#aph sicily

[aph-lithuania]

SicIre maxxing before comms, of course.....

Ireland (Molly) - @aph-poland

Sicily (Lucia) - moi!

[breitzbachbea]

I'm With Him And This Is Real Life, Honey

Thank you all for your enthusiastic responses! This is a Spamano One-Shot which I originally wrote for the dearest @someone-you-do-not-know, as part of my Rake Courtship AU, vaguely set in the Regency or preceding Georgian era.

If you want some general backstory for this AU or read another piece of unbearable Spamano longing and Lovino never getting what he deserves, partially because he won't allow it to himself - here is another One-Shot set in the same AU.

Summary for this One-Shot: After Antonio's and Michele's wedding has been crashed by Michele's former suitor, Lovino urges Antonio to go after his former fiancé and Lovi's cousin, if only because if Michele's father Salvatore finds him first, there will be bloodshed. They find Harry and Michele, sadly just in time to witness their elopement wedding, which will complicate things further. This is the night after that Lovino spends in an inn room with Antonio. I also made a little playlist for Spamano and Sicire in the AU, if you'd like to listen to "Would you be so kind" whilst reading Lovino's suffering.

Here's the fic - enjoy!

It was a quiet night. No wind that howled, no rain that pounded. They were the only guests at the inn – It wasn’t shabby enough that they all had to share a single room, vermin not included, and not classy enough to carry gossip to where it shouldn’t be. Not that Lovino had ever been in an inn. People of a certain class always stayed with one of their own, that was what mansions were for. Everything about this was so beneath him.

But now he wished he had simply bitten the bullet instead of drawing the line and insisting on separate rooms. He’d rather have shared a room with these two sources of his malcontent than having to listen to their bed creak through the walls. Already a pillow over his head and he could still hear the creak of wood and the slap of skin on skin.

“I’m not sharing a room with you two knobheads! I don’t care, I’ll pay for it myself!” He had protested an hour earlier or so. “I’ve had enough of you as is, for all I care I never need to see either of you for the rest of my life, but a night’ll do! I’ve been a witness against my will to your we-” He had stopped himself, suddenly aware that there was no need to bellow details about the place. No need to blow their cover

“Well, kind of you to give us the privacy,” Michele had replied and there seemed to be genuine surprise in his voice. Of course, overshadowed by how pleased he and his lover had seemed by the implications.

He didn’t even end up paying for it, but his cousin’s rotten lover. Not that Lovino had much money on him, as he had left in a hurry, but Antonio hadn’t been allowed to pay either. Simply thinking of the entire charade made him want to retch again.

Michele had taken Antonio’s hands and looked him in the eyes when he said: “You’ve already done far too much for me to ever repay it. Please, Antonio, don’t make my debt any greater. I’ve caused you enough hurt as is, let me be the bigger person now.”

Bigger person, his ass. A bigger person would put their money where their mouth is and not fuck his new husband within earshot of his old fiancé.

Christ alive, why was that stupid candle still burning. The light it produced wasn’t much, but he could see Antonio clear enough as he laid next to him in bed.

Because of course his luck was just so that there was no more than one bed in each room. At least Antonio wasn’t talking to him. He had rarely spent a moment in silence with him ever since his father had asked to spend time with him and Michele.

Antonio was mute now, as he stared at the ceiling. He had his arms crossed over his chest, stripped to his undergarments and shirt like Lovino, who could see dark curly hair peak out at the top of his shirt. In his sculpted face – Lovino still couldn’t believe his cousin had chosen to bang someone who’s face looked like an entire carriage accident over this – the brows were slightly knitted and the full lips had a hint of a pout.

He couldn’t imagine how Antonio felt, but wouldn’t want to switch places with him. A twinge of guilt came over him to have dragged him into this whole affair. What concern should it be to Antonio if the man he was betrothed to ran off with someone else and incurred the wrath of his monstrous father? He was no longer Michele’s fiancé and was not obligated to care for him anymore. And yet he did.

There was another twinge and it took Lovino a moment to realize it was jealousy. Underneath fondness for Antonio’s selfless nature, it was jealousy that it had all been wasted on Michele. His stupid cousin got betrothed to a sweet, hot, rich, important guy and then he blew it, he would have deserved it so much more than Michele. He deserved to be fawned over and cherished and spoiled rotten, he deserved to have a husband who was as kind and doting and hot as Antonio. Instead he was relegated to be the best man and agony aunt, the company that Michele couldn’t be and now he was in bed with the hottest man he’d ever seen and wasn’t even allowed to touch him. Relegated to hear his cousin screw his lover in a second-rate inn and hiding underneath the pillow as not to hear the muted throes of passion...

He could see the hairs on Antonio’s strong arms. He realized he’d been staring at Antonio the entire time and felt his face burn up.

In that moment, he could hear something that sounded like a pent-up moan from the other side, followed by some laughter.  

Antonio’s eyes squeezed shut for a moment, face scrunched up in discomfort. He sighed through his nose as he relaxed and his eyes opened again.

Great, now he could even hear them suck face in the silence. Antonio’s own expression turned from displeased to awkward – and he turned to Lovino, who felt panic well up in his stomach and fan out to his limbs.

“What the fuck are you looking at me for?!” he asked him and buried his face in the mattress, hoping it would swallow him. He could still hear the damn bed creak. “It’s not my fault!”

“S-Sorry …” Antonio apologised. Great. Simply great. He could hear Antonio clear his throat.

He tried to visualize what was going on in the other room, in the hopes that his rotten cousin and his troll of a lover would be enough to exorcise his feelings of desire. Sadly, whenever he tried, his mind too soon drifted off and kept the steamy fantasy with a tanner body underneath his own fingertips, full lips ghosting over his own body, rough but gentle hands gripping his hips, his own fingers running through wild, curly hair -

Lovino screamed into the mattress. “I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him tonight, and if I don’t I hope his dad strings him up by his own entrails, he deserves it,” he muttered into it.

“Are you alright, Lovino?” Antonio asked and Lovino considered biting himself through the entire bed and then the floor to escape the situation.

He lifted his face but didn’t face Antonio. “These two have not a bone of shame in their entire body,” he said as he stared into the dark, since Antonio’s body blocked most light of the candle in this position. “We should just have bid Michele good riddance and washed our hands of the entire thing. He’s clearly enjoying himself as is, that ungrateful bastard.”

Oh god, as if the universe itself wanted to mock Lovino, he could hear the sounds on the other side increase in frequency. He gritted his teeth.

“I mean …” Antonio sighed again. “It was the right thing to do, Lovino. It’s not always easy to do the right thing, but still you do it.” He could hear the smile in his voice. “And I guess it is their wedding night …”

Something almost slipped Lovino’s lips, but he bit it back. There was no need to tell Antonio what he had seen the night before Antonio was supposed to marry. No need to increase his suffering.

“You’re being a saint about this,” Lovino said. “If I was you, I would have walked already. To do it with you around … aren’t you mad?” He’d be mad if he was Antonio. To be betrothed to someone who doesn’t want you, have that fiancé kidnapped at your wedding day and run after them only to barge in on their elopement wedding … If he was Antonio, he’d curse everyone he ever met. Lovino included – after all, he had spurred him on to run after Michele.

“I mean …” Another sigh, this time more of an angry snort. “I would prefer to not have heard it, but … what is done is done. Pretending that it isn’t wouldn’t change much, I can fool myself. I don’t need Michele for this.”

Lovino’s brows furrowed while the rest of his features softened. I wouldn’t have fooled you, he thought. Maybe he should have run to him the night before the wedding. To hell with Michele and his secrets, Antonio would have deserved the truth.

The noises from the other side had stopped. At least that torture was over. Lovino turned on his back and clutched the pillow against his chest instead. “You are a saint,” he said. “Michele doesn’t know what he’s missing.” He didn’t dare look at Antonio. “And I’m the fucking Virgin Mary for putting up with all of it!”

Antonio laughed. “Yes you are. Thank you, Lovino. I appreciate it and I’m sure that Michele does so, too.”

He snorted. “Psht. Yeah, sure.”

“When you get married, I’ll be your best man, yes? To pay back all you gave me.”

Lovino’s heart sank into his guts. “Yeah, sure.”

Antonio put the candle out. “Good night, Lovino.”

Lovino stared into the dark. He could hear indistinct murmurs from the other room between the lovers. “Good night … Antonio.”

[ask-aph-sicilia]

OMIGAWD EVERYONE LOOK AHHHH

I finally made Sicilia into a nendoroid figure!!! I'm super friggen happy omgggg

Ohh I wish she was darker like in my character sheet but I'm happy none the less!

There's some tweaks I need to do like push her hair down a wee bit lower and to prick a hole in the hair to pin the curl into the right area

[breitzbachbea]

"Aurea prima sata est aetas, quae vindice nullo, sponte sua, sine lege fidem rectumque colebat. Poena metusque aberant nec verba minantia fixo aere legebantur, nec supplex turba timebat iudicis ora sui, sed erant sine vindice tuti."

"First was the Golden Age. Then rectitude spontaneous in the heart prevailed, and faith. Avengers were not seen, for laws unframed were all unknown and needless. Punishment and fear of penalties existed not." - Ovid, Metamorphoses, trans. Arthur Golding.

"Allora, però, il colle era selvaggio e tutt'attorno si stendevano boschi, e dentro i boschi, insiemi ai cinghiali, alle lepri, alle ghiandaie, vivevano creature speciali. Alcune erano fanciulle, divinità minoriti protettrici della natura e delle fonti. Attorno a loro giravano tipi poco rassicuranti: umani dalla vita in su, dalla vita in giù caprini, i Fauni. Qualcuno anzi ha detto che erano loro, metà esseri umani metà bestie, gli autentici abitanti dell'inizio. Se si pensa alle origini, spesso viene in mente che eravamo così, un po' umani e un po' no, né carne né pesce. Dicono che la vita laggiù dentro i querceti fosse una corsa, i Fauni rumorosi inseguivano sbavando le fanciulle, che a volte ridevano, a volte proprio non ne volevano sapere, a volte si lascivano acchiappare. Se si lasciavano acchiappare, di lì a poco vagiva una creatura. A questo stile di vita, Giano guardava sorridendo."

"Back then, however, the hill was wild, and all around the forests stretched and within the forests, together with the wild boars, the bunnies, the jays, lived special creatures. Some of them were Nymphs, minor deities that protected nature and the springs. In their orbit were unsettling types: humans from the waist up, from the waist down goats, the Fauns. Someone even said that it was them, beings half human, half beast, that were the real denizens of the Beginning. If one thinks back to the origins, one often comes to think that we used to be like that, a little human and a little not, neither fish nor fowl. They said that life down there in the oak groves was a race, the loud Fauns drooling as they chased the nymphs, which sometimes laughed, sometimes really didn’t want to have anything to do with it, sometimes let themselves be caught. If they let themselves be caught, a little while later a creature would whimper. This way of life Janus watched with a smile."

-Carola Susani, Miti Romani, 2013, translation by me.

"Satyrs were represented as hybrids of mature, bearded men and either donkeys or horses. They were depicted in a mostly human form, yet their long tails, pointed ears, snubbed faces, and in some cases equine legs clearly indicate their not-quite-human natures. The satyrs were defined not only by their animalistic attributes and their connection to Dionysos but also by their gender and sexuality. Satyrs were almost always male, and their masculinity became their greatest defining characteristic. Satyrs were regularly portrayed as ithyphallic in archaic and classical vase painting. Their enlarged phalloi contrast with the smaller, more modest penises of ideal Greek nudes. While the idealized statues of youths from the periods emphasize the virtue of self-control over body, mind, emotions and desire, the satyrs consistently overindulge, notably in the realms of sex and drinking. The vases give the impression not only that the satyrs are unable to control their oversized desires but also that they feel absolutely no need to, since they operate outside the bounds of civilized society. As Eric Csapo has pointed out, while the satyrs are always aggressive in their pursuit of desire, they are simultaneously slaves to this sexual desire and cannot move beyond this defining characteristic. In a series of pots from sixth-century BCE Athens, satyrs act as sexual aggressors whose attentions are frequently, but not always, welcomed by nymphs and maenads, the female followers of Dionysos.”

“It appears, therefore, that the depictions of satyrs performed an almost cathartic role for their audiences. Satyrs engaged in acts that were considered to be outside the boundaries of acceptable behavior within Greek society, and they expressed desires that most men were not able to act upon. Their behavior reflected their place in the natural order. They were neither god nor man, and they occupied a space between the human and divine worlds. Satyrs operated outside of the bounds of society, yet in becoming objects of ridicule, they and their threat were neutralized. This seems to be the driving force behnd the characterization of the satyrs as humorous rather than serious figures. Satyrs cannot be threatening if everyone is laughing at them.”

"Despite the iconographical similarities between both the Derveni and Herculaneum satyrs and the Barberini Faun, neither of the former embodies the same sexuality nor desirability as the Faun. Like the Faun, these two images are of odd hybrid creatures, neither human nor animal, who are less dangerous when in the liminal state of sleep, similiarly to other Hellenistic sleeping figures, but the role of the Faun as sexual object sets him apart from these other satyrs. While the artists of the Barberini Faun drew upon established iconography and explored similiar themes as contemporary Hellenistic artists, notably that of powerful satyr made vulnerable by sleep, his composition communicated a different message, speaking to Hellenistic ideas of masculine sexuality."

"If Stewart's analysis is correct, we have satyrs as sexual objects in the fourth century, approximately 150 to 200 years earlier than the Barberini Faun. However, the Barberini Faun, with his well-developed musculature, could never be categorized as the ideal eromenos. His muscled physique makes it clear that he is far more mature than the adolescent boy held up as the ideal of masculine beauty in the Archaic and Classical periods."

-Herring, A., Sexy Beast: The Barberini Faun as an Object of Desire, in: Journal of the History of Sexuality 25/1 (2016), 32-61.

Just finished a commission of @breitzbachbea golden boys. 👌🍋 one of top faves of the year so far

[hetalia-club]

After spending a week in Palermo, Sicily I can confirm that...Yes... It's really like this.

Especially the road part. You really just gotta do a Hail Mary, sign of the cross and just cross the street and hope to god whoever it is stops, then you gotta give them a shy little cuck 'thank you' wave and make eye contact with the driver to be sure they saw you and are not just going to run you over. They are some of the nicest people ever but put them behind the wheel of a car and they undergo a transformation.

One of my tour guides said "When you cross the street you can't show fear because they are looking for that, they take it as a challenge. And after they let you cross you wave, I don't know why we do this is. I think it's thanking them for not killing you. It is just something we do."

I will say you do get used to it fairly quickly.

[finoicc]

I love the feli and lovi smoke cigs headcannon. like ya they would

[someone-you-do-not-know]

I kind of really don't like how the Risorgimento in Hetalia is framed as a thing done solely by Veneziano and how it supposedly came as a surprise to Romano. First of all, it was kind of a long process, so it's been boiled down way too much, but I can forgive that because it's meant to be funny.

What I can't really forgive is that Romano is made obsolete in the comic, despite how influential the South actually was in making the Risorgimento happen. Just based on the Wikipedia page (I don't have the energy to go through an actual history book rn), there was the Carboneria formed in Southern Italy, not to mention that the unification happened under the House of Savoy, which admittedly was northern, but they first gained the title of king when they took over Sicily, and later exchanged it for Sardinia. Previously, Savoy ruled over duchies, but it was first when they gained the title King of Piedmont-Sardinia they started to consider uniting Italy. Those two are just the most obvious examples, but there's plenty more if you look into it.

It's not so much that South Italy did not want the Risorgimento or had no hand in it, it's rather that the results of it ended up being a betrayal, not just to the South, but anyone who was not Piedmontese – however, that betrayal was felt especially by the South. At least that's how I'm reading it. I'm sure I still ended up simplifying it a lot, and if anyone wants to expand on this, please do so.

[roomselfcontain2]

Cool tiny room design with black and white decor available for rent standard pop ceiling chamber and hall Selfcontain house available now at Alakahia axis in port Harcourt city rivers state Nigeria.

[tourhawker]

"Lost in the timeless allure of Italy, where every cobblestone street whispers stories of centuries past and every sip of espresso tastes like a journey through history. From the grandeur of Rome to the romance of Venice, each corner reveals a new chapter in the tale of La Dolce Vita. Join me as we wander through vineyard-covered hills, feast on sumptuous pasta, and immerse ourselves in the art, culture, and passion that define this enchanting land. 🇮🇹✨ #ItalianEscapade #LaDolceVita #ExploreItaly #TravelMemories"

[aphfanficwriters]

Every month we will pose a question and collate responses as a fun and informal little exercise in getting to know each other and spark discussion. This month's question is:

“What genre do you most enjoy writing?”

Tama / @delgumofics: I like to write horror and comedy. Both those things are fun and they really appeal to my interests. Generally when I'm watching movies I gravitate toward those genres as well.

Lacy: I shall categorise my favourite genre to write under the umbrella term of drama. My interests span across too much spectrum, however I notice that I enjoy writing characters narratives towards the scenarios I present in the stories. It is enjoyable, to act almost like a God, and they can act and be whatever I want them to.

Eru / @eruverse: I think I’ve not written under any genre but slice of life? I already love writing domestic situations but slice of life serves me well as it provides a neutral setting for me to explore characters and their interactions. Basically, my whole shtick is character building, and I find that you don’t really need complex plots to effectively do this. My characters are well rounded even in very simple mundane situations!

Mossman / @one-more-mossman: I never thought about it, but I think I usually write slice of life stories. Maybe with a dash of drama. They are small, so I guess, they can be called miniatures.

Didi / @teaedon: What I write the most tends to be Drama, Comedy, or both, with more focus in characters interiority over plots. Sometimes Angst, often Horror, other times Slapstick or straight up bizarre (Crack). Something violent or bloody will happen ;) (or immoral, that's what fiction is for)

Yukihitomi / @arthurhonda: My favorite thing to write tends to be Romance, slice of life, and comedy. I also enjoy writing tragedies on occasion, but I have to be in the right mood (or need the right music)

Ash / Lutz: My favorite genre to write is drama 💙 I like writing characters being forced to open up as the plot progresses, writing something where "the only way out is through". But then they get a happy ever after, even if it isn't one they started out wanting 💖

WhiteWings / @smuttyandabsurd: I was leaning towards romance and drama as, well… that’s what a shippy author like me writes lol But in recent years I find that I like adding a touch of the absurdist in my fics. It’s not particularly overt nor over-the-top. I just like grounding some of the more fanciful characteristics of the romance/drama genre with something a bit silly. I like comments that point out the slightly absurd moments in my fics, I feel like it has succeeded in standing out then.

Prush / @proosh: Erotica and horror are my passions, because I find they've got a not insigificant overlap. I love horror lurking in the background of eroticism, and I love the eroticism that comes with horror. Interpersonal intimacy is something intriguing and frightening in equal measure and sometimes the author needs to be the scalpel peeling back the narrative flesh to dissect it.

Fed / @fedpawstered: Disturbia, erotica.. usually the two meshed into one strange little amalgamation. I like freakay stuff what can I say

@folightening: Definitely fantasy. I've always loved fantasy, and I enjoy not having to worry about how realistic things are while I'm writing. My favorite thing to focus on is the characters and their relationship to each other but I'm not sure what exactly that falls under. And I've been very interested in trying to write horror recently.

Rui / @reodo: I think my favourite thing to write is probably slice of life? I like writing stories with ensemble casts and lots of drama. Separately, I also like writing Erotica! pwp is super fun to write (especially since I don't have to think too hard about it!)

Sicily: I'd say horror or 'crackfic' (i don't know if it is a genre), and its just fun to do like a horror story with aph Germany x Shrek, oh and erotica even if I'm not good!

[breitzbachbea]

dunno enough about your fav hetalia ships, so feel free to just attach it to the most fitting favourites

OTP (or ship of choice) has to suddenly take care of a child or (feral) animal, how would they react? who would do well

who would be a karen at a restaurant for their patner(s) who got a wrong order at the restaurant, how would both react?

who is the most likely to be completely oblivious while the other is constantly trying to confess their feelings, maybe even actually doing it but person a just doesnt get it? how would they finally find out ?

I'll try to answer something for all of those! Sorry if it isn't all primarily related, da OC AU brainrot ...

Herakles has tons of stray cats at home and the track record with Sadık is mixed. He loves the cats in general and many like him, some don't, some are indifferent. There is one black kitten that loves him more than it does Herakles and he dotes on it so endlessly. It responds without a fail to "Kedicik." I hope I used the right I's.

Not the Karen thing, but restaurant related - Michele (Sicily OC) has had a few occassions where he wanted go beat Paddy over the head with the bread basket. (Paddy is a Human OC and basically a kind of surrogate father/uncle figure for Harry, my Ireland OC). Paddy so shamelessly asks for more food and in general does things that Michele finds rude/embarassing. Harry is lucky he's so fuckable and literally the man of Michele's dreams, bc his aversion of father figures makes Paddy a NIGHTMARE.

Honestly, kinda GerIta behaviour. Still. on my ao3 (also breitzbachbea) I have a very recent GerIta fanfic called Two hearts alas! reside in my chest, where two of Ludwig's friends try to figure out a) if Feli is flirting and b) if Ludwig is gonna notice it.

[ask-aph-sicilia]

IM STILL ALIVE

Don't worry i didnt abandon my blog!! It's just I've been working on my art style and improving things, currently working on a big project for me personally. Which being drawing sicilia a new ref sheet, so exciting!!

[someone-you-do-not-know]

I have a historical hetalia au that I hope to write someday, in which there will be at minimum 8 Italys, and it will be about the Risorgimento.

In it, I have decided Veneziano is, as OP and Moon has said, Republic of Venice. Romano is a slightly odder case, because he's Kingdom of Two Sicilys – meaning he was previously split in two (that's a thing in my historical hetalia au), and only recently got stitched back together. This is due to the fact that there was TWO kingdoms of Sicily for several hundred years, and both even belonged to Spain for most of that time, but were not united.

Other Italys in the au are the nyos – Nyo Romano is Kingdom of Sardinia, Nyo Veneziano is Grand Duchy of Tuscany. There's going to be an OC for Papal States, who becomes the Vatican, and another for San Marino (who's not very involved in the whole thing). Seborga is most likely going to be Republic of Genoa (annexed in 1815). Chibitalia is a distinct character from adult Veneziano too, but I haven't decided which area Chibitalia becomes after the dissolution of Holy Roman Empire and its constituent Kingdom of Italy.

It's still a work in progress.

Italy, for the longest time, was divided into a variety of kingdoms/city states/etc. Which, if you're interested in Historical Hetalia, can make it difficult to characterize Romano and Veneziano pre-unification.

I'm wondering what you guys characterize them as? Atm, I usually go with Veneziano = Republic of Venice, and Romano = Kingdom of Naples (though the latter one has some nuance I'm working out bc of some history).

I don't wanna start an argument or anything, I'm just curious about other people's interpretations :o There really aren't any right or wrong answers to this!

[asitrita]

Aph Austria x Spain Headcanon

I’ve been lately thinking about Spain and Austria, because it is shocking (not really) that there’s so little content about them and that most people don’t even think of them as a couple (it is even listed as a “rare pairing” in Hetalia wiki), given it is one of the few stablished official pairs in Hetalia, to the point they’re shown to be married (and no, I don’t mean having an alliance, or cooperating, I mean, it is indeed stablished they were a married couple).

Tbh, this ship was not particularly appealing to me either, even though I usually like my ships to be historical, and you can hardly get much more historical than a Spain/Austria ship. I’ve always thought their personalities and tastes appeared to be too different to match. And no, I did not buy into the initial portrayal of Spain as a total airhead, happy-go-lucky, relaxed and smily guy, but still, they didn't do it for me (though the fandom largely exaggerated such traits, as Spain is actually shown to be sad and disappointed, and as someone somewhat wise, in one of his early appearances in the show). I think I always thought of Roderich personality to be too over the top. It’s okay to be strict (like Ludwig is), but he just seemed to be way too strict, way too proper, way too desdainful, way too bland and dull, at all times. There must be more to him that what we are shown, right?

But I have these moments when I think about how actually close they were, and about Austrians’ rather good opinion on Spaniards even after their countries’ estrangement (and not in a good way, I must add). I think about how Austria tried to mimick the very strict rules of the Spanish Court (Spanisches Hofzeremoniell) and the way the Spanish dressed (Spanish fashion was widespread at the time, as was Spanish culture, and language, but was specifically imitated in the Austrian Court), how he valued Spain’s experience and knowledge when it came to equestrian tradition (Spanische Hofreitschule), and how he enjoyed and liked Spanish composers (like Vicente Martín y Soler), even decades after they had fallen apart. Austrians also seemed to have considered Spaniards to be intelligent and wise people, powerful, but benevolent in battle, well dressed, lordly behaved, and righteous. Ironically, they thought the vice of Spaniards to be arrogance and vanity (funny it is apparently Roderich who comes off as the arrogant one in Hetalia, though, truth be told, everyone at the time seem to have thought of the Spaniards as arrogant and/or vain). 

All in all, it has become a headcanon of mine that Roderich probably became the way we know him AFTER being married to Spain. Yes, I know in canon he is shown to be already that snooty before meeting him, heck, it is even said he gave Southern Italy to Spain, when actually those territories had belong to the Spanish monarchs (Kingdom of Aragón) for almost a century before Spain and Austria became acquainted, and it is historically pure nonsense to even imply the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples, and Sardinia, were granted to Spain by Austria, when Spain (really, the Spanish monarchs of the Kingdom of Aragón) even had control over Malta at the time (though it would lose it in 1530, soon after their “marriage”). 

Making it simple, I headcanon Roderich to become as “stiff” as we know him to be during his marrige with Antonio. It is a classic case of “overdoing it” (in Spanish “tener la fé del converso”, o “ser más papista que el Papa”). We know Austrias’s way to climb the social ledder of countries and to hold on its position as a powerful and influential nation was through marriage. So he had to be good at that, he had to be up to his couple, up to what his couple may expect of him. So he became everything he thought Antonio valued. Spanish Court ceremonial was strict, so he would become the most severe of them all. Spanish people valued etiquette, so should he. Spanish fashion was over elaborated, and so was Austrias, and when the tides turned and French fashion was in, Austria would stick with certain elements of old Spanish dresscode for a bit longer (I’m thinking about the men's court dress of Austria in the 17th-18th centuries, the Spanish Mantelkleid). Spain was known for elegance, and so was Austria. Spain was precise, careful, a bit haughty in his behaviour and mannerism, and more so ought to be Austria. All in all, Austria modelled himself to became the “perfect” match for Spain, at least for the Spain he knew.

I think Roderich took into this character part to please Antonio, part out of duty for his people, and part because it suited his interests and tastes. While Antonio slowly loosened up, Roderich made this new image his own, for he was comfortable with it and it suited him well. I don't think Antonio was ever unwilling to show a severe self image, I don't think his demeanour was a façade at all. It was no play, the sternness and haughty behaviour was genuine (if anything, it is his laid-back attitude and overly smily self that is, albeit not completly fake, a bit of a façade, for although he is of a cheerful and optimistic nature, time has worn down his optimism and has pushed him to the limits of his sanity more than once). But I do think he naturally softened and relaxed quite a lot when not "in duty", so to speak (relaxed as in less composed, showing more his emotions, expressing his feelings, fears, and needs, I actually think he must have been half paranoid most of the time). Roderich did too, but became so attached to his image of tidiness that it became a bit harder for him to let go, hence the contrast between him and Antonio, more so in modern times.

For whatever reason, imagining Roderich’s personality taking its final form during his 200 years relationship with Antonio makes sense to me, and makes me like and appreciate the pairing quite a lot. I guess I was just missing some more information on Roderich’s behaviour and personality.

I hope that no one takes offence by my take on Roderich personality and its evolution. I’m well aware Austria has a very rich history, and I do not intend to make Spain the corner stone of Roderich’s identity, it is just that I was missing some “origin story” for Roderich, some explanation for his character. And it makes sense Antonio played a very important role in his life, given they got stuck together for 200 years while in their late teens/early adulthood, while still finding themselves out, and the ending of their relationship was a war involving several countries and power houses in Europe, during which Austria was just not willing to give up, and Spain went through a rough civil war (and probably an emotional turmoil, worrying and being suspicious of Roderich's, and mostly Francis', intentions).

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Also remembered that I made some ocs-italian-regions for an old risorgimento comic, that I never finished. Here we have Lombardy (Luca), Sicily (Diego) and Sardinia (Federico) ((And yes, Sicily and Lovino look alike on purpose(And I constantly spelled "Lombardy" wrong, I'm sorry :') )))

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aph italy bros leaving youtube comments on an italian culture video (x)