Lost cries

-Eh, fratello I´m going to Germany's place-

-Again? It's been like a week since you last saw that man-

-I know, poor Germany must already miss my supreme Italian cuisine, what kind of friend would I be if I let my friend only eat potatoes?-

-A normal one-

-Roma, quit being so mean to me, I just want to visit my friend and make him feel happy-

-Tsk, whatever, I couldn't care less what you do with your life just remember to return early so you won't wake me in the middle of the night, again-

Veneziano's eyes quickly avoided his brother's, his gaze fixated in the floor and his fingers making weird forms as they collided. Romano knew him too well, there had to be something he was hiding, lately he had been a touch too secretive for Romano's taste.

The younger brother attempted to ignore the questioning eyes of his kin via a bright smile and some small talk about the time and how late it was, yet Romano stopped him in the entrance of their home, looking straight into the eyes similar to his he asked with ever growing anger.

-Don´t you tell me you are staying at his house-

His brother only gave a goofy smile as sweat dropped from his cheeks.

-Then I guess I won't tell you-

In a desperate attempt to quell his brother's imminent anger Veneziano started laughing in an awkward fashion, even more as Romano's hand gripped his shirt drawing him closer to the fiery rage that always prompted whenever Germany was mentioned.

-Veneziano you whore! How can you be so blind to that man's true wishes? Are you stupid or…?-

-Fratello, please let me go, I promise Germany is not what you believe him to be, he has never hurt me nor will he ever do such thing, besides you promised me you'll try to be more comprehensive-

Indeed had he promised to comprehend his brother's actions and to be more open towards others, but a feeling deep within him still prevented him from fully trusting the German. Sighing he let go of Veneziano, tiredly tidied up his clothes and sent him on his merry way, not without these primal thoughts hunting him.

When Veneziano told him about his alliance with Germany, Romano didn't think much of it.

"At last someone to take him away from me and give me some peace for a change"

But as time went on his comfort faded into a growing worry, rumors about the blonde man came naturally to Romano's everyday life and those made that man a pervert, a dictator, a manipulative villain who could play with his brother's innocence like it was nothing. Even if they had never been the closest siblings the image of a broken Veneziano truly made him feel uncomfortable, one could even say mad.

Romano had already marked Germany as a dangerous man and the friendship he maintained with his little brother only caused him worry, many times the older tried to warn the little about this "friend" of his but the result turned out to be tension between them and constant fights over the German. It was impossible to remember when he had grown so tired of fighting that he decided to give up and let Veneziano make his own mistakes, sealing away his feelings, burying whatever linked him to that idiot deep within him. It had become quite rare for him to lose his detachment and care for his sibling, yet these occasions ended up the same way every single time: with Romano full of confusing feelings and Veneziano running into Germany's arms, making the space between the two bigger.

Until then it seemed as if all of Romano's concern was more a case of severe jealousy.

The war was advancing, the odds seemed to favor the Axis and still a phenomenon that had haunted Romano's thoughts had finally appeared, Veneziano's smile was gone. Each day that passed left another shadow in his brother's once happy soul, his voice became dull and his eyes lost shine. Something happened, something horrible, something that Veneziano wanted to keep secret even to his own family.

Romano had no bases to sustain his claim but his instincts were sure that the blonde man of the north had some role on the disappearance of his brother's light. All through the globe people spoke of how Germany's sanity was in a dire situation, the rumors told that his crazy boss had finally convinced him of his antics and that the nation was transforming into something the world had never seen.

Could the sight of a once dear friend turned into a puppet of a crazy man be the cause of Veneziano's sadness? Although not as dramatic, it was a probable option and perhaps the real answer. To be sure he just had to ask his brother, confront him and help him. Romano felt odd, like a part of his life had been taken away when he saw the gloomy atmosphere of Veneziano.

One day, as Veneziano returned from Germany's house, he waited for his brother's arrival right by the door. As soon as he entered Romano pleaded to spend some time with him, for Old time's sake, Veneziano accepted with little enthusiasm. With his attention he brought him to their bedroom, where he sat alongside his sibling and without time to lose dropped the question.

-What's wrong fratello? Did that bastard hurt you?-

The yellow eyes that had known only sadness where brought back to life, bewildered they searched into his brother's gaze as if pleading for aid, yet they disappeared as Veneziano tried to exit the room with the same old explanation he always gave about the grim nature of war. Though this time he couldn't escape so easily, swiftly Romano grabbed his brother's arm and forced him to look into his eyes, the younger sibling was terrified and fought against his brother's grip with determination, bearing no results.

-Romano! Let go! - he said as a whimper escaped his lips.

-No until you tell me what the fuck is wrong with you!-

-Let me go! Please…please-

-There's no other way you'll tell me what's been going on that idiot mind of yours, so start speaking before I grow impatient!-

Veneziano tried once again to free himself from his brother's grasp; his movements were desperate as he started to cry.

-Brother, you are cruel, I've already told you, I don't want to fight anymore-

-Then tell me the truth-

Annoyed, Veneziano fought another time and managed to throw his brother off balance, though he fell as well, landing next to him. The angle at which he had fallen revealed almost all of his back.

That was when Romano saw it. Across Veneziano's back were multiple scars and bruises, some fresh and some old, one stretched across his lower back appeared to be fairly recent. Cold shivers traveled through Romano's body, now he really needed to know what was going on with his brother.

Veneziano realized that it was too late to cover his injuries and laid silent on the floor.

-Fratello, who did this to you?-

The pauses and tremble in his brother's voice finally moved the injured man to speak, mumbling he repeated a sentence like it was a chant.

-He needs me, I have to help him, you wouldn´t understand…-

It took some time for Romano to realize that he was talking about Germany, that man had done this, that man had stolen Veneziano's light.

-What did he do to you?! What do you mean?! Mio fratello please answer me!-

The image before the older sibling's eyes was that of a defenseless child, one who curls up in the cold, one who has seen things he cannot forget; he took a deep breath and said with a shaking voice.

-The war has been hard, my boss is always angry at me, I keep being defeated time and time again, and Germany has to come to my rescue each time and his boss doesn´t like that, so he punishes him and…I just want my friend to be happy, I wanted to be useful for once, that's why I didn't said a thing when his soldiers started to hurt my people nor when he took his frustration on me, I just want him to stay with me…-

Romano stared at his brother in amazement, but his rage soon took over and spewed every last bit of anger onto his little brother.

-What the hell is wrong with you! You are mad! You sicken me! What does it matter if you lose a battle or the war? That doesn't mean you have to be that idiot's bitch! Why don´t you think for your people before your horny ass? You are sick! You…-

-Where's all this preoccupation coming from? You've never cared about me! You are always complaining and now you want me to hear your concerns? If I sicken you so much why don't you just let me go? You don't have the right to tell me what to do when all you've done through the years is ignore me and treat me like an outsider! I'm tired of being a burden, I'm tired of letting all the people I love leave me, I'm tired of working my hardest to maintain a healthy relationship with a brother who clearly whishes nothing more than to be separated from me. For once in my life I'm going to take control and I'm not staying with a hypocrite sibling!-

Romano couldn't contain the anger, the pain and the sadness inside him and tried to liberate himself via a punch to his brother's face, tears fell as he punched another time; soon Veneziano defended himself and managed to run away. Alone with his feelings the older one could only punch the wall in pure frustration, until his knuckles were bloody and his eyes red form the tears did he fell in the ground and cried himself to sleep.

Italy had finally went down, on the streets people celebrated the end of the war while preparing for the dire times up ahead, only a single figure remained unmoved by the commotion. Alone it walked in the streets, covered by a thick coat and a dark aura it's mere presence provoked uneasiness, the mysterious figure seemed to be in the search of something it had lost in the lonely streets.

It entered a poorly lit alley, between trash and in the farthest point was a man of beautiful brown hair with what seemed to be a military uniform, however a shot on his chest had stained his uniform and cross with blood.

With a horrible scream the mysterious figure fell down and threw itself into a hug with the dying man, who regained conscience for mere seconds muttering one word.

-Sorry-