Hetalia x Reader (shorts, bonuses, scenarios and previews)

IRONY (ROMANO) 2

Author's Note: For those who're wondering, whatever happened to you, the Reader, is up to you. I'm trying to make it as ambiguous as possible but Reader had someone close to her killed during an accident/assault. It can be a lover; a sibling; a friend—whatever your mind thinks. Also, this is completely random but a lot of people wonder why in Romano x Reader_insert stories Romano is still a tsundere despite the word of god saying that he puts the charm on when he is with any lady, but I think that he's a tsundere because that's what he is to those he is closest with (I'm such a hopeless romantic XD).

HIM

"Hurry up, will you? I don't want to be alone with that tomato bastard!" I yelled at her and she quickly slammed the car door shut, slinging the straps of a striped tote bag over her shoulder.

"I know, I know" She muttered, jogging to keep up with me. Her hair was tied into a loose ponytail and a large straw hat sat on her head. Her arms were adorned with lots of colorful bracelets, enough to cover half of her arms. She wore a t-shirt over what I assumed to be her bathing suit. The shirt hung loosely on her form, and when I say loosely I mean loosely—it had sleeves that covered up to her elbows and the hem was long enough to cover the skin just above her knees.

She lifted her face up at me, holding the hat down to keep it from getting blown away by the wind, "What?"

Her suddenness took me by surprise and I reflexively turned my head away, feeling my face heat up after being caught staring "It's just that... d-don't you usually use a towel to cover yourself up instead of a shirt?"

I could feel her grin "Why are you so curious, you pervert?" I faced her and sure enough, she had a smirk paired with an arching eyebrow.

"I'm not a pervert!" I protested, my fists clenching on my sides. 

She rolled her eyes "Oh please, that's like the pervert motto" I protested again, gritting my teeth and she let out a laugh before grabbing my wrist "C'mon, Lovi. The others are waiting"

Well, that was how I pictured everything to go but instead, she merely gives me a weak smile before hanging her head again. My stomach churned. She was silent. I mean, sometimes she was quiet, and sometimes she had her loud moments but she was never silent. Hollow. Like she was just there. Even when she was sulking or pissed, she never passed off an opportunity to make sarcastic comments and dry-humored jokes and lame puns. 

I glanced over my shoulder to find my brother and his friends already in the water, "We don't have to go you know" I offered but her head was bowed down so I shook her gently. However, as I more or less expected, she still recoiled.

"Huh? What?" Her eyes were wide and she looked at me like I was a stranger who just tried to hurt her before she calmed down and rubbed her nose "Sorry, you were saying something?"

I let out a sigh but felt bad when I saw her expression darken upon hearing it "I said that... if you don't want to we can just ditch this beach party and go home. Watch reruns of your favorite films and TV shows. What was that cheesy one you liked so much? 13 Going on 30, right?" I just insulted one of her all-time Top Tens and she would've normally defended it. However, she wasn't being her normal self today. Or for the last few weeks for that matter.

"No" She bit her lip and made brief eye contact before glancing away "I—I don't" She inhaled, I could tell that she was struggling against something. She straightened her spine and offered me the fakest smile ever "I don't want to be a party-pooper. That's your job, Lovino" She joked but she barely laughed.

With a heavy atmosphere hanging around us, we made our way towards Feliciano and the others.

"Bella! So glad you could come" My brother ran towards us with open arms but from the corner of my eye I saw her face contort into a mixture of shock and terror while her back bent and her arms reached for her shoulders as though she was trying to shield herself from danger. I was about to do something but the potato bastard beat me to it by snatching Feliciano by his shoulders. At the same time, I caught her loosen up a bit with a relieved sigh.

She and I spent the entire day under the shade of a beach umbrella, talking. To be honest, it was more like me talking and pretending like I didn't notice how she seemed to be completely out of it with her face completely empty of emotions. Meanwhile, the other guests of Feliciano's party were all busy with their own shits and gigs.

When the sun had begun to drop down the horizon, one of those idiots proposed that we continue the party on his boat (don't ask). She was hesitant at first, but somehow she agreed. I couldn't care less about the idiots but I came because she did.

"I'm tired, ragazza" I whined.

"Just bear with it a little longer" She giggled quietly, rubbing her nose which had turned red from the cold. She breathed and looked up "God, how beautiful"I raised an eyebrow but turned to where she was looking. 

It was already early evening and the sky was a deep blue. Stars were strung across that vast blue and I couldn't help but agree: with a face bathed in the light of a million twinkling jewels, she looked even more beautiful under their soft touch. 

"Ti amo" I wanted to tell her, and I probably would've told her if not for the fact that something had caused the boat to shake violently and before I knew it everyone on board were hysteric—doing their best to rescue the young woman who fell into the sea.

HER

Everything happened so suddenly.

The floor shook and it was like the entire world did too. I couldn't move and next thing I knew a thousand icy knives were piercing my skin when I dropped into the water. I should have willed myself to swim, I would have. However, my body was no longer mine; it wouldn't obey me. I was too shocked, too hurting to even remember whether I could swim or not.

Nothing mattered because my arms and legs wouldn't move. Try hard as I could, most of my brain seemed to have shut down and only left the part that could feel fear and pain working. My head was pounding and my heart squeezed inside my chest. Instead of the air they craved for, my lungs were fed seawater and I choked on it. Bubbles covered my vision and everything was beginning to blur.

However, that was not before I started seeing that person again with blood all over them and death on their pale faces.

And then all I knew was that I wanted to cry and scream but I couldn't because when I opened my mouth more and more salty liquid came pouring in. 

It hurt. My brain, my heart, my lungs, my stomach. The bones under my skin felt like a steel cage dragging me down; farther down that dark pit where everything I've been running away from had been thrown in. It all hurt and I wanted everything to end.

I closed my eyes, letting the blackness and silence take over.