Ludwig didn't understand Italian all that well. Sure, he had caught onto phrases though out his life, and he could hold small conversations, "where's the restroom" "how much" etc etc, but when he was around Feliciano, and he began speaking Italian, he had no clue what he was saying in the slightest.
Sometimes, like today, when Ludwig stayed over for a visit at the Italian's house, he would catch Feliciano singing his Italian songs.
Each day was a different theme. Like today, Ludwig found that todays theme was very out of character for Feliciano. Italian rap. Ludwig had just came back from his morning exercises, and found the Italian sweeping...and rapping. The strangest thing, thought Ludwig, was that he was very good at it. "Ci sono cose che nessuno ti dira...ci sono cose che nessuno ti dara...sei nato e morto qua...sei nato e morto qua...nato nel paese delle mezze verita..." sang the Italian, oblivious to Ludwig's presence. Ludwig hid behind a wall so he could "observe" his friend. Ludwig was mezmorized. Feliciano's voice was somewhat...scary. Feliciano really had a way of becoming the song. What ever he was singing about, he became that it seemed. Even though the German couldn't understand what he was saying, he knew it was something sad yet scary at the same time. Words of brutal truth.
Suddenly, some of the dust Feliciano had swept flew right into Ludwigs nose causing him to sneeze loudly. "Vee?" said the Italian. "Ludwig?" he called. "Are you home?" deciding to make his pressence known to the Italian. "Ja, I'm home Feliciano." stepping from behind the wall, he saw Feliciano glairing at him. "Feliciano? Are you alright?" he asked worriedly. "Vee? Oh...si...it's just..nothing." this was not like Feliciano. Ludwig walked right up to him and grabbed his shoulders. "I don't believe that. You look so angry..." Feliciano shrugged Ludwigs hands off him, and spat 'I'm fine'. The Italian turned away, but before he could get far, Ludwig grabbed him by the wrist and spun him back around. "I know you're not, Italy." Ludwig's eyes bore into Feliciano's with great concern. He gave in. He knew he could not lie to Ludwig. "Oggi รจ stata non solo una buona giornata. Il mio paese ... la mia gente sono cambiate." Feliciano spoke in a tone Ludwig had never heard before. So sad and angry. "Feli...you know I don't understand you." Feli nodded and repeated,
"Today was just not a good day Ludwig...my country...my people have changed." "How so Feli?" "You really want to know?" "Ja. I do." again, the smaller country nodded. Grabby Ludwigs hand, he led him to a table. They sat down and Feli looked him dead in the eyes. "I'll just start from the beginning then. Si?" Ludwig agreed, and Feliciano continued. "Today, being sunday, I woke up to go to church. You had already left for your morning routine, so I went to do mine. I didn't even get to the church on time today. I'm never late...but today.." he sighed deeply and looked down at the table. "I'm used to drive byes. As are most of us...but it is still very tiersome...especially when their aming at you." Ludwig didn't quite understand what Feliciano was saying. "W..what do you mean?" "ooh. well there are some gangs here...who don't like that I can live "forever." so they try to kill me every so often. They think they'll become immortal that way." he chuckled. Ludwig's eyes widened. He didn't even know this happened! "Did they get you Feli!Are you alright!" "Si, They did get me. But it's nothing big like its been before." Feliciano began unbuttoning his shirt. He shrugged it off and showed ludwig bloody bandages wrapped all around his torso. "Today, I think they only got my shoulder and lung..." he said nonchalantly. Ludwig was about to say something..but the Italian continued his story. "Anyways...the walk was lovely...some young painters trying to sell pictures of the sea. Beautiful, si? Then Sister Camila from this town's convent tried to get me to go to the hospital to get the bullets taken out. But, sadly, I don't have the best doctors or surgens...so it is just better for me to do it at home." again, Feliciano laughed. Ludwig was beginning to be somewhat...frightened of his friend. Feliciano seemed sadistic. "Here in Italy, Ludwig," started Feli, "People don't always tell the truth. Actually...it is rare someone tells the whole truth at all. You'd be lucky to get a half truth." "What about you, Feli?" "vee?" "Do you tell the truth?" he smiled eerily at Ludwig and laughed again. "I'm Italian, Germany." said Feli, as if that answered his question.
"People bumping into me on my walk to the church...not even an excuse me or lo sienoto. Nothing. And then what's worse is that this little kid got kidnapped right in front of me. I tried to chase them...but as it turned out it was our very own Mafia...and frattello doesn't like me interfering with them. He is the boss." Ludwigs eyes became wider with each explanation. "Then I tried hitting on some girls...but I forgot that I was bleeding..so they ran away screaming...that was quite sad...Then, like always, I pick up a newspaper from Raphael the man at the magazine stand. Six more murders just last night. And those are the reported ones." Ludwig felt horrible for his friend. He was so different...usually Feli would be crying. He cried when people talked about murders and kidnappings. But no. Today, he was smiling. His golden brown eyes were hazed over. "Something my people say here Ludwig." "Ja, Feliciano? What?" taking a deep breath in and exhaling Italy continued. "You're born here and you die here. Recently, you die from your own people's hands." Italy's eyes became sharp and brutal. In them, Germany could see all the hurt of Italy's people. _
Later that day, the two were sitting at the table again, eating pasta together like they did every night. Today was silent though, unlike most of their meals together that were always filled with chatter and laughter (usually from Italy). "So..." began the German. He had just set down his fork and looked directly at Feliciano.
"I asked you earlier, Feli." the Italian looked up. "Si, Ludwig? What?" Eye to eye, Ludwig asked. "Are you a country of half truths, Feliciano." Feliciano smiled again. Not the creepy smile. Not his happy smile. But a melancholic smile. "Lo non so nemmeno..." Ludwig nodded. He didn't understand what Feliciano said, but he could tell that Feliciano didn't want him to. Not yet.