In case you didn't know:
Hetalia= not mine
Feliciano found that he didn't really mind that Lovino misinterpreted the tears he shed for his brother as some kind of overwhelming fear of discovery that Feliciano just couldn't handle as they flowed down his cheeks in streams of despair and he let Lovino hold him, he clamped both hands down over his mouth to smother his wails as he leaned into his brothers strong, comforting embrace, not able to get enough air through his nose as he pressed his face against Lovino's neck, relishing in his brothers sent.
He also submerged himself in Lovino's voice as he whispered sweet promises of a sunrise and clear, cloudless blue skies, telling bits of nono's old fairy tales that he had told Lovino when he was young, singing lullabies that nonna had sung to all three of them when they had begged, and stories about mama's smile and papa's eyes.
Even through his badly muffled sobs, Feliciano heard the crunching footsteps and surprised gasp that echoed through their little rock shelter and sent Lovino flying to his feet.
The hand that Lovino used to grab at Feliciano's shirt and yank him behind his big brother was rough and frightened the younger Italian as he struggled to clear his eyes and subdue his rising sobs.
The beaten black pistol that came to life in Lovino's hand scared him more.
It used to be their grandfathers, so Lovino said.
It was one of the last things they had to remind them of their family.
Lovino treasured it.
Lovino kept it fully operational, spent hours cleaning and caring for it, and fully loaded at all times.
But bullets were expensive and hard to steal.
Feliciano knew that Lovino never wasted more than two bullets on a single man.
That was on days when he was merciful enough to give one warning.
The second one would send crimson blood splattering over anyone and anything in the immediate area.
But Lovino pulled the trigger far too quickly for it to be anything but a warning, he didn't waste his ammo recklessly on a shot that might miss.
Peeking over his brother's shoulder, Feliciano looked at the man frozen in front of them.
And his heart skipped a beat.
His brother would, on occasion and after a long time of pestering, tell Feliciano about their parents, about their little brother's light green eyes and copper-red hair and adorable habits, their mothers soft brown eyes and gentle, forgiving personality, and their fathers hard hand.
Lovino also told Feliciano that the most vivid memory of their family was their little brother's wide, innocent eyes, their mothers sweet perfume that matched her smile...
And their father's brilliant green eyes, he spoke of them in such vivid detail that they would haunt Feliciano's dreams weeks after Lovino's stories.
And there, standing in the firelight, emerald-green eyes danced and glowed and Feliciano felt all the air rush from his chest in a high-pitched whimper.
'Papa...?'
When the second bullet blasted from the gun's muzzle and Lovino moved away from him, Feliciano cried out wordlessly, a soulful plea not to kill the light that danced in panicked green eyes.
"Out!" the single commanding word that left Lovino's lips was another warning, another chance for survival.
Lovino was never one for three strikes, you're out.
Most people didn't get one strike.
This man got three.
He still wasn't dead.
What was wrong with his brother?
Sighing, Lovino turned around to face Feliciano. "Feli, you can't come, we've been over this."
Lovino was, by nature, stubborn, and was used to having Feliciano do whatever he said. "I don't care! I'm going with you and you can't stop me!" pausing to take a steadying breath, Feliciano plowed straight through Lovino's attempt to interrupt him.
Despite their differences in appearance and personality, Feliciano was still Lovino's little brother and was just as capable of getting what he wanted despite his age. "I am not a child anymore Lovino, as much as you wish it was so!" it hurt to land such a low blow on his brother but he would not be coddled anymore. "I'm sick of waiting and not knowing if you're gonna come back to me alive..." because what was he supposed to do if, one day, his brother didn't come home? If Lovino couldn't stand to loose Feliciano then what made him think that Feliciano could survive loosing his big brother?
Feliciano hung his head, squeezing his eyes shut. 'Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry...' he repeated the command in his head like a mantra.
When Lovino touched Feliciano's cheek and pressed their foreheads together, the younger Italian leaned into the familiar, comforting touch desperately, struggling to force the icky thoughts out of his head.
'How am I supposed to keep you safe fratello...?'
"Alright." the word came suddenly and firmly as Lovino stood and grabbed their backpacks, little, old things that Lovino had stolen from a yard sale after their families death.
Feliciano fumbled with the pack that Lovino tossed at him, watching his brother paint a painfully fake smile onto his lips. "Come on, but..." Lovino's voice dropped and he invaded Feliciano's personal space, forcing eye contact. "You do what I say, when I say it. I tell you to run: you run, I tell you to hide: you hide." Lovino cocked an eyebrow. "Do you understand?"
Feliciano nodded, to nervous to speak.
'Don't take him from me...' he prayed, forcing his breaths to stay even.
'You're just over reacting, nothing bad is going to happen...' clenching his fists, Feliciano really hoped he was right.
And he really, really hoped that Lovino would be able to protect them.
And if he couldn't...
Feliciano wondered if he would be strong enough to protect them both.
He really hoped he wouldn't have to...
How ya doin' y'all? Sorry this took me a bit but it was a touch hard to get through ^^;
I kinda miscalculated my timing and totally fucked up so now both Salvatore and Heilig are a bit behind my other HH stories so I might end up pausing Heroe and Salvazza updates till I get them caught up but it shouldn't take me too long.
So, till then
Ja ne (See you)
