5/10 EDIT: After I found out this was violating a rule, I changed it and removed all the lyrics. It doesn't read as good, but it'll do, I suppose.

Hi, guys! This is a oneshot I scribbled down while I was listening to Safe and Sound. Enjoy! :D

Safe and Sound

He was fighting, but not to win, not anymore. He was fighting another battle entirely, the challenge every warrior faces when death stares him in the face. He was fighting to stay alive, for his empire, for his Italy.

Blue eyes were wide, fingers were trembling, every step was a mile. The blood was all he could see, the smoke all he could smell. Nothing mattered now but that invisible silk thread that kept him from falling into the never ending darkness.

The Holy Roman Empire was dying.

. . . .

Prussia found the boy in the dead yellow grass that blanketed the land. He was covered with wounds, some still seeping blood. The boy was clearly dead.

It wasn't right to just leave him there, so Prussia lifted the broken body and carried him a stream, where he washed the boy and laid him in the grass. Prussia then removed his coat and covered the boy with it, hoping this was enough.

When he stood and turned to leave, however, the boy stirred. Prussia, overwhelmed with shock, spun and found himself staring into large blue eyes.

There was a tremendous silence.

"It hurts," the boy said, and began to cry, heart wrenching sobs that made his small body tremble.

"Don't cry," Prussia said, and lifted the child into his arms, embracing him. "Shh. The awesome Prussia's here, ja? Everything's going to be alright."

The boy buried his face in Prussia's chest, his blood and and tears mingling together. "I'm so scared..."

"It's over," Prussia said. He sat against a tree and listened to the child's cries, watching the smoke and fire. "It's all over."

Dead. Gone. Never again.

Gradually the boy's tears dried and he fell into a peaceful sleep, his face no longer contorted, but that of an innocent child who knew nothing of the world's horrors. Prussia began to hum a soft lullaby, rocking him as he slept.

Hours later, the boy awoke and stared up at Prussia. "What...what happened?"

"You don't remember, Holy Rome?" Prussia asked. "You just fought a war."

Holy Rome shook his head. "Is that my name? Holy Rome?"

Prussia looked at the boy with shock. He was about to tell him yes, but something made him change his mind. "You can choose, if you want."

The boy thought for a moment, then said firmly, "I want to be Germany."

Prussia smiled. "Then Germany you are."

Germany wriggled out of Prussia's arms and tumbled into the grass. "Why is it so lonely here?" the young nation asked, almost sadly.

"There was a war, liebling," Prussia answered gently. "But don't worry about it, it's over now."

The boy began weaving the dead grass, humming a song from long ago. It was a song Prussia knew, one that existed before even he was born. That made him shiver.

After a while, Germany paused in his game and looked at Prussia, who had been watching him idly the whole time. "Where do I go now?" he whispered. He sounded afraid.

"I'll take care of you," Prussia said. "You'll never be alone again with the awesome me here."

The boy smiled widely and nodded. "Okay, big bruder!"

Prussia stood and held his arms out to Germany, who ran into them. Prussia scooped the boy up and together they left the wasteland that stank of death, heading into the bright future.

Someday, Prussia thought, as they walked towards the sunrise. Someday I'll tell you who you are.

But for the meanwhile, Germany was staying with him, and Prussia wasn't going to let anything horrible happen to the small nation ever again. For now, Germany would be safe.

Safe and sound.

Yup, I decided to try something new and wrote about HRE. How'd ya like it?

By the way, I know I haven't updated TGOS yet. It's because I've been working a lot on the game and promotion. So I might not post more until the first chapter of the RPG is out! If you would like, go check out our group on deviantART. You can find the group by searching up APH: Seventalia.

Thanks for reading this. Please leave a review to tell me what you think!

Adios~

...x Whitlinger x...