And now we have the final episode…! The final, final chapter~! So who's happy?
/=+=/
What am I even going to say to him about this…?
Germany was rubbing his forehead, his mind running rampant. And really, he had all the reasons to. Here was a man who had waited for him for god knows how long, and for the last hundred years had actually seen him return with neither of them knowing about it. What could he even say to him at a time like this?
M-maybe I should stop and think about this…
No. There's no time to stop and think. He's waited for too long, and Italy had suffered enough.
Sure enough, he found the location. As he stepped forward, he saw Italy standing in front of a tombstone bearing the words "Holy Roman Empire" on it. The words couldn't help but make him feel uneasy: like he was Scrooge in A Christmas Carol and the Ghost of Christmas Future was showing him his tombstone.
"…Italy."
"Eh?" He turned around. "Oh…Germany…"
"Everyone told me what's going on." He walked until they were next to each other. "A-are you OK?"
"Yes…yes, I'm fine." He answered, a sad smile on his face. "I'm sorry for not telling you before."
"It's OK, really…this was something from your past. I don't have any rights to barge in on that." Germany walked to the tombstone. "Was he your first love?"
"Yes…and my first kiss."
Germany froze for a minute. Kiss?
He actually kissed Italy?
HE ACTUALLY…?
…
"Ve~~~your face is all red."
"I-I'm fine…" That was not something he remembered. Then again, his memory was still in fragments. "J-just a head rush."
"Oh…OK." He didn't sound happy nor convinced. But he didn't push on it.
"…do you…remember anything about him?" He asked.
"I remember everything." Italy answered, staring at the tomb. "He wanted me to join his empire for a long time."
Because I wanted to protect you. Germany answered in his head.
"When I was forced in by Austria, he took care of me."
Because I wanted you to be happy under my rule.
"When I was scared of something that no one could help me with, he helped me."
Because I wanted you to grow up to be an intelligent young woman.
"When he left, he didn't give me any form of notice about it…he was just going to leave me."
Because I didn't think you were happy living with me.
"When we kissed for the first time…I felt so happy that I could feel my heart burst inside."
Because I loved you.
Italy paused in confusion before Germany found out the problem: whoops, he said that last statement out loud. He wanted nothing more than to bust his head inside something hard just to give himself that concussion and make him pass out and hopefully avoid this entire conversation. But the only thing that was solid was his tomb, and that was still disturbing someone's grave…even though it was his own. It sounded like some time loop or something.
"W-what?" He stuttered.
Well, there was no way around it this time. Germany stood up and looked at him deeply in the eyes. The Italian could see something different in those blue pools of his…he didn't know what it was, though.
"…I love you…" He was blushing. "Ever since the 10th Century."
"…you're lying." Italy stated, shaking with confusion. "We've only met in the beginning of the 20th Century…"
"As Germany, yes." Germany lowered his head. "I meant as…Holy Rome."
He was expecting Italy to not take this news well. Even someone as oblivious as he is knows when he's being emotionally manipulated ("by the truth", as Spain put it). So he was expecting that hard slap on his cheek. He wasn't expecting it to actually throw him onto the ground. He should've known: it was the power all G8 nations had. But still…
"…you're lying…" Italy said, his voice wavering. "You…you don't have to lie to me in order to make me feel better…"
"Italy…" Germany looked down, guilty.
"I know about your history, Germany. Your land used to be the standing point of Holy Rome…but that doesn't automatically make you him!" He was near crying. "That doesn't…make you him…so don't try to make that connection!"
The standing point of Holy Rome…is that what Italy thought of him as? He couldn't help but feel hurt at this, but then again the majority of this was his fault and he couldn't blame Italy for reacting this way. But what could he possibly say in order to convince him that he was speaking the truth? Everything that he knew were broken pieces that he could've easily gotten the others to tell him, and the only piece that could've won him over, Italy already told him. What to do…
That was when the final memory hit him.
/=+=/
"We're about to leave soon, sir."
"Right…I'll be out in a minute."
The soldier took his cue to leave, allowing him to sit alone in his room. In front of him was a piece of paper and a simple quill and ink set, and a whole bunch of things that he knew it will not hold. But he knew that he had to try. He shook his head and decided that it was now or never.
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Dear Italy Veneziano,
Yeah, that was a good start.
If you are reading this now, that means that I have already left this building and am now heading off to war. I know how much you hate war and fighting, and I know that you do not want me to leave…but I cannot leave my men alone without their nation behind them. I have made this choice for my people, no matter how much it hurt. It's through this pain that I am writing to you.
…
Yeah, that was right.
…
Please forgive me for all the shortcomings that I had that made you cry. Your brother will forever hate me and there is nothing I can do about it, even if I snapped like that one time at the marketplace. Those tears were one of the few times I have made you cry, and it hurt me greatly when I saw them. Hopefully, I have minimized these incidences to the greatest extent, and hopefully you will not cry as much when I leave.
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…
Writing a letter was so much harder than he thought. How to convey so many emotions in so little words…no wonder writing in itself is an art style that few humans can master…
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Italy, know that you are my most favorite person in the entire world. I cannot live without you, but in these troubled times I cannot live with you. This is the time of war, Italy…anyone that allies with me will no doubt be hurt in this war. I can trust Austria, Spain and Hungary with protecting themselves, but I do not think that even the both of them combined can protect you from the battles that are to come. Leaving is the only way I can protect you, but know that I am not abandoning you.
I want to protect you from the war with all my strength. Please stay in the house with Austria, for he will take care of you while I am gone. But know that I will not be gone forever. I will come back to you, Italy. And I do not go back on my word. I will never go back on my word.
"Yes…I will come back for you, Italy…"
I hope that you had not experienced much hardship under my roof, and if you had then accept my apologies. All of them, past, present, and future. I'm sorry.
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"Sir. We're leaving now."
"I will be right there."
He turned back to the unfinished letter, to the words that he had that will never be spoken aloud, and decided that this was all he can say for now. He would wait until he came back to her…and then he will tell her everything. All the secrets that this small piece of paper cannot tell her will come from his tongue. That was the vow that he made that day.
/=+=/
Germany opened his eyes to see that Italy's eyes had opened and widened in shock. Apparently his memory caused him to speak out loud yet again. He was a little bit embarrassed, but the Italian's eyes were just asking him to give him more information. He could not deny him anything else.
"…after I was called off to leave, I hid the letter in the only place I knew you would look: my closet, hidden behind my diary. The truth is, I always thought that Hungary would be the one who found it, but…I guess you have found it."
All Italy had to do was nod slowly before he looked down.
"What did…"
"Italy?"
"…what else did you want to tell me then…?"
Germany smiled. He actually remembered everything that he was going to tell him, word for word. He opened his mouth.
"I know I have not made the most perfect conditions for your well-being, but you have managed it the whole way…I expected nothing less from the descendant of the great Roman Empire. He would've been proud of you for what you have done."
Italy's eyes widened.
"I do not have much time, but I know that I have so much to tell you once I return…and even then I cannot guarantee that this will happen. My empire is fragile, Italy…but I will do my best to last. If I do not return, that means that I have failed, but at the same time if you, Austria, and Hungary still live, then I have succeeded in saving all of you from the same fate."
He slowly looked up to Germany, who was now smiling for some reason. He had no idea why he was smiling either.
"I will always watch over you, Italy…whether I do come out of this war alive or when God takes me into His arms. I will never leave you alone, so please do not be sad. Smile for me…smile for Austria, smile for Hungary, smile for your brother…but most importantly…smile for your people…"
The blond started to brush his hair behind his ear, a typical move whenever he had been nervous as Holy Rome, and something that Italy quickly caught on.
"I…I don't really know how to end this type of letter, so I'll end it with my biggest secret." A light blush crossed his cheeks. "I…I love you. Ever since the 10th Century."
Italy was shaking at this point, completely convinced of the truth. Five seconds later he threw himself into Germany's chest (startling the man), feeling his arms wrap around his waist and head. The Italian was sobbing hard into his body, and he accepted everything that he was letting go.
"I'm so sorry for leaving you." He whispered. "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry…I did not mean to leave you alone like this for so long…"
"I know, Germany…I know you didn't…I always knew you were coming back for me…" Italy shivered. "I…I didn't think he would be here this whole time."
"Yeah…me neither…" Germany smiled. "But it's all over now. You don't have to wait any longer."
"Ve~~~I'm so happy…"
Germany loosened his arms, allowing him to see his Italian's face. He was smiling through the tears and the puffy cheeks, and that alone made his heart skip a beat. Slowly, he removed the gloves from his hands, wiped a tear from his eye, tucked his hair behind his ear, and lightly kissed him all in one swoop. He heard the small boy whimper and shiver, holding his shoulder for support all while trying to keep his breath. They stayed like that for a while until they parted for air, seeing the other with a light blush on their face that quickly turned into a smile.
"T-ti amo, Germany…"
"Ich liebe dich, Italy…"
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"Che. Why are we watching this again?"
"Because it's your brother in love, Romano!"
"You are a messed up woman, Hungary."
/= [OMAKE] =/
It was a hard day at work. America was being annoying as always, and after he got into an argument with both England and Switzerland he decided that it was time for him to leave. Germany had no idea why he ditched so early (for he was the work-oriented man) but part of him felt happy that he did.
As he opened the door, he realized that someone was already in the house. He opened it even slower and realized that it was only Italy…only in a dress and holding a broomstick in his hand like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. As he closed the door behind him, he meeped and looked up.
"Ah-! I didn't see you there…" He shifted in place. "I thought there was a meeting today."
"There was. Until America dismissed us all." Germany looked at him. "…oh. You found it."
"Yeah…" Italy played with the broom for a while. "I…I can't believe you kept this all this time."
"It was the only thing of the past that I had, and I had to keep it…" Germany smiled. "I'm surprised you still have your maid uniform."
"Ve~~~I was planning on wearing it when Holy Rome came back…" He smiled. "In case he didn't know who I was really…"
"Hah…" He looped his arm around the Italian's waist (hearing a startled "ve-!"). "I think he'd like seeing you in whatever you want to wear."
"Ve~~~I know he would…"
The two of them touched foreheads, smiling the entire time. If anyone had seen them through the window, they would've thought that they were a young couple in love, as the kiss they shared was shy and yet passionate. They parted, and the smile that placed itself back on Italy's face was the only thing that pushed Germany to pick him up (making another startled "ve-!").
"You're lighter than I thought." He laughed.
And then they kissed again, their arms around each other's shoulders.
/=+=/
Way too much fluff for me to mix with the BBQ and fireworks~!
And that's the end of it. I'm gonna say thank you to the loyal fans who waited about a month for me to stop updating "Persona Powers Hetalia" and finally finish this thing for once! This is Mitsuki Horenake, all and out eating sour cream and onion potato chips ;D