Author's Notes: Written for hetalia_kink, the prompt: "There are lots of fics with Romano being the one in love with his brother, but where are the ones with Italy being crazy in love with Romano? Romano is with Spain and Italy is jealous. He wants to be with his fratello and starts acting out and doing things to try to get Romano away from Spain. If it works in the end is up to the author. If it works, Itacest smut is a plus 3 One of the things he tries is spreading a rumor that Spain cheated with France and/or Prussia." I'm sort of realising I deviated from the prompt terribly.

The Reign of the Child Like Empress

"Fratello? Ve? Are you okay?"

Romano rolls over on his bed and faces Feliciano. "Wha? I'm fine, idiot, go away."

Feliciano frowns. "You don't look okay! You're all cry-y!" Feliciano rushes forward and pounces on his brother – ve, Romano's all upset! Something has to be done about this! "I'm sorry Fratello! I'll make it all better I promise!"

"Get off me, jackass!"

Fratello tries to push him away, but Feliciano's always been stronger and he knows it. Romano needs to learn, everybody needs a hug sometimes!

"Ve, it's okay! Calm down, big brother!" Romano still struggles and Feliciano wraps his arms up tighter, the nails come out! "Ahh, no scratching!" Feliciano makes sure to grabs his brothers wrists this time, but Romano still tries to squirm out of his grasp. Think, how would Germany yell at you about the obvious solution you're missing? "A-ha!" Trying to be quick, he lets go of Romano's wrist with one hand, compensates with the other and brings his now free hand to scratch Romano back. The shock manages to make him go still for a second, yay!

"Hee, there. Fair's fair, big brother," Feliciano teases. Despite what looks like Romano's best efforts (he's got that glare-y face on that's meant to be as scary as Germany's but kind of isn't), he's crying more. "Ve! Fratello don't cry! You shouldn't be all sad after..." He tries to remember what Romano actually went to do today. "...AH! You were with Big Brother Spain!"

Romano is weird and quiet for a second, and then starts trying to push Feliciano away again (he's dumb like that). "Get off me, you stupid piece of shit!"

"Don't change the subject!" Feliciano's crying himself now, and why does big brother have to be so stupid? "He made you cry! Again! I hate him I hate him I hate him!"

"Fratello, we are talking about fucking Spain. Remember? He's not some kind of cackling megalomaniac destroying me from the inside out; he's too fucking stupid for that!"

Felicianio slaps his brother across the face.

"Ve... Don't you understand? Everyone says how mean brother Spain is! Like, all those people who live near America! He's hurting you!"

"No, he's not," Romano insists; idiot! "Fuck, really, I'm the one who always insults him and shit so he really shouldn't–"

"No! He makes you blame yourself too?" Feliciano throws himself forward and tries to bring Romano into his arms to comfort him, kissing him on both cheeks. "Ayah, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have let this happen! I'll protect you fratello, I love you!"

Romano struggles more the closer he gets, but Feliciano understands. Romano is scared of him knowing the truth! He's always wanted to be the strong one. Silly, sad Romano. "Shh, fratello, I can help you."

"Fuck off, you bastard!" Romano goes crazy! He squirms and writhes and scratches, desperately trying to get away. Feliciano holds onto him (though it hurts, fratello is mean like that) and tries to remember what he's meant to do to make this better. Hmm...

Ah! He knows! Feliciano grins to himself.

He reaches out and suddenly pulls open Romano's shirt. Romano finally goes still, and Feliciano takes advantage of that to work on getting his pants open as well. See, I can be smart sometimes!

All the fight has gone from Romano's body as Feliciano starts undressing him. Romano knows what's good for him deep down, he's just dumb about it. "...No. No, fratello, not tonight. Please."

"Shh." Romano just needs to let himself be with someone who wants him to feel good. "I'll make you better, I promise; I know what to do. Ve, I love you so much big brother! Spain will hurt you and I won't, I love you!"

"No."

"Eh, eh, you won't fight me. You know what you need–"

"You want a fight? Get the fuck off!"

Romano tries to push him away again but Feliciano grabs him by the neck, making him gasp for air and pinning him down. He tries to squeeze hard enough to be a threat and keep his brother down, but not so much he'll make him pass out and/or die (this is way harder than Germany made it sound).

"Wah, why are you so mean to me?" he yells, tears starting to come out of his own eyes again. "I want to help you! And you scratch me and yell and me and go running to that stupid Spain! You don't deserve me!"

Romano still struggles to draw breath (Feliciano considers letting go of his neck, but then he'd just get all violent again). "Does that mean you don't want to fuck me now?"

Feliciano looks down at his brother's tear-stained face, going red from lack of oxygen. He blinks back his own tears, finally lets go of his brother's neck, and smiles down. "But ve, fratello, I still love you; I want you to feel good." He keeps Romano pinned down by the shoulders. "Why can't you just trust me?"

Romano averts his eyes. "Stupid bastard..." he mumbles.

But his tears are finally starting to dry and he's gone still. It's his way of giving it, letting Feliciano take care of him. "Ve, I promised I'd make you feel better."

"Romano!"

South Italy receives a sudden hug from behind and holds his breath immediately. It's just Spain, he realizes quickly. "What the hell are you doing, you bastard?"

Spain draws back and spins Italy around to face him. "Hmm? Oh, sorry. I just... I wanted to say sorry for yesterday. I was so stupid! I know you'd never cheat on me Romano; I believe you about those bruises... you know, tripping over that giant tree a lot. Will you forgive me?"

For once, he's thankful for Spain obliviousness, even as he cringes at the memory of those bruises; what North said to him, Spain would be so angry if he saw these; he doesn't love you, doesn't trust you; ve, big brother, I can take care of you so much better! "Yeah, I forgive you. I mean, I've said you were cheating on me for no fucking reason before."

Feliciano once told him he knew Spain and France were sleeping together, still. He'd been angry for weeks until Spain finally convinced him he wasn't, and got France to convince (although it had happened before Spain got together with Romano. And it took some effort to kick France out of the house again when he started pushing for a threesome, fucking pervert). That was before the first time... Romano thought he could fucking trust his own bastard of a brother then. Stupid, right?

"Mmm." Spain seems to notice something. "Romano, why do you have a scratch on your face?"

"Greece's cats got loose. Lazy bastard cannot keep control of those stupid animals, I swear."

Shit, I thought I hid that. The make-up must have worn off or something. Spain seems to buy his excuse, though.

You could wonder why he even bothers. It's not for his fucking brother; maybe the first time, but after fucking years of this, practically every night, being pinned down and... He actually loved his brother once. Bit late for that now.

Still. What would happen if he told anyone? It's fucking North Italy; who'd even believe him? And he doesn't really have anywhere to go; they're the same fucking country – North's got all the political power anyway; if he tried to leave, his dearest little brother would somehow to force him to stay. It's not fucking fair.

Spain takes him tightly by the hand. "Hey, your brother's sitting over there. Why don't we go have lunch with him?"

"Do we have to?"

Spain frowns. "Why not, I said. You love your little brother, don't you?"

"...Yeah. Fine, then."

Spain drags him along to where North eats his pasta and South Italy thinks of what he said last night; Everyone says how mean brother Spain is! He's hurting you!

Don't you even think about listening to what that fucking freak tells you, he tells himself. He's fucking insane. North just wants to tear you away from him so he can have you to himself, remember? You love Spain. You trust Spain. You're bad at expressing it, but fuck that.

You loved and trusted your brother once.