/ It just turned Saturday but I'm updating this now in case I don't find the time to do so later. /

VII

Feliciano

Los Angeles, USA. March 24, 1:15 pm

Feliciano would normally be asleep at this time of the day, but he had the feeling that he shouldn't be acting so carefree given the circumstances. He'd attribute it to the gloomy atmosphere around most of the other nations and he honestly found it all so curious.

He thought they didn't like Arthur.

But seeing the way they all walked around with worry for the man, worry that was more than just for an acquaintance, worry that wasn't something you'll feel for a person you don't like, Feliciano found that he was missing a huge chunk of the puzzle.

He thought the other nations didn't like Arthur, but looking at their reactions to the Brit's accident, he figured that there's more to their relationships that meets the eye.

Ah, now he was curious.

Feliciano didn't really know Arthur. He wasn't sure if they met before World War I - the faint image of a blond boy wrapped in a green cloak looking at him with wary eyes came to mind - and their interactions weren't exactly friendly. They fought on opposite sides during the war and to be honest, he found the blond really scary. It was probably those huge eyebrows that were always scrunched up in a frown...

He realized then that he knew absolutely nothing about Arthur. What he had were merely impressions of what the man appeared to be.

No wonder he didn't feel anything more than surprise when he found out that he was caught in an accident.

"Angliya was very kind," a voice from behind him said and Feliciano jumped with a loud shriek.

"I-Ivan?"

The Russian smiled at him. "You are thinking of the reason why people are so upset at the thought of Arthur being gone, yes?"

Wow, spot on.

"Did you know him?"

"A little bit." Ivan moved to sit beside him. "He taught me how to garden."

Feliciano was surprised. Arthur did gardening?

"I was admiring the parks in London when I came across him carrying several seed packs," Ivan narrated. "He asked me why I was there and I said that I liked looking at the pretty flowers. He asked me if I liked them and I told him that I love them. Who doesn't like flowers? They're pretty and colorful and when I look at them I feel warm...

"And then he laughed. He had a beautiful laugh, you know. And his eyes were shining and he looked like a bright little podsolnechnik. A sunflower. The sight made me feel warm and fuzzy... Just like when I look at a sunflower.

"He invited me to his garden. It was very pretty. There were flowers everywhere. Many kinds of flowers. There were... Umm... What were they called? Orchids? And roses and poppies and violets... And sunflowers! There were big ones, small ones..."

Feliciano was in awe. He always thought of Arthur as a terrifying person, someone who only scowled and frowned, but here Ivan was, sharing a story of a different Arthur, someone who laughed and smiled and took care of a beautiful garden...

He thought that maybe he had judged Arthur too fast.

"... And he taught me how to garden! He let me have my own patch of dirt in his beloved garden where I could plant sunflowers and he told me I can visit them any time I wish," Ivan finished. "So you see, Angliya is very kind."

Feliciano smiled. "I wish I'd known that Arthur."

Ivan shook his head. "Nyet. You will know that Arthur. And then we can all be friends!"

~.;*;.~

Los Angeles, USA. March 25, 8:17 am

The conversation with Ivan the day before triggered Feliciano's abnormally friendly personality and the Italian immediately set off to find the perfect "please be my friend" gift. Since the Russian talked about Arthur's incredible garden, he figured that the "perfect" gift would be flowers. Maybe yellow roses? Yellow roses symbolized "friendship", right?

Ah, but he'd have to get them when he was sure they could already visit Arthur. He wouldn't want them to wilt and go to waste.

Ah, and then he'd have to make sure that Arthur was awake to see them. The flowers would wilt as well even if he bought it when he visited and Arthur couldn't even see them because he was still in a coma and that would also be a waste.

Were flowers out of the question then?

Feliciano didn't like the idea of the "perfect" gift suddenly turning up to be not-so-perfect after all.

Maybe Kiku would have an idea. After all, the Japanese man somehow always knew the right gift to give...

Speaking of Kiku, Feliciano remembered seeing the man with a whole lot of paper before. He had wondered what his friend would do with them and wandered over to Kiku's room to find out.

"Wow, paper cranes," he reveled, seeing the gracefully folded birds on the bed. "Are you going to make a lot?"

"Hai," Kiku answered simply. Feliciano thought that he must have been concentrating very hard. "I plan to make a thousand paper cranes."

"I heard about that before. If you fold a thousand paper cranes, your wish will come true." Kiku only smiled.

Watching the Japanese man folding origami cranes with deft fingers, Feliciano thought of an idea. The paper cranes must have been for Arthur, so if he helped Kiku fold them, it could be his gift too.

"Can I help you?" Feliciano asked and Kiku shook his head.

"No, Feliciano-kun." His tone was that of finality."I resolve to do all of this by myself. No matter how long it takes."

Feliciano frowned. There went his idea again.

But as soon as that one idea left his mind, another replaced it. This time, it was really, truly, perfect.

"Can you teach me how to fold origami roses?"

Kiku looked up from his activity for a second to raise an eyebrow at him. "Can't it wait, Feliciano-kun?"

"I want to give Arthur a vase of yellow paper roses," the Italian replied. "To show him that I want to be his friend."

Kiku smiled. "Very well. But you'll have to get your own origami paper. I didn't order any yellow ones.

Feliciano bought the paper on the evening of the 24th and was ready to learn by sunrise of the next day. Kiku was patient with him but having an artist's hands, he was able to learn fast enough. The Japanese man had excused himself when he was sure that it was alright to leave Feliciano alone to fold some paper cranes before breakfast.

The Italian resolved to finish the vase before breakfast and show sincere he was to befriend Arthur.

He was adding some finishing touches to the roses - curling up the edges so they'd look like real flower petals - during breakfast when Alistair went thundering down the stairs. He looked like he had jumped out of the bed in a hurry, still in his pajamas and hair sticking out every which way, but he also looked excited.

It was a welcome change in expression since the redhead had probably been the most despaired out of all of them

"The hospital called me. Alfred must have given them my number," he said, panting every other word. "They say we can visit Arthur starting today. Visiting hours are from 10 am to 8 pm."

The once gloomy atmosphere was immediately replaced by joyous whoops and excited laughs by the news. Feliciano looked at the vase of origami flowers in his hands with wide eyes and a huge grin.

He was right on time.

And just as well. "First" impressions count after all. He sincerely hoped the flowers would help ease the gap between Arthur and him that he had created with his prejudice.

/**

* Sorry if the timeline in this chapter is confusing. And sorry if you found Feliciano a little OoC.

* Please review. :)

*/