A/N: None of this is historically accurate.

Chapter 9: The Twit

After Feliciano had run off with Japan, Germany easily found Lovino. It would have been hard not to hear the retching. He gathered up Lovino, protesting in a slurred voice, and washed him up before putting him to bed. Lovino was asleep in moments. That done, Germany sat in a chair next to Lovino's bed and, sitting in the darkness, he folded his hands on his lap. There was no more paperwork to do and there wasn't enough light to read by. So he closed his eyes and started going back over the events of the past few days. He would keep Lovino, he decided. There was certain paperwork to be filled out and signed and there would be token gifts to be given, but Lovino would stay in his house. With more training, he would be a valuable ally. Training was the key… training fixed everything.

"Keep you arm straight," Prussia chided. "You want me to knock that sword out of your hand?"

"It's not a sword," Germany frowned, swinging his little practice sword. "It's wood; it's just a toy."

"Don't get fresh." With a swing of his own wooden sword, Prussia knocked Germany back a step. "You gotta train, kid, if you ever want to be strong! Don't you want to be strong? This world isn't a place for the weak. The weak get stepped on and kicked and don't have any fun at all because how can you have fun if you're not fighting?"

Back and forth they went with the wooden swords that Prussia had worked so hard to make for them. At the edge of their little training area, Hungry, with her long hair braided and hanging over one shoulder, walked slowly around them. Every now and again, she would call out her own comments.

"Faster, Germany. Move your feet." Or she would shout at Prussia for not teaching the right way or being too easy on Germany "How's he going to learn with you molly-coddling him?"

Austria never attended the training sessions. He would wait at home with tea and his fancy little cakes and when the rest of them arrived at home and then take Germany into the kitchen where he would wash Germany's face and check him over for bruises and scrapes and warn him against using the bad language that he'd undoubtedly heard from both Prussia and Hungry.

Germany woke with a started, jerking out of his dream so suddenly that it took him a moment to realize that he'd fallen asleep. He shook his head to wake himself, but all that got him was a throbbing pain in his head. He gasped and squeezed his eyes closed, balling his hands into fists as he waited for the pain to ease. It took some time, but when the pain began to let up, he put a hand to the back of his bandaged head. Just a light touch made him hiss and wince from the pain. Even in the dim moonlight, he could see blood on his fingers.

Still bleeding.

He would deny it with his last breath if anyone asked him, but Germany was more than a little worried about it. He was sturdy and his BOSS was always telling him that his people were the smartest and strongest people in the whole world. Surely, no injury should have lasted so long.

Doesn't matter, Germany told himself. Whatever the reason, it must be dealt with. There was no point in puzzling it over. Such an effort would be nothing but a waste of time and he had things to do and people to take care of.

There was a sudden, hard knocking on the front door and it made Germany rush from the room, hurrying to answer it before the noise woke Lovino. The way his head felt, the last thing Germany wanted was a sleepy, cranky Lovino. Finding Prussia with his arms crossed and a pouty sort of scowl on his face, was about the last things Germany was expecting to find when he opened the front door.

Prussia grinned wickedly when he saw Germany, though his eyes very obviously went to Germany's bandaged head. "And how's my baby brother?"

"Hello, Prussia. What do you need?"

"Do I need to have a reason to call on my favorite baby brother?" Prussia gave Germany a slap on the arm before he slipped by Germany and into Japan's house. "No, of course I don't. I just thought I'd drop by. You know, I heard something. Just a rumor, I guess, but it had me a little worried."

"Are you in trouble?"

"Usually. That's got nothing to do with this rumor, though. Not that you should believe rumors unless, of course, I'm the one telling them. Now I heard from Hungry, who heard from our little Liechtenstein, who heard it from that trigger-happy brother of hers, who heard it from Finland, who heard from Denmark, who heard it from England when they went out drinking – you know how he talks when he's drunk – that France was all upset because someone small and cute with big brown eyes and an adorable little curl of hair went and did bad, bad things to my buddy Spain." The wicked smile never slipped, not even thinking of one of his dear friends being hurt. "You wouldn't know anything about that, now would you?"

Germany took a moment to let the long stream of words work their way past his headache before he could understand what was being said. Then he shook his head. Someone hurting Spain... of course. "You're being foolish. South Italy is right here in this house. He hasn't had time to do anything silly."

"There are two brown-eyed cuties that we know."

"Are you talking about Japan?"

At that, Prussia scowled. "Now you're just being difficult. I'm talking about your Feli. What's this I hear about him turning up at Spain's house and using a pipe on him? Are you letting that kid hang about with Russia? I warned you about him!"

"What? Of course not. I told him to keep well away from Russia." And why would Prussia even think that Feliciano would do such a thing as attacking someone? Feliciano was far too gentle, too kind to raise his hand in anger against anyone.

"Yeah. And Feli always does what he's told, does he? Maybe we're talking about different Feli's."

"Look, is that all you wanted?" Germany rubbed his head and closed his eyes. Such absurd things to suggest about Feliciano…

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, little mister cranky."

Germany flushed. "You can leave now. You weren't invited."

"Wait! Oh, just wait. Geeze, where did your sense of humor go? Oh, yeah. You haven't got one. Anyhow, that wasn't all that I came for. I got to your house a few hours ago, thinking that I might have a bite to eat, maybe get a clean pair of boots, or a drink to help along my fighting spirit and do I find my industrious little brother building more weapons or organizing his troops or anything else suitably militaristic? No. I find Hungry lording over the place as if she owned it. What's going on?"

So Germany told him everything and, in his wariness and pain, didn't watch his words carefully enough and suddenly had Prussia yelling at him, demanding to know exactly how he was injured and what he was doing to take care of himself. "If I thought you were going to be so careless - "

"It was your friend Spain that did it!"

"So what? He attacks lots of people! You're supposed to be able to take care of yourself when I'm not around."

With a groan, Germany sighed. "Look, I'm fine. It's just taking a little while to heal because of the stress. I'm on vacation now, so the stress will ease and everything will turn out well."

"You've been under stress since you were born; that's your normal state. Ah!" Prussia exclaimed. "You haven't been eating, again, have you? I told you to stop skipping meals! And sleeping? Have you been sleeping?"

"You sound like an old mother hen."

"Cluck, cluck. Have you been sleeping?"

"When there is time."

"No. Not just when there's time. You have to…"

Rolling his eyes, Germany tried to look firm. "You can stop worrying, now. Everything is under control. I am quite well," It wasn't exactly a lie. "And I will be returning home, shortly. As for Hungry, she is doing me a favor by staying at my house while I'm gone, so be polite to her."

"Polite? To that - "

"If you're not, you know what she'll do to you. Now I have to go. There are things to do."

"Hey! Don't ignore me, you brat!"

"I have listened and now I have things to do." And if Prussia yelled any louder, Germany was fairly certain his head would explode. "If you want to stay, Japan will be home shortly and you can ask him."

"No, no. No time for visiting. There's fighting to be done and my people are waiting for me. I just wanted to check on you and to see about what happened to Spain." He gave Germany a spontaneous hug and slapped him on the back. "Try not to kill my friends – I've only got two. Now, you take care of yourself. Give Feli and Japan kisses for me and," he suddenly reached up and seized Germany by the back of his neck. He pulled Germany down and planted a noisy kiss on Germany's forehead, just below the bandage, then released him. "Be safe, little brother." He put a hand on Germany's chest, not on the tomato ring necklace, but just over the spot where the star on his shirt was hidden. "Hard times are coming."

"How do you know?"

There was a strange look in Prussia's eyes, something That Germany didn't recall ever seeing there. Pity. Prussia stepped back a little. "This is war, little brother, and if I know nothing else, I know war. Believe me – this is all going to get worse. I can feel… deep in my gut I can feel the darkness coming." He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. "The darkness comes in fire and poisoned air and in the weeping of innocents." Then his eyes sprung open and the frighteningly grave atmosphere was gone as if it had never been. The haunted, solemn look in his eyes lifted and Prussia grinned and laughed that maniacal cackle of his. "See you on the battlefield."

Then, he was gone.

Germany sighed. Just once, he wished his brother would make some kind of logical sense. He went back to Lovino and found him still asleep and silent, curled onto his side with his whole body pulled into a tight ball. His breathing was slow and steady, peaceful.

Standing about doing nothing was certainly the best way to drive Germany mad. He couldn't stand being idle. So, in the near darkness of the bedroom, he looked around for something to do. He wished he hadn't finished his paperwork. Maybe he should give Hungry a call just to check on Aster; it should be almost time, after all. Or he could polish his boots – he hadn't done that chore in hours. As he was mulling over tasks to productively occupy himself, he frowned at the room around him, noticing little details that had somehow escaped him, before.

Feliciano's bed had been made but… there were wrinkles! One side of the blankets and bed sheets were hanging longer than the other side. And his bag… Germany sighed in despair at the mess Feliciano had made of that. It was simply unacceptable; it wouldn't do.

So Germany remade the bed, pulling and smoothing until the sheets and then the blanket were perfectly flat and tucked in exactly right. Then he frowned and pulled the whole bed apart, folding the blanket into a neat square and setting it on a chair before he pulled the bed linens off. Those he put aside to be washed before he went to get clean linens. When the bed was, again, properly made, Germany sat cross-legged on the floor where he dumped out the contents of Feliciano's bag and started to repack. He refolded all the clothes and put them neatly back in the bag in the correct order - trousers on the bottom and then shirts on top. He tucked socks into tidy little balls and stuck those to one side and then put shoes on the top. He frowned disapprovingly at the shoes. They were leather and looked stiff. Impractical, at best, but at least they were polished. He made a mental note to buy some running shoes for Feliciano.

If he was going to run away from everything, he may as well have comfortable shoes to run in.

Done at last, Germany zipped the bag closed, but then noticed the kimono that Feliciano had bought, earlier. It hung on a hanger on the wall and looked almost like some kind of artwork. It was hardly practical. Made of silk and with such intricate hand-worked details, it must have cost a fortune. It couldn't be used in battle or even for cleaning the house. Strangely, Germany couldn't begrudge Feliciano for buying it. He wanted to fold it up and pack it, but he worried that if he tried to fold it that he would manage to damaging it, somehow. He'd never had anything made of silk, so he didn't know how to deal with the finery.

Germany stood and went to the kimono. He reached out a hand and gingerly ran his fingers down the front of it. The image of Feliciano wearing it, smiling brightly, suddenly danced before his eyes.

Lovino groaned and caught Germany's attention, making him snatch his hand away from Feliciano's kimono. He stood there for only a moment, watching Lovino toss and turn, before deciding that it would be best for his stress level and Lovino's temper if Lovino were to have a few minutes alone to adjust to his hangover without being watched. He quietly left the bedroom.

There were plenty of other things Germany could be doing, after all. Japan had many books that Germany had never read and he would have to call his BOSS, too. He'd only scheduled two days of vacation time and no one had really had any time to relax. Just one more day, he decided. And if his BOSS objected to the extension, he could always go back alone and leave the others in Japan's care. Lovino hadn't gotten much time to see all of Japan's gardens and Germany knew very well that Feliciano wanted to see the museums. Well, that could all be settled once Japan and Feliciano returned.

Lovino-

Lovino woke with a painfully throbbing head and the taste of vomit in his mouth. He groaned and rolled over. His whole body hurt. Worse than any of that was the fact that he remembered. Not only did he remember the almost numbing fear that had overcome him when he'd stepped out of the shower and seen Turkey standing in the hall, but he remembered… oh… he remembered that he'd told everyone why he'd run from Spain. He felt himself flush and pulled the blanket over his head. He squeezed his eyes closed, but the shocked faces of Japan and Germany and – worst of all! – his little brother kept staring at him in shock.

Like a child, Lovino stayed curled under the blanket while the shame washed over him. Everyone knew. His sweet little brother probably didn't understand what had happened, but Japan and Germany… both so serious and strong… how weak he must seem to them! How he'd wanted to impress Feliciano's friends! With all the attention he'd been getting from them, he'd started to feel almost special for the first time in his life.

Japan had been so considerate, so kind. When they'd ridden together in the car, Japan had actually listened to what he said and asked questions. He laughed at Lovino's jokes and he was so polite even when Lovino's manners slipped. He had manners, of course – Miss Belgium had taught him well – but, normally, he didn't see much use for them. Japan, however, was so proper that it felt only right to give him the respect of using manners when speaking with him. Who wouldn't want Japan to like them? He was small and pretty and so very smart and Lovino found that when he spoke to Japan, he ended up feeling not quite so worthless as he usually did.

Then there was Germany…

Lovino curled himself into a ball under the blanket.

What he wouldn't have given to have Germany's respect! But that was clearly impossible after the humiliating scene Lovino had made while drunk. Germany had seen him in tears and bawling like a brat. He'd held Lovino when he started throwing up. How could Germany ever respect him after all that? Lovino had been doing his best to behave well since Germany had taken him into his house. He'd been brave when Germany had given him the gun and told him to stand guard over Turkey and he hadn't thrown much of a fit when he'd seen that Hungry. And the boxing lesson! That punch! Oh, he would remember that instant until the day he died! Pride! For the first time he'd felt real pride in himself and, even better, Feliciano had been so proud of him. Japan had patted him on the back and he'd even caught a glimpse of Germany smiling at him. He wanted so badly to repeat that moment just to be able to feel the amazingly warm glow that pride had given him.

While the respect of others was important to Lovino, there was one person, above all others, that he wished to impress - Feliciano. If he could only earn his little brother's respect, then surely he could die happy.

Laboriously, Lovino got himself out of his bed and dressed in the half-darkness. He had never drunk so much in his life. He would occasionally have wine with his meals and, when he'd been younger, he'd snuck a few sips of something awful that Spain had left laying around, but he'd never drunk so much to make him insensible. It was only after he'd started for the bedroom door that he noticed Feliciano's bed was empty. The sight of the empty bed - clearly it hadn't been slept in – made him freeze.

Probably sleeping with Germany, again.

Familiar feelings bubbled up – anger and jealously and grief. He couldn't help it. For all that he admired Germany, he couldn't stop the ugly feelings when he thought of how close Feliciano was with Germany. He'd never been close to Feliciano, though it was no fault of theirs, but he'd always dreamed of a time when Feliciano would look to him for protection and when they finally had half-a-chance to be together, Feliciano had already found his protector in Germany.

It just wasn't fair.

Nothing was ever fair.

But, Lovino reflected as he finished dressing, fairness had never really been apart of his life. And he did want Feliciano to be happy. If it took Germany to make Feliciano happy…

He was all prepared to be in good spirits for Feliciano's sake when he peeked into the room where Germany had taken to sleeping, but frowned when he didn't find even a sign of his little brother. In fact, the blankets on the floor that Germany had used were folded neatly and set in a corner of the room as if they hadn't been used at all. At one side of the room, where two great sliding doors opened up onto a low porch and, just beyond that, a fine garden that captured Lovino's attention at once, Germany sat. Beside him, on the porch, were several books while he held another. His back was as ridged as ever, but his hands were shaking.

A quiet moment passed while Lovino waited to see if Germany would notice him, but when he saw Germany's head start to list forward before Germany shook himself and straighten his back a little more in an effort to keep himself awake, Lovino stepped out onto the porch with him and asked, "Where's little brother?"

"He went out with Japan. They'll be back soon, I expect." Germany's voice was soft and tired and his eyes were bloodshot and had dark circles around them. Had he slept at all the previous night? "How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Of course I'm fine." His head was still screaming at him and he couldn't stop the nasty queasy feeling of indignity he felt when he thought of how he'd behaved. To try to escape that feeling, he hopped off the porch and slipped away into the garden.

The flowers in Japan's garden were beautiful and healthy. Wandering through the garden made something inside of Lovino spark. It was as if his blood came alive just by being close to the plants, but that was no new thing. He'd always felt a special connection to… well… life. He stopped his wanderings when he happened upon a plant that he was unfamiliar with. He'd never seen such a deep blue blossom and the leaves were tinged with pink at the edges. Gently, he ran his fingertips over the leaves and leaned close to take in the scent.

He could feel Germany watching him, but when he glanced back, Germany was concentrating on his book, again.

He owed Germany.

It was an uncomfortable realization. He didn't like owing anyone, but Germany took care of Feliciano and he hadn't taken any liberties when he'd had Feliciano and Lovino in such an awkward spot when he'd untangled their hair and…

Lovino sighed. He owed Germany a lot. A glance over his shoulder made his scowl deepen. As Lovino had little means to repay Germany - for, really, he had almost nothing – he did the only thing he could think of. As he sat by the pretty little flower, he started to sing. It was just a lullaby, something he'd heard once, long ago.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm rowing a boat." Lovino sneered without thinking much about the idea that he was trying to do something nice for Germany. "What do you think? I'm singing. Flowers grow better when you sing to them. I thought everyone knew that. Geeze, even stupid little brother knows that. Of course, I had to teach him, but at least he does know it. Ya gotta sing to the plants or they just won't grow right."

Germany raised an eyebrow and frowned at a potted plant on Japan's porch. "Is that so?"

Lovino rolled his eyes. "You stare much harder and they'll wilt. Just relax." He started to sing, again, and while he did, he kept half an eye on Germany. After a moment, Germany did return to his work. As soon as he did, Lovino lowered his voice and drifted closer to porch where Germany sat. After a few minutes, he dropped down at the side of a small patch of orange flowers and just sat there and sang. As he did, Germany's eyes began to close. His head seemed to grow heavier and began tilting towards his lap. Several times Germany shook himself and rubbed his face to wake himself up. Eventually, however, Germany's weariness and Lovino's voice won. Germany fell fast asleep, his head slumped forward while the rest of him, somehow, remained upright.

That done, Lovino went in search of food. He didn't even get out of the room before his eyes fell on Germany's suitcase. On the floor, just next to the suitcase, were two pairs of boxing gloves.

Lovino put on his boxing gloves and smiled at them. It was awkward putting them on himself and he couldn't lace them properly, but when he finally had them on they did look splendid! He rushed to a mirror to look at himself and was so proud of his reflection. Lovino flexed his arms, but there was barely any muscle to show for it. Slowly, he was starting to lose that pleasantly warm feeling of pride. If only his shoulders weren't so narrow… and his arms skinny…

Lovino sighed, dispirited. If only all of him weren't so scrawny. If he were bigger, then maybe he'd get some respect. Germany got a lot of respect and look how big he was.

The ringing telephone drew his attention away from his miserable self-pity and, knowing that Germany was sound asleep, he quickly tossed the boxing gloves back to where he'd found them before he raced for the phone. He snatched the receiver off the phone with his customary, "What?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment before, "Who is this? Put Germany on the telephone."

Well, that's rude enough! "This is the guy who's gonna turn your ugly mug into mush if you don't learn how to talk decent to folk. Who do you think you are? Callin' up with no warning and then you start to make demands?"

"Now see here…"

"No. You see here, Germany's a very busy nation and he doesn't have time to talk to just anyone. He sure doesn't have time to bother with rude people what don't even have manners enough to introduce themselves and just start snapping orders here and there. And I'll have you know that I don't jump to anyone's orders, you…" and on he went. The idea that some random caller would wake Germany when Lovino had been so kind and generous and thoughtful as to put him to sleep irritated him to no end. He concluded his sharp tirade with a snort and a, "You should know to call at better times than when people are so busy."

The caller said, rather tightly, "You tell Germany that I am waiting to speak with him."

"You still haven't told me your name, twit."

After a flurry of growled curses and threats in German, the name was given. Lovino, blinked and then scowled. "You think I'm gonna do you any favors when you talk like that to me? Crazy son of a -" He hung up the phone before he said what he really wanted to say and grinned at it, quite please - a whole conversation without a single curse. Good job, me.

"Who was that?" Germany, still bleary-eyed from sleep, stood in the hall and ran both hands through his mussed hair, pushing it away from his face. When Lovino off-handedly told him the name he'd been given, Germany came fully awake. His eyes went wide and his hands balled into fists. "That was my BOSS!"

"Well, he doesn't know how to talk nice to people, does he? I mean, really! He's got horrible manners."

Germany, dumbfounded, just started, then he slapped his own forehead and muttered something. "Go start something for lunch. Japan and your brother should be back soon."

"I don't…"

"Go, now." Germany picked up the telephone and dialed. Before Lovino left the room, he heard Germany saying, "I'm here, sir. Yes. No. Sir, that person is undergoing training and we've only just started. He hasn't had time to learn the basics of international politics, as yet. Yes, sir, it won't happen again. You have my word. I'm very sorry, sir."

From where he listened, Lovino flushed hotly. Germany was apologizing for him. Germany was embarrassed… embarrassed about him? Lovino knew very well that the other countries laughed at him and his brother. He knew that everyone called them fools and cowards, but to be embarrassed just because Lovino had answered the telephone was too much.

He stomped the rest of the way to the kitchen, intent on finding something absolutely foul to make for Germany to eat. Instantly, Lovino cringed at the idea of deliberately making bad food. He just couldn't do it. No, he would make something fantastically wonderful, so marvelous that Germany would never again think that he was an embarrassment. Unfortunately, nothing in Japan's kitchen was anything like what Lovino was used to - the food was altogether different. He only stayed in there a moment before he left, meaning to tell Germany that he couldn't possibly make anything decent to eat without tomatoes.

Germany was still at the telephone and, if anything, seemed more uptight than before. "But I did tell you that I was going to Japan's house, sir," Germany said, sounding puzzled. "You must have forgotten. Sir, I… no." His back visibly stiffened. "Sir, it was necessary to…" Germany broke off, again. He seemed to be standing at attention even though his BOSS couldn't possibly see him. More and more, as he listened to whatever his BOSS was saying, his whole body tensed to the point that it actually looked painful. "Now? But I told them… I'm not arguing, sir. I wouldn't. It's just that… I promised. Yes. I understand. I'll be there shortly." He seemed to be moving more slowly when he hung up the telephone. He muttered, "I just wanted a few days… ah, well. Lovino!"

"Don't yell at me!"

Germany jumped and spun around. "How long have you been there?"

"I wasn't eavesdropping! You wanted food for everyone, but there wasn't anything I wanted to use in the kitchen and I don't have money to buy things from Japan's markets and I don't even know what half the things in his kitchen are. I didn't come out here to spy on you and if you think your conversations with your BOSS are that interesting that I'd want to waste my time hanging about just to listen in, then you're a lot more deluded than those Allies are always making you out to be!"

Germany blinked. "Deluded?"

"Their word, not mine."

"Just mind your tone. Now, go pack your things. We need to go."

"Go where? Why?"

"I have some work to do. It shouldn't take too long."

"What about little brother?"

"Japan will look after him. Go on. I need to make some preparations."

Germany-

Once Lovino had unhappily gone to do as he had been told, Germany leaned his back against a wall and closed his eyes. He just knew he should have let Japan, Feliciano, and Lovino go on vacation without him. If he hadn't gone, then Japan would have dealt with Turkey much more effectively and spared Loivno the anxiety that spurred him into drinking so much. Feliciano and Japan would have stayed with Lovino to look after him when Lovino confessed to what had him so upset that he'd run away from Spain. Everyone would have been enjoying their vacation much more if he'd just stayed behind.

Still, what was done was done.

Next time, he would stay behind. Just then, however, he would deal with the situation. With some spare paper, Germany wrote, in his precise handwriting:

To Feliciano and Kiku,

I have been recalled to my house. I am taking Lovino with me. Meet us there.

Germany

Feliciano would, undoubtedly, complain that it was too short to be called a proper letter. Too brief, too curt. Germany re-read what he'd written. It said exactly what he needed it to say, just as a letter should. So he shrugged and decided to teach Feliciano how to write letters that didn't babble on about everything under the sun. Perhaps, if Japan had no more pressing business, he would take Feliciano and Lovino back to his home for a more restful vacation while Germany dealt with whatever his BOSS wanted. Germany left the letter on the kitchen table where he was fairly certain that either Japan or Feliciano would find it and then, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows, set about a whirlwind cleaning of Japan's house. There wasn't much to clean as Japan wasn't the sort to let his home get messy, but Lovino managed to complain all the same when Germany told him to sweep the kitchen floor.

"I hate cleaning." He stood awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen and eyeing the broom Germany had handed him as if it were some alien thing that he wasn't quite sure he could trust.

Germany ignored the griping and kept scrubbing at the kitchen counter.

"It's clean, you know." Lovino had inched a little closer and scowled at the counter. "You don't have to keep at it like you're trying to kill it."

With a sigh, Germany turned to face Lovino. "Japan was very kind to let us stay in his home. Will you now insult him by leaving a mess for him to clean up?"

Lovino's scowl didn't lessen a bit, but he did put more effort into his work. Like his fighting abilities, Germany noticed, Lovino's cleaning skills left much to be desired. He tried. Germany had to give him credit for that – Lovino did try. It was just that nothing he tried to help with was ever done exactly right. It was enough to make Germany shake his head.

At Germany's head shaking, Lovino shuffled his feet a little and still kept his chin defiantly high in the face of Germany's obvious disapproval. "I'm just not good at cleaning."

With a dismissive snort, Germany said, "Cleaning does not require an inborn talent. To clean well you only need practice." Germany made a mental note to put Lovino in charge of bed-making and bed-making only as soon as they got home. He would make beds until he could get it absolutely perfect. He had to start somewhere and once he was able to make a bed that would pass inspection, Germany would give him a different chore to focus on.

Germany looked around and was entirely dissatisfied, not only with Lovino's attempts, but with his own. Another few hours and it would have looked presentable. He didn't have hours, though. His BOSS didn't like to be kept waiting. "Put the cleaning supplies away," Germany told Lovino. "We'll leave as soon as I get my bag. It's not an entirely wasted situation, I suppose. At least this will be a good excuse to allow your brother and Japan to have some more time alone." It shouldn't hurt, thinking of such things! The idea of his dear friends finding happiness shouldn't hurt him. He was such a terrible friend.

"What for?" Lovino asked as he put the broom back into the closet.

"They are in love."

"What? Wait! Just wait!" Lovino waved both hands in front of his face, then stared at Germany with a suspiciously raised eyebrow. "What are you talking about? Little brother and… Japan?"

"It is quite clear."

"Clear as mud."

"They have been spending quite a bit of time together and Feliciano was very eager to go sight-seeing with him alone, if you'll remember." Germany turned away from Lovino and pushed the awful pain aside. "If Feliciano hasn't mentioned it to you, then he undoubtedly feels it is too private a subject, at the moment." Germany glanced at his wrist watch. "We need to get going."

Lovino blinked, then, to Germany's puzzlement, sat down right where he'd been standing and crossed his arms. "I'm not moving from this spot 'till you start making sense 'cause I know I didn't go mad over night and I'm not still drunk – I wasn't drinking THAT much!"

"You drank enough." Germany scowled. "Enough to make your tongue very loose."

"What do you… oh." His eyes widened and he turned such a bright shade of red that Germany was afraid that he might faint. "Now look you – no reason for you to go bringing up all that. I was just babbling 'cause of the drink and there ain't no person anywhere who's gonna take serious anything a drunk says! Drink makes a person stupid and loud and," Lovino's eyes grew wide and he suddenly trembled. "It don't make them forget!" With the fearsome, sudden rage Germany was growing accustomed to, Lovino grabbed his hair with both hands and pulled. "Drinking didn't make him forget at all!"

"Lovino, let go." Germany took Lovino's wrists and squeezed just enough to get Lovino's attention. "Let go of your hair. You'll hurt yourself!"

"I don't care! I don't care! He lied!" Lovino released his hair and stared up at Germany with furious, teary eyes. "Don't you get it? He lied! Drinking doesn't make people forget! He only pretended that he didn't know what he was doing. He… he…" Lovino shoulders shook and his lips trembled so violently that he became unable to speak. Abruptly, he stood up. Once around the room, then twice he strode. His fists shook at his sides and he didn't seem to know what to do with himself.

"Lovino," Germany said, hesitantly. "Do you need to box?"

"Yes! Now! Now!"

They went down to Japan's back yard where Germany helped Lovino get the boxing gloves on before he put on his own. Lovino went at him at once. Just like the first time, it was really no great challenge for Germany. Lovino attacked with fury and passion while Germany blocked him and just gave him time to work out his wrath. Even when the worst of it was over, Lovino was panting and exhausted, doing nothing more than taking pointless swings at Germany. Then it stopped and Lovino stood with his head lowered and his arms hanging loosely at his sides. Germany could hear Lovino's labored breathing.

"He acted all innocent – like nothing had happened!" Lovino sniffed. "I thought he just didn't remember, but he did. He remembered and he didn't care because it didn't matter to him!"

"Many people react differently to alcohol. It is altogether possible that he honestly didn't recall what happened that night. That is no excuse for his behavior, but an explanation. That aside, you should understand that there is no reason for all of this panic. I suppose I can understand why you are upset, but you don't have to be any longer."

"I… I don't?"

"No. Now that I know what is happening I will fix it." It was just another duty to add to his list. Scrub floor, read training manual, kill Spain… "I promise - Spain won't be a difficulty for you anymore. Now, it's time to go."

Once back at Germany's house, Hungry was the first one to greet them, a fact that Germany found more than a little worrying. "Where are the dogs?" They were always first out of the door when he arrived home.

Hungry laughed lightly and gave his arm a pat. "Aster is resting and I sent the other two off with Austria to run off some energy."

Austria wasn't likely to be happy about that.

"You're home in time, though. I expect it'll be only a few days before she's ready." Hungry stepped aside to allow Germany and Lovino in. "Aster's in your office if you want to see her."

"I can't spare much time." Attending his BOSS was important, but Aster… she needed him. He was dimly aware of Hungry speaking quietly to Lovino as he walked away from them. Just as Hungry had said, Aster slept in her corner of Germany's office on a pile of blankets. She raised her head when Germany sat cross-legged beside her and stroked her head. "Soon," he muttered. "It won't be long and then think of all the noise and mess." He chuckled, despite himself, and scratched Aster behind her ears. "Just think of the state of my house with puppies running around. Well… Feliciano will be pleased, I think."

After an affectionate lick on Germany's hand, Aster put her head back down and went to sleep. Germany indulged in a moment of the silence and peace. He realized, then, that it had been a great long time since he'd been able to just sit and rest. That awareness made him suddenly very tired. With a shake of his head to rid himself of such usefuless thoughts, he stood and strode purposefully back to the entrance hall. Oddly, neither Hungry nor Lovino were where he'd left them. Instead, Lovino was leaning against the wall in the corner of the parlor while Hungry, a few paces away, spoke quietly to him. At that moment, Lovino didn't look friendly, but he wasn't yelling or swearing and Germany took that as a good sign. He wanted all of his allies to be comfortable with one another and it appeared that such a thing would take time with Lovino.

Germany said nothing to them and went to wash up and change into a fresh, pressed uniform. As he changed, he unwrapped the bandage from his head. With the use of a small, hand-held mirror, he was able to examine his wound for the first time in the bathroom mirror. Really… it wasn't that bad. Not nearly so bad as everyone had made him think. He put on his hat and felt quite satisfied that his BOSS would notice nothing out of the ordinary. His eyes were a trifle bloodshot and he was, perhaps, just a touch pale, but he didn't believe that his BOSS would notice his state.

On his way out of the house, he peeked in, again, at Lovino and Hungry. Hungry had moved a bit closer to Lovino, who still watched her guardedly. She smiled sweetly and stood with her hands behind her back, unthreateningly. It was progress, if only a little.

"I will return shortly," Germany announced. "Mind the house."

Hungry nodded, pleasantly. "South Italy and I were just starting to have a nice conversation. Perhaps," she looked shyly at Lovino. "You'd like to see Aster? She'll be a mother, soon."

Lovino's eyes lit up, brilliantly.

Germany wasn't a bit surprised at Lovino's reaction. Despite how anxious he'd been upon first meeting the dogs, Lovino had obviously been won over by how wonderful Germany's dogs were. Germany thought back to how he'd found Lovino and Aster in the rose bushes. As always, Aster knew best.

Interrupting Germany's thoughts, Lovino asked, "When are you coming back?"

"As soon as I'm able to. Don't worry. Hungry is very strong. She will look after you."

A short time later, Germany arrived at the office of his BOSS and knocked.

Prussia would have laughed at him. Knocking? What sort of nation knocked on the door of his BOSS? Asking permission to enter? It was laughable. Even England, who prided himself on his manners and etiquette, wouldn't have thought about asking permission to enter any room within his domain.

"He thinks himself above you," Prussia had once snarled after meeting Germany's BOSS for the first time. "I don't like him."

"He saved me."

"He's using you. I'm on your side, always, but don't trust that human too deeply."

A familiar voice from inside the office called out, "Come in." Germany's BOSS was alone when Germany entered, but that was no surprise. His BOSS always met with him alone. It was almost as if he didn't want anyone else to meet Germany.

With his boots sounding too loud against the wooden floor, Germany marched in, closed the door behind him and then went to stand at ridged attention in front of his BOSS' desk.

The man was short with small eyes and dark hair. For all that he was not impressive to look at there was something about him that had drawn Germany to him when he'd first come to Germany's attention. There was something strong in his eyes, a power in the way he spoke to Germany's people. Germany had so admired his BOSS when he'd started coming around. When Germany had been so poor after the war, when he'd been so weak and so alone, the man who would later become his BOSS had turned up and he'd spoken so kindly to Germany. He'd helped get Germany back on his feet. Thanks to advice from his BOSS, Germany was strong enough to defend himself and his allies, but…

It was a secret. A deep secret that he'd never told anyone.

The secret that he kept so carefully guarded was that he didn't actually like his BOSS. He was grateful to his BOSS and he would always do as he was told, but when it came right down to it, the fact was that he didn't really like the man. He knew many nations who liked their BOSS'. Prussia adored his Fritz and both Austria and Hungry had been very fond of their archduchess Maria Theresa. Perhaps there was something wrong with him as he didn't like his BOSS.

He had in the beginning. Germany had liked the man well enough to let him become his BOSS, but, lately… something was wrong. He had the awful suspicion that his BOSS was keeping something from him. But he had helped fix so many awful problems and Germany didn't want to be weak, again. It was even more important now than it had been after the previous war; he had so many people to protect. Everyone depended on him to be strong and he wouldn't let them down.

Germany's BOSS sat with his hands folded and, as soon as he gave a wave of his hand to allow Germany to stand at ease, stood and started to slowly pace the room. "Reports are favorable. The war is going well, to this point. Don't you agree?"

"Yes, sir. Our soldiers are first class and they fight with courage and honor. There are always set backs, but we are steadily gaining ground."

"Excellent." He stopped his pacing at his office window and looked out at the city beyond. "Soon… soon they will all fall before me; no nation will withstand my might. Any that dare think themselves above - or even equal to - my nation will be destroyed."

"Any but our allies."

Germany's BOSS abruptly stopped pacing and looked at him, sharply. "What was that?"

"Our allies. They are our equals but we won't destroy them."

"You are fond of them?" Germany's BOSS regarded him coolly. Then he smiled and went back to sit behind his desk. "I promise that your allies will be treated in the manner they deserve. Now, I have a task I want you to handle."

"Yes, sir."

"Very good." He gave Germany a pat on the arm. "Such a good soldier. We're in the midst of a terrible war but you're strong… our people are strong. They're getting stronger. Everyday Germans become stronger and stronger. All we have to do is stay with the plan."

Germany said nothing. It wasn't the first time his BOSS had spoken about his plan, but whenever Germany would ask for details, he would be told that it wasn't his concern. Though he'd stopped asking, he still didn't like The Plan. Something about it, just the idea that his BOSS would keep something from him, made him very uneasy. It was almost as if his BOSS didn't trust him.

"You will build a prison." Germany's BOSS went back to stand behind his desk and looked down at several papers he had strewn out across it. "The specifications are finalized and the workers are all in place."

"But we have prisons for the soldiers taken in battle."

"This won't be a prison for soldiers." Germany's BOSS picked up one of the papers from his desk and handed it to Germany. "This is to be an inescapable prison, a prison that no one will ever leave."

It was the oddest thing – when Germany took the paper from his BOSS, his hand burned. It wasn't painful, exactly, but he could feel a distinct prickling. It was as if he were holding his hand just a little too close to a fire. A glance at the paper showed that it was a blueprint for the proposed prison. He studied it carefully, but there were some things about it that he didn't understand. He didn't admit that, of course. What good would he be to his BOSS if he didn't understand such a simple thing as blueprints? He resolved to study more about blueprints and prisons. Perhaps if he understood more about prisons he would understand why this new one had such absurdly big ovens. Germany felt a twitch in his stomach; something was wrong, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. Gas? Pits? It didn't seem like a prison.

Germany's BOSS went on, clearly unaware of Germany's disquiet. "This prison will house the most dangerous, most foul influences on our society; people who shouldn't be allowed to be near our good citizens." He turned away from Germany and stared at a wall so intently that Germany, in a brief moment of fancy, wondered if his BOSS was seeing something that Germany couldn't. "We will have the strongest people in the world - an ideal for all to admire. In order to do that we must eliminate all that is weak and corrupt in our society. We will rid this country and, eventually, this world of all who would weaken it. We will not allow the few undesirables to spoil what can become great. All of those undesirables will be isolated and disposed of." Then he turned back to Germany with a smile. "Such a grim face. There's nothing to look so worried about; it's all for your own good."

"Sir, I don't understand."

"That's alright; you don't have to. Just do as you're told."

"Yes, sir." Germany looked back down at the blueprints. At the top of the papers, written in his BOSS' small handwriting, was the name of the new prison.

It would be called Auschwitz.

To be continued…