Hai der'~! This is just some cutesy fluff thing I did quickly for my Italy. :3 I've been doing a lot of one-shots come to think of it... *shruggles* Oh vwell~! Enjoy and per favore for a little Romano cosplayer R&R. :D

Good For Something: -Itacest-

I've always been like Italy's shadow.

A part of him… Yet. Not.

Everyone seems to like him more than me; even Grandpa Rome.

So really, I was just there. Like an unwanted place-holder. The always forgotten, southern half of the 'great' country, Italy.

But it's not like I didn't do this to myself.

I always hid behind my temper, profanity, and well… white flags, but it was only to keep everyone away. If I don't let anyone get close, they can't hurt me.

That's what I told myself.

"Keep them away, and no one can hurt you!"

Yet while doing this; it only hurt me even more.

No one wanted to be around me, so I didn't even have to try anymore. I did manage to push everybody away; until I had nothing left. No one left.

I sighed, pushing my pained thoughts away. I had bigger things to worry about at this point.

Like my "oh so loved" northern half coming for a surprise visit. Italy, it's no surprise if you call first. Damn, why does everyone like this guy again?

But don't get me wrong; I love mio fratello. I just hate his little status updates…

"Germany did this!"

"Germany did that!"

"He told me this!"

"He told me that!"

"Oh doitsu~!"

It makes me want to shove rotten tomatoes in my ears.

Yeah, that's right.

Rotten tomatoes.

Then again, I guess I'm just that protective of Feli. He's just so naïve, and not very smart, and loud, and… Wait. Where am I going with this?

The point is; he's my younger brother, and my job has been to protect him since Grandpa Rome left. Even if I go too far.

…Tch, I only do that sometimes though…

Blinking, once again out of my wandering thoughts, I stared down into my hand. I raised an eyebrow at the half-eaten tomato innocently sitting there, and realized that I had been stress-eating.

Again.

I shrugged, bringing the tomato to my mouth, when his voice rang out; interrupting the silence.

"Surpriseeee~!"

I don't know if it was him yelling 'surprise' or the actual surprise, but I had dropped the tomato. And nothing good shall ever come out of a dropped tomato.

Italy had been running towards me, arms open, and grinning like an ass; but he ended up stopping just short of me as I fell to my knees.

A perfectly good tomato had just been murdered… and by my shaky hand.

I just couldn't take that.

Plus, the sheer sensation of eating one of those god-sent, misunderstood vegetables was pushing away all the things I have been wanting to let out. All my thoughts, and feelings that should honestly stay inside my head, were all just begging to come out and finally be asked.

And then Italy's voice interrupted the silence yet again, "Oh fratello, I'm sorry!" I turned my attention away from the broken shell of a tomato, and up at him. But something stopped me from immediately yelling at him.

Okay, so Feli has always been cute. However, as I stared up at him, the tomato carcass just under my fingers, he looked 10 times more adorable than usual. But…

This didn't actually dowse the anger building up in my stomach.

…At least, I think it was anger.

My blank and far-off expression quickly turned into the signature scowl I always seemed to wear as I glared up at Italy. It didn't help though that he was looking oblivious as ever.

"You idiota! Look at what you did!" I growled up at him; it had always been easier to blame Italy for everything.

He was just so… "blame-able".

"But… but I didn't do anything, really!" he retorted in that sweet tone that was just so, so perfect.

Okay, Feli has also always been anything but perfect, but still. Why am I so jealous of him?

Was it his friends?

His ability to do everything better than me?

…Or was it just how happy he always seems to be?

Alright, that was it. I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Why are you so perfect?" I yelled up at him, but my attention was now once again directed back to the shattered remains of the tomato. I just couldn't look at him right now. It was like staring at the better part of myself; that I'll never get to be like.

I could tell my actually rhetorical question had surprised him; since I really didn't want an answer; but it was obviously not that hard to scare an Italian. We get over it eventually.

But, he finally did respond to my, once again, rhetorical question.

"F-Fratello?"

Damnit. That sweet tone again. I was no match against that, and Feli sure as hell knew it. I was melting right in front of him. But, if that tone was gone…~

"Never mind! Just shut up, now!" I ordered loudly, my gaze never once meeting his. I just couldn't meet his eyes.

"…No."

My eyes widened slightly at the sound of his answer. The sweet tone was certainly gone, but I didn't like the replacement any more than the latter. It was stern and completely disobeying of what I had said; notably the first time Feli had ever said something in that tone of voice.

I didn't like it at all.

"Feli, I told you to shut u-"

"I heard you." He cut me off. He cut me off. And that tone again, stern and deciding. Nothing like him. Now I was honestly afraid to face my younger brother. Mio fratello~ the supposedly sweet, and naïve Italian was anything but at this point.

"You better liste-"

"No, Roma. It's your turn to listen. Understand?" Italy was being so demanding; it wasn't like him at all. Though, he must not have been pleased with the way I had been ignoring his question.

I cringed in surprise when his thumb and pointer finger were suddenly jerking my chin up so I would look at him, and I couldn't help myself but to stare straight into those pretty, bright hazel eyes. Italy didn't hesitate at all to stare back at me; some actual confidence that he was in control, flaring in his gaze.

He repeated himself; only this time in Italian. "Capire?" Feli stressed it this time, silently demanding an answer from me.

But, all I did was manage to nod my head slightly.

That is, before I yelled something that I really shouldn't have at him. "Everyone likes you more than me, and you don't even try!"

I couldn't help myself to let that confession out. It was the only one that really hit me hard; imagine knowing that all the countries in the world knew you, if they did at all, as this guy's older brother.

Italy paused for a moment, and he released my chin, only to get down on one knee to be level with me. His eyes softened as he spoke, "Who cares, fratello? I love you enough in place of all of them…"

My eyes widened at this, and I actually felt my lip start to quiver. He was being so genuine, and truthful… it actually started to hurt. That pain was also known as 'forbidden love', but at this point. That was all I wanted.

"F-Fratello… Mi dispiac-"

He cut me off, again. Only this time… I liked the way he did it.

Fratello kissed me.

….Fuck! Fratello kissed me!

But, I didn't pull away.

Italy was definitely dominant over the kiss; he was controlling me without even trying. I was melting against his lips, when they suddenly disappeared. My eyes shot open in surprise, even though I never really remembered closing them, and I unwillingly whined in annoyance. All Feli did was smile slightly; in a kind of 'I got you where I want you' way.

My face lit up in a blush almost immediately, and all I did was kneel there all awkwardly. The thing was, though. Feli looked happy as ever as his eyes scanned my now spreading blush. I pouted, covering my face to shield my obvious embarrassment.

"S-stop it…" I grumbled; purposely falling backwards so I was sitting upright; never once taking my hands off my face.

"But fratello~ You look so cute!" he teased, crawling forward into my lap. I only grunted in response, not liking being called cute.

Especially not by Feli.

He pried my hands away from covering up the obvious blush I had been trying to hide, and smiled brightly; all traces of the stern and demanding Italy gone. Tilting his head to the side, obviously trying to act adorable, Feli's grin grew even more. "Ti amo, fratello~."

I nodded my head.

Yeah, that's it.

But~ Italy wasn't too satisfied with how I answered. He began to pout, "Roma~! Come on. Say it, per favore!"

Once again, I didn't say a word. I don't what it was, but. I kind of only say 'I love you' in bed, or in my head. And you know it's a good moral when it rhymes. But, Feli wasn't giving up.

"Say it! Tiii...~" he stretched on, urging me to say it.

I sighed, kind of intoxicated with how cute he was being. "Ti…"

"Amo~…" Italy grinned; making it so it was impossible not to say it.

"….Amo."

Cutesy ending, si? xD Lol, anyway. Please review and if you like my writing please stick with moi~! REVIEW. :3