Pasta Served with a Lili
Chapter Number / Title: #3 / Tomatoes and Tea
Pairings: RomaLiech ( Nothing else comes to mind...)
Will be told in: Mainly Romano's POV (Point of View). It might switch to Liechtenstein's or Switzerland's or some other character's POV sometimes. Might. If it is not told in a character's POV, then it will be told in Third Person. But you'll know who's telling the story anyways. I'll be telling you. Like in my other stories.
Disclaimer: Hetalia: Axis Powers/World Series does not belong to me. Nor does its characters. It all belongs to Himaruya Hidekaz.
Other Important Notes: If the text is quoted in ' - ' and is italicized, then it means that the text is what the character is thinking. But you'll know who's talking anyways.
[Romano's POV]
February 12, XXOO
I woke up in the morning, about 11 AM. Hey, it was the usual time for me. At least I didn't sleep as much as Feliciano. Sometimes I would find him sleeping in my bed from when I wake up and when I come back into my room in the evening. He's so lazy sometimes, it seriously ticks me off. And I found him next to me that day. Again. How many times did I have to smack him in the head to get the signal to him, I didn't want to sleep with him! That's why Feliciano had his own room. But I bet his bed is all dusty and full dust mites, since I doubt he ever sleeps in there.
Before getting out of my own bed, I smacked Feliciano in the head, cursing at the sight of his lack of movement. Dammit, he was so defenseless and careless! It bothered me, how he could be like that the whole entire life that he wasted! Though I let out an agitated huff and stomped out of the room, I couldn't really blame him entirely for staying so long in my bed that day. Yesterday was Japan's birthday, and he was at his party.
The only reason why I didn't want to come was because I wasn't a party type of person. I'd rather stay at home alone than go to a party against my own will. But hey, I did make Feliciano give Japan a present from me. It wasn't anything special to be honest. Some tomato juice that I made that day...Eh. I heard that Japan liked to learn about different cultures and stuff. Either that, or he was prone to culture shock. Maybe both, but whatever. At least I got him something, right?
Augh, who am I kidding? Japan must've been disappointed or something. I mean juice? As a birthday present? Dammit, I'm so stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! I facepalmed the whole way down the stairs, finally stopping once I reached the kitchen. I sighed, getting some ready-to-eat tomatoes out of the fridge, washing one of them before taking a bite out of it. People in other lands usually gave me a weird look when I ate a tomato like that. Raw. In Italy, no one ever really cared. I guess they were used to it.
Then, I started to wonder what to bring to Lili's house. She said that I didn't have to bring anything. Which left me the option of whether or not to do so. But I decided to be 'nice' and get something to eat. We didn't have the right ingredients to make pasta, and I was still working on my pizza skills, so the best I could do was tomatoes. They happened to be a bright red today, which was definitely a good sign. I got the tomatoes from the garden that Feliciano and I worked on, although I noticed that the others didn't think we'd do something like that. As in, keep and take care of a garden. But it's not like money grows on trees. We couldn't buy food from the grocery shop or get fast food every day. Not like that fatass America.
After finishing the tomato I was eating, I started to prepare the uneaten tomatoes in a basket, washing them before I did so. I only put five of them inside the basket, though, because I didn't know if Lili liked tomatoes or not, so I had to be careful not to bring too much or too little. I stopped sorting the tomatoes when I saw a piece of paper on the bottom of the basket. It must've been the letter that Lili had delivered yesterday. Now that I thought of it, I didn't get to find out what was inside the letter. Feliciano must've read it.
So, out of curiosity, I took the letter and started to read.
'Italy,
I've gotten tired of your trespassing! I've been running out of ammunition to shoot you too. I don't have much to say, but if you trespass again through my land or Liechtenstein's without my permission or hers, I swear I will shoot you...
And I won't miss this time.
-Switzerland / Vash Zwingli'
I gulped. The letter...It was like a threat letter! No, it wasn't like a threat letter, it was a threat letter! Shit! Wait...No, I had Liechtenstein's permission to go to their house. That means that Switzerland would let me in without problem, right? Maybe. I hadn't actually been to their house before. Feliciano has before, I know that, but not me. I couldn't act nervous though. At least, I can until I get to Lili's house. I nervously set the letter back down on the counter.
I heard footsteps come down from above the stairs, and there was only one meaning for this. Feliciano. "Buongiorno, Big brother, Romano~~"
"Yeah yeah, 'morning, Feliciano." I said, his cheery mood still pissing me off. Though he didn't actually do anything yet to anger me any further.
"Ve, you've set the tomatoes in a pretty basket~ Are you going somewhere?" He asked, sounding excited and curious to find out what exactly I was doing.
"Yes, yes I am. Now will you shut up and eat?" My mood became harsh and annoyed, and so, Feliciano got the message along with a box of cereal, milk, a spoon, and a bowl. He started to eat sloppily, though he cleaned his mess right after I shot him a glare.
That's how it was with almost everyone when they're around me. A few of the other countries, those stupid Allies, even stereotyped me before, saying that if anyone talked to me, I would tell them to 'fuck off' and 'go die in a hole, dammit'. It wasn't true, which only made me even more agitated and flustered in the situation. I wanted to shove a tomato down their throats, or rather a knife if I had one. Anything that would make them shut up would've done.
That's how my life was. Nobody thought of my feelings. Nobody wanted to deal with me. Nobody cared. Spain was different at times, though. But aside him, no one else really complimented me, encouraged me, or thought there was a different side of me. Somewhere inside me, there's a person who doesn't mad or annoyed or anything like that...Yet no one seemed to find it. So that side of me was lost, forever lost. Somewhere. Probably gone forever...The thought absolutely crushed me. It made my heart skip a beat, making me bite my lip and clutch the part of my shirt of which covered my chest.
I wished someone thought of my feelings. I wish someone would spend time with me. I wish someone cared. It was the only thing I ever really wanted. For just one person to bring out that lost side of mine, so I can become a new person that people would actually like. Though my dreams are the easiest to be broken.
"Are you going to the potato-bastard's again?" I asked, making a bowl of cereal for myself. Unlike Feliciano, I didn't eat sloppily. Well maybe sometimes, but only when I'm in a rage.
"Ve? Oh, you mean Germany's house~ Si, si! And Japan's coming too! We're gonna have a picnic and food and a lot of fun just being outside! Ve~ Japan even said that we would be able to play a new game that he made if we wanted~!" Feliciano went on and on about how he was going to spend the day, though I only listened to about half of what he said.
"I'm going to go change. I'll be leaving after that. You should do the same," I sighed, washing and drying my spoon and bowl. I set them in their proper places in our cabinet, and walked back to my room.
"Ve, okay! I will~" Feliciano started to wash his own dishes as I walked back up the stairs, into my own room. I heard various 've~'s as I was doing so.
After stepping into my room, I locked the door and changed my plain white T-shirt for a gray undershirt, putting on an olive-green, short-sleeved jacket over it. It's sleeves were like a regular T-shirt's. I zipped the jacket up halfway, and slipped on some brown cargo shorts and fit my white sock-covered feet into the usual brown boots that I wore most of the time I went outside. They would've looked worn-out too, if it wasn't for the condition that I kept them in. I combed my hair, since it looked messier than it should've been, but was careful not to move my hair curl too much.
So I left home, not bothering to say goodbye to Feliciano, for it seemed as though he left already. Basket slung over my shoulder with my right hand, Lili's address in my left, I walked on. It took me a while before I could actually get there, though. But we weren't so far apart that I had to use a bus or a car. Besides, I liked walking better than using a smelly old bus...Cars were okay, I just liked walking outside in the open. Something that a person like me wasn't expected to prefer.
When I reached the border of Lili's land. I noticed that she didn't have much land to take care of, but it was beautiful just looking at all of the houses and the vegetation growing around it, although it might have just been that part of Liechtenstein that looked like that. It was a bit like Italy, though we had more buildings than actual plants like flowers and grass growing around our homes. It wasn't the time for sight-seeing, though. By that time, it was already 2:55...In the afternoon. If I didn't get there in five minutes, I would be late! But that wouldn't matter, right? I mean, not everybody gets to a meeting right on time, right?
So I considered not running, but continuing to walk towards Lili's house. She probably shared a house with Switzerland, because I knew that he basically ran the orders to Lili instead of doing it herself. It wasn't much to control though, I usually thought. But taking care of land besides your own...Should be a pain sometimes. Just look at England and what happened with America.
When I reached the gate of what was supposed to be Lili and Switzerland's house, it seemed to be opened a little. "Huh. Urr...I guess...I'll just step right in then..." I told myself. But then I hesitated. The damn fear of getting shot...That damn letter that Switzerland sent...Made me almost frozen in my tracks.
Though I kept thinking about Lili, and I marched on. "Tch..." I knocked on the door, and waited for a moment. Their house was big. Bigger than Feliciano and mine's house. It kind of bothered me, the size of it. I couldn't keep staring for long though, since someone opened the door a few moments after I knocked. It was Switzerland, unfortunately.
"Come in," The Swiss said, opening the door wider so I could step in. That moment was awkward for me. All the rumors of Switzerland were of guns, bad-temper, and protectiveness. His tone was calm and casual, so I got a bit confused for a second or two before stepping inside the house. And man, it was big outside and inside. Switzerland closed the door behind me. "Liechtenstein said that you'd be coming. Romano, right? Are you Ital-I mean, Feliciano's brother?" He asked. Dammit, he almost said 'Italy'...That seriously would've made me feel more than uncomfortable in my anger zone.
"Yes," I said, putting the paper of which held their address in my pocket. I stared around and waited if he had anything else to add.
"Alright then. At least you have permission. That brother of yours keeps-"
"Trespassing. I know..."
"...How?"
"I read the letter you sent. It said 'To Italy', so I thought I'd be able to read it. And whenever Feliciano gets in trouble like that he cries and tells me what happened. Against my own will..."
"...Really...Well it's best you know anyways." Switzerland crossed his arms and looked at me for a while of what seemed like a curious look mixed in with an 'I don't believe you' expression. It was really weird, I'll give you that. "Liechtenstein's in the backyard. She's waiting for you." Switzerland then went upstairs, to where I guessed his room was.
"Urr, okay then?" I looked around for a moment as I walked towards the back door, where Switzerland pointed to before he left. When I walked outside, all I saw was beautiful and flourishing flowers and plants and gardens...It sort of reminded me of home, though we didn't have as many flowers.
'Wonder where she is...' I thought as I walked around the sunlight-gaining gardens.
"Romano," A voice called out. "Um, Romano, is that you?" I knew this voice. It was soft, sweet, shy, and as graceful as the wind amongst flowers. There was only one reason for this. Lili.
"Yeah, it's me," I answered. Before getting a response, I happened to make a turn to the right, and see her sitting by a table. There was another chair, and when Lili saw me, she motioned to it. I was in a trance again, so I had to snap out of it and walk to the chair. Putting the basket on the floor next to me, I stared at the tea pot and the tea cups. They weren't really all that colorful, which was perfect for me. The colors were a simple blue and white, the actual pot and cups white, and the design in blue. What were these called? 'China', I supposed...
"I'm really glad you came, R-Romano..." Why Lili stuttered and why her cheeks reddened, I didn't know, but I had to carry on the conversation.
"I wouldn't miss something like this, I guess...Oh yeah, I brought something..." I ducked my head down so I could reach the basket, but I stopped for a moment, and brang my head and back up half-way. "Hey...Do you like tomatoes?" I asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
"Yes, of course I do," Lili said happily. Was I ever glad to hear that. "I love to make dishes out of them with Big Bruder sometimes, or eat them as they are." The longer she talked, the more relieved I became. "Um...If I may...Why did you ask?"
I took out two of the tomatoes from the basket and one to Lili. "I brang some, but I didn't know if you liked them or not..." I admitted. "And uh, they're clean. I washed them when I was back home."
"Oh, that's wonderful," She smiled and took the tomato in her hold, biting it. "Thank you so much!"
Now that was a surprise, I didn't know that she ate tomatoes like that. I thought that only Feliciano and I did that...Eat a tomato like that, not cooking it or preparing it in another dish at times. There was probably more to her than I thought. I started to wonder if she liked pasta or pizza too. I felt a smile appear upon my face, something that hasn't shown itself for more than a long time. I gazed upon her eyes with that smile, my stomach feeling all weird and fluttery. That's when I realized that I was staring again. Dammit! What if she saw? I shook my head and looked to my left, eating the tomato in my hand sheepishly.
Lili finished about three fourths of her tomato while I was staring. I must've been watching her for a long time...Though she didn't seem to notice that I was doing so.
"Oh, um, where are my manners, u-um," Lili took the tea pot, pouring its contents in the fragile tea cups settled above a small plate. After doing so, she set the tea pot down on the table, and took a sip of her tea before eating the tomato I gave. She swallowed, and continued to talk. "Where did you get these tomatoes? They're grown very well, and they're just delicious."
I blushed at those compliments, even though they weren't directed to me. The feel of the heat rising to my cheeks, it wasn't very easy to speak without stuttering myself. "From the garden that Feliciano and I take care of. Do you really like them?"
"Yes, of course I do," Lili said, finishing the rest of her tomato the same time I did. I wiped my mouth and stared at the tea in front of me for a moment. I didn't really like tea, as I said before. But it was something Lili liked, so I might as well have tried it again. And so I did. But when I tasted it, the flavor was much more different. A sort of light sweet taste, with a pang of lemon. The lemon really leveled the taste out.
"...Whoa..." I mumbled after the sip of tea.
"Wh-What is it? Oh...D-Do you not like the tea I made?" Lili asked after setting down her tea cup. Her facial expression looked sad and disappointed. Right then, I started to feel bad. But I really did like the tea...
"N-No...Well yes...No I mean...I like your tea." I admitted. I leaned back on my chair and covered my face in an attempt to hide that heat from my cheeks again. "I just don't like any other types of tea that any other person makes...Your tea is...Different...A-A good different..."
I looked up and saw Lili blush. Either I made her happy, or I made a wrong move. I looked closer, and caught a glimpse of a smile on her face. I sighed in relief. I didn't do anything wrong after all...
"Thank you...I-I didn't think know if you liked tea...S-So I got nervous..." She said, still blushing, but smiling that wonderful smile. I noticed that her situation was like mine just a few minutes ago. I didn't know if she liked tomatoes, she didn't know if I liked tea. But it turned out well for both of us.
"Hey...Lili...You don't have to worry about stuff around me. I'm good with whatever you make, whatever you do, whatever you say. Okay?" I said calmly, probably more causally than I should have been. Though it was the truth. And I had to be serious about it.
I saw Lili's face get brighter. As in, the blush in her cheeks. "...O-Okay..." She giggled again, making me blush harder as well. Dammit, I really seemed manly huh. Not. "A...And...You should feel c-comfortable around h-here too...A-Alright?" She started to stutter more and more. I didn't know if it was good or not. Maybe it was...She did say something comforting, after all.
I smiled once more. "Yeah...I'll do that."
Switzerland's Journal: All who open this but Switzerland will perish.
February 11, XXOO
I've been wondering about that Romano for a while now...Liechtenstein seemed happy when she came back from his and Italy's I-I mean, Feliciano's house. She said that she made a new friend named 'Romano', and she started to tell me all about how great he was, how she liked his hair curl, how she invited him to come to our house...
Hearing her so happy has never made me so happy myself. Though why did she have to be friends with a male? It would've been fine if she became friends with a girl, not a guy. But he made her happy to be friends with this 'Romano', so I let it go and decided not to yell out at him and scold him and shoot him like I do with his brother.
I just hope he isn't a pain.
-Switzerland
Author's Note:
Should I have made this longer? I tried as hard as I could to stay in character, but I really, really failed. ; ~ ;
Oh, and do you like the new diary thing that I'm doing? I figured since my being in character with Romano really sucked, so I wanted to do something to make it up to you guys. If you all liked it, please tell me, and I'll keep writing them in. Keep in mind, there will be various characters writing diary entries, not just one. Though one diary entry per chapter. Thank you for reading this!
Please review if you want the chapters to come faster! That's how it works with my stories; The more reviews, the faster the chapters. Hope you enjoyed...Waah...