Everything was a blur. Throbbing pain pounded through her head, nearly numbing out any feeling except for the faint comfort of arms wrapping around her. They left too soon. A simple hug? No, the feeling was replaced by something being draped over her up to her neck. A blanket? Where would she be then? Maybe a hospital? Was she found that quickly? By who?

Her eyes fluttering open, Felicianna counted the three pairs of eyes watching her intently.

"Ve…." Felicianna's vision cleared a bit by the time they smiled.

"Good, you're awake." The nearly booming voice was soothing to her. the Italian turned a little to look at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed German to her left. She smiled as bright as she could despite her weakness. Blinking a few times as she sat up, a little gasp escaped her when those familiar cold lips met hers. Felicianna turned pink, losing her mind at that moment. The only thing to break her from her stupor was the squeak of someone's shoe on the ground, obviously made to be quite loud.

The German stepped back from her, turning away stiffly to watch the doctor walk in the room.

As her eyes were locked on the stranger's movements, Feli was unaware of the increasingly cold indigo eyes set on her own form.

Once released from the hospital (that day, thanks to the influence of the American on his own people), Felicianna cheerfully walked around outside, noting that the snow had drastically decreased, leaving an innumerable amount of puddles in the road to slowly evaporate with the increasing temperature. The weather was so strange in America.

Wish the snow cleared enough, the scheduled world meeting was only slightly postponed in time. This was great news for the German, since that meant he wouldn't have to spend an extra unplanned day at Alfred's house.

Upon entering the house, the American and the German joined Roderich and Elizaveta in the living room to inform them that Felicianna was alright.

The named Italian, though, decided to spend the clearing day in Alfred's backyard, running around and kicking the slush that was the melting snow as if it she were little again. It wasn't often she saw snow; much less had a chance to play with any substantial amount.

Those cold indigo eyes continued to watch her, his red sweatshirt pressed against his brother's house as the Canadian took note of her movements. Almost like dancing…

Every twirl, every step and slip of the snow beneath her feet was recorded into the Canadian's mind. She was so pure, so innocent and lovable. Her charm was unlike any other nation's, and despite his previous thought, she noticed him.

Felicianna came to a stop, her bright grin aimed at Matthew. The glint of his glasses disappeared as he moved his head a bit, slightly surprised at the attention he was given. Were it any other country, he would have been no more prominent than a brick in the wall of the house. He couldn't help but smile.

His gaze was so fixed on her entrancing caramel eyes that he couldn't tell she was walking closer to him until the scent of pasta and Italian spices was nearly overwhelming.

Her gentle arms wrapped around him, depleting the space between his sweatshirt and his skin during the embrace. Matthew's heart fluttered, and he believe he'd be able to die happy right then and there.

Too soon did her arms release him. His smile faded a bit, tempted to throw his arms out and pull her in again towards him, never letting go. She giggled, that seductive Italian accent lacing her words perfectly as she spoke.

"Grazie, Matthew! It was great to know you were there at the hospital too!" Her speech was like a drink you couldn't get enough of. Her accent filled his ears and drowned out any coherent thoughts aside from his blatant desire to hear more from her.

Then it hit him.

She actually spoke his name. That was new. The smile returned even wider to the Canadian's face, every doubt that she didn't know his name either erased from his consciousness.

"Ve~ Are you okay?" A little finger poked at the flesh of his cheek. He looked down at her again, coughing in his sleeve for no particular reason

"I-I'm fine, Feli." He said quietly, although it was easy to tell she heard him. Nodding and taking his hand, she skipped back into the house without a word.

Entering the house, the unnamable aura was almost crushing his lungs. Felicianna didn't seem to care…either that, or she didn't notice it. She let go of him as they both entered the living room with the other countries. Felicianna sat between Alfred and Ludwig, Matthew eyeing them as he stood and listened to the conversation. It seemed they were on the subject of the world meeting later today.

Speaking of which…

Another break. Thankfully with the meeting being delayed slightly, the countries had more of a plan for what to pitch when it came to ideas.

Felicianna was the only country left in the room, eating her sweet lemons cheerfully. Ludwig had been with her, but within the last minute he'd left to go check up with Vash and tell him his thoughts on the Swiss' idea.

Sweet, sticky juices covered the clumsy girl's fingers as she peeled the lemons and ate them with no notice of the other country in the room with her. The only noises were the soft spurt of juice from the lemons, her chewing, and the occasional little noise from her that indicated a bit of tartness to the fruit.

Maybe I just have to be more forward….

Strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, bright blue eyes looking down at her calmly. A little startled, Felicianna lifted her head and immediately became aware of the sudden flutter of her heart beat as she stared into those clear orbs.

"You're making such a mess on the table, Felicianna."

Her mouth fell open a little in surprise, her name being spoken in that seductive American accent causing her to almost lose it right then and there. She didn't, though, and she reluctantly left his gaze to look at the table.

It was true. In the eagerness to taste the snack she'd brought, little droplets to juices and splattered and clung to the wood, making a sticky mess.

She glanced around the table to see how far the little droplets had spanned, only broken from her investigation becuase of warm hands running down her arm and taking her wrist gently.

Feli's heart beat even faster.

"May I have a taste?"

A gasp escaped the Italian's lips as her hand was gently lifted upward and the American moved to her side, her finger slowly slipped into his mouth and sucked on carefully, his tongue exploring the length of her finger to indulge in the sweet lemon juice until it was gone.

Felicianna watched him in shock, her face turning redder and redder as he moved on to the next finger and did the same, taking his sweet time to leave no millimeter of skin untouched.

Two fingers this time, his tongue slipping between the two and sucking the flavor off them greedily. Time seemed to stop; or pause, at the least. Felicianna couldn't even hear the tick of the clock nearby, her own mind going completely numb at the heated sensation charging up her arm and into her heart.

His closed eyes opened, those piercing blue eyes capturing her gaze as her ring and pinky finger were slowly pulled from his mouth. He continued to firmly hold her hand as he licked his lips. She could feel her heart beating faster as he lightly kissed her palm, tracing the tip of his tongue across her warm flesh to her wrist and up her arm. Her eyes widened as her lips were taken by his, his sweetened tongue entering her mouth and exploring freely.

A little moan escaped her, their fingers being intertwined. Slowly, her eyes fell shut as she gave in to the warmth. It was overwhelming to her the amount of love she felt poured into that one kiss.

Intoxicating.

Cautiously, she wrapped an arm around his neck, and in response, he pulled her onto his lap, his arm snaking around her waist and pulling her against him.

He could feel the heat emanating from her body and through the cloth separating them. This was nearly everything he wanted it to be.

If only it wasn't for-

The door creaked loudly, a hard slam of a boot on the ground following. The two broke their loving kiss to turn and look at the door.

Felicianna paled, her eyes widening in shock, fear, regret, and pain when her eyes were hesitantly met with ice blue ones.

He was frozen, completely immovable from the shock and confusion in his heart. Clearing his throat, the German stepped back and out the door, the only sound being the click of the closing door for a few minutes.

Alfred turned back to Felicianna, his eyes filling with worry and apology as he watched the warm tears roll down her cheek.

Slowly, he reached up to wipe the little droplets of water from her cheek, only to have his hand swatted away. Shuffling off his lap and onto her feet, Felicianna stepped back until she fell into her own seat, lowering her head to hide the frown that rarely crossed her face.

Not again…

He wasn't going to let her slip from him again…

Did he go too far?

Of course not…right? He poured everything he had into that kiss, and she knew that. She wouldn't completely deny him…it wasn't her nature. From what he could tell, she loved him too.

Loved.

Such a strong word.

But it was true. He loved her. He wanted her his, and he would do whatever it took to make it so. That's why he even—

A little whimper escaped her. He frowned, moving forward to the edge of his seat and wrapping his arms around her firmly, pulling her close to him despite her protests. After a few minutes of silent crying, she'd finally calmed to a soft tremble.

Those weren't the only tears she wanted to shed. Both ashamed and hurt, she was as confused as possible about her own feelings. She loved Ludwig…that was obvious…but she also loved Alfred beyond comprehensible belief. There was simply something about him that pulled her toward him.

Countries began filing into the room, signaling to the two silent ones that break was over.

Germany wasn't present for the second half of the meeting.

Throughout the conference, Felicianna had twiddled her thumbs silently under the table, everyone else too preoccupied with the heated debate on global warming to pay her any attention.

There was a single exception.

Sky blue eyes were focused on her, a frown still crossing his face. Occasionally he had to move and participate in the conversation with coherent ideas, but he went back to watching her otherwise.

He wouldn't let her go, no matter what.

He had to prove to her that she would be his—that she was his from this point forward.

Felicianna calmly declined going out to dinner with some of the other countries once the meeting was over. The others finally realized that something was wrong, but they wouldn't speak up.

Silently, she made her way back to Alfred's house to get some peace and quiet…most likely also to cry out the rest of her tears before she could logically figure things out.

Upon opening the door, her caramel eyes were met with determined blue ones, those all-too-familiar orbs piercing right through her knowingly, causing her heart to wrench up.

"C-ciao…" Feli said quietly, shutting and locking the door behind her. He sat at a chair not too far from her. Felicianna quickly averted her eyes as she took off her coat and hung it up, slowly walking past him.

"G-goodnight, Alfre—" Briskly, he grabbed her arm and pulled her against him as he stood, his lips capturing hers roughly and his other hand restraining her from protest. Little noises came from the Italian as she was lifted off her feet and carried up the steps into the master bedroom.

Squirming against his grip, Felicianna tried everything she could to stop him, but his strength compared to hers was too far a difference.

His lips moved from hers as he brought her arms up above her head and handcuffed her to the bed frame with a pair of cuffs from the nightstand. She gasped, trying to pull free of the binding as he nipped at her neck and sucked on the tender flesh hungrily.

Despite her better judgment, she shut her eyes, her struggling becoming weaker. As his newly freed hands explored her body and slipped underneath her clothing, her mind slowly went numb.

Maybe this is what she wanted? An easy answer.

This felt so right to her…but there was something off about it that she couldn't place.

A cold wisp of air brushed across her arms, snapping her back from numbness enough to realize her mouth was moving.

"No…no…no…no…" She repeated her denial. When did she start speaking?

He wasn't listening, his teeth nibbling at the flesh at her neck to leave one more bite mark. He'd already left some on the other side of her neck, his eyes still filled with passionate determination to fulfill his twisted desire.

Yes; he was raping her. He was also well aware of that fact. But the minute surrendering she slowly showed him was enough to tell him she wanted this. It may not have been conscious, but she wanted it in some way or another.

Her verbal denials weren't even enough to have him quit what he was doing.

Muffling her words by bringing his lips back to hers, he forced his tongue down her throat, eliciting a squeak from her in surprise.

He smiled.

The American was thoroughly elated at her squirming, the little noises that escaped her when he showed her something new, her precious, small, and delicate frame would be undoubtedly his property by the end of the night.

She wouldn't take this joy from him. She'd know very well whose she was.

Not even that German would be able to step between them.

But was this the way to do it?

Alfred snuck a glance at the clock.

7:45

The two had the house for at least two hours before the other countries came back from dinner. Plenty of time.

The pawn moved forward, mercilessly placed in the path of the rook.

AUTHOR'S RANT:

*excessive bowing* I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry this update took so long!

I blame Antonio for distracting me with his lovely….tomatoes. ;3

Hehe~

Well….I'm so sorrryyyyyy! DX

Missing the first few days of school really piles up on you…BUT! I promise that I won't abandon this fanfic, Da~lings! ^^

I will definitely keep posting chapters! And whether or not they're sporadic or not will pretty much be up to my teachers…and the work load they give me…

Urrggghhhhh!

Like my little teaser? More "Fun stuff" in the next chapter!

CIAO~