A/N: This was really difficult for me to categorize because Lovina still factors into this story as a central character, and it's more about love and relationships in general, of all types, whether it's romantic, platonic, or familial. It's really just a story about Feliciana growing up a little bit. I hope you like it C:

That being said, for those who have not read World Wide Story, the main pairings will be Gerita, Spamano, and Giripan (yes, I know there were a few more in WWS, but since roughly half the cast of WWS graduated and aren't around anymore, those pairings are much less important and at most, will just be mentioned in passing...It doesn't mean they're completely over though. Just not present in this story.)

Axis Powers Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.

Who needed alarm clocks, seriously?

And Feliciana was indeed very serious about this question. Alarm clocks were incredibly overrated. She and her sister both agreed, as neither owned one. For Feliciana, her internal clock just had amazing precision. Every morning, that summer, she'd awoken every morning on the dot of 11:49 AM. This particular late August day was a surprising exception, however.

Bright golden-brown eyes popped wide open on the stroke of 7:03 and Feliciana shot out of bed, making a beeline for the door. Racing down the hallway, she was forced to backtrack as Lovina's room was right next to hers. The door was nearly torn off its hinges as Feliciana performed a spectacular running leap onto the curious shape huddled in bed.

"LOVI! IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, VEEEE!"

…For Lovina, she had no perfect internal clock. Instead, she had Feliciana as a sister.

"GET-THE FUCK-OFF-GODDAMNIT-"

She also had a horrible aversion to early mornings, regardless of the season.

Lovina tried to tug back her blankets, but Feliciana held them fast, chattering gaily all the while.

"I mean, it's the first day of our last year which is so, don't you think, weird to think about! We're seniors now! It's so exciting!...Vee, you have to get up, Lovi! Antonio can't drive you to school anymo-"

She nearly toppled over as Lovina abruptly let go. A pouty face finally appeared over the crest of the sheets.

"Thanks for reminding me, geez."

"Awww!" Feliciana crawled closer, smirking with delight. "Lovi misses her boyyyyfriiieeend-"

"I-I don't miss him! I ju..I just realized how much I have to fucking walk everywhere now! Goddamnit, Feli!"

Lovina finally managed to wrest herself free of the sheets and stalked towards the bathroom, snatching up a pile of clothes that had been waiting on a chair as she left. Feliciana grinned. So she'd prepared for the day after all…

Feliciana flopped back onto the bed, dissolving into giggles that the pillows could not in any way mute. She was the only person she knew who counted off the days of summer towards the first day of school – at age seventeen. Not that she hated the holiday break! This particular summer had been excellent. Feliciana had been painting or sketching every single day, only stopping to accompany her sister and friends to whatever cool event that would pop up on schedule. Once Antonio and Francis took them all sailing on the lake, which was totally awesome as Gillian had incessantly repeated to them all afternoon. Sometimes, like that day, she brought her supplies anyway because a water-reflected sunset was too pretty to pass up!

Ludwig had approved, for once, of her actions. Maybe it was because she actually worked so hard – though Feliciana could hardly call it work! – and the paintings could be used in a portfolio for submission to art school. Oh, right…this was the year of university applications! The thought of that excited her even more. Feliciana squealed again and kicked out on the bed, knocking Lovina's bull toy off the mattress.

"Vee…so sorry, Señor Toro!" She hastily picked it up. The stuffed animal had only resided at Casa Roma for six months, but already the fur was matted and a little dirty. Lovina probably smothered it completely at night…Feliciana patted its head, rambling absent-mindedly.

"Ve! This year is going to be a good year! I know it! Lovi and me are going to have so much fun, because this summer was the best one ever – so only good can come after it, vee? Promise me, Señor Toro!" She held the bull away from her at an arm's length, fixing its glossy bead eyes with a stern look. "This year will be the best!"

"What the hell are you doing with that?"

Lovina stood framed in the doorway, fully dressed, hair damp, and frowning with suspicion. Feliciana bounced up like a spring.

"I'm just making a promise that this year will be better than any single one we've ever lived, Lovi!" She flung her arms around her sister, ignoring the yelps of reluctance.

"Ugh! Don't just drop that anywhere!" Lovina grabbed Señor Toro just before it hit the floor and held it to her chest protectively. "No respect for my stuff, honestly…"

Feliciana froze, one hand still clutching Lovina's shoulder, her eyes unfocused, nose and ears alert. Was it? It was…

"BISCOTTI!" She shrieked, causing Lovina to yell, and Feliciana heard her grandfather's deep-set laugh joining into the noise as she hurtled down the staircase, not bothering to stop in the now vacant bathroom to wash her face. Skidding into the kitchen, it was all she could do not to fling herself at the delicious biscuits coming out of the oven.

Grandpa Roma grinned and set the pan carefully onto a wire rack. "I knew my cutest granddaughter would be happy to see fresh biscotti!"

"You made it for me?" Feliciana eagerly leaned towards the food that beckoned to her so temptingly with its tendrils of sweet-smelling heaven. Her stomach felt like it had just opened up a huge hole on her belly that screamed, here! Just put 'em here already, veeeee!

"Si, it's a big day for you…for all of us!"

Feliciana's ears perked up at the direction that the last phrase was directed to, and turned around to see her mother tiredly rubbing her forehead as she walked in.

"Mama! Buon giorno! Are you going to work today?"

Rita smiled and began pouring herself a mug of coffee. "That's right. This means break is officially over for everyone." Lovina begrudgingly slunk in, lured in by the promise of breakfast. Rita managed to plant a kiss on her eldest daughter's forehead before she pulled away.

"It's cool enough to eat now," Grandpa Roma announced as he placed the platter of almond goodness in the centre of the kitchen table. Lovina grabbed one before the plate even touched the surface, and was nearly done with it by the time the rest of the family had settled around her. After sating her whiny hole of a stomach, Feliciana paused, peering over the rim of her mug to watch the scene in front of her.

On her left was Grandpa, laughing and mussing up Lovina's hair as she continued scowling and munching resolutely through her meal. The only thing obscuring her from a clear view of her sister was the enormous milk pitcher between them – whose handle was now obscured by Rita's arm reaching for the jam. Feliciana watched as her mother spread the gooey sweet stuff over a slice of bread.

The entire family was here, for once. And it would stay that way. A full kitchen table, every day at exactly 7:22 AM for the next few months, no exceptions. Well, unless Lovina decided to visit Antonio at the farm. Oh! Antonio could just come over here! And Aunt Monica too! With Francis! Then it would be a real Roma family breakfast – okay, Roma family plus Antonio.

Except, Feliciana corrected herself, Francis was going to be away all the way until springtime. He was busy in Europe with Gillian and was going to spend the winter with his father and stepfamily. But that just meant that Ludwig's house would be significantly quieter too, so maybe some days he could also visit them, maybe even sleep over! And if he did, then he could try Grandpa's biscotti too! He'd love it! Nobody could resist fresh almond and anise biscotti first thing after waking up! With a great big cool glass of milk. Or coffee, Ludwig seemed like the coffee type of perso-

"Feli, don't just sit there like a dumb idiot! It takes twenty minutes to walk to school and you're not even dressed!"

"Vee?" Feliciana snapped out of her thoughts to glance up at the cheerful cat-clock on the wall. "Ahh! Only ten minutes! How did that go by so fast?"

"Because you were staring at the wall for the last five! Hurry up!" Lovina's eyes flickered out the window, and returned quickly to the interior of the house, shooting fiery bolts of venom. "And that stupid potato bastard's outside. Fuckin' A…"

"Language, Lovina," warned their mother. Though nobody in that household expected her to listen. Upon hearing that Ludwig was waiting for her at the gate, Feliciana had zoomed back up the stairs with surprising speed and was back before you could utter, "Feliciana loves Ludwig."

Lovina blinked at how a suddenly immaculate and stylish outfit, complete with a smooth auburn ponytail and perfectly applied mascara sailed past her through the front door, carelessly waving one hand with a cheerful, Ciao!

And here, Lovina hadn't even found the time to put on socks.

"Fuh. King. A."

She slammed her feet into a pair of worn-out sandals and shut the door behind them with only a fraction less of the same amount of force.

A/N: For those who are new to the AU: Rita is Lovi and Feli's mother, and Monica is Francis's mother. They are also sisters, and daughters of Grandpa Roma. We can forget about Lovi and Feli's father; he's never coming back. Francis's father lives in France (divorced). Wow, that last sentence sounded a bit redundant…

R&R please! Thank you!