"My little Daisy," Italy cooed. (AN: Republic of Deutschland and Italia Commonwealth= Republic of DaiC ) She held her newborn baby in her arms. "It's kind of funny. Germany always arrives early, I always arrive late, and this little bambina arrived right on time! You know, it's been exactly nine months!"
"Italy, please don't talk about those kinds of things. There are guests here," Germany said. His face was slightly flushed.
"They're friends a family. I don't think they mind," Italy said. "Who wants to hold her?' she offered.
"Kesesesesesese! The awesome me will go first!" Prussia took little Daisy up into his arms. "It's a good thing she looks so much like you, West. If it weren't for her, I'd have trouble believing you weren't a virgin. She's pretty lucky having an awesome uncle like me!"
"Sometimes I wonder about you…" Germany said.
"Oh shit, I didn't tell her! Baby hot potato!" Prussia said as he passed the baby to Romano. He ran out of the room straight towards the phone.
"Don't say that dirty word in front of her! Better get this in her early. Daisy, no matter what your old man says, pasta will always be better than potatoes. Got it? Potatoes are nasty."
Daisy put another smile on her face. Then, she proceeded to spit up on her Italian uncle. Romano looked annoyed at first, but no one would ever be able to stay mad at Daisy's sweet face.
"Eh, I think she gets the idea. Potatoes are yucky. If you're ever forced to eat a potato, you just spit it right out." He handed off Daisy to Spain while he went to wipe off his shirt.
"He's exaggerating of coarse. Potatoes aren't that bad. Trust Auntie Spain on this. Your Uncle Romano likes to exaggerate a lot." Spain smiled widely while bouncing the baby up and down. It was like a smiling contest.
"Do you want to hold her?" she asked me. I nodded as Daisy was put into my arms. She was small and heavy in my arms. She gripped my finger tightly in her small little hands.
"She's pretty strong!" I said. Italy looked really proud.
Spain looked at me then. Her smile was gone, but she didn't look angry. "Who are you?" she asks just now realizing she's never really met me.
Italy jumped in on this. "Oh yeah! Spain, she got cursed by a fairy just like we were! She can't remember anything."
"Really?" Spain said, the smile already apparent on her face.
"Yeah, I don't remember much. All I know is that I used to be a boy. And that I keep dreaming about a guy named Lithuania."
"Well, that's pretty interesting," Spain said optimistically. "Everything will work out in the end."
"See that's what I'm not to sure about. From what I could tell, I wanted to be a girl. But I also have the feeling that this isn't how it's supposed to be. It's like I'm still missing something. Tell me, what was it like for you guys and handling your gender change. I don't remember being a boy, so your experience could help me figure things out."
"I think I know somewhat how you feel. I got changed into a boy when I was young. At the time I convince myself it was a good thing. As a boy, I could protect myself more. After I met Germany, I missed being a girl, so I was glad when I changed back because I knew he could protect me."
"For me, I had been a girl most of my life, and then stupid England cursed me via fairy. I wasn't much of a girly girl anyway, so being a boy wasn't much of a difference. I'm happy being a girl though, because Romano could hardly stand me being a boy. He loved me, but he couldn't stand me. It was kind of funny really."
Everything had worked out for them. They had a perfect fairytale ending. The prince married the princess. But what about me? Where did I fit in? Where was my happy ending?
"Don't stress yourself out too much thinking about it. Love will always come through in the best way possible," Spain added.
It turns out my mind wasn't the only thing swaying. I had subconsciously kept switching my weight around along with the idea in my mind. Little Daisy had fallen asleep in my arms. She seemed to smile even sleep.
I carefully handed her off to her daddy. He held her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. As if one wrong move would break her. He tenderly carried her out of the room.
Italy yawned. "Ah, it's been a long day. Thanks for coming all the way out here, Spain. I know you're really busy with the whole harvest going on."
Spain lightly kissed Italy's forehead. "Anything for you, chica. We are sisters, after all. It's getting late. Romano and I should probably head back home." Spain turned to me. "It was nice to meet you. I hope you find out who you are soon. Oh, and have fun with Lithuania!" She winked at me as she headed out the door.
"it looks like I'll be staying here another night. Sorry for troubling you," I said to Italy.
She yawned again. "It's no trouble. You can stay here as long as it takes," she said groggily. She was practically asleep already. I slipped quietly out of her room.
I passed Germany in the hallway on the way to the guest room. We didn't pay much attention to each other. Germany was focused on his wife; I was focused on trying to figure out what was I going to do. I tired to cast my thoughts out as I wrapped myself in the comfort that only sleep could provide me.
I was lying in the red snow. Something was wrong. Snow wasn't supposed to be red. It was supposed to be white. If it was going to change colors it might as well be pink. My head hurt. Warm blood warmed me as it ran down my face.
"-nd, wake up! Look at me! Help me!"
Someone was calling for me. It took all the effort I had to lift my head. We had lost. We had tried so hard, but we had lost. Liet was being taken away from me. Liet was crying. His face was bruised and bloody like I expected mine to be. I could hardly bear to like at it. I was pretty sure he wouldn't want to see my miserable face either. I couldn't move. I couldn't do anything.
It pained me to hang a smile on my face. "You should totally see your face right now!" I said. Liet's face relaxed a bit. In a tiny way, I had saved him some pain. Russia carried him away into the cold. He was taking away my warmth.
Damn it! It was like I was being torn apart. How could anyone take him away from me? He's mine, isn't he? I needed him. He called me selfish, but I need him all to myself.
This was it. After all this time, he was finally here with me. My wish was about to come true. Liet was going to be all mine. We could be together forever without anyone taking him away from me. No one else would love him like I did.
Italy had told me the stories. This fairy changed the gender of whoever she cursed. It was kind of hard to imagine Liet as a girl. Maybe he would like more cute things if he was one.
When we were kids, I had told Liet it was opposite day. That was the first day I had ever worn a dress, so I made him as well. He looked so pretty like the doll he had given me for my birthday.
He had blushed when he came out.
"You don't have to be embarrassed," I told him. "It's just me. Plus you like cute!"
He blushed more at that. "I look ridiculous. You're the one who looks cute."
That was probably the day I realized that I loved him. That I always would. Whether he was a girl or a boy, he was my one and only love. Hopefully one day he would forgive me for this. I breathed in. I pointed to Liet's confused and angry face as I answered the fairy's question.
I woke up sobbing. I hastily wiped the tears from my face. I didn't want to disturb the others. It was late at night. The world was supposed to be calm and asleep while mine ws crashing down.
Surprisingly I wasn't the only one up. Apparently Daisy's cries had overshadowed my own. I was drawn to the nursery.
Italy rocked her baby back and forth as Daisy's cries quieted. Italy was surprised when she saw me.
"Daisy didn't disturb you did she? What's wrong?"
Daisy had stopped, but I had just begun. I pulled at my face, horrified at what I had done.
"It's all my fault. It's all my fault! Liet…he…I asked for this! I hurt him so much…" My words got drowned.
Italy set her baby back in the crib and wrapped her arms around me.
"Bambina povera," she whispered to me as I attempted to cry my heart away.