(AN: HUMAN NAMES ARE BEING USED FROM HERE ON OUT. I DO NOT OWN AXIS POWERS HETALIA. ALSO, FOR THE BEST EXPERIENCE, I RECCOMEND USING DARK VIEW. MARCH ON, MEN!)

That day, Ludwig and Feliciano went out for ice cream. Gelato, to be exact. It was a favorite of the cheerful Italian boy's; since the day was a little more than stressful, his German friend figured they should be treated. From the doctor's office, they walked to Angeliano's, a tingling little bell ringing behind them as the door slammed shut. The moustached man behind the counter (most likely the owner) greeted them with a huge smile. Feliciano replied with one just as bright.

"Small pesca, please! Ludwig, what would you like?"

"Umm...medium bacio. How much will that be?" For once, he tried to act cheerful as he ordered.

"That'll be $12.99! Would you like a receipt?"

"Yes, please." They paid for the treat and headed to a window seat in the now empty store. It was 8:30, and the graceful orange sun was painting a picture on the great blue canvas called the sky. It would soon be nighttime, and Ludwig would soon have to return from his emergency visit to Italy. In silence, Feliciano scooped at the chilled milk and cream, taking large bites at a time. Ludwig no longer had an appetite.

There was a question he needed to ask.

"Feliciano..."

"Hm?" When the young man looked up from his food, there was a sticky mess all over his face. What astonished Ludwig the most was that he was smiling - no, radiating happiness.

"Do you feel okay?"

"I feel great! How about you?"

"Yeah... fine. Do you want my ice cream?"

"Silly Ludwig, it's gelato!" Nevertheless, the smiling man welcomed the uneaten treat into his arms like a winning poker player. In a few minutes' time, every last drop was gone.

"Let me wipe your face for you." Usually, the stricter counterpart of the relationship would yell at Feliciano for being messy, but he couldn't stomach it. Somehow, he would never forgive himself, and he knew it. "You know what this means, right? You have to be even more careful. Don't be lazy, and never forget what you need to do. Okay?"

"Yes, sir!" sounded a little more like "Yeshimir!", but it didn't matter. For Lovino, for his parents... for Ludwig, he would try his hardest. Even if it meant bad things for him in the future, it was the least he could do. After everything they had done...

"Let's go." They both nodded, throwing the bowls in the trash and heading out the door. Now the sun had almost disappeared, leaving the canvas an empty black. Walking down the sidewalks of Naples, the two friends held hands as they went home to rest. And for some reason, Feliciano could still hear the words, Never forget what you need to do...