World Diversity
Axis Powers Hetalia
Pairing(s): Greece x Rome [The City, not Ancient Rome], Greece x South Italy
Warnings: Uh, sorta-angst? Feelsy. Fluff. Reincarnation/Rebirth of sorts, also running with a headcanon of mine that Romano/Lovino/South Italy was once originally Rome the City and was reborn as Italy (and subsequently became South Italy when Feliciano/Veneziano/Italy came along.) That's about it. Enjoy.

Notes: I had half of this done for a long while and then depression hit and life waylaid me and ughh. I finally kicked my butt into finishing it. Now, if I can drum up enough will to work on Turn of the Cards and my other projects, we'll be back in business. xDD Anyway, read on people. -hearts-

Prompt: Rebirth/Reincarnation.

Greece slept.

It was as chronic for him to be asleep as it was chronic for America to be eating burgers.

Both because of his economic instability and simply because he enjoyed sleep.

Sleep gave him reprieve. Sleep let him dream.

Dreams carried him through.

Because being awake in reality only brought grief and longing.

He slept to dream, and dream he did.

He dreamed of the past, and of things lost by the filter of time.

Sometimes, he could almost swear the dreams of his memories were as vivid as they had been when they had actually happened.

Sometimes, he could still hear that unforgettable voice...

"Heracles,"

That voice that was filled with so much warmth and love, that always spoke to him in only Old Latin and early Greek.

The voice that belonged to the one he loved so dearly.

The voice of someone long gone.

He could still see them so vividly in his dreams, their dark, sun-kissed skin that made the white of their toga stand out even more, and the smile they let come to their face whenever they were together.

Awakening to reality was something Greece hated, because the ache in his heart always came back.

Though, sometimes, he awoke and the feeling was not there, and the dreams the night before had felt so real.

Sometimes, he felt as if someone had actually been there with him, and that voice... As if it were speaking right in his ear.

But that was impossible...

Rome was long gone.

Not Ancient Rome, not Romulus, though he adored that man greatly, it was not he whom he had fallen in love with.

Ancient Rome was but the name of the whole province, but Rome the City... That was someone entirely different from Romulus.

And that was the one whom Greece loved.

Rome the City had fallen and been reborn time and time again, as long as Greece could remember, and with each rebirth, that being only seemed to get more and more beautiful.

And there had been a time he got to call Rome his own.

And Rome always looked at him with such devotion; their expression honest and open, hiding nothing.

They showered him with affection, with warm smiles, kisses, and gifts, speaking naught but words of sweet, honest love.

But one day Rome disappeared.

Rome disappeared, and with them, took Greece's heart.

Try as he might, and as far as he searched, he could never find any trace of Rome, as if they ceased to exist.

He didn't dare ask Ancient Rome, out of fear of blame being placed on him, for he knew how much Romulus loved Rome, too.

After all, he would not fight so hard to return to Rome's side and bring them a rebirth whenever they fell or were conquered.

So he left it at that, a hole in his heart where Rome once was, and the years moved on, blurring and mixing as time continued to shift forward.

He slept to dream.

To dream of his beloved Rome.

One night, however, things changed.

"Heracles," The sound of Rome's voice resounded around and through him.

But even as it did, the image before him fizzled, blurred lines beginning to edge across the scenery.

Reality encroaching upon him once again.

He fought against it, he wanted to stay asleep... To stay. Stay with Rome.

"Heracles, open your eyes... Please..."

That voice... No longer did it sound the way it did when he dreamed. No, this voice... Too real, too loud to be a dream...

Reluctantly, he let go of the dream, let the images fade back into the recesses of his consciousness as he slowly cracked his eyes open.

Night still embraced his part of the world and his vision was greeted by the view of his own room.

And that brought an ache to his heart again.

However his mind began to surface to reality some more and he became aware of the presence behind him.

A hand settled itself over his, a weight shifted, and Greece didn't dare move or make a sound.

"Heracles," Their voice whispered into his ear, and his body shivered, eyes slipping closed as he took in the sound. It was slightly different, the tone a little deeper, but unmistakable.

When he breathed in, he could smell the scent of the earth, as well as the faintest traces of almonds and water lily. He was aware of his increasing heart rate, the way it began to pound.

His ache had become three times stronger, but he was still clutched with fear. Fear that he'd finally lost himself to madness and was merely imagining it all.

"Have I finally lost my mind? Or are you real?" He dared to ask, breaking the silence that had settled.

The warmth that was resting atop his hand from the others moved slightly, just enough until that hand slipped into his own, and he felt the dizzying, but gentle warmth as those fingers threaded between his.

That same voice answered, "What do you think?"

What did he think... He wanted so badly to believe. He wanted to turn, to see his beloved Rome's face again.

"I want, with every part of my being to believe it's you... But after so long, how can I ever truly know?" He answered.

To that, there was a soft noise, similar to a sigh, but with a gentle lilt, like a quiet laugh.

"Let me tell you a story, and you may choose from there whether to believe." The voice replied quietly.

He gave a wordless nod and felt the shift behind him, and took in the feel of the warmth radiating from the body behind him. The hand in his never left.

"Once," The voice began, "I was the City of Rome. My name, Amarus. I was Grandfather Rome's favorite. No matter how many other young nations or other cities he raised, he always came back to me. We rose, we fought, I saw glory, and I saw destruction. I would fall as many times as I was rebuilt. I was quite naive back then, I believed I could have whatever and whoever I wanted, when I wanted. Most of the wars fought were arguably my fault because of my ways, and I would fall in that selfish desire of mine for love. Time and again, rebirth after rebirth, Grandfather would bring me back. And for a while, I did have love. And I was happy; I had the most devoted, kind lover one could ever ask for. One who spoiled me, treated me as if I were one of the Gods, would have brought down the world should I but ask for it."

Greece felt his heart beating hard again, eyes falling closed as he listened to the words, he could recall all of this story avidly in his head.

"But nothing ever stays the same or lasts, not even for ones like us. Change was coming, it was something my Grandfather felt in his soul. I loved, but my love and loyalty for my Grandfather was stronger than my devotion to even Greece. Grandfather told me he could feel the change, and that he would soon have to leave. I did not understand, but I knew I would do whatever I must to help. When I asked, he gave a grave smile, warned me of the pain and the subsequent potential consequences of my choice and asked me once more if I were ready. I stayed far longer at Grandfather's side as it was, all of the others had either left and become their own Nations or had eventually settled or become parts of another Nation. I was Rome. I was strong. I knew, whatever pain, I could handle. I said yes. What I agreed to... What I did... Very few beings ever go through. I went through a willing Rebirth. I allowed my Grandfather to basically kill me in order to reform me into something new, something different. I let him remake me anew into what it was he needed me to be." The voice continued, telling their story in a worn, tired tone.

Greece's eyes had opened and widened as he continued to listen, taking in the words the other said.

"I can remember the pain from being reborn, remade. When I awoke, it was with barely any memories, and I was a child once more. But it was different. I was different. I felt...stronger. Stronger than I ever had been as a City itself. I was suddenly aware of more people. These people... They were mine. I had been reborn as a potential Nation. Grandfather told me I would need to grow again, to experience and learn. He gave me a new name, and he said I would slowly remember everything from my former life, but he needed me like this because there was a new soul that was forming, one that needed to be protected at all costs. This soul...was fragile, gentle. I remember it connecting to me like nothing else ever had. It became part of me, and I allowed it to. It grew, and so did I. This bond is near codependent, that soul... If this link were ever to be severed, they would most likely die, even now. I wouldn't die, not as a Nation. My body would continue on, but me, this mind and human body, this soul I have would die.

"And so I have grown, gone through wars, been through hell and back, rising from a small colony to a fully strong, independent Nation with my brother at my side. All while slowly regaining the pieces of my memories of my time as Rome. I'm here, both because you should know the truth, and if you're willing to accept me as I am now... I want to stay at your side again. I searched for so long, for a piece that was missing inside of me, insatiably craving warmth and affection and never finding what I wanted with others. I finally remembered just what that piece was. It was you, Heracles. So... If you can believe my words, and accept me as I am, I'll stay. And if you don't, I will let go, and I won't bring it up again."

Greece was quiet, trying to take in and absorb the words and information and process it all. His mind was already beginning to draw conclusions and parallels, the pieces falling into the blanks and filling it. Things began to make sense.

However, some part of him still hesitated. If all of this was true, then... It ultimately meant...

"You were reborn as Italy...?"

"Yes... I allowed Grandfather to reshape me into the being that has become Italy. Or, South Italy, since I relinquished the title of Italy to my brother, as I said, so he wouldn't die. He was very fragile since he was a new soul, everything that he learned and is, he drew from me through our bond. He had to learn things at twice the speed as I did to survive. I went through my own personal hell growing up again, but here I am. I'm a lot more jaded, pessimistic and cynical, I have a lot more issues, and potentially I'm the biggest problematic loser, but remembering fully who I was has somewhat helped and allowed me to overcome some of the issues I've had in this lifetime. I can't change who I am now, and part of me doesn't want to go back to being the way I was, either. The best I can do is try to blend the best parts of myself from both worlds as it were. I'm not Amarus anymore, not fully. Perhaps at my core, since my heart and soul is still that of Rome, but I am more than that now, and I prefer the name I have now."

Greece's brows furrowed for a long time, and he felt his tiredness seep back into his body, but he fought it off. Now was not the time for sleep, no matter how apathetic he normally was. He'd spent so long wishing for Rome to return to him, now that this moment was here, even if it was not the way he particularly imagined or expected, he had to give an answer.

He willed for his body to move, and with some effort, sat up, letting his hand momentarily slip from the others, before slowly turning and letting his gaze settle upon the Nation beside him. Even with the room dark, due to his eyes still being adjusted, he could see their features clearly.

South Italy sat beside him, his eyes practically glowing in the dark from the shade of hazel-green they were. He could remember Rome's eyes-they were not that colour, they were more honey-brown, their luminous gold-tones shimmering. His skin was tan, but Rome's had been even darker. His hair had been longer, wavier, similar more to his, and the shade of brown more like the earth's rather than sienna. Rome had also been a little taller, and had a slightly different physique shape. Despite the differences and contrast, Greece could immediately see the connections and parallels and the reasons why Romulus remade him the way he did.

The other was silent and still, but Greece could see the tenseness to their form and the anxiety and fear that swam in depths of their eyes. That was one thing that he'd always noticed, and now made sense-he'd always realized South Italy's eyes reflected the things he felt, even if his facial expression did not. Rome's eyes always reflected similarly, along with his expression.

It was different, they were different. The other said so themselves, and he realized this. Even so, he still found that he wasn't that surprised with this revelation, and some part of him felt more than happy to know, at the least, that Rome really hadn't disappeared.

He reached out with his hand and placed it on the other Nation's, grasping it before pulling the other near, enough so that he could see the other's face up close. It had taken on a soft, rosy hue that he could see even in the dark, and the others eyes seemed surprised, the fear still there, but small hope was flickering through, but looked as if the other was fighting to keep that part blocked away. It hurt him to see that, because what he did know of South Italy's life, it wasn't easy and he'd come to expect rejection and to be pushed away by others.

He reached out with his other hand and placed it on their cheek, brows furrowing for a moment as he fought off another wave of lethargy and to form a coherent sentence.

"It might be different now, but that's... That's alright. Just knowing that Rome didn't disappear like I feared, that brings me so much joy; and knowing instead they chose to selflessly go through what they did? I think I could fall back in love with that fact alone. You may have changed, you may no longer be Amarus, but that depth of love and care you hold hasn't changed at all, it's still there in the depths of your eyes." Greece murmured, giving the other a faint smile.

He pulled the other Nation close, slipping their arms around them, and he felt the other's body tremble, before he felt their face bury into the crook of his neck and arms wind tightly around him in return. They were speaking, but it was a garble of words, in different languages. English, Italian, Greek, Latin. Just words attempting to express the relief and happiness the other felt.

He could feel his own heart racing, aching but in a different way now. Where it had felt heavy and ached with pain, it now felt lighter than air and ached with joy. He could feel his body going lax again so he pulled the other further onto the bed beside him and pulls them down and into his arms, the other not complaining and followed wordlessly.

"It's enough... This is enough. It's different, but it's okay. We can figure things out more...later... Just stay here with me." Greece mumbled out, and he felt how the other shifted marginally, just enough to become comfortable with the embrace before their head found its place in his neck and under his chin again, letting out that sound again-that sound similar to a sigh and a laugh rolled into one, accompanied by a quiet hum.

"Not going anywhere... I'll stay until you tell me to go." The other assured.

He could feel himself growing tired, but for once, Greece didn't want to sleep.

For the first time in so long, he wanted to will his eyes to remain open, to simply stay suspended in this moment, be allowed all the time he wanted to take it in and process. He wanted to stay awake just to make sure the other wasn't going to just disappear, like he feared.

But he could feel his eyes slipping closed as his body became heavy, and with that, could feel his mind slowly numbing down and the conscious fears and worries were going along with it, and a small part of his mind reassuring him he wasn't going to lose the other.

This was South Italy, after all. As fickle and complicated they could be, they were extremely loyal to those that held their care.

Letting himself nuzzle into the locks of hair, he let himself speak words he had not in centuries.

"Lovino... Iliachtída mou."

Barely holding onto his threads of consciousness, and just before he completely slipped away into slumber, he heard an answer.

"Heracles, agápi mou..."

He slipped completely into sleep, at peace and happy.

Greece slept.

And for once, he did not dream.

He had no need to dream of the past.

Not when he had a future to wake up to.

-End-

End Notes:

Short translations:

"Iliachtída mou." = My sunshine.

"agápi mou..." = my love...

In Greek.

Basically Greece used to call Rome his sunshine/light and Rome always responded with just calling him his heart or love.

Also, about the name Amarus that I chose for Rome:

Long story short, it means 'unfading love', and basically references to the fact Rome/South Italy both seem to love very deeply and, as he mentioned, back when he was Rome, his affections and selfishness in his love/care/want/desire brought about most of the wars over control of his City. (Seriously, historically Rome was one of the most fought over places on earth both for its seat of power and its beauty. You can't tell me half of it wasn't instigated because of Amarus. if Ancient Rome is a gigantic flirt and all, i'm pretty sure so was Rome the City.)

So there's that. Anyway, that is all. Hope you enjoyed it. =D