Soo I was a little hesitant to post this chapter due to all the things going on in Italy right now but since I think that this story does need to be finished soon the next chapter will be the last so this one had to be posted before then. I will post a trigger warning for the next chapter for gore just Incase. My prayers are with everyone who is suffering because of this virus.

No one ever realized not since he was little how much he actually cared.

Spain, his grandfather not even Feliciano knew.

Romano was used to that.

Used to being ignored. Sure when he was young he would lash out at how unrecognized he was. He reacted angry and stubborn, but eventually he would learn that he didn't really care about the fact no one realizing he was Italy too. Sure he was still stubborn and hated being mushy but it became less about how ignored he felt and more about how he never learned to express his feelings. He guessed that Spain had helped with the felling of being less than. Spain had showered him with attention. He remembered that sometimes he would do something bad like he always did. And instead getting the normal negative attention he expected, Spain had just helped him clean up and then took him for ice cream. He stretched in front of the mirror. He noticed he had dark circles but he couldn't help but smile. Lithuania had been found and maybe just maybe they would find the best father figure he had ever had as well. Lithuania's return had brought hope back into the house. Poland had cried for three hours after the story was told, Lithuania had been smiling. Touching his chest, he felt the Pulse Of Rome beating quickly inside himself. The city had been damaged slightly by the darkness but it still stood strong. He smiled remembering something precious his grandfather had taught him.

"If Rome falls we all do." His grandfather had whispered to him on his 200th birthday. Romano hadn't believed him but now seeing how Matthew still desperately clinging to him and how Germany had come in asking about Feliciano.

Feliciano.

He needed him to make sure that everyone was okay. Centuries ago Romano would have relished being in charge of everyone but now it was to much. He wondered if he had simply liked the idea of power because he never had it. But he hated the responsibility of being the keeper of the keys to everyone's emotions. Maybe Matthew would sleep tonight, maybe Italy wouldn't be suffering, and maybe he and Prussia could go drinking like he knew the equally stressed Gilbert wanted. He ran a hand though his hair and exited the bathroom.

"Romano Help! Something is wrong with Italy." A distinctly German voice echoed down the hall.

Before he took to running down the hall he glanced up.

His knowledge of theology knew was he was wrong but his heart wondered if sometimes God was cruel.

———————

Alfred knew something was wrong by the simple fact that he in one sudden movement remembered everything.

His brother

His father

His name.

The bombs the volcano the pain the

Everything.

He cried out has he felt olive arms wrap around him and a scratchy beard against his back.

"Hush little empire." Rome had whispered. "Your time is

Nearly up."

Alfred tried to relax but thousands of memories were pour through his mind. Hundreds of mistakes, choices regrets.

He was being swallowed by his own memory.