The Lost Years

I

At first, China thought it was a dream.... A silly dream.... A dream that showed him what he really wanted to see, as much as he knew his wish wouldn't be fulfilled. But this dream felt so... real. It made him feel so peaceful.... yet at the same time it scared the Asian half to death.

He dreamt that Rome had come back from his rest... From his sleep of being dead.... Yet China clearly thought it was time for him to wake up.

He dreamt that Rome had come to him, apologizing for being gone for so long.... China couldn't find the words to tell him it was alright- that he was here now, alive, walking and talking, and they could be together again.... Just like the ancient times. They laughed together, China telling him stories of what had happened while he was gone for the last few centuries, and Rome told him what being dead was like... The afterlife everyone wished to experience because of its eternal peace- little did everyone know it would be nothing like that.

And then.... And then that's when it happened. The happiness of the reunion between the two slowly died, and something shattered inside of China when Rome told him he had to leave again... That he was only granted three short trips while he was recovered from death before being dragged back to the afterlife and put to a permanent rest forever.

"Of course, my-a bambinitos were my first trip!" China remembered him saying, a sad yet happy smile on the great empire's lips. "Lovino and Feliciano haven't changed at all... I'm so glad they're safe with Francis and Antonio... Ah, and little Sicilia! How cute she is, just like grumpy little Romano was! And Seborga, what a sweet boy, all grown up." He smiled.

He went on to explain his second trip was to the all his companion's sons and daughters, like Greece, Egypt, Germany, and Prussia... They were all shocked, as Rome had put it, and it broke his heart once he heard the Holy Roman Empire hadn't survived the Napoleonic Wars against Rome's own son, which hurt Feliciano to an unbearable extent as well.

And this was the final trip- to the one who had the determination yo raise Rome properly, who he knew would perish in the future because of his growing strength. Rome loved China endlessly- of course, he loved Germania, Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, Gaul, Byzantine, Britannia, and everyone else as well, but China was his honest one and only...he had been there since day one....and had remained there until the final day of Rome's life...

~
The year was 27 BC. China was still quite old- about 6000 years old soul-wise- yet this was considered quite youthful. With black, straight hair scattered across his shoulders and dark chocolate eyes looking ahead of him, he had no idea that today was the day that would change his life forever.

Today was the day he would find the Roman Empire.

He was admirable, China thought. A small figure with big eyes that were bright with curiosity, with a red, velvet cape that dragged behind him and a smile on lips that were slightly cracked from the winters he had surprisingly survived on his own. But there was one very peculiar thing about this boy- there were tiny curls sticking out from random places in his hair!

"Ai ya! What a cute little boy you are! You must be a new country- what's your name-aru?" The younger, late-teenaged China asked with a smile on his face, kneeling down to his level. The boy grinned and struck a pose. "I am-a Sir Rome! My real-a name is Lucius Vargas, but Sir Rome sounds super cool-a!"

China chuckled, putting his hands together and bowing his head. "I am Yao Wang, the humble republic of China-aru. But please call me Wang." He smiled, cupping one of the boys cheeks. Rome giggled and cupped both of China's cheeks back with his small hands, earning a gentle blush from the Asian. Yao picked up the small boy in his protective arms, causing his cape to flap slightly.