As Long As I Can Dream Of You (trade: kiramaru7)

Fandom: Hetalia
Shipping: Chibitalia x Holy Rome
Word Count: 1,020
Warnings: N/A

* * *

They dreamed of the happiness they once shared
hand in hand
lips to lips
heart to heart
such warm, cozy memories
kept them going in times of strife

They dreamed of being reunited
that tearful farewell long forgotten
when she leapt into his waiting arms
never to depart again
they would be so happy
once things were finally put right

They dreamed of eternity
“I’ll wait, I’ll always wait!”
“No matter how many hundreds of years go by, I’ll always love you more than anyone!”
a heartfelt promise
filling the sky as the ships drifted away
an eternal vow

Long before that time
the two bonded
as children in the same house
sharing first their lives
and then their very hearts

They grew to love each other
they grew to accept each other
they grew to belong to each another

That small forgotten girl
and the boy who had loved her

* * *


Holy Rome had seen many odd things in his time. But that precious child, once so frightened by him and always running away, peering into his bedroom was never one of them. Yet just past three am, the boy blinked sleep from his eyes and spotted the young girl fidgeting nervously in the doorway. Holy Rome startled upwards, floundered around a bit to free himself of the covers of a bed too big for someone of his stature. At last he managed to escape at last, hesitantly approaching the child. Everything about him was cautious; he feared scaring her away, like he usually did when they were alone together.

Italy didn’t move, her pillow hugged close to her chest as though it might protect her from something very frightful. It was three times as big as her chibi body, and when she buried her face in it, she almost vanished entirely from view. She would have been completely hidden were it not for the vibration of the pillow, that revealed her frightful tremors as she rocked back and forth on bare heels.

Holy Rome did not reach for her. He stopped a few feet short, fearing again that he might scare her off. She already appeared to be frightened by something, and he did not wish to make things worse.

After an unbearable stretch of silence, Holy Rome cautiously cleared his throat. He prayed that the gentle volume of his voice would prove to her that he wanted not to interrogate, but to comfort the poor child. ”Italia, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

It was as if a trigger had been pulled. Upon hearing Holy Rome’s words, the younger country immediately catapulted forward, flinging herself into the arms of her startled companion and tossing her pillow carelessly to one side. “Oh Holy Rome!” she gasped, tears managing somehow to appear beneath those closed eyes. “I-I had this really scary nightmare! Please, you have to protect me!”

He blushed a little at the sudden closeness, then asked awkwardly, “A… A nightmare?”

Italy nodded tearfully. “There was this big monster. It chased me around and around, and it wouldn’t stop! I kept running from it – I’m very good at running you know - but it just wouldn’t let up. I couldn’t get away! And I knew that it wanted to eat me, to gobble me up like I was a bowl of pasta. But I’m not a pasta, I’m really not! Don’t let it eat me!” She broke into hysterical sobs, burying her face against his shoulder as she clung desperately to him.

Holy Rome held her close, awkwardly trying to pet her hair in his efforts to be reassuring. “I-It’s okay now, Italia,” he promised uncomfortably. “It’s okay. Really. I know you’re not a pasta. I-I promise, I’ll never let any monsters eat you up. I’ll protect you from everything, so please don’t cry anymore…! I can’t stand it when you’re sad.”

Italy looked up at him in awe. Or at least, he hoped that’s what she was trying to do. Italy’s eyes were always closed, so it was always hard for him to tell for certain. But then she asked breathlessly voice, confirming his suspicions, “R-Really? You mean it?”

His blush deepened at the awe in the chestnut-haired girl’s voice. “Of course! I will always protect you, Italia. Nobody’s ever going to hurt you – not on my watch!”

She smiled, causing Holy Rome’s heart to pound just a little harder, and snuggled closer again. “Grazi Holy Rome!” She continued snuggling, a content look to her face that suddenly faltered just the slightest bit. “Um, Holy Rome?”

Uh oh, had he done something wrong? He gulped. “Y-Yes? What is it, Italia?”

“Well I was wondering… Could I sleep here the night? With you, I mean.”

He blinked, taken aback. “W-With me…?” At her nod, he fumbled onwards. “B-But Italia, I thought… aren’t you scared of me?”

She frowned a little. “When you chase me, it’s really scary.” The young country brightened suddenly. “But you’re not chasing me right now, so I’m not scared at all!”

Such a simple concept, and yet the young boy was dumbfounded. His heart rate picked up yet again. “I… I suppose that makes sense.”

“Of course!” she exclaimed cheerfully, snuggling to him once more as they climbed back into the once too large bed, now the perfect size with the two of them sharing it.

* * *


Poor Italy
poor Holy Rome
their promise was not to be
as war tore those fragile dreams to shreds
and the forgotten child sheds many a tear

Italy does not sleep alone
he cannot for fear
that lonely nights will call back the beast
no longer a monster of fantasy
but of that heart wrenching reality

A monster of pain
of loss and guilt
one that plagues his every waking thought
and leaves him breathlessly sobbing

But he remembers other things too
not just the monster
happy things.
he remembers what it was like
to be warm and protected
in his arms

He shall never forget
the happy times they shared
as long as he can dream
of that golden haired boy