The Crap Hetalia Book

Death Theories - Romano

Andrea paced. He'd been outside the hospital room for... it had to be at least five hours now. Inside, Lucia, his wife, was screaming. It was twins. He knew that much, but nothing more. They weren't even sure what gender they were going to be. They had names: Lovino and Feliciano if they were boys, Chiara and Feliciana if they were girls. It was all going to be fine, there was nothing that could possibly go wrong... except... he had a sickening feeling of dread in his gut, one that wouldn't go away however hard he thought against it.

Many women died in childbirth. Many more children died during the time. Some were still born... but those who didn't make it... they were few and far between. There was a tiny, tiny chance that it would happen to his family.

His family. He was going to be a father. He would have a family.

He smiled and stopped pacing for a second, smiling. At home, they had white cots, a black double push chair and he'd spent the last week painting the spare room light blue. Not because of the stereotypical blue and pink baby colours; it was blue with a green bottom, trees, clouds and bird silhouettes flying against a yellow circle representing the sun.

Andrea was proud of the room. He enjoyed painting. People told him he was good at it and should pursue it in a carrier... but he enjoyed his job as a history teacher, his favourite topic being Ancient Rome. It was fascinating how such a huge empire just... fell.

He was brought back to the present by a sudden burst of silence. It was deafening, vibrating in his ears. That was scarier than the screaming, the silence... the nothingness.

"Hello?" he knocked on the door. No answer. "Hello? Is everything alright?"

The door opened slowly and a nurse came out, slightly pale. She nodded and let him in. Lucia was lying on the bed, panting, holding a bundle of blue. Her face was tear streaked.

"Hey" she mouthed.

"It's a boy" one of the nurses said.

"I... wait... it?" Andrea's heart missed a beat. "It's meant to be twins... right?"

The same nurse how had opened the door gestured to the far corner where another nurse was sat with a slightly red bundle. "I'm sorry. There was nothing we could do about it. He was still born."

Andrea felt his blood run cold and he stared, tears slipping out of his eyes. Slowly, he made his way over to Lucia and she held out the bundle to him.

"Feliciano" she said quietly. He nodded. It was strange how much he felt at a loss. He hadn't even known his other son, Lovino, yet... he felt like he'd been parted from a best friend, an important person.

***

Lovino sat upright, rubbing his head. Slowly, he stood up, waving about a little as though he'd never walked before. He couldn't remember ever having walked... but then again, he couldn't remember anything, let alone how to talk. Maybe...

"H... h... hell... hello" he croaked. He was surprised at the sound of his own voice, cracked as though it hadn't been used in a thousand and one years.

"Germania, I swear to Vesuvius, if that's you again, I'll..." A man appeared and halted before him. "Um... are you okay?"

Lovino looked up at him and blinked. "I... think so?"

The man's face lit up. "Hey, you're a new country."

"I'm a what?" Lovino frowned at him and then yelped as he was swept off his face. "Get off me bastardo."

"Such a foul mouth" the man tutted. "Well... I'm Grandpa Rome. Who're you?"

"I'm Lomano" Lovino frowned. Lomano? What was that? "I mean... Romano... no..."

Grandpa Rome laughed. "Don't bother about it bambino. It's fine. Romano's alright."

Lovino scowled.