When Spain finally regained conciousness and woke up, it was just about noon. He sat up slowly and was a bit startled when he felt the afghan and the cool, damp rag from his forehead slide onto his lap. He raised an eyebrow in confusion.

Where did these come from? he wondered and why am I naked?!

He looked around frantically. His battle ax was on the ground by the door and a lot of smeared blood. His clothes were on the ground next to the couch and felt a bit damp when he touched them. Finally he saw in the armchair in front of him, a sleeping Romano.

He's so cute when he sleeps! he thought, but that was before he noticed a large red handprint on Romano's left cheek. Spain took the rag from his lap and suddenly realized that he was covered in bandages from head to toe. Is that my blood everywhere? he thought quizzically. It didn't matter. It made the house feel heavy and bitter, so it had to be cleaned. He pulled off the afghan and took the rag in his hand. When he tried to stand up from the chair he felt a rush of pain run through his bones. He ignored it though. Spain walked over to the armchair and leaned down to gently wipe the dried blood from Romano's face. When he finished, it seemed as though Romano was going to wake up but instead he rolled over with his back to Spain and squeezed himself into a tight ball.

Must be cold. Spain thought. He took the afghan from the couch and put it over Romano's shoulders. Romano smiled in his sleep. Spain smiled. He was so lucky to have him.

Spain's stomach grumbled loudly. Better get something to eat. Spain reasoned. He limped into the kitchen and continued to wonder, how did I get hurt to begin with? The reason just wasn't there. He scratched his head but only felt the bandage that Romano had put there the night before. Spain chuckled and unwrapped the bandage from his head.

Thats when it hit him.

It was a battle. He was with France and Prussia when it happened. They were fighting against a British fleet headed their way. That coward England wasn't even fighting alongside his crew. he recalled. But it didn't matter. His men were a tough enough to withstand most of their attacks. He was captured. If it hadn't been for France and Prussia, he may not have made it out alive. It hadn't been the first time that this had happened though. It was almost as if England wasn't even trying. Spain felt sick. That he could be so weak.

All of the thinking was starting to give him a headache so he tried to push the thoughts to the side. But he couldn't. The smell of blood and cannon fodder. The yells as people attacked from left and right. The pain from when he was stabbed by that lucky British bastard. Spain's heart was racing and it hurt. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears. It was all too much. He leaned on the countertop for support while he bent down clutching his heart.

"Spain?" Romano was standing in the doorway towards the kitchen rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Spain's face was twisted with pain and fear. Romano stared back at him his face filled with worry.

"It's nothing." Spain said. He straightened out his back and smiled, "I just got hungry is all."

Romano looked at him all but convinced.

"Honestly! Anywho, thanks for the bandages too." It looked like that did the trick. Romano stopped asking questions and it looked like his fears had subsided.

He slowly walked over to Spain and hugged him. Romano only came up to Spain's nipples but it didn't matter. Spain blushed a little. The hug was gentle because Romano was trying to avoid opening the wound across his chest.

Romano closed his eyes. "I thought I was going to lose you." he whispered.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"I-I-I said I guess I can go and p-p-pick some tomatoes for lunch." Romano said. He came away from Spain with his head down then he crossed the kitchen floor to the back door and headed out towards the garden.


Spain had made a tomato soup for the both of them and they ate it silently on the front porch. After Romano had taken the dishes inside he came back out with a clean shirt and pants for Spain.

"Here." he said tossing them in his face, "Put these on before you get sick or something." Romano turned his head away from him and pouted to hide his lightly blushing cheeks.

Spain smiled slyly, "You're so cute, it's almost like your my nurse."

"I am NOT your nurse!" Romano snapped back spinning on his heel, "And stop calling me cute."

"But you are!" Spain had finished pulling on his shirt one handed and standing up to put on his pants.

"No I'm not! You can only call girls cute!" Spain stepped closer to Romano.

"But I think that your cute."

"I'm not a girl though!" Spain was directly in front of Romano now. He leaned down and kissed him full on the lips. Romano's eyes grew wide and his face burned brightly. It felt like an eternity before Romano slowly began to back away.

"I-I-I'm gonna go w-w-wash the-the-the..." Romano couldn't get the words out as he stumbled back into the house. He picked up Spain's bloody clothes and took them to the wash basin in the backyard. He just sat there a rubbing the clothes against the washboard silently while he waited for his heart to calm itself. Spain you bastard! he screamed in his head.

Spain chuckled and walked back inside. He picked up his battle ax and put it in a closet next the door and took a mop to the blood on the floor. The house was starting to regain its usual happy and light-hearted feel.


Night had fallen and Spain had sprawled himself on his bed with a book. Romano walked into the room from the hall and stood in the doorway. He was in his long, poofy nightgown that made him look much younger than he really was and frantically wiping his face as if he had been crying.

Spain lay the book open on his chest and looked up. "Is everything okay?"

"I-I h-had..." Romano was choking on the words and his eyes continued to fill with tears. Spain opened up his arms and Romano walked over and lay down next to him under the sheet. Spain put his arm around him and gently rocked him. He didn't need an explanation as to what happened.

"Everything's gonna be okay Romano. I'll always be there when you need me." he cooed. He put a bookmark in his book and put it on the nightstand. "Was it the killer tomatoes again?" Romano always seemed to have those kinds of nightmares.

At first Romano was reluctant to say anything. Spain just looked down and smiled at him cluelessly. Why can't he understand! Romano thought. He sat up quickly and threw off Spain's arm. Spain winced a bit because it seemed that Romano had thrown it a bit to roughly. His eyes filled with tears again and Spain stopped smiling as the tears flooded down his cheeks.

"It was never the tomatoes!" Well maybe once or twice. Romano thought to himself. "I'm just worried about you! And...and...I'm scared."

Spain stared at him. "What's there to be scared about? I'll always be here for you, and you know it." Spain reached up to ruffle Romano's hair, but he pushed it away, gentler this time.

"That's just it! Y-your not always here! When you leave I'm all alone here!" Romano's voice was getting louder but it was still shaky. "I get scared. Are you going to make it home? Is something going to happen? I can't stand being here by myself!" Romano couldn't take it anymore. He buried his head in his hands and sobbed. His body shook violently with every heavy breath he took.

Spain watched him go on like that. He didn't know how much he had hurt the one person closest to him. He reached his arm out and pulled Romano to his chest. "Can you hear it?" Spain asked referring to his heartbeat. Romano nodded, not saying a word. "As long as it still beats, I won't leave you alone in this world. I promise." Romano forced a faint smile and closed his eyes listening to the rhythmic beat of Spain's heart. It was a comforting sound that eventually put him to sleep.

Spain lay his head on Romano's and drifted into a nearly restless sleep.. Who knew he was causing so much pain to the one he was trying to protect?