I know I was meant to do missnoddlechan's request first but I heard this song at stage school and I could not contain my feels, my chills or my shits. I'm really sorry missnoddlechan, I'm working on it *Hides in Tamaki emo corner*

Note:In my head cannon, Rome has nicknames for his grandsons. Veneziano is Felix which is an old version of his human name and Romano's is Aurelius which means golden, in reference to his eyes (or at least, the colour Rome sees in them, he's also got a whole other multitude of colour in there)

Anyway, Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Rome smiled down at his grandsons, his precious little boys. Veneziano, his flighty little artist, the apple of his eye, and Romano, stronger yet so much more delicate than his little brother, the one he knew he could trust with precious things.

"My boys. My wonderful, wonderful boys. You have no idea how proud I am of you two."

Veneziano placed his hand on his grandfather's knee. "Nonno, is something wrong?"

Rome chuckled and patted the boy's head. "No, Felix, nothing's wrong. I just wanted to talk to my favourite grandsons."

"Tch, we're your only grandsons. Stupid old man."

Rome sighed slightly. "I know that, Romano. And have more respect for your nonno." Rome thought for a moment. "Come over and sit on my lap. I have something I want to tell the two of you."

The two clambered up (Romano a mite reluctantly) and nestled themselves between his arms, Romano on the left, Veneziano on the right. He reached around their backs and clutched their hands.

"My boys. I am trusting my lands to you. I can't look after them properly now, so I'm giving Veneziano the northern lands and Romano the southern lands."

"Ve~ why can't you look after them, Nonno?" Veneziano asked curiously.

"Wait..." Romano frowned up at him. "You're not thinking of fucking leaving again, are you?"

"language, Romano . And no, I'm not thinking of leaving like last time. I'm giving you my lands because... they need someone new and better than me to lead them and those someones are sitting right in front of me.

He pulled the two boys close to his chest. "The gods must think very favourably of me to give me grandsons like you. I'd do anything for you. I'd give my life for you."

He put them back down on the ground. "Now run along, Nonno's got work to do."

He stood, turned to the dying sunset outside the window and stretched widely.

"U-ummm... Nonno?"

"Hmm?" Rome turned to see a blushing Romano who had his eyes firmly fixed on his feet.

"D-did you r-really, really m-mean...um..."

Rome crouched down to his grandson's level, ignoring the painful creak in his knees.

"Aurelius."

Romano's head jerked up at the sound of that half-forgotten nickname.

"Of course I meant it. I wouldn't lie about that kind of thing. And..." He glanced around and whispered conspiratorially. "Can you keep a secret? Even from your brother?"

Romano glared at him, attempting to regain his former bravado. "Do I look like I'd fucking tell that airhead a secret? He'd blab before you could blink."

"Be nice about your brother, he's nice about you." Rome chided lightly. "Anyway, remember how I said that you and your brother are getting my lands?" Romano nodded. "Well, I'm trusting you with something extra, something very special. I am trusting you with Rome, my heart and my capital. I know that you will take good care of it." Rome clasped the boy's hands in his much larger ones. "Can you do that for me?"

Romano butted his head against his grandfather's chin. "...I guess."

Rome smiled. "Good boy. Now, off you go. Make sure your brother hasn't done an injury to himself in the few minutes we've taken our eyes of him."

Romano scampered out of the room. Rome sighed and slowly straightened up, wincing and groaning.

"Rome."

Rome whirled around. Germania stepped lightly off the window ledge.

"'Mania! You know there's a perfectly good door that you're welcome to use."

Germania grunted and pushed a beaded braid behind his ear. Rome rumpled his hair tiredly.

"I wasn't expecting you this early, 'Mania. I thought we'd agreed it would be after sunset."

Germania slammed his fist against the wall.

"YOU agreed! This was all your stupid idea! What on earth possessed you to think up something like this?! Did all that wine and sex finally kill off your brain?!"

Rome sighed. "'Mania..."

"Don't "'Mania" me! I know I said I'd do whatever you asked, but...but this?! I can't and won't kill you, Rome. What on earth were you thinking? Even for you, idiot, this is beyond..."

"I'm dying, Germania."

Germania froze. There was no trace of mirth in Rome's golden eyes. He was completely serious.

"My empire's collapsing in on itself. Every day I feel and become weaker while my grandsons and some of the other young ones grow ever stronger. I don't want to crumble away in front of them. I want to die with a few shreds of dignity. Quickly, not painfully drawn-out. You're the only one I'd trust to do this. 'Mania, please. I'm begging you."

Germania turned his face away from Rome and slowly pulled out his dagger. Rome smiled and closed his eyes. "Thank you." He whispered. Germania lunged forward.

Romano slid down the outside wall and curled into a ball, biting his lip furiously. "Y-you lying bastard! You... you promised you wouldn't leave! ...You promised."

And with that, the sun set on the mighty Roman Empire.

And thus, Romano's hatred of Germans began. He didn't hear the whole conversation, just Rome seemingly begging for his life. By the way, how do you pronounce Germania? Is it Ger-mania or German-ia (like you say mania or German with a few extra letters

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and I'm working on a request and the next chapter of Abyss of the Deep, so look out for them!

Ja!

-Animerockchic