I actually have a valid reason why this chapter was late: right now I'm in Greece because my family is having an emergency meeting this evening [I dunno what it's for]. I was going to update when I got to my room, but I was fucking tired and fell asleep instead. So that's basically it.
ANYWAYS, this chapter contains mentions of GerIta & SuFin, and I'm warning you, it's full of LOADS OF FLUFF [in my opinion, at least].
"What do you think about countries marrying?" Romano asked. His Spanish companion started to choke on his food after hearing the question and drank several gulps of orange juice before he could settle down. They were currently dining at a small grill house in Tennessee, halfway through their journey to Saint Augustine and partially deprived of siestas. Waiting for his answer patiently, the Italian watched his partner's eyes dart about the room in a nervous manner and stifled a laugh.
"It's not like I'm holding a gun to your head, bastard. Just answer the question," he added with raised eyebrows, still observing the heavily blushing Spaniard seated across from him. Fumbling his fingers with an increasing heartbeat, Spain decided to answer the bold inquiry as honestly as he could without sounding too much like the overeager fool that he was.
"I-I… I'm definitely not against it, and even if us nations can't married in a certain sense, there's a bond made after the wedding… or something," the Spanish man mumbled, finding that he was losing his appetite with each passing minute that their conversation progressed.
"What exactly do you mean when you say that 'we can't marry in a certain sense'?" Presented with another difficult question, Spain wondered why his Italian love was asking such things in the first place. Though he wasn't trying to be hopeful, the older man wished it were a hint of some sort.
"Well, our people will not be affected by a courtship if we were to make it unofficial, right?" Romano nodded, and he continued. "Also, our bosses would certainly like it more if we were just to marry as individuals rather than the countries that we represent. So that's why we can only 'marry' as Person A and Person B, not Country A and Country B. It's sort of like what Sweden and Finland did several years ago."
The Italian man nodded in agreement, thinking back to the epic wedding that changed everyone's view on 'international relations', so to speak. The Nordic countries had made a statement by strengthening their personal bond as 'people' rather than what they actually were.
Looking out at the vast river that gleamed on the other side of the window, Romano pondered for a few seconds on how their relationship was, and realized that the two had the healthiest to date. Sweden and Finland were a happy couple, and with the sort of family they had created in such a short time, it was hard not to notice the resilience of their love through thick and thin.
"Isn't it better that way?" he mused out loud, earning a curious look from his partner.
"Better what way, Lovi?" the Spaniard questioned, observing the younger man's thoughtful eyes that gazed at the glistening waters in their dazed state. He could tell that Romano was in a kind of deep mode at that moment and wondered what had caused it to begin with.
"I mean, isn't it better to marry like that in a simple way, instead of a pompous full out celebration that has no real sentiment behind it and will only end in sadness? I'd rather be with someone like a human would, if that's the case."
The Italian then understood that he had voiced far too many of his thoughts for his own liking, and proceeded to blushing heavily while sputtering incoherent words that he couldn't properly justify. Being as patient as ever, Spain smiled behind his palm and was glad to have witnessed a part of his sweetheart's romantic side; it reminded the Spaniard of why he loved him so much.
Reaching his hand over the table, the older man smiled tenderly and proceeded to rubbing Romano's hand in a comforting way.
"But anyways, Lovi, why are you asking about things like that?" he inquired, watching as the Italian's eyes darkened, and then he looked out of the window again with a distant expression.
"Because… that potato eating bastardo is going to propose to my brother," Romano muttered in a low voice, unconsciously clenching Spain's hands in his with frustration. Touched by the simple action, his companion was slightly surprised when he heard the statement, yet at the same time he was not. It wasn't news to anyone that Italy and Germany were head over heels in love with each other from the very moment they got over the last war, and a proposal wasn't too farfetched to be possible.
"Really now? How do you know?"
"Right before dinner I was ambushed by the kraut, and he dared to ask for my acceptance, saying that it was only because I was Feliciano's brother and all," he answered, still staring out into the distance.
"Did you say yes?" Spain asked, even though he highly doubted that the Italian would have reacted that way in the least.
"I… I haven't answered yet, and the bastard is still waiting," Romano grumbled. His Spanish love made an incredulous expression and widened his eyes in shock. Knowing the younger nation, he thought the he would shoot down the proposal right away, yet he didn't? Observing Spain's look of shock with slight amusement that didn't show, Romano sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I mean, I truly despise that stronzo and always will; that I am certain of. But… as much as I hate to admit this, Feliciano relies on his potato lover and is strongly attached to him. In an annoying way, of course, but that bulky German never seems phased by my brother. I mean, he yells at him and does stupid things that never work, and hell, it's actually funny to watch. Fratello, however, doesn't mind— being the oblivious idiota that he is— and whenever he gets into trouble… that bastard is always the first to come to his rescue." The Southern Italian met his table mate's gaze and their eyes locked, revealing honesty in his clouded greenish orbs.
"I do hate the testa di merda, but he takes care of Feli and makes him happy. Not that I like him any more just because of that. It's just that… I wasn't around during certain times, and my brother was always under protection, safe and well. So… even if I feel resentful towards him, I already know that I can't stop what's going to happen… and anyways, I won't, as unfortunate as that is."
After a long period of silence, Spain abruptly stood up and grabbed the Italian's hand, leaving money on their table for the servers to collect. He led Romano to their parked jeep where the Spaniard waited until both were in the car, and then he cupped his love's face and made their lips touch. The kiss was soft and gentle, with no tongues nor groping involved; it was just simple bliss. Looking up at his partner's face curiously, the Italian felt a rush of heat invade his face as he realized that the older man was trying to cheer him up and couldn't do so while they were in the grill house before.
"I-Idiot, what do you think you're doing?" he murmured with delight hidden beneath his frown. Spain, however, managed to look past the grumpy expression and rubbed the tipi of his nose against Romano's, a beaming smile ever present on the nation's face.
"Loving you. Day in, day out; that's what I'll always be doing~! Sure, you're brother is lucky to have a man like Germany watching over him, and you can't protect the guy forever. But," the Spaniard stated as his stare intensified, "you have me, my love, and that's all you need right now. Let your brother live his life happily with the one he loves, and think more of yourself for a change; sometimes it's perfectly fine to be that way."
Moved by the older man's caring words, Romano had to hold in the emotions that he predicted would pour out at any moment. He didn't want to cry, and certainly not in front of the other nation, even if he knew that it would be received kindly.
"Ba-Bastard," was all the Italian could respond with as he buried his head in Spain's chest. Said Spanish man smiled warmly and stroked his sweetheart's soft hair, when he suddenly noticed a poster not far from their parked vehicle. An idea forming in the man's head, he wasted no time in memorizing the words and devising a well thought plan to make Romano feel loved; because it was well worth thinking about, even during the midst of a time sensitive scavenger hunt.
"Mi amor, I'm going to take you someplace today because I want to, and you can't stop me," the Spaniard said excitedly with a beaming grin, gently pulling away from his Italian and steering their jeep out of the car park. Despite his numerous protests, Romano couldn't persuade the driver to turn back on the main road leading to Georgia and crossed him arms, making one final attempt at convincing Spain.
"You know, going somewhere at this time of day means that you'll have to drive late at night," he mentioned darkly, frowning at the very thought of his companion navigating through the dark and foreign roads. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the Italian was starting to feel tired and dreaded the thought of falling asleep while Spain had to brave the journey of the night alone.
"Don't worry, cariño, I have that covered and am perfectly capable of driving at night. Besides, these roads were meant for travel, meaning that there's definitely going to be plenty of lighting and rest stops just in case we do get sleepy or lost," the Spanish nation assured, although he wasn't entirely confident in himself. Once—when he had gone on a trip to Greece— the older man had fallen asleep while driving and nearly crashed, only waking up moments before the possible collision could occur.
But this time, the Spaniard swore that he'd stay alert for the sake of his love's safety and nothing more. Travelling further down Market Street and nearer to the banks of the river, Spain looked for signs warily until he spotted his destination. After the jeep had driven left and parked in a convenient metered space along the sidewalk, both men turned around and stared at the oddly shaped building before them. Reaching for Romano's hand, the Spanish nation pulled his embarrassed companion across the street and gestured at the striped architecture with a grand wave.
"This is the place~! Tennessee Aquarium, one of the attractions in this city of Ch-Chattanooga [or something like that] to go to if you're sightseeing!" Spain exclaimed, closely observing his partner for any signs of rage or ferocity. However, the only expression on the Italian's face was a surprised [if not somewhat pleased] one as a deep blush spread across his face. Then and there, Romano knew that he had one of the most thoughtful lover in the whole wide world.
Passing the aquarium's entrance, Spain noticed almost immediately that the courtyard was filled with families and excited children aimlessly wandering around. He worried about the younger man's reaction, and wondered whether or not he liked children. The Spaniard peeked at Romano from the corner of his eye to find that the Italian nation appeared to be calm and collected.
Sighing with relief, he led both of them to the building titled 'River Journey', still holding hands as they walked there. Even though the two men knew that homosexual people weren't widely accepted amongst a minority of that country they were in, the two didn't care in the least [although a boundary was made due to the fact that children were constantly in their presence].
The setting in which most animals were kept was like an indoor rainforest, and Romano couldn't help but gaze around in wonder. From weird looking native amphibians like hellbender salamanders to brightly colored tropical frogs, the aquarium's River Journey building was home to some unique amphibians. Gorgeous flowers and butterflies also populated the natural indoor garden, creating a wonderful environment for all the visitors.
Spain continuously marveled at the creatures with most of the children, sometimes earning funny looks from members of staff and parents alike. The Italian walking with him only blushed and pretended to act like he wasn't repulsed as the younger man interacted with some of the reptiles.
"But come on, they're so cute! Aren't the turtles and crocodiles just plain adorable? And what about these snakes? They're really friendly to strangers, just look!" the taller nation exclaimed, and held out a rat snake right in front of Romano's face. Although the Italian wasn't frightened, he was uncomfortable with the cold stare he received from the serpent and looked away.
"I guess they'd make good handbags..," he considered quietly, earning a gasp from his Spanish companion.
"Lovi!" Spain bellowed in awe and disgust. Romano simply chuckled darkly and walked out of the building, heading towards the next one that was labeled 'Ocean Journey'. While waiting on his partner outside the restroom area, the Italian nation noticed that there was a little girl with tear stained cheeks wandering around.
She was fairly small, with curly auburn hair that reached her shoulders and sea green eyes, and she clutched a plush princess doll tightly to her chest. It may have looked strange, but Romano approached the child and bent down to meet her eye level.
"Are you alright?" he asked in a voice as soft as he could muster, trying to be careful with the seemingly fragile girl. She looked up at him with watery eyes and shook her head vigorously, quiet sobs still escaping the child's throat.
"M-My bwotha… I-I wost my big bwotha in that big buiwding and now I c-can't find him," she uttered nervously. Feeling sorry for the poor thing, Romano gently patted her head, ignoring the suspicious glares he received from passing civilians.
"What's your brother's name?" the Italian asked, keeping his voice at a semi-loud volume so that nosy bystanders could understand what was really going on before they reported him to the authorities.
"B-Bwyson. And I'm Geneweiwe," the child stuttered. Not only did she have the speaking handicap that most children her age exhibited, but Genevieve's voice also rang with a strange accent. Romano recognized it almost immediately, although he was uncertain of his sudden assumption.
"Tu parli italiano?" he inquired. Scrunching her red face with confusion, Genevieve nodded and whispered a quick "si" before frantically looking around and crying again. The situation wasn't making Romano look any better, so he stood up and reached for the tiny girl's hand.
"If we look together then we'll find your brother in no time," he assured, and her tears stopped running as soon as he had calmed the youngster down.
"LOVVIII! DID YOU WAIT FOR TOO LONG~?" a melodic voice shouted, making Romano flinch at the loud volume while Genevieve hid behind his leg. Spain ran over to his Italian companion and noticed the small child cowering behind him, nearly reduced to tears once more. He cooed at her cuteness and took a good look at Romano, of whom had a protective arm around the shaking girl's shoulders and was glaring at his Spaniard.
"What do you want, idiota? Can't you see that you've scared her now?" he scolded, lightly patting Genevieve's soft curls with reassuring intentions. Spain smiled sheepishly and lowered his head to hide the overwhelmed expression he was making. Romano was being so terribly lovely and wonderful to the child, and it made him want to take his love in his arms and hug him senseless! … Not a good idea at that time, though.
"Lo siento, little one, I didn't mean to surprise you. Lovi, what's wrong with her and why is she crying?" the Spaniard questioned with puzzlement crossing his bronzed features.
"Because one: you frightened her and two: she's lost her older brother. I'm helping Genevieve look for him now," Romano answered, and then spotted a teenage boy pacing about the courtyard anxiously. He looked almost exactly like the child except for the crystal blue eyes that were hidden behind thick framed glasses and the fact that his hair was golden brown.
"Genevieve!" he cried, and the girl pulled away from the Italian nation and into her older brother's arms. She smiled brightly, laughing as her formerly lost sibling hefted the child off of the floor and into his kind embrace.
"I take it you two were keeping my sister company," the teenager stated in a polite manner, his voice rather uptight and professional for someone at such a fickle age. Romano nodded slowly and walked towards the boy with Spain in tow, carefully observing Bryson's facial expression. Instead of being irked and suspicious—like any protective older brother would be acting—the young man appeared calm as he shook the Italian's hand with his free one. Genevieve reached out her small fingers and lightly stroked Romano's face, giggling a bit while doing so.
"Grazie signore," she thanked cheerfully, and then nuzzled her head into Bryson's shoulder to hide her incoming yawn. After expressing his thanks and biding them farewell, the siblings departed, leaving both personifications to reflect on what just happened.
"They seemed nice," Spain commented as he handed his partner a small fish treat from the snack bar. The other man simply grunted in response and walked over to Ocean Journey building, wanting to get over with their aquarium outing as soon as possible. True, most parts of the 'date' had been enjoyable, but Romano knew that time was of the essence, and fatigue took over the man faster than he had realized it would. Remembering the nighttime journey that they'd soon embark on, the Italian wanted to get on the road so that at least some hours were spent driving in broad daylight.
The inside of the enclosure was illuminated with a soft blue colour, accommodating the large room's relaxed atmosphere. Wasting no time at all, Spain ran about the facility and eagerly pressed his face against glass as he observed a blue catfish swim by ever so elegantly. Turning away with a faint blush, Romano thought that it was both silly and charming, throwing insults the Spaniard's way every now and then.
As he eyed a graceful seahorse while it floated through the clear tank without a care in the world, he couldn't help but marvel at its unique shape and colour. The Spaniard noticed his companion's piqued interest in the creature and read from one of the informational plaques below.
"Oh! Look, Lovi, this thing here says that most of the males are pregnant right now due to the passing of mating season. And they'll have around 200 babies at once! Can you imagine that?" Spain asked with fascination, his bright green eyes sparkling and wide. Romano continued to stare at the fairy like aquatic wildlife and hummed in agreement.
Watching the younger nation, a strange yet pleasant thought crossed Spain's mind: Lovi would probably make the cutest babies~! And I bet he's great with kids too! Realizing his thoughts, the Spaniard's hands flew to his face as he blushed heavily from utter mortification; he knew that Romano would have not liked those musings in the least bit.
"Antonio, over there!" the Italian gasped, dragging his love by the sleeve until both had reached a large tank that read 'Grey Nurse Shark' on the bottom. And indeed, said majestic creature passed by their view at such a close range that it made Romano tighten his hold on the Spaniard's arm. Although it was hard to tell what facial expression he was making on account of the poor lighting in the building, Spain could make out the hint of a smile on his partner's bewildered look, and that made him feel light headed from the sight.
After several more minutes of gazing at the different assortments of fish, the two nations exited the building. Before Romano could walk off into the direction of where their jeep was parked, Spain slid his arm around the Italian's waist and guided him elsewhere. Soon enough, both men were at the very edge of the Tennessee River and its shimmering waters.
The sun's orange glow made the waterway reflect beams of light that forced the Italian look away momentarily, for one of the glares were caught in his eyes. Holding his love close, Spain smiled into Romano's hair and gently kissed the Mediterranean nation's temple.
"St-Stop that, bastard, we're in public," the younger man insisted, his puffed up crimson cheeks only encouraging Spain to go in for another peck.
"Ah, don't worry about that my love, the sun is setting and there's barely anyone here. Besides," he mumbled as a cool breeze ruffled both of their hair, "nothing could stop me from hugging my sweet, lovely, beautiful Lovino. As much as you try to hide it, I know that you enjoy this too." Ignoring the sly grin he was getting from the Spaniard, Romano continued to wear his signature frown and focused on the expansive horizon before him.
Somehow, the presence of high skyscrapers and buildings made the riverfront view seem more complete, and the younger nation leant into the embrace he was 'trapped' within. Knowing that Romano had given up his pointless efforts to appear unhappy, Spain took advantage of the situation and cuddled to his heart's content.
"You know, mi corazon, this was sort of like our first date," the Spanish man murmured as he relished in the smell of his love's succulent scented hair. Not wanting to disrupt the peaceful silence that had been kept, Romano stayed quiet until he finally voiced his thoughts.
"I guess it was," he remarked. The older nation traced the outline of a heart on the Italian's olive toned skin and smiled at the thought of many more outings, each better than their first.
"Did you enjoy yourself, querido?" he questioned with a charismatic tone.
"Mmm," was the only response Spain received, and so he tried to press his partner further.
"Would you like to go on another one with me?"
"… Whatever, as long as I don't have to go near or touch any slimy animals, then I suppose I'll consider it," the Italian answered, although his inner self gushed joyfully at the question, much to the young man's utter mortification. I am such a girl… no offense to women.
Humming in an ecstatic manner, it took a while before the Iberian nation noticed that the sun had nearly disappeared, and that night would fall soon enough. He spun Romano around until both men were facing each other, and without needing another word to be said, they rejoiced in a passionate kiss that was lit by golden rays.
Spain looked down at his love, of whom was blushing furiously and had nuzzled his head in the taller nation's chest as if he were literally dying of embarrassment. He adored, appreciated, and was captivated by the Italian in his arms, yet it wasn't enough for either of them; this, they were aware of.
And wonder of wonders, it didn't have to be.
SPAIN AND ROMANO, Y U NO HAVE SEX YET?! ITS THE FIFTEENTH DAMN CHAPTER AND YOU'VE ONLY GONE AS FAR AS MASTURBATION AND MAKING OUT! WHYYY? [yeah my friend literally said that when she read this] Granted, I understand that a loving relationship isn't based on sex alone, but I do get her point. IT. IS. FRUSTRATING. TO READ. What can I say? I'm not a big fan of rushing into relationships or anything, nor do I think it's the best way to enjoy one's company. Just know that not only are our couple's sexual tension getting the best out of readers, but it's getting me too. REALLY BAD.
Let this be a warning to the weak minded: FLORIDA WILL HAVE LEMONY GOODNESS SO HELP ME. I MEAN COME ON THIS IS AMERICA'S SUPPOSED DICK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. SHIT WILL HAPPEN, I ASSURE YOU.
Anyways, I slipped older brother #1 and my younger sister into this chapter simply because my sis requested that I do so [already 13 and a corrupted mind (much to my horror), though I think I take part of the blame for that].
DEAR NEXT CHAPTER, I AM OUT TO GET YOU. THERE IS NOWHERE TO RUN WHEN YOU'RE FACING A RABID FANGIRL.
Thanks for the reviews/follows/favourites and such ^3^