Feliciano didn't notice when Ludwig started to drive; he was still crying. "Luddy" had remained silent for the previous few minutes.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself," Luddy said, his voice as stern as if he were shouting.

Feliciano finally noticed: "Where . . . where are you taking me?!" He started to shake.

Luddy glanced over at him. "Relax, I'm just taking you to my house."

"W-why?"

"I can't exactly leave you out on the streets now that I know you're homeless. So I'm letting you stay at my house for one night."

"G-grazie!" A smile lit up his face once again, and Ludwig seemed to relax. Or at least be softer around the edges. Other than that, Luddy ignored Feliciano for a bit, turning off onto an old dirt road.

"Is this where you live? It's so pretty!" Feliciano said, his breath fogging the glass.

"You're making the glass dirty! You can stare when we get out," Luddy snapped, his voice a little obsessive, a little estranged.

"Sorry," he immediately apologized. "It's just, I don't like it when things get dirty."

Feliciano backed away from the glass, a little shaken. "It's okay~! I can clean it when we get there for you~!"

Luddy shook his head and insisted on cleaning it himself. "Besides," he added, "we're here."

Feliciano almost pressed his face up to the glass again before he could stop himself. He opened the car and jumped onto the stone walkway leading up to a pair of double doors guarding an elegant house. It seemed too far out of anyone's league. Feliciano couldn't help but gaze in silence, quite a feat for him.

Luddy strolled right ahead and opened the doors with keys from his pocket like it was an everyday luxury to live in such a house.

Feliciano followed shortly after in a dazed state. The whole thing seemed unreal to him. On the drive over, it was easy for him to pretend he wasn't going anywhere special. Then it had become next to impossible to ignore the facts.

Luddy started up the stairs, gesturing for Feliciano to come with. "The guest room's this way."

Upstairs there was a long hallway, with several rooms branching off. Luddy didn't bother to flick the hall light on as he turned and entered the first door on the left.

"I-is this my room?" Feliciano asked. He still had a little bit of shock in his system.

"Ja. The shower's the last door at the end of the hall on the right." Ludwig turned and left before Feliciano had a chance to thank him.

Feliciano laid down on the bed's soft comforter. He relaxed and started to doze.

Even if it was only for a day, Feliciano finally had a home.

So now Italy has a home! Yay! ^-^

The cover for my other story is almost done; it just needs to be uploaded. But for this story, however. . . May I just say, some people owe me some work. LOTS of work.

This chapter is short, I know, but I didn't have much time to sit down and work. Sowwy. . .

Ciao~!

-TN