"Veneziano, I don't understand. He's hurt you so much. The bastard left you twice already. Why even bother any more?"
Romano looked at me with his arms crossed. I was pacing around our kitchen. Would Germany let me in if I went to his house? How much pasta should I take?
"I have to make him understand. He has to understand that I'm not just going to let him be alone anymore. He's feeling so much more hurt than I am. I have to go back. I don't know why, Romano. Haven't you ever felt like that?"
Romano blushed. His face turned red and puffed out. He was starting to look like a tomato. The doorbell rang. Romano's face drained. He sighed and went to go answer the door.
"What the hell do you want?" I scowled. Romano really shouldn't answer our door like that.
"I-is Italy…I mean your brother, is he home today?" I knew the voice, Muddled as it was, I could recognize it anywhere.
"What's it to you, you potato eating bastard?"
"There's something…there's something very important I want to talk with him about. Can I see him? I would understand if he doesn't want to though…"
"I'm right here." I said. When Germany saw me, his back became perfectly straight. He was at full attention. I couldn't help but laugh to myself.
"I'm warning you! If you say anything that would mildly hurt my sorellina's feelings, I will personally blitzkrieg your fucking face."
"U-understood!"
I stepped out side and closed the door. I gave Germany a smile. "You wanted to talk to me about something?"
"Ja…I'm still not very good at Italian. Your brother called you sorellina, what does it mean?"
"Oh, nothing that's just a pet name he gave me a long time ago." I said quickly. Germany took me by the hand and led me off the porch. We walked a ways and found a stream. I asked if we could stop for a bit.
I peeled off my boots, rolled up my pant legs and waded in the shallow stream. The cool water felt good in the hot summer sun. I turned quickly to gesture to Germany to come in too. My foot slipped and I fell face first into the water. My uniform was soaked.
"Are you okay, Italy?" Germany waded to me, not bothering to take off hid boots.
"Yeah, I'm just a little clumsy." I peeled off my pants and shirt and threw them to the shore.
"Wear this," he said, stripping off his uniform jacket. He wore a tight-fitting undershirt underneath. His face was getting red. Was he getting hot too? "You'll get sun burnt if you don't wear something."
"Oh! Thank you." His jacket was too big for me, but it smelled nice. Just like Germany.
Germany took my hand and led me to a rock ledged over the stream. We sat down. The water was at the right level for me to keep my toes dipped in.
Italy, I'm really sorry. I-I didn't know how to react back then, and I handled the situation badly. I hope you'll forgive me."
It had come to this already. It had almost seemed for a moment that we had slipped back to the time before that happened but time can't be reversed that easily.
"I understand. I had said something shocking. Anyone would have reacted like that. But, I can't forgive you for doing nothing wrong."
"No, I was wrong. I gave you the wrong impression."
Wrong impression? What was there to get wrong? I knew why he pushed me away. He couldn't possibly return my feelings.
"Japan was right, about pride. I hung onto it so closely, but I was holding onto what was hurting me," he said. He turned his face towards me. His eyes were a flawless blue, peering into me and exposing more of his soul than I had ever seen. They were beautiful. "I let what I had been brought up with hide what was going on around me. I knew that you loved me before you even told me, but I refused to acknowledge it. I was a coward. I couldn't recognize what I was feeling if it jumped up and bit me."
With hesitation, Germany placed his hand on my face. His fingers played with my hair.
"I'm throwing out all the rules now. This is really unnatural for me, but I think I'll be okay if I'm with you. You see rules are there to tell you what's right and what's wrong. Deep down, being with you feels right, so that's what I'm going to do. What I'm trying to say is that Italy, I love you."
He glided down to me, placing his lips on mine. It was gentle and hesitant at first. I put my hands on either side of his face and pulled myself into the kiss. I couldn't be close enough to him. He followed my, our passion matched in this kiss for the first time. I felt the best being with Germany like this. I felt complete for the first time. The moment didn't last long.
Germany had gone limp. I was the only one contributing.
"Germany, what's wrong?" He was out cold. A sheen of sweat started to form on his face.
I noticed something odd. My hands were red. In fact, my whole entire field of vision was turning red. My body hurt as if I was being changed from the very core. Was this the curse trying to ruin my happiness again? After a minute the pain stopped, and the red receded. I was breathing heavily. I looked at my hands. They were smaller, and I didn't remember the sleeves of Germany's jacket being this long. I looked down. I knew I hadn't had breasts before; they were barely covered by his jacket. I fastened it up as best I could.
"Italy," Germany muttered deliriously. He had grown feverish. I needed to get him home.
I slipped on my pants and fastened my belt at the last notch. They were still too baggy but they would have to do. My boots would be ay to big, so I didn't bother to put them back on. My feet sank into the mud under Germany's weight. He was so much heavier to me, and he wasn't helping me this time. I had made it to Germany's porch and I collapsed. I sat up and put Germany's head on my lap. I tried to wipe the sweat off as best I could. The door opened. A man with white-blonde hair and ruby eyes looked down at us.
"Well that's a first, I don't think I've seen you around before. You must be that girl that Germany's been thinking about lately. Kesesesese! Stupid brother tries to hide things from The awesome Prussia, but Prussia will find out all your secrets! Eh, he finally manages to land a pretty girl like you and he feints on you." He lifted Germany off me. I reached for him as he was taken away from me.
"Don't worry your pretty little face, I'll take good care of West." He flung Germany over his shoulder.
"Oh okay," I approached the man and kissed the forehead of the face resting on his shoulder. Germany's brother blushed from my sudden display of affection. "Tell him that I'll want to see him as soon as he wakes up."
I left knowing I really had nothing to worry about. I had to be confidant the Germany would be okay. He would still love me when he woke up. It would be hard to explain to him that I'm actually a girl, but I'm sure he would understand.
I waved at my brother, who was waiting for me at the porch. I started to run towards him. He was surprised when I suddenly hugged him I started to cry.
"Why are you wearing his stinking jacket? He didn't try anything…wait." He hugged me closer and then pulled me away. He could see the changes of my body. He hugged me closer, our tears of happiness mingling.
"La mia sorella! La mia sorellina! Il mio piccolo angelo perfecto! Vi ho mancato così tanto! Non mai lascio…"* He rambled on in Italian. My curse was finally gone. Germany had really loved me. His love for me had broken the spell. I would miss being a boy, but I knew my life belonged in the body of a girl. My life belonged to loving Germany.
* My sister. My little sister. My little perfect angel. I missed you so much! I won't ever let…
