Hetalia fic + fanart

[stalkerbunny]

Betaread by the gracious meicdon13,and sorry for stealing your idea! >_<;;;

Title: Childhood Sweethearts
Author/Artist: Stalkerbunny aka. Keraaminenkettu aka. Maarit ^_^
Character(s) or Pairing(s): Germany/Italy (and based on the unofficial theory Holy Roman Empire => Germany. Yes, I couldn't stand the tragedy *is a wimp* >3>;)
Rating: PG
Warnings: Nothing worse than a kiss, really.
Summary: Amnesia? Can you eat that?


Ludwig was testing a new truck, so he wasn't really listening to Feliciano. He wasn't even sure why he took the other nation with him, except it had seemed too much work to say no when Italy had come running up to Ludwig that morning. He'd have probably found the fool getting into some trouble if he'd left him on his own anyway. The rumble of the engine was almost drowning out the words, so it was easy to tune the other out. Ludwig only had a vague idea that Feliciano was talking about food, as usual.

Something about sweets he'd made for Germany, and how they'd gone bad before they'd had a chance to meet up. Amazing, considering how it felt like they were always together. A little too much, if anyone asked Ludwig, which they obviously didn't, he thought, and glared at Feliciano out of the corner of his eye. Italy paid it no mind, as usual.

For a while, Germany concentrated on driving, and then a stray phrase filtered through.
"--I didn't know what to do, so I gave you my panties. And then you kissed me!"
Ludwig slammed the break down, and the car stopped with a jerk.
"What!?"
Feliciano blinked at him.

"What...did you say?" Ludwig clarified.
Italy cocked his head and smiled uncertainly.
"I gave you my underwear and you kissed me?"
"Th-that never happened!"

Italy frowned.
"Yes, it did! And it was one of the happiest moments of my life, so I should know!"
Germany tried to wrack his brain for any time the two of them might have gotten drunk or something, but he was pretty sure...it had to be some kind of tasteless joke. He narrowed his eyes threateningly.

"When did this...thing, supposedly happen?"
Italy was starting to look unhappy.
"When you left Austria-san's house, don't you remember?"

Germany stared at him, his mouth opening and closing.
Then he gripped the wheel and started the motor, driving them back the way they'd come. Italy tried to ask him where they were going, but Germany just kept driving.
He swerved into the driveway, closed the motor half as an afterthought, noting it was making distressed sounds. Not good, but that would have to be dealt with later.

"Germany, what are you..."

Ludwig shook his head to silence Italy, and then grabbed his hand, walking briskly into the house and upstairs, to the attic. He hesitated at the door, and then headed towards an old chest pushed up against the wall.

Italy was silent as he rummaged around in it, pushing away old documents, moth eaten flags and rusted weapons with no regard to their age. Finally he found a bundle of silk, wrapped lovingly around a pair...a pair of ruffled underpants. Cotton, yellowed with age, but otherwise in near pristine shape, Germany noted, to keep the horror at bay.

"Oh, you did keep them," Feliciano said quietly.

Ludwig turned towards him, slowly, still holding the garment in his hand. They seemed rather...small. What exactly had he done back then?

Italy looked at him, with an almost wistful expression.
"You could have written or something, you know. They told me: "The Holy Roman Empire is gone." and I was so sad, I cried for days. And then I found out you'd just changed your name! I was so relieved though; I couldn't even be angry."

Germany shook his head.
"No, I..." He cleared his throat. "I don't remember. Anything, from before...before. That was someone else."
He said the last a bit too loudly, and winced minutely.

Tears welled up in Feliciano's eyes, and then Ludwig found himself with an armful of the brown-haired nation. He let the underpants drop to the floor, and then shifted his arms awkwardly, not sure what to do with them. Finally he settled on trying to push Italy away, but the other hung on like a limpet, and started shaking, so Germany patted him on the back instead.

"Hey, don't cry about it," Ludwig said gruffly.
Italy shook his head, strands of his hair tickling Ludwig's chin. He realized suddenly the other nation was laughing.

When Feliciano finally raised his head, his eyes were glistening suspiciously, but he still had a wide smile on his face.
"I'm so relieved!" he said, and when Germany stared at him, completely mystified, Italy pressed his head on his shoulder again and whispered:
"You never spoke about it, and you were so distant, I thought...that you were angry, or that I wasn't pretty enough anymore, or something. But you'd just forgotten!"
He beamed at Germany again.

"S-so what, it's not like that changes anything. I told you I'm not that person anymore."
Germany almost regretted it, at that moment, having to dim that happiness shining in Italy's eyes...but actually, that didn't happen. In fact, the hopeless fool was still grinning at him, and shaking his head.

"You might not remember, but you're just the same as you were back then!" Italy told him joyously.
"Am not."
"Are too!"
"Stop being so childish!"
"Okay."

And then Feliciano kissed him, with all the enthusiasm he put into cooking, or eating, or any of the few things he actually bothered to do properly.
And Ludwig...found himself unable to find an effective counter argument, at that particular moment, with those warm arms wrapped around him and with that soft mouth against his own. Perhaps he'd think of it later.
Or perhaps it was useless altogether, arguing with idiots like Italy.