Story: Save Me, Chapter 17 - Confession
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia, and never will, otherwise, there WOULD be SOME angst in the midst.

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Italy stood in a dark hallway, feeling and scaning around to find any sign of light. As he wondered around, tears formed in the corners of his eyes. He'd always feared dark area's like this.

"Germany? Japan? Romano? Someone, please help me! Please, I don't want to be here alone." he sobbed, desperate for someone to reply.

"But you're not alone." Italy jumped, startled by a gentle voice that sounded so familar, yet, still unplacable.

"Who are you?" Italy questioned in reply.

"Don't you remember?"

Italy seemed confused, but said nothing, as he wondered around. "Where are you?"

"You're going the wrong way." the voice told him.

"I-I am? Which way is right, then? Where do I go?" Italy wanted to know. "I can't see anything."

"Hold out your hand." it said.

"O-okay..." he hesitantly did so, holding up his hand as asked. After a second, his eyes widened. tears falling down his cheeks, as Holy Roman Empire now stood in front of him. The only thing different was that he was fully grown, and looked so much like...Germany...

He gave the Italian a warm smile. "Do you you remember me now...Italy...?"

"H...Holy...Roman...Empire..." Italy whispered.

"So you didn't forget... I'm glad..." he said, before turning away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Italy questioned. Said nation looked back, meeting his eyes, and smiled.

"Come with me." the Holy Rome Empire replied.

"~Ve, okay." Italy nodded. Running to catch up with him, but it seemed the faster he ran, the farther away the Holy Roman Empire got.

"Wait, Holy Rome! I can't catch up with you!"

Tears welled up again, glassing over his eyes. Reaching up, he rubbed his face, to wipe them away. Looking back up, he once again chased after the figure up ahead, but now he wasn't paying attention to anything in particular, except catching up. Finally, somehow, he managed to reach him.

"Wait! I..." Italy reached up to his shoulder, before trailing off into silence, as the Holy Roman Empire turned around. Italy's eyes widened in shock. It wasn't Holy Roman Empire, though. It was Germany.

"What are you talking about?" Germany spoke with worry, noticing the tears in his eyes. Italy fell into his chest, crying. "Italy?"

"Germany...It's you..." he sobbed.

"Italy? Hey, what's wrong?!" Germany exclaimed.

Light showed through the windows, illuminating the room. Italy woke in a cold sweat, deep breaths racking his body. That's when he noticed Germany standing at his, beside, holding onto his hand. Italy couldn't help but also take note of the worried expression on his face. It seemed different than the typical stern expression he was used to. He looked troubled and like he hadn't slept in the past few days.

"G-Germany...? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Germany slightly jumped at the Italians voice.

"Italy..." he looked down, tears present in the corners of his eyes, as he suddenly found himself at a loss of words, despite the fact that only a moment ago, there was so much he was ready to ask him. Now, looking at Italy's distressed expression, he couldn't bring himself to speak.

But then he realized he had to. He had to get an answer some way or another, even if it risked Italy hating him, because he was hurting. He couldn't just do nothing and stay quiet this time. He had to help him. He had to let him know how he felt.

"Is Itary-kun...awake?"

Italy and Germany looked over to meet the eyes of Japan, America, Spain, Romano, and Prussia.

"You guys... I..." Italy sat up, tears, yet again, forming in his eyes.

"Dude, you scared the crap out of us!" America exclaimed, glomping him. Spain studied the Italian with worry. He walked over, along with Romano, who looked down at his arm. America glanced up, stepping back. Italy looked away, knowing what they were thinking.

"Italy, I understand that you don't want to worry us, but by not ever talking about things, you're worrying everyone. You have friends, you know. We're here to shoulder the burden along with you. Otherwise, what are friends for?" Spain smiled softly.

"But you wouldn't understand." Spain slightly edged back, taken by surprise. "Germany would hate me, and, and...everyone would judge me... I would be all alone, and I don't want that."

"What are you talking about?" America asked. "Judge you for what?"

"Yeah, West could never hate someone as awesome as you, right, West?" Prussia smirked, nudging Germany, who sighed, momentarily closing his eyes.

"Ja."

"Itary-san, France-san told us about the Holy Roman Empire. Is that why you...?" Japan started to say.

Italy swallowed. "Germany is so much like him... I...I don't know what I've been thinking all this time, Germany is Germany, and the Holy Roman Empire is the Holy Roman Empire. But I... I broke my promise, and fell in love with Germany, despite how much I tried not to! It hurts... It hurts so bad, that I-"

At that point, he was cut off, as Germany couldn't take it any more. How could he have not seen it before Romano had brought it up. Italy meant so much to him, and he had been suffering all this time because of him. It was his fault that he'd been so oblivious. He should've payed closer attention, and then, maybe, he would've noticed something. Without thinking, he suddenly, pulled the small Italian into an embrace.

(jsyk, it's said that Germans sometimes have a very hard time understanding Italians and recognizing when they're in love. It's been a long time since I read about the subject, so I'm not fully certain why, though, but I think it has something to do with a cultural difference, which makes a lot of since. Anyway, back to the story.)

"Stop..." the German soothed, somewhat pleadingly. "Please..."

Prussia took the notion to ask everyone else to momentarily step out of the room. Spain, America, and Japan willingly complied, but Romano, refused to do so, until he could talk to his brother, but unfortunately for him, America and Spain reached in pulling him out of the room.

"Hey! Let go of me!" the abrasive Italian snapped to no avail. Prussia gave Germany one last look, before closing the door behind him.

"I'm so sorry Italy..." Italy looked up, surprised by the fact that Germany was crying. "This was all my fault..."

"What do you mean? Why are you blaming yourself, Germany?" Italy seemed confused.

"If I'd only payed closer attention. I probably could've seen that you were suffering... But I didn't... And you started...Ugh...I just feel so awful. I'm so sorry..."

After a moment, Italy smiled. "It's okay, Cap'n. I'd never hold that against you. And it wasn't your fault anyway."

Germany stepped back, as he looked down at him, slightly take by surprise when he realized Italy wasn't mad, or even upset, at him.

"It's okay that you don't feel the same way, because we're still friends." Italy forced a smile.

"No..." Germany closed his eyes, nodding. "We're not anymore..."

Italy's smile faded. He'd expected this, but had hoped that he was wrong, so it still hurt. He couldn't blame him though. After all, all this time, Germany had thought of him as a friend; nothing more. But here he was, saying he loved him and wanted more out of him, than what he, himself, wanted.

It shouldn't be about that; it should be about Germany. If he loved him, that is. Either way it was, he thoughts were cut off when Germany's surprisingly soft lips met his. At first he stiffened, but after a moment, he reached up, wrapping his arms around Germany's neck. He slowly relaxed, deepening the kiss, as tears ran down his cheeks.

Germany's lips might've been soft like the Holy Roman Empire's, but there was a difference, after all. His mouth tasted kind of like Potato...

As they broke the kiss, their eyes met.

"We're no longer friends, because..." Germany looked away, blushing. "Ich liebe dich..."

Italy then beamed. "Germany, I just realized something. If the Holy Roman Empire loved me, he would want me to be happy like Russia and America said, and he wouldn't be mad because I fell in love with someone else." he sat up, tightly hugging Germany. "I'm so happy that you feel the same way. I was so afraid that you would hate me, and not return my feelings, but I'm finally able to say it now. Ti amo, Germany... Ti amo... Ti amo..."

Germany seemed somewhat surprised by how emotional the Italian was getting, as it was a little too emotional, even for him. However, he smiled. At least he was being honest with himself, which was far more than what he'd been doing throughout the past few months. At least, it was something. At least...he knew he wasn't alone...

Italy pulled closer, smiling over Germany's shoulder, as the German spoke. "Stop. I could never hate you."

~ End of Chapter. ~

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A/N: What did you think of the GerIta? Sorry about the terrible beginning. I've never been the best with writing nightmares. This can be taken as something hinting at Germany being the Holy Roman Empire, or not, if you don't want to see it that way. Anyway, please review if you will. Btw, lots of development will insue next chapter, which is also the last. Hope you like it. You'll once again see some minor references to HetaOni, but, again, Naturally this is not, by any means, a HetaOni fanfic.