1589
"Why are there so many songs about rainbows?"
Spain looked down at the small child by his side, then looked out the window again. The storm from the night before had passed, leaving Romano in a fairly good mood. He was strangely curious, however. "Rainbows are visions, Lovi. They don't have anything to hide from us. People love them."
Romano stared out the window, gazing intently at the rainbow set in the sky. "But why? It's only a damn rainbow!"
"Well, when people look at rainbows, they feel hope. If you see a rainbow, you know that everything will be okay."
After a dissatisfied grunt, Romano turned his small face to Spain, hazel eyes wide. "Are you going to be okay?"
Spain laughed, but it was cut short by a wheeze and a pained cough. He doubled over, straining the bandages around his torso. After a few moments, he stopped coughing and leaned back against the pillows, not noticing the fresh blood seeping through the cloth on his chest.
"I'll be fine. There's a rainbow, isn't there?"
Romano gave him a weary look, but after a moment, slipped his tiny hand into Spain's larger one, looking for all the world like a scared child.
"Don't leave me."

1765
"Lovi, please tell me you're okay! Please, fratello!"
The southern half of Italy made no response to his brother, but lay motionless in bed. His cheeks were flushed with fever, hair plastered to his forehead by sweat. He let out a low groan. With a sudden move to the side of the bed, he made as if to vomit, but only dry heaved. Veneziano looked on with a scared expression.
"Fratello…?"
"Get…." Romano coughed, taking a wheezing breath before trying to speak again in his croaky voice. "Get Austria…"
Worriedly, Veneziano leapt off the bed. "Fratello, will you be okay?"
"I'm fine, damnit! I-" He was cut off by a violent cough, wincing at the pain that shot through his chest. "I just have a cold."
Feliciano nodded fervently, eyes locked on his ill brother. He backed slowly towards the door, as if reluctant to leave. After a moment, he spoke in a quiet, wavering voice. "Fratello, please, don't leave me…."
"Look…. Look out the window, Feli." He coughed again, wincing. "There's a rainbow. I'll be fine."

2013
Lovino sat staring out the window, chin resting in his hands. His eyes were locked on a colorful rainbow. A soft breeze came through the window, ruffling his hair.
"Feli will be alright, you know."
Without looking away from the rainbow, Romano shrugged. "I know, Toni. He'll be fine. Nothing's going to happen to him."
Spain came to sit next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist. "You're strangely tranquil today. What gives?"
Romano leaned into Spain's touch, reveling in every moment of it. "The rainbow is back."
"So?"
"Rainbows are visions of hope. They don't hide anyting."
Antonio didn't dare breathe for a moment. "You remember when I told you that? You were so young… I was sure you'd forgotten. It was over four hundred years ago, after all."
Lovino turned to him, hazel eyes shining. "That white lie got me through a lot of shit, Toni. Don't go thinking I fucking forgot."
Spain laughed, sqeezing Romano's waist. "I can see that."
"Gli arcobaleni sono la speranza."