AN: Geia sas!

So, currently writing this while listening to Europa by Globus. Not a good idea on my part.

To my reviewers:

Spamano4ever: Yes, poor bambino. But Toni's not gunna let him get hurt too much! Not if he can help it!

Xenat25: Trust me, those three will do something about it with or without Lovi's concent. Preferably with, but..well..they're stubborn in the best of situations. Thanks for reading!

GothicKitty1313: Oh they know about it. They were the ones to give me the inspiration to really start this! However, if they keep it up, they're dead. I mean, our Switzy has already jumped all over the both of them for driving me crazy as it is.

Anywho, onto the chapter.

Enjoy!

Lovino stayed up much longer than the others, moving to sit out on the back patio to watch the stars in silence.

He knew that group well enough to know they were all sound asleep and wouldn't wake until morning.

As time passed in the silence, Lovino sat musing. Most of the time, the other people at school usually stuck to using his attitude against him. He frowned deeply as he recalled exactly what had been said. Everyone knew his and his brother's situation fully. He just never expected to have it turned against him. "I suppose it's not your fault your parents didn't want you and your brother,"

Those words would forever haunt him, he knew. He didn't bother fighting the memories that assaulted him with the echo of those words. His parents always fighting. Always having to protect Feliciano. Their nonno coming in and taking them in the middle of one of the constant fights. He didn't know what the fights were about, he was just glad to be away from them.

It was only when their parents didn't come to get them, didn't contact them, that Lovino realized: their parents didn't want them. They were glad the brothers were gone.

Just as that thought passed through Lovino's head, the tears he'd been fighting against all day sprung into his eyes and fell.

He hated those sorry bastards. Their parents. The other people at school. He didn't snap from his thoughts until he heard someone walk up behind him and sit down, wrapping their arms around him.

Lovino didn't have to look back to know who it was.

"Fratello, why are you crying?"

Feliciano. So, so innocent.

Lovino tilted his head down for a moment before he spoke. "It's nothing, Feli. Go back to bed."he whispered softly. "I'll be back in soon,"

Feliciano nodded, but made no move to get up again. Instead, he shifted to sit beside Lovino. He gently drew circles at the nape of his brother's neck, knowing that it always calmed him down.

Lovino gave Feliciano a tilted smile at that. "Go to bed, Feli."he said, smacking his brother's hand away gently. "Sogni d'oro."

Feliciano nodded again, this time getting up and going back to his make-shift bed for the night.

After Lovino's tears had finally come to a complete stop, he got up and went back in, heading to bed as well.

The following morning, Lovino was the last one to wake up.

Antonio glanced at the italian when he got up and frowned at the tear tracks evident on his face. He didn't ask, though.

Once Lovino was up and ready, however, Antonio spoke up and addressed it. "Lovi, were you crying sometime last night?"

Lovino blinked at Antonio. "Why?"he asked.

"Tear tracks,"Antonio answered. "Is it because of the people at school?"
Lovino knew there was no getting out of it. Feliciano was watching him too.

He shook his head. "Memories,"he responded.

Antonio nodded in understanding and took one of Lovino's hands as they caught up with the others who were heading out already.

Francis had disappeared early to school and met up with them at the school. He looked at Lovino. "I have a song I want you to try to play, Lovi. And I know you know it."

Lovino looked at the frenchman curiously, removing his hand from Antonio's grip to look through the sheet music and lyrics that Francis had handed him.

Feliciano looked over Lovino's shoulder curiously before he grinned. "Aw, Lovi, will you? It's been ages since you've played it, ve~!"

There's that ve. Damn it, why did he have to be so much like a little child, Lovino thought as he looked up at his brother. He sighed before he nodded. "Sure,"he said softly. "Free period last block?"he asked.

It was supposed to be an assembly day, but they'd all started skipping those due to the looks they got when they entered the gym to take their normal seats - they dealt with it enough outside of assemblies, they could go without.

The others agreed to that. Matthew spoke. "Mind if I invite Alfred and Arthur as well?"he asked.

Lovino shrugged. "If you can get them to come, go for it, I don't care,"he responded, going back to looking at the chord progression on the sheet music.

At lunch, Matthew let Lovino and the others know that Alfred and Arthur would be there. Their normal meeting place - the auditorium.

Lovino nodded and went back to his food in silence.

Once the announcement came for everyone to head to the gym, the group disappeared into the auditorium. The band teacher, who knew what they were doing, saw them and nodded to them on her way to the gym, but said nothing.

Lovino half smiled, holding the door open for the others in silence in a rare moment of kindness.

Once they were all situated in the room, Lovino sitting on the the edge of the stage, an electric guitar sitting across his lap and hooked up.

He was taking another look at the chords and lyrics. He spoke to Francis. "I swear to god, Francis, you are so dead later. I haven't heard this in years,"he said.

Francis smiled softly. "Just start, you'll do fine,"

Lovino gave him a look, but nodded and set the papers aside so he could still see them before he started playing.

Ludwig blinked. It was odd, hearing Lovino play something that was slow for a change.

Lovino sung at the end, but nothing else. He didn't really know the beat to the words for anything else in the song.

"Maybe there's a God above, but all I've ever learned from love was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you. And it's not a cry that you hear at night, it's not somebody who's seen the light, it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah.."

Francis looked at Feliciano, who's eyes held a deep secret in them. As soon as Lovino finished, he shook his head, putting the guitar aside and looking at the others. "Happy now?"he asked.

Feliciano met his brother's eyes and Lovino sighed. "Lovino? You never told me..."

Lovino titled his head down. "Ho dovuto proteggerti, mio fratello idiota. Pensi che ti avrei lasciato soffrire?"he said softly, slipping back into italian.

Feliciano nodded that he understood, but he still spoke. "But you suffered for it!"

Lovino shrugged. "It's my job, Feli."

Gilbert looked between the brothers in confusion before his eyes widened. "Lovino Romano Vargas, you had better be kidding me!"

Lovino looked at Gilbert with a completely blank face. "Gilbert, I want you to do me a favor. Look at Feliciano. See how innocent he is. Then look at me and tell me that you'd rather I not try to protect him, try to let him keep that innocence for a while longer,"

Gilbert looked to Feliciano, but sighed and nodded. "I just.. Don't get yourself into trouble,"

Lovino grinned. "I won't. Nobody messes with Feli anymore."he responded. "Thankfully."

The group looked at Lovino with a new understanding. All that he went through, he used to share it. That first week after Feliciano had outted them, the younger Vargas twin had shared it with his brother. Then Lovino had took it all on himself to save his brother from losing his innocence.

The dismissal bell sounded not long after that, and the group spent some time talking before parting ways for the evening.

Feliciano spoke happily with Lovino on the way home. It was all Lovino had ever wanted for his brother. He just hoped it would last a good bit of time longer. Because he deserved it.

AN: It is official, our Romano and Canada are dead tomorrow. Their stupid skit...gr. Our Italy sent me the cosplay video we did today at school. It was fun, but the video didn't help me with this.

Any pairing or event you'd like to see? Let me know!

Antío!