Feliciano could feel his brothers tension as they walked down the sidewalk, their packs filled with fruit and bread and cloth, Feliciano could feel the tension in everyone and everything that surrounded him, like the calm before the storm when one minute you hear the birds singing and see the butterflies fluttering around and you turn away, then, there are no birds, there are no butterflies, and you look up and there's a twister headed right towards you.

But, maybe, perhaps, Feliciano was... imagining things, this was his first time out to market in a long time, maybe... Lovino's stories of shouting and gunshots and way too many people got to the younger Italian more so than he thought... yeah, that's it...

So, Feliciano just skipped along, he bounced and hummed because Lovi said that singing would draw attention to them and he held Lovino's hand and told stupid riddles and jokes he made up on the spot and-

"Feliciano...?" Lovino's voice was tense, strained, forced but calm... for Feliciano no doubt...

Looking up at Lovino, Feliciano gazed, wide-eyed at the elder "Si?"

It Lovino too long to respond.

"Do you remember where you said you would do what I say..." his voice faltered. "When I say it?" Lovino's voice shook and trembled as he breathed the words.

Shit. "Si...?" Lovino nodded, his jaw clenched and the words he spoke came out as a strained, practiced whisper

"I need you..." a breath. "To run..." another breath. "and..." and another. "do not, under any circumstances, get caught..." another breath, deeper, longer. "I..." and again "I'll be right behind you." No...

"Fratello...?" No... no, no, no NO!

"God damn it, Feli-" NO! God no.

Lovino disappeared under three men in matching uniforms and another yanked Feliciano's hands behind his back, making him yelp and cry as cold metal was pressed against his wrists.

No... God, please, no...

Take his home...

Take a family he don't remember...

Take his life...

Do NOT take his big brother...

Please...


The next thing Feliciano knew, Lovino was on top of him, shoving the man and his handcuffs to the ground and putting a bullet into his shoulder. Feliciano was lifted off the ground and shoved, hard, as Lovino screamed, begging him to run.

So, Feliciano ran.

And he hated himself for it, pushing his way through the crowd and away from anyone or anything, tears streamed down his face as he stumbled his way into the dark afternoon shadows.

Leaning up against the wall, Feliciano tried to clear his head, tried to make his sobs and tears stop, tried to figure out how the hell he was gonna save Lovi...

He hadto save his brother, he had to...

But how? Even Lovino couldn't go against all of them, how was Feliciano supposed to do anything? But, still, it's not like he could go to anybody and just say 'Hey, my brother is being arrested for stealing, resisting arrest, shooting an officer, and possibly killing people and I was wondering if you could help me because he's the only family I have left...' Yeah... No.

Sinking down the wall, Feliciano put his elbows against his knees, buried his face in his hands, and sobbed.

What the hell was he supposed to do without Lovino? He had to do something...

But, really... he couldn't... could he?

Lovino had told him as much, hadn't he "People are fleeting, they are quick to betray, quick to exploit, and quick to abandon, quick to leave, there are no exceptions, Feliciano, make no mistake..." Lovino had included himself in that, hadn't he, he had prepared Feliciano for moments like this.

But, without Lovino...

How would Feliciano eat?

How would he survive the winter?

How would he survive at all?

Who would hold him through the storms?

Who would hold him... through... the... nightmares...

Wait.

If, that, man, with papa's eyes, the one that Lovino didn't kill, didn't shoot, what if...

Was that even an option to Feliciano?

Did he even have a choice?

No, not really.


This, this right here? This was easier said than done.

Feliciano didn't know how he managed to find this silly, old cabin through his sobs and tears, what he did know was there were lots of people in there, Feliciano could hear them.

Was that man even here? If he wasn't, what would Feliciano do then? Did he have a choice now?

No, no he didn't.

It was funny, really, these rational thoughts and questions that swarmed his brain but, outside, in real life, his body was stumbling, sobbing, he couldn't see, didn't know if he could speak, he hadn't really tried.

So, it was funny how questions like: 'If he isn't here, or won't help me, what are my options?' and 'Is this really a good idea?' ran, fast, blurred through his brain while his body stumbled its way up to the door and started pounding frantically against the oak.

The house went quiet,

His brain held its breath,

His body sobbed.

The door opened,

His mind turned white,

And Feliciano screamed.


This man, this man right here? Not who Feliciano was looking for.

The oak door swung open and standing there, leaning up against the doorway, was a tall man, long, wavy blond hair, blue eyes, slight stubble and, to Feliciano who had been told not to trust people with more than enough experience to back it up, this man was far from someone Feliciano wanted to associate with.

So, when the door opened, Feliciano was proud of himself when he only stumbled back a few steps and just stood there, scared and unsure as he tried to figure out what to do now.

"Mon dieu..." Feliciano really wished he spoke... what ever language that was... great, now what was he gonna do... "Gilbert!" Gilbert? What in God's name in a 'Gilbert'? Oh shit, what if-

"What's takin' you so long Francis? What-" 'no, no no no no, okay, it-it's okay, just... calm down.' German, this man was a German, Feliciano could tell that much. He had a tall build, and, he was strong, not over muscled but strong. The stark white hair caught his attention next.

The blood-red eyes did him in.

If Feliciano screamed seeing this 'Francis' then he didn't know how to define the sound he made seeing this 'Gilbert'. What Feliciano did know was that, when he stumbled back a second time, he tripped over himself and fell, but, the two figures at the door didn't move.

Unsure what to do, Feliciano just sat there, bracing his weight on one hand while the other covered his face, maybe, just maybe, if they didn't get a good look at his face, and he held still, they'd leave him alone...

The third man to come into the group was the biggest man Feliciano had ever seen, his blond hair was slicked back and he had hard blue eyes and was the most terrifying thing Feliciano had ever seen.

The man in front of him tilted his head slightly, blue eyes softening slightly as he lowered himself down. "English?" What? Wait, wait... what? ...Oh!

"S-s-si... yes, yes I-I do." This man spoke English? Oh, thank god, maybe... maybe "Per- please! My fratello, my frate- brother he, he, I can't!" would this man help him? Could he?

The man's eyebrows drew together, confused. "I don't understand, you're not making any sense." 'No... no you... you have to help me...' suddenly very scared and unaware of his surroundings, Feliciano bolted up, towards the man, his weight shifting back almost subconsciously away, reaching towards him as if he could make the other understand through the desperate gesture.

"My brother!" Why did he not understand? Why would he not help him? What did he mean 'didn't make sense'?

Reaching a large, pale hand towards him, the strange man spoke softly, making Feliciano flinch "We'll help you and your brother, come here." 'TRAP! Trap, trap, trap, trap! Lovino!'

"No!" 'Trap, trap, trap. RUN AWAY!' Stumbling his way to his feet, Feliciano stepped back and waited, wondering what this man would do... wondering what Feliciano would do...

"It's okay." the stranger stood up, slowly, his hand still open and empty, held out for Feliciano to see. "It's okay to be afraid," he stepped forward and Feliciano wondered if... he could really trust him, "It's okay to be unsure," if... he could make the right decision. "It's a good thing, actually." arms length away from him, Feliciano knew he didn't have a choice, and, really...

Feliciano found that...

He didn't mind.