Hetalian Old Alphabet- Chapter 7, Part 2

J is for Jealousy

Characters: Holy Roman Empire, Italy Veneziano, Hungary

A week has passed since Edelweiss had been called to the manor. Every day, for those seven days, Holy Roman Empire's schedule- which had consisted of studying and patrolling his lands – has been added with the task of meeting up and learning how to dance with the human girl. He was sloppy, as Austria had so nicely put it, and he needed to perfect these steps before the ball, which was in three days.

Wait, scratch the word needed, Holy Rome did mention that he didn't need to know how to dance. It was all for his image, he guessed. Quite honestly, though- his image was the last thing he cared to think about.

Dancing wasn't the only thing that bothered him this week.

Lately, he's been counting down the minutes to when Edelweiss would come knocking on the door. It was a daily routine for them as of late… he would answer the door and she would smile at him with perfectly white teeth. Just yesterday, both of them had flushed and beautifully red cheeks. It bothered him even more that this annoying and incredible feeling of happiness surged within him every time she would hold his hand and lead him in the steps of the dance. Before Edelweiss, this kind of feeling met him only at the mere thought of Italy. It felt good to him until another girl came into his life…

Speaking of Italy, her actions as of late were what bothered him the most.

Sometimes, she would look at him with this slightly desperate and sad expression, before masking it right away with her soft smile. With her eyes quickly hiding away all the traces of sadness with amber-colored warmth, Holy Rome could even swear that she was never even making those expressions in the first place.

If it weren't for the increased clumsiness and uncharacteristic subtleness with her chores, that former statement would have proven true for him.

What was even stranger was that she avoided the piano room, whenever he and Edelweiss practiced with Austria's musical accompaniment. She would avoid it if she could, but if Austria wanted his afternoon tea, she would bring it to him as quickly as possible, and leave without even looking at him. That broke his empire's heart.

Now that he thought of it, why couldn't Austria just have instructed Italy to be his partner? It sounded selfish, and sure he would have collapsed from extreme proximity with her, but Italy knew how to dance as well… Austria probably didn't want her to skip chores…

*knock* *knock*

Italy turned his head to the source of the noise, and narrowed his eyes. This was happening to him a lot lately…

With an almost inaudible growl, he set down the damp towel he had been sing to wipe the windows with, and climbed down the ladder. Today, Austria told him that the windows needed to look spick-and-spam by tomorrow evening, so Italy had no time to waste if he wanted these windows to be all shiny. Besides, it gave him the perfect reason to say away from the piano room while their noble visitor was here.

Incredibly, today was not going well for him. Aside from the occasional spills from the barrel h brought with him, he was now tasked with opening the door for the girl on the other side.

Putting on his sweetest smile to cover up any sort of resentment, Italy turned the handle to open the door, revealing the familiar violet-eyed brunette.

"Hmm, oh, Good Afternoon," Edelweiss- Italy had learned of her name one night during practice- greeted him with a confused look on her face.

"Buon Pomerrigio," Italy returned the greeting in Italian. "Please, come in," 'I still don't feel like I should let you in,' Italy gestured to the interior of the house, to which Edelweiss had obliged and took herself inside.

"Aren't you the maid that brought Herr Roderich his tea last week?" Italy had to restrain himself from jumping. He was certainly hoping that she wouldn't remember him- what if she did overhear him when he brought the tea? Oh, Austria will have to scold him if she knew… Oh dear…

Nervously, he faced Edelweiss with his best fake smile. "S-si, that is me,"

Giggling, Edelweiss reached out her hand to him. "My name is Edelweiss, it is a pleasure to meet you," she had said to him- which in all honesty, was the last thing Italy expected her to do. Before this, Italy just thought that she was going to attack him, wait…that was a bit too extreme; thought that she would just leave him there and make a beeline for the piano room. Begrudgingly, he began to understand just what it is about that girl that ticks him off so much…

Italy blankly stared at the hand in front of him, and after a few moments, he finally took it in his own. After all, he could not refuse this introduction- God knows that Austria thought him well on proper etiquette, even if he is a maid.

"My name is Feliciano!" he squeaked, the happiness in his high-pitched voice being showing signs of strain, albeit barely.

Just then, a familiar boy in black happened to be on his way to the piano room, when he spotted the two. Edelweiss noticed him first, and waved a cheerful hello to him.

"Good Afternoon, Simon!" she greeted him with genuine joy in her voice, Italy had noticed, unlike the fake joy in his.

This captured Holy Rome's attention, and looked away with a blush when he realized that Italy was there. "Hello, Edelweiss, F-Feliciano," Immediately, Edelweiss went over to the empire with a smile on her pretty face.

"Are you heading to the piano room? Could I come with you, then?" Edelweiss asked him enthusiastically, and Italy still can't figure out why, but suddenly, he was feeling possessive again. That feeling was returning to him, along with a bit of heartache. Just what was going on with him…?

The heartache worsened when he saw Holy Rome smile at her with a nod. Sure, it wasn't the first time Holy Rome smiled, but those were rare and only with Italy did they appear. Italy turned around to avoid Holy Rome's gaze as he shook his head. 'No, I can't think like this… Holy Rome can smile to anyone if he likes, not just me…' he thought as he started walking back to the window and his chores.

"F-Feli…?" Italy stopped dead in his tracks when he heard his name, ad looked back at Holy Rome, with Edelweiss at his arm.

"Si?" Italy tried his best to not sound dull, but he only barely succeeded. Though the rest of him had denied it, his eyes held a lot of emptiness sprinkled with a bit of sadness.

That seemed to have stopped the empire from what he was about to say. Holy Roman Empire looked away once more. "N-nothing, let's go Edelweiss,"

And without another word, he and Edelweiss left to Austria, leaving Italy there to continue his chores.

After Italy was done wiping some of the windows, he was then called to dinner. The noble girl should have left by now, and knowing that somehow calmed Italy. He wasn't any closer to finding out why though.

Throughout the meal, Italy ate his in silence. Next to him was Hungary, who threw him worried looks in between bites. This normally wouldn't have bothered him, but for some twisted reason it was ticking him off.

Hungary then decided to break the awkward atmosphere between them, and spoke. "How was cleaning the windows today, Ita-chan?" All day, Hungary had been cleaning elsewhere… probably in the many gardens of the manor.

Italy immediately stopped chewing and looked at her with an exasperated look. 'Of all the topics Big Sis Hungary wanted to talk about, it had to be that one…' He then looked away, but he didn't continue chewing.

Hungary then knitted her eyebrows in determination and frowned. 'That just gave it away. Something is definitely wrong with him…' She then sighed, and put the fork in her hands on the food-filled plate.

"Italy, is there something bothering you?"

Alas, the magic words have been said. Italy's amber-colored eyes widened, and she froze in her spot of the chair. Sometimes, he really just wished that his big sis Hungary wasn't so nosy…

… But at the same time, he felt that he needed to tell somebody. Surely, someone like Hungary could help him on this problem…?

Swallowing the half-chewed food in his mouth, Italy nodded. "Would you like to talk about it, Ita?" He nodded again.

Hungary smiled, and places the little nation onto her lap. "Come now; tell Big Sis Hungary what's bothering you."

It didn't mean that he had to keep eye contact with her anyway, so Italy looked away from the older nation. "You see… I'm having this weird feeling in me, Hungary, and it…"

Author's Note: HEY-O!

Hehe, might have kind of sort of put it on a cliffhanger… PLEASE DON'T KILL ME I JUST REALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO MAKE THIS INTO A THREE-PART CHAPTER I'M SORRYYYYYYYY!

Until I can figure out which word I'm going to use for letter 'K', I'm afraid I won't be saying anything. Some suggestions might help… and a dictionary.

I hope you don't hate me for this… and think that my story is lame. It probably is but…

*sigh* Please just tell me what you think…

Disclaimer: Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya-san.