Chapter 3

Italy walked down the hall happily going to his and Ludwig's room, but on his way he stopped outside of Kiku's room so he could tell his Japanese friend goodnight. Just when Feli was about to knock on Kiku's door though, he heard his name being discussed through a crack in the ajar door. Kiku was in the room talking to someone, and by the sound and look of it, that someone was Ludwig.

"Ludwig...why do you stay with Italy? What's your motive? I mean he's not much help, and requires much work." Japan sighed as Germany nodded in agreement.
"Ja, I know Kiku, but what can I do?

"We could always get rid of him. I mean he could be our ally but he wouldn't do us much use in a battle."

Ja, true and he's so weak and frail, it's always 'Germany this' or 'Germany that', or 'Germany! Germany! Help me'!' He constantly needs to be saved all the time, and he can't even tie his own shoes right. And his pasta…he goes on and on about that all day long…" the blonde waved a hand irritably in the air.

Feliciano just watched sadly, his heart breaking as japan scoffed. "He makes messes all the time. Which you end up cleaning up by the way…Why does he feel the need to surrender all the time? Is he just that weak?" The Japanese man asked, raking a hand through his dark hair. Ludwig just shook his head
"I have no idea, always giving me my own flag, expecting me to just surrender alongside him. You know how many battles I have lost because of him?" Germany sounded disgusted, exhausted and just irritated...Italy could feel the tears start to come. How could they say such things? How could they be so mean? The hurt Italian fled back to his own room practically sprinting down the hall. 'I thought we were all friends…but I'm just…dead weight to them I guess… The Italian shut himself into his room, allowing the tears to flow freely down his face and onto his clothes.
"But you know...even through all of that...he is a good ally." Germany smiled softly, thinking of the airy Italian. Japan nodded.

"I mean he is pretty useless but he does make me laugh, when I'm in times of need. He really knows how to get to me ya' know."
"Yes. Even though he is scared of many things, he stays by our side. I can deal with his faults; I just worry about what if he was to be captured…" Japan shuddered. "You and I both know he'd be doomed. We will not be around forever; he needs to learn to be better prepared for battle."

"I don't know what it is about him through but he makes me...really happy. I've come to really like him Kiku." Germany admitted as the Japanese man looked at him with vague shock.
"What? As in like, like him?" The shy man asked, blushing slightly. Germany nodded silently, and pulled on his boots.
"Well, you should let him know!" Japan told him excitedly. "What could you possibly lose?"

"Our friendship," The German said bluntly "If I tell him I love him, and he is straight…What if he doesn't want to be my friend anymore? Kiku, Feliciano was my first and only friend for the longest time. If anything goes wrong I could lose an ally, and... The love of my life. You don't know what he's like, Italy hits on every girl he sees so what would make you think that he'll like me? As a friend sure but…but as a boyfriend…I don't know." Ludwig blushed.
"It's the same for me as well, I like Yao, so, if you tell Feli your feelings then I'll tell Yao mine. How does that sound. Is it a deal?" Kiku reached his hand out and the German man shook it hesitantly.
Just go and try! I'm going to go night skiing with a couple other people in a few minutes. So many of us will be outside and you'll have the house practically to yourself. Even Gilbert is going because he insisted on all of us watch his awesome moves, so I'll be back later, now you have all the time in the world to talk to Feli."
"Ok…I guess I could try and tell him. But, I don't know, I guess I'm just waiting for the right moment…" Germany said as he left the room, grabbing his coat. He walked down the hall, and opened his and Feliciano's door to their room, walking in as he did so. The sight that he saw though wasn't what he was expecting at all.
"Ita-? Why are you packing your things?" Germany asked, hesitantly while walking into the room. There was something wrong with the normally bubbly Italian. He was tossing things angrily into an open suitcase, and he looks so mad and confused and sad all at the same time.

"Italy…I-I wanted to tell you someth-"
"I heard what you said! There is no need to tell me anything..." Feli looked at Ludwig, tears in his eyes.
"Was?" No…what did he hear?" Ludwig asked.
"I HEARD YOU!" Italy shouted, waving his arms around "I heard you talking to Kiku! Couldn't you at least have talked to me?" Italy kicked the bed, wincing at the pain before sitting on it. "I heard it all…How could you think that about me that way? I thought we were friends!"

Germany gasped, mouth forming words that refused to come out.
"Feli-"
"To view me that way…? To think that of me...I can't believe I trusted you. I trusted you and you just..." Italy looked at Germany sadly. "I don't want to see you right now…I'm sorry. Please leave me in peace…"

"But Italy I lo-" Germany tried to strangle the words out of his mouth but they just came out all choked sounding like a snake was around his throat.

"No! You don't mean anything!" Italy protested "You lied to me and even pretended to be my friend when all along-. No, just no…Leave!" Italy was beyond red in the face and by now he was just too fed up with the German man that he just turned away and slid on his heel and flung open another drawer. He grabbed his clothes out of it and Ludwig went over to stop him but before Ludwig could even come near him Italy jerked away and gave him a look of pure anger, a look Ludwig had never seen before in his sweet Italian's eyes.

The look on Ludwig's face was of the purest hurt and shock as Italy pushed him out of the room and slammed the door in his face. After slamming the door Feli slid down in tears flowing like a waterfall down his face just at the thought of Ludwig's face just now.

Why is he acting like that? He hates me, he doesn't really want me with him so why'd he look so hurt? Humph, well I don't care! I-I know what he said, I heard him. How dare he act like nothing just happened, because I know what I heard!

There was very few times in Ludwig's life were he actually cried and this one was the worst. Almost worse than when his brother was slowly dying in his arms, it was worse than getting made fun of at school or not having any friends until now. Worse than the…the worst things possible.

It was like a cut that was too deep into his skin, a cut on his own heart which couldn't be repaired…Feli was his 'only' friend. He was his 'first' friend and now nothing. How? How could this have happened?

Germany slowly walked back to Kiku's room daring not to shed a tear, for if anyone was in the hallway they'd ask him tones of questions or laugh at him. When Ludwig finally made it back to Kiku's room he opened up the door, knowing that the Japanese man wasn't going to be there for a while since he told him he was going skiing, and locked the door behind him. When all that was said and done, the great German man leaned up against the door and let out horrible sounding cries. He let tears fall from his eyes, seeping through the creases in his fingers and onto the floor. He had never felt this horrible in his life, he felt like he was going to puke, going to be sick.

Feli is mad at me? How could I be so stupid! I knew he like girls too, but maybe, just maybe I thought he could love me too…oh my gott I'm such a moron! How could this happen to me? So many questions arose in Germany's mind, but a knock came on the door and startled him.

"Kiku? Kiku, are you in there aru?" The short Chinese man stated on the other side of the door. Germany, not wanting Yao to hear the crackle in his voice, tried his hardest to sound normal.

"He's not in here Yao, he went night skiing with the o-others…" Ludwig sadly stated.

"Ok um Xièxiè, Ludwig." Yao said through the door.

"You're welcome…" Ludwig sadly commented back, trying not to sniffle. Oh my Gott hurry up and go away…gosh can't a guy cry in peace…

"Oh, hey Ludwig…Why are you in our room anyway? Aren't you rooming with Italy?" China reviewed.

"Oh, uh um…I forgot something in here so I uh came back to look for it…" Germany quickly made up.

"Oh, uh I see well ok when you're done in there just lock it back up. Kiku should have the key with him...I'm going to go watch him, are you going skiing too aru?"

"Uh, no thank you…" Germany protested "Ok…well see you later then bye Ludwig!" and at that China finally left the hallway. Germany huffed with his back against the door, Thank Gott he's gone…

0000000000000000

Kiku finally reached the top of the mountain were the ski lift ended and saw Denmark, Norway, America, England, and Prussia there. Iceland was also there but he wasn't skiing or snowboarding, he was just watching. It was cold and dark out, and there were light going up the side of the mountain. Kiku stepped out of the lift onto the flatter surface of a small platform that they were all standing on.

"Kiku! Finally, dude what took you so long?" America protested,

"Ah, nothing much. Just talking to Ludwig about something that has been bothering him…"

Japan answered.

"Kesesese! You were talking to my boring brother then? I bet he was so boring you just had to come see his awesome other half, and I right?" Prussia proclaimed, pointing to himself proudly. Japan looked at the bizarre country.

"Uhh, yeah... sure thing… Hey, does anyone know where Yao is?" Japan asked raising a couple of suspicious eyebrows.

"Why?" the Prussian asked curious.

"O-oh for no particular reason." Japan hastily said, a blush flashing quickly across his face as he turned around.

"Ok... Well…I haven't seen him since dinner. Isn't he rooming with you?" Prussia asked Kiku. The Japanese man nodded, getting slightly worried before he saw the small Chinese man arrive on the lift. Yao stepped out, his panda clinging to its owner for dear life, the man drinking hot chocolate, holding an extra mug in his other hand.

"Yao! There you are!" The Japanese man smiled and waved as the older nation approached, strangely gear-less. "Where is your equipment at?" Kiku asked him, but China just stood and held up his drink.

"I'm not going skiing, I just came up here to watch you, and give you a little something to warm you up."

"Dude! I LOVE hot chocolate; you should totally let me have some!" America started heading towards Yao enthusiastically, but was stopped by Denmark, the other putting a hand on the childish nation's shoulder. He pulled Alfred under his arm.

"Let them be Al, they want some time to be alone. Right Japan?" The Nordic smiled mischievously, grabbing Norway and Alfred, pulling them away. Iceland soon got up and followed, and Prussia looked slightly lost, throwing his arms up and following after the trio, declaring that he could not be left out. Japan blushed at Denmark's words, Yao sighing at the strange nation being forced away. Smiling, the older sat down next to him on a bench and handed Japan his hot chocolate.

"That nation has no sense, aru. He's already in debt to me, and asks for more?" He shook his head and sipped the warm liquid happily. Kiku did the same, fighting with himself on how to start a conversation.

"Hai... he does the same with me." Kiku paused for a moment, staring into his hot chocolate awkwardly. "Yao-san... there is something I've been meaning to ask you." The shy nation fiddled his thumbs over the smooth cup, struggling to get the courage. Yao looked at him, scooting slightly closer.

"What is it, aru? You can ask me anything, I raised you after all." Japan sighed; this direction was not where he wanted the conversation to go.

"Will you go out with me, China-san?" He blurted out, his sudden question met with shocked silence. "I mean to say, I have been fond of you for quite a while, so I was wondering..." Japan felt his face heat up, the younger nation refusing to look up. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder, then move to his chin, China moving him so that he would met the elder's eyes.

"You don't know how long I have waited for you to say that, aru..." The Chinese man pulled the other into a hug, smiling into Kiku's shoulder. "There is no one else I would prefer." Yao sat back, Japan looking up at him happily, grinning widely. The expression so sweet and such a variation from the normal stoic mask the other often had, China couldn't help but lean in and kiss him. "Kiku, I'll be here and love you for as long as you'll have me."