My head was so clouded and felt so heavy I thought I might pass out again, but I forced myself to stay awake. My body ached slightly and I squinted and blinked in order to get my eyes to adjust to the dark. Before long I realize I was chained to something warm. Not knowing who put me here in the first place, my mind tried to work through the possibilities of what I was chained to; who knew what some of the other countries could come up with. It felt smaller then me, and not slimy, so not one of Japan's weird fetish monsters. I took a chance and slightly moved my back… no scales that's good. Okay, it was definitely another human but who would I..? The other body shifted…
"Ve..?"
Oh thank god it was Italy. Wait, that means he's in this too!
"I-Italy? Are you alright?"
I tried as best as I could to turn my head to look at him. His head shot up.
"Germany?!"
I saw him moving his head back and forth frantically and started squirming, which pulled the chains around the stomach but I bared it, not wanting to make him panic more.
"WAAH! WHERE AM I?! GERMANY! GERMANY! WHERE ARE YOU? HELP! Who who… WAHHHH PLEASE DON'T BE RUSSIA!" He cried frantically
"Italy! It's okay, It's me, calm down."
"Germany? You're that person there?"
"Yes, It's me. We're chained together; I can't see well enough yet to tell where we are. The air seems dank and humid. Also it smells a bit musty. I would say we're either in a basement or a dungeon."
Italy started panicking again. "I DON'T WANT TO BE CHAINED UP IN A DUNGEON! I SURRENDER! WHOEVER DID THIS I'M SORRY I'LL TELL YOU ANYTHING!"
I grunted. "ITALY! I'll figure this out! Just calm down, it's...going to be all right. I'm sure there is something I can do."
He sniffled. "Yo-you sure?"
"Yes, I'll think of something. Just don't scream unless I tell you to alright?"
"O-Okay." He said trying to calm himself down.
My eyes finally adjusted a little more and I could vaguely see my surroundings, though it was so dark it would take much longer to see anything clearly. I could make out some stairs not too far away, probably leading up to a door. Italy and me were close to a wall and I could slightly make out a shelf as well. The room wasn't very big. I thought about trying to work together to try and get up the stairs and find a door. But our feet were chained together, and part of the chain wrapped around the bottom of our feet, so even if we managed to get up, we couldn't even hop very far without hurting our feet badly. Not to mention I'm much taller than Italy so I would probably do a lot of the hopping. I moved around a little trying to see if I could wrestle my arms free but as I did Italy let out a whimper. I would end up hurting him if I did that. And even though Italy is smaller and more versatile, when Italy was panicking he was only moving back and forth and he inadvertently was crushing my stomach. I sighed, out of options… but I didn't want to tell Italy that.
"H-Hey! Italy! I think I heard footsteps! I bet someone is looking for us. Er... they probably heard you yelling! If it's an enemy, then I'll take care of whoever it is!"
Italy was silent for a little longer than I expected, causing me to panic a little but then he answered with.
"D-Don't lie Germany. My hearing is better then yours so I would've heard it too."
I stiffened up a little. "W-We'll still find a way out of here, someone has to come eventually."
"I-If you say so."
"I know so Italy, don't worry."
He paused for a minute before he started sniffling
"I-Italy." Every time he cried my chest ached a little… I never understood it. "Ah… Ah I-Italy, um, remember that time we played football so long that we both ended up taking a nap on the top of that hill, and J-Japan ended up coming to wake us up because we forget we were supposed to have a world meeting!?" I said trying to think of something to talk about so that Italy wouldn't think about what was happening.
"Y-Yes, why?"
"Ah… Ahahaha! Remember Japan ended up being the one lecturing us? And you teased him for being like me and tried to comb his hair back?"
"Oh...Oh? I remember! And Japan got all embarrassed and you said we fell asleep together and you took the blame and Japan forgave you straight away! He must appreciate siestas more now huh?"
"Er... yeah siestas." I knew that wasn't the reason Japan was so forgiving despite my attempts to tell him it wasn't like that, because it wasn't. even though I've found I've come to wish it was. I stopped myself from thinking about me and Italy lying down together in a warm sunny field so I could continue the conversation.
"Also, remember the time when those aliens arrived and you saved all of us?" I said trying to make him feel a little proud.
"Aww, that's nice Germany, but it was really Grampa Rome. He gave me the marker.
"Mmm, but he knew you would think to draw faces on them. Hmm… they didn't attack you most of the time because of your smile." That amazing little smile of his, who could really resist?
"Really?!"
"Yeah, didn't you notice?"
"So is that why you wanted me to smile then?" He leaned against me a little, relaxing a bit further
"Yeah. well, one of the reasons." I ended up mumbling a little.
"What was the other reason?"
I paused. Should I tell him? There was no point in lying to him really, and in this situation I couldn't come up with anything else in time for it to sound convincing.
"I thought, I might never get to see it or, rather, appreciate it again."
He went silent for a moment. My heart sped up. Did I upset him? Or insult him? Is he uncomfortable now?!
"You really like my smile that much?" I could practically hear him smiling now, hearing that cheeriness in his voice made me smile a little too.
"Yeah, it's nice."
"Wow! That means a lot Germany! I didn't know you felt that way! Germany's smile is really nice too!"
I tilted my head back a little. "My smile? I thought it was scary."
"Well yeah, but that's when you're forcing yourself to smile. You really smile without knowing it. Sometimes it's when we're talking or, maybe just hanging out. And It's been happening a lot more lately. Which makes me happy to know Germany is happy! And Germany looks." he paused
"Looks?" I asked curiously.
"Sweet."
Sweet? Me? Since when? "Er… thank you."
A long silence fell between us. I then felt Italy shift a little as he turned his head toward me. "Germany..."
"Yes?"
"Remember last Valentines day?"
Then I froze. Completely stiff yet again. I slowly choked out…
"Y-Yeah?"
He paused for a long moment. "That day, I was so happy. You had been so friendly with me recently, and then you wanted to go have dinner with me. I was so excited!" I gulped.
"Then, everything happened so fast, I wasn't sure what you were saying at all. One second it was, heliotropes, and then it seemed you were proposing to me."
"Ye-Yeah. I um..." It was taking everything I had not to shut down, I knew this was coming. I knew he didn't feel the same. If I hear this, maybe I can get over these emotions and move on.
"The next day… you said it was all a misunderstanding. I still don't know what really happened, because sometimes and I can't tell what you're thinking. You always feel so far away when you do that. I understand now that you don't know how to show or understand your emotions."
Woah woah hang on.
"But, Since we are here. That day,I wanted to tell you that I appreciated your feelings…"
This was it. This is what Prussia was talking about. I could feel my chest start to ache and my eyes grow heavy. I told myself not to get emotional. Prussia had told me about this when he saw Hungary marry Austria. You feel an aching feeling. Like your heart is starting to crack, slowly but surely. Any moment now, he'll say it. He doesn't like me that way. It's fine. I should feel this so I won't ever be foolish again.
"But it was just too fast, I don't know if marriage is the best thing to do immediately."
What is he trying to say?
"But if Germany wants to be more than friends, it would be okay because..."
My heart was now beating so fast I was sure he could hear it or at least feel it. "Y-Yes?" Is he going where, I think he's going?
"I love you. I think, more than just friends, because I don't feel the same way about Japan or anything. Buy, if it really was a mistake, and you just didn't know what you were feeling then, I don't want to stop being fri- Germany?!"
Before I realized it I was shaking. There was no way for me to cover my eyes or my mouth. I couldn't control myself anymore…I had let go, and I was crying.
"G-Germany?! I'm sorry! P-Please don't be upset with me!"
I leaned back and actually laughed a little.
"Dear god Italy… Italy. My god I love you too."
"Germany…."
"I-I really love you!"
It felt so good to say… this feeling inside my stomach, made me so light, like there was nothing wrong with the world. The dark didn't even matter anymore, I felt so happy I thought I would explode. Everything inside had broken loose, there was no holding back now.
"R-Really?"
"Yes! Dear god yes! Italy, do you know how much trouble you've caused me?" I laughed. "You wonderful amazing."
He laughed a little along with me. "Germany, you sound so happy!"
"That's...because I am. And I can finally say it. Italy ever since I can remember, there was never ending war and fear, but when you came into my life suddenly there was someone who relied on me. I had someone to protect and come to care for. Soon, you became the only person I felt really happy around; I would always think about where you were, what you were doing... god, Italy I worry about you all the time. When I got to the restaurant on Valentines Day… I'm sorry I yelled but I got so Jealous of all those women."
Italy let out a little 'Oh!' sound. "I get it! That's why you were mad! I'm sorry Germany! Well, now I get to flirt with you all the time hmm?" He said now that we were leaning against each other.
I blushed a little. "Yeah... you realize now I won't ever let you go right."
He let out a giggle and a happy "Ve! I would hope not! Because I'm never going to leave you alone again! Oooh! I get to come up with pet names and, AH! We have to have a song too! Ooooooooh! And I get to teach you all about being Romantic!"
"Oh? What does that entail."
"Hmm…." He got an odd mischievous tone to his voice I hadn't really heard before. "Well, the interesting things will come later." He then switched back to his normal voice. "Because I've wanted to try those things with someone I really loved ever since big brother France told me about it!
I inwardly cursed France for ruining Italy's innocence, but it's not like he hadn't told me some choice things when I was younger, so I suppose it was to be expected.
"But first we'll start with the basics. Like cuddling and kissing!"
"Hmm sounds like I have a lot to end. You get to train to me this time." I smiled and blushed a little. I sort of wished I could see his face right now, I could hear him grinning, he probably looked cute as always.
He then dropped his voice and leaned his head against my upper back. "Oh, believe me I'll whip you into shape."
A shiver ran down my back and I felt my face grow hot. God damn where did that come from. Before I could say anything else, I noticed something, I could see much clearer now. A certain crack on the wall that had been recently paved over, rather carefully and anal retentively actually… there was only one person I knew who had done that.
Suddenly the door opened, and low and behold there stood France, Prussia, and Spain.
"Finally you guys! GEEZE. I thought you two miserably un-awesome losers would NEVER get together!" He grinned down at us. I glared daggers at all of them. "Really you two… it was simply agonizing, you would always look at each other so longingly but you took for freaking ever!"
Spain then ran down to unchain us.
"I'm really sorry, but we all agreed you were being idiots and needed a shove in the right direction." As soon as I could stand up I cracked my knuckles. Sure. it had helped us to confess to each other, but what if Italy had gotten badly hurt?! He was scared half to death! Before I could do anything Italy tugged on my sleeve and I turned to him with raised eyebrows.
"Hey Germany…I have lesson one for you." He smiled up at me, his eyes open for once in all their beautiful golden-brown glory. He then threw his arms around my neck and kissed me, he moved his warm soft lips so expertly and sweetly. Even with the bad touch trio watching us as they clapped, screamed, whistled, and broke out the champagne, I couldn't find it within me to protest. I melted and kissed him back cupping his cheeks. When we parted Italy laughed and put his hands on my cheeks as I started softly squeezing his arms.
"I love you Germany." Now that I could see his face, now that I was this close to him and we were touching each other like this, I felt like I might fly up out of the planet's atmosphere at this rate. There was no going back at this rate even if I wanted to.
"I love you too Italy." I moved him and kissed him again, trying my best not to be very stiff and move my lips a lot like Italy had. I knew this was the first of many kisses and sweet touches. Even with how much I wanted to kill the three idiots that still hadn't shut up even though France was not so quietly trying usher Spain and Prussia out, I was actually thankful. Because without their stupid plotting ways I would have never known how Italy felt.
I took his hand in mine and smiled at him. "Italy, never leave okay? I couldn't deal with it."
He smiled and kissed my cheek, that little curl of his slowly morphing into a little adorable heart. "Only if you promise the same."