(RomanoXEngland)

(Fantasy AU)

A/N: So when a lovely reader asked for a bit of Romano and Iggy I instantly thought of this and it's also for Writers Anonymous Broken Object Challenge.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. They were supposed to save the world from the brink, then he would ride off into the sunset with the man he's grown to love like no other. No matter how sappy and cliché it was it would be his happy ending. He earned it after all, to be happy just once in his life.

Now, instead clouds of darkness swirl above them as the sirens scream from the portal of hell below their feet. "Lovino." He manages to hear above the howling winds around them. "What did,"

"I didn't mean to, I fucking didn't mean to!" He screams back not letting the oracle finish his question. "It just slipped out of my hands." Lovino can't hide the terror in his voice, not that he cares anymore. They're going to be dragged down to the bottom of hell and it's all his fault. The lean Italian sinks to his knees, covering his ears as his eyes clamp shut as the actions of the last hour plays in his head over and over like a broken record.

He was so close to going home and being out of his younger brother's shadow for good. All he had to do was carry the idol up to the altar and let the blond man do the rest. A simple prayer, a few candles and, with any luck a shared kiss. But fate like always had different plans and the idol he had carried for two months lay shattered like stained glass around him.

There's only one thought he has. "Why?" It's muttered quietly as Arthur takes him by the shoulder. His eyes open slowly, tears starting to streak down his cheeks. "I'm sorry I don't know what happened. I had a grip on it then."

"No I'm sorry Love," Arthur says with weak smile, tears in the corner of his own eyes. "I should have told you earlier."

It sends a shiver down Lovino's spine, he knew the shorter man had been hiding a few things from him but, to hide this is almost inexcusable. "Did, did you know this was going to fucking happen!?" His fear is instantly replaced with anger. "You said we were going to save the world not fucking rip it apart!"

Arthur doesn't blink; instead the green eyed man leans in, planting a kiss on his companion's forehead. His voice is as calm as ever. "We are but, this is where we part ways." Without another word the British man stands and walks slowly to the edge of the chasm. The hellfire licks at his bare feet but just as he's about to dive in he hears one last question above the cries.

"If you saw this, why didn't you try to change it?" It tears at Arthur's heart but he's already rehearsed his answers.

Turning slightly Arthur can barely look him in the eyes. "It's fate."

"Fuck fate."

It gets a pained chuckle. "You say that now. Let's face it Love we're both fucks up in this world and this is for the best. I die a martyr and you go home a hero. What we never had in life we'll have in death. They'll talk about us for decades if not centuries to come. "

Lovino takes a step forward, for once in his short life he's not tempted to run. He's going to stay and fight if only this one time. "Who said I want to be a hero? I'm not your little brother; I'm the one that's been here since the very beginning of this stupid thing. Doesn't that mean anything?" When he sees Arthur turn back he cries out again. "Arthur, Arthur...fuck you Iggy! Fuck you and your god damn," he says, his voice catching in his throat. "Please don't leave me." Every wall he's built up comes crashing down in an instant as he reaches out for Arthur's hand. "At least," he's interrupted with a deep kiss full of the love both tried to avoid.

It's one that both wish could go on forever but time isn't on their side. "One day I'll come back and take you home."

"Don't give me that shit. A man once said that to my sister and she's still waiting."

"True but I'm not just a soldier going off to war and you know by now I keep my promises." Quickly Arthur shoves his cross into his companion's hands as he pushes back into the abyss. His fate was sealed from the very beginning and his only regret in the world being that he fell in love with a man he was destine to leave behind. "I love you."

"Arthur!"

The darkness swallows the man as a single ray of pure light shoots skyward blinding the surrounding area in a white glow. The screaming and howling winds cease leaving the country side shrouded silence. The chasm that was there moments before is nothing but a scar on the earth with no signs of the man within. Even the broken idol has seem to vanish into thin air as well as the altar, they had worked so long to get to is gone without a trace. With one hand still clutching the cross Lovino touches the earth as a single bird starts to sing from a nearby tree.

As the robin continues it's joyful song, Lovino turns back to his horse as every conversation plays back in his head. The one from the night before comes back to him as he takes the reigns. Its meanings brought into a new light. It was short and wasn't different from anything else they had talked about an yet it gnaws at him.

"How do you know we'll actually win? For all we know we're riding into disaster."

"Have you really lost your faith already?"

"No...no I suppose I haven't."

"Good." Arthur said with a smile that seemed so beautiful in the dying light. "Never do, it's what will see us out to the end. It's what we need, it helps us clean our souls."

With a sigh he mounts his horse looking around for the last time before riding off into the sunset alone. "I'm sorry I lied...I never had faith in anything but you." Slowly he slides the cross into his breast pocket. "Hopefully your soul is clean enough for the both of us."