Title: When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do

Rating: M

Talking: HAHA I AM FINISHED

SIT BACK-OR LEAN FORWARD, I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHAT TO DO-AND ENJOY THE STORY!

POLL: THE NORDIC 5 WITH SUPERPOWERS OR AMERICA BEFORE IT WAS UNITED?

Disclaimer: I do not hold or claim to hold any sort of ownership or rights over the characters in this story; they belong to Hetalia/Hidekaz Himaruya.

Italy Romano - Lovino Vargas

Spain - Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo

Austria - Rodreich Edelstein

Roman Empire - Romulus Vargas

Germania - Gauthier Beilschmidt

When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do: Epilogue

Antonio Fernandez-Carriedo POV

"Hey, bastard!" Lovino calls.

"¿Qué?" I wonder, turning. I smile as I see what he's looking at, despite the painful memories it brings back. "Oh, yeah, that's mine. It's a guitar."

"No kidding," he says. "You play?"

"¡Si!" I chirp, picking it up. The weight is comforting. I've been playing guitar-not this one, different ones-since I was only nine. "Here, listen!"

The song is familiar to me. I performed it at a recital a long time ago, but I still know it all by heart. I hum along with the tune, my foot tapping time to the music and eventually I grin as I catch Lovino's frown fade from his face.

"You like it?" I ask suddenly. I don't pause the song, don't falter.

Lovino gives a tiny, absent nod, which is followed by a quiet noise of agreement. "It's almost decent," he admits reluctantly.

I beam. That's practically a declaration of love when it's from him. "¡Muchas gracias, Lovi!"

He stares at the guitar and doesn't reply for a long while. Finally, he demands gruffly, "Hey! Teach me, bastard."

My smile brightens and I shake my head. "I have to get unpacked first, Lovi! After that, we'll have all the time in the world, though."

Our romance was not a fairytale. I'm not even sure it'll have a happy ending-I hope so!

I was forced. My mother, close-minded, ordered me to a hellhole. I thought I might die there-I had read the news, after all, heard rumors from my friends.

I found that it wasn't that-that it wasn't that at all. That it was much more of a home than a hellhole (probably even more so for Lovi!). We lived there, just me and Lovino and the rest against the world.

Fighting back was surprisingly easy. Just a few words and an interview (although it was a terrifying one) and it was all over. Of course, there was more that followed, and a whole lot of stress and frustration, but... We did it. Just us, just me and Lovino. Mostly.

We don't hold hands very often, and there aren't any kisses, not unless we're sure we're alone. Lovino says he doesn't want to because his brothers will tease him forever. I'm happy as long as he is, so I don't try to change his mind. I play my guitar for him sometimes-it was in my old house, when I went back there to get my stuff to move to Camp Rome. I'm going to help out around here next year, like Lucille did, and try to find my father and brother.

We changed my life, and so many other people's lives, all for the better (when I tell Lovino that, I think he'll frown and call me weird or too lovey-dovey. I don't even know how that works!).

We were just children.