Author's Note: Thank you all for the reviews; they're very appreciated! It's been very hard to keep these short and sweet, since I enjoy writing very long drabbles, aha... Enjoy.
After a backbreaking training session with Germany, Italy regained his breath and quickly scrambled over to his friend, wrapping his arms around Germany's torso and snuggling his face against his chest. "A goodbye hug for the captain~" Italy sang endearingly, not minding the fact that Germany's return of the gesture was more or less hesitant. He then pulled back and saluted in his cute way before turning on his heel to start for home.
"Italy, wait!" Germany had gained Italy's attention with the sudden command. The brunette turned around again and tilted his head, showing that he was giving Germany his full attention. "Ne, ne, what is it Germany?" Italy's voice was plagued with a slight anxiety; he was fearful that he had done something wrong or Germany had found out he skipped a few laps while his captain had taken a restroom break. Thinking Germany did know, Italy raised his hands and his jaw opened widely as he pleaded for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Germany! I'll run twice as many laps next time, just let me go home and have pasta~!!" The other nation was confused by this babbling for a second before his face snapped into one of anger. "You've been what--!?" He lost his temper quickly, still in captain mode, and stomped over to the now huddling Italy. His expression soon simmered down to a distant onlooker's gaze before he sighed and patted the sniffling pasta-loving nation on the back. "It's fine, just don't do it again," Germany mumbled.
"Now, I was about to ask you something," Germany retracted his hand slowly and his shoulders stiffened as he tried to maintain eye contact with Italy, who was now dabbing away his tears. "Why... do you always give me a goodbye hug? Is it an Italian thing?" Italy had succeeded in drying his tears and now looked at Germany with a curious expression complete with a questioning gape of his mouth. "I give hugs to Germany because I love him, of course!" Italy said this with such a wide smile on his face, Germany couldn't help but to advert his dejected blue eyes and to hope that Italy wouldn't question why his cheeks had tinged pink a considerable amount. "Is that so..." Germany barely murmured. Italy hummed a puzzled 'hmm' in his throat before hugging Germany again; he was confused with Germany's sudden shyness, it did not suit him at all. "That's the only reason I need to hug Germany!" Italy smiled fondly as Germany returned his hug with a shy fumble of his arms. "I just want Germany to know that I love him~" The curl in Italy's hair made his innocent face all the more delightful as he retracted from the hug and skipped home. "I'll save some pasta for you, okay?" the Italian yelled as he ran off.
Germany's grimace lessened a bit as he tried to understand the feeling. He shook his head, too tired to think upon it seriously, then yelled back to the running Italy, "Don't make a mess while you're eating!" He 'hmphed' amusingly to himself when Italy merely waved him off with an, "Okay~"