I guess since I'm the smarter, sexier one, I'll go first.
Full Human Name: Lovino Alessandro "Romano" Vargas
Official Country Name: Repubblica Italiana
Facebook Name: Lovino ManicMelodies Vargas (TechnoSavvy)
Nicknames: Lovi, Lovinito, Romano, Roma and apparently "Rose"?
Human Age: 21
Height: 5"9
Weight: 159lbs
Hair Color: Dark Auburn
Eye Color: Hazel-Green
Country Career: Personification of Southern Italy
Human Career: Singer/Songwriter...and secretly an underground DJ
Pets: A white teacup Pomeranian named Creampuff, and two twin turtles named Bonbon and Kitkat.
Backstory: The Dream of a Modern Life
My brother was the first to do it.
That's right, innocent little Feliciano Vargas, the first to do the unspeakable.
It all started on a warm night in early September: my little brother and I were curled up on the couches of our TV room, watching a marathon of old movies together. It was simply a typical event for a typical night in our shared Venetian abode.
Nothing was out of the ordinary...or so I thought.
The first strange thing happened when the last movie finished, and Feli and I realized we had reached the 1AM mark.
"It's Sunday night," I had commented as I shut off the television, though of course it was technically already Monday morning. "There's a meeting tomorrow, remember? It's going to be real important if even I have to go, so we should get to bed."
And as he solemnly nodded and pulled himself up from the sofa, this odd look flashed across his face. He was unusually deep in thought, I figured, but I was much too tired to ask.
I yawned, got up off the cushions myself and wished him a good night before I made my way up the stairs, waddling straight for my bedroom.
"Wait," Feliciano suddenly called out to me as I reached to push open my bedroom door. "Big Brother, can I sleep in your bed tonight?"
It wasn't a completely shocking request, of course, but he still hadn't asked to do such a thing in a long time. The few times Feliciano liked to do that anymore was when he was either frightened or extremely depressed. I had made sure the movies weren't even remotely scary this time, so again, I quietly wondered what exactly was causing this odd behavior of his.
I remember standing there in the shadowy hallway with him for a moment, after watching him ascend the stairs after me, we stared at each other in a half-nervous, half-dazed silence. I searched his eyes for some sort of explanation, but all he would give me is a pleading "don't ask" look.
Once again letting my own sleepiness make the decisions, I merely nodded and motioned for him to follow me into my room.
I plopped down on the bed, and was barely awake long enough to feel him settle down beside me, and timidly whisper. "Good night, Brother, I love you." In our mother tongue.
...The next thing I know-
It's barely 4AM and my peaceful sleep is disturbed by a loud rustling, and the stomping of rushing boots up and down the hallway.
'What is he doing?' I remember thinking, covering my head with a pillow and groaning in annoyance.
I then heard the front door creak open, and slam shut.
It startled me, and I sat up quickly. 'Where in the world could he be going so early?' The world meeting would not start until 7:30AM.
Quickly I sprang from the bed and bounded down the stairs, swinging open the front door and meeting my frantic little brother just as he is about to pull out of the driveway in his little blue convertible.
The sky is hardly edging from black into blue, and few birds have even began their morning song. Aggravated and confused, I wave him down, march over to the side of the car and tap the window, forcing him to roll it down.
"Just where do you think you're going?" I asked groggily, rubbing my hazy eyes. "Do you even know what time it is, you freak!?"
Feliciano just gave me the same nervous, unreadable look as before, only this time laced with something new- guilt.
"I-I'm going in early," He stammered, his hands shaking as they held on to the wheel of the car. "To help Alfred set up, okay? He has...a big presentation for everyone today, and I promised to help him! I'll see you there, okay?"
He was obviously in a rush, but I wasn't buying it.
"Veneziano-" I began, before he cringed and cut me off.
"I'm late, I have to go!" And with that, he rolled up the window and zoomed off.
I shook my head as I watched the vehicle disappear into the distance. That damned Alfred F. Jones was a bad egg and I knew it. I hated him, I hated him for taking up so much of my brother's time lately, and making him help him with these stupid things.
I know it was selfish, but whenever others came into Feliciano's picture, be it new friends or even lovers; I felt less and less important.
The truth is, though Veneziano may seem to be the more dependent one, it's usually me who ends up not being able to live without him.
Anyway, enough of all that mushy stuff.
As the car sped away I kept thinking of the worried look on that little munchkin's face...maybe he was nervous, maybe it was normal, maybe that useless American really did have something extravagant planned, and Feliciano might have been desperate not to let him down.
I would later find out that the American's plan was rather extravagant indeed.
7:46AM
I'm late again, of course, but I could care less.
It's when I walk in and everybody stares at me that I begin to grow uncomfortable.
I shot them all back hostile looks, annoyed with their sheer nerve, after all, it was just another big stupid meeting. Who cares if I'm a little later than usual?
I adjusted my casual button down shirt and waistcoat, grabbed myself a cup of coffee, and took up my usual seat right in the middle of Antonio and Emma.
But even Antonio and Emma were staring at me with a peculiar look.
"What, is there something on my face?" I hissed at Antonio, none too quietly.
He didn't even crack a smile, but shook his head at me, still staring curious and wide-eyed.
I turned to Emma, frowning at the Belgian girl before she politely averted her gaze to the shiny surface of the table.
"I don't understand," I continued. "What's going on here?"
It was then I finally realized that besides my own echoing voice, the room was silent.
Silent.
The meeting room was silent.
The meeting room was silent.
Quickly I stood up, slammed my hands down on the table, and scanned the rows of familiar faces seated around the large area.
Natalia, Katyusha, Ivan, Yao, Matthew, Francis, Arthur...
An empty seat.
No Alfred...?
Kiku, no one, Ludwig.
Kiku, no one, and Ludwig.
Alfred and my brother were gone.
...
It was three painful, worrisome, agonizing months before I heard from my brother again.
He sent me a short, straight and to the point email.
I'm sorry, it had said, along with a few more strings of apologies and "I love yous".
...I'm sorry, but I've taken a bit of a hiatus from my country duties. I'm going out, into the world..to find myself. I'm in the USA now, safe and sound with Alfred. He's resigned as well. I'm safe, I'm happy, and I hope you are too. I love you, and I miss you, and please call me at my new number...
I remember reading the email and nearly crying. Crying out of relief, crying out of anger, crying out of betrayal and yearning and confusion and absolute shock.
And just how the hell was the government taking this?
You can't just replace a representation...It's literally a role you are born for.
The first thing I did was make the firm decision not to write back for a while. He deserved to feel whatever guilt conveyed in that letter.
The second, was try to control myself before I cursed that stupid, manipulative, awful blonde American straight into the ground.
How dare he take my brother from me, and so far away!?
How dare he influence him to leave behind his home, his family, his responsibility to his country to be a country!?
Yes, being a country was hard...and hectic...and tiring, oh was it absolutely exhausting!
It was boring, awful, noisy...I froze right there at my computer desk.
Feliciano and Alfred really did have a good excuse to pursue other, better dreams.
And I was bitter, and I mourned a bit, and I thought and I thought for a long, long time.
Before I finally said...what am I still doing here?
What am I waiting for?
By the next awkward, bothersome world meeting, I announced my own departure.
If my brother could follow his dreams of travel, art and a modern American life...
then why couldn't I follow mine?
I loved music, dancing, romance, teaching, preaching, sleeping!
If I was going to be immortal on this Earth, I figured, I might as well enjoy my long, long stay.
That's when I moved from the big house in Venice, to a small 3-bedroom Villa in Rome.
That's when I said goodbye to my country duties and country friends, and took up jobs as a teacher, a songwriter, even a fashion designer.
That's when I discovered my passions in techno music and flashing lights.
That's when I kissed the most beautiful girl in the world, and though she later left me for another, I don't regret a single moment I spent with her.
These modern, normal human-life years, I declared, would be the best years of my life.
My brother got word of my decision quickly.
Before I knew it, he came down to see my new home and pressed me to host a housewarming party. I did so, many countries arrived, it was a beautiful night and best of all, my dear little brother and I were on speaking terms once again.
Besides Creampuff, who was a housewarming gift herself; and the turtle twins, I was alone for the first time.
And for the first time, I was content with being alone.
I was living and leading my own life, not as a boring old country with boring old duties...but as a fun, joyful human being with goals, dreams and exciting adventures just waiting to be discovered.
...Fast forward to three years later:
To my surprise, many countries followed suit to Feli and I.
In fact, a great lot of them did.
Antonio being one of them.
The Spaniard and I hadn't talked for a long while, and I didn't even bother to wonder why...but the day he called me up and asked me to come see his brand new house in Barcelona, and wanted me to critique a few photos he took for a modeling tryout; I couldn't have been happier.
For the first time in my life, I was normal, I was happy, and in the end, hey, I didn't end up alone after all.
I'm not just South Italy anymore, a faceless country with a million burdens.
I'm Lovino Alessandro Vargas, and damn it, I'm human too.
-Lovi M.M
