A/N: So, here is ChibitaliaxHRE, per request. I don't know why I had such a hard time with this! I have a really hard time writing HRE. And not because I don't like him, but because I feel like there is so much more to him than this wimpy little kid who grows up to be Prussia's little brother (which makes him awesome by association) and then Germany (I fully support the HRE-grows-up-to-be-Germany) but I always feel like I do a sucky job of doing him justice. Oh, well.

Warning: Genderbending Ahead

Kind of...


Italia loved many things.

She loved pasta.

She loved Nonno Rome.

She loved Sorella.

She loved drawing and painting.

She loved cheese.

She loved kitties.

She loved Big Brother Spain.

She loved Miss Hungary.

And, sometimes, she loved Mr. Austria.

But there was something else that was nagging at her.

If you asked Italia if she loved Holy Roma, of course she would say 'yes'.

He was kind and considerate and made her feel pretty and all warm and fuzzy inside and he turned this really pretty shade of red whenever she talked to him, whatever that meant!

But, as much as Italia loved pasta and kitties, she would almost have to say that she loved Holy Rome…more.

Maybe not more than pasta.

But definitely more than kitties and even more than painting and drawing!

Somewhere in the middle.

That confused Italia.

She had never loved anyone except Sorella and Nonno almost as much as pasta!

This really was confusing…

"Holy Rome! Holy Rome, look!"

Italia raced to her friend, holding up a grey cat for his inspection.

"I-Italia!" Holy Rome exclaimed in surprise.

"Look at the gattino I found!" Italia smiled, showing the cat to Holy Rome, "It looks like you, don't you think?"

Holy Rome stared at the cat's blue eyes for a second, contemplating the safest path, before deciding on, "I-It's a very nice cat, Italia."

The blonde nation mentally smacked himself for saying something so lame, but Italia beamed at him in a way that suggested that Christmas had come early.

"It's a wonderful gattino, Holy Rome!" she exclaimed, "I found it in Mr. Austria's house eating some left-over sausage. Do you think it's hungry?"

Holy Rome stared at the cat some more.

All he saw was a cat.

But, it did look a bit…lonely…

And maybe a tad hungry…

Oh dear, Italia was starting to rub off on him.

"Do you have any sausages, Italia?" Holy Roma asked.

Italia beamed, her gold eyes glittering with innocence and happiness and making Holy Rome blush.

"Holy Rome," Italia said thoughtfully, "You always turn red when I talk to you!"

Holy Rome's face fell.

She was sure to hate him now.

"It's a very pretty color," Italia continued, "I wish I could find a paint that color!"

The blonde nation breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's go get some sausages for our little gattino~!" Italia sang as she marched towards the house.

She stopped and turned when Holy Rome didn't follow her.

"Come on, Holy Rome!" Italia called.

Holy Rome felt himself smiling a little, "Coming!"

Holy Rome wasn't really sure what he thought about Italia.

She made him all warm and fuzzy inside.

Made him feel welcomed, needed even, and that was a rarity in this day and age.

She reminded him of sunshine and flowers and cats and pasta.

Italia was all the wonder that the world still held, her happiness contagious and her personality intoxicating.

He never seemed to be able to act right around her, though.

He would turn red and be nervous and excited at the same time and he would get all flustered and-

What on earth was he supposed to do whenever she was around, anyway?

He was the Holy Romano Empire for goodness sake, he shouldn't be flustered over a little girl.

But she was more than that and he knew it.

So much more than that.