Pairings brought up/mentioned: GerIta and FrUk

-2.28-

"Ve~ It's such a nice day out," As usual, Feliciano and I lay in Francis's garden, watching the clouds go by.

"Hm," I grunt in response.

"Luddy, don't you think that one looks like a bunny?" He grins, pointing at a lump of fluffy, white, crystalized water, "It kind of reminds me of Arthur!"

"I suppose."

I feel him lightly elbow me, "Hey, are you alright? You've been acting kind of weird lately."

"Oh, have I?"

"Si! You've been really distant! You even pushed me away when I tried to cuddle you last night," He pouts. "Is something wrong?"

I sigh, "Nein, it's not your fault. I've just- things have been a little complicated."

He frowns but drops the subject, staring for a long moment before going back to the clouds.

"You see, Lud, there's this thing we way awesome spirits have evolved over the years. I know you're probably still in awe of just how awesome we are, so I'll just cut to the chase. Basically, when we find a human so flat-out pathetic that they can barely take care of themselves, we get an incredibly strong urge to watch over them, which normally leads to magically binding ourselves together and shit. I like to call this 'mother hen attraction.' Kesesesese~"

"Wait a minute, I've only known him for a little over a week. Is this even possible in such a short time frame?"

"Eh, fuck if I know!"

Why did Gilbert have to go and do this to me? Now that I know what's going on, 'mother hen attraction' has been ringing in my ears for the past two days. Better yet, why did this have to happen at all? Sure, because of that afternoon in the woods, I've reunited with my bruder, and by extension met quite a colorful cast of characters, but I've also been struggling with this stupid instinct for the past week or so. This just isn't fair. It isn't fair how whenever I see him happy I get some stupid, fuzzy feeling inside, it isn't fair that he's just so damn adorable, and it certainly isn't fair that, ever since he came to me after having a nightmare, Feli's been sneaking into my room in the middle of the night for cuddles. It's not fair in the slightest, and yet there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. I can't push him away, because that'll only make it worse, nor can I keep him close, because then it'll hurt all the more when I leave. After all, my first wound is all but gone and my third's already halfway healed. Even if I don't want to go, hell knows Lovino will kick me out anyways.

I sigh aloud. Why must this be so complicated?

For the first time in… well, for the first time, I lay in my own bed, pondering life. I originally planned on crashing in Luddy's room, but then I thought better of it and decided it would be much easier to coax my friend into cuddling if he were roughly half asleep. Ludwig agrees to everything when he's tired! That, and also from my experience he's just cuter when he's all grogged-up and whiny!

Ve~ I like Luddy; he's really fun to be around! I'm going to be really sad when he leaves…

Wahh, I don't like thinking about that! Reminding myself Ludwig's going to have to leave me makes this tear-jerking feeling well up in my throat and I hate it! Luddy's really the first person to spend so much time with me, and when he's gone, it's going to be a lot quieter and lonelier around here. Besides, who's going to help me tie my shoelaces?! Fratello gets mad at me whenever I ask him, Toni's normally busy because of this thing he calls 'Lovi being high-maintenance,' cousin Francis is a little too buzzed off wine to care, Arthur has a whole bunch of important managerial stuff he's always doing, uncle Roddy wouldn't do it to save his life, and Gilbert's just a big old meany! LUDDY'S THE ONLY ONE WHO HELPS ME TIE MY SHOES, KEEPING ME FROM TRIPPING, FALLING, AND DYING; I CAN'T LOSE HIM NOW!

"WAHH!" I jump up from my bed and slam the door open, sprinting down the hall in the direction of Ludwig's room. I yank on the crystal doorknob and shut it behind me, crying loudly. I prance onto the mattress, "WAHH, LUDDYYYY!"

"Feli, what the hell are you-"

"DON'T LEAVE ME; I HAVE NO ONE ELSE TO TIE MY SHOES FOR MEEEEEEE!"

"Wait, what?!"

I forcefully wrap my arms around his neck in a hug. "WAHH!"

After a short while, he releases an exasperated sigh and returns the embrace, shifting the blanket to cover myself as well, "Hey, it's alright. Calm down."

Cuddled close to his chest, my previous wailing dies down to soft sniffling, my face buried in his shirt, causing the area to become slightly damp with tears, "I- I was thinking, about how you're going to l-leave soon, and- and I don't want you tooooooooo!"

"If it makes you feel better, I think you ought to know that I, um," He hesitates, "I, well, I- I don't really want to go either."

I peer up at him. Ludwig's eyes are adverted sharply to the side, and if you look close enough, you can see a faint blush on his cheeks. He's bashful…

So cute~

Wait, did he just say- ?!

"LUDDY!" I exclaim jovially, tackling him onto the bed, "DO YOU REALLY MEAN IT?!"

"What- why are you crying again?!"

I wipe the liquid from my eyes, "Tears of joy, Luddy, tears of joy!"

Ve~ I really like Luddy!

Feliciano and I roam the neighboring vineyards for about the millionth time.

I sure hope we don't do this for the entire summer, I think to myself, These vineyards are pretty and all, but I'm fairly certain they're going to get old soon.

Ever since that short outburst last night, the simple-minded Italian had been practically glued to my side. Afterwards, he'd slept in my room yet again, completely sprawled out on top of me, almost as if ensuring I wouldn't run off or something equally stupid. Then, at breakfast, he held my hand under the table the entire time, much to the chagrin of his 'fratello.' And now, as we walk around, he's gripping my arm as if his life depends on it. For some odd reason, I'm far less annoyed with this development than I thought I would be. Must have something to do with that 'mother hen attraction' Gilbert's been drilling into my head at the strangest of times, normally in German so the others can't figure out what he's talking about.

Mein bruder is such an IDIOT.

And yet, despite his blatant ridiculousness, something in his words just has to ring true. There just has to remain a weird feeling of possession and protectiveness towards Feli. There just has to be the fact that because of these shenanigans I've internally decided to stay for far longer than originally intended. Feliciano just has to have literally no one else to spend so much time with. What, exactly, am I to do in this sort of situation? I can barely believe this is happening.

What's even worse is that I can only get away with randomly being here so long. Sooner or later, Lovino's going to be pissed to find I'm practically good as new, and kick me out. What I really need is an excuse as to why I'm staying, and there's no real option besides the most insane one, consisting of two words: magically bound. This is crazy. This is a decision that will permanently affect my existence; either I commit to being with this eccentric Italian and his zany family for at least the rest of his life, or I run off into the woods, return to my community, and continue as things were before. If I stay, I can reunite with my bruder and spend more time with Feliciano, but I'll probably never see my community again. If I leave, I can inform the others about what happened with those shadow wolves, but I'll be separated from all of the people here. Either way, I lose something in favor of another.

So, the main question is 'which is my top priority: the community or the family?'

I bite back a groan. This is difficult.

"Ve~ ve~ ve~ ve~" I snuggle closer to the warm wall of person before me, breathing softly.

Ve~ so comfy!

Amber eyes flutter as the mass I've been using as a pillow begins to shift, a low humming noise emanating from his throat. I quietly giggle and wrap my arms tighter around him, closing my eyes once more. His heart beats a strong and steady rhythm, heated breath spilling into the air routinely. Then, there's a slight hitch in the predictable pattern as his muscles tense, then relax.

"Mmm, Feli?" He murmurs in a raspy, sleep-hazed voice.

I hum lightly and give his midsection a small squeeze, "Si?"

"... What time is it?"

I snap wide-awake, "We're late for breakfast again, aren't we?"

And so, at roughly nine thirty in the morning, the two of us can be found rushing through the halls, still in our pajamas, a full half-hour past the meal's set time. One of us moves in long strides, trying to remain calm despite the franticness displayed by his faster speed than usual. The other prances about in quick and panicked steps, bouncing down the stairs. When we reach the formal dining room, I burst the door open to see everyone sitting casually, enjoying their breakfast, all except for Arthur, who's busy pretending to burn a pair of holes in the door with his imaginary laser-vision.

"Is there ever going to be a day that you two aren't late for breakfast?"

"At this rate, I think it's safe to assume the answer's 'no,'" I look sheepishly at the coniglio and take my seat at the table.

"If it's anyone's fault, it's Feliciano's," Luddy follows my lead, "He was up before I was and let me sleep in."

Fratello makes a low, angry noise, "Don't blame your problems on the kid, you barbaric asshole."

"Hey, Lovi, do you think there are tomato trees?" Without a second thought, Toni interrupts Lovino's glaring with the most moronic question he can think of, setting the fuming Italian's rage onto him instead.

"WHAT?! WHY THE HELL IS THAT EVEN A QUESTION?!"

"Well, there are tomato vines, right? So why can't there also be tomato trees, or tomato bushes?"

I grin and hum cheerfully and consume my beloved pasta, as fratello begins to go on yet another tirade, this one directed at the fox spirit. Munching on my breakfast, I gaze around at the others. Francis seems to be attempting to reassure Arthur in the wake of no one ever listening to him; well, that is until his eyes get that particular sheen to them and he says one thing or another that makes his companion blush, hitting him upside the head. Uncle Roddy docilely nurses his coffee, deciding not to get involved in the others' shenanigans. And then there's Ludwig, eating his omelet as Gilbert purposely elbows him, muttering something in German. The gray wolf spares a moment to send the other quite a nasty look before responding in their mutual language, going back to his food.

I wonder what Luddy and Gilbert are talking about…

However, coming to the conclusion that if they don't want to speak of it with others, then that's their business, I return to my pasta for breakfast with great enthusiasm. The rest of the meal goes as normal, Lovino occasionally making some irritated remark, only to be promptly stopped in his tracks by Toni. Cousin Francis and Arthur continue to bicker, Roderich continues to stay out of it, and I continue to eat my delicious, delicious food. Much to my worry, the wolf brothers also continue to do what they're doing, speaking in hushed German, glancing in my direction every once in awhile. It's kind of freaking me out.

And yet, when everyone's finished, I once again conjoin myself to Ludwig at the hip, dragging him off in the direction of the front doors. He looks around curiously, "Feli? Why are we going this way?"

"Oh, I was thinking I want to paint more pictures of the forest!" I grin and pull him along, grabbing my messenger bag from a nearby chair, "You know, the one where we first met?"

He sighs, "Alright, sounds great."

We walk down the side of the road, chatting aimlessly about this and that. In his eyes is some flicker of an unrecognizable emotion, fading in and out at various intervals. I tilt my head at this every so often, but deem it irrelevant and proceed with animatedly discussing the pros and cons to using watercolors to paint.

"- But, you have to be really careful when transporting the water for it, because if you're not, it could spill all over the place in your bag and completely ruin the painting!"

"Couldn't you just make sure the container's sealed?" Ludwig comments.

"Well, I guess, but what if it pops open?" I pout childishly.

He stares at me for but a moment before asking, "... How would it pop open?"

"You never know!" I grin and pick up my pace, "Now, come on; I see the forest ahead! This is going to be great!"

I dash towards the tree line, hunky wolf in tow, a jovial laugh bubbling out. Just as before, I feel my blood pumping with excitement as I reach the looming towers of trees. I skip through the woods, a merry beam plastered upon my face. Eventually, I plop myself down at the base of a sky-scraping oak in the middle of the forest, digging through my bag. Shortly after, Luddy seats himself to my right and leans over to peer at the actions of my bustling hands. Coating my brush with a lovely shade of parakeet, I begin to gently glob color onto the canvas with a small smile. The next few hours or so are spent like this, Ludwig watching in content silence as I mindfully fill the once-blank linen with a woodland scene.

A significant amount of time later, I feel a soft bump to my side, "Ve~?"

"Don't you think it's about time to head back for lunch?"

Sure enough, as he'd said, it's probably lunchtime, the sun hanging up in the middle of the sky. "Oh, okay! Let me just clean up my things," I shove my items into the bag I'd brought with me, cautiously deciding to hold the wet canvas instead of placing it with the rest of my supplies. I then stand, Ludwig following my lead. I take only but a few steps in the direction from whence we'd came, when a mighty hand sets itself onto my shoulder, stopping my movements.

I gaze up at the other curiously, "Ve~? Is something wrong?"

He gets a difficult look on his face before turning me around, firmly gripping my shoulders, "I- I've been thinking a lot about something lately."

Wait, is he blushing? Madonna, that's so CUTE! I smile absently.

Ludwig clears his throat into a hand, "And, well, as you most likely know, my wounds are for the most part healed." My stomach drops like an apple from a tree.

No no no no no no no no he can't be saying he's leaving nooooo!

"L- Luddy?" I feel my eyebrows slide upwards in two miserable curves. Noooo he can't just go now!

"But the thing is, I don't really want to leave-"

OH MENO MALE.

"- And yet, if I don't go sooner or later, Lovino's going to kick me out anyways. I think it's fairly obvious he can't stand me. So, after some, err, 'careful deliberation' with Gilbert, I've come to the conclusion that there's only one real solution to this predicament," He takes a deep breath, "For quite some time now, I've been feeling emotions I've never felt before. At the prospect of you being in danger, I get the uncontrollable urge to protect you, no matter the cost. This has especially been the case the past few days. I spoke with mein bruder about this, and apparently this is a weird instinct spirits have developed since their early interactions with humans. Unfortunately, he keeps taunting me with 'mother hen attraction.' It's very annoying.

"Anyways, I've come to care about you deeply. I find it slightly worrisome that everything's happened so fast, but I've decided that the pros of this outweigh the cons, and, well," He looks me in the eyes with a determined intensity, "Feliciano Vargas, I would be honored if you were to give me permission to magically bind myself to you."

I blink, before a large grin slowly stretches itself across my face. "OF COURSE YOU CAN!" I pounce on him, bringing us both to the ground. "OHTHISISGOINGTOBESOGREATIJUST-YOU'RESTAYINGFRATELLOWON'TBEABLETOMAKEYOULEAVEWE'REGOINGTOEATPASTAANDCUDDLEANDPLAYABUNCHOFFUNGAMESANDYOU'REGOINGTOCOMEPAINTWITHMEEVERYDAYANDIT'SGOINGTOBETHEBESTTHINGEVERAND-"

"Feli, breathe!" He shouts above my rambling. In response, I exaggeratingly take air in and out. "Good, you seriously need to stop trying to get everything you want out at once."

"Sorry, Luddy! I can't help it; I'm just so excited!" I hug him cheerfully, "But wait, how do you do this again? Do we just agree and move on with our lives, or is there some sort of- WAHH!"

Ludwig holds my face in his hands and I almost faint from the surge of energy.

A/N:

HEY GUESS WHAT. THIS IS THE LAST SUB-PART BEFORE THE HIATUS, THAT'S WHAT. Meow. =3 Terribly sorry, but I haven't finished the second half of part two, so therefore, 2.3 and onwards are going to be uploaded at a later date. Just be glad I decided to upload this much instead of waiting until I've written the whole thing! But anyways, this sub-part was edited while I sat in my living room, watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail and eating junk food. Hell, this author's note was written while doing that too! (Note: I really love the Holy Grail and Life of Brian.)

Oh, and that reminds me: Hetalia Monty Python and the Holy Grail AU in which England is King Arthur and the Bad Touch Trio are the Frenchmen that taunt King Arthur from within a castle on two separate occasions (The first time, they catapult livestock and a wooden rabbit at the knights of Camelot.) Russia would probably be the leader of the knights who say 'nee;' America would be the peasant at the beginning who uses all these big, government-related terms and yells about being oppressed; Canada would be the other peasant who's all like 'I didn't know we had a king;' Germany would be Sir Galahad; Nyo!Italy would be the women in the castle who try to get in Galahad's pants. All of the women. They would be a giant mob of Nyo!Italies.

Meow. =3

Yeah, that was just me dumping a bunch of stupid ideas. By the way, no, I don't have the slightest clue when I'm next uploading anything; I might write a few one-shots or drabbles, so I guess you should watch out, but it's pretty laid-back.

Responses to review(s):

Seele Esser Deutsch: Actually, yeah, he was. X3 (This will be addressed in the sequel I'm planning.) Dude, don't be ashamed of stalking this; I'm glad I have fanfic stalkers! It makes me feel loved, knowing that people read this shit! 3

maryranstadler1: Thank you! =3 Ha, just two sub-parts after they're magically bound together, he's going to stop an assassination attempt with Antonio. In the same sub-part, someone will finally explain to Feliciano what it means to say you slept with someone! XD

APDubtalia: I know, right? What's really funny is that Ludwig has a bit of a crush on Feliciano, but confuses it with 'mother hen attraction.' XD Trust me though, he'll figure it out eventually! Also, I'm really excited for the sequel, to be honest. It's going to have pirate Spamano in it!

See you guys when I finish part 2!