Thanks to ScandinavianTrash, Eternal Nexus Warrior, BrownieTheFangirl and an anon for reviewing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

SpaRus: Beyond Silence

Ivan smiled as he waved the customers away, trying to ignore the words engraved on their wrists. The first words they had spoken to each other. It was clear that they were soul mates, judging by the loving looks they would throw each other.

Ivan sighed, looking at his own blank wrist. The first words one would hear their soul mate say would be forever engraved on the wrist. That was how you knew you had met them. But Ivan didn't have anything. He would never hear his soul mate speak to him. He had come to accept it, but it still hurt.

He plastered on a smile when two other customers entered the bookstore. He was slightly relieved to see that the two of them appeared to be brothers. They wouldn't have the first words they spoke to each other on their wrists.

Antonio entered the bookstore, accompanied by his brother Miguel. His usual bookstore had closed, and someone had suggested this store. He had heard about it – well, not actually heard, since Antonio was deaf, but he had been made aware of the shop. The only reason he hadn't come here before was because the message had come to him that the owner was creepy, and not a normal owner-of-a-bookstore-creepy, but scary creepy.

When he had glanced towards him, he could see why they would say that. The man was large, and not what one would expect. And he had a childlike smile on his face which didn't quite meet his eyes. But underneath that, Antonio was sure he could see some sorrow.

Antonio felt a tap on his arm, and he turned to face his brother.

Is something wrong? Miguel signed.

Antonio shook his head, before he went towards the fantasy section. There was a specific book that he was searching for, and he wanted it as soon as possible. It was the conclusion of a trilogy, after all.

Ivan watched the two brothers, and he noticed that the one with shorter hair kept scanning the bookshelves over and over again, a frown on his face. Ivan decided to go over to see what was wrong.

Miguel saw the large man approaching first, and he decided not to bother his brother yet.

"Can I help you with something?" Ivan asked.

Miguel turned to his brother and nudged him, before he signed to his brother.

He wants to know if he can help.

Antonio frowned, before he signed back to his brother what he wanted. Miguel followed before he sighed, turning to the taller male, explaining the situation, but Ivan wasn't listening.

As Antonio had been signing, Ivan caught sight of the other's wrists. Both of them were blank.

"Are you listening?" Miguel asked.

Ivan shook himself, before he turned to the other male.

"I'm sorry," Ivan said. "I just… I couldn't help but notice that his wrists were blank."

Miguel sighed, while Antonio looked confused and frustrated.

"My brother is deaf," Miguel said. "So, naturally, he wouldn't be able to hear his soul mate's first words."

Ivan glanced towards Antonio, before he showed his own blank wrists. Antonio's eyes widened, before he signed something towards Miguel. Miguel sighed.

"He wants to know how that's possible," Miguel said.

"I don't know," Ivan said. "I just always assumed that I didn't have anyone."

Miguel glanced between Antonio and Ivan.

"He was born deaf," Miguel explained. "We tried to get him to speak, but without success. The same could be said about him learning to read lips. So, maybe because he can't hear the words and because he can't speak, the two of you…"

Antonio signed something, and Miguel signed something back, and Antonio turned to face Ivan, a small smile on his face. He signed something to Miguel, who turned to face Ivan.

"He wants to know if it would be possible to see if it's true," Miguel said. "To see if you two really are meant to be together."

Ivan smiled.

"Da, that would be nice," Ivan said. "Perhaps for dinner tonight? But for now, what was that book he was looking for?"

Miguel smiled, before he suddenly figured out that he would have to act as interpreter for the two. He felt a little discouraged at that revelation.

Antonio signed something, and Miguel turned to Ivan.

"He wants to know your name," Miguel said. "He's Antonio, by the way."

"I am Ivan," Ivan said.

"Four letters," Miguel said, looking relieved.

Miguel signed Ivan's name to Antonio, and Antonio signed something back.

"He wants to know if you wear the scarf a lot," Miguel asked.

"Da," Ivan said. "Every day."

Miguel nodded, and Antonio signed something back. Miguel smiled.

"That's your name now," Miguel said. "The sign for 'I' and 'scarf'."

Ivan blinked, before he smiled. He had a feeling that he and Antonio could get along great.

The prompt was: 'Imagine your OTP in a soulmate AU where the first words you hear your soulmate say appear on your wrist, but person A is deaf, so both person A and person B have nothing on their wrists. They both assume that this means they don't have soulmates and are kinda upset over that, but learn to live with it. They eventually meet one-another, and both realize they have nothing on their wrists. What happens afterwards is up to you.'

First time writing a soul mate AU, so it might have been bad.

A former classmate of mine studies sign language as a main subject (of course, the South African sign language) and explained to us that a person's name was the first letter of the actual name and the sign for the person's trademark feature. Like one of the girls who always has her hair parted in the middle is 'K' and 'centre parting'.

The title is from a German movie, Jenseits der Stille. The English name is 'Beyond Silence'.

I'm on holiday now, and asides from a manuscript I need to complete and a book report, I have plenty of time to work on other stories. I used a randomiser to help me with my priorities, and they are as follows (in order of priority): The World Meets Canada (CanadaXWorld), Arcane Mafia, Mystery of the Haunted Mansion (CanIta), Return of the Magic Trio (Harry Potter crossover), Enough, Bloody Vengeance, The Heir of Dracula (Itamania), Too Much Drama (CanadaXSeborga), Mansion of Darkness and Impossible (Canmania). So hopefully I will start posting a new story soon enough.