Hi everyone! This is an AU, set in New York in 1921. I guess you could say it's a story of two emigrant brothers building themselves up in New York. I originally got the idea after I finished reading the Godfather. I wanted a sort of darker story where the brothers are set in a realistic enviorment, so I'll use human names. I hope everyone enjoys. Really I do. Please enjoy and tell me what you think!

In Italy in the year 1921, two brothers lived in rural poverty. Lovino and Feliciano Vargas. The two brothers lived in the Italian countryside together working as farm hands during growing seasons. They were very poor but they were honest and well liked, they worked hard and went to church every Sunday without fail and were oftentimes subject to their neighbors' kindness. Both boys were loved in their village and so even their imperfect life seemed wonderful.

Lovino was the oldest. He was well known for his violent temper and outspoken ways that often earned him trouble. He was sometimes known to be rash and unforgiving but he had an immeasurable kindness towards his brother that over road his anger.

The younger brother was Feliciano, not as intelligent as the older but also not as angry. He was a happy, kind person who loved fun and merriment above fighting. He was in general considered to be a much more easy going person.

In all, the brothers' were good, well meaning people who made their living in the most honest way possible. They worked from sunup to sundown, doing the best work they could, although Lovino sometimes could be lazy and sometimes Feliciano could get off task. They did the best they could. But in the early Summer of 1921 the best they could was not enough. There was simply not enough work to be done or money to be made and so the brothers had no food. The neighbors, though charitable as they were could not always supply the boys with food and they starved.

It was in that year that the oldest made a life changing decision that would alter the course of both of their worlds. In a rash decision, springing from his hunger and the knowledge that they would starve to death he purchased boat tickets to America.

Lovino slammed his hands down on the kitchen table, making his brother looks up. "Feli, we have to make a decision tonight." He said, his younger brother looked at him confusedly. He displayed the boat tickets. "These are to America. You have to tell me now if you think you are up to it. Will you trade this life we have now for he chance to make something better?"

Feliciano paled. "I-" He started. He truly did not know. How could he leave his home for a world he did not know? He didn't know what to say. "Lovino, I don't understand. When did you buy these and how? We have no money."

"I borrowed. Feli, tell me if you can go. If we go, then maybe we can get work in a place like New York. There are many Italians there, they might help us and we can work from there!"

Still, Feliciano did not know what to say. "Lovino, what do we know about America? We know nothing, we don't even speak English. How can we live in a country who's language we don't even speak? I would love a better life but everything I know is here."

Lovino scowled. "Not everything. You forget that Grandfather went to America. Grandpa Marcus in in America. If we go we can find him and he will help us! He must, we are family."

Feliciano brightened at that. He had always loved his grandfather dearly. "Well, I suppose that that is true and I would love to see him again and know how he is doing but still, we would have nothing when we got there."

"It doesn't matter! We would make it. Anything is better than what we have here, we will starve and we will never make anything better than the life of farm hands here. Do you want to die working on someone else's farm? I don't."

Feliciano thought it over and looked at the tickets. "I will think about it. Will you give me until morning? When does the boat leave?"

"A month." Lovino could hardly believe his luck, it had taken almost no time at all to convince his brother and so he thought, in a month he would be leaving for America where he could have a new start and they could make money till they were rich. The though vigorously that after a month he would never again work for another as he did now. He would own himself. In New York.

The next morning Feliciano came to the decision that his brother was right. He was let go from the farm he had been working on and was officially out of work. He had to deal with the fact that there simply were no jobs left. He faced his brother dejectedly and told him he agreed to move. He tred to stay positive but the idea of leaving his home hurt beyond belief and it made him physically sick for a while.

The people in the village were caring and understanding and on the day of their departure they were bade goodbye by many people. They accepted a ride from their last employer who offered to drive them to the docks. The town gathered on the outskirts of the village and waved goodbye to the two boys. Looking back, Feliciano could see many old women waving handkerchiefs in the air and people crying and he cried himself. He watched the village he loved shrink into he distance, knowing he would never see it again and he wept openly for he could not contain his grief.

Next to him, Lovino too was having difficulty keeping his emotions in check. His pride demanded that he keep from crying and perhaps not doing so made it all the worse. They waved and called back to those they loved and he choked his tears away, trying to maintain the thought that thy were going to a better life.

At the docks Feliciano's wailing grew worse. He was beyond grief and sobbed loudly. They shook hands and hugged their former employer and boarded and as the boat departed Lovino lost control and next to his brother wailed aloud to the sky. To other passengers they must have been a sight. Two brothers standing surrounded by all they owned, wailing loudly to they world around them as they left all they knew behind.

It was Feliciano who opened his eyes first when he realized that if he did not do so he would miss the last glimpse of home. But Lovino did not. For he was adamant that looking back would weaken his resolve. Instead he looked towards the ocean in front of them a swallowed hi tears. He decided then that his old life was over and a knew one had begun.

They carried their things below to the cramped quarters of the steerage passengers. They shared with many other Italians and to their surprise a Spaniard named Antonio. Lovino took an immediate dislike to the Spaniard who consequentially too a strong liking to him. The first night was a loud and cheerful occasion. Feliciano halfway forgot his woe of leaving his homeland in the music and joy the other emigrants created. Lovino too was helped along by the music and fun. They found friends among the others and shared their hopes with the strangers who were destined for the same place. And in the night when they lay next to each other, hearing the muffled snores and mutterings of their sleeping fellows, Lovino and Feliciano looked into each others' eyes and knew then that their home was gone to them but at the same time they knew that they had a whole future a head and as scared as they were and as uncertain as everything was they knew that there was prospect for good. And they went to sleep with hope in their hearts.

When morning broke the brother came out on deck to cold winds and salty air. Despite his former grief Feliciano was beyond elated to see such a vast expanse of ocean. He had never before see such a great amount of water and next to him, Lovino tried his best to pretend he was not impressed but he did a poor job of it and was called out by the Spaniard from the night before.

The Atlantic Ocean stretched as far as they could see and it's cold blue depths held a wonder that shook the dimensions of their small worlds. For neither brother had ever really left their village before and to see such a great amount of anything put them in awe. So too did the storied of New York told to them by the other passengers. Feliciano sat listening in unadulterated amazement. His small world prohibited him form truly grassing the stories he was being told. He could never imagine what sky scrapers truly looked like or what it was like to see a street packed with cars and people. He had never even ridden n a car before. He could barely fathom what the sounds of city might be like. His own rural experiences had been quiet and slow. Lovino too could not comprehend the stories and so he doubted them he did not believe a building could touch the sky. He did not believe that so many people could own cars or that indeed, so many people could live in one city. He that he would not believe any stories told, that he would wait and see with his own eyes what sort of City New York was. And so he waited. He waited many days until he boat reached the coast.

I wanted to end it there so I can start the next chapter with their reactions to first seeing the New York City sky line and then move on to their rough beginnings. Also, eventually they'll meet Grandpa Rome but it won't be in the next chapter. Hope you all enjoyed and everything was written well, this is only the second fanfiction I've ever written, aside from two one shots, so I'm still kinda iffy on how my writing and ideas go. Thank you!