Aria and Recitative [Closed]
Who: Austria and North Italy. Also Lupo.
What: Discussing staging operas, performing arts, and the like. Possibly angstier topics as well.
When: The evening of New Years Day
Where: Austria's apartment in the theatre
Warnings: PG
Status: In Progress
( It really was too quiet in here. )
What: Discussing staging operas, performing arts, and the like. Possibly angstier topics as well.
When: The evening of New Years Day
Where: Austria's apartment in the theatre
Warnings: PG
Status: In Progress
( It really was too quiet in here. )
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"I too, ended up leaving the war at the end," Austria finally said, recalling how he had declared his independence when the Soviets had invaded his borders. "The strain of war...it simply becomes too much over time, for different reasons. You and I left...or will leave, for our own reasons, but...War is not meant to be perpetual. Your people revolted against Mussolini's rule, but I do not know how you felt about it all. We did not speak again for some time. And Germany never spoke of his feelings; he simply acted." He paused, and turned to look at Feliciano with apologetic eyes.
"I am sorry. I did not realize that you did not know."
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It hurts so much to speak these words, for they shock him keener yet than the revelation of what his future holds in store.
"They didn't tell me! Ludwig and Lovino and Francis and all the others, they never told me! Not one of them!" A choked sob escapes Feliciano then and he can't even say what or whom he is crying for, if he is crying for his own hurt at what feels like a lie by omission, for Ludwig feeling abandoned, for their Axis, for... There are enough reasons to cry and each and every one of them deserves to have tears shed for it, so he doesn't even bother to try and settle on one.
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A normal person might have comforted Feliciano with an embrace, but Roderich found himself wholly unprepared for this level of emotion. He felt awkward and wasn't sure how to even begin to help the situation.
He quickly turned the stovetop off and stepped quietly over to where their chairs were, and once more took his seat.
"I should not have spoken out of turn," he finally said, reaching out and lightly resting a hand on the other nation's shoulder. "In the end, you had no choice, Feliciano. America and England had invaded, and there was no way you would have survived a continued assault. Germany wanted to help you after the surrender and sent troops to try and bolster your numbers. I do not think he ever blamed you for what you did personally. As I said...we all had our reasons for pulling out of the war in the end."
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Feliciano peered for another moment thoughtfully at Austria, took note of the warmth soaking into his back from the hand on his back. Oh, Austria might get terribly upset with him, but he simply couldn't help himself. He scooted forward and wrapped his arms around his waist, hiding his face against Roderich's chest.
"I'm glad you told me, Mister Austria." His voice was choked, but determined. "I'm glad because I can't make anyone feel better if I don't know that they're hurting!"
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Roderich stiffened for a moment when Feliciano threw his arms around his waist, but it was only a momentary reaction before he relaxed. He was not an affectionate fellow, but he was not cruel, and after a moment, rested an arm about his shoulders. He patted his back reassuringly as a father or brother might, and closed his eyes.
"...It's not easy, losing a war," Austria said quietly; he had been one of the Axis as well, after all. "I do not begrudge you for doing what is best for your people, and I doubt Ludwig would either." He could not speak for Lovino; after all, Feliciano's pain had been his brother's as well, but he did not have as good a rapport, if any at all, with the older of the two brothers. But Ludwig was his cousin, and he had witnessed the fall of their Axis.
"...In the long run, it was for the best that the Axis fell," he said quietly. "Do not concern yourself over that; you will see one day how it turned out for the best despite all the suffering that we all had to endure in the short term."
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He clenched his hands around the back of Austria's jacket, uncaring that he was bunching the fabric. He trembled slightly as he looked up at Austria with a distressed expression on his face and teary eyes. The flimsy cover hiding these fears had been torn off and now it's just too much. Feliciano trembled from fear, but just as much from frustration. "Everyone keeps telling me that I shouldn't let it bother me, that it's over and done with. But it isn't! For me, the war has just begun! You all talk about it as the past, but that's my future and now you're telling me we won't even keep our Axis ( ... )
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"I know it tears you apart; I was in pieces for ten years afterward," he said quietly, but it was meant to soothe and empathize. "The war will do terrible things to everyone involved; such is the nature of conflict. And...not just because of combat either. But I won't tell you to not let it bother you. That would be foolishness. To this day, I still find myself uneasy with what I allowed to happen during those seven long years. But...you will see. In the present day, Europe is not torn apart by war. Japan thrives; you all are still friends. Healing after war takes time, even for the victors."
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He had been quite cheerful about his situation, a merry Italian nation who chose obliviousness over facing the dark realities of the era he lived in, had even been quite eager to get back to his friends. Yet in Ruby City, he had been told of his own future and more than that, he had met people who confronted him, who asked hard questions and held him accountable for the war.
"I liked it better before. I liked not thinking about the war." He sighed again, a pouty sigh this time. It was really quite unfair. "I wish everyone would just stop trying to rebuild Rome."
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He nodded with a small smile and rubbed his cheek against Austria's chest. "I'm glad no one has tried to rebuild Rome anymore. It's nice that they all want to make Grandpa proud, but they shouldn't muck around with things they know nothing about. Grandpa suffered terribly for his empire, Lovino and I don't want to pay that price. I talked with Germany about empires, you know... It took him a few centuries, but he understands now what I was telling him when we were children."
Feli cooed softly. "I think I would like to try that... to forget about the war for a little while. I like not having to train. But Lili and I are trying to become braver. We are always getting saved, but when our loved ones are in danger, we want to save them, too!"
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Ah, Rome. Though he never spoke of it, he was more closely related to Rome than he ever was to Germania. It was why he resembled the Italy brothers more than Germany and Prussia...Vienna had even once been a Roman outpost. Still, he said nothing, and closed his eyes.
"I am glad that he understands. It's something that those of us who have been so large must all come to understand. I am also glad that you spoke with him about it." Even he had old scars from those days...
"Strength is a good thing to have even outside of war, but you should train in order to help preserve peace, rather than prepare for war. It is what I have devoted my military strength to in the time I am from."
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"A strong military for peace? Like when Grandpa Rome sent his legions to pacify the barbarian tribes and help them become civilized Romans?" He finally raised his face from Austria's chest to peer up at him with a questioning look in his eyes. He hummed softly. "I don't think that's what you're talking about..."
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"The League of Nations was fun! I thought America's boss had had a very good idea there, I was sad when America wasn't allowed to join us. It was a good idea, that we would talk about our problems instead of waging wars. I helped found it, you know?" He giggled. "Well, my boss did, I'm not good with paperwork and paragraphs like Ludwig is, writing laws makes me sleepy, but I was proud of my boss."
He rested his chin on Austria's shoulder and hummed thoughtfully. "Can I be in the new League of Nations, too, Mister Austria? I'll make pasta for everyone and I'll try not to fall asleep at meetings!"
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