CHAPTER TWO
The cell had been cleaned recently. The iron bars were practically gleaming, striping Italy's vision as he sighed to himself, curling up against the wall and holding his legs a little more tightly. He wasn't completely worried, since Germany had saved him so many times before, but this time he wasn't wearing much clothing and he still had all those leather cuffs on. He looked down at the dim light faintly glinting off the cool metal buckles on his wrists, and he lightly wiped his thumb over one with a sad pout. He could take a moment to undo the cuffs, but there was no point now that he was in the cell anyway. He shivered, absent-mindedly doing up some of the buttons on his shirt. A stale, slightly burnt smell filled his nostrils and his nose crinkled up in fear and disgust.
"Noooo, I said already, please don't!" He wailed, scooting further away from the cell bars.
"Are you still on that crap, you bastard?!" Britain's voice snapped in response as he emerged on the other side of the cell with a tray of food in his hand. "Learn some damn respect and be grateful I'm bloody feeding you at all! Besides, I've got better.."
"But it's not food! Please I don't want to eat it, don't make me eat it, I'll do anything! Please!" Italy shook his head violently, tears appearing in his eyes as he backed away from his captor.
"Why you—!" Britain paused, head turning towards a sound that had clanked from behind the door to the room. The door suddenly burst open with a loud crash, both Italy and Britain adding to the din with high pitched shrieks. Britain dropped the food tray with a clatter and reached for his gun, aiming it at the figure who had kicked down the door.
"Germany!" Germany's expressions had always sat somewhere between serious and furious, but Italy had never seen him so look so… livid. The tall nation strode towards Britain with such intensity in his eyes that it made the Englishman's hand quiver.
"Hah! Here already? I suppose since you two are shagging now I should have expected you to be a little more eager to come get him, but-"
"How dare you bring Italy into our fights again?" Germany interrupted in a dangerously low voice, advancing on Britain and raising his own gun.
"Because he's easy to kidnap, obviously?" Britain took a cautious step back, but laughed. "Those handcuffs certainly made things easier! I should thank you, really, you did half of the work for me, you big pervert."
Germany's nostrils flared as he glowered down at Britain, whose smirk faltered.
"Er, anyway, now that you're here, I can get right down to- oi!"
Germany had faced away from Britain entirely, his attention on the Italian who was now on his feet with his hands on the bars, a big smile on his face.
"Germany, yay! I knew you'd come, you always do, this was kinda scary~"
"Are you alright, Italy? You're not hurt?"
"Nope! I'm fine, I mean if I stayed any longer I would have been forced to eat yucky food again and I didn't want that but I didn't so I'm fiiine!" Italy's hands waved up and down as much as they physically could with the cuffs still binding them, and Germany breathed a faint sigh.
"Don't ignore me, I've still got him locked up and I've got a gun on you, at least have the bloody decorum to look me in the eyes, damnit!"
Germany continued to ignore Britain as he barked and waved his pistol around. He took in the Italian's appearance, a scowl coming back to his face as he looked at the cuffs he'd placed on the Italian himself, the clumsily buttoned shirt, the bare feet and underwear. His hand suddenly shot up and grabbed the gun Britain was waving in his face, seething as he clenched his fist and reduced the weapon to crumpled pieces without a second thought. Britain yelped and Germany rose to his full height.
"You didn't even give him pants, you arsehole?!" He roared, grabbing the shorter nation by the front of his shirt and pulling their faces close together.
"I- hey! You were the one who left him like that, I haven't touched the fellow- put me DOWN!" Britain struggled, aiming kicks at Germany's shins. Germany flinched, but it wasn't because of the Englishman's flailing limbs. He raised his fist and slammed it directly into the side of Britain's face, releasing him and letting him crash to the floor. Italy shrieked, and Germany stepped past Britain to release him from the cell. The moment the door was unlocked, Italy jumped into his arms and Germany marched out, leaving Britain groaning and muttering foul words on the floor.
With Italy's arm around his neck and his warm body against his chest, Germany's fear finally melted away. Unfortunately, it gave way to an overwhelming amount of guilt that sat thick and heavy in his chest.
"I'm so sorry, Italy… this was my fault."
"Don't be silly! I probably would have got caught anway, you know how it is, it happens all the time, I mean it's been a while but still, I'm okay!"
"No- Italy, I should never have left you like that. It was thoughtless and dangerous. You'd think I of all people would remember one of the most basic rules of bondage, but I just left you completely vulnerable… it's unforgivable."
Italy's face and curl both drooped. "Hey, whaat? It's okay! You came to get me! You always do!" His smile returned and he tucked his head into the crook of Germany's neck. "I'm always going to be okay if I've got you!"
Germany sighed as he walked. "...I just don't know if I could forgive myself for doing something so careless. I swore that I would keep you safe—"
He was cut off by a soft flick to his cheek. He glanced down at Italy, startled. Italy was frowning and had his bottom lip stuck out., finger still extended from the flick.
"Stop being so silly, Germany! I already forgave you, so you have to stop now and be happy again! Seeing you be all sad makes me feel sad and I don't want us to be all bummed out, you know?" He proclaimed stoutly, nuzzling back into Germany's neck with a humph. Germany hesitated, then sighed again in resignation.
"...Alright..."
He was silent for a while, and Italy began humming idly as Germany carried him back home. Germany gazed down at the cuffs binding Italy's ankles, the buckles glinting in the evening light.
"...You could have easily taken those off on your own, you know. They're not locked. Do you want me to take them off for you?"
Italy's cheeks became rosy and he swung his legs, humming. "Ahh, well… you see, they're Germany's! I probably would have been kidnapped without them anyway, but I guess… they made me think of you, and they made me feel safe! Heheheh… eh, is that weird?" He tilted his head and smiled, making Germany's heart melt a little.
"...Ja, it is."
Germany did his best to keep Italy away from prying eyes as he took him home, and it was getting dark again. He deadlocked the front door and put Italy down on the kitchen bench so that he could clean up the glass that he hadn't the time or care to clean up earlier. Italy swung his legs playfully up on his perch, and his eyes dropped to a few red smears on the glass shards. He gasped.
"Germany, is that blood? Did you get hurt?"
Germany followed Italy's gaze, then blinked. "Oh-" He looked behind him at the bottom of his left foot, which had a jagged cut along the outermost sole.
"Shit.. I didn't even realise." He muttered, standing up with the dustpan and emptying it into a paper bag to then throw away. "I'm sorry Italy, I'll have to clean it before-"
"Let me do it!"
"What? Oh, well.. If you insist…"
The pair ended up on the couch, Germany's leg propped up so the Italian could dab his foot clean and put a small bandage on it. Luckily, it wasn't a deep wound, but Germany was surprised he'd been so distracted that he hadn't even noticed it until now. He eyed the leather cuffs still wrapped around his lover's wrists.
"...Are you sure you don't want to take those off yet?" He asked warily. Italy placed a big kiss over the freshly bandaged wound and lifted his head to giggle and grin at Germany.
"No, silly! I still want to finish using them!" He thrust his hands out, giving Germany a determined grin. Germany blinked at him.
"...Finish using them? You still want to be kinky after what just happened to you?" Germany asked incredulously. Even after knowing Italy for hundreds of years, he still couldn't make sense of how his mind worked.
"It's fiiiine~! Sure, we got interrupted but I was having such a good time! I want to keep having fun, you never finished me off properly!" His pace puffed up adorably as he pouted.
"But.. if I can't keep you safe, why would you-"
"I am safe! You came to get me and now I'm safe again, so it's okay!"
"...You might feel safe, but I do not." Germany admitted softly with a frown. He felt Italy's hands on either side of his face, gently turning it to connect their eyes again.
"That's okay, then make it safe! We can't be kinky if you're feeling like a scaredy cat~" Italy hummed happily as he gently patted Germany's cheeks.
Germany looked down at the chain still dangling between Italy's wrists, and he placed his hand over one of the ones cupping his face.
"...There is… one way. But—ugh, no, you're not ready…" His brow furrowed as he thought. "I doubt you'd want to see this kind of thing." He attempted to explain as Italy tilted his head in innocent confusion.
"Eh? Then I'll just close my eyes! What'll make it safe, I promise I won't peek!" Italy giggled and grinned, his bouncing becoming faster.
Germany hesitated. He had a stupid idea, but he didn't trust Italy not to open his eyes at some point, and… he did like the idea of not letting Italy's first bondage experience with him end on such a sour note. He sighed. "...Stay here." He got up and left Italy on the couch, paying a little more attention to his foot this time. It didn't make it that difficult to walk, but he'd have to remember to take better care of himself. He returned to the living room with a blindfold in his hands, sitting down and holding it out flat to Italy.
"How do you feel… about something like this?" He asked almost timidly, looking away with a light blush gracing his cheeks. "I wasn't planning on mixing kinks at first, but if-"
"Vee~ it's comfy." Italy had already taken it and was slipping it on, smiling widely as it rested over his eyes. Germany stared at him and huffed through his nostrils.
"You'll have to keep it on the whole time.." He explained, reaching forward and adjusting it slightly around his lover's ears. Italy nodded enthusiastically, as if to prove the blindfold's secureness.
"Mmhmm! That's okay! I trust you."
Germany wondered if Italy knew how much his cheerful words made his heart swell and ache sweetly. He gently untucked a lock of Italy's hair from the blindfold and stood up.
"...Alright then. Come with me."
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Italy laughed happily as Germany scooped him up again.
"Of course you do, dummkopf, and you're the one who wanted to pick up from where we left off." Germany pointed out. He walked to the storage closet, carefully taking his leather-bound partner through to a second door that remained locked nearly all the time. He went down a small set of stairs and flicked a switch that illuminated the dungeon below.