A lithe young man ran as fast as he could, dodging around people as he weaved through the crowd. Even though his lungs screamed for air, he didn't dare stop for fear they would catch him. He clutched the small bag so tightly to his chest, he was almost afraid he would crush precious bread inside. The calls of "Thief!" and "Get him!" only grew behind him as more people joined the chase until it felt like the entire world was after him for swiping a loaf of bread from the baker's window. He ducked into an alley in hopes of losing everyone only to find that it was a dead-end and he was trapped.
"Shit," he mumbled and looked around for an escape. Lucky for him, there was an open window and a couple of boxes big enough to get to it. With the nimbleness of a circus performer, he was inside the safety of a stranger's home. As he crouched low, he could hear the mob of people out for his blood reach the alley he had almost foolishly gotten himself stuck in.
"Are you the one that caused the commotion outside?" A dark-haired brunet smiled at him from across the small, cozy kitchen. "Are you hungry?"
Lovino stared incredulously at the smiling idiot in front of him, having no idea how to respond to the obvious kindness that radiated from the man.
"The front door is that way if you need to leave, but I'm not going to take you to the authorities, so won't you stay and have dinner with me before you go?" The man took a step towards him, that silly smile still spread across his face.
He shrank back, glaring furiously at him, still choosing silence over words.
"You see, I run the produce stand on the corner and I've seen you take a couple of my tomatoes before. Do you like tomatoes?" The cheerful man smiled even more as he pushed a bowl of the red fruit towards him.
He slowly dumped the bowl into his bag, never taking his eyes off the man in front of him. "Grazie," he said simply before scurrying around him and out the door.
Once outside, he walked quickly through the lessening crowds of people. The excitement of before had disappeared and the further he got from the market, the safer he was. Lovino didn't slow his fast pace until he was almost in sight of his destination. The road under his feet wasn't used much anymore and neither were the fields that lined the dirtpath, which was really the right name for it, because plants had taken back most of it and only the narrow trail Lovino himself had worn into it was clear of grass. His path ended at an abandoned barn that was in obvious disrepair and neglect.
He climbed the steep hill and carefully pushed open the door that looked like it could fall off its hinges at any time. The smell of dust and rotting hay met his sense, along with the underlying scent of sickness. "Feliciano?" he called softly into the deep shadows. "I'm back."
"L-Lovi?" A timid voice croaked from the back of the barn. "You're later than usual. The sun has already started to set."
He stepped inside and closed the door, cutting off the fading light. His eyes adjust quickly to the darkness as he made his way to his brother's bedside. "I'm sorry about that, I got held up." Lovino knelt beside Feliciano to help him sit up against a crate positioned as a headrest.
"Did something happen?" Feliciano's voice was soft and rough from too much coughing. "I was worried."
"Nothing important. Look what I got you today." He set his bag in Feliciano's lap, hoping to distract him from asking about today's events with a surprise.
Feliciano gasped when he took out the rare items. "How did you get these? Bread? Even tomatoes?" He smiled like he use to before he sickness took over his body, the wide grin he use to wear all the time.
Lovino couldn't help but smile back. "Go ahead and eat." He tore the loaf in half, returning one half to the bag and giving the other to Feliciano.
"You have some too~" He made a move to tear his half again, but was quickly stopped by Lovino.
"Don't be an idiot, you need to eat. Plus, I already ate." He didn't care if he was lying, Feliciano needed food more than him.
"Fratellone... Please don't lie to me." Feliciano looked up at him with that sad gaze that seemed to deepen the hallows in his cheeks and darken the circles under his eyes.
He couldn't help but look over Feliciano's form, even though most of it was hidden by threadbare blankets, he could still make out the shape of his bony limbs. "No, Felici. I got this food for you, now do me a favor and eat it."
"Lovino... I haven't seen you eat in a long time. Won't you dine with me, it'll be as if we're home again with Grandpa." His smile returned as he thought of the happier memories.
"Fine, but only because we haven't eaten together in a long time, not because I'm hungry." He tore off the smallest piece he could manage and plopped it in his mouth. His eyes slid shut, trying to savor the wondrous taste of fresh bread. His stomach gave a silent rumble for more, which he ignored and hoped Feliciano didn't hear.
Beside him, he heard Feliciano moan. "It tastes so good. How did you get it?" He took another bite out of his hunk.
"I have my ways." Lovino separated a few tomatoes out and slipped them into the bag along with the other half of bread, saving them for Feliciano's breakfast.
Feliciano gasped, "Did you steal again?"
How ignorant could Feliciano be? He growled, "Of course, stupido! How else would I get fresh bread? Buy it? I don't have any money!" Lovino immediately regretted raising his voice when he saw tears begin to form at the corner of his little brother's eyes. "Please, don't cry. I'm sorry I yelled at you," he said quickly.
"S-Stealing is wrong! You shouldn't do it, you're better than that!" Feliciano hated the feeling of tears that pushed at the back of his eyes.
Lovino sighed softly and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Feliciano... But I'm not better than this. I have to keep food coming in, or you will die," he hated saying those words. "No matter how many hours I work at the farms, it does not pay enough to feed us both."
"B-But... Then don't feed me! Please, just stop stealing-" A fit of coughing cut him short, wracking his entire body with painful hacks, forcing him to hunch over and cover his mouth.
Lovino rubbed his younger brother's back as comfortingly as he could. It pained him to see Feliciano like this and knowing there was nothing he could do, hurt him even more. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.
Soon his coughing subsided, leaving Feliciano exhausted and made his lungs hurt. He carefully hid his blood-flecked hand against his chest. "Water," he rasped, wanting to rid his mouth of the metallic taste of blood that coated his tongue.
His older brother saw the water bucket was empty. "I'll be right back." He grabbed the bucket and sprinted to the stream on the other side of the barn, filled it quickly and wobbled as fast as he could back up the hill and into the barn.
Feliciano shakily dipped his cup into the water and brought it to his lips, drinking deeply. He swished the water in his mouth, finally ridding himself of the sick, coppery taste.
"Do you feel better?" Lovino couldn't keep the concern from his voice.
He tried to smile, but he could only manage a grimace. "Sì, grazie. I don't know what I'd do without you."
They both knew how things would be if Feliciano hadn't gotten sick. They'd both be working, like before. Lovino remembered the day Feliciano had first fallen sick, it was after a long day of working in the fields. Maybe the heat was too much that day or he was ignoring (Or probably hiding it from himself and others) how bad he was feeling until his body gave out and he fainted.
"Lovi," Feliciano broke the silence that had fallen over them. "Would you leave me if I never get better?"
"No," he said firmly and reached over to pat his hair, ruffling it roughly. "You may be an idiot... But you're still my little brother."
He stared at him, a smile finding its way back on his lips, immediately brightening his features. Lovino wasn't ready to be pulled into one of Feliciano's back-breaking hugs; he couldn't help but notice how the sickness had sapped most of his strength. "You're the greatest fratellone ever!"
Lovino rolled his eyes, unable to contain the smile that forced itself onto his face. "That's it, it's obviously bedtime for you."
"But I've done nothing, but sleep today! I want to talk with you more," Feliciano whined, sending him one of his most adorable pouts.
"Fine, but I'm tired and I'm going to sleep soon even if you don't." He settled himself on the makeshift cot with Feliciano, who immediately snuggled up against his chest.
"Were there any clouds in the sky today?" Feliciano asked, wrapping one of his arms around Lovino's waist and pillowing his head on his shoulder.
Lovino gave a soft hum before answering, "There was a few of the big puffy ones you like." He brought his hand around to feel Feliciano's forehead, noting the temperature. "I'm going to take you down to the pond in the morning for a bath, you're warmer than you ought to be."
"But the water's so cold," Feliciano whined. "And I feel fine!"
"Felici," he warned. "You're not getting out of it. Plus, don't you like it when I give you rides on my back." Lovino didn't mind when Feliciano curled up beside him, grumbling about the water. He felt like a teddy bear for the younger boy. Now that Feliciano was comfortably situated, he let his eyes close.
But before sleep could take him completely, he heard Feliciano call, "Lovi? Are you still awake?"
"No, I'm fucking asleep," he mumbled grumpily.
"Oh... I'll let you sleep," he said, pulling the blankets higher over them.
Lovino sighed heavily. "What is it, Felici?"
"Nothing... I just miss Grandpa."
He couldn't help but wince, the pain still too raw for him to really want to think about it, let alone speak of him, but this was Feliciano and he could never deny him anything. "Yeah, I miss him too."
"What would he say to us now?" His voice held a yearning for the old days.
"Probably tell us to keep our heads up, Fate has something special waiting for us— You know, some kind of shit like, he was always into that crap. Maybe even, life's a bitch."
Feliciano was silent for a moment, then the heavy weight lifted from his voice and he said, "You're right! Things are gonna get better real soon, maybe even tomorrow or the next day."
"Go to sleep," he said quietly. God, I hope you're right. Lovino heard the breathing beside him soften and he knew Feliciano was asleep.
"You're a real asshole for leaving us," he whispered to the darkness around him, knowing Feliciano couldn't hear his muttering. "I don't care if you're dead, that's no excuse for just...being gone. It's not fair that we have to suffer alone and miss you. And now that Feliciano's sick, I'm afraid of losing him too. I don't know whether to hate you or God, might as well just hate you both for doing this."
He felt the pressure behind his eyes grow, but he refused to give in. Letting his tears spill now would be like admitting defeat, and he was, if anything, stubborn. Although, he wasn't above crying to pull the heart-strings of some kind women or get a soft shopkeeper to let him off with a warning, but crying with real emotion is something this hot-headed Italian simply would not do, especially with his dear brother so near.
'Just go to sleep,' he commanded himself, forcing his body to relax, but his thoughts would not keep still. Please go to sleep!
Images of his grandfather flitted across his mind, followed by memories of Grandpa Roma tutoring Feliciano while he watched them through the window. Lovino doesn't remember what it was like before Feliciano, when he was the only child, but he wasn't oblivious to the obvious favoritism Grandpa Roma showed for his younger brother. It never escaped his notice when Roma gave Feliciano that fond gaze that was nowhere to be seen as soon as he looked to Lovino. But he couldn't hate his grandfather for loving Feliciano more, nothing he could ever do would be enough to gain his grandfather's favor. He couldn't help the bitter envy that grew in his chest when he saw Feliciano, it often caused him to act cruel to little Felici, which got him in trouble with the grandfather he tried so hard to please.
Everything changed when their Grandpa Roma was killed. Their grandfather's most trusted adviser, and his closest friend, told them they should run away from the home they grew up in and that if they stayed, they'd end up dead too. Lovino was only thirteen then and Feliciano was just eleven, and still couldn't dress himself properly without help. He took Feliciano and ran, not knowing how to survive, only wanted to keep his last living family member alive and with him.
The first week was hard, they were hungry and had no clue how to get food. The only thing that kept them from complete starvation was the small amount of money Lovino had hidden in his clothes, but it ran out too quickly. And the next week was even harder, with no money and no clue how to live on the streets, they were left to begging for food, which usually ended in them (Mostly Lovino, he would always make Feliciano run away without looking back) getting beaten by shopkeepers and officers. But somehow they managed to endure for six months and were starting to get the hang of things, when they met an old acquaintance...
"Mr. Beilschmidt!" Feliciano immediately ran to the tall blonde, his trademark smile out in full force, with Lovino right behind him. The huge man's head turned from side to side, his gaze passing over the two children run towards him.
Aldrich Beilschmidt regarded the two dirty boys with cold, blue eyes, their appearances so drastically he could not recognize them. "Who are you?"
"It's me, Feliciano!" He gave the tall man one of his looks that could melt hearts and make angels cry, pushing away his fear of the German man. "You worked with my grandfather."
"I've worked with many people, be more specific," his chilling voice didn't flatter. Even though Feliciano was doing his best to not be scared, he began to shake.
"Don't pretend you don't remember us, potato-bastard," Lovino finally spoke up, pushing his little brother behind him. "You know us, you told us to run."
"I'm sorry, you have the wrong—"
"We are Feliciano and Lovino Vargas! Don't you dare fucking pretend you don't know that name!"
The only thing that gave away his surprise was the slight widening of his eyes. "You are not the Vargas children, they died," he said, a deadly tone slipped into his voice. "And if they are not, they will be soon."
He felt Feliciano's hand tug at the back of his shirt. "Let's get out of here," he whimpered in Lovino's ear.
But suddenly, everything was making sense. Their grandfather's death. The reason they had to leave their home. It was all because this man wanted their grandfather's wealth. "You killed him, didn't you! You murderer—" A hand clamped over his mouth, squeezing his cheeks painfully.
"Do you want to keep living?" The German's face was closer than before. "I promised Augustus I wouldn't kill you, but I'm starting to regret that promise."
Lovino glared hatefully at him, refusing to back down without a fight. He bit into the hand that covered his mouth, savoring the metallic taste that filled his mouth and dripped down his chin.
"Don't hurt him!" Feliciano beat weakly on the giant's arm, not trying to hurt him.
Aldrich didn't even flinch at the pain as he tore his hand from Lovino's mouth, choosing instead the grab Feliciano's arm and twist it behind his back. "Maybe the better question is, do you want your brother to keep living?"
"Don't touch him, you fucker!" Lovino's voice didn't have half the force he wanted. Feliciano started to cry loudly, tears flowing from his beautiful honey-colored eyes. He couldn't stand it when Feliciano cried.
"I gave you a chance to live by letting you go once. Now take my advice, forget what you were, it won't help you now. I'm giving you a warning this time, next time I see you, you'll be dead." The big German released Feliciano, pushing him towards Lovino.
Lovino pulled his little brother close. His eyes burned into the clear blue of Aldrich's eyes. "The next time you see me, you'll be the one dead, you bastard."
Aldrich's lips twitched into a cold smile. "I look forward to that day." And without another word, he turned and walked about, leaving him to comfort his crying brother.
Lovino jerked awake, not realizing his was sleeping in the first place, his vow of revenge echoing in his ears. It had been six years since he made that vow, and he hasn't been able to do much to fulfill it yet. He sighed and slowly relaxed again, focusing on the uneven breathing of Feliciano. It was too early for him to get up yet, although it's not like he could move anyway. Feliciano wrapped around him in such a way that it was impossible to get up without disturbing him. Since there was no other way for him to move, he rolled onto his side, letting his arm wrap around Feliciano's sleeping body. Even though he was sleeping, Feliciano snuggled closer against his chest. Lovino sighed a second time before shutting his eyes and letting sleep settle over him again.
I made some changes to it and fixed some problems. Sorry to those who already read the older version.
-Windy