I'm so happy that a few of you seem to like the story so far. And thank you very much for my very first review! ^_^

~~oOo~~

It had been two days since the tall blonde had been standing in front of Norbert's house. He was a nice guy and very helpful. Never the less Norbert couldn't shake of the feeling that he was hiding something concerning the reasons of his stay in their town, which by then accommodated more allied soldiers than actual Germans. The young man let out a deep sigh and sat back in his simple wooden kitchen chair. He closed his eyes and started to massage his temples with slow circling motions of his index fingers. He felt a headache coming but he had to finish his work on at least one of the wristwatches a client from Kaiserslautern, the nearest city, had brought him the week before.

Just as he reached out for his pincer, he heard a soft knock on his front door. As he opened, he directly looked into the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen, eyes of the same color as dark chocolate. And he enjoyed the warm feeling of love spreading throughout his tired body as he bowed down to place a soft kiss on the cheek of his fiancée. But her normally warm and flushed cheeks were cold. "What's wrong, Liebes? You look so pale as if you have seen a ghost. It's cold outside come on in."

"No!" came an outburst from the small brunette girl grabbing the man's wrist and holding him back. She got on her tiptoes and whispered into Norbert's ear. "There, well… There is a man in the old stable. And he is chopping wood with an ax!" Her voice broke on the last word.

Norbert tried really hard but he couldn't hold back a burst of laughter.

"Of course he is using an ax. What else would you use to chop wood?" His laughter became more like a suppressed giggle.

"So, you know he's there?"

"Year, he's staying with me until he finds something better." The young German took a step outside looking in the direction of the run-down stable, his girlfriend right on his heels. "He's alright, but I admit that I should have told you."

"I agree. Oh Gott, he's a bit scary and he really looks like… you know… one of them."

"Oh, stop it Elfriede. It's over. There aren't any more guys in black coats taking people away in the middle of the night. And if there still were, they wouldn't be chopping my firewood in bright daylight."

Elfriede didn't seem convinced but she nodded her head and put on a timid smile. "If you say so, Norbert. Well then, call for your new friend because grandma and I have fixed you some lunch. It should be enough for the both of you."

~~oOo~~

Italy couldn't stand it any longer. He had been in Ramstein for three days now and no sight of Germany. On his search for his lost friend he had met some German inhabitants. Most of them listened while he was doing his best to ensure them that America was actually a nice guy even though he seemed a bit lunatic. But when he tried to start a normal conversation the older ones backed away, not quite sure of what to do with this stranger from another country. So he spent most of his time outside of the Base with the children who weren't afraid at all.

"Hey, mister! Come play football with us!" A small group of young boys had been following him the whole morning. And finally the smallest one had found his courage to ask.

Italy gave a big smile which was lighting up his face. "You know, I haven't played in a long time. Let's start."

After half an hour Italy sat down on the curb, breathing heavily. "Ve~~ you are very good. That was fun. We could play again tomorrow, if you want to?"

The smallest one, his face was framed by blond curls, sat down beside the young Italian. "Really?"

Italy padded the blond head, like Germany used to do it with him. "Sure, why not?"

"Normally soldiers don't play with us. My Mami even sais that we should quit bothering you."

"Ve~ You're not bothering me." He smiled at the boy. "And I'm not a soldier."

"But mister, you're wearing a uniform." Said one of the older children.

"Ah, I… I guess you're right." Italy looked down at his blue military uniform and his boots. He still wore it even though he hated fighting and loathed the war. But maybe Germany would recognize the blue fabric.

"Maybe we could make a deal. Like we clean your boots, we often did that for the French and they gave us money, and in exchange you play with us. Then it would be a deal and not a waste of your time." All the boys laughed and nodded their heads.

Italy watched the exited children and felt another smile on his lips. He hadn't been smiling that much since he had been at Germany's house. "That's a great idea, bambinos. But I don't need clean boots. Well, you could help me to find somebody. I'm looking for a friend. He's tall, blond and has blue eyes, like the sky. Oh, and most of the time he would make a face like somebody has just stolen his Wurst. ~ve."

After a moment or two the oldest boy said "Well, that narrows it down…"

~~oOo~~

Elfriede wasn't sure what to make of this tall blond man. On one side he seemed so intimidating and on the other side he was kind enough to help her with the dirty dishes while Norbert worked on his watches. Once again she looked up from the laundry and glanced over to the two men at the kitchen table. She noticed something odd.

"Are you hurt, Ludwig?" she said crossing the kitchen to stand behind her boyfriend.

"No, why?"

"You keep rubbing your knee as if to rub some kind of pain away."

"It's nothing, just an old wound. It bugs me now and then. But it's alright. Don't worry."

"So you are a soldier?" the girl walked passed him to sit on a free chair where she gave Norbert a look that clearly stated I told you so!

Ludwig bent his eyebrow while watching the silent argument of Norbert and his fiancée. It was of no use, he should tell them.

"Yes, I used to be one. You don't like them?"

Elfriede stared at her hands. "It's not like that. Many brave men are soldiers. I just don't like those who forget humanity over their orders. It's weird but I'm more afraid of German soldiers than of the rest."

"What about the Americans who came here with their tanks and trucks?" Ludwig wanted to know out of habit.

She got up and went back to the laundry. While scraping a shirt she said "They came here eight years ago when the war wasn't even officially over. I was 12 and stood at the side of the main road with my younger siblings. I was so scared my whole body was shaking. There was a tank and so many soldiers. I knew that I wasn't supposed to be there. What would they do to us? And then there was a huge green truck und it stopped right in front of us. I couldn't move. One soldier got out and walked towards us. I grabbed the hands of my siblings. I looked up into his face and my body shook even harder." As she continued Germany could hear a smile in her voice.

"This was the first time in my entire life that I had seen a black man. But you know what?" Elfriede turned around a content smile on her pretty face. "He was just smiling. He smiled at us. We were German, his enemy, and he just gave us a big smile. He said something but back then I couldn't understand. And then he gave me a candy bar from his jacket and went back to the truck and drove off."

Ludwig opened his mouth but he never came to the point of speaking because he was interrupted by a knock on the front door.

Elfriede turned towards the hall. "I'll get it."

"She is right, Ludwig. The Americans aren't the worst thing that could have happened to us." Norbert whispered putting a screwdriver and the finished watch aside. The blond man just nodded his head. Germany knew that too well. They heard steps outside the kitchen.

"GERMANYYYY!"

Ludwig bolted around staring wide-eyed, unbelieving at the slender young man who was throwing himself into the stunned German's arms.

~~oOo~~

So, I hope you liked it. Finally some GermanyXItlay in the next chapter. (Hihi, so exited. Yes, this is my fangirl outing :D ) I know telling the basics in the first few chapters is always a bit boring, sorry. And yes "Elfriede" is an actual German name ;) I think I'll also use the nickname "Friedchen" in future chapters.

Translation:

Liebes (German) my love / sweetheart

Bambino (Italian) boy