The Beautiful Word II (More Hetalia oneshots)

Scars / Ancient Rome

Character: Romulus Vargas / Ancient Rome
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You watched chariots roll passed carrying army generals, and wounded soilders. The unharmed, and soilders that weren't too injured to walk walked down the paved path smiling and waving to the cheering people.
Everyone was glad to see the return of the army. There was a whole parade happening at that very moment, and a large party happening later in the night.

You smiled and cheered as well, but you were looking for someone specific. With every returning soilders that passed your heart sank with dread when they weren't him.

The "him" in question is one of your oldest and closest friends, Romulus. A cheery Roman with curly hair, and honey colored eyes.

You held a hand over your heart as you gazed worriedly at the thinning parade of soilders.

Hands fell over your eyes making you jump and let out a surprised yelp.
"Guess who?" A smooth voice says into your ear, and a wide smile breaks put over your lips.

The hands are removed, and you immediately turn around to give Romulus a tight hug. You through your arms over his shoulders, and he hold your waist tightly as he lifts you off the ground.

"Someone missed me!" He laughs and you join him.

"Of course I missed you!"

He places you back on your feet, and you smile up at him. He ruffles your hair, and you swat away his hand playfully.

"So where's the wine? It's been a long year, I need some alcohol!"

You giggle at his naturally playful nature, "Come, I made sure to stock up on your favorite kind."

You led him away from the big crowd, and down the paved path that led to your villa.

"Anything interesting happen on your travels?" You ask as you walk side by side with Romulus.

He shrugs, "Little this, little that. Found refuge in a few pretty ladies beds. Nothing out of the normal."

You nod, "Surely there was something more? You always have such great stories."

He hums and taps his chin, "There's a few I think, but it can all wait until I'm drunk."

You chuckle, he never changes.

~*~

"Then there was this really pretty lady," Romulus continues his story as he waves around a half empty wine bottle, "Quite the looker, but her husband.. whoa, he can really throw a punch."

"You didn't fight him did you?" You ask with mild sorry, as you sipped wine from your cup.

"Fight him? Oh Gods no!" He takes another hearty drink, "I was too sober for that."

"Of course you were." You shake your head.

A few moments pass in silence as you and Romulus lounged in the living room of your villa. He laid on a pile of plush blankets, and pillows while you sat cross legged next to him.

The sound of night carried on outside, and you sighed at the tranquil feeling of it.

"Romulus," you say and he hums in reply, "Do you ever feel like there's more outside of our lives? Like, there is something outside of our normal that we are meant to find?"

It's once again silent as he thinks over your question. He spent a long time on his answer, and you had begun to think he wasn't going to answer at all.

"I do sometimes..." He says in thought.

You didn't pry for any depth to his answer, something's are meant to be left unsaid.

You take a deep breath, before drink the rest of the wine in your cup. You place it aside and lay back on the blankets to stretch. You give a relieved sigh as a series of pops come from your body.

You smile and look over at Romulus, who looked back at you. You raised a brow, "What are you looking at?"

He shrugs, "Beauty."

You snort and hit him with a pillow playfully. He chuckles as he blocks your attack. He sits up to throw to grab a pillow from his side, and you see pale lines across his tan shoulders where his robes didn't cover.

You sit up, your hand out stretch hung to touch the lines. He freezes under your touch as you gently unfasten the white fabric from the pendant clip that held them up. They fall down his muscular body with ease, covering his waist.

You let your fingers trace the lines gently, and Romulus stays still, and quiet. You take the silence as permission, and don't stop your gentle touches.

"There's more..." You say in a soft voice.

He nods, his curly locks moving over his neck, "War doesn't discriminate against who it strikes."

Your arms slip around his shoulders as you embrace him. Your chest presses to his bare back, as you rest your cheek on his head. You clothes your eyes and take in the warmth of his bronze skin, and earthy smell.
It was familiar.
It was Home.

His hands hold your arms gently, as you both share the moment.

"It must be so hard..." You tell him, "Having to carry all those scars, the memories."

"It's not too bad." He assures, "It shows that I've lived, that I've survived..."

You feel tears line your eyes as you feel his simple words stroke a deep place inside of your soul. You squeeze your eyes shut to avoid them falling, it was a fruitless attempt.
You place a gentle kiss to the tip of Romulus's head.

"Hey, don't be like that, it's not that sad." He chuckles half-heartedly, "I can also use them to impress pretty ladies. Many fair maidens fall victim to the manliness of them!"

You smile, and laugh softly as you pull him closer, and bury your face in his hair, "You never change."