Holy Roman Empire/Chibitalia

Chibitalia/Holy Roman Empire is a popular (and canonical) pairing in the series Axis Powers Hetalia, involving the child version of Italy and the Holy Roman Empire.

Childhood

Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire were briefly raised together as infants, before Grandpa Rome took Chibitalia away to live with him for an indeterminate period of time. By the time Chibitalia returned to his place of birth, the other children had become bullies to him and Holy Roman Empire vowed to make Chibitalia part of his new "Roman Empire".

Life In The Empire

Chibitalia eventually wound up claimed by Austria, on the behalf of Holy Roman Empire, after a period of war. The two children lived together in the household, HRE harboring a crush on Chibitalia, who he believed to be a girl (due to his feminine sense of attire).

However, life soon became uneasy in the household. HRE soon gave Chibitalia the offer of becoming part of his "New Roman Empire", which the other child refused, remembering what had eventually happened to his grandfather. HRE left the household, leaving only Austria, Hungary, and Chibitalia behind.

The time came when HRE had to return to collect his belongings, as he went off to war. Chibitalia, in a panic, took off "her" panties and gave them to HRE as a parting gift. HRE then asked Chibitalia what "her" people gave each other as a gift in their culture. "She" responded that it was a kiss.

After confessing that he had loved Chibitalia ever since the 900s, the two children kissed. HRE departed, promising that he would return after the war and that he would always love Chibitalia, no matter how many years go by.

In the published version of the manga, the ending was altered to remove the kiss scene.

Aftermath

Eventually, after a long period of war, Holy Roman Empire was believed to have died. In a scrapped strip by Hidekaz Himaruya, France broke the news to a teenage Italy that HRE was no more and urged him to forget about the other boy, as he had suffered enough in the war.

Fan Speculations

Holy Roman Empire=Germany?

A popular fan speculation, supported by hints given in canon, is that Holy Roman Empire survived his apparent "death", but gained amnesia and forgot all of his childhood memories, eventually growing up to become Germany.

The strongest hint in canon came in the Buon San Valentino cliffhanger, when after proposing to Italy, Germany's mind became flooded with emotion and a memory of Chibitalia was shown from his point of view.

Germany is also shown to look much like HRE when his hair is not slicked back, and two age-progressed designs of HRE by Himaruya showed him to have a strong resemblance to Germany, albeit somewhat younger.

Though their eyes appear to be somewhat different, Germany's being more piercing and flatly-colored and HRE's to appear darker and shinier, the change could be chalked up due to aging and the changes in personality and maturity (in part due to his amnesia).

HRE was also a descendant of Germania and had Prussia as an older brother, while in the later-day strips it is revealed that Germany and Prussia are brothers. Though Germania is said to have several grandchildren, two others being the little-seen Saxony and Bavaria.

Another connection drawn by fans is the fact that Chibitalia gave HRE panties as a parting gift, while in his adulthood, Italy gave Germany a pair of underwear as a Christmas gift. The Christmas Scribbles strip series which the latter strip came from also featured a "past tale" strip with HRE involving underwear as well (he accidentally pulled down Chibitalia's underwear on Christmas after "she" got stuck in a decorations box).

There is also historical precedent for this theory: After the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806, it became known as the German Confederation, and then the German Empire. The full name of the Holy Roman Empire also happened to be The Holy Roman Empire Of The German Nation. However, other fans will often point out the government differences between the Holy Roman Empire and the later incarnations of Germany as evidence in an opposing argument.

Until the time comes when or if the cliffhanger in Buon San Valentino is followed up on, the exact canon connection between the characters Germany and Holy Roman Empire will remain somewhat ambiguous.