I had blinked numerous times, I found to my amazement that the woman was still there. "That's impossible." I stated, in disbelief of what was taking place. "I must still be dreaming. This kind of stuff only happens in sueños." The woman crossed her arms and wore a pissed look across her face.
"Do you really think that, Spain? Or do you think I purposely like dressing like a woman purely for your own pleasure?" She questioned me.
Nothing, except logic, told me that this couldn't be Romano, but this was all too unbelievable. I steadied myself, regaining my posture and looking at the little Italian curl that stuck out from the left side of her hair. It was exactly like Romano's. All signs pointed that this was him. But... How? I pushed off the wall and staggered towards the woman, reaching out and touching the curl. Her eyes widened and she gasped, punching me away. Unable to regain my balance, I fell down to the floor in shock.
"C-Chigi! Don't touch there, idiot!" Her sudden outburst was all too adorable as she closed her eyes and lifted her chin away from me. Her mannerisms were exactly like Romano's. There was little doubt in my head now. This woman... She must be Romano.
"Roma... Eres hermosa," I smiled, laughing at the circumstances we found ourselves in.
"Quit laughing, you jerk face. Besides, I don't understand what you said, Spain. I speak Italian! Not Spanish." She placed her hands on her hips and bent down to look me in the eye. I grinned wider, no longer doubting that this woman had to be my Romano.
"Bella." I winked and Roma scoffed, rolling her eyes and standing up straight once more.
"Get up off the floor and cook breakfast like you promised, jerk." She sounded displeased, but a small smile tugged on the corners of her mouth. "Then we can try and talk about what the hell has happened to me."
"The last thing I remember last night was getting angry at your drunken ass for coming home so late. I woke up the next morning and looked in the mirror only to find I had grown tits and an ass!" Roma explained as she took a bite of the delicious churros I had made. Her face told me she enjoyed it, even if she would never admit it out loud.
I chuckled and lifted the café con leche to my lips, drinking the sweet, warm liquid happily. Roma sat in the wooden chair across from me, staring at me from behind her brown bangs. I studied her soft features, the way her hair fell on her shoulders. I still couldn't believe that this used to be my little henchmen who would always wait for me day after day during my pirate days. I guess I always kept Romano waiting for me... Even now...
"Could you stop staring at me for one second and be useful? Any ideas on how this happened to me? It's not one of your old Spanish folklore stories, or magic, or something?" Roma turned to look out the window, watching the blue sky above. The sun was shining brightly with hardly any clouds to block the light.
With the numbing head throbbing pain still lingering, it was hard to think completely straight. "Lo siento, Roma. I can't help it. Any folklore? Nada. At least, I can't think of any off the top of my head that could change a man to a woman." I answered her honestly. She looked back at me, searching my face for some type of solution to the problem.
"I don't really like this female body. Don't get me wrong, I think I make a pretty gorgeous girl. But I much rather prefer being a man." Roma raised an eyebrow at me, rolling the sugary treat between her thumb and index finger. "So Spain, what are you going to do to help me get my old body back?"
I grinned widely, thinking of all the possible things I could say. Did I want to be sweet? Or did I want to be more humorous? Leaning back in my chair, I stared Roma in her hazel eyes and said, "I think I actually like this new body better. Estás muy atractiva." With a wink, I gestured towards Roma's significantly predominant chest.
Roma's face contorted into that of disgust and rage, her eyebrows furrowing angrily as her face reddened slightly. "Wouldn't it be a shame if your body changed, too, Spain?" She questioned as she showed me the churro she held, taking a huge bite of the churro in an intimidating manner. I knew exactly what she was trying to get across.
"I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Let's not get too hasty here, Roma." I scratched my head, laughing lightly in response. I tried my best to ignore the effects of the hangover I was experiencing.
Roma sighed heavily, closing her eyes and finishing off the last of her churro. "Stupid Spaniards. The only thing you're ever determined to get nowadays is tequila and women." The words slipped from her mouth effortlessly. The next look on her face told me that she hadn't mean to say those words out loud. I laughed anyway, trying to ease her worries.
"Is that really what you think, Roma?" I half heartedly smiled. She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, her face still the bright shade of red it was before.
"It's not like it matters. Let's go into town today to buy me some clothes that actually fit. Something tells me I'm going to be stuck like this for a while." Roma let out, standing and making her way back to her room. She stopped in the hallway before entering her door. Without turning around, she mumbled "...And thanks for the mediocre churros," before vanishing into the room.