*THIS STORY IS OLD AND I AM ASHAMED OF MYSELF FOR USING 'DOITSU' UN-IRONICALLY. FORGIVE ME FOR I HAVE SINNED*

Germany sighed as he sat Italy down in the grass, running a gloved hand through his hair with annoyance. The two countries were silent for a moment as they took in the beautiful spring scenery, wind brushing through the trees and flowers which sprinkled the air with discarded petals and leaves.

"One of these days I'm going to stop saving you, you know…" Ludwig mumbled in irritation. Once again, Italy had been seized and taken captive by the Allies, and although it was all too easy to retrieve him, Germany was becoming sick and tired of having to constantly come to Italy's rescue.

"It's not my fault, Doitsu!" Italy protested with a whine, wiping his eyes of dramatic tears, "England is too strong (even if his food tastes terrible)!"

Ludwig groaned to himself and growled as a reply, only half angry, "Perhaps if you would focus more on training and less on food that wouldn't be a problem!" When Italy tilted his head with an oblivious look, Germany knew that any more words of discipline would be wasted, so he only sighed and grumbled, "Alright…just tell me where you're hurt…"

Italy held out his arm and pointed to a thin scratch on his hand, looking up at Germany pitifully. The larger country squinted his eyes and poked the Italian's hand with a finger, immediately causing Italy to snatch it away. "Ahh! Well don't touch it, that hurts!"

"Hold still!" the German hissed, grabbing Feliciano's hand and tilting it left and right. "It's just a scratch, so calm down…" he muttered, using his free hand to reach behind him and grasp a canteen of water. Releasing Italy's hand, Ludwig lifted up part of his shirt and doused it with the water, taking Italy's hand back in his again. "Now hold still, alright?"

Italy obeyed, remaining immobile as the blonde man lightly brushed the scratch with the wet cloth. "There…all better?" Germany sighed, beginning to stand up.

"Thank you, Doitsu!" Italy smiled widely and flung his arms around Ludwig's waist, suddenly pulling him into a tight, uncomfortable hug.

"D-Dummkopf! Let go!" Germany blushed madly and pried Italy off of him, then with a nervous clearing of this throat, he pushed the Italian away, immediately changing the subject with a forced frown. "How do you expect to be stronger when you rely on me to save you all the time? You'll never be able to stand on your own if you don't start taking responsibility for yourself!"

"Veh..? But why would I want to be strong when you're strong enough for the both of us!" Feliciano's brown eyes smiled as he stared up at the other country, "You'll always be around to protect me, right Doitsu?"

The German swallowed nervously at the question and didn't respond, staring at a distant tree to avoid Italy's eyes. Italy's wide smile quickly sunk into a frown and he moved in front of Ludwig, obstructing his view. "What's the matter, Doitsu? …Are you sick or something?" The Italian placed his hand on Germany's head for a moment, but the other country quickly pulled away.

Indeed, Germany was sick, but not in the way that the other believed. The truth was, Ludwig was merely sick of Italy. He had become too much of a nuisance in the larger country's eyes, and all Italy seemed to do was cause trouble. Germany never did understand why he accepted Italy as his ally, and now it was clear to him that he had made an error in doing so.

And so, the German had made up his mind…the only problem was how to tell the Italian. Germany was not at all looking forward to facing Feliciano's inevitable sobbing and crying fit, not only because it would be nearly impossible to calm him down, but also because of how Italy's tears affected Germany as well. The German simply couldn't watch Italy cry without feeling broken…without feeling as if he had done something terrible and unforgivable, and his own feelings made him furious. He was enraged at how manipulated one man could make him feel…enraged at how him, the strong, stone-hearted Germany, could be hindered by just a few of Italy's tears.

Still, regardless of the expected consequences, Germany began to speak, staring directly into the Italian's deep brown eyes and trembling.

"Italy, I-"

"Ahh! Doitsu, you're shaking!" The Italian exclaimed with worry, placing a hand on Germany's forehead. "Do you feel okay? Your forehead is warm…"

The German sputtered and pushed Italy's hand away. "Please, Italy! Will you just-"

"Do you need some pasta? Pasta and sleep makes everything better!" Feliciano grabbed Germany's arm and tried to urge him to his feet, but Ludwig remained on the ground.

Germany firmly grasped both of the Italian's wrists and pulled him back onto the grass, shaking him violently and yelling, "Italy, we can't be allies!

Feliciano remained still and silent for a brief moment, then began to smile and laugh. "Oh, you always come up with the funniest jokes!" he tried to pull his wrists away from the German's hands, but the other country's grip only tightened. "…Veh…Doitsu..?"

Germany shook his head and gritted his teeth, bringing his face closer to Italy's and shaking him again. "Do not be mistaken, this is no joke! …Our alliance just cannot work!"

The other country slowly frowned and whispered, "D-Doitsu…?"

Once again, the German responded with a shake of his head and a frown.

This time there was not a trace of a smile anywhere on Italy's face; all that remained was heartbreak. "Germany…Why? You promised…!" he choked out miserably, his brown eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"Don't cry…!" Ludwig let go of Italy's wrists and stared down at him guiltily. "I just…I can't keep doing this…This is a war that we're fighting here..and I'm afraid that your presence is just too…distracting…"

Italy grabbed Germany's shirt and stared up at him pitifully then cried out, his voice nearly consumed by sobs, "If it's because I'm not strong enough, I can change! I swear I can!" tears rolled down his cheeks and he took a deep breath before he continued, "I won't ever make another mistake, I promise!" The Italian then buried his face in Germany's chest, crying uncontrollably and repeating his pleas.

With the German's own emotions beginning to tip, he placed his hands on Italy's shoulders and pushed him away."Italy, please..! Show a little dignity… Just try to understand my situation…I can't constantly have to worry about you and fight a war at the same time…"

Feliciano responded only with a miserable whimper and more tears, once again burying his face in Germany's tear-soaked shirt.

As the man seemed smaller and smaller, shrinking as he wept, Germany felt as if he were shriveling too. With each tear Germany felt more and more pitiful, as well as more and more furious at his feelings. This lasted for several more minutes until Italy forced his cries to die down so he could speak, "You can't leave me here alone…you just can't…!"

"And why can't I?" Ludwig growled back, forcing back his own tears that threatened to escape his eyes.

"Because…" Feliciano began, trailing off immediately.

"What is it? Just spit it out already!"

"Doitsu, I love you! I love you because even if everyone else has left me, you've stayed with me through everything that I've done...If you leave too, I…!" and with that the Italian broke into another hard outbreak of weeping, clutching tightly onto Ludwig's shirt.

Germany felt a warm blush creep over his face and he stared down at Italy with his mouth agape, trying to gather his thoughts. "Did he just say he LOVED me? Did I hear him right...?" His head spun with mingled emotions. He felt confused, and yet, inside of him there was a happiness that he could barely contain; it made his heart thump wildly as a warmth spread through his body. "What the hell is happening to me…?" The blonde gritted his teeth when the Italian wrapped his arms around his torso, sobs racking his tiny frame.

"Italy…" he whispered, opening his mouth to say something comforting, but no words left his lips.

Feliciano lifted his head from Germany's chest and stared into Ludwig's eyes miserably, waiting for the man to say more.

Italy's shining brown eyes bore into Germany's, the beauty of them overtaking his thoughts. The way that they expressed joy just through a simple glance enchanted him to no end, and now, with the other man's stunning eyes staring straight into his own, Germany felt emotions he had never felt before.

With his heart racing and his face hot with embarrassment, Ludwig whispered hopefully, his voice barely audible, "…Do you mean that…? That you…love me?"

The Italian said nothing, but only sat in place silently, a faint trace of happiness beginning to glow on his face.

Germany blinked nervously and opened his mouth to speak again, but was immediately cut short by Feliciano's own mouth pressed to his, pulling him into a sudden, passionate kiss.

The kiss took the blonde by surprise, and he fell backwards onto the grass, Italy perched above him, a wide, tearful smile returning to his face.

"Yes, I do love you…I love you, Doitsu!" he exclaimed happily, sinking down and planting another tender kiss on Germany's lips.

Ludwig blushed madly and his blood ran hot through his veins as Italy's tongue traced across his lips, begging for entrance that Germany would not give.

"Italy…I-" he began once the other had pulled away, but instead of letting him finish, the Italian instead seized the opportunity and forced his tongue into Germany's open mouth. The blonde man yelped in surprise, but soon relaxed and melted into the kiss, falling victim to the soothing warmth of Italy's searching tongue. For the first time in his life, Ludwig felt completed…he felt loved. At last he could conclude the feelings that he had felt towards Feliciano before, all confusion wiped away in a tide of genuine love.

A breeze gently brushed past the grass and flowers, a beautiful display of flower petals floating through the air accompanying Germany's hushed words. "I-Ich liebe dich, Italian…"

"So this means that you'll never leave me…you promise...?"

"Ich verspreche."