Thanks to Yaoi-Is-Life-and-Love, MonalisaRomano17, Cat on the table, Praise's Waterfall and an anon for reviewing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Chapter 58

Two months had passed since Lovino's encounter with Gilbert, and Lovino was starting to relax again. For a few weeks he had been paranoid about going into town, afraid of encountering any of them again, especially when he was alone and vulnerable. He was especially worried whenever he went on a walk with Chiara.

Two weeks after recovering from the pneumonia he had been inflicted with, his father decided that it was time for him to take the dog out for a walk. Since she was still young, she didn't require a long distance yet, and it was also a great way for Lovino to get his body fit again. Because even though he had been used to walking a lot, two months without doing so tended to affect a person.

For the first few weeks either Marcello or Feliciano would accompany him, which made Lovino relax a bit. But eventually Feliciano started getting a bit too busy to accompany him.

The gallery had decided on a fundraiser, namely to allow the students at the local schools to participate in a sort of auction, where people could bid for the artworks that the children provided. It also served as a competition, where the winners of the different categories would get a prize, sponsored by the gallery. They were simple things, such as a voucher for Mario's Pizzeria. However, there was a specific prize that would interest a lot of the participants of various ages.

Romulus had a friend that ran an art school. The children who showed promise were offered free enrolment in the art school for a year, and for the high school students especially that wanted to study fine arts on a university level, the school was willing to offer a scholarship for the course.

Feliciano really wanted to participate in that, and he had in fact been looking at the fine arts degrees of many universities. He'd been working on different projects in different mediums, eager for at least one of them to be considered good enough.

And then Marcello only occasionally accompanied him. It was originally only to allow Lovino to feel comfortable again about being out in the town that treated him unfairly, and it was getting better.

Lovino sighed as he adjusted his grip on the leash. He was walking Chiara on his own again, though he couldn't exactly blame his brothers for it. Marcello had two tests the following day, and Feliciano was still working on his art. It might be a while before Lovino had his twin's company for these walks again.

"Lovino?"

He came to a sudden stop when he heard the sound of his name. He scanned the area for the speaker, and it wasn't long before he found a familiar face. Apparently this was her home.

"Hey Elizaveta," he greeted, keeping his voice as neutral as possible.

He was a bit unnerved by the way she stared at him, though at least she didn't have a scowl on her face. Eventually, though, she smiled.

"You look well," she said.

"Thanks," he replied. "Um, you too."

He had always been uncomfortable around Elizaveta, probably because of the fact that she outright hated him, and he could never figure out what the basis for that hatred was. He also knew that she had actively been trying to discourage Feliks from befriending him. And now, seeing her looking at him without hostility made him rather nervous.

"So, how's the new school?" she asked. "Did you manage to make some new friends?"

"S-si," he said. "Um, they're pretty nice."

"That's nice to hear."

They fell into an awkward silence. Lovino looked down, seeing that the reason why she was outside was because she was doing some gardening.

"Um, that's a cute dog," Elizaveta said. "Is it yours?"

"Si," Lovino said, bending down to scratch the curious pup behind the ears. "She's about five months old now."

"Oh, so it's a she. May I pet her?"

Lovino nodded, and Elizaveta started scratching Chiara on the side of her neck. Lovino smiled when he saw the tail gaining speed from the attention given to her.

"Such a sweet dog," she cooed. "And so well-behaved."

Lovino smiled. Hearing someone praise his dog made him feel proud for some reason. Like a parent.

"So, what's her name?" Elizaveta asked.

"Chiara," Lovino said. "I named her after my mom. The last person who cared about me for ten years."

He didn't mean to say it like that, but it was true, in a sense. For ten years, he was under the impression that his mother was the only person who loved him, and since she died, she was the last person.

Elizaveta flinched, and she turned to face Lovino. He was surprised to see that she looked ashamed.

"Listen, Lovino," she said. "I'm… sorry about everything. The things I said, how I treated you…"

He swallowed a lump in his throat and shook his head.

"Forget about it," he said. "I just want to put all of that behind me."

He really wanted to, and writing the novel was a great way for him to process everything. Some of the things were particularly painful, and sometimes he would have to take a break. And he found that Chiara could easily notice when he was upset and went to comfort him. And if something like this happened at school, one of the others tended to respond.

By now, they'd learned what the book was about, and they were a bit worried about the occasional state of depression he would enter. This usually required him to share the particular experience that brought him to that state, and they were quick to ease his mind. The fact that they believed him was already a huge relief, because when he tried informing teachers in the past, it didn't work out.

"Anyway, I think I need to be going now," he said, standing straight again.

"Right," she said, straightening as well. "It was nice to see you again. Take care."

He nodded his head, his voice failing him. He could only mouth 'you too', before he turned back and started making his way back to his home.

…

The next day in Literature class, Mr Kirkland asked Lovino to stay behind. He wondered if there was something wrong with the latest essay he handed in. But he wasn't too panicked. If he needed to clarify something, he would do so calmly.

Arthur smiled at him, and Lovino realised that there was nothing wrong. In fact, the teacher looked to be thrilled about something.

"What's going on, Mr Kirkland?" Lovino asked.

"Well, I managed to find something that I think you'd like," the teacher said. He handed a flyer to Lovino. "It's next weekend, if you're interested."

Lovino examined the flyer, and he felt a jolt when he saw that it was an advertisement for a writing workshop. It was guaranteed to help with all types of writing, from short stories, plays and novels. There was just a registration fee, but he didn't think that his father would have a problem. A few months ago, yes, but they'd moved beyond that.

"Thank you," Lovino said.

"So, how is that novel of yours progressing?" Arthur asked casually.

"It's… Um, I think I'm reaching the central conflict."

Arthur also knew what the novel was about, and would often offer advice to Lovino as well.

"That's great to hear," Arthur said. "I have to say, I'm impressed by your dedication."

"Thank you," Lovino said. "Um… Would it be okay… if I finish it… could I give it to you to look at?"

Arthur looked surprised for a moment, before smiling softly and nodding his head.

"I'm honoured that you would ask me that," Arthur said. "Of course. So, finish it as soon as you can, but don't rush, alright?"

Lovino nodded, smiling brightly.

…

"A writing workshop?" Gupta asked, examining the flyer.

Lovino nodded, taking a sip of his water. Those sitting nearest to Gupta were looking over his shoulder, and Lovino actually found it to be very funny.

"So, like, are you going?" Feliks asked.

"I'm thinking about it," Lovino said. "There's just one possible problem. I don't think my father is going to let me go on my own."

"I see," Miguel said. "You want to know if one of us would want to come with you?"

Lovino nodded. Truth be told, he didn't know if his father would have a problem with it, but he didn't want to do something like this on his own. The others exchanged looks, and Gupta handed the flyer back to him.

"I'll see if I can," Gupta said.

"I can't," Miguel sighed. "It's my uncle's birthday, and the whole family's going to celebrate it."

"That means you'll be seeing Antonio again," Lovino said. "Be careful, okay?"

Lovino knew that there had been quite a bit of tension between the cousins, and he knew that he was in the middle of it. Also, knowing Antonio, he would want someone to take his frustration out on.

"Don't worry," Miguel said. "I will be."

"Still, this should be interesting," Vlad said. "I'll check with my parents too."

Lovino smiled. He was looking forward to see what the workshop would be like. It would actually be the first time he did something like this, and it was something that he enjoyed. He hoped that it would help the novel he was writing.

…

Romulus was working in the study when someone knocked. He looked up as Lovino entered.

"Hey," Romulus greeted. "What's up?"

"Mr Kirkland gave me a flyer today," Lovino said, handing the paper over. "I'm interested in going."

Romulus examined the paper, eyebrow arching.

"A writing workshop?" he questioned.

He didn't know that Lovino was interested in writing. He knew that Lovino was fond of reading, but did Lovino want to write as well? Thinking about it, it might make sense. Lovino found joy in literature, and writing was another form of enjoying literature.

"I also invited my friends to come too," Lovino said. "So, I won't be on my own."

That of course was an important point, since it was in another neighbouring town. Romulus examined it carefully again before nodding.

"Alright," he said. "But under one condition: Someone else will be with you, alright?"

Lovino nodded and smiled. He thanked his father before leaving the study.

A small smile played on Romulus's lips. It was always a joy to see how much Lovino had changed in the past few months. He was smiling more, and even participated in more activities with the rest now. There were still occasions when he retreated into himself, but it was okay. It might take years for him to completely move on, but at least the first steps had been taken.

But there was still the matter of the nightmares.

Both Fryderyk and Matthew agreed that prolonged use of the sleeping pills wouldn't do them any good, so they'd tried to wean him from it. However, on the nights when he didn't drink the pills, Lovino would still get nightmares, and he would often scream and wake Romulus. Thankfully, Marcello and Feliciano were heavy sleepers, but Romulus would still need to go comfort his son, who would often refuse to share the details of the nightmare. On the rare occasion when Lovino would tell him about it…

He had to admire Lovino's strength of character for not going insane from all of the abuse.

Strangely, though, when Lovino would take a nap in the middle of the day he tended to be nightmare-free. Matthew believed that there might have been a subconscious trigger that caused the nightmares during the night, but not during the daytime naps. Lovino himself couldn't think of anything that might have caused something like that.

They had to accept that just because he was happier didn't mean that he was completely recovered. Four months couldn't undo ten years. But they would be patient, and they would be supportive. That was all that they could do.

…

"This is nice," Feliks said.

For their weekly get-together, the friends had gone bowling. Since there were seven of them, they decided to divide into two groups. Lovino, Feliks and Miguel in one group with Yao, Vlad, Gupta and Heracles in the other.

"Sim," Miguel agreed. "I can't remember the last time I went bowling."

"I think there was only one time I went," Lovino said, selecting a ball. "My dad had some sort of conference at the casino and he needed to give us something to do."

"He took you to a casino?" Miguel questioned.

Lovino quickly went to bowl, and when he was finished he returned to the others.

"Well, he would have been gone for a huge chunk of the day," he said. "His business partner has an older kid, so he took us bowling, and afterwards we went swimming. The owners of the place knew that kids needed something to do too. I think it was Ruby Casino."

"Oh, that makes more sense," Miguel said, grabbing a ball for his turn as well.

"I don't get it," Feliks admitted.

"Ruby Casino sponsors a lot of conferences and stuff," Lovino explained. "It also has a theatre for those interested. It's about two hours away, and it also has guest houses for those that need it, but it can get a bit expensive if you have to stay there, and they have a lot of other things too. It's not exactly a resort, but it's the closest thing anywhere nearby."

Feliks nodded to show his understanding.

"So, like, what kind of conference would your dad have there?" he asked. "Like, doesn't he own a gallery?"

Lovino was silent for a moment, before he shook his head.

"Sorry, my mistake," he said. "I think it was an auction, now that you mention it. I think I remember a bunch of stuff being delivered not long after that."

Feliks nodded his head, before he went for his turn. Miguel checked the score and grinned.

"Looks like we're tied," he said. "So, want to make things interesting?"

Lovino lifted his eyebrow, prompting Miguel to continue.

"Whoever loses has to buy the winner's lunch," Miguel said.

Lovino chuckled.

"Sounds reasonable," he said. "Okay, I accept."

Half an hour later, the group had gone to the nearby diner for lunch, and Lovino was checking to make sure he had enough cash on him.

"By the way, Vino," Gupta said, turning to Lovino. "My mom says it's okay for me to join the workshop."

"Same," Heracles added.

"I can't," Vlad pouted. "Too expensive."

Lovino flinched. He knew that Vlad's family had a bit of trouble when it came to finances, and it was already amazing that he could participate in most of the activities with the group. Perhaps because the others tended to pitch in to cover the cost. But Lovino could see that Vlad actually wanted to go.

He wondered if there was a way to twist his father's arm.

…

Lovino sighed as he examined the words on the screen. He was taking a break from writing, and had decided to explore Polish a bit more. He found a decent online translator to check words, and perhaps he could impress Feliks with his willingness to engage the language a bit more.

Out of curiosity, he typed in 'novel', but he didn't think it was the right homonym. The fact that there was only one word listed made him think like that, and also because the Esperanto word didn't look like it was a noun.

When he found out that there were only sixteen basic grammar rules in Esperanto, he immediately went to check those rules, and he could clearly remember that adjectives, such as the one given here, ended in 'a'. This had become a useful tool for the Polish translations, because then he could get an idea about whether or not it was the correct word. He didn't know why the Esperanto translations were given as well, but he didn't mind.

Out of curiosity, he decided to specifically check the Esperanto translation of 'novel'. And then he froze. He quickly jumped up and ran to his father's study, knocking quickly on the door before going in.

"Lovino?" Romulus asked. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no," Lovino stammered. "I just want to make sure… What did you say the name was that Mama wanted to give me? The name that could have been my middle name?"

Romulus frowned, obviously not expecting that question.

"It's Romano," he said. "Why?"

Lovino didn't respond, instead running towards his room again. His eyes immediately fell on the book that he was writing, and he was struck by an epiphany.

He had been nervous about the possibility of having the book published. For one thing, if he and his brothers had gotten the meaning of his name mixed up, and the trio also knew about it… How many other people might have believed it meant that as well? How many people wanted to read something by an author whose name meant 'I ruin'? And the possibility of a nom de plume had certainly niggled at his mind.

But now he had the perfect name. It might have been fate, only a bit derailed. And it was a great way of honouring his mother. If the name that she had wanted to give him was the name that he wanted to use as an author…

He sat down and opened the book. Break time was over. He had a novel to continue writing. He was eager to have the name on the cover now. The name he embraced. The name that could have been his. The meaningful name.

Having a name that meant 'novel' might have been some type of cliché, but Lovino didn't care. He looked at the screen and imagined having the name on the bookshelves.

Romano Vargas.

Remember when I said that I found a part for Esperanto to play? Well, there you have it. My mind did all sorts of somersaults when I saw the Esperanto word for novel is 'romano'. The inside of my mind looked like it belonged to some sort of conspiracy theorist as plot threads started to come in place.

There's a place not too far from my town called Emerald Casino. It wasn't too strange for the school to take kids there. They had a nice swimming pool (I think it might have been with the choir, I don't know anymore). It also had a bowling alley and an arcade. It's been years since I went there, and I didn't bother to google it now. There's also Montecasino which advertises a lot of plays available. Two or three years ago we went to see The Sound of Music there.

My school had little sympathy for if you had more than one test a day. However, if you had already had three tests and a fourth teacher wanted to set you one, you have the right and responsibility to speak up.

For my job as an editor in a bilingual company, I tend to use Majstro to check translations. It's just easier than flipping through the dictionary (though plenty of them are present too). One thing I noticed that's interesting is that a lot of translations also listed Esperanto, even if it's not the language you're looking for. I checked with Polish, and if you type in 'novel', the word given would basically mean 'new'. So the reason why Esperanto snuck its way in is because Lovino is using the same online dictionary.

Lastly, an interesting fact: the Afrikaans word for a nom de plume is 'skuilnaam', which means 'hiding name' (skuil means to hide or take shelter from, and naam is name).