(Canceled) Hiraeth - Couthyhumans Mafia AU

CHAPTER 10

"I don't have all day, Rome, hurry up and say what needs to be said!" Austria yelled, banging his fist on the table, causing Rome to flinch. Britain looked uncomfortable on the other side of the table. Rome looked over, whimpering slightly at Austria's unhappy look.

"They... Costa... El... They... They were taken... By... By different... Countries." Rome stuttered his ears folding back and tail between his legs. He was in a private room where Britain and France were calming him down but Austria said his time was up to talk.

"What?!" Austria yells louder. Tears were running down Rome's face. Britain looked over at Austria partly ashamed. "Why did you take that long to say just that?!"

Rome tenses and he's trembling. He cries and curls up in the chair he's in. "I-I..."

"You. What?" Austria glares.

"Th-They..." Rome stutters. He was so scared.

"Talk! You rat!"

"They... Put a... gun to my head!" Britain and France's eyes widen. No wonder he was so shaken when they found him. "Th-They w-were... going-g t-t-to... k-kill me!" Rome sobs out.

Everyone but Rome is quiet.

"So? Why didn't you stop them from leaving?!"

"Austria!" France yells at him, tired of standing aside. "He's a kid and in tears! Let him be!"

"Excuse me?" Austria looks down at France who is shorter than him.

"You heard her, Austria." Britain joins in.

Austria glares at Britain, "Listen to me... Britain... if you don't put that rodent back in the filth where it belongs... I'll kill it myself..."

Britain tensed but tried to not show it. Austria left the room. Everyone is relieved.

Rome starts shedding tears again. France walks over to him and rubs his shoulder. "Hey, it's okay Rome..." Rome straight away hugs France around the neck.

"...A-Are you g-going to leave me?!" His voice cracks. "A-Are you going to j-just abandon m-me?!"

"No... We're not going to leave you..." France hugs him back. She puts her angry side of herself away and lets her mother side do the work.

"B-B-B-"

France shushes him. "I'm not going to leave you... end of story..." Rome whimpers and sniffs loudly. France sighs. "Is it better if I cradle you?" France moves Rome so that he's cradled in her arms.

"...Yes..." Rome says quietly.

France rocks him back and forth. Britain smiles as he watches France calm him down. "I'm just going to hum you a little song... and I want you to just breathe and calm down, got it?"

Rome nods.

France hums a nice tune. Rome's eyes feel heavy as she sings. He forces himself to stay awake in fear that he'll be left in the wild.

Rome stops shaking and his muscles don't tense.

France tickles Rome's neck and he purrs.

After a while, France hears Rome's soft snores.

"Britain," France whispers. "I'm afraid. This place isn't safe for Rome anymore." She looks down at the sleeping dragon. Britain nodded in agreement, watching France hold Rome. "What are we going to do?" Her voice was pleading.

Britain looks at her. "We'll have to find him a place..."

"But he can't survive on his own. You should know that."