Antonio looked out of the door at the base of the fortress of the Forbidden Mountain, a glazed look in his wide eyes. He'd just gone through the whole of this horrible place, every room, top to bottom, even the grounds around it. Nothing.

There was no way Lovi would have turned into the dragon…

He didn't even say good-bye.

Antonio slid to his knees.

He lived alone on a small tomato farm not far from the base of the mountains, his parents having once been in indentured work to the witch. They died right before they paid off their debt so it was given to Antonio. He'd never let this get him down though. Often he stayed and played with the small Italian boy there, making him his closest friend. But the boy had a tendency to be fairly cynical so Antonio took it upon himself to always be happy, for Lovi's sake. To make him smile. It didn't take him long to realise he was in love with Lovi, but he knew that he would probably never have that love in return, seeing as he was raised as the apprentice to evil. It hurt for a while but as long as he could work for him, to be near him, with even that little chance to make him smile, he would not leave.

But….

He squeezed his eyes shut.

Damn it! Lovino was too impulsive and stubborn for his own good! He felt tears trickle down from the corners for his eyes. He gripped his hair as an overwhelming feeling of emptiness engulfed him. He screamed to pound his fists into the stone floor before letting himself break down.

"What the hell are you crying about bastard?"

Antonio's head shot up, tear streaked face meeting tear streaked glare. "L-Lovi?" The Italian sniffed and crossed his arms while looking away. "Lovi?" He stood up slowly, as if afraid of scaring him off. He took a tentative step forward. Lovino was now dressed in a peasant's pants and top, instead of his usual black leather or wool, making his features looks softer. He had a small satchel slung over his shoulder. He snapped his eyes to the Spaniard, "Well, are you coming?"

Antonio smiled and ran forwards to embrace the flustered Italian, "Of course! I'll follow you anywhere Lovi!"

Lovino went red but mad no move to push him away. Eventually he relaxed into the hold. "Come on bastard, let's leave." The Spaniard nodded enthusiastically before they both ran from the fortress. The remnants of the castle were left to the disorganised monsters before they too died off. The mountain reclaimed what's hers and the tower became an illustration of a story fore many years.

~X~

Epilogue- About a year later

The blond Germanian prince glanced back for the third time in five minutes to the clearing where he left his horse as the Italian on his arm tugged him forward. "Are you sure we should be here Feli?"

"Si! Of course! Mio fratello è qui!"

Ludwig facepalmed with his free arm, "That's what I'm worried about. Last time we met he tried to kill me."

"Don't be silly Luddie~ Lovi's settled down with Toni. They invited us over for dinner!"

"Didn't he put you under the spell with a plate of pasta?"

"No! It was una forchetta!", Ludwig suppressed a groan.

Shortly ahead of them, another clearing appeared (as if by magic). A small house appeared, barely visible through the surrounding tomato plants. They followed a path to the porch of the airy house where they were greeted with the sight of an old friend. "Ve! Kiku!"

The green faerie, swinging softly on the porch swing, looked up from the curly brown hair that occupied his lap. Before the Italian could glomp him he placed a finger to his lips in a shushing motion. The Italian somehow stopped mid-leap and glanced at the occupant of the lap, smiled widely at the slightly red Japanese man. He leaned over to give him a warm awkward hug. Ludwig waited behind him and nodded his head at the faerie.

The quiet was broken when the door flung open and a body flung itself at the blonde. "BRUDER!"

"Ah! Gillian! What are you doing-?"

"GILLIAN! HOW ARE YOU?"

"I'M GREAT FELI!"

"Schwester, why are you here?"

"WHAT WAS THAT LUDDIE, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU! I'M HERE WITH MY HUSBAND WHO'S BROS WITH THE PIRATE FAERIE'S LOVER!"

Feliciano and Ludwig stared at her. "…What?"

"Yeah, you met Matthew before. You met him after we got married."

"Was that when you left for about a month? Did you get married?"

Gillian smacked her brother on the back of the head, "Yes, I got married. And yes, you've met him."

"Uh…" Red eyes bored into his head, "Oh yes, I remember now. He was very nice…"

She flipped her silver hair, "Nice my ass. He's nearly as awesome as me!"

"So," Feliciano put a slender finger to his chin, "So he's the farmer guy's brother. The one dating Arthur?"

Gillian snapped her fingers, "Yeah! That one!"

"What are you idiots out here yelling about?" Feliciano's spitting image looked out at them with a scowl from the window. He caught his twin's eye and proceeded to blush, "Hey Feli. We're making dinner if you want to help."

"Is it pasta?"

"Of course it's pasta you idiot! Now are you going to help or not?"

Feliciano smiled and 've'ed happily while skipping inside, "Oh! Can Ludwig come help?"

"No!"

"Lovi, don't be rude!" Antonio hugged the Italian from behind, earning him an elbow to the gut. He continued to smile as he doubled over. "Lovi, you're not being a very good host."

"I invited Feli, not the potato bastard!" Ludwig quirked an eyebrow.

"Fine. You finish the food with Francis—"

"And awesome me!"

"—and Gillian, I'll keep Ludwig company."

"Psh, whatever." He side stepped a hug from his enthusiastic brother and continued inside with Gillian close behind.

Antonio and Ludwig sat on the edge of the porch, the brunette still rubbing his bruise. "Sorry about him," Antonio explained, "He's still getting over the whole not being evil thing."

Ludwig nodded gravely, "It's quite alright."

"He's really not that bad."

The two jumped at the third, soft voice. Standing by a pole holding the overhang up, he smiled wryly, "He seems mostly uncomfortable around Ludwig. Hello by the way."

The man's face rung a small bell to the Germanian, "Er, yes, hallo."

"Ah!" Antonio also just noticed that he was standing there, "Matthew! Have you met Ludwig?"

It's hard not to smile at the overall naivety of the Spaniard, "Yes, he's my brother-in-law after all."

"Bastards! Food's almost ready! Sit at the table before the burger idiot eats it all."

Matthew sighed, "That would be Al. Let's go, the table's out back. We should be quick or else he really will eat all the food."

Ludwig pinched the bridge of his nose, "My family grew exponentially with just one marriage, hasn't it?"

Matthew gave a good natured chuckle, "Yes. Yes it has."

Mio fratello è qui!-My brother's here!

Una forchetta-A fork

Schwester-Sister

WOOOOO! TIZ DONE!

Well, I hope you liked it! XD Yeah...
Dunno what I'll work on next. I'm looking for a job right now and college classes are being picked. =_='

THANK YOU FOR READING!