AN: I have no excuse for taking so long. But since this chapter had been typed earlier I thought I'd upload it.

ch. 3


The monochromatic eyes, the petulant pout, the hair that was desperately in need of a brush.

Austria fell slowly back into time, to a place where he had been young and bold and just as naïve as everyone else.

"So it was you who called me today," he felt a warm smile creep on his lips, nostalgia welling from it. "You haven't changed at all." He resisted the urge to approach the boy and pat him on the head, to make sure it was real.

"I haven't. Not at all. It seems everything has changed instead of me." The little empire spoke and Austria could resist no longer. He approached the child and bent down, re-buttoning a button that had come loose.

"You sound tired. You should sleep."

"Did you bring Italy? I want to see her."

"I'll call Italy if you'll allow me to use your phone." The boy motioned to his boss and a telephone was brought to him. "Now go to sleep. Italy will be here when you wake up."


"Ve! It's Austria. Did you call because you were late for the party?"

"No, it's not that Italy." He purposely did not attend the party because he knew it would not be to Germany's liking. Perhaps he should have reconsidered. It didn't matter now though. "I have something very important I have to tell you. Actually it's something you have to see."

"Important?"

Austria sighed. Who knew what the word 'important' meant in Italy's mind.

"Yes, therefore I suggest you meet me at the castle of the new autonomous region and we'll discuss it there."

"Ve. Right now?"

"Yes, it is important."

"Should Germany come too?"

"No, I don't think that would be wise for a situation like this."

"Germany can't come? But why not."

"I'll explain it to you when we meet. Now please hurry."

"Okay, I'll see you soon."


Austria stood outside. The mud now covered his boots completely and the cool night air pinched his skin, but the thoughts that ravished his mind would not allow him to go inside. There was no more denying, there was only the inevitable.

So the Holy Roman Empire was back, in the same form that he had seen fading into the distance of that cobble-stoned street so long ago.

In truth, he had never expected the boy to return. His ambitions were too lofty, his constitution too weak. That war had been the final nail in a casket that had been cut, sanded and lacquered when he was born.

But it did not mean Austria was not happy to see him. Not relieved that he had finally come back.

He wanted to yell at him. He wanted to go through a long list of complaints he had of the boy's departure.

He wanted to say, "You little fool. We were so worried about you. To throw yourself into a war so precariously. You did not even think of the repercussions of your actions, or if your government and people could handle such a thing. And see where that brought you. We thought you were…"

He could not formulate the next words.

Austria had accepted France's news without incredulity. He had seen it as the passing of one era and the beginning of the next and had wept no tears for the empire. How could he? There was no time for tears once the empire fell. He became the head of the household, the true head, at last, and there was still so much to contend with.

There had always been a lot to contend with.

But Italy had been a different matter. Austria never saw a change in the boy's mood or composure. Not even as a man did Austria see any semblance of the loss of a friend. Still, he knew Italy was informed. He knew that the empire was a secret spot on Italy that shouldn't be poked or prodded (much like that other secret spot).

And besides, Italy had Germany now.

Germany…

Austria had always thought the Holy Roman Empire was Germany although Prussia's description had been lacking, "I saw this kid on the battlefield, he looked pretty un-awesome, but then I took him in and now he's almost as awesome as I am!"

Perhaps he had been wrong for centuries. Perhaps he was wrong in calling Italy to this place to relive a past that he had chosen to suppress.

He couldn't change it now though.

Austria felt rain begin to pelt his coat, the rhythm matching with his own heartbeat and decided it was better to return inside.


Italy was having a very hard time navigating the roads. It wasn't that he didn't know where he was going. He had traveled Germany's roads many, many times before, but now that it was raining, and that it was dark, he was feeling a bit disoriented.

He heard the sound of thunder break overhead and his hands shook.

Why couldn't he have brought Germany with him? He knew these roads. He wouldn't hesitate in a thunderstorm.

No! He had to be strong. If Germany wouldn't hesitate in a thunderstorm, then neither should he. Even though the pact was gone now, he still felt he had to live up to a certain level to be Germany's friend.

It was his little secret. It was also kind of silly. He had been trying to be a little braver, a little cleaner, a little more decent for Germany's sake. Just a little. He had been trying very hard for the past seventy years. He hadn't been making very much progress. But he could drive in a thunderstorm! He was an adult, not a child.

Besides, Austria was sure to scold him if he took too long.


Germany shook awake. He looked around blearily.

He had lost track of time, snoozing in the same chair he had been in when Italy had left. He tried to look for a clock but one did not easily make itself presentable in peripheral vision.

Had he been dreaming? It seemed like he had. There was the same emptiness in his mind that was characteristic of dreaming, the gentle wraith-like image that failed to materialized when he came to consciousness. But somehow it felt like he hadn't had that dream tonight.

Rising, he made his way to the kitchen. He was terribly hungry. On the counter was the pizza Italy had talked about, cold. Just how long had he been asleep? It was funny, he could not even remember falling asleep.

He made his way back to the living room and sighed. This mess. He would have to clean it up in the morning. Hopefully Italy would come back and help in the efforts.

For some reason he could not fathom, he was suddenly very lonely. It was a sensation he had not felt for years.


Austria wasn't sure what he should have felt when Italy walked through the door into the entryway, his body soaked from head to toe in rain water, his shoes muddied, his expression careless.

"Austria! I'm sorry I'm so late. I tried to drive faster but it was raining and I almost cause an accident…"

Austria smiled lightly. "I'm impressed."

"What?" Disbelief played on the boy's voice and Austria knew he was in for more of that kind of sound later on.

"Driving all this way in this weather. I never could get you to do anything when it stormed like this."

"Ve, that was a long time ago."

"It was, wasn't it? You had us all fooled back then." Austria's smile grew wider. It was not often he let himself be reminded of the past like this.

Italy's eyes grew wider in confusion. "Why are you talking like this? Are you okay?"

Austria's smile dropped. So he had become a little smarter too.

"It's nothing, please ignore it," he said briskly. "Follow me."

He led the lad to the little room. The empire was bound to be sleeping.

"Okay I will," Italy walked up right beside him. "Now, why did you want me to come here?"

"There's someone you have to meet… or rather, meet again."

"Again?"

"Yes. He's sleeping right now in that room. You can go in when you're ready."

"But won't he be upset if I wake him?"

You didn't even ask who it was Italy. At least you'll spare me the discomfort of telling you.

"I have reason to believe he will make an exception for you. Now go in," Austria opened the door and pushed him into the chamber then shut the door behind him.


Italy stumbled into the room. His first reaction to it was that it seemed like a very ordinary room for an old castle, modernized of to fit the conveniences of the age. So ordinary in fact that it was a little strange for a castle, as if it had just achieved its purpose after hundreds of years of trying.

The walls were not very embellished and it might have looked like a room in a convent provided a couple of pieces of furniture were removed.

Furniture…

This room was crammed with old furniture. A desk, a bed, a chair, wardrobe, a case with a lamp that filled the room with light. It was a small room to begin with and the furniture made it smaller by far. Whoever decorated this room did not have a notion of design.

Which brought Italy to observe the bed. A small child was sleeping on the bed, tresses of blond obscuring his face. The soft rise and fall of the child's chest assured Italy that it was sleeping.

Italy walked closer and took a seat by the bed.

This was the person who Austria wanted him to see, wasn't it? A small child? But Austria had said this person was important. This child did not seem very important. He seemed rather ordinary, actually. Just like the room. Could there be anything special about this child?

Perhaps he was the new representative of this place. Actually, Italy was more than sure he was. That would explain why the child was sleeping alone in an castle in the first place. If he were a child he wouldn't have liked to sleep in this old scary castle, especially on a night like this.

But why had Austria been so adamant to make him see this boy? Maybe he was supposed to watch him, like baby-sitting. Or was it some kind of weird deal between this kid and Austria that involved him.

Italy sat there, watching the child sleep. These thoughts were too complicated. He really wished he had brought Germany along. Germany would know exactly what was going on…

No! Germany isn't here. It's just me.

Austria had said the child wouldn't become upset if he woke him so Italy decided now was good a time as ever.

He placed his hands on the child's shoulders and shook gently. "Hey, wake up please. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing here."

The head of hair shifted and the eyes opened. Italy's eyes became as wide as saucers.

"Italy…?"

Oh.

"It really is you, isn't it Italy?"

This is…

"You've grown up a lot, haven't you?"

It can't be. I thought you were…

Italy ran out of the room.


Austria observed the shock on Italy's face before he into the courtyard, the tension and the terror, heart plucked just like a violin's strings.

That Italian was always quick to flee, it wasn't like this was anything new.

"Honestly, and on a night like this…" Austria resigned himself to follow his former charge.

He found the Italian hunched in an alcove in a puddle of rainwater. He faced downward, his face dark and unreadable. Austria waited for him to be the first to speak.

"I'm sorry I ran away Austria."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Austria was sure to say it harshly.

"It's him, isn't it?"

"Of course. How could it be anyone else?"

"It's just that… all this time… I thought he was…"

"We all thought that Italy. It's now been proven untrue. Much like how the solar system does not revolve around the earth, and wasn't it one of yours that figured that out?"

"I-That was a long time ago."

"Many things were long ago. It doesn't make them any less relevant. Take now for example, you're afraid of him, aren't you?"

"I just… it's been so long…"

"Just like back then. You were always afraid of him."

"He was… I was…"

"He's waiting for you, you know. At least try to act polite. It reflects badly on me when you don't."

"Okay Austria. I'll try."

Austria made his way back inside, to the child who stood there perplexed.

"What happened?" He pressed the Austrian for an answer. So he's still the same, after all this time.

"Italy's just a little confused right now."

"Is she alright?"

Austria sighed. "Of course. Now I need to rest and make a great many phone calls in the morning, so this is goodbye. Also, please try to keep bullying Italy to a minimum."

"You're sure she's alright."

"Italy is many things, but one of them is more than alright, I can assure you."

Austria wondered how he had become the walking encyclopedic source when it came to all things Italy.


Time rolled on undaunted for the Italian as he sat in the alcove.

There was a time when he would have rejoiced at the empire's revival, that beautiful, perfect time when Italy was sure that everything was once again right with the world again.

But he had grown up. He had seen the many faces of love, of longing, of loss. He had become embittered and disillusioned by the battlefield, and he had come out stronger and steadier than before. He had realized that everything could not be simply resolved by wishes or ambitions.

Too many things had happened since the empire had left. Life had been unkind. Life had been surprising.

But for his sake I could be-


Italy walked back into the castle, dripping on the carpeted floors. His hair was wet, his eyes were red and mud had dyed his clothing a grayish brown, but still he managed to smile.

"I'm sorry, Holy Roman Empire. I was just a little surprised, that's all."

"It's alright. I always ran away from you." He blushed, and it was the same blush that Italy had nearly forgotten.

Oh, it's you.

"It really is you!" Italy brought the boy into a hug. "I missed you." The mud stains on his clothes gave the empire's clothes dark spots and the rain water that ran off Italy's hair made the boy's hair wet. The body between his arms began to struggle.

"Italy… could you let go, please?"

"Oh, sorry."

The boy tried but failed to wipe the stains off his clothing. He looked like a wreck now and the scene made Italy's smile wider.

"Italy."

That night they slept under the covers, the bed only big enough for two children, so that Italy's feet hung off the side. They had not changed their clothes and the linen became filthy each time they rolled over in contented laughter.

Italy felt himself become a child again, to the same vulnerable state of undiluted wonder and excitement. He felt whole again, as if the Italy he had been before was an empty shell he had cast off- this was his true self. There was no emptiness anymore, no waiting, no forgetting. Everything else had been eliminated.

There could only be happiness now.

"I'm glad you're back Holy Roman Empire."

"I was gone for a really long time, wasn't I?"

"Very, very long. I was sad when you didn't come back."

"I thought of you a lot back then. I thought of all the things I wanted and the thing I wanted the most was.."

"You don't have to say it. I know. I thought about you a lot too. Maybe that's what made me so sad."

"But what about now? How do you feel?"

"Happy. Very happy now. I know how to make a lot sweets now, too."

"I wanted to show you a painting I made… I don't know where it is though… And it isn't that good."

"It's okay. We can make another and another."

"And you'll teach me how won't you?"

"Of course. There're so many people I want you to meet. Germany and Japan and Poland…"

"My house is gone now, isn't it?"

"Ve, it is. Everyone that used to live in it too… we all live in our own houses now."

"That girl who acted like your big sister…"

"Hungary? She's doing well. We're all okay, I think. As okay as we can be. Tomorrow we'll see everyone."

"Everyone?"

"As many as we can see."

"I just want to spend tomorrow with you though."

"We can do that too. We can paint and I'll make something really yummy."

"You will?"

"Yes. Tomorrow. You'll see. It'll be really yummy."

"Tomorrow…" the child's voice trickled off.

He was running. It was cold and it was wet. Something warm was running under his shirt and the only sounds were his pulse and his ragged breath.

He looked around, frantic for a hiding place. He found a small burrow and tried to inch into it, but it was no good. His body was too big.

And all the while he was-

But when Italy woke, hair knotted and tangled, the boy was staring at him strangely.

Holy Roman Empire always was a little scary when he stared.

"Y-yes? What is it?"

"You're a boy, aren't you?"

"Me? Oh- you didn't realize… I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trick you. It's just that I thought I was and almost everyone else too and I was..."

But the expression loosened and his words trailed off into nothingness. He leaned in and whispered, "Just don't leave me okay."

"Ve, I won't."

The empire smiled and walked out of the room quietly.

Italy rolled over and giggled a little. Silly, Holy Roman Empire. You're still the same.


AN: Thank you for reading. I really appreciate it, though I took so long. But this isn't the end. There will be more.