He stumbled as he took that last final step, his breathing ragged as he fell down onto the soft gentle dirt.

Thump.

"...Hah!" He said nothing, letting out a slight chuckle as he lay there face down against the grass. Why did he chuckle? Well it was simple, the old him would have cursed, cry out shit! And denounce the dirt. But now? He didn't. He couldn't.

He had changed after all. Much like every single nation over the centuries…Yes, he really did change.

What once was pride, and arrogance, was now replaced with a facade. What once was genuine, awesome pride and glory was now exhaustion and depression. He didn't know when it happened per say, he only knew why.

He was tired.

Exhausted.

Spent.

He was a husk of his former shell. With naught but the bad parts remaining. Violence, and fear to be exact. Well, one could argue that that was now his younger brother's, Germany's responsibility. But that was a moot point. He knew, deep inside, he knew.

It was his example, his violence, his militarism that was the catalyst for most of Germany's problems.

He was a special case, he should have died. But for some reason, he didn't. He was still alive, albeit very weak. But there were moments where he regained bits and pieces of his old strength back. And all of those times were when Germany was at war, or when there was a period of fierce conflict inside the country. Nationalism, terrorism, hatred, violence, you name it.

That was why he had changed. It was…well, it was pointless. All of this hatred, this violence, quite frankly, he was too exhausted for it. At first, whenever Germany had internal conflicts, he would be happy, glad and prideful that he managed to regain a fraction of his former strength. He would crackle, boast and rub it in their faces.

"…Perhaps that was when this all started.." He uttered out softly, HER face flashing through his mind.

She, along with all the others would all look at him with faces of disgust, disappointment and sadness. They were all appalled whenever he regained his strength because whenever that happened, it meant that people, most of the time, innocent people were getting hurt.

After perhaps the umpteenth time, when he saw everyone gathering around Germany to give him their support, was when it hit him.

He realized that they no longer saw him as a nation, they no longer saw him as anything really, noone, hell, not even his own brother talked to him. And on the rare occasion that they did, it was simply as a courtesy, like when you meet an acquaintance at a supermarket.

He realized…no, he knew that they saw him as a nuisance. He never changed, he was still the arrogant, boastful, war hungry prussia that always invaded his neighbors with no remorse. He was the bully, he was the one that prevented peace.

But what could he do? Apologize? Try to make amends? No. It was too late for that, and besides, he has his pride. He knew that it would do nothing for both his reputation and his own self esteem if he apologized to everyone. So he bottled it up, and still remained the same boastful, ignorant idiot that he ever was.

I mean, it was simply too late. Especially to the one he wants to apologize the most to. Even if he apologized to her, he knew that the best he would get is pity. And he doesn't need that, doesn't want that. The last thing he wants or needs is pity. No, what he wants the most is dignity, and he knows that he won't get it from anyone but himself.

He'll die, fade away with dignity like his predecessors before him, by god he will. He'll die as the stubborn ignorant idiot, and he's fine with that.

"HRUMPH!" With a huff, he pushes himself up, and drags himself to a nearby oak tree, resting his back against it as he surveys the beautiful scenery before him. A field of lilies, as far as the eye can see, soft gentle petals, dancing and gliding in the breeze. And a warm sunny day, with nary a cloud in sight.

Overhead, a canary softly chirped, its song a melody to his ears.

"I'm such a stupid, awesome dumbass." He chuckled weakly, keeping his eyes on the tranquil scene.

"I really chose war and violence…over this?" He said with a pang in his heart.

"Ha..ha..ha!" He laughed bitterly.

"Cough!" He stops. Wincing at the pain now.

He had stopped believing.

He had stopped believing in what made him, him.

He no longer believed in violence, he no longer believed in power, and what's more, he no longer believed in his pride. Instead opting to fake it.

"Sigh." Perhaps that was what did him in.

He no longer believed. And whenever a nation stops believing, stops having faith, it generally dies.

And here's the kicker, No nation ever wishes to die, hell, even in its final hour, it shall fight, even more seriously than ever, just for a slight chance for survival.

But here he was, wishing for all of it to end. The loneliness, the foolishness and all of the regrets that have piled up.

He knows that he shall not get true tears shed for him. And he's okay with that. He's okay with dying alone. He's okay with dying whilst everyone thinks that he was a fool to the bitter end. He's okay with dying with the dignity of a man who realized that he was wrong and regretting what he has done.

He's fine with death.

And in a twisted sort of way, he's thankful for it.

This world doesn't need men like him anymore, it hasn't needed him for a long time. He was just delusional, and thought that it did.

"..." He spent the next few moments in silence, not managing to hear the sound of soft footsteps around him.

With another sigh, he takes out a smoking pipe, one he had used since the days of old, and lit it.

With trembling hands, he brought it up to his mouth, and took a huff. Coughing, he once more looked up, and was met once again with the peaceful scenery.

"...I'm…I'm fine with this." He wheezed out, a natural smile on his face for once.

"...I couldn't…I couldn't tell her how I truly felt until the very damn end….But I'm fine with this." He chuckled out softly, amused as he pictured her all too often with the displeased face that she made at him almost all too exclusively.

"Well I'm not." Her stern voice rings out. Making him raise a brow with curiosity, before all too quickly lowering it.

Great, he was beginning to hallucinate in his final hour.

"How lame, it's only Hungary, the crap wad. Looking like crap as ever I see. heh,"

"Shut up, someone who's afraid of a donut has no right to judge!" She replied with disdain as he still continued to look out into the distance, not sparing so much as a glance at her.

Heh, how masochistic, to remember the memory of when he first discovered that she was a woman. It really did seem that he truly was pathetic and worthless after all.

"And what do you mean, "Tell her how you truly felt until the damn end?" what the hell's up with that?" She asked, with growing displeasure in her voice.

"..." Wait what? He never remembered her saying anything like this? The hell?

"...?" With baffled silence, he silently and slowly turned his head, looking at a very miffed and angry Hungary.

….Shit.

"...Oh my, look at you, when did you decide that you have enough of the awesomeness and prestige to talk to the great and mighty, awesome me?" He asked, trying his best to mask the pain in his voice, hoping to god that he didn't notice the sweat that now dressed her neck and forehead.

"Enough of the crap Gilbert, what the hell exactly do you think you are doing?" She asked, damn near growling as she stood there, unmoving, while he desperately wished that she would move.

"What the awesome me is doing, is quite frankly none of your business, my apologies, but you are just to lame i'm afraid, come back when you're awesome as me…oh wait, that's impossible-"

"I said enough Gilbert!" She cut him off, this time taking another step towards him and grabbing his collar, forcing him off of the ground as he limply dangeld under her grip.

"...Why are you even here anyways? You're normally at that loser, Austria's house." He asked with disdain, a scowl on his face as he looked directly at her.

"Don't do this, just answer me!" She asked furiously, with a hint of desperation in her voice as he continued with the disdained, displeased look on his face.

"...What does it look like the awesome me is doing?" He asked, hoping that his furrowed eyes would finally get her to take the hint and leave.

"…" She pauses, for a moment, looking at him, then the field of lilies, and the petals that continue to float gently in the breeze.

A look of realization hits her, and she vehemently denies it.

"...What?...No, no! You're still you! You can't, you can't die! The German people still believe in you!" She exclaimed, connecting the dots and being even more concerned at the situation.

"You fool! The awesome Prussia shall never die! I was….uh, enjoying the scenery!" He exclaimed, lying through his teeth as she still held him in the air.

"You've always been a terrible liar. When have you ever wished to enjoy the scenery of nature?" She asked, making him gulp nervously.

"...Since now?" He replied, still keeping his scowling face, hoping to god that she falls for it and leaves. So that he can die in peace. And more importantly, alone.

"...Sigh." She finally sighs and lets go of his collar. Dropping him down onto the ground.

"I guess it can't be helped, I do enjoy looking at beautiful scenery as well, And seeing as how I'm quite tired from searching all over the place for you, I shall take a short rest beside you. Come now, scoot over." She says forcibly, shoving him as she takes a seat, her back resting against the oak tree as well.

"What? Hey!" He protested, but couldn't do anything as she forcibly took a seat next to him.

"..." He says nothing now, looking at her with extreme unease as his heart fluttered, and his cheeks slightly flushed.

"..." She says nothing either, instead prompting to look out at the scenery.

A moment of silence passes as the two both say nothing. Pretending to be caught up in the moment as they had their own thoughts and concerns.

"...Hey, so uhh, when are you going to leave-"

"You said that you were enjoying the scenery." She cut him off grimly. Now looking at him as he tried to control his breathing in front of her.

"You won't die, you said it yourself." She continued, looking at him with a pained scowl now as he winced under her gaze.

"Yep, the awesome me shall never die!-"

"Then say it!" She cut him off once more, much to his annoyance.

"Promise me that you won't die." She whispered hoarsely, the look of concern quickly taking over her stern face.

"..." He said nothing now, grinding his teeth as he avoided her gaze.

"Promise me!" She repeated once more.

"..."

"Please!…" She asked, feeling his cheek now, and oh how cold they were.

"..." He said nothing, his silence answering her as he focused his gaze on a passing lily petal.

"Is this because of me moving with Mr Austria? Is this because you're not a country anymore? Is this because of you being bullied-?" She grinded her teeth, asking him questions until he finally decided to cut her off.

"Do you remember? when we fought all those times?"

"Huh? Of course! How could I ever forget?"

"...As much as I loathe to admit, I…I always respected you. Both as a foe and a person. But over time… I felt something new….no, forget it. What's important is time. Time passed, and you moved on, everyone moved on…well except for me that is, I was always the same.."

"..." She bit her lip, not liking this one bit.

"I'm….i'm tired. I guess that would be the simple explanation. I'm simply tired." He says, chuckling a little before a violent cough overtakes him.

"But this doesn't make sense, I saw you just last week, and you were still the same old you! What the hell happened?"

"..." He remains silent, gulping as he doesn't wish to speak to her anymore, much less to look her in the face.

"Unless…Don't tell me! You've been faking it this whole time? Why on earth would you?-"

"Because it's too late." He sighed. If she already knows, then there's no need to play this childish game he thinks.

"I would rather die with everyone thinking that I was always the same old prideful, ignorant, arrogant prussian, rather than the tired pathetic man that I am now. I wished to die with dignity, something that you have just denied me." He glares at her, trying his hardest to look intimidating.

She gulps, slightly trembles as she looks at him.

"I shall die, so what? Do you expect me to seek forgiveness? To seek companionship and comfort? To die in the presence of people? No. I will die alone, I will die with dignity, well, with what little dignity I have left. I am Prussia, the country that conquered and fought, I am he who is awe, might and pride personified. I am not a babe to be comforted, nor an attention seeking coward that is scared of being by his lonesome. I AM. PRUSSIA."

"..." She trembled now, her hands now clenched into fists as she couldn't do anything.

"Now, if you get the message, I ask of you to leave, and to tell no one of what you saw today…It is the least you can do…if you still have any…just, any shred of respect for me….which I highly doubt you hold…after all, I kicked your ass so many times-"

"...What…what did you feel for me?"

"What?" He asked, taken aback by her sudden question.

"I said,'' What did you feel for me? You clearly said that you felt something new for me, what WAS IT?" She asked, holding back a sniffle as she looked him, tears watering her eyes as he gulped.

"...I…I don't see how that has anything to do with the current topic-"

"You are Awe, Might and Pride personified, so you claim. If what you say is true, then answer me!" She gulped, a single tear running down her cheek as says nothing, the words seemingly caught in his throat.

"...I.." He began, only to stop. The words were simply too painful to speak aloud.

"Enough of this, you have that loser Austria, you need not concern yourself with my opinions."

"But I do! I want your opinion of me! More importantly, I want to know how you feel about me!"

"..."

"..." She grabbed his hand now, making him hurt inside even more.

"...But Austria-"

"I don't care about Austria! I care about you! Now tell me how you feel!" She exclaimed, nearly screaming as she choked up on her words. Her tears now flowing freely down her cheeks as he tried to escape from her hand, only to have his hand gripped even harder by her.

"...Please, we've lost enough, I don't want to lose you too." She hiccuped.

He felt relieved at this. So this was a platonic feeling she felt for him huh? Well, that was the best he could hope for. At least she viewed him somewhat favorably, well enough to hold his hand and to tell him that she doesn't want to lose him. To him, this was plenty enough to die happy.

"...Hah, fine. I'll tell you."

"..." She sniffed, looking at him earnestly now as his breathing grew shallower and shallower.

"Don't laugh, promise not to laugh?"

She nodded like a puppy, watching him with wide tearful eyes as he chuckled.

"I…I loved you. I loved you so damn much that it hurt. I loved you, despite knowing that you loved another man, another man that I knew deep down you deserved. A man that would…treat you which I never would…A man that would give you anything you asked for, a man that treated you with kindness, and a man that would never hurt you."

"... I loved you, knowing that you would never love me back…Heh, a stupid, foolish thing unbeffiting of me I know. I loved you as a comrade and I love you as a woman." He stiffened up, Still uncomfortable with this sudden confession. But hey, she didn't love him, not romantically at least. And something told him, deep down inside his heart, that If he couldn't tell her at least this much, he would be regretting it in where he ends up after taking his final breath.

She would never love him, and he was fine with that. In a sort of messed up way, he guessed that this messed up confession could be one last defiant act of pride. He wasn't pining over her, he was confessing, and telling her. He didn't demand nor beg anything of her, he merely told her that he loved her, with all of the remaining arrogance, pride and hubris that he could muster up.

He loved her, and he took pride in it. He wouldn't be ashamed any longer, no, in fact he refused to be ashamed. This was his last, defiant act of boastful, shameless pride.

"I may not believe in much anymore, but I still believe in you, because I love you. Simple as that." He said with a smug grin.

"..."

"..." She said nothing now, still sobbing as he felt good about himself. That last confession really did feel good. Now he can truly die with no regrets.

"...me.." She mumbled something, something that he didn't pick up.

"What?" He asked, unsure of what he heard.

"..Sniff, you love me right?" She asked, now looking at him intensely.

"...Yes?"

"Mpfh!" He was suddenly assaulted by her lips as she hugged him so hard that he fell onto the ground.

"You just promised to marry me if I asked you if you loved me, and you replied yes." She finally said, breaking the kiss as he looked at her with worry and confusion.

"But you don't love me." He said simply, uncomfortable with the current situation.

"Then make me love you! Devote everything to me, focus on me and me alone, because as of now, we are married, and if you make me a widow, I swear to god that you shall feel my frying pan!"

"...What?" He's still utterly confused, baffled even by this sudden development.

"You won't die, I will not allow you to die! Not now, not ever!"

"But you will be unhappy, like you always are with the mere sight of me-"

"Then make me happy you damned fool! Make me feel loved, stay by my side, and more importantly, never leave me!" She hissed, her tears falling free like a river now as she held him tight, too afraid to let go.

"...You're a damn fool, sacrificing your happiness for me, you know I can never make you feel complete-"

"Enough of that! YOU. ARE. PRUSSIA. If you can pull off a miracle whilst fighting Russia, Austria, and me, France, Sweden and Saxony, then you can pull off a miracle and make me feel complete. I've seen you pull off the impossible so many times that I KNOW that you can do it!"

"..." He says nothing as he looks wide eyed at her, shocked by her desperation, and shocked that he was really going to go along with it.

"...I guess there's no way I'm convincing you to leave me here…am i?" He asks with a defeated smile.

"No, I don't suppose you will….my dear husband."

"Hah, shit. There's no way I can just go off and die now, especially after hearing those words."

And for the first time that day, The woman he loved, finally smiled.

And for him, that was all he needed.


"Hey, Elizabeta?"

"Yes my dear?"

"How did you know to follow me?"

Crumple. The tickets that she held in her hand were now nearly destroyed.

"Oh what's this? You were planning to invite me to the amusement park? How cute~'

"Wha-don't get it the wrong way! I just noticed that you were more aloof and-"

He held her hand even tighter now.

"Thank you."

She smiled.

"Humph! I expect you to repay me ten fold!" She exclaimed with an embarrassed smile.

"Hah, I was planning on returning it a thousandfold."

"Pft!" She giggled.

"Whatever you say, my awesome weirdo for a husband~'


Authors Note: Apologies if the romance felt off, I'm still working on it.