Chapter 12
They spent literally hours like that, talking on the phone. The subjects they spoke of were really insubstantial – the weather, politics, and so on – but it meant everything to Lovino. Security wrapped around him like a blanket, and he no longer feared rejection or abandonment. From that one simple conversation with the elder nation, Lovino knew he was loved and wanted, and he also – finally – figured out that Antonio would never do anything to hurt him. He really had known that all along, but now he was able to accept it as truth. Antonio loved him, and he loved Antonio. End of story.
The only reason they hung up with one another was because Ludwig had walked into the room and kicked Lovino off the phone. But Lovino was riding such a high of happiness, he was content with saying goodbye and giving the phone over without a fight. He walked out of the office with an idiotic smile on his face and odd stares from Ludwig.
Lovino found himself in the kitchen, where Feliciano was washing dishes and baking at the same time. He was singing and upbeat love song Lovino knew well. Without thinking, Lovino found himself singing along with his fratellino. Within seconds, the two of them were bouncing around, hand in hand, like they were kids again.
They slowed to a halt, when they ended, Feliciano giggling as he shouted, "You are so happy, fratello! It makes me even happier!" The younger forced a hug with the elder, and it was tightly returned. When they separated, Feliciano asked with a smile, "So you talked with Big Brother Spain, right?" Lovino nodded and Feliciano continued, "My big brother's in love! Ve!"
The giddy happiness came rushing back, and the two of them danced around some more, singing, "Amore! Amore!" until their throats ached. Lovino felt pretty stupid doing this, but he was really happy, and Feliciano was happy, too. All the happiness crowded over his normally-ornery behavior.
This all came crashing to a halt when Honda ran into the room, screeching, "Please! Please!" When the brothers fell into silence, he continued, "It's Germany-san. Something's happened."
Feliciano's face fell. "G-germany? Is he okay?"
Honda just turned and ran. Thoughtlessly, the Italys followed behind.
They followed the Japanese man into the living room area, where Ludwig sat at one of the couches, tightly wrapping his right arm around his waist. The left arm was holding a bucket up to the German's face, which was mostly hidden within the silver lips of the bucket.
Lovino watched in shock as his fratellino ran over to his lover and collapsed at his side. "Germany, Germany!" Feliciano cried, arms outstretched as if to touch the other but never quite making contact. "Germany, what happened?"
Lovino continued to stare, in horror, as he realized that whatever wound that was on Ludwig's front had gone through to his back. The German coughed what Lovino suspected to be blood into the bucket. Between sputters, he attempted to respond, "D-dresden. Dresden. T-those…fuckers…bombed Dresden."
Feliciano blanched at the horror of it. Lovino turned his attention to his brother, carefully watching the younger's face for signs of faint.
"Dresden?" Lovino heard himself say as the pieces finally began to fall into place. "Isn't that a civilian city?"
Ludwig managed a small nod.
Lovino cursed hotly, ran a hand through his hair. "What the fuck are we supposed to do? I don't know how to treat such bad wounds."
"Bad?" Feliciano repeated, panic rising through his vocal chords. He looked to Lovino, to Honda, to Ludwig, and back to Lovino. "It's bad? How bad? Will Germany be okay?" Feliciano sprang to his feet and grabbed Lovino's shoulders.
Ludwig continued to vomit into the bucket.
Lovino cursed once more, louder than before.
"What about Spain-san?" Honda interjected. The brothers shot their attention to him. "He's the oldest one out of all of us, I think. At least, he has more experience with treating such wounds."
Feliciano gasped. "He would know what to do!"
Lovino's heart raced at the thought of Antonio, fell when he realized the problem with that idea. "He's three hours away, at least."
"He's our only other ally," Honda said, more firmly than was expected of him. "He can instruct us over the phone if he must."
Feliciano nodded vigorously. "He's right, fratello! We must try something!" The two bolted for Ludwig's office, leaving Lovino alone with the ailing country.
Finally, after so long, Lovino was able to will his legs into motion. Gulping, Lovino sat beside Ludwig, who seemed to be choking on his own blood a little less than he was before. Tentatively, Lovino rested a hand on the German's shoulder, almost afraid of breaking the far more muscular man. "A-are you alright?" Lovino murmured, feeling ridiculous for asking such a stupid question.
Ludwig managed a nod. "Spitting up…a little less blood." He looked up to Lovino and managed a smile as he finished, "I'll take that as progress."
Lovino managed a small, shaky smile in return.
The German coughed once more, sit a little into the bucket, and wiped what was on his mouth onto his sleeve. He put the bucket to the side, straightened up, and moved his right arm away from his stomach.
More blood. From that point to his knees, he was covered in it.
Lovino paled, realized that he had been correct; the wound pierced all the way through Ludwig's abdomen. "Um," Lovino began, looking for something to close the hole up with, "maybe you should take your shirt off…" Ludwig complied, removing both his jacket and the tanktop beneath. Lovino nodded, his thoughts racing. Without conscious though, he tore Ludwig's tanktop into two long strips. He tied the ends together and tied that tightly to the German's waist. Ludwig grunted but did not complain.
"Okay," Lovino murmured when he was finished, "lie back…or…something. Relax now."
Ludwig chuckled. "No need to tell me twice." he carefully laid back onto the couch, using it for a makeshift bed. Lovino got up so Ludwig could have somewhere for his legs to rest.
A moment of silence passed. Ludwig brought a hand up and ran it through his hair, cursed in German. "No damn warning…I need a cigarette."
Lovino considered finding him one, decided against it. "How about a potato instead?" He joked, attempting – and failing – a lighter mood.
The bombed nation managed a smile.
If anything, all of the attempted-lightheartedness was making things more awkward. Lovino had known Ludwig since Feliciano had first befriended him, and never once had he laughed or chuckled. Not when Lovino was around, anyway. And they had certainly never been so cordial with one another before. It was so odd…
Feliciano and Honda reappeared, then. The younger of the Italys ran to Ludwig and threw himself at his side. In an instant, Feliciano was all over the German, holding his hand, brushing hair from his eyes, kissing him. To top it all off, he was speaking in rapid Italian, Venetian dialect. Lovino knew most of the dialect, but with Feliciano speaking it so rapidly, he was completely unable to decode it.
Attempting to get at least his thoughts in order, Lovino turned to Honda and asked, "What did Antonio say?"
In a low voice, so Feliciano wouldn't overhear, Honda responded, "Spain-san said to tie it, apply pressure. He said that is the only thing that can be done until he arrives with more conventional means of attending to the wound."
Lovino attempted an uncaring nod, but his heart was racing with excitement. In three hours – or even less! – Antonio would be here. Everything would be okay then; he would know what to do.
Lovino felt a pang of guilt for placing Antonio over a badly-wounded Ludwig, but he knew Ludwig would recover.
He turned to Feliciano then. "Brother, brother," he said softly, lying a hand on Feliciano's head, which currently resided over Ludwig's chest, "calm down. He's okay now. Everything's going to be alright."
Feliciano was still crying, but the hysteria had subsided. He mumbled incoherently and buried his face in Ludwig's chest. Silently, Ludwig used his free arm to rub Feliciano's shoulder.
Honda leaned into Lovino and whispered, "Let's give them some time alone."
Lovino nodded and said to his brother, "Fratellino, I'll be back later."
The lovers barely noticed their departure.
Lovino followed Honda into the kitchen, where they tended to Feliciano's forgotten cake. It was overcooked, but not yet burnt. "Tsk," Lovino mumbled after poking the cake, "he won't accept this."
"Why?" Honda asked as he attempted to peer over Lovino's shoulders. "It looks fine."
"This is an Italian we're talking about." Lovino turned to the other with raised eyebrows. When Honda did not seem to understand, Lovino added, "With us, it's either perfect or unacceptable. And if any Italian lives up to that rule, it's Feliciano with his cooking." Lovino took a moment to think, then sighed heavily as he set the cake on top of the stove. "We'll let him decide what to do with it later."
A moment passed before Honda returned to the last of the dishes in the sink. "Is that all you ever do?" Lovino asked as he scrunched his nose in distaste.
"It's as good a way to pass the time as any." Came the relaxed response.
Lovino stared for a moment longer before grabbing the dish towel and beginning to dry and put away the dishes.
The shore went in silence, and never once did Lovino create a huge mess. He had to admit, he was proud of himself.
He still hated chores, no matter how calmed he was.
The two of them crept to the living room, only to find Feliciano curled onto the couch with Ludwig, holding the German tightly. Ludwig had his arms wrapped around the Italian as well.
They were both asleep.
Before Lovino could think about how cute the scene before him was, the little Japanese man accompanying him hobbled over to the couch and took the bucket of blood and vomit.
Lovino's nose scrunched in distaste once more. "What are you doing?" He hissed, though Honda made no notion to answer him.
Lovino followed after the elder, who wobbled with the bucket all the way outside. Once there, Honda lowered the bucket and straightened, cracking his spine as he did so. "Ah, these bones are to old for all this excitement…"
"Are you going to tell me what you're doing or not?" Lovino snapped with an angry fold of his arms.
"See for yourself," Honda offered. "Take that and pour it over that garden." He pointed to it.
Lovino tried to cover a noise of disgust with a cough as he picked the bucket up and brought it over to the garden. Without giving himself time to think, Lovino thrust the bucket forwards, causing all of its contents to shower over the patch of vegetables.
Instantly, they started to swell and grow until they were perfectly ripe. Against his will, Lovino's mouth began to water at the sight of a bushel of completely ripe tomatoes. "Wow," he murmured as he looked around him. It was nighttime, but still, he could see and feel everything around him growing. Crickets seemed like they were chirping louder and happier, even the night sky seemed more vibrant. "Wow," Lovino repeated as Honda appeared, a basket in hand. "What just happened?"
"Germany was bombed." Honda said simply as he put a cabbage head into the basket, "Ludwig-san is Germany. By pouring the lost blood over the native land, you restore some of what was lost. You make things a little easier. When we return inside, Ludwig-san will be a little better, as well."
"Wow," Lovino whispered again, feeling like an idiot for having nothing better to say.
Honda smiled and silently walked back inside. Lovino followed just as silently.
"Spain-san is not expected for at least another two hours," Honda broke the silence when they entered the kitchen. "I would suggest getting some rest. It's nearly dawn."
A tsunami of exhaustion crashed over Lovino, then, and he realized how long he'd going without even a siesta. Part of him wanted to wait for Antonio before he slept, but exhaustion always won over reason. Lovino mumbled a goodbye to the Axis ally and dragged himself to his borrowed room.
A/n
IT'S FINALLY HERE! I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON YOU!
Don't worry about Germany - he'll be okay!
The town that got bombed - THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. If you never heard of it before, I suggest you look up the bombing of Dresden. It occurred during World War II and it was in fact a civilian town. I learned about this from the book "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut. This whole chapter is sort of a tribute to the book and to poor Dresden - lots of people died for no reason, and yet no one really knows about this history bombing of WWII. Spread the knowledge!