Double update! Why? Because my writing impulses control my life. It's longer than the last one so that's always a plus right? /shot. Anyway, I would like to thank those who have reviewed, favorited/alerted my story! I appreciate it! :D

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia even though it's probably every fangirl's dream.

Warnings: Lovino's mouth, and finally some Spamano XD

Chapter Five

Svelata

"Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid."

― Frederick Buechner

The question caught Antonio off-guard but he quickly rebounded, "I figured you'd ask that." The Spaniard took a small swallow of his hot chocolate.

Lovino waited expectantly.

With a sigh, Antonio placed his mug next to his chair. "You see, Feliciano, he just… fell apart after you died. If you heard everything Francis said, you already know that he wouldn't eat and wouldn't sleep. He stayed locked inside a room for weeks on end; no matter how hard we tried to convince him, he wouldn't come out. It became so bad that he had to be taken to the hospital."

The ringing of a phone alarmed Antonio from his sleep and he groaned in frustration. He grabbed the device, angrily pressing the button and putting it to his ear.

"Ludwig, do you have any idea what time it is?" Antonio sat up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

There was a long pause.

"Ludwig?" Antonio became concerned. "What's wrong?"

"It's Feliciano," the German replied monotonously.

"What happened to him?"

"He's in the hospital."

And that's all that was needed.

Antonio saw Ludwig leaned forward in the chair when he arrived at the hospital, watching the Italian with worry while Feliciano lay motionless in bed. And what pale and sickly thing he was. His hair was a dark and faded and his bones were more prominent underneath his skin. Bandages wrapped around the Italian's wrists, hiding truths and misery.

It was apparent that the blonde man hadn't heard his entrance and placed his hand on Ludwig's shoulder.

"Ludwig, what happened?" Antonio asked softly.

"He passed out," Ludwig replied, not looking at the Spaniard as he remembered seeing Feliciano crumple to the floor harder than a ton of bricks. "He hasn't eaten in over six weeks or had an adequate amount of sleep. And the bandages… the doctor won't let me look at what's underneath them- but I have an idea of what they are."

So did Antonio.

There was no denying what the Italian had been doing in the past month of isolation.

It was quite obvious.

But… they didn't want to believe it.

No one would.

No could imagine that the cheery young man they knew now had resorted to the most drastic of tactics to release his pain… to try and… be rid of this world and see his older brother again.

That's all the Italian wanted.

Was that too much to ask?

Yes.

In all reality, it was.

Feliciano knew his brother would never return.

And that's what was killing him.

Lovino listened in horror, too shaken to speak.

"I suppose he was trying to die the same way you did- painfully and slow. I think he blamed himself for your murder therefore he believed he should die, too. After he was released from the hospital, the attempts became more frequent, according to Ludwig."

"I'm going to kick his ass!" Lovino gripped the cup tightly.

"Who's? Ludwig's?" Antonio raised an eyebrow.

"No shit! I told him to take care of my brother!"

"He tried. He truly did. He did everything but even that wasn't enough. Feliciano, he… he kept saying he was trying to be strong but it wasn't working- that he was letting you down again," Antonio protested lightly.

"Tried to be strong? What do you mean?"

"Before you died, you told him to be strong. Those words became his life, the very basis of his actions… but he caved," the Spaniard replied, picking up his cup and taking another sip from it.

"And no one knows where he is?" Lovino asked.

Antonio shook his head, "No; we've searched everywhere and we still are… just at a smaller scale. It's time consuming but we're going over every variable carefully and leaving no stone unturned.

"Aren't the others helping?"

"They were at first but as it turned out, they stopped after the first four weeks of searching. All but me, Francis, Ludwig, Arthur and Alfred think he's dead."

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me! What do they think he did? Jump off a fucking cliff?" Lovino shouted, rising to his feet.

"No one knows where he is, Lovino, ergo, he could be anywhere in any part of the world. You must try to calm down."

"Calm down? Don't you fucking tell me to calm down! My brother is missing and yet here we are, sitting on our asses! I'm going to go look for him!" Lovino's voice raised in volume considerably.

"At this time of night? You're not going to find him."

"I can try."

"Lovino," Antonio clutched onto the Italian's wrist gently. "Stay here. Please. Don't leave me… again…"

Again?

"I don't know if I'd be able to bear it a second time… I know looking for your brother isn't the only reason you want to go. It's because of the way I've been treating you, isn't it? Stop me when I'm wrong."

Lovino didn't answer.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. When I found you in the field… I was scared. I didn't know what to think or what to feel- so I just shut it out altogether. It was wrong of me to do that to you, especially when you had no idea what was going on… so please… just stay… mi amor," Antonio looked up at Lovino then, his eyes betraying nothing.

The Italian froze as his heart thundered in his chest but no longer causing him pain.

It was the good type of thundering.

The type of pounding that occurred every time Antonio spoke to him.

…he missed it.

Antonio pulled Lovino closer as he stood to his feet, their foreheads touching and the Spaniard left a feather of a kiss on Lovino's forehead. The desire was left burning, drawing them together until their lips finally locked in a fervent but tender kiss. One that was heated yet whispering sweet nothings to the other, one that finally crossed the boundary between the living and the dead…

One that was perfect.

Waking up in Antonio's arms was a feeling of completion. Lovino didn't dare move as one of the missing pieces to his puzzle was finally there and… loved him just like he used to. It was as if nothing had happened- as if there was no murder, there was no grief.

An empty façade but a substantial one all the same.

Lovino felt Antonio draw him nearer and a sigh of content could be heard which in turn caused the Italian to smile as his own escaped his lips.

"Are you awake?" Antonio murmured while running his fingers through the latter's hair.

"Yeah," Lovino answered. "I've been awake for a few minutes now."

Antonio smiled, "I don't feel like getting up."

"Lazy ass."

"And you aren't?" Antonio raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't say that I wasn't," Lovino had a small smirk to his tone.

The Spaniard laughed- something he hadn't done in a very long time. Lovino rolled his eyes but said nothing of it and simply enjoyed this moment for he didn't know how long it would last.

Antonio's phone suddenly went off, making the duo jump.

The Spaniard groaned, a bit frustrated that his morning had been ruined by someone who decided to call him at the wrong time. He reached over to the nightstand and read the caller I.D. before even considering answering it to see if that person's call could be ignored.

However, what the screen flashed made his stomach drop.

Arthur.

Antonio had half a mind to disregard it and make up some excuse as to why he didn't answer his phone. He thought about it. But they were already in a hole so deep that there wasn't any means of escape so why dig even further?

The Spaniard pressed the phone to his ear, "Yeah?"

"You sure are a morning person, aren't you?" Arthur's tone was sarcastic and Antonio could almost picture the smirk on the Englishman's face.

"What do you want, Arthur?"

"Surely you haven't forgotten about what I said last night."

How could he forget?

"No, I didn't forget," Antonio sat up, causing a look of confusion to settle itself on Lovino's face.

"Glad to hear it. So is breakfast at 9:00 sound good to you? That gives you an hour because knowing you, you just woke up."

"Oh shut up."

"Don't get your hopes up. Anyway, I'll see you then and don't give some lame excuse as to why you or Livio can't make it. I know you far too well."

Damn it, Antonio thought as he hung up with Arthur.

What was that man up to?

He was a crafty character when need be and this seemed to be one of those times…

"What was that all about?" Lovino asked as Antonio rolled out of bed.

"Arthur wants us- or rather me and Livio to go and eat breakfast with him and Alfred."

"Oh yeah! About that! I overheard that, too, you stupid idiot! What the hell were you thinking? You played right into his hands!" Lovino landed a solid punch on Antonio's arm.

Antonio laughed nervously, "Sorry about that."

Lovino rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

The Italian placed the same cap on his head from yesterday and slipped his trademark curl underneath it, once again being kept waiting at the door.

"Hello! We've got to be there in ten minutes! Stop primping and get your ass down here!" Lovino called up the stairs and on cue, the Spaniard came out of his room.

"Damn! What takes you so long to get ready?" Lovino raised an eyebrow.

"Nada," Antonio replied, leaving the house.

"Glad I'm not the only one who's nervous," Lovino followed Antonio out of the house as they began heading towards the restaurant on foot with it being in walking distance.

Antonio had an anxious smile when he took Lovino's hand, "I'm sure we'll live."

"Says you…" Lovino muttered.

Having only five minutes to spare, the duo entered the restaurant, scanning the area for Arthur and Alfred. Lovino pointed to them when the American had waved his hand in the air and called their names which caused a few heads to turn and look at him.

Antonio and Lovino took their seats across from them, their nerves going haywire by this point and trying not to show it. Lovino, just as he did yesterday, kept his head down and away from the Arthur's inquisitive stare.

"Good morning, you two," Arthur said.

"Good? There's nothing good about it! You know I hate waking up early but you do it anyway! Speaking of which, I'm surprised you got up early with you being such a grumpy gills and all," Alfred folded his arms behind his head and leaned back in his chair a bit.

"First of all, you need to lay off on the Disney movies. They're starting to become an everyday thing with you. Second, you're going to fall if you lean back any further," Arthur shifted his gaze to Alfred which made Lovino relax for the meantime.

"Hey, Finding Nemo is a great movie! I know every word!" Alfred grinned.

"I find that nothing to be proud of."

"I do!" Alfred quickly set the chair back on four legs when he began going back too far.

"I told you to be careful," Arthur chastised.

"No you didn't!"

"It was implied," Arthur stated, turning to Lovino.

"Love you, too," Alfred said sarcastically.

"So, Livio, do you like it here in Cuore? It's such a nice and quaint little town, don't you think?" Arthur questioned, intent on getting the man to slip up at some point.

"Yes, it's nice," Lovino replied.

"Alfred and I don't get to visit much so we try to make the most of it. Anyway, how long have you two been friends?"

"Since we were kids," Antonio answered this time with a bit of a dry tone.

"I see. Where'd you two meet?" Arthur wondered.

"School," Antonio replied again and began speaking again, guessing Arthur's next question. "We met in Spain but then he moved here to Italy."

Alfred blinked in confusion. What was with all the questions?

Arthur nodded and allowed the waiter to take Lovino and Antonio's drink orders. Only when the waiter left did he continue, "You both look so tense. Is everything all right?"

"Peachy keen," Antonio had a forced grin.

"Sarcasm seems to be your best asset at this point," Arthur folded his hands on the table.

Antonio raised an eyebrow. Lovino tugged the bill of the cap down, hiding his face and this caught Arthur's undivided attention.

"Oh, and Lovino, I'm not sure if you knew this but it's considered rude to wear a hat indoors, particularly when you're in company," Arthur looked over the rim of his cup as he brought it to his lips.

The Italian felt his blood run ice cold, "W-What did you call me?"

"You heard me, Lovino," Arthur placed the cup on the table.

Antonio's eyes narrowed a fraction, "You must be even crazier than I thought, Arthur. Lovino's dead, you know that."

"Is that single protruding curl a suffice enough explanation for you?" Arthur pointed to it.

Antonio followed Arthur's gaze and there it was. Lovino's significant attribute was indeed poking out of the cap. Lovino, with his identity unveiled, removed the hat, letting the duo across from him take a good look. Alfred nearly flipped out, his eyes widening in astonishment.

"What the-? But how-? I don't-! What's going on here?" Alfred questioned.

"I want to know just as much as you do, Alfred," Arthur replied, not taking his eyes off the Italian.

Lovino, however, averted his gaze to another part of the restaurant.

Antonio sighed, "What do you want to know?"

"How and why," Arthur replied.

"I don't know how or why; he just suddenly appeared one day. I found him in the field in the outskirts of town. I can't explain it. In fact, I wasn't planning on telling anyone."

"Does anyone else know?" it was Alfred's turn to ask.

"Just Francis," Antonio answered and Arthur's brow twitched in annoyance upon hearing the Frenchman's name. "And I wanted to keep it that way but someone decided to be nosy and stick themselves in situations that does not concern them."

"Force of habit," Arthur said nonchalantly. "It's also a human's natural instinct to question things they do not understand and try to find answers to those questions."

"No, Arthur, you're just deliberately intrusive," Antonio crossed his arms.

"Guilty of charged, as I said," Arthur had a small smile, his interrogation finished. "Moreover, we'll keep this strictly confidential since Kiku and Matthew are here but I don't think they'll ask any questions."

Antonio nodded in agreement to that, expecting that of the two soft spoken men.

Alfred was suddenly beside Lovino, having scooted his chair over to the Italian and going unnoticed, and started poking Lovino in the face repeatedly with a curious expression.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Lovino demanded when he slapped Alfred's hand away from his face.

Whoa, you're real!" an enthusiastic twinkle shone in Alfred's eyes.

"Of course I'm real, numb nuts!" Lovino shot back.

"I was just making sure," Alfred said and then lowered his voice. "Arthur tends to see things that aren't really there so I had to check."

"I heard that, you git!" Arthur glared.

Alfred grinned sheepishly.

Lovino rolled his eyes in exasperation. How did those two make it through the day without strangling each other at least once? Well, he supposed he and Antonio had a relationship similar to that. There were days when he felt like Antonio needed some sense knocked into him.

"So what were you two going to be doing later?" Alfred wondered.

"Nothing, really," Antonio shrugged.

"I was planning on looking for Feliciano," Lovino said and this made the three at his table stare. "Everyone else may have given up but I haven't."

"But where would we even begin?" Arthur tried his best to make a point. They really had looked everywhere in Italy, to the most densely populated cities to the ghost towns.

That is when Lovino stood, surprising the others.

"Where are you going?" Antonio asked as the Italian began to leave the restaurant.

"I need to clear my head. I'll catch up at home with you later," Lovino positioned the hat on his head again, no longer worried about trying to hide the curl. He exited the restaurant after that.

Lovino hadn't the slightest clue as to where he was going (not that he was paying attention). He just continued walking and let his feet be his guide. The October air nibbled at his skin as his cheeks and the tip of his nose were stained a light red.

The Italian pulled his hood over his head in an attempt to protect himself from the weather. It assuaged the cold but not to his approval; he caught sight of a nearby and what seemed to be abandoned building until he noticed that a light could be seen from the window on the first floor.

It would have to do until he went back home. Lovino fished around in his pockets for his phone and sighed when he remembered he had left it at Antonio's house.

He had no idea where he was and he had no means of contacting a ride home.

"Just perfect! Can this get any worse?" Lovino asked aloud.

A gust of wind blew, chilling Lovino to the bone. His teeth chattered as he shivered violently.

Apparently it can! Lovino thought as he made his way towards the building that looked to be a warehouse.

He went inside, immediately relishing in the warmth. The room was barren for the most part, save for the single bed, heater, and a few scattered chairs. A single lamp hung from the ceiling, giving the area an eerie atmosphere and it was surprisingly dark despite that it was nearly noon outside.

"Funny…" Lovino thought aloud, "no one's here."

Suddenly, the Italian felt something fly past him, grazing the arm of his jacket. Lovino heard the loud thok as whatever cut him lodged into the wall and warm liquid start trailing down his arm. He held his hand over the cut, wincing in pain.

"What the fuck? Who's there?" Lovino shouted in the darkness ahead of him due to the lack of light.

Someone then stepped out of the shadows with a dark and authoritative presence . The man was young (at least two or three years younger than Lovino), a good two inches taller, slightly tan skin that nearly matched his own, auburn hair, physically fit and amber eyes that were as hard and cold as the stone itself. And not to mention the single curl that seemed to stand out from all the rest.

Just like his.

Wait a minute…

Lovino began putting all the features together in his head, recognizing immediately who this person was and felt his heart sink into his stomach.

"Feliciano…?"

Svelata- Unveiled

Antonio and Lovino kiss and make up, Arthur and Alfred (mainly Arthur) figured out Lovino is alive, and Feliciano finally makes an appearance! I'm kind of shocked I was able to put this into one chapter without ruining the entire story line /shot.

Anyway! Please review and feel free to guess what happens next! :D

Arigatou~

This is Crimson signing off!

Hasta la Pasta!