Thanks to Tokutske and Yaoi-Is-Life-and-Love for reviewing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Chapter 50

"So, how's it going to work with your bags?" Romulus asked.

This question was presented during breakfast on Friday. Lovino swallowed his mouthful before he answered.

"Feliks and I are going to leave our bags in Miss Hassan's office," he replied. "Then we're going to get them after school, and we'll be going with Miguel to his house immediately afterwards."

"It must be nice to be friends with the principal's son," Romulus said. "Feli, you'll be ready to leave after school, right?"

Feliciano nodded his head in reply.

After school, Romulus would pick up Feliciano and Marcello, and once Feliciano had his bag for the night, Romulus would take him to Miguel's house. Lovino had at least given him the address, but to find the place…

Also, Romulus felt that he needed to bring something along. Something for Lovino's sake as well. He didn't want to give the impression that the only reason why he went was to drop off Feliciano. He needed to bring them something. A snack, perhaps? How many teenage boys would there be?

…Yeah, something they could eat would definitely be appreciated.

Romulus noticed Lovino trying to scratch his bandaged hand, and he grimaced.

"Just two more weeks," he said. "I'm guessing you're eager to remove that thing, huh?"

"It was easier when I did this myself," Lovino muttered.

Romulus winced, even though he knew that it wasn't directed at him. How could he forget? Lovino had tried to hide his injured wrist, and had tried to handle things himself, all because he couldn't trust Romulus with the truth about his injury. Because Romulus acknowledged that he would have scolded Lovino for something that wasn't his fault.

Still, there was no telling how much damage could have been sustained, and that made Romulus wonder…

"Hey, Lovino," he said. "There… there weren't any other broken bones that you didn't tell me about, right?"

Lovino looked towards him, and Romulus could see the hesitance in his gaze. He turned away.

"I think a few ribs," he admitted. "But that time I fell down the stairs I told you about."

"Did you really fall down the stairs?" Romulus asked. "Or did they push you?"

Lovino hesitated again, before swallowing thickly.

"They pushed me," he whispered.

There was still the reluctance to tell them about the injuries sustained, and how they were sustained. Still, there was some progress.

"Has anyone at the new school been giving you any problems?" Romulus asked.

Lovino shook his head.

"No," he said. "No one."

The fact that Lovino didn't look at him made it hard for Romulus to tell whether or not he was lying.

…

After school, Lovino went to fetch his bag, along with Feliks and Gupta. The Egyptian didn't see the point in not taking his bag along as well, and why he couldn't go with them to Miguel's house. Miguel didn't mind either, and was also accompanying them.

Lovino was starting to see that there were perks with being the principal's son's friend.

"You okay?" Miguel asked, turning to Lovino, who was falling behind.

"Leg's just a little stiff," he replied.

Feliks and Gupta were also waiting for him now, and Lovino was a bit embarrassed over being the reason why they were being delayed. Still, he was touched by their consideration and patience.

They retrieved their bags in Miss Hassan's office, who smiled at them.

"Have fun, boys," she said.

"Thank you," Lovino said quietly. "Um, have a nice weekend, Miss Hassan."

Her smile widened, and Gupta pulled him away. Lovino hissed in pain, and Gupta turned to him.

"Sorry," he said.

"It's fine," Lovino whispered, his voice temporarily failing him.

"Do you want to see the nurse?" Gupta asked.

Lovino shook his head.

"I'll be fine," he said. "I just stepped a bit too hard now. It's not so bad."

"Are you sure?" Gupta asked.

Lovino nodded, and he was glad that Gupta left it at that.

Miguel's mother chose to park near the principal's office, and Lovino realised that he forgot to ask how exactly Miguel and Antonio were related. Were their mothers sisters? Their fathers brothers? Brother and sister relationship?

The reason why he was suddenly wondering all of this was because he'd met Antonio's mother on several occasions. When he was small and he could still consider Antonio a friend, she was nice and warm towards him. When Antonio started bullying him – when Antonio made his parents believe that Lovino was the one picking on him – she had grown nasty and cold. Lovino was worried about Miguel's mother having a resemblance to Antonio's mother, which would remind him about his past.

She climbed out of the car, and Lovino was relieved to see that there wasn't really a resemblance. Her hair was darker, and her eyes were more of a bluish green. Her skin was also a shade or two paler. And she wore a warm, friendly expression on her face. Far from the cold looks that Antonio's mother would usually give him.

"Hello there," Miguel's mother greeted. "You must be Lovino and Feliks. My name's Isabel. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Lovino said.

"Like, totally!" Feliks said.

Isabel smiled, before beckoning the teens to get into her car. Miguel, naturally, had the front passenger seat, and the others climbed into the back. It only took a few minutes to get to Miguel's house, and Lovino was impressed by what he saw.

"Come on," Miguel said. "We'll take everything up to my room, and then we just need to wait for the others. They should be here soon."

"Would you boys like something to drink?" Isabel asked.

Miguel looked expectantly at the rest of them, but they only shook their heads. They continued up to Miguel's room, and Lovino had to pause at the sight.

Miguel's room was the opposite of Lovino's, which had barely a trace of personality. Miguel's room was pleasant. Among the decorations, he could see model boats, and there was even one in a bottle. On another wall was a large and old map of the world. Lovino wondered if Miguel had an interest in seafaring.

"Make yourselves at home," Miguel said, before he kicked off his shoes and sat cross-legged on top of his bed.

The others also kicked off their shoes, though Lovino was a bit more careful with his injured ankle. He caught Miguel staring with a frown.

"Is your ankle okay?" he asked.

"Just a bit sore," Lovino said.

"Are you sure?"

"Si, I just… need to rest it for a while."

"Like, that thing is not getting better," Feliks said. "Like, should I call my dad and ask him about it? I mean, it's been, like, a month, right?"

Feliks had a point. Normally, if Lovino injured his ankle, it would take a week or two to feel better. But not this time. So Lovino nodded his head, before sitting on the bed, inspecting the ankle.

He stopped wearing a bandage, so it was easier to see. It looked a bit more swollen than it had that morning, and Lovino was worried about the possibility of injuring it even further.

Feliks was on the phone with his father, and after explaining the situation, he turned to Lovino.

"Like, my dad wants to know if you feel a sharp pain when you step," Feliks said. "Like, if it's more than just your ankle."

Lovino nodded, and Feliks repeated the response to his father. He nodded and said some sort of affirmation, before he turned to Lovino, his phone returning to his pocket.

"Like, my dad thinks that it might be a pinched nerve," Feliks explained. "He says that, since the area is injured and swollen, it can totally put pressure on the nerve. Like, he says the best thing to do at the moment is to rest and apply ice."

"I'll go get some," Miguel said, before he darted out of the room.

"When you first injured it, how long before you got treatment?" Gupta asked.

"About a week, I think," Lovino said.

"And did you stay off of it for that week?"

Lovino was silent, and Gupta sighed.

"I think you might have done more than just sprain your ankle during that time," he said.

"I know," Lovino said softly. "The doctor said that I damaged by ligaments too. I've been trying to stay off it, but… It's hard."

"What about crutches?"

"No, not with my broken wrist."

"We'll need to make a plan for you tomorrow, then. Standing in line isn't going to be easy."

Lovino winced, and Miguel arrived with a dishcloth wrapped around something that he assumed was cold. Yao and Heracles followed afterwards, having obviously arrived while they were discussing Lovino's ankle.

"Hey guys," Yao greeted, before turning to Lovino. "I hear you're still having problems with your ankle?"

Lovino nodded, and Yao sat down in front of him.

"If you want, I can show you a pressure point that's supposed to help for the ankle," Yao offered.

"Does that actually work?" Lovino asked.

"It's touch and go," Yao admitted. "Here's a pressure point right next to the bone. Try pressing it."

Yao gestured to a spot, and Lovino pressed it. He felt a bit ridiculous, but he didn't want to insult his new friend.

"Here," Miguel said, handing the compress to Lovino. "You should also warn me if you need a painkiller."

"It's alright," Lovino said. "Um… Thanks for worrying, though."

"It's no problem," Miguel said. "That's what friends are for, after all."

Lovino smiled. He felt a bit annoyed by their persistence, but another part of him enjoyed being worried about. He felt welcomed and cared for. And he didn't want to lose that again.

…

Feliciano checked the map on his phone, the box on his lap. He indicated that his father should turn right at the next block. Feliciano was a bit nervous, to be honest, and he wondered if this was how Lovino often felt. Feliciano was worried about being the odd one out. He was a bit of an interloper, and he hoped that the others didn't feel intimidated or annoyed by his presence. But if this was how Lovino felt whenever Feliciano managed to drag him to an outing or something, then Feliciano owed it to Lovino to experience it as well.

"We're here," Feliciano announced.

Romulus nodded, before stopping at the house indicated.

"Keep an eye on your brother, okay?" Romulus requested as he took the box from Feliciano.

The younger Italian nodded his head as he handed over the box, before going to fetch his bag in the backseat. Romulus also removed something else from the backseat. The two made their way towards the front door together, and Romulus rang the bell.

A woman opened the door, and Feliciano placed a smile on his face. Her eyes focused on him before she smiled.

"You must be Lovino's brother," she said, before turning towards Romulus. "I'm Isabel."

"Romulus," Feliciano's father introduced.

The two adults shook hands, and Isabel turned towards Feliciano.

"The others are all in Miguel's room," he said. "Why don't you join them?"

Feliciano nodded his head, and Romulus raised the box.

"I brought something along," Romulus said. "I figured the boys would appreciate something like this. I also brought something for you and your husband, to thank you for hosting my son."

"It's no problem," Isabel said. "But come on, you need to get a coffee first. You came all this way, and it would be rude to just send you on your way."

"I appreciate it," Romulus said. "Feli, why don't you take this up to the others?"

Feliciano nodded, carefully taking the box. He made his way upstairs, before listening for the other boys, not knowing where Miguel's room might be. He was spared when someone poked his head out of one of the rooms, and Feliciano almost jumped out of his skin.

He could understand what Lovino meant regarding Miguel's resemblance to Antonio. The only real difference that Feliciano could immediately see was the fact that Miguel had longer hair than Antonio.

"You must be Feliciano," Miguel introduced. "I'm Miguel. It's nice to meet you."

Feliciano nodded his head. Even though he knew how similar in appearance Miguel and Antonio were, actually seeing it…

"…I take it you're seeing Antonio now too," Miguel said. "To be fair, you and Lovino also look a lot alike."

Feliciano blushed when he realised what Miguel was implying.

"Sorry," he said. "Um, nice to meet you."

Miguel jerked his head, and Feliciano realised that it was most likely that room. He hurried over, and Miguel led him inside the room. When Feliciano crossed the threshold, he could see familiar faces, among them his brother.

"Ciao," he greeted. "Um, we brought something along."

He lifted the box, which Miguel thankfully took from him. Feliciano placed his bag with the others, and Miguel lifted the lid of the box.

"Cupcakes," he said. "Two for each of us. Thank you."

Feliciano shrugged. In truth, it was his father who got the cupcakes. Feliciano was just the one that delivered them to the others.

"Is padre still downstairs?" Lovino asked.

"Si," Feliciano said. "He's having coffee with Miss Isabel."

Lovino nodded, before standing up. The others all turned to him in concern, and that action alone made Feliciano feel concerned as well.

"Did something happen?" Feliciano asked.

"Just a pinched nerve," Lovino replied. "But I need to talk to him."

"Are you sure that you'll be able to manage alright?" Heracles asked.

"I'll be fine."

Feliciano recognised the signs of Lovino needing distance, but before he could warn the others, they all seemed to back up. They were giving him the distance that he needed, and they seemed to sense it instinctively. Feliciano was impressed by how close the group had gotten in such a short amount of time.

Lovino walked past Feliciano, and the younger twin watched after the elder. Lovino was walking with a limp again.

…

"So, Miguel tells me that Lovino was bullied by my nephew," Isabel said. "Might I just say that I apologise on behalf of my whole family?"

"It's not your fault," Romulus sighed. "As long as your nephew isn't going to pay you a visit within the next twenty-four hours."

"Don't worry about it. Tell me, how has it been for him?"

"It's been… difficult. I try to help him when I can, but I get the feeling that he still can't trust me. Well, ever since his mother died, I've done little to actually deserve his trust. So, I'm grateful to your son and his friends. They helped him where I couldn't."

Isabel nodded.

"It's always difficult, having a loved one going through an ordeal and not knowing how to help them," she said. "That's why it's always good to have another source of support, right?"

He nodded his agreement, before taking a sip of his coffee. He heard heavy footsteps, and turned to see Lovino walking in, looking a bit uncertain.

"Hey Lovino," Romulus greeted. "Is something wrong?"

Lovino nodded.

"My ankle's been acting up lately," he said. "Do you think… we could see the doctor about it? What if… what if there's something wrong?"

To be honest, Romulus was relieved to hear that Lovino was only bothered by his ankle. He nodded his head.

"Sure," he said. "I'll talk to the doctor tomorrow, and we'll see what we can do, alright?"

"Grazie," Lovino muttered, still looking uncomfortable.

Romulus wondered if he overheard anything about his conversation with Isabel. If that was the case, then he wondered if Lovino realised that they were talking about him.

Lovino awkwardly nodded, before he started limping away again. Romulus sighed, before turning back to Isabel, who wore a frown on her face.

"He's still a bit uncomfortable around me," Romulus clarified. "But I'm worried about that limp."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Isabel asked.

"He twisted the ankle while running away from his bullies, and… the doctor told me a week later that it was hurt, and that the damage had extended to the knee."

"A week?"

"Si… We didn't learn about it until…"

"Until… he tried to commit suicide?"

Romulus flinched, but nodded his head.

"Miguel told us about that," Isabel said. "It was pretty recent, right?"

Romulus nodded again.

"Poor thing," she sighed. "Don't worry, I can guarantee that Miguel and his friends will make sure that he's not alone."

He smiled.

"I have no doubt about it," he said.

…

Miguel's bedroom was rather spacious, and he had a TV there as well, so the only reason why they would need to relocate to the living room later was to sleep. Miguel had a bunch of inflatable beanbag-like chairs, which they were currently working on inflating.

Lovino had been instructed to lie on the bed with a pillow propped underneath his ankle, the cold compress pressed against it. He had tried to protest, to which the others pointed out that he wouldn't be able to stand in line with them the next day if the ankle wasn't better. And so he was forced to lie on the bed.

Feliciano came to sit next to him, looking at the group as they busied themselves with the chairs.

"They really care about you," Feliciano muttered.

Lovino shrugged.

"I guess," he mumbled. "I'm still not… used to it."

Feliciano flinched.

"Right," he said. "Sorry about that. But they're really worried about you. Lovino, why didn't you say anything about your ankle giving problems again? I thought we agreed that you'd tell us if something's bothering you."

"Because it wasn't bothering me more than usual," Lovino said. "I think I might have stepped wrong earlier. It's worse today."

"Anything else bothering you?"

Lovino shook his head.

"Alright," Miguel said, clapping his hands together. "The chairs are all finished. So, what do you want to do first?"

It wasn't my intention that the injured ankle should take up so much time this chapter, but then it happened. After my own ankle injury, I suffer from frequent pinched nerves. They're often triggered by just stepping wrong, and when Gupta pulled Lovino away, that caused him to step in a way his leg didn't agree with. Rest, cold and massage are among the home remedies one should try, but if the problem persists then it's a good idea to see a doctor. Lovino's used to injuries healing faster (or feeling better faster), which is why he's so worried about it now. The week he spent in the hospital definitely affected his recovery, and prior injuries would also have an influence.

I also have one of the inflatable beanbag-like chairs… somewhere. It's easier just to have these instead of having beanbag chairs taking up space. And they're pretty comfortable.

Some of my physiotherapists have used acupuncture, so there's some support in using the pressure points for injuries. I've also used acupressure as a way to relieve pain, and a lot of the times it works for me. Headaches seem to be the exception, though. Pressure points don't work for my headaches.