Cover page drawn by galactic-aesir (Tumblr), used with permission from the artist.

Disclaimer: Some characters are OCs, with certain obvious exceptions. In case they're not so obvious, here's a list of characters (this page may be edited as new characters emerge):
Lovino = Romano
Antonio = Spain
Grandpa Roma = the Roman Empire
Feliciano = North Italy
Alistair = Scotland
Enzo = Portugal
Heracles = Greece
Sadık = Turkey
Arthur = England
Francis = France

WARNINGS: Contains graphic depictions of violence, pornographic content, homophobia, religious guilt, past child abuse, suicide, certain historical references, and other warnings may apply as this fic progresses.

We're in for a bumpy ride, so I hope you enjoy!

Author's Notes: This story takes place c. 1700 during the Golden Age of Piracy, but before South Italy gained its independence from Spain. Orsino's name comes from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. He may or may not share some of the character's characteristics as well... aw shucks.

Being a pickpocket can be a profitable profession, if you're good at it. And boy, is Lovino good at it. Just today, he snagged three pocket watches, two wallets, and a silver snuff box. He met up with a black market merchant at the same place as usual: a cafe in a crowded plaza. Meeting in a crowded place somewhat made sense to Lovino, but he couldn't understand why Orsino insisted on always showing up looking sharp and rich.

Today, he decided to show up in bright red stockings, a yellow embroidered waist coat under a dark grey overcoat with cyan blue lapels. The frilliest mauve ascot Lovino had ever seen was around the dealer's neck. No peacock could stand out as well as this man, and it made Lovino cringe every time he saw him dressed so garishly. Especially since it always made Lovino look more suspicious by comparison since he was so obviously of meagre means, dressed in his dirty undershirt and wearing plain brown slacks. It was especially suspicious that they always met at the same place and at the same time on any given day. He'd only been doing business with this man for a few months, but if he was not going to switch things around a little, it was only a matter of time until someone in a uniform noticed what sort of business they were conducting. It's not everyday you see a sharp dressed man having a coffee with a plainer looking man.

At least, you're not supposed to. Lovino felt it was time he take his business elsewhere.

He looked around the plaza for any uniforms and strode towards the table his dealer was sitting at. He sat down slouching in his chair while Orsino took an exaggeratedly long sip from his coffee.

"Do you fancy a coffee this fine morning, Lovino?"

He scowled. He hated the pretentious airs Orsino put on. For a common crook, he seemed to think of himself as an honest businessman.

"Nah, I had my coffee."

Orsino sighed and set his cup down.

"What do you have for me today?"

Lovino smirked. Today was a good hull, after all. He set his satchel down on the table with the opening facing Orsino so he could take a look at the two watches and the snuff box hidden inside. Lovino felt no need sharing the money purses and had snuck them inside his shirt before arriving at the plaza. Content, Orsino took out his money pouch and handed Lovino what he no doubt considered a "generous" payment for the trinkets. The older man pocketed the watches and snuff box, gave Lovino the same bright smile he always gave him and rose from his chair.

"Always a pleasure doing business with you, Lovino."

"Pleasure's all mine."

Orsino casually walked away towards the main part of the city, leaving Lovino sitting alone at the cafe. Lovino looked about cautiously again. Satisfied, he rose from his chair picking up his satchel and headed home. Orsino really was getting stupider. He didn't even bother checking for the initials engraved on the inside of the snuff box before walking away. Lovino doubted he was going to get much — if anything — out of it because of the engraving, but that's what happens when you put too much trust in the wrong people.

There were three reasons why Lovino cheated this man out of his money. First, he wasn't intending on seeing him ever again, so he had nothing to lose. Second, he wasn't stupid and knew exactly what the valuables he picked were selling for and he felt he wasn't getting nearly a big enough compensation for them. Third, Feliciano's birthday was coming up and for once, just for once, he wanted his younger brother to get something nice for his birthday.

Lovino carried a smirk all the way home. He was quite proud of himself for having conned a con man but despite that, he was afraid of what was waiting for him at home.

... ... ... ... ...

Grandpa Roma's bookstore was a drabby old building in the middle of a busy city street. There were many old shops lining both sides of this street with apartment dwellings above them, usually belonging to the shop owners. Lovino lived in such an apartment above the bookstore with his younger brother and his grandfather. He took his time weaving through the crowds of shoppers to get to the bookstore. He knows he'll have to get through Grandpa in the bookstore to get to the apartment upstairs, and he had a feeling he was going to get chastised again for not working an honest job.

Lovino was approaching the old bookstore. The walls outside were painted a lively orange colour, and the shop windows were so filled with Feliciano's paintings that a passerby wouldn't think it was a bookstore, unless they looked up and saw La Libreria di Roma painted across the sign over the door. Lovino figured that this was probably why the books weren't selling as well as they used to. Grandpa refused to take down the paintings partially because it was Feliciano's best source of income but also because he was so damn proud of his youngest grandson's talent.

A little bell sounded through the shop as Lovino cracked the door open. He was supposed to be working the shop this morning, and decided to skip out on shop duty in favour of making a hell of a lot more money pickpocketing. It wasn't the "honest" profession Grandpa wants him to have. The only reason he was on shop duty this week was because Feliciano was out painting some aristocrat's portrait by commission. Now that was an honest living, as Grandpa loves to remind him.

Lovino hoped that Grandpa hadn't heard the bell and he tried to creep his way around the counter to dash up the stairs, but before he could get passed the romance section, Grandpa's voice resounded across the shop.

"Lovino! Where the hell were you this morning?!"

Lovino stopped mid-track. He hoped that Grandpa would be in a good mood that morning and that he would be able to avoid his nagging, but clearly it couldn't be avoided.

Now it was all about damage control.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa. I had some errands to run this morning," he said as he worked his way towards the back room.

"What kind of errands could you possibly be running at 5 o'clock in the morning?" Well, it was more like 11 o'clock in the evening. Lovino typically stays up all night waiting for the rich people to get so wasted, they wouldn't even notice his hand in their pockets. Then he just wanders the city until it was time to meet with the black market dealer. He usually naps in the mornings until it's time to work the shop. He didn't want Grandpa to know about his sneaking out at night, so he usually went without much sleep.

The old man appeared from behind a curtain separating the backroom from the main shop. Now that Lovino had a good look at his old man's face, he knew how much shit he was in. He stopped behind the counter, his full six feet of anger looking down at Lovino, and he had to hold back a whimper. The last thing he needed was to look scared in front of Grandpa when he was in this mood.

"You were out stealing again weren't you." He wasn't yelling anymore, but his words still stung. They always stung. They resonated with all of Grandpa's disappointments and frustrations regarding Lovino's "pastime". "You were supposed to be manning the shop with me today while Feli is away."

"Yeah, well, I'm here now. I'll just start—"

"Lovi, you know I love you right?"

Well, it's kind of hard to tell when he's scowling at Lovino. Tentatively, he answered "yes".

"You know I don't mind you going out and having fun. I wouldn't mind you making an honest living, either. Take your brother for example. He—"

Lovino couldn't help the groan that slipped out of his mouth, and it was quite loud. He was just so tired of always hearing how great his brother is, and this was surely going to be another one of those "talks". But just as the groan slipped from his mouth, he instantly regretted it. Grandpa was already in a bad mood and giving him lip wasn't going to soften him up. He avoided looking up at Grandpa. Frankly, he was afraid of what he might see.

"Oh, come on, Lovino! Can't you be happy for him? You know how hard it's been—"

"Yes, I'm happy for him! I know how hard it's been for him, because it's been hard for me too. But never mind me! Grandpa, I don't have talent the way Feli does. He can paint and draw and sing just like you and he's good at it and I'm so fucking happy for him, but I'm not like Feliciano! …And I'm not like you."

Still afraid to look up at Grandpa, he kept his head down.

"Lovi…" Grandpa's voice had dropped and the earlier tone of disappointment was replaced with what Lovino felt to be pity.

He didn't want to listen to whatever else he had to say. He ran up the stairs to the room he shared with his brother, leaving Grandpa alone in the shop.

As Lovino crossed the threshold to his room, he tossed his satchel onto his bed and began to pace the room restlessly. He just hated being compared to his younger brother; the talented little brother versus the bitter older brother. Feliciano Vargas was going places in life. He was making an honest living. He gets to travel to new places and meet new people because of his commissions. All Lovino gets to do is man the book shop or steal from pompous rich people, and stealing was the only thrill he ever felt around here. What was wrong with wanting to get out once in a while?

He needed to get his head out of the gutter. He needed to distract himself away from constantly remembering how dull and pathetic his life really was. For now, the only distraction at hand was the book shop downstairs. He was supposed to be on duty after all.

He took a deep breath to gather his courage. He could do this. He could face his grandpa. He went back down the stairs in a steady stride. When he arrived at the landing, he found his grandfather at the counter reading a yellowed old book. Hearing Lovino coming down, he looked up at his grandson apologetically.

"Lovi, I'm sorry."

Lovino froze at the landing and looked down at his feet with his hands in his pockets. Grandpa didn't usually apologize. Come to think of it, Lovino doesn't usually lose control in front of Grandpa either.

"I realize how hard this is for you; how hard it's always been for you." Grandpa got up from his chair and started walking towards Lovino. "You've been so good at hiding it all these years I almost forgot what you went through. I should have realized…" Grandpa pulled Lovino into a hug. Not the casual kind that Grandpa liked to give everyone, but the bear-like kind. The serious kind. Lovino didn't try to push him away. "It's harder for you isn't it? I'm always paying close attention to what Feli is feeling and that's not fair to you." Lovino gave in to the hug and wrapped his arms around his torso, burying his face in the crook of his neck. He hasn't hugged anyone like this since his mother died. "We'll figure something out, okay? I promised you I would take care of you and I will never break that promise."

With a final squeeze, Lovino pulled away from Grandpa, and without looking up said, "I know". His voice was barely above a whisper, but it was loud enough for Grandpa to hear.

Grandpa rested his hand on Lovino's shoulder and said, "I have a few things that I need to pick up at the market. Do you mind watching the shop while I'm out? You can read any of the books if you'd like."

Unable to get a word pass the ball of emotions caught in his throat, Lovino resorted to nodding. Grandpa gave him a light peck on the cheek before walking out the bookstore, leaving Lovino alone and slightly dazed. He liked it when Grandpa showed affection, and Grandpa's right: he really does pay closer attention to Feliciano's emotions because of what happened. It was just expected of Lovino to be tough through hard times and it just wasn't fair.

His anger had been simmering just below the surface ever since Feliciano started painting for money and Lovino started stealing for a little extra cash. Feliciano had his talents, and he had his own. Both were trying to help around the apartment as best they could, wanting to pay back Grandpa for taking them in. What did it matter if Lovino's way was morally wrong? Of course, he never actually expected to let his anger get the best of him, especially not with Grandpa, but he somehow felt better now that he did. Not only because he didn't expect Grandpa to take it so well, but also because the anger that had been simmering wasn't there anymore. He felt lightened.

And frankly, he was tired of thinking about it. Grandpa gave him free rein to read any book in the shop, and he intended to take advantage of it. He walked up to the romance section, plucked the first book off the shelf and sat down in the chair at the back of the counter.

Author's Notes: Reviews/comments are always greatly appreciated (both positive and negative). It's always nice to see what people think (^.^)