Proceeding (A Hetalia Fanfiction)

Chapter Two: Hungary

Hungary's

It was all over. Prussia was, at least.

Hungary was there, of course; how could she miss it? She saw him take final, raspy breaths. He was all the way across the battlefield, but she could still see. She saw him slowly fade, feet first. Then his legs, hips, stomach, arms and hands, throat, and lastly, his head.

He was frowning in concentration those last few minutes. Biting down on his already bloodied lips. His eyes lacked strength. His body was scarred and bloody.

He turned and looked into her eyes one last time. He stared. Then, with trembling and fading hands, she saw him rip his cross necklace off his neck and toss it on the ground in front of himself. It clattered to the dirt, disturbing the dust that lie around it. And he reached out to her one last time, and faded into the night.

Hungary was there; she saw. But at first, she didn't believe.

'He's not gone,' she thought to herself. 'He's just... Traveling somewhere. When I get home, I'll see him there, cocky smile lighting his face. My frying pan will be there, ready, and-'

Then it hit her. She realized. And then, she ran.

Step by step, she rushed to where he had faded. She stepped over what she believed to be more than one hundred corpses. She walked all that ways, just to reach an abandoned cross necklace.

She dropped to the ground in front of it, tears shedding that she could not hide. She grazed her hands over its intricate design, releasing a breath she had not realized she was holding. The metal was cold. She slowly--but steadily lifted it up in her pale, thin, callused hands. Then she pulled the silver chain up, over her head. She lowered it, putting it around her neck, underneath her bloodied uniform. Tucking it under her bloody green uniform to hide it, she kissed the ground once and rose from her spot on the ground, turning and walking away into the sunset-streaked skies.

It wasn't Hungary's fault, but she still believed that she could've done something to help Prussia. But it was too late for regrets.

The "Great Kingdom" of Prussia had officially been dissolved.

*****

"Welcome home, Hungary. Will you come to the torturing today?"

Hungary paused. "The what?"

"The torturing."

"What the heck are you talking about, Austria?"

He frowned, looking away from her. "The Allies have required we come to see Germany get punished for his crimes."

"What?" Hungary questioned. "Punished?"

"Yes," Austria sighed, adjusting his glasses. "It's as if he hasn't suffered enough already. You've heard about his brother, right?"

Hungary bit her lip in an effort to keep the tears in. "Yes. I have heard."

Austria noticed her expression and stood, grabbing one of her hands in his. She stared at him, startled.

"I'm sorry, Hungary."

"For what?"

"For Gil," he stated. "I'm sorry. You loved him, I know that. I'm sorry. I should have taken more of a notice."

She frowned. "What are you talking about? Of course I loved him. We all did, even though most of us will never admit it."

He sighed. "No, I meant-" Then he stopped, changing his mind on speaking.

"What?" She questioned.

"Never mind."

"What is it, Austria?"

"Nothing." A pause. "I think that, after the torturing, you should take a little vacation. Go back to your land. Explore a little, maybe. Relax a bit. You deserve it."

"Austria?"

He sighed again. "Sorry, Elizabeta, but I can't afford to keep you here any longer. Both financially and mentally. I know I said, after we divorced, that you could stay even though we weren't married. But times have changed. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Roderich. I'll go pack my things."

"Thank you."

*****

Hungary rushed upstairs to her room, quickly gathering her clothes into a bag. She took off her maid dress, in exchange for a pair of neat jeans and a blue t-shirt. His blue. Prussian blue.

She ran a brush through her long, wavy, brown hair. She laid her flowers gingerly back in her hair, then put on some flat shoes. She put a black belt on, and put a gun on her belt buckle. She knew she didn't look pretty, fancy, or even like she cared. But she looked strong, and that was what she was going for.

Hungary planned to go to one of the simpler towns in her land. She'd be in alias as a simple lady, just moving in. Hungary wanted to relax and relieve the memories, and acting normal seemed to be the best way.

"Come on," Austria said, knocking on her door. "You almost ready? We need to go."

Hungary packed her remaining materials. Then she swung the door open with a victorious smile on her face. Austria's eyes widened at her attire.

"Let's go," she told him. "I'm packed up and ready to leave."

Austria nodded, still wide-eyed. "Yes, Liz, let's go."