Veneziano is getting ready to do his normal routine. Getting up, going through training with Ludwig and Kiko, eating, going to bed and doing the same thing the next day. Today, was going to be different though. Hmm, I wonder why Ludwig didn't wake me up this morning. It was almost noon and Ludwig hadn't even come in to wake Veneziano up. "I'm going to go see if Ludwig is alright." Veneziano gets up and walks out of his room. Making a left turn and walking down to Ludwig's room. "Ludwig! Why didn't you wake me up this morning?" No response. "Ludwig?" He looks around and sees Ludwig still lying in bed, fast asleep. "Ludwig?" Veneziano places his hand onto the German's forehead. "Mama mia! Ludwig you have a fever!"
"Don't you zink I know zat. Idiot."
"Ludwig?"
"Vat is it Veneziano?"
"Ludwig, have you been working yourself to hard?" Ludwig opens his eyes and looks up at the Italian. "No, of course not." Veneziano looks at him; not believing a single word he said. "Zis is how I alvays vork myself." Veneziano gives him a concerned look. "I'll go call Kiko. He has the best medicine out there." The Italian says as he turns and begins to walk away. But something grabs hold of his wrist, "Veneziano?"

"Okay. I'll stay here. If that's what Ludwig wants."

"Thank you...Veneziano."

Few hours later:

"Say Ludwig." Veneziano looks over and sees that his ally is asleep. He sighs, gets up, and walks over to Ludwig's desk. I wonder what he keeps in here. He opens the drawers. When he opens the drawer on the bottom right side, he finds hand drawn pictures of him before he was a country. Italy examines the pictures closely. "Hmm, the foot in this drawing is much smaller than the other." Wait a minute!

Flashback:

"The foot. Here let me help you." Veneziano says. He moves next to Holy Rome and grabs his hand. "I think I am done for the day." Holy Rome says and runs off.

Present:

This is the drawing from back then, but there is no way that Ludwig is Holy Rome. Veneziano ignores the thought and throws the pictures back into the drawer. He then walks over to the closet, looking for a bucket. If I can find a bucket to fill up with water then I can put the wash cloth in there for Ludwig's forehead. He begins to dig around in the closet when something hits him on the head. "Ow!" He exclaims and looks up to see that it was a push broom. This looks old and used. Uh, hey wait a minute...is this the same push broom from that time? "V-Veneziano?" The Italian stands up, stuffs the broom back into it, and closes the door. "Yes? Ludwig?"
"Veneziano...I had a strange dream."
"Oh. Would you like to tell me about it? I mean you don't have to bu-"

"Veneziano, I'm going to tell you."

"Uh...okay Ludwig you can tell me."

"In all ze time I've been with you, I've never had a dream with you in it. It was of you leaving me and Kiko. I don't know, why but..." Veneziano looks at him with concerned eyes. "Oh Ludwig. Why would you ever think that I would leave you. I'm the one whose had nightmares before about you and Kiko leaving me."

"Yes, but zat is because you are weaker and a pussy." Veneziano smiles at this. "I am happy that you are feeling better Ludwig." He thinks back to what he found in the desk drawer and the closet. "Um...Ludwig?"
"Yes vat is it Veneziano?"
"Um...please don't be mad at me but, while you were sleeping I kind of went through your desk drawer." The German looks up at him looking pretty pissed off. "I found some pictures in there. One of them looked exactly like a picture Holy Rome had drawn with me before I grew up."

"Mm. I see."

"Then along with that picture I saw many others of...me when I was little. Then when I went looking for a bucket to fill with water for your head, I found a push broom, that seemed a little old." Veneziano says looking down, ashamed of going through the German's stuff. "Veneziano, I have zomething to tell you." Veneziano looks up at the German with a concerned look in his eyes. "I know zat Holy Rome vas a nickname given to me. I don't understand vy, but it was. Vanyvays, do you remember zat time when I left. You had given me that push broom and I had given you something in return. Do you remember what I asked you?" Veneziano cocks his head to the side and slowly begins to remember. "Ah, you asked me what people in my country did if they liked someone. And I told you that they kissed." Italy stops and turns bright red. "Ves, and zat kiss, zose pictures, and zat push broom, I have kept with me for all zese years."
"But...Ludwig...why didn't you tell me who you were when we became friends again?"
"Because, I didn't vant you to know, because I velt bad vor leaving you. Besides...I vas going to vait vor ze vright moment." The Italian sits in the chair next to the German's bed. Veneziano then looks up and begins to think about cats. "HEY! VARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!" Ludwig grabs the Italian's head and brings it down towards his and he kisses him. At first Veneziano is shocked by this but he soon gives into the kiss. When they break he asks Ludwig, "Hey, Ludwig, you promise you won't leave me?"
"I promise, the same with you."

"Of course not." The two lock their pinkies together. The same two pinkies that have a red ribbon tied to each end. The ribbon can not break for there is true love in both hearts that can bring them only closer.

The next week:

"Veneziano! Hurry up! If you don't run fast enough you will not eat pasta for a week!" The Italian runs in front of the German. How do I always get myself into these messes? Ludwig won't let me out of his sight though. I should have known he was overprotective. Oh well, I love him and that's what counts. "Veneziano! Quit daydreaming and run faster!"

And they both lived happily ever after...or maybe not...

Ze End!