AN: Guten Tag, guys.

Here's the new chapter.

To those who reviewed:
Spamano4ever: Indeed.

ThatRandomReview: Considering that Vash all but adopted the Vargas brothers, I believe that protectiveness is very...accurate. And yes, Vash would shoot you for that.

Penguin Braginski: It's alright, I had to look up Greece's human name before I could include it. Christmas will be interesting, to say the least.

GothicKitty1313: Right, everything is okay. For now. Who knows about the future?

Enjoy.
_

Lovino had banned them all from the kitchen for a while. He wanted to make something and he didn't want anyone distracting him.

A lot of people had been concerned when the Italian had gotten up and disappeared into the kitchen, since he hardly ever did that.

As soon as Lovino came back and sat down with everyone else, his phone went off and he scowled, but got it out of his pocket and answered it. Nobody bothered him while he was on the phone.

"Oh. Alright, I can do that."Lovino said after a moment, a surprised smile showing.

"Ciao."

That phone call had not lasted long. Gilbert tilted his head slightly. "What was that about?"

Lovino didn't respond for the longest, staring at his phone as if lost. "I...I think I just got looped into performing at work on Friday. You guys wanna come watch? That way I know someone there and don't have a meltdown or whatever?"
The others agreed and Lovino let himself be pulled into Antonio's arms. He sighed softly, allowing himself to relax against Antonio.

They settled down for the evening after that. It had been a nice day.

'I am really beginning to hate working in a restruant,' Lovino thought, hiding himself in the kitchen. One of the guys from the mafia had just come in. Nobody asked him to go take his order. Thank god, they knew what was going on from his talk with Antonio at work.

His boss seemed to realize that Lovino really needed out of there, because he spoke softly. "Call Vash or Antonio, tell them to come get you. Out back, so you don't have to run into a fight here."

"Thank you!"Lovino said quietly, taking off.

As soon as he was outside the building, he got his phone out and dialed Vash's number.

Vash picked up, sounding a bit bored.

"Vash..could you come get me? Please?"Lovino pleaded quietly.

Vash's reply was concerned, but he said he'd be there soon, so Lovino hung up and leaned against the wall. He hated those people. He was terrified of them, and he hated them with a passion.

Whenever Vash picked him up, the first thing he did was drive to a small park, then he pulled over and looked at Lovino, who was shaking. "What happened, Lovino?"

Lovino didn't respond. He looked over at Vash with wide eyes and Vash understood.

"I swear, I'm going to start sending a hand gun with you. I know you know how to use one."

With that, Vash started driving again, stopping at Antonio's and killing the engine. He walked his 'brother' into the house and answered the questions fired as well as he could while Lovino got changed. He couldn't go back, not today.

Antonio sighed. Of course. "I wish they'd let him be."

Feliciano shook his head. "He left. They view that as a death wish. Especially someone like him..he's one of the ones that kept people from losing their tempers on the others..at a price."he said softly. "He never told me anything, but the scars he has, the injuries he's come in with before..they tell me more than anything he could say what's happened."

Vash sighed. "And that guy who showed up at work especially...I've seen him before, and Lovino's mentioned him before. He is fucking terrified to be in the same building as him. And for good reason. He made Lovino suffer so much when he was like twelve."he said, crossing his arms. "Lovino's boss will allow him to carry a gun if he has a good reason. I'm calling this evening and talking to him about it. Because..I dunno..things just always get worse before they get better."

Antonio remembered what Lovino had told him of his time with the mafia. He was beyond mad that someone would hurt Lovino. Now...now he wished them dead. He wouldn't kill, obviously, because if he did that he'd be taken to prison away from Lovino. But he would defend Lovino if he got the chance.

Vash looked at Antonio when he noticed the Spaniard's dark expression. "Has he told you anything of what they did to him?"

Antonio nodded once. "Yeah. He did. Just a bit."

Nothing more was said. Lovino came back moments later and curled up against Antonio, still shaking. Antonio wrapped his arms gently around Lovino, rubbing at his back trying to sooth the Italian.

'You're just a scared kid, aren't you, Lovi?'Antonio thought. 'I wish I could take all this from you, so you never had to be scared again...'

Silence fell over the entire group. It wasn't normal for them to see Lovino so scared. Especially since he was out of danger now.

That night, Lovino got no rest. He kept waking due to nightmares. The last one wouldn't allow him to go back to sleep. He felt gross. Like trash. Again.

Lovino glanced at Antonio in silence. The Spaniard was always so gentle with him. It used to drive him mad. He was glad now. Because..it showed he cared about Lovino. Actually cared.

No tears fell. Thoughts came through. Memories flooded Lovino's brain. But no tears fell from his eyes. He was done crying over this shit. It wasn't worth it.

Worth. Worthless. He remembered that feeling. He had been told many times when he got told he was worthless while he was with the mafia. His nonno stayed out of it almost all the time. Lovino didn't get that privaledge. He had to be there. Or he'd be killed. That's why he was so scared now. He'd left. And by doing so, signed his own death wish.

But his shame would have killed him before they would if he had stayed. He was still scared it would now. Because that's all he felt towards himself. Shame. Self-loathing. He only acted together to help keep Feliciano held together.

..now if only he knew how to get out of this mess without injury. And without destroying what 'innocence' he still had. Feliciano would be fine. Ludwig and Gilbert and Vash would never let him get hurt. But he was defending himself. He wasn't going to hide behind someone else anymore.

Here. Church sucked. Denmark was there. The others weren't. And I had to listen to someone yell for about and hour and a half. No thank you.

Ciao.