A/N: And chapter four begins! If any of you are wondering, the song lyrics that I post below for every chapter is meant to be sort of a hint of what's to come in the , how a particular person is feeling. It's there for a reason. Feel free to interpret, if you like! Though, this chapter's song is rather obvious...

Hello my friend, we meet again
It's been awhile, where should we begin?
Feels like forever
Within my heart are memories
Of perfect love that you gave to me
Oh, I remember
- "My Sacrifice" Creed

Two weeks had passed since Ludwig had come over and tried to talk to him. Within those two weeks, Germany had tried talking to him again. Calling him, showing up at his place, and even sending other reluctant countries in his place to contact him.

He ignored all the countries that came to his door, ignored Germany's phone calls and especially him himself when he came to his door. But as his gaze drifted over to Holy Roman Empire, he knew it was all worth it. In a twisted way, it really was worth it.

After all, he got to spend time with Holy Roman Empire. It was worth a lot to him.

It was mid-afternoon when Holy Roman Empire and Italy went to lay down in Italy's backyard, staring up at the clouds. The sun shone down brightly on them, mirroring the smile that brightened Italy's face.

"Ve! Holy Roman, look!" He pointed up into the sky, at a peculiarly shaped cloud, "Doesn't that one look like a ladybug?"

After finding the cloud Italy was pointing at, Holy Roman Empire frowned, tilting his head to the side, "It..." He started, narrowing his eyes in speculation, "...they all look like ladybugs, Italy."

Italy gasped, glancing from the boy beside him to the clouds, "No, they don't! Look, look," Italy pointed out various clouds as he spoke, "...that ones an ice cream cone, that ones a dragon..." His eyes swivelled to the far right of the sky, "Ooh! Ooh! There's even a cloud shaped like a plate of pasta!"

Holy Roman Empire shook his head, and stood, brushing off any remaining grass clinging to his clothes. He turned, and started to walking back to the house.

"Eh? Holy Roman? Where are you going?"

When Italy received no response, he stood and watched as he disappeared into the house. Italy followed, confusion spreading across face. When he entered his back door, Holy Roman Empire was nowhere to be found.

"Holy Roman?"

There was a loud crackling noise from his right, and Italy turned, following the sound into Holy Roman Empire's bedroom. The door to his painting room was open, and Italy walked in to find Holy Roman Empire with an easel propped up in front of him, paints open on his right.

Italy walked forward and grabbed a nearby chair, sitting himself in front of a similar easel, and picking up a paintbrush. Italy's eyes landed briefly on the paintings they had painted together before – a sunflower garden, a sunny day in Venice, and even a picture of Italy himself.

He smiled. The lines were drawn crookedly, and the shadowing all wrong. Even though they were painted crudely, they were definitely some of the most loved paintings he owned. After all, Holy Roman Empire had painted them.

They were treasures to him now.

His attention was drawn from the paintings Holy Roman had made to the boy himself when Holy Roman pulled back, making a satisfied noise. On the canvas was a drawing of something Italy couldn't quite describe, so he tilted his head in hopes of making more sense of it. It didn't work.

"Uh...Holy Roman?" He didn't want to ask because Holy Roman Empire looked so proud of it, but he continued on, "What...is that?"

Holy Roman Empire blushed, eyes darting from the painting to Italy's face in embarrassment, "I-it's..." He gestured to the painting, "...it's a pasta cloud!" Italy blinked once at the other boy, before returning his gaze to the painting.

Now that Italy looked closer, it almost could be a pasta cloud. But only, it seemed, if you had a good imagination. Which luckily, Italy had, so he grinned and laughed, "Try this."

Standing up, Italy walked behind Holy Roman Empire and reached down to grab his hand. He guided Holy Roman Empire's hand across the canvas, teaching him properly how to shade and create depth. They went over the outline of the cloud, creating a wispy look, yet pulling it all together in the end to make a pasta cloud.

Italy stepped back, admiring his and Holy Roman Empire's painting. "It looks great! Right, Holy Roman?" Holy Roman Empire nodded his agreement, eyes locked on and lighting up as he examined the painting.

Italy's stomach growled.

What was he to do now? Two weeks had gone by and Germany still hadn't been able to get Italy to listen to him. Something was definitely wrong, and he wasn't any closer to finding out what it was. He was so used to Italy telling him everything, even the little things that he could really live without. Friends told each other things, right? He and Italy were friends.

Weren't they friends?

They were allies! Allies depended on each other when they needed it.

Germany's eyebrows pulled together in a frown. Allies or friends. It didn't matter. There was something wrong with Italy, and it was his duty as a friend and an ally to help him out.

Though he'd never admit it out loud, he did miss Italy. Things were too quiet on their own. When he got home, his house seemed empty. His voice echoed off the walls hauntingly, his bed far too cold to be normal.

A blush heated his cheeks, and he looked down and fiddled with a stray piece of grass. He was seated in a field, filled with flowers, trees and lush green grass. It served mostly to him as a shortcut to his house, but once and a while he came here just to think. He liked it here, it was calm, quiet and peaceful.

Italy would have liked it. He made a quick mental note to show Italy this field when he started talking to him again. He sighed then, his situation overcoming him again.

What was he going to do?

A sudden gust of air was blown into his ear, and Germany cringed, his hand flying up to protect it. It was something Italy would have done, and as his eyes swivelled to find the culprit, some type of hope he couldn't crush flared in his chest.

Only to deflate sadly as his eyes met his brothers. He scowled.

"Don't make such an angry face, West!" Prussia laughed, throwing himself down onto the ground beside Germany, "After all, the awesome me is here now."

"That's exactly why I'm upset."

Prussia grinned in return, staring up at the sky, "I was at your place, but I hated waiting so long, so I came here." Germany gave the other a look, before returning to the piece of grass he was twiddling in-between his fingers.

"After all, this is where you come when the missus is on your mind."

"I do not!" Germany spluttered in embarrassment, cheeks burning red. Prussia only laughed, sitting up and turning towards Germany.

"I'll tell you what," Prussia started, leaning towards Germany, "I'll go to the missus's house. Since he won't see you, or Japan or France." His grin widened, "After all, who could resist a visit from the awesome me?"

Italy came bouncing down the stairs, eyes alight and matched with a huge smile, "Holy Roman!" He called, coming to a halt at the bottom of the stairs. His eyes landed the boy and he bounded over, noticing only when he sat down by Holy Roman Empire, that he looked sad.

Italy's smile dropped from his face and he leaned forward, concern etched into his voice, "Holy Roman? What's wrong?"

Holy Roman Empire jumped, as if noticing the other just then. His eyes darted wildly from the ground, to Italy's face and then to his lap. Italy reached forward, placing his hand on Holy Roman Empire's shoulder, "H-Holy Roman?"

"I..." Holy Roman Empire muttered, before lifting his eyes and meeting Italy's, "I just...remembered something strange. I don't know if I imagined it or not." His eyes returned to the ground, confused.

Italy's eyes grew worried even as his stomach flipped in anticipation. Holy Roman looked so sad to him, so very, very sad. "W-what did you remember?"

"Well..." He frowned in concentration, "I remembered I lived at this house, once. People named Austria and Hungary lived there as well. But there was also another person living there..." He paused, taking a deep breath, "She was a maid there. She had the prettiest brown hair, and she loved to eat pasta and paint. She tried to teach me."

Holy Roman Empire felt the couch shift, and he smiled, "I loved her." The girl's face became clearer to him as he spoke, "But...I don't remember her name. And one day, I had to leave her. I don't remember why. I told her I loved her, and kissed her, and I never saw her again."

Holy Roman Empire looked up from the floor, only to jump in surprise as he saw the tears running down Italy's face, "I-Italy!" He reached forward, eyes confused as his hand landed on Italy's shoulder.

"Why are you crying?"

"I...I...," Italy stumbled over his words as Holy Roman Empire's story washed over him. He sniffed and rubbed at his eyes pointlessly, tears falling in a hopeless gush.

He couldn't describe how he felt. Was it happiness? Fear, anger, or loneliness? How did Holy Roman Empire remembering, like he had wanted him to, make him feel? Joy? Despair? He didn't know. Too many emotions ran through his head, and all he could do was cry about it.

Italy's sobs turned into wails again, with Holy Roman Empire panicking at his side.

"I-Italy!"

"I'm fine!" Italy managed to choke out, "It's just...I don't know why I'm crying..." Now he was lying. He had done it before, but he didn't know how else to respond. He couldn't tell Holy Roman Empire anything, if he did, what would happen?

Would he believe him? Would he turn away in disgust and leave him?

There was too many possible outcomes he couldn't afford. And too many painful outcomes for him to imagine, let alone to happen. So he lied.

"I...just started to cry, is all!" Italy nodded, closing his eyes and willing his tears away. Eventually, his tears stopped, and Holy Roman Empire relaxed at his side.

"You're...going to be okay?"
"Yes! I'm fine, Holy Roman. Really."

Holy Roman Empire looked unconvinced, but backed off. He then opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a loud knock that echoed through the house. Italy's back stiffened, and felt tears threatening to spill over again. Italy shook his head once, and felt the burning in his eyes recede.

Standing up, he walked to the door, Holy Roman Empire right on his heels. Italy stopped a few feet away from the door, and paused. The knocking persisted. Frowning, he turned away from the door and walked towards the kitchen.

"Open the damn door already!"

Italy stopped, turning back towards the door. Was that Prussia's voice?

"I swear, I'll break it down!"

Holy Roman Empire looked at him curiously, then back towards the door.

"I'll fucking do it!" There was silence behind the door, then Prussia's voice rang again, "One, two..."

Italy rushed to the door then, pulling it open and meeting a smug Prussia. Italy eyed him warily; Prussia rarely ever visited him at home. He always talked to him at Ludwig's.

"Did Ludwig send you?"

"Pffft!" Prussia scoffed, "Do I look like the type of person to be ordered around?" He moved to step into the house, and Italy, acting on instinct stepped in his path. Prussia frowned, "Is that any way to greet the awesome me?"

Italy felt Holy Roman Empire move behind him, and Prussia's eyes focused downwards and behind him. Italy's heart raced. He couldn't let anyone find out about Holy Roman Empire.

"Was that..?" Prussia muttered, taking a step further into Italy's house.

Italy panicked, "N-no one's here! It's just me. I'm all alone." He tried to reassure Prussia, who just looked him in the eyes with pure disbelief, "Bullshit. I ain't falling for that." Then Prussia pushed his way past Italy who squeaked in surprise.

Italy reached out in panic and grabbed onto Prussia's jacket, attempting to tug him back outside, "Prussia!" Italy cried, tugging uselessly. When he felt Prussia freeze in place, Italy knew he had lost.

"What the fuck?"

Prussia was staring straight at Holy Roman Empire.

Italy could only watch in horror as Holy Roman Empire stared at Prussia and muttered, "I know you..."