Okay people, here's the scoop. The plan is for this story to be 5 more chapters in total- 3 canon ones and two Omakes. Next will be an Omake, then canon, then omake, then two canons (The next omake should be a Russia and China one). Then the story will be done at 18 total posts. But I DO plan to do more Hetalia stuff. So there. I don't own Hetalia still. But I do own my mind, which I am losing steadily. So there.

Turning the World Upside Down

Chapter 13: Revelations and Realizations

Italy was bouncing down the hallways per usual, even the seemingly normal motion of walking seeming vibrant and overflowing with barely contained energy. Germany had been trying to catch him all day, but Feliciano was in his own little world as always and hadn't heard the taller boy shouting his name. Finally, he ran and caught up to him, grabbing the Italian around the wrist until Germany looked fully at him. "ITALY!" he yelled.

"Oh, Hiya, Germany!" chirped Feliciano when he finally snapped out of his daze and saw poor Germany panting over him, completely out of breath. "Can I help you with something?"

"Listen," he said in between his choking gasps. "A-about Holy Roman Empire-"

"WEST!" interrupted Prussia, running forward and grabbing Germany by the back of his collar. "I NEED YOUR HEEEELP!"

"Wait! I was talking to Italyyyy!" yelled Germany as he was dragged away.

"No, it's totally all right! See you at lunch!" he cried, waving at Germany cheerfully. The second they had turned the corner and Feliciano was alone in the hallway, the sunny smile of his slipped off his face to leave a forlorn, beaten version of the grin to replace it. "It's okay, Germany. You don't need to tell me," he said, feeling his lower lip trembling slightly in a valiant attempt to hold back the tears. "I already know Holy Roman Empire is dead."

--

Germany walked into the lunchroom, searching out Italy with his gaze. When he finally found Italy, the freshman was sitting with Hungary at a lunch table (Romano had been dragged to Spain's table, and god knows where America and England were, but they were probably doing something involving their mouths that wasn't eating). Germany plopped down next to Italy and Hungary squealed. Both of them turned to look at her curiously. "I just remembered I promised Austria I'd sit with him!" Hungary lied with a giggle. She then ran off and sat next to Austria, who started violently. "If anyone asked, I promised to sit next to you," she said to him bluntly, then whipped out binoculars and began to watch the other two who were still sitting at the table. Austria put one hand over his throbbing chest, blinking curiously. Why exactly did his heart keep doing that whenever Hungary was near him?

Over at the lunch table, Italy was blinking at Germany. "What brings you over here?" he asked quietly. He actually knew the reason, but he was hoping beyond hope that Germany had decided to not continue with their previous conversation. Of course, Ludwig had no such intention.

"About Holy Roman Empire-"

"I know," interrupted Italy calmly, biting his sandwich. His smile looked a little forced.

"You knew? For how long?"

"Well, I was there when he left."

"...What does that have to do with anything?"

"I SAW him get hit by a car." Italy was actually doing a fantastic job keeping his fake smile securely in place. "I've known he was dead for a while."

Germany's blue eyes widened. "No, no. That's not what I meant. He's not dead!"

"What are you talking about? He got hit by a car! And he never came back to find me. He's gone." Italy whispered, his smile finally crumbling.

"No, I don't think he is! I think I'm him! That is, I think I'm Holy Roman Empire!" Germany felt his face heat up under Italy's skeptical gaze. Ludwig had never felt or looked so insane.

"What exactly do you mean?" Italy said quietly, his pensive brown eyes never leaving Germany's blue ones.

"Well, you said I looked like him. And I got this weird scene in my head of them talking. You know what I mean?"

"No," said Italy, giving him a look. Germany was usually the logical one giving people critical stares, so it was a little irritating to be on the receiving end of it.

"I can't remember my childhood at all, but when I passed out yesterday, I got a flashback of my childhood memories. I got hit by a car and I got amnesia! I have to be Holy Roman Empire!"

A smile tweaked Italy's mouth and he looked down at his Panera sandwich. "Really. You don't have to try to cheer me up. I've accepted it by this point. I do appreciate the effort, though. Thank you."

Germany gave a frustrated groan. This was not going over the way he'd hoped. Suddenly, he remembered something. "What about the red string?"

Italy froze in place, his sandwich raised halfway to his mouth. He slowly looked up, his round eyes full of something Ludwig couldn't really identify it. "What red string?" he said, his voice trembling.

"You know, the red string!" he said, running a hand through his perfectly combed blond hair in frustration and messing it up, which only served to make him look even more like Holy Roman Empire. "I gave it to you before I left because I was...erm...proposing and I didn't have a ring." His face turned blood red and he looked at his lap. Feliciano didn't say anything, just stared at him. "Don't you remember that? Isn't that why you're still wearing it on the exact same finger I tied it on? ...Come to think of it, wasn't I supposed to put it on the left hand?"

"Oh my god," Italy finally spoke up. "It actually is you!" His eyes welled up with tears and he launched himself across the table, upsetting his clam chowder and wrapping both arms around Germany's waist. Germany smiled gently and buried his face into Feliciano's brown wavy locks as the younger boy began to cry softly. He squeezed Italy's shoulders comfortingly. This still wasn't how Germany had pictured the revelation, but he liked this way better anyway.

"OH MY GOD!" squealed Hungary in a whisper, squeezing Austria's hands in hers as she smiled hugely. "Aren't they so damn adorable?"

"Adorable," he repeated, not looking at them but instead at Hungary's beaming grin, flushed face, and emerald eyes. On the upside, he finally may have discovered the root of the whole heart-pounding-around-Hungary problem. The downside? He had never tried to court anyone before (as evident by his use of the word court in a manner that does not pertain to sports). And, judging by the jealous glare he was getting from Prussia, he was going to have a little competition. Oh well. Austria glared back with a small smirk on his face as Hungary obliviously babbled on about how Germany and Italy were the cutest couple ever. Let the games begin.