Disclaimer: Hetalia and its characters belong to Himaruya Hidekaz.

This story is AU.

Capitolo 1 - It was a rainy day

Lovino cursed at the top of his lungs. He hated his life, he hated his parents, he hated his brother, he hated himself...

When he regained consciousness an hour ago, the first thing he did was searching the house for his brother. Said brother was in the kitchen, stiring a pan full of tomato sauce. When the younger boy realized his brother's presence, he greeted him cheerfully, "Dinner's ready in a while, fratello!"

For a moment, Lovino thought that all that had happened was a dream. Really, there was no way his innocent little brother would do something like that when he's out of the house, right? He sighed heavilly, glad that it was just a dream, a mere nightmare. Then just as he opened his eyes again, he spotted a bit mark on his brother's carefully hidden neck. He actually wanted to faint once again, but rage overcame his senses as he grabbed his brother's arm forcefully.

"Who was the bastard, Feli?" He growled so low that his throat hurt.

"Ve!" Feliciano Vargas winced. "He's... my boyfriend, fratello..."

"Who told you you're allowed to have one?" Lovino growled once again. His hand squeezed harder.

"It hurts!" Feliciano winced once again. "It hurts, fratello, let me go!"

"No, Feli, don't think I'm going to just let this go, and I'm not gonna approve of that boyfriend of yours. Who is he, Feli? Tell me!"

"No, don't hurt him!" Feliciano struggled, to no avail. Tears started streaming down the 15 year old's cheek. "I love him, fratello! Please!"

"Love? LOVE?" Lovino snorted. "Such stupid thing won't get you anywhere. You don't need to love anyone other than me, your only family left in this world!"

Feliciano sobbed even harder. "You're wrong, fratello!"

"I'm not and you know it! You don't love him! You cannot and will not love anyone aside of me, Feli!"

"No! You're wrong! I hate you! I hate you! Go away!"

The words hit him like a hammer. Nonetheless, he decided not to think about how much it hurt, but rather, about how much it angered him.

"I'll go then! Don't cry begging me to come back!"

He left the house into the rain.

And now here he was, cursing to his heart's content under the rain, somewhere in a street he's not familiar with. He didn't care how long he had run, nor did he care where he was right now. He just wanted to be far away from that house, from his brother, from the memories haunting him, and from the reality that surrounded it. He wanted to forget everything, and if possible, let everything just be a dream so he could just pinch himself awake.

He dragged his feet on the streets, no longer caring for his shallow breaths. He wanted to run, but he was too tired. He wanted to shout, but he had no energy left to even think clearly. He just wanted to go away...

A car screeched and stopped mere inches from him.

The usual Lovino would have shouted and cursed at the top of his lungs, but he was numb right now. He couldn't think clearly and his mind couldn't even register the fact that he almost died. Maybe if he was hit, he would have given more respond than a mere empty gaze towards the man behind the wheel.

.o0o.

Antonio was stunned. His heart raced so fast that he's sure it would burst out of his chest. What had he almost done? Why couldn't he see the boy coming? Thank God, the boy was safe!

He immediately rushed out of his car, ignoring the rain prickling his head and shoulder as he approached the quiet boy.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Please tell me you're not hurt!"

But the younger man gave no response. Antonio was at loss. What should he do? He couldn't leave the shocked boy in the streets like this, right? He should help this person! This boy seemed that he needed a lot of help!

"I'm sorry? Are you okay? Did, did you get a shock? Or have you gone mute because of the shock? Oh no! What should I do? And you're drenched! Can I give you a ride home?"

The younger man still gave no response, which in result freaked Antonio out even more.

After another minute of ranting and panicking, Antonio finally deduced that the younger man was indeed in a state of shock and most likely was unable to understand him.

"It seems like the rain won't stop anytime soon," Antonio said as clearly and slowly as possible, hoping that the boy in front of him would understand. "And if you can't tell me where you live, I would have to take you to my place. Is that okay?"

The boy gave no response.

Antonio sighed and escorted the boy almost effortlessly to the passenger's seat. Still drenched, he drove back to his apartment, hoping that the younger man would snap out of it soon.

.o0o.

"I'm home," Antonio announced. It had been a habit ever since years ago, and although he's now living alone, he was still unable to let go of the habit. Though admitedly, he felt a little lonely as now there was no one to answer his "I'm home" with a "welcome back".

He put one of the boy's arms over his shoulder and took him to her—no, now it's a guest room, Antonio reminded himself. She had gone away years ago. It's no longer her room, no longer hers...

He almost laid the man down on the bed when he realized that both of them were still dripping wet. He sighed. Must he drag the man to the bathroom? This boy looked so thin and frail, he's afraid this boy would suddenly break. Ah well, he decided that he would just pick him up and carry him like carrying a girl. Unsurprisingly, the boy was so light that for a moment, Antonio wondered if the boy was a boy at all.

"If you're a girl... but you look like a boy... but maybe you're a girl because you're so thin and pretty... if you're a girl... Argh! This is so confusing! I'm sorry, but I have to open your clothes!"

Antonio peeked a bit. Thankfully, the guy was really male after all. He then proceeded to take all of the boy's clothes.

Antonio was stunned.

The boy was so thin he looked so fragile. His ribs were so obviously visible, layered only with a thin layer of skin which looked like it could rip anytime. There were bruise marks all over his malnourished body, some of them seemed old enough to be from his childhood. Antonio felt so sad suddenly. The boy in front of him was only a few years younger than him, but he had undergone so much pain in his life. Antonio was really glad he decided to take this boy to his flat, if it would keep him away from those abuses that might be laying in wait for the boy right now.

After washing the boy carefully, Antonio wrapped him gently in towels and dressed him in some of his smaller clothes. Only after he laid the boy on the bed that he himself went to change.

After making sure that the younger man had slept peacefully, Antonio went to his own room and drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

.o0o.

When Lovino woke up, the first thing he remembered was his father's angry face when the older man kicked him to the ground. What an unpleasant way to start a day. He sat up on the bed and yawned.

Slowly, he started to recognize his surroundings. This was not his room! And neither was it his workplace's staffroom! Where could he be?

Suddenly the door opened and Lovino immediately turned to see the person opening it. A man he had never met entered the room with a tray in his hands. Almost immediately, the scent of soup was spread all over the room and Lovino's empty stomach grumbled in response.

"Good morning!" the man greeted cheerfully. "I think you must be hungry, so I made this for you! I'm Antonio, by the way!"

Lovino stared at the unknown man. The man seemed older than him by one or two years. His skin was tanned, and his hair was dark brown, but a bit lighter than his own. But what took much of Lovino's attention was the man's eyes. They were so green like a forest he used to run away to after his father had gone to work.

Antonio put the tray on the table beside the bed.

"It's okay! You're safe here," Antonio smiled as kind as he could. Scaring the young man would not do him any good after all. "Nobody's going to hurt you anymore! Say, did you run away from home? It's totally okay if you did! I mean, I saw the wounds on your body last night and-ah! Don't worry, I didn't do anything weird! It's just that you're drenched wet by the rain so-"

"Stop talking like train, dammit!"

"I changed your clothes and-eh?"

"I understand, okay?" Lovino crossed his arms on his chest. He faintly remembered the rain, though he couldn't remember how he met the man. Maybe he fainted on his doorbell? Or maybe he bumped into him on the streets then lost consciousness? Whatever the case might be, the man in front of him must be a good person because he actually took an unknown boy in, changed his clothes and cooked him breakfast. Though Lovino felt a bit suspicious if the older man's a pervert.

Now what should he do? He couldn't go back home, not until Feli begged him to. Then again, how would Feli find him? He didn't even know where he was! Oh right! The cafe he worked in! Feli knew that place! If he could stay in the cafe, then it would hit two birds with a stone! The only problem left was the room... Where would he sleep? No way he's sleeping with Bella. That sca—crazy older brother of hers would never allow it (no, he was not afraid of the man, since he's not a coward!) And he would never let himself sleep in the same room as said older brother! The only option left was the sofa, but since it was that man's favorite, it was totally unlikely that he would allow Lovino to use it. Should he just sleep on the floor with a blanket? He was used to it for years after all. But the thought of having to go through that again made him shiver.

"Are you okay? Are you too cold? Here, drink this soup! It will calm and warm you," Antonio smiled as he scooped a spoonful. "Here, open your mouth!"

"I—What do you take me for, bastard? I can do it myself!" Lovino snatched the spoon, only to spill the soup to the blanket.

Silence rang.

"It's okay! You must be really exhausted from yesterday!" Antonio picked the spoon from Lovino's trembling hand. "You really looked out of it when I saw you yesterday. You must have gone a long way here..."

Lovino was dumbfounded. The older man was crying in front of him!

"Wha-what the, why are you crying, bastard?"

"I'm sorry, it-it must have been hard for you!" the older man gulped as more tears came trickling down his cheek. "Was it your father? Or mother? Or your stepparents?"

Lovino eyed the man in confusion. What the heck? Why did the man start asking him about his family?

Then it hit him.

If the man changed his clothes yesterday, then he must have seen the bruises he had neither time nor money to heal. It's safe to assume that the man came into conclusion that he was abused by his parents. Not totally off the bat, Lovino mused. Now what should he answer? The truth?

"I-I'm sorry," Antonio sobbed. He scrubbed his eyes with his right sleeve. "You-you might want to eat later so, so I'll leave the soup here, alright? Af-after you calm down, you can talk to me!"

You're the one who needs to calm down, Lovino found himself wanted to retort, but his voice failed him as a gush of fatigue engulfed him and dragged him into another slumber. The last thing he was aware of was the kind smile of support from the crying man.

Oh well, he could always think of what to do later.