hetalia | Truth Be Told, Chapter Six

Title: Truth Be Told
Chapter: Six
Pairing: Spain/Romano
Also appearing in this chapter: Austria, France
Rated: T
Genre: Comedy/Romance with a bit of Angst...yum
Summary: The Well of Uncomfortable Truths is discovered and deals Spain a hard fact: “Whenever you said you loved him, you didn’t really mean it. You were thinking of his brother. They were empty words.” But who was it talking about? And will Romano be convinced?

Done for this request:
http://hetalia-kink.livejournal.com/17337.html?thread=50721465#t50721465

“Well, I’m surprised. I didn’t think you cared to come to me for help anymore.”

The bespectacled man put down his cup of tea and stared at the miserable-looking country on the other side of the table. Spain slumped in his seat, a direct contrast to Austria’s perfect posture. His arm hung in a sling over his stomach as he turned his sulky expression up at his former Hapsburg housemate.

“France wasn’t home when I stopped by…and I was hoping you might be able to give me some advice,” he murmured. “Since, you know, you went to the Well too.”

The Austrian grimaced, not fond of the memory his guest was bringing up. Since the Incident, he hadn’t had one moment alone with Hungary that wasn’t uncomfortably awkward. Spain looked like he was in far worse shape, however. He watched as the other man lifted a teacup to his lips shakily with his nondominant hand and took a half-hearted sip.

“And what kind of advice were you hoping for?”

Spain turned that pitiful green gaze up at the other man, making the Austrian feel a sudden pang of unexpected sympathy. Spain took a moment to answer him as he thought to himself.

“How do you make someone believe you love them?” he asked so quietly that Austria barely heard him.

The aristocratic nation sighed and looked away towards the window. The sun was pouring through it and shining into his elegant sitting room, giving it a warmth that soothed his anxiety, even if it didn’t seem to do much for his guest. Spain looked as gloomy as if it were pouring rain.

“I wouldn’t know,” Austria replied, “seeing as how my own truth hasn’t been resolved.”

Spain looked up at him curiously.

“Then you and Hungary haven’t-”

“I-it’s no concern of yours!” Austria sputtered indignantly, earning a knowing half-smile from the other man. “And no one ever said it was her.”

Spain just stared at him.

“…Who else would it be?”

Austria grunted, defeated. He could feel his face grow hot just thinking that he was so easy for even someone as oblivious as the other man to read. Spain just shifted in his seat, finally sitting up straighter.

“If you know how you feel about her, you should just tell her,” he said. “It’s obvious that she feels the same for you.”

“T-there’s nothing to say,” the Austrain told him, looking quite flustered.

“What do you have to lose?” Spain asked, his voice dropping low as he looked down at his injured arm. “Love’s not easy, but - it’s something worth fighting for. It would be so much easier for you two…”

“Don’t compare your crumbling relationship to my nonexistent one,” Austria snapped, and felt a stinging shred of guilt as Spain looked at him like a kicked puppy.

“I’m so miserable without him,” Spain murmured. “I’d give anything to have him back. That’s why I can’t give up. And you shouldn’t either! Wouldn’t you regret it if you didn’t even try?”

Austria frowned and furrowed his eyebrows, but before he could reply, there was a servant at the door calling for his attention.

“Herr Österreich, Herr Frankreich is here to see you,” the servant announced.

Austria raised an eyebrow, and Spain managed a small smile.

“Very well. Show him in.”

France entered the room a moment later, a troubled look on his face. Austria rose to greet him, and Spain soon followed, rising slowly and clutching his arm to steady it as he stood behind his host, half hidden from France’s view.

“This is a surprise,” Austria commented. “Two guests on the same day, within the same hour. Were you looking for him?”

He stepped back to give France a better view of Spain.

“No,” the Frenchman replied. “Actually, I came here to ask- Mon Dieu! Espagne! What happened to your arm?!”

“Oh, um,” the Spaniard started, clearing his throat, “bullfight.”

France’s eyes widened in disbelief and shock.

“WHAT?! But mon ami! I thought you said you gave it up!”

“I did,” Spain admitted, “but well, I kind of…staged a fake one to help me win Romano back. I thought if I put myself in danger, he’d get worried about me, and I’d finally be able to get him to listen to me again.”

France stared at him incredulously. His look changed to one of sympathetic pity as he frowned down at his friend.

“Espagne…this whole affair has driven you mad, hasn’t it?”

“I already expressed by disbelief at the idiocy of his theory,” Austria put in, crossing his arms and shaking his head at Spain. “Now look how you’ve ended up.”

Spain’s eyes filled with tears. He sniffled and looked down at his own bandaged limb, feeling pathetic. A tear escaped and ran down his cheek. Immediately, France was at his side, holding his friend in a comforting embrace.

“Don’t cry, Espagne,” he murmured into his ear.

“I was so close,” Spain whimpered. “He was holding me in his arms. He was crying for me. He let me kiss him.”

Even when they had been together, it had been difficult for Spain to get a kiss in public without being pushed away or scolded for it afterwards. He had savored that moment, short as it had been.

“Then what went wrong?” France asked.

“Once he found out I staged the fight, he dropped me in the dirt and left,” Spain sighed miserably. “But there was nothing I could do…They were going to kill Torito.”

France’s face twisted in a puzzled expression, but he just hugged his friend tighter, being careful of his arm.

“Oh, mon ami…You have to know when to quit. If you’ve tried everything so far and he doesn’t show any signs of forgiveness, there’s only one thing left for you to do.”

“What’s that?” Spain asked groggily, unable to think clearly.

“Let him go.”

Spain drew back suddenly, giving France a disbelieving look of shock.

“I-I can’t do that!”

France sighed.

“I know you don’t want to, Espagne…but what other choice do you have? If Romano won’t take you back, you have to move on. To let him move on.”

Spain’s eyebrows furrowed and he stared down at the ground. Was France right? Was he really out of options? He had tried so hard, but all his attempts so far had failed. Would it be kinder to Romano to just get out of his life? He wanted what was best for his little Tomatito, but…Spain snapped out of it, shaking his head stubbornly.

“There’s no way I can let him go,” he insisted. “He means too much to me…I know he still loves me. And I’m not going to give up on him. He’s the only one I want, and I’m not going to stop trying to get him back no matter what it takes.”

“Even if he breaks all the other bones in your body?” France growled, voice suddenly turned aggressive.

Spain looked down at his arm again and nodded.

“Even if it kills me.”

“You really are crazy,” France murmured worriedly, hand on Spain’s shoulder. He slid it up the Spaniard’s neck and cupped his chin, looking into his bright green eyes. “What do I have to do to knock some sense into you?”

“Help me,” Spain pleaded. “Ita-chan’s idea didn’t work. My idea didn’t work. I need a new plan.”

A slight scoff turned his attention back to Austria.

“You want to ask him for help now too? There’s nothing that France can offer you that will make the situation any better. Actually, there’s a far better chance that it will become worse.”

“Hey!” France protested, indignantly. “I resent that cruel remark! It just so happens that I have the perfect plan for Espagne to win back his love. One that is sure not to fail!”

Spain looked at him hopefully.

“Really? Do you think it would work for Austria too? He’s still having problems with Hungary…”

“I did NOT give you permission to speak about that!” Austria burst out, mortified.

France gave him an amused smirk as the other man flushed a deep red. He shook his head at Spain.

“Aw, but L'Autriche has no need of my help, mon ami. With his charming looks and elegant piano playing, he could easily win any woman’s affections! Especially Mademoiselle Hongrie’s.” He turned back to Austria. “All it would take would be a song from your heart.”

Austria cleared his throat and looked away to hide his embarrassment. A song? Well…it was possible, he supposed. Maybe the Frenchman didn’t always have such horrible ideas after all. Only the majority of the time. Truthfully, the aristocrat could think of no better way to express himself than through the medium he loved most. Still…he was worried. Would it be enough?

“It just so happens that I have the perfect opportunity for you. As you surely know, my party is being held this weekend,” France told them. “If you would be so kind, L'Autriche, I need a skilled pianist such as yourself in order to build the right atmosphere.”

Austria raised an eyebrow.

“You’re hosting a party? May I ask the occasion?”

“Oh, mon ami, you wound me! Well, who would blame you for forgetting such a glorious event such as the day of my birth when you have so many…sensitive issues to deal with at the moment.”

The Austrian just glared at him, and Spain chuckled quietly to himself. He had to admit, he too had also almost forgotten about his blonde friend’s birthday in the midst of recent events, but France hadn’t hesitated to remind him constantly. Spain really needed it sometimes, no matter what else was going on around him.

“Of course, I’m expecting quite a large attendance,” the Frenchman continued. “Tomorrow at the World Summit, I shall extend the invite to other nations. What a grand ball it shall be!”

“Hm,” Austria responded, “I suppose if it’s a birthday request, I could be persuaded to come play for you.”

“Wonderful!” France cried, throwing his arms around the other man, much to the Austrian’s discomfort. “I’m so happy to hear it.”

Spain smiled at them.

“Good thing you didn’t come all the way out here for nothing, then, mi amigo!”

France jumped as he suddenly remembered something.

“T-that’s not why I’m here! I came to ask L'Autriche a question,“ he said, looking back towards the bespectacled man. “Have you, by chance, seen Prussia?”

“Prussia?” the Austrian repeated, frowning. “Why would I have any idea where that obnoxious ex-country is lurking?”

“He’s missing?” Spain asked with a concerned look on his face.

“No one’s seen him since that day at the Well. I’ve already asked Hungary, and she claims she had nothing to do with it. He was, according to her, still alive when she left.”

Austria twitched slightly at the mention of Hungary’s name, but didn’t say anything. Spain’s eyes widened as he gaped a bit, and he looked just as distressed as France had been upon arriving.

“Germany can’t find him either?”

“We’ve looked everywhere,” France sighed. “My last thought was to come here and see if maybe he’s been around to pester Austria recently.”

“I can assure you he has not,” Austria replied with a frown. “But I’m sure you will find him trying to sneak into the World Summit tomorrow.”

“That’s true,” France sighed. “I only hope he’s okay.”

“So do I,” Spain said worriedly. “I’ll help look for him too.”

France smiled fondly at his Spanish friend and left Austria’s side to come embrace him.

“Thank you, Espagne. I’m sure that, together, we will find him.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t know about it before,” the other man replied guiltily. “I haven’t been much good at keeping up with you two lately.”

“Yes, well,” France said in a low voice as he leaned towards Spain’s ear, “maybe soon, you will be…”

Spain’s face twisted in confusion, but he smiled and hugged his friend back warmly with one arm. France started moving his hands lower along the other man’s back and slipped them under Spain’s shirt as Austria scowled at them from the table.

“If you two are going to get intimate, I request that you leave my presence,” he told them, “and preferably my house as well.”

France laughed as he squeezed Spain closer to him for a moment before letting go.

“As you wish, L'Autriche. We’ll see you at the World Summit.”

“Yes…” Austria replied, trying not to look as annoyed as he felt.

“Good luck with the song, Austria!” Spain said cheerfully as he left. “Adios.”

France wrapped an arm around him as they left, pleased with his friend’s renewed good spirits. The Spaniard seemed too happy to even notice the other’s hands roaming his body. What France didn’t know, though, was that behind that showy smile, Spain was only thinking about Romano. I can’t give up. I have to keep trying until he believes me…No matter how long it takes - or what I have to do. It’s not impossible. Together, France and I’ll come up with something. We have to! Romano…wait just a bit more, please. He wondered what kind of plan France had in store for him. The blonde grinned knowingly to himself, enjoying the way his thoughts were turning more and more as he reached down and gave Spain a good grope. Just you wait till you see what I have in store for you, Espagne.

Austria sighed as the unexpected guests finally left his house. Why had Spain bothered to come to him for help at all? No matter. He had more important things to focus on. He went to his piano and sat down, closing his eyes and concentrating on his own thoughts. Hungary…how do I tell you that I love you? Of course three words are not enough to express everything I need to say. He took another deep breath and tried to clear his mind. He wouldn’t think- he’d just feel. Putting his hands over the keys, he began to play, allowing everything within him to flow out from tips of his fingers - a message anyone could hear, but only he could truly understand.

tbc...

_{A/N:Pfft, this chapter is such a tease. It may not be as exciting as the last one, but I hope I`ve managed to build up your suspense! What this- subplots? Well, we shouldn`t leave anyone hanging, right? I`ve finished planning out the major plot points for the rest of the story and can honestly tell you to expect about 4 more chapters depending on how things get split up/combined. Now I wonder if Austria`s predictions about France`s plan will come true...

still don`t know if his song should have lyrics}