Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia.
A/n1: I got over 1,000 reviews! I got over 1,000 reviews! I got over 1,000 reviews! Oh, blissful blissfulness! After Bottoms-Up, I had never thought I'd ever write a story that would get over 1k reviews again – but LOOK AT DIS, UHUH!
Thank you all so, so much for your undying support and attention, each and every week! You make this all possible, really. ^^ Be proud, people! You deserve it!
Now, all stand in a nice, neat line, so I can give you all internet-shaped pats on the back to express to you my immense gratefulness and all that other sappy shit!
A/n2: Confession #2: I use music for many things in my life. For example, school. Whenever I was having difficulties finishing schoolwork in time during the most crucial parts of the school year, I actually found myself a theme-song that would inspire/motivate me to keep on working hard.
Like last year, my theme song was "This Head I Hold" from Electric Guest.
The years before that, my theme songs were "Save Me" from Gotye, "Hell and Back" from Greg Holden and "Maybe Tomorrow" from the Stereophonics. (what do you mean you see a connection with school here, that's obviously only coincidence *snorts*). Oh, I should probably mention I sometimes had more than one theme song in a year, in case you get confused by the songs and years.
And finally, the year when I firstly experienced the pros and cons of being a pedagogue-student, my theme songs were "Fader" from The Temper Trap and… "Makka Na Itto", a song that was put together with a Chibitalia/HRE-focused AMV! XDDDDD Pfffrt, oh gosh, I need help.
A/n3: The wonderful kitkatkatee made me yet another piece of fanart! 8DDDDDDD Yay! Yayayayayayayayay! It's Matteo and Mia. God, I love her art, it's so cutesy and unique and pretty! ^^
~~ And Three Makes Five ~~
Chapter 53:
I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift,
that gift would be curiosity.
Eleanor Roosevelt
(American politician)
And so I suddenly found myself driving towards an Italian city, all by myself.
It was great. The weather was simply wonderful, the roads weren't too busy – probably because most schools were anxiously waiting for their holiday breaks and most people still had to work – and although my car didn't have air-conditioning, I could make up for that by driving with open windows and one of my arms nonchalantly leaning on the car door.
I had put up the volume of my radio/CD-player and god was I enjoying driving and life and all that good stuff as I zipped over the road. Seriously – it does wonders for one to just get on the road every now and then, just to race and feel alone and awesome!
Oh – that reminded me, or so it struck me as I passed a huge, stinky truck: this was the first time in, well, almost ages that I was completely alone, once again. Over the last few months, I had never been alone, safe for, um, well, maybe a couple of minutes, because Antonio and the kids were always close by (which was perfectly fine by me, don't get me wrong, I loved spending time with them).
And before I had come back to Spain, I hadn't even been alone either, since I was around Feliciano constantly. Sure, I still felt alone and incomplete – I hated being apart from Antonio for such a long time, goddddd did I hate that – but I wasn't really alone. Not alone-alone, I mean. Just… alone.
Ugh, forget it – point is that I now was all by myself for the first time in months, and it actually didn't even feel that bad. Hell, if I had to be honest, I felt kind of relaxed right now: no whining children around me, I didn't have to do yet another deep talk with Antonio about life and sex and kids and love and right now, on this empty highway, I didn't need to pay attention to anyone else than myself (and the traffic).
I had some me-time! Good god – I actually had some me-time.
…
Pretty lame to have me-time when you didn't have anything better to do than drive.
But oh well – me-time was me-time and I was going to fucking enjoy this delightful peace and quietness (safe for Mika squealing through the car that he liked 'big girls' or whatever) to the fullest.
\0o0/
At first, I really liked the fact I was all alone.
I mean – I'm not a really sociable person. I like to be on my own, with my own thoughts and own opinions and own activities. When I was still a brat, god, I hated it to be around others for too long. Partly because I always thought I wasn't good company and because the others were bastards anyway, but also because being around other nations exhausted me. They were so hysterically outgoing all the time, those countries my brother and I (sort-of) hung out with, and Antonio certainly wasn't an exception – he even was the worst of all. Whenever he was around, I felt restless and weird and helplessly angry.
…now I know that was probably because I had feelings for him, sure, but back then, when I was still a kid, trying to keep up with the rest, I thought it was because he was wastefully energetic.
Which never changed, by the way: he still is wastefully energetic, even after all those years. Even with the kids around. Even while being sick and tired of it all. Probably even when I'm not around.
…
…
Yeah, and just like that, right after crossing the border between France and Italy, I all of a sudden wasn't feeling that psyched about being on my own anymore. It was pretty ironic: I had managed to drive for hours, crossing both Spain and France without feeling bad about being alone for a second – but now that I was in the place I originally belonged, where I recognized all the Italian buildings, houses, streets and surroundings, where my goddamn family even was born, I instantly felt lonely.
You shouldn't feel lonely at the place you came from. It's just plain wrong. But nevertheless, it still happened – this uncomfortable feeling that you get by being far away from your loved ones still overtook me.
…well, it wasn't like I pulled over, dropped myself out of my car and started bawling like a huge sissy, but trust me, I got a pretty big lump in my throat when I took a break from driving at some point and grabbed my cell phone to check the time. That that happy family-pic displayed on the screen was pretty darn confronting.
It was taken a few days ago, I thought, when we were in the backyard. It had cost me and Antonio fucking hours to catch all of our annoying offspring and to decently install one of our phones that way that it could take a cool picture of all of us, and man, it definitely showed: Antonio and I looked into the camera with this chaotic look on our faces – although our smiles were genuine, I knew they were – and in-between the two of us, our three kids stood, or tried to do something like that, with a red-faced, angry Luisa placed between her twin brothers. All hand-in-hand.
God, Alejo and Matteo looked so wacky, with their way too big grins, and Luisa was adorable, even when she carried a frown bigger than her entire existence, and Antonio may have looked tired, but he looked sexy and hot as ever, and even I stared into the lens like I was one badass dad, and that's probably the reason why I had made it my cell's wallpaper.
…
Now why did I have to look at it now, dammit? I hadn't even glanced at it after I had put it on my phone, and now I suddenly wanted to study the image with such a ridiculous passion that it kind of scared me. Had I, I, of all people, unconsciously turned in a dedicated, full-blooded family man or something? Me? One of the most socially-awkward people I knew?
…
Well… good thing that I hadn't planned on pausing too long, anyway.
So I sighed, took something to snack on and a cold drink, put away my phone – deep in my pocket – and got the car engine running again.
Luckily, I wasn't too far from Venice anymore.
\0o0/
After I had arrived on a large parking lot outside of Venice, I got out of my car and took a long, big stretch – nothing feels better than cracking your joints after such a long trip, after all, and it sure felt good to be out in the open.
Venice is Europe's biggest car-free area, so I couldn't enter the city with my car. I mean, what the fuck – of course you can't go entering a city of pure beauty with evil, stupid, smoke-producing, ozone-layer-destroying, sight-ruining nightmares of steel we call cars. You just don't do that. You get the hell out of your damn vehicle, you put it somewhere nice, in the shade of a tree or anything, and then you could enter the City of Romance and Much More Fantastic Shit and let the magic happen.
No – not "shit". Only pretty things. Yes. The City of Romance and Much More Fantastic Pretty Things. That's what I meant to say. Obviously.
But anyway, I had arrived in Venice – well I was walking towards the city, but okay – and so, I needed to call Antonio. I took out my cell phone again.
I grinned weakly as I dialed his number. Heh, I dared to bet he would instantly answer his phone, all happy and excited and glad to hear from me, like the stupid moron he was…
But…
Well, it took a while.
When I had heard that monotonous 'beeeeeeeep' tone for the fifth time, I was beginning to get worried – he's not answering? – and annoyed – why the fuck isn't he answering me, dammit, the House must be on fire at the very least – but then his phone was finally answered.
'Lovino – hi, Lovino! Hi!'
'Hi, bastard.' I snorted and puffed my cheeks – but my mild annoyance was dulled when I heard his wheezy kind of breathing. 'That sure took a while. What were you doing?'
'Ah, I'm sorry, sweetie, but I can explain! You see, I had left my phone on the chair next to our bed, and then the kids came to visit me, and then it suddenly started – aw, don't cry, Luisa, you'll get to play with the teddybear later, after Matteo – to ring and – yes yes, Alejo, you get to play with it after Luisa – and they were in the middle of a fight and then Matteo took my cell and dashed off with it!'
'…right.' I snorted when I heard the distinguished cries of our demon children in the background.
'Yes! And then – no! No no no, a million times no! – then I managed to grab him and snatch my phone away from Matteo, but then he started to bawl, so I gave him his teddybear – why are you still asking, Luisa? No! – just a random teddybear, but then Luisa and Alejo got jealous and wanted to play with it as well – look, I already said "no", so don't bother asking! – and then I picked up my phone!'
'Wow, so it's a madhouse, huh?'
Antonio groaned, said something to Germany – I guess – and the he subsequently went somewhere where it was nice and quiet and kid-free.
'I swear, Lovino, they were very sweet and adorable – until my phone started ringing. Then EVERYTHING when down the drain, for some reason. It was like I triggered something huge, ahahahahaha! Kids are so very weird!~'
He laughed, and I smiled as well. 'You still sound like you're having fun, though.'
'I guess I am, yes… but Lovi, I'm so tired…'
'You should take a nap after this call.'
'We'll see.' Antonio sighed, but then continued in a more cheerful tone of voice. 'But hey, you called! That must mean you're in Venice, right?'
'Sort of – I've just parked my car. I'm walking towards the city now – it's a thirty-minute walk from the parking lot, did you know that? Anyway, the weather's great and the people around me seem to be upbeat.'
'Hmm, sounds good. I wish we could be there with you. I… um, well, I guess I can tell you now, since it's not going to happen anyway… I had planned to go to Venice with the kids as well, sweetie! As a surprise for you! Since we wanted to go to Venice anyway!~'
'What?' I said, irritated. 'You're sick, idiot! Don't come here while you and Matteo are sick!'
Antonio let out a nervous little laugh. 'Yes, I kind of expected you'd react like that – even Germany told me it was a pretty stupid move of me. He said you went to Venice to look for Feli, not to have a romantic family trip with me and the kids…'
'As much as I hate to admit it, he's right, Antonio. I can't go do fun stuff here – that would be plain irresponsible! Not to mention selfish! But…' I cleared my throat, '…but… it was a sweet gesture. You meant well. Thanks.'
'Don't mention it! Anyway, since I already had put extra money in your bag (for all the activities and other amusing places of interests in Venice, since the city's very expensive) I thought it would be nice to tell you about my – original – plans when you would discover all that money and call me up in panic to question me about it…'
'…you sure have an interesting way of surprising others.'
Antonio didn't hear me. '…and then I'd tell you the reason why I had given you that much money, and then I had hoped you would be all happy and moved and excited, but… well, like I told you – after you left, I suddenly realized you probably wouldn't be too happy with me and the kids hopping over, so I called it off.'
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. 'Great. So I have a bag full of (whispered) money, and I don't even get to decently use it. I feel like some sort of weird, failure (whispered – again) smuggler now.'
'And that's where you're wrong!~' Antonio happily informed me. 'Why don't you use that extra money to have a nice brother-bonding week with Feliciano?'
'…to have a what-now?'
'A brother-bonding week! With your brother! You! Don't you think that's a nice idea? You and Feli both love art and architecture, you're both Italian, you've both not been in Venice in ages… why not make the best of it?'
'I don't know, Antonio.' I frowned. I had actually wanted to get this stupid shit over with as soon as humanly possible, just to race back to Spain and that strange family of mine as soon as possible—
God, yes, I had a family. What the hell. I actually had a real family. A husband and even kids. Wow. I felt myself getting warm and fuzzy inside. I hadn't even fully realized I had made a family of my own up until now…
But as soon as I realized this, I also immediately understood that Feliciano was family as well. My brother, even – my weird, completely different-from-me brother.
Antonio was right. I should focus on Feliciano now.
'Alright,' I gave in, 'alright, I'll go do fun things with Feliciano as well. Who knows, maybe it'll cheer him up and make him feel better. And then I'm coming back. And then, after you and Matteo get better, we'll go back again! That okay?'
Antonio's side of the telephone-line got quiet all of a sudden.
'Antonio?' I said. 'Are you still there?'
'Ah! Sorry – I was just musing about something…' Antonio hastily replied.
'Musing about what?'
'Well, we… don't have the money to go to Venice with the kids later, now. The money I gave you is… um… almost all the money I got from our Bosses.'
'Oh, right. But that's not a problem, right? You can just call them again and ask for more – it's for the kids, after all. Didn't they say it didn't matter how much money we'd want spend, as long as it was for the kids?'
'According to Germany, things have changed.' Another loaded silence. 'He recently discovered that for some reason, the governments of the European countries no longer hand out money to us personifications – not even when we want to spend it on the children. They claim to have given out too much money or something, they want to avoid giving us too much, since the nations are in distress and the European economy sucks and what not…'
'Sounds like they're just making up excuses.'
'I don't know what to think of it – ugh, and I regret telling you about it like this. I wanted to wait to tell you this until you would have come back from Italy, but…'
'Don't sweat it. I can handle it.'
'You promise me to have a nice time in Venice anyway?'
'…'
'Lovi? You promise?'
'…yeah, I promise, dammit.'
'Okay, I trust you. Also, don't worry about the kids and me – we're doing great, and Germany's making us a very Germanic dinner tonight, yum!'
'Ew, he's going to feed you potatoes, isn't he?'
'I hope so – I've always wanted to try some of those, but you never let me. But now that you're all the way in Italy, I can finally eat them without feeling your disgusted glaring scorning the flesh off my face!~ I wonder if the kids like them?'
I gasped. 'Don't you fucking dare letting them eat that shit!'
'Maybe they'll even grow to like potatoes more than pasta!~'
'Don't say that – don't even think it!'
'But anyway, you should get going now, sweetie, because Feli's probably waiting and this phone call is extremely costly and we're getting poorer by the second. Alright?'
'I–!' I feverishly thought of something interesting to say – I didn't want him to hang up yet, 'I'll call you again tonight, okay? To say goodnight to the twerps. And… and you.'
'Okay.' Antonio chuckled, as if he felt embarrassed – in a good way. 'Then I'll talk to you again tonight, my love.'
'Yes.' I felt something heavy on my chest. 'Yes, that's… that's fine.'
'Great. Now, have a great time in Venice, and say hi to Feli from all of us!'
'Will do.'
'Bye, sweetie. I love you.'
'I love you too.' I closed my eyes and sighed, again. 'Goodbye.'
\0o0/
Before I knew it, I was wandering around in Venice.
…
I hadn't even noticed I had even entered Venice in the first place. I was just so completely out of it, I didn't even feel like gushing about Venice and how miraculously fantastic this city was. Not a second. Not even a split-second. Not even a split of a split-second – that was how much I was out of it.
I just walked around the canals and the old, colorful, broad houses, covered with details and stretched-out windows in all kinds of art-styles, and tried not to bump into any of the people that were gasping and taking pictures of what-not around me. I had a mission, after all – I needed to get to one if the Houses where Feliciano lived whenever he wasn't in our House in Rome.
Feliciano had lots of Houses, all spread through Italy. I think he got at least five Houses. Well – we got at least five Houses, since they're mine as well, but I only feel at ease when I'm in the House in Rome. That's my birthplace, after all.
…
Not the House. Nooooo. The House hadn't been built yet when I was born. But you get the picture.
Anyway, Feliciano was crazy about Venice and had lived in lots of Houses there – he never stayed put in one House for too long, since he wanted to "experience the city" better by constantly moving and making the Boss and his governmental underlings pay for it – so I hoped he could still be found in the House I thought he was. Otherwise, I… well, I actually didn't have the faintest idea where that moron could be.
With that in the back of my mind, and while thinking of some sort of plan B, I went to the right when the gray, crumbling pavement split up in some sort of crossroad, and found myself walking into a more secretive part of Venice, the part where people hang their laundry outside their balcony and where you can still find old election posters on pale, withered, neglected buildings.
It was a very narrow, dark street, the street I was walking on – pretty curious, since the antique residences around me weren't specially broad, big or overwhelming. But the massive, almost scary trees growing freely around this part were blocking most of the sunlight, and the roots of these green titans were breaking through the white and cracked pavement, like they were trying to get away.
It was a very suffocating, but at the same time amazingly beautiful place, this strange, uncontrollable street – and I could tell why Feliciano would like to live in a street like this. As for me, yes, I'd like to have lived here as well – if I never had gotten married. Or kids. Or, you know, happy in general.
…
I wondered… was Feliciano happy right now…?
'Lovino?'
I recognized that voice, snapped out of my hazy thoughts right away and looked to the side. There, in the door opening of house number 11 (or 17 – I couldn't really tell anymore), Feliciano's gloating face all of a sudden was. Smiling, grinning and oozing happiness and relief.
'You're here! You're really here!'
'Feliciano!' I stammered, sighing from relief as well. 'Thank God I found you – and thank God you still have the same House here!'
'Come on in, come on in!' Feliciano cheerfully said, running towards me to grab my hand and pull me over to the House. Confused and overpowered, I let him, and two seconds later, I found myself standing in a very dark, cramped hallway – with only one locked door (covered in cobwebs) and a stairway leading upstairs. There were no windows – the only light from outside came in through the dirty glass that was part of the door.
'Um,' I started, while Feliciano didn't wait for me and sprinted up the fucking stairs like he was a fit young Italian goat with cat-vision or whatever, 'so you… don't use all of the House?'
I know it was a stupid thing to say – but I was so bewildered, dammit, I just didn't know what to do.
'That's right, Mimi and I live way upstairs, on the second floor!' Feliciano's light voice echoed through the building as I started climbing up the stairs as well. 'It's really nice, though! Ludwig and I have put much of work into this House last year! It's an ideal summerhouse – you'll see for yourself once you've reached the second floor!'
I snorted. 'We'll see about that.'
I'm a very skeptical, critical person, after all – and I doubted if living in a creepy old House in an isolated part of Venice really was something that people would call an "ideal" summerhouse.
But like I said – we'd see. We'd see soon enough.
\0o0/
As I walked up the long, seemingly endless stairs, I noticed that there was light coming from above. At first I thought it was just a small beam of light, just some sunlight that had somehow managed to force itself through the few dusty windows of the House.
But the light became brighter, broader and more dominating in the gloomy building, and by the time I had reached the second floor, the stairway and the huge room I had walked into were bathing in eye-piercing sunlight.
I didn't get it at first, just how many damn windows did this second floor have – but after my eyes had gotten used to the hellish light and looked around, I was astonished to see that the ceiling was made of glass. No, I should say it differently – the roof was made of glass. I could see it, the basis of the glass structure above the room was moving in an upward fashion and it was amazing to see what kind of effect this beautiful weather had on the room right underneath the roof.
'Well?' Feliciano asked, standing beside a large, old wooden table with a huge, proud grin on his face. 'What do you think of my humble residence, huh?'
I studied the room better before answering – I wanted to give him a honest answer, after all. The walls were painted light, baby blue and were covered with small paintings and some drawings Mimi had made. The furniture, floor and skirting boards were all white and made out of wood, with cute details, and everything that wasn't white, was pastel-colored – like the pillows on the couch, the tablecloth or the petite vases, filled with huge flowers.
The space inside the room was amazing. It was humongous. There was an open upper floor as well – some sort of loft, you might say. It was a space you could only get to if you climbed a ladder to the side of one of the walls. It looked like Feliciano and Mimi slept there, judging from the old-fashioned wardrobes I saw way up there.
It…
Well, I had to be honest – it looked fucking fantastic. Like a dream world. One could only imagine how great this room would look like during night, when there was a full moon and several twinkling stars in the air above the House.
…
And yet…
The air was heavy in here. Heavy and stale. I just couldn't put my finger on it – something about this beautifully created room seemed to be creeping on me in the worst kind of way. It leaned on me like a massive weight – it made me want to flee. But what was it?
I thought about it, and thought about it – and then I finally caught a glimpse of Mimi, who was silently drawing something at a smaller kid-focused table with a disturbingly unhappy face.
A glass cage, I found myself thinking.
This was a glass cage.
No matter how wonderful and cheerful the room looked, it still was nothing more than an ordinary prison.
'Hi, Mimi,' I heard myself greet my niece.
She looked up and her pale blue eyes gave me a blank, empty look. 'Uncle Lovi. Hi.'
'How… um, how are you doing?'
'Dunno.' Mimi shrugged and focused her attention on the drawing again. The conversation had already ended before it could even start.
I felt pretty uneasy when this was all the response I got out of Mimi – that kid usually was a hyperactive ball of shrillness and wise-ass, not this… this passive shadow of a girl – and looked over at Feliciano questioningly, to see if he had anything to say about her.
But my brother, who thought I was speechless because of the room, just smiled happily.
'I know – it also took my breath away when I arrived a few days ago. It's so idyllic and peaceful here…'
I frowned and wondered about what I could say. I happened to notice a couple of big bags and suitcases standing against one of the walls and decided to say something about that.
'You still haven't unpacked yet, I see.'
Feliciano followed my eyes, never losing that smile. 'Naaah, that's something else.'
'What kind of answer is that, dammit?'
'Don't worry about it. Now! Why don't you take a seat, big brother?' Feliciano pointed at the large table. 'Oh! And would you like a drink? I only have cold drinks, though.'
I understood why – it was fucking hot in here. Living underneath a glass roof during the Summer was like living in a damn greenhouse, I bet.
'A soft drink is fine,' I muttered as I took a seat, still staring at Mimi. The girl looked like she was slowly melting away, dammit. No wonder she didn't greet me with her usual forceful energy – she just didn't have it.
'Here you go, Lovi!~'
Feliciano placed a cool glass of cola in front of me and sat down on the other side. He had a glass of cola as well and took a big gulp. I… well, I just drank a bit. I wasn't really thirsty, strangely enough.
'Well!' Feliciano started, putting his glass down and flashing me another typical Feliciano-grin. 'I'm so very happy that you came, Lovino! For a sec, I had thought you wouldn't come – but I guess I don't know you that well!'
'Of course I came, you moron,' I scowled. 'You're my little brother, and you asked me to come for you. So I did. Is it that weird?'
Feliciano pouted and put a finger on his lips. 'Um, yeah, kind of? I mean, I had never expected you'd leave Antonio for me.'
'What?' I asked, confused.
'Yes, since you two are almost never apart! I had seriously thought you'd choose him over me, really. But looks like family means more to you than the love of your life. Strange. But hey, that's also fine with me, really! Though I wonder, Lovi – why didn't you bring the kids with you?'
I gaped at Feliciano as if he had just asked me to join the Italian male prostitution scene together.
'…what the fuck are you saying?'
'Aw, silly Lovi, you didn't know?' Feliciano giggled – just his typical giggle. 'I should have written that message more clearly, really. You see, you were supposed to bring Matteo, Alejo and Luisa with you as well! I didn't just invite you to come hide here!'
I was at a loss of words. Slowly, things started to click in my head.
'You… didn't ask to be found and brought back?'
Feliciano's face instantly chanced – he now looked horrified.
'What? No – of course not! I asked you to find me so you and your kids could hide with me as well!'
'You wanted me to come join you in this glass… thing?' I almost found it funny, really, if it wasn't so very awful. 'Why would you think I could make a message like that out of the cryptic shit you left for me?'
Feliciano looked a bit embarrassed. 'It wasn't clear at all, was it? Ah… I just thought that you, since you're my dear brother, would pick up the message right away. We are alike, after all.'
'We are "alike", yes, but we "are" not alike,' I – admittedly absurdly – tried to explain. 'You know what I mean?'
'Not really.' Feliciano's big, light-brown eyes blinked, as if he was fascinated. 'What do you mean?'
'Feliciano, I… don't share the same ideas and theories you do.'
My brother's smile immediately faded. 'You don't?'
'No.' I swallowed. 'I'm not sure why you seem surprised. It should be obvious I don't like all the things you like and that I don't agree with everything you say or do you – and that's the same with you, right? You agree, right?'
'I don't want to agree with that,' Feliciano said.
'But you know it's true! We are different – very different!'
'Hmm…' Feliciano leaned his head on his arms. 'Naaaah, I don't think so. Hey hey, would you like to have some pasta later?'
His uninterested, but shockingly in-character reply, together with that goofy smile, make my blood crawl underneath my skin.
'Wh-what's the matter with you – you never wanted us to be that much alike!' I stammered. 'You liked your individuality! Hell, I know I used to long to be more like you when we were young, but you never wanted that! You liked being different from me!'
Feliciano didn't respond.
'So why… why do you all of a sudden claim we are very much alike now, dammit? Just because that's convenient for you, and for your crazy theories?' I confronted him.
He didn't even blink – but he did frown.
'It's because I love you, Lovino, and I didn't want to let anything happen that could make you unhappy. If they come to take our kids away, I… well, I sure don't want to be around when that happens. You wouldn't like that either, would you? So I gave you a chance to escape.'
'I don't need to be given a chance to escape, Feliciano, because there's nothing to run away from!' I nagged. 'You're just making yourself crazy with all of your paranoid ideas! And look at your daughter – she's suffering, Feliciano! Because of you! You—'
'Wait – before you say more, Lovino, you should at least let me explain myself and my so-called "paranoid" ideas. You haven't even heard my theory about the children and us personifications yet,' Feliciano cut me off.
I gritted my teeth and hissed, but forced myself to calm down.
'Germany told me about your theory – I don't want to hear it.'
'You didn't hear everything.'
'I heard enough!'
'Lovino.' Feliciano gave me an annoyed look. 'Look, it's fine with me if you're not planning to believe me, but come on, at least let me fully explain why I'm thinking what I'm thinking!'
I snorted.
'Or…' Feliciano smirked weakly, '…could you perhaps be scared to hear it? Afraid that you might start to believe me?'
'No!' I snarled. 'Of course not!'
'Then let me explain!'
'Fine! Fine!' I threw my hands up in the air. 'I give! Explain your damn conspiracy theory, dammit, see if I care!'
That was all the encouragement Feliciano needed.
