This is kinda late, but I really wanted to write about this, especially with the twins. History wise, of course.
/= [1684] =/
He hated the Spaniard with all his guts. No matter what, he was constantly abusing him and his sister for his own personal gains. And he didn't even seem to care about it. Out of all the nations that have tried to take over them, none of them could ever match his hatred for that man. He wanted him to suffer. He wanted him to die a slow and painful death.
Make that bastard feel everything that he had done to them.
/= [2011] =/
Rizal knew something was wrong the minute he saw Charice's face go completely pale on the screen.
He looked up next to her and saw that the computer was screaming headlines that never hit the TV: "SPAIN EARTHQUAKES 2011: TWO TEMBLORS CAUSE MULTIPLE DEATHS." The article went on to say things such as where it struck and what magnitude it was. It wasn't anything near, say, Kiku's levels, but a 5.5 was still an earthquake.
"Hm…so the bastard Spaniard finally got a big blow in the 21st Century." He sighed / spat. "Oh well, he was always prone to the shakes."
"Kuya…people died in this." Charice stated. "God, how is Antonio now…?"
"He's fine, don't worry about it." Rizal countered. "Spain gets earthquakes every year, nothing that big a deal. Come on, I even saw him today. He blew it all off with that idiotic smile on his face, no big deal."
"How can you even say something like that, kuya?"
"I'm just not that worried." Secretly, he was pleased. The one that happened in 1956, while a lot heavier, seemed to be a distant memory now. "He's a nation, he'll be fine."
"…I really hope so."
She started biting her lip and thumb, making Rizal turn his head in confusion and sigh quietly to himself. Since when did she start caring for that son of a bitch anyway? Had she forgotten everything that happened between the both of us?
/=+=/
He decided that he was going to go ahead of Charice to the meeting hall in order to clean up the mess that she and Alfred started (concerning the fact that somehow a FOOD FIGHT started?). As he headed toward the place, he saw a familiar person walking in front of him in a slow pace. He really didn't want to talk to him, but he turned around and smiled.
"Hola, Rizal." He smiled.
"…tch." Guess there was no way around it. "Kumusta, Antonio."
Just to be nice, Rizal went up to walk next to the Spaniard, who seemed surprised and ultimately happy at that notion. But when he realized that he wasn't going to say another word, he decided to drop the topic. That surprised Rizal, for Antonio was a guy who never seemed to know what the hell the situation was doing. It was then that he realized that he was walking with a strange yet hidden limp.
"What's wrong with your leg?"
"Eh? Oh, I just twisted my ankle, no big deal." He laughed. "Don't worry about it."
"I'm not. I'm just remarking." Rizal spat. So the bastard's going to lie about it now?
It was about that time that a little boy kicked a soccer ball toward their direction and smacked Antonio in the back. Normally, it would leave him with a bit of pain that he would continually keep questioning until Rizal finally decided that he was annoying and tell him that he got smacked with a soccer ball. He opened his mouth in order to tell him-
And instead saw a small spatter of blood.
He blinked as he saw a huge gash open up on Antonio's back and blood come out of his lips, then saw him crash into the ground. Five seconds later, Rizal knelt down to his side as people started panicking and calling for an ambulance. Antonio's eyes opened weakly, and for the first time he saw pain and vulnerability in them.
"Hah…hah…" He was actually smiling in this moment. "No worries…I'm…still fine…"
"You're coughing up blood, dumbass." Rizal spat. "You're not fine."
"…you worry too much…Ri…zal…"
Next thing he knew, he was calling up an ambulance on his own phone. He had no idea what was running through his blood. Was it fear?
/=+=/
Five seconds later, everyone was waiting in the hospital room for any news on the Spaniard. Feliciano was crying on Charice's shoulder, Gilbert and Francis were talking to themselves, and Lovino was nowhere to be found. Rizal couldn't help but note this, though he did find him sitting in front of the door to Antonio's room cursing to himself.
"Are you OK?"
Lovino didn't say anything, leaving Rizal to stare at the door holding the Spaniard. For some reason, he actually felt scared about what was going to happen next. What was going to happen to Antonio…?
"Hey, you bastard."
"Hm?"
"Did Antonio say anything about this?"
"…no. He just said hi and tried to talk to me." He answered, sighing. "It was only after he got hit with a ball that all this happened."
"It was because of the earthquake. He can't use his leg properly now because of it." Lovino spat. "I can't believe he's not using that damn crutch."
"He's on crutches?"
"He's supposed to be on them, but like the dumbass would ever show vulnerability." Lovino sighed. "He never liked showing them to me."
"No?"
"He was either worried about me or liked showing off, I don't even know anymore." He looked up. "Maybe he was worried about me."
"…Antonio must've really cared about you back then."
"Fucking bitch cared for me like his freakin' baby. I hated it." He sighed. "Wanted to make me stronger or whatnot."
It was then that he knew. Antonio wasn't a completely heartless douchebag back then. He had a feeling about it, but for some reason it's affecting him now. It was also then that he understood why Charice didn't hate him anymore: she knew about this all along. Rizal rubbed his forehead. Why in the world was he worrying now…?
/=+=/
After a few minutes, visitors were allowed. Everyone spent hours standing by his side, wondering if the earthquake had affected him that much. It was the same as with Kiku, but they had no idea he was going to be in a coma for this long. People kept leaving even more worried than when they entered. He took a breath and entered the room.
Antonio was sleeping on the bedside, the heart monitors saying that everything was all right with him. He sighed and took a seat next to him, staring at the innocent face that he had never seen in the last three hundred years of his life with him and yet probably showered Lovino with.
"…I should've known that you have weaknesses. I've exploited a lot of them before." He sighed. "So how in the world did I not know about something like this?"
He was sleeping, making this less awkward.
"Here I thought you were like Ivan or something, playing nice just to get back my sister for your own needs. How was I supposed to know that you had a heart?" He looked to the window. "I guess we're no different…I guess I did get something from you."
He sighed, his past running through his mind.
"I'll never forget everything that happened between the both of us…and I might not ever completely forgive you…but at least I can finally start now." He sighed. "Now don't you go dying on us or else I'm going to see Lovino crying for once."
He left the room, not seeing Antonio's eyes slowly open and tear just a little.
/=+=/
There was an earthquake a few months after Japan's earthquake in the south-eastern part of Spain, causing 12 deaths and 70 injuries. They are still recovering, but a lot better than Japan.
