Rating for this chapter: K+
Characters for this chapter: Germany, Italy, the allies, Austria and Prussia.
Warnings for this chapter: Dark!Italy.
Chapter 5
The next morning was rather grim in Germany.
Under a tick layer of high clouds, grey and heavy cumulonimbus rolled over the landscape, not leaving any space for the rising sun to announce itself for a new day of winter.
It was nine in the morning when Ludwig awakened, feeling stiff after a rather short night spent sleeping on his desk. He groaned as he stretched his sore muscles and the memory of the last day made him whimper slightly. A muscle- one that he couldn't stretch- was more painful than all the others and it was as if Ludwig noticed it for the first time: His heart.
Until now, the organ had just served his main purpose of being a blood pump, but that particular morning of February, there was more to it than just that.
His heart was no longer beating only to convey oxygen, it was now inhabited by someone.
The feeling was strange, alien, but not unpleasant. It had grown slowly over the past week and now it was there, fully nestled in his heart and mind: Love.
It was a powerful feeling, capable of much, something that can make you very strong or that can weaken you considerably. Ludwig didn't know that, he had never felt anything like this before, he knew nothing about it.
And, for once, he didn't try to analyse, he was just content to experience this new feeling. It felt rather good, he thought, to have these strange sensations whenever he was thinking about Italy. He couldn't really describe what he felt, only that it felt nice and warm inside.
It felt better than a warm chocolate during winter and even better than a cold beer during a hot summer day.
It was euphoria.
But it also had a dark side that brought confusion in his mind. There was too much questions he never asked himself before, too much doubts and angst. He didn't know what Italy felt, he couldn't begin to think of a way to introduce the topic to him.
He would not dare asking him bluntly about his feelings and he didn't know how to proceed on that new grounds.
How does one express his love? Ludwig had no idea.
He had nothing planned for the day; His work was done and he had tidied the house up during his sleepless night. He would not spend his day doing nothing though.
It was Monday that day and certainly the mail man- the special one sent by his boss- would have deposed something for him, papers to sign, plans to work on or assignments. Germany went to check his mail box and, like every week day, it was almost full. It was good, he thought, because he really needed to keep his mind busy.
After retrieving the mail, he went directly back to his office and locked the door once again. He didn't stop by the kitchen to make himself breakfast; he wasn't hungry anyway.
It was 10 am when Austria pulled out of sleep, nose in the pillow and a haze in his brain. He sat up in his bed, rubbed his eyes and put his glasses on his nose. Like every morning, he first got clothed then went down in the kitchen for his much needed morning coffee.
He was good for nothing without his daily dose of caffeine.
He made himself a pot. The warm, black liquid pouring down his throat had the effect of a balm. Certainly he couldn't live without this. It was a cheap little pleasure of life, the only one he wouldn't save money on.
Austria sighed. Of course he hadn't forgotten about the previous day and, by the look of things this morning, the problem had not solved itself in the course of the night.
Roderick didn't know what to do about Germany's distress. The situation was too foreign for him, he couldn't relate at all. He wasn't overly worried about it though: Surely Hungary could help, she had a certain talent to help peoples with their feelings ( France was good with personal relation advise, but he'd end up taking advantage of it. Also, France was in the other camp)
Austria filled his cup with a second serving of coffee and premised himself to call his girlfriend after breakfast.
In the middle of his third cup, someone knocked- rather loudly- on the door. Austria didn't react right away: He wasn't the owner of this house after all.
As no one went to open the door, the visitor decided to invite himself him anyway.
The door was pushed open wide.
-" NO ONE IN THIS HOUSE WILL GREET THE AWESOME ME?" was yelled to the empty hall.
Austria almost chocked on his precious coffee. Why is 'he' here? Why now? He couldn't help but panic a bit at the unexpected turn of event and ran to the visitor.
-" Prussia! What in the world are you doing here ?(this early, this is really not like you!)
A smirk would be all he'd receive for a minute.
-" Kesese! Isn't that the stuck up 'young master'? Forgive me to have disturbed your ever boring day!" Prussia made a small bow to further insult him.
Roderick was used to this, to the point he didn't even frowned at the childish nation anymore. He just took an annoyed expression to tell the visitor how un-welcome he was at the moment.
-"Hello to you too, Gilbert. What do you want?"
Prussia threw his coat- not caring where it would land- somewhere in the hall, along with his black leather gloves. The double 'S' that showed up on his collar never failed to make Austria shiver slightly. Years later, he would always feel remorseful for these horrible things that, that one man, one of his own people, had done to the world.
-" I've heard things." Prussia shrugged. "I came to see if it's true."
-" What are you talking about?" Of course, Austria didn't invite Prussia in, they remained in the hall to talk.
-" I am talking about a certain German man that is said to "have failed in his fucking romance". What is that shit?"
-" I still don't see what you are talking about." Austria kept a blank face, wondering how Gilbert knew about it.
Something dangerous flashed in the albinos' eyes and he marched toward Austria. Before this one could react, Prussia had grabbed his collar tightly and was pulling him closer.
-" Don't play that outdated game with me, pretentious aristocrat, I have my sources and I'm asking you once again: What is wrong with West?"
-" How..How did you know?" Austria pushed Gilbert's hands away from him and smothered his crumpled clothes."
-" This is not the point!" Prussia calmed down. He wasn't going to tell how he had spied on the Austrian and his girlfriend the day before, nor would he admit that he had written the book Austria had bought in that library. " If my little bruder has a problem, who else than his awesome big bro could help?"
-" We don't need you! It's out of your competences!"
-" Nothing is out of my competences! I'm able of everything, got it? Also, no one knows West better than I do!"
Austria shook his head.
-" That's the problem: He's no longer the one you knew! I'm afraid he is being greatly confused by his feelings as we speak. He locked himself in his office and he won't come out, not even to eat."
-"Then it was true, he really is in love?"
Austria sighed.
-" I really hope it's not as bas as this! Maybe it's just a simple crush, on of those one can easily forget about!"
Prussia's facial expression waved slightly and for a very short time, but he went back to his arrogant self quickly.
-" Lemme handle this!" He said- and he wasn't asking for a permission- and marched past Austria toward Germany's office.
Roderick didn't stop him.
-oOo-
Romano was feeling ill that morning and, if he didn't know what had caused it, his brother knew very well.
Italy bit his lower lips: It was his fault. The sedatives he had given his older brother the day before had made him sick and now he was stuck in bed with a fever.
Unfortunately, Veneziano couldn't take care of him. He had this more than important appointment at noon that he could not postpone.
-" I'm sorry fratello, I really have an important meeting today and I can't stay with you!" He explained softly, attempting to cool down his brother's forehead with a wet cloth.
-" Veneziano, please! I don't want to stay alone!" Romano pleaded, his flushed face and sad expression making him too cute to resist.
-"Don't worry!" Veneziano gave him his most sympathetic smile. "I will call Spain, he'll take care of you!'
-"I don't want to see that bastard!" The Southern Italian coughed a little and rested his head on the pillow, looking away from his brother.
-" Listen!" Veneziano whispered. " Today, I have to talk to peoples that could be willing to protect us until this war is over. You see, it's important!"
Romano turned his head back toward him. " Hasn't that potato freak promised to help you when ever you would need him?"
North Italy looked down and Romano immediately regretted his words: He had forgotten about the previous day, the restaurant, the ring...
-" I'm sorry!" He tried to reach for his young brother. " I forgot."
-" It's ok!" Veneziano sniffed for the show. " Someone else is willing to do that"
-" Who is that?"
-" I will tell you later, when you'll feel better and when I'll be back from this meeting with more informations. Now I will call Spain!"
-" Veneziano WAIT!" But he was off already.
At noon, exactly, North Italy would meet Him again. Despite Romano's protest, he had left his older brother to Spain's care and now he was going to the meeting planned the night before.
-" Are they ready? Did you managed to get them to come today, all of them?"
-" Yes, it wasn't difficult: I just had to told them that there would be food for everybody."
-" You are smart."
-"Of course I am!"
When they entered the meeting room, everybody was present and eating already.
America lift his head from his plate of burgers and stared at Italy quizzically. He said something that no one understood because his mouth was full.
-" Why is Italy here?" England stood up from his seat and pointed at the intruder.
-" Calm down my friends, this is important."
Let's the show begin! Italy though as he pulled out his signature weapon, a white flag on a stick, and waved it frantically in front of the allies assembled in the room.
-" Help me please, help me! help me!" He screamed and cried a fountain of hot tears.
They were staring at him, not impressed. Italy crying for help was a very familiar image.
-" Germany want to annex me! Please help me! Don't let him annex me! Help! Help!"
His lover put his hands on Italy's shoulders from behind and looked at his allies.
-" Gentlemen, please consider his demand. One nation more in our camp couldn't hurt!"
-" What makes you think that this is not a trap?" England asked, taking a sip of tea.
-" It's not a trap! It's not a trap!" Italy went on crying, shaking his head. " All I want is my people to be safe! Germany betrayed me! He won't protect me! Please! Please! Please help me..." He suddenly calmed down and said with a sweet voice: "...And I'll help you!"
England stared with wide-open eyes, America was mouth agape, Russia chuckled lightly, China couldn't care less and France squeezed Italy's shoulders lightly, whispering to his ear:
-" I'm so proud of you, my love!"
A.N: Now you know who is Italy's secret lover, who had guessed?
Also, I know that Italy is very dark in this story, and he will be even worse later, but his intentions are honourable: He just want to protect his people, that's what a nation should consider first, don't you agree?
There will be other couples later, I don't want to tell to preserve a little mystery. Thank you for the reviews and I hope you still enjoy this story despite my bad English.