Title: No Room For Love in War

Pairing: One sided Germany/Italy

It's the end of WWII and Germany finally admits his country's defeat to the allied forces, but what reasons did Italy have for switching sides in the first place?

"You're really confirming to me right now that you, and indeed your entire country, are admitting defeat to the allied forces?"

Germany narrowed his eyes, "I can tell that you take no joy in this."

"Can you honestly blame me?" England said with a smirk, handing the German a pen whilst pushing the documents towards him on the table. Germany grit his teeth, crushing the pen in his hand as he grudgingly scrawled his name on the bottom of the papers, signing away his dignity. England watched, a slight smile playing on his lips as he slipped the papers once signed into his folder, "There now, that wasn't so hard was it?"

"You're testing my patience." Germany growled, voice low and dangerous as he could feel the calamity of defeat on his back.

"Hey now, no need for sour grapes." England smiled, holding out a hand to the German, "Bloody good effort, that was one hell of a war."

Germany quirked an eyebrow, dismissing the hand, "Only an Englishman would be so polite as to say that to their enemy."

"I'm a gentleman first, a officer second." England said as he busied himself with his briefcase, carefully slipping the folder containing Germany's signature of surrender inside. He'd have thought the German would leave quietly in this time, however something had been playing on the Englishman's mind and he didn't think he'd ever get another opportunity to ask, "Tell me..."

"What?"

"Why did the Italian leave you?"

Germany's face contorted, gloved hands clenching momentarily before he took a slow, calming breath, "Why does that matter? He joined your side, wasn't that beneficial to you?"

England shrugged, snapping his briefcase shut, "Perhaps, however your countries seemed to have such a close alliance at the time...I was just wondering what happened to make Italy want to switch sides."

Germany clenched his jaw, eyes locked with his foe, "Why should I divulge that information to you? The allies were quick enough to snap up the Italian forces to fight against me without asking questions."

England slowly shook his head, smirking slightly, "You can't honestly tell me they were that much of a threat to your soldiers...and it was just a curiosity, what have you got to lose by telling me?"

Germany turned away, thumb repeatedly starting to click the pen still in his hand, "Things just...got way too out of hand." he muttered softly, visibly cringing at the memory.

"In what way?" England pressed on, leaning against the table besides the German.

German grit his teeth, slamming his fists onto the table in bout of anger that made the Brit jump, "In what way do you THINK?" he spat, hurling the pen hard at the wall, cracking it in half, "He was so useless! All he did was surrender and run away! He never even TRIED to win this war! Every single time it was always ME who had to go and rescue him! Every single time!" Germany yelled, shaking with rage, "Everyone always thought it was so easy for me, I was the big intimidating German guy who could sort everything out because everyone's so damn scared of me! It's NOT LIKE THAT!" Germany bellowed furiously, kicking over the table, knocking England's briefcase and two glasses of water to the floor with a crash.

England winced, stepping back slightly, despite the surrender and the Brit's tough exterior, Germany had always been a terrifying bloke to him. Slowly he reached down and retrieved his briefcase as the German stood, shaking with rage, taking deep calming breaths. England waited until Germany's rage seemed to die down, "...go on." he said cautiously, shifting the briefcase from one hand to the other.

Germany gave a long, deep sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose stressfully, "Do you know how many times I almost died rescuing Italy?"

England looked at him, thick brows furrowed in confusion, "You did?"

Germany nodded slowly, "So many times...I ran through battlefields, across land mines, through firing ranges...just to reach him."

"Well...he was your ally."

"Would you do such things for France?"

England gave a harsh laugh, "Bloody hell of course not...I see your point, however, you two had a much closer alliance than me and the frog ever had."

"He wasn't just an ally...he was mein friend." Germany said softly, a lump forming in his throat, "...I risked mein life for him so many times...I never understood why I did such stupid things for someone so useless to me."

England smiled knowingly at the German, "You're never really living until you've found someone to die for." he said softly. Germany looked at him, eyes wide with intrigue, however before he had the chance to dwell on the Englishman's words, he continued, "...that still doesn't explain why he switched sides."

Germany sighed deeply, "He left when he found out that I..." the German cringed slightly, "...didn't feel the same way."

England stared at him, "...you mean...?"

"...ja."

England was silent for a moment, thinking carefully about how to approach the topic, "I...might have suspected...however I always thought those feelings were mutual."

Germany blushed furiously, turning away, "Italy's a boy...it goes against everything mein country stands for."

England looked at him in confusion, "That's only what your leader believed...he's dead now."

"I know." Germany growled, horrific memories filling his mind, "...I hated him. However, the statement stands."

"...you don't love Italy?"

Germany sighed, closing his eyes briefly, "...nein."

England quirked an eyebrow at the pause, "...and that's why he left?"

"Ja...he didn't even tell me. An officer of mine had to break the news..." Germany folded his arms across his chest, gazing down at the floor, "...and by that point Italy was already gone."

England nodded slowly, shifting the briefcase into his other hand so he could check his watch, "No offence but I doubt Italy switching sides had anything to do with the outcome of the war." he ignored the dark look he received as he turned to leave, "Well...Auf Wiedersehen Germany."

Germany rolled his eyes, turning to leave in the opposite direction, "...Auf Wiedersehen."

England just about reached the door when he looked back over his shoulder at the dismal German, "Germany."

Germany stopped, slowly turning around, "Ja?"

"Do you think you'll ever be able to be friends with Italy again?"

Germany sighed, slowly tugging open the door in front of him, "...I don't know...perhaps not, not after his betrayal."

England smirked slightly, "Germany..."

"What?"

"Before you let Italy go, try to remember the reason you always went after him."

Germany faltered slightly, slowly raising an eyebrow at the Brit who just gave him a knowing smile as he left, softly shutting the door behind him.

The German sighed softly, leaving through the opposite door, cringing slightly as he stepped outside into the pouring rain, raindrops showering from the sky, soaking into his now meaningless military uniform, dishevelling his hair from its original style. Last humiliating thing on his list he had to do, tell the remaining German troops of his surrender, he sighed deeply as he made his way down the puddled steps of London town, angrily kicking bits of debris as he went...he knew it would come to this, somewhere in the back of his mind he always knew.

"Germany?"

Germany stopped, slowly turning around at the sound of that soft familiar voice, "Italy..."

The Italian bit his lip, slowly making his way over to him, clutching his umbrella to his chest, stopping just close enough to him to hover the umbrella over Germany's head, "...you're getting wet."

"Ja, I know." Germany ran his fingers through his hair, shaking the water from his head, "What are you doing here?"

"I...I heard you were surrendering..." Italy said delicately, avoiding the German's gaze.

"Ja, I just did...I finally took your advise." he growled, his temper beginning to rise as the Italian just reminded him of his dreaded defeat.

"Germany...I'm sorry you had to do that...but I don't think if I stayed with you and Japan it would have made much difference." he said softly, looking at the German apologetically.

Germany glared at him, gritting his teeth, "Italy, you may have been useless in battle, and with every other aspect of war for that matter, but do you know how much time and effort I wasted saving you? Who knows how the war would have turned out if I didn't have to deal with you!"

Italy winced slightly, looking away, "So you're saying you're glad I left?" he whispered softly, sending a flicker of guilt Germany's way, "...you were the only person who made me feel safe..."

Germany sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Italy, I don't know what you want me to say...I helped you in your many times of needs because we signed a treaty, it wasn't because..." he bit his lip, the corners of his eyes starting to burn slightly, "...of deeper feelings."

Italy bit his lip, eyes starting to fill with tears, "You were never supposed to mean this much to me..." he said in a shaky whisper, a single tear falling down his cheek, dripping into a puddle that lay at his feet.

Germany looked at him sadly, taking a step back out from under the umbrella, letting the rain fall across his shoulders, raindrops mingling with his own tears, Italy couldn't distinguish between the two as they fell silently down the German's face, "Italy I never meant to lead you on...you were never supposed to fall in love with me."

Italy slowly shook his head, more tears cascading down his face, "I don't love you, Germany." he whispered softly.

Germany looked at him in confusion, "What?"

"...I love the person I thought you were."

Germany swallowed a lump in his throat, biting his lip as he felt more tears burn in his eyes, "I...I have to go inform mein soldiers on mein surrender...Auf Wiedersehen Italy." he turned and left without a second glance, raindrops and tears still dripping from his face.

Italy watched him go, stood silently, listening to the soft patter of the rain as it hit the top of his umbrella, his heart tugging painfully in his chest as he realised he may never see the German again, Italy knew that in that moment, he had become a stranger.

I felt like writing something quite angsty to break away from the happy endings I usually go with

Also, I am very aware that my history is terrible, I've never studied WWII and I did very little research, so this is probably all wrong

Even still I hope you enjoyed this sad little tale :)