ɪᴛᴀʟɪᴀɴ ᴛᴏᴍᴀᴛᴏ —;;

“Bear, get off Romano.” There was a snap of is fingers, and the Landseer stopped in his assault of Romano’s face to look back at his master, tail wagging excitedly. Bear gave one last lick to the Italian’s face, and he moved to sit at Canada’s feet. “Sorry about him. He misses people when they don’t come visit. How’d you even get in here? I thought I’d locked the door…” 

       Finally, he pushed himself up, dusting off his jeans. “More importantly... You don’t seem too pleased t’see me. The dog’s more excited.”

Dark eyes looked up to the sky, same sadness upon his features as he took in the sky. He turly missed his brothers even if they no longer remembered the days they were close.

      Veneziano could have prolonged his life. But instead, he had chosen not to. Simply for the fear of watching others die before him.

“… I see the problem… The problem with the city of Venezia…. I cannot solve it but I can slow it.” Hades opened his eyes slowly, still seemingly far away. He was still connected to the city. “I want to propose something to you… I can slow the movement of the land under your brother’s city, his very heart. I can even provide a stronger bedrock for the city to rest upon and ask my own brother to pull the ocean away some.” His body shook again minutely as more of the earth moved. “But, it will only buy your brother time, many more years than he has currently. I cannot stop what is happening for good, nothing can.” Dark eyes stared straight into Romano’s, allowing him to see there was no lie. “Would you like me to do this even if I can not guarantee how it will affect your brother in the future?“ Seeing how dearly this man wanted to aide his brother struck something deep in the god that he had made himself numb too thousands of years ago. It was why he was offering his help.

      “The sinking of Venezia takes a bigger toll on my brother than I cared to explain. But maybe it’s a bit... necessary. He isn’t simply fading. It’s downright tearing him to pieces.” He couldn’t say, for sure, just what it was. But god, those screams... “He’s collapsed multiple times. Clutches his chest, screams bloody murder. Fainted during the attacks on more than one occasion. He barely knows up from down.” His gaze hardened, calculative. “He’s not just destined to fade away, just like that. If that were the case, I wouldn’t worry so much. I would say ‘yes’ right away. My problem is his pain.” He chose his next question carefully, “If you prolong my brother’s life, will you prolong his pain, too?”

“… I do not control either. I was personally unaware of nations until Gilbert met me. As he explained it to me, your strength is tied to your people is it not? I do not control living beings, merely the lands they tread upon.” The look in Romano’s eyes made the deity curious and he looked at him with intrigue. Deciding to venture a guess he quietly spoke out his query. “… Someone close to you is weakening are they not? You may try to hide it but I am in tune to fear, mortals cannot look upon me for that reason. I show their worst fears…” Hades held no judgement of Romano, no pity, nothing showed upon his face aside from a small frown. “That is why you asked such a question yes?”

      Romano glanced up, a troubled expression taking over. “I am Romano. Personification of Rome. The heart of Italy. I will triumph. He will fall.” And yet, he was the eldest of his brothers... Funny how fate loved to throw such terrible curve balls at those who lived well beyond the years of mortal men... “I have lived well over two thousand years. He, over five hundred years less than that. He is loved by many, and is the face that comes to mind when one says, ‘Italy.’ Yet he’s fated t’die before I do.” He sucked in a breath, and straightened his back. “So of course I would ask. He is not deserving of that kind of pain. Is it really that wrong of me t’try to find a way around it?”

[ having been sort of acknowledged, Bear attempt to jump on Romano ]

      And there the dog went, crushing his lungs. “Augh— Canada— Help— Can’t— Breathe—” He deserved it, really.

      Hey there... Bucaneve... Uh, long time no see, ah?

A smile was the only the thing that greeted the other’s body language and tone. He had all right to be both defensive and skeptical of the dark deity. A low, soft chuckle escaped his throat at being spared the long version of the other’s name. This young man was truly entertaining at least. “I have met another. Though his presence is by far weaker than yours. You are both tied to the land which happens to be my domain so I am glad my assumption of you was correct. As for the country, I am sure you are wondering who he is. The former kingdom of Prussia, now tied to eastern Germany. Though he prefers I use Gilbert.”

      “So you’ve proven you can sense beings of a strong power than humans.” A beat. “And sense a nation’s state of dissolving. Does that, in any way, tie t’havin’ your hand in the affairs of a nation’s disappearance?” Or even saving? Though he did not speak his mind on such a thought. His fingers remained curled around that cell phone, unbeknownst to the nation. A smiling face still lingered in the depths of his mind’s eye. 

[ he peeks over the couch and just….. staaaaaares ][ meanwhile, very large, very excited dog is darting all over the living room ]

      { dog isn’t helping that’s for sure. how the hell was he supposed to surprise canada like this? damn dog’s gonna give it away }

“Yes yes of course. No need to get defensive.” Hades chuckled even as everything returned how it was before. There wasn’t even a pebble out of place. He chuckled softly before tilting his head to the side lightly. “So, you are the personification here hm? No wonder my form did not bother you… You are not a mortal man. Might I inquire your name since you now know mine?”

      “You’ve got that right, at least. I’ll spare you the long version of my name,” he answered. “You’re lookin’ at Romano Italia. Personification of Mezzogiorno — Southern Italy. Is it safe to assume you’ve met another country, then?” Considering that the guy could pinpoint exactly what he was... Afterall, ‘my land’ could have very well meant very, very different things. Surely that wasn’t the giveaway.

“Ha ha, a costume. Yes of course one would believe that if they can not accept the truth. However… Gods cannot tell lies. I am Hades, ruler of the underworld.” In order to prove himself, Hades made the shadows upon the ground raise up and move about them both, the ground shifting a bit as well to form a small hill under Romano.

      As soon as everything was quieted again, Romano stood up straight and regarded the god with stubborn pride. “Alright. You didn’t need the fancy tricks to persuade me, but fine. Go ahead and show off,” he spoke. “I’ve seen enough shit in my lifetime, this isn’t too far of a stone’s throw for me. So mind puttin’ everythin’ back the way it was? I’d rather not have my land toyed with, thank you very much.” Being the personification of the very land they stood upon, of course Romano would be rather protective of it.

“Not at all, I was merely waiting for you to ask the proper question.” Hades chuckled as he let the illusion melt away to reveal his horns and ears. It was a nice practice to hide them. “My name is Hades. I believe you know the rest of my title hm?”

      “What, is this some kind of cosplay thing or some shit? Damn, they just get crazier ‘nd crazier every year... How’d you do that, ah?”

Hades merely smiled to the other. “For the simple fact that I am not human. I have no need to cut my hair if I control the elements that would dirty or snag my hair.” He chuckled and watched the other, waiting for the reaction.

      He wouldn’t figure out on his own, he knew. “Would it be wrong of me t’ask you what you are?” he questioned.

“Heh heh, you’d be amazed but I rarely get anything in my hair.” However he did comply in pulling his long tresses into a loose hold, not pulling all of it through the tie. It was enough to life the locks from the ground.

      “How’d you get your hair that long anyway, ah? I ain’t seen anyone with that long of hair in a very long time.” In fact, it was usually nations who grew out their hair to be that long and still look young... People who had hundreds of years to spare...

“Character hm? Well I have reasons to leave my hair this length. Would it make you feel better if I put it up so it no longer is on the ground?”

      “Then things wouldn’t... y’know... Get caught in it.” Yeup. That was his only problem with it from the beginning.