Unraveling the World | HetaOni (Hetalia x Mute!Reader)

12 - trust

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Italy looked up. Up past the burnt rope ladder were 2 figures towering over the opening to the outside world. His eyes, as well as his brain, were slow to adjust.

It was Spain and Romano, waving frantically at him. Both of their eyes were wide with pure relief.

Italy rose to his feet and staggered a step back. "Ro- Wh-why-a?!" He choked out.

Romano smirked, triumphant. "Good thing the front-a door wasn't opening, so I was just-a loitering around here. I finally found-a you-a! What the hell have you-a been up to-a?"

"Ita! Thank God!" Spain gushed, leaning his weight down against his knees. "You can't stay there all alone. Where are the others?"

Then reality snapped back into place inside Italy's head. His eyes dimmed. "What are you-a doing here? We didn't ask you to come-a!"

"What did you-a do-a with the clocks? Did you-a break all of them?" Romano pressed.

"How- how did you know about that?"

Romano shook his head, irritated. "Answer me-a! Did you break the last clock-a?"

"It can't-a be..." Italy knees were shaking now. He struggled to stay upright and worked harder at a poker face. "You weren't supposed to know about that...What are you even doing here-a in the first-a place?"

"Roma," Spain's hand on Romano's shoulder, making him jump. "I know you're happy to see him, but don't get too excited..."

Romano ignored that. "Veneziano! I'm coming there right-a now, so don't-a move!"

"No!" Italy screeched. The two men jumped in surprise. "Don't come-a here, no matter what-a! Go-a home! What are you-a doing here?! How- how did you know-a?!"

Romano stared at him evenly. For once, he was the calmer of the two, and that unnerved him. "Try saying my name-a."

It took Italy a minute to comprehend the request. "R-Romano..." He mumbled, confused.

"No! My full-a name-a!"

"...Italy. Italy Romano..."

Romano briefly smiled, though his eyes were sad. "Yeah, that's right. I'm Italy, too. I don't know everything you remember, but I do plan on carrying at a little of that burden on my shoulders!" He inhaled deeply through his nose. "Vene, you haven't been alone all this time. You've... broken quite a few clocks, haven't you?"

"S-si(1)...but..."

Spain jumped in. "The flow of time got fixed. That's why we were finally able to get here. Not just us, you know? The others are coming to help you guys."

The others? Italy thought. His head swam with the assault of new information.

"I finally found you," Romano said again, extending the word finally for emphasis. "I've been trying to find you for ages, but couldn't- the phone wouldn't work, and sometimes I felt these shocks, like half of me had disappeared, every single time-" He shuddered.

"Idiota(2)!" Italy's face paled in horror.

I wasn't able to bear it... That's why several of my memories flowed into Romano and he came looking for us...Why did he have to come here...? Why...? Even if something happened to me, if fratello(3) is here-

He cut his own thoughts short with a terse shake of his head. No. I've already had too much of the first time and I'm getting confused. I have no idea what I should do.