"You're kidding. You're kidding, right?" asked Ludwig, staring at his friend (if that was the right word) in a combination of disbelief and unamusement.

"Nope. Every word is true," Feliciano replied, holding up his right hand and shaking his head vigorously.

Ludwig rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorway, where he stood in nothing but boxers and undershirt, having been awoken by this visit. "So... you're telling me zat your past self somehow travelled into ze future, und needs somevhere to stay because your bruder can't stand having ze both of you around?"

"Sì, that's-a exactly what I'm telling you! Romano was very specific. He said, 'I don't care what you do with it, just get it out of here. I can't sleep with TWO Venezianos here-a with me.' And he didn't wanna go spend the night with-a Spain like he normally does when I'm annoying him, either, but he wouldn't say why... I already tried both Austria and-a Hungary, but both of them were busy... Please, Germany, it's just until tomorrow when I can ask Britain for a time-traveling phonebooth to send the past me back."

Ludwig sighed. "Fine. Vhere is ze kinder, then?"

"Oh, grazie, grazie! He's in the car- I'll go get him."

Ludwig took this opportunity to go back inside and put on some pants. Upon returning, he found Feliciano approaching his house while holding the hand of a small child. While Ludwig could see the resemblance, now that they were right next to each other, the child was... er...

"Um... Italy?"

"Ve?"

"... Vhy is he vearing a dress?"

Feliciano looked down at his past self and laughed. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that," he mused. "Bambino Italia, why are you dressed like that again? I can't remember..."

Chibitalia shrugged. "Signore Austria makes me dress this way while I work for him. Why does it matter?"

Italy (the adult one) laughed again. "It doesn't. So you'll be staying with Germany until tomorrow, okay?"

Looking up at Ludwig, Chibitalia's eyes widened, and he released a small gasp.

"Vat is it?" the German asked. "Is zere somezing on mein face?"

After a moment, Chibitalia shook his head. "It's-a nothing. You just... remind me of someone."

Feliciano rested his hand on his past self's shoulder, and the two briefly exchanged solemn glances. Both Italys then forced smiles onto their faces and changed the subject.

"Well, past me, have fun with Germany. Arrivederci!" Feliciano said as he proceeded back toward his car.

"Ciao, Adulti Me! I'll-a miss you!" Chibitalia chirped, waving vigorously at his future self. Ludwig watched in disgust and confusion as the two waved and blew kisses at each other all the way until Italy had driven out of sight, both grinning like complete idiots the entire time.

"All right," Ludwig sighed as soon as Feliciano had gone, "so vat are ve going to do vith you?"

Chibitalia thought for a moment, then cocked his head to the side. "Can we make pasta?"

Germany slapped himself in the forehead. "Vhy did I know you vere going to say zat," he muttered. "Vell, come inside, I suppose."

"Veeee~," Chibitalia called as he ran into Ludwig's house and immediately hopped onto the sofa, bouncing on it like a trampoline.

"Ach-!" Ludwig exclaimed as he rushed in after the child, picked him up and set him down on the floor. "Okay, ve need to get some zings straight. Erste, zere vill be no jumping, no running, no playing, und no destructive or violent behavior of any sort. Zweite, zere vill be no yelling, no screaming, no vhining, no crying, ESPECIALLY no singing, no loud noises vatsoever. If you are hungry or zhirsty or tired, tell me, but not in a vhiney vay. If you have to use ze bazroom, politely ask vhere it is. Do not touch anyzing vizout permission, und don't go into any rooms you do not have permission to enter. Understood?"

Chibitalia nodded slowly, climbed back up onto the couch, and pouted. "You're-a even more stuffy than Austria."

"I am nozing like zat freeloading snob!" Ludwig snapped.

The androgenous child shrugged. "You seem similar to me. You even speak the same language."

Ludwig rolled his eyes and looked at Chibitalia. What was he supposed to do with this kid? He didn't know the first thing about kids. He was rational and reasonable, so he could probably handle it- how much different could it be from watching modern Italy?- but still. Also, something about this child looked vaguely familiar. Germany wasn't sure what it was, but the sight of Chibitalia made something at the back of his mind nag at him, like a forgotten dream... Ludwig shook the thoughts out of his head. "I'll go figure out ze sleeping arrangements. East is out drinking und could be back at any time, so you can't have his room... But I don't exactly trust him vith you out here on ze couch, eizer... Just stay here und try not to do anyzing stupid."

Ludwig went back into his own room and assessed the situation. He had washed his sheets just the other day, so this could be suitable... The German instinctively made his bed and tidied up the room (somehow making it cleaner than it already was) as he tried to plan something out. Chibitalia could sleep here in his bed, where Gilbert wouldn't bother him. Ludwig himself would sleep out on the couch. As a fairly light sleeper, this way he'd probably awaken when his drunken brother would return and be able to get him into bed without causing any trouble. Now to relocate certain things no child should ever lay eyes on, such as the magazines he kept under the bed...

Once finally finished with that, Ludwig became aware of a very pleasant scent coming from somewhere else in the house. If Chibitalia was anything like modern Italy, that could not be a good sign. He followed the smell to the kitchen, where, sure enough, Chibitalia was cooking. The entire kitchen was such a mess that before scolding the child, Ludwig's obsessive-compulsive habits demanded that he clean up at least some of it first.

"Just vat is ze meaning of all zis?" he asked sternly, once the room didn't trigger his gag reflex. Chibitalia had dragged a chair from the table to the stove so that he could reach it, and seemed to have something cooking on every burner, as well as in the oven.

"I got-a hungry," was all the child said in response.

"I told you to tell me if zat happened."

"I just told you, didn't I?"

Facepalm. "I meant so I could prepare somezing for you."

"Well, you never told-a me that!" Chibitalia protested.

"Vell, now you know." Ludwig sighed and continued cleaning up after him, much like he did whenever present Feliciano was cooking.

Chibitalia stood on tiptoe to reach a cupboard and open it, out of pure curiosity. Ah, so that was where the glasses were. He was sort of thirsty...

CRASH!

"Mi dispiace, I'm-a so sorry, I couldn't quite reach it..." Chibitalia immediately began to wail. Ludwig looked down at the glass shards that now littered his once spotless floor, then at the now crying child.

"It's all right, don't cry," he reassured him. "Accidents happen. Now stay right zere so you don't cut your feet, und I'll be right back."

Ludwig carefully picked his way out of range of the shattered glass, then proceeded down the hall to the closet, out of which he took a worn-out old deck broom and a dustpan. Returning to the kitchen, he began to sweep up the glass.

Looking up, he noticed Chibitalia staring at the broom, mouth slightly agape.

"... is somezing wrong?"

The child pointed at the broom. "W-where did you get that?"

Ludwig briefly glanced at it and shrugged. "Zis old thing? I don't know... I've had it for as long as I can remember. Vhy do you ask?"

The tears- which had vanished at some point- now began to well up again. "Well... it's just... I..." it was proving relatively impossible for Chibitalia to cry, talk and breathe at the same time.

Gently patting the child on the back, Ludwig gave him a kind smile and went to throw away the shards of glass.

"... C-can I see that-a b-broom?" Chibitalia sniffed. Not seeing any reason not to, Ludwug handed the dock broom to him and exited the room. Chibitalia examined it, running his hands up the handle and through the bristles. It was very old and had clearly been used a LOT, but it was definitely the same broom. How had Germany come by this? This was just unfair. It was enough that he looked so much like... him...

Returning, Ludwig stopped and stared at Chibitalia. The child stood there, tears in his eyes, holding that broom... why did that sight look so familiar?

"Germany?" Chibitalia asked softly.

"Ja?"

"Do... do you remember when you were a kid?"

Ludwig frowned. He'd never really thought about his childhood, but come to think of it... he didn't. His earliest memory was just some very vague, hazy imagery of some war, and by that time he had probably been in about his early teens. Gilbert had told him that he was an amnesiac teenager when he (Gilbert) had found him.

"Nein... can't say I do," he murmured.

Chibitalia looked down at the floor and nodded slowly, still clutching the broom. "... how old are you?"

"You're asking a lot of questions," Ludwig observed, raising a brow.

"S-sorry."

After a moment's silence, Ludwig smiled and gestured toward the stove. "Make sure your food doesn't burn," he advised.

Chibitalia let out a little squeal, handed the broom to Ludwig and turned back to his cooking. Germany chuckled and began to inspect the floor.

Suddenly, the front door burst open. "HOLA, VOUS MUTTERFICKERS," screeched a loud and obnoxious voice.

Ludwig rolled his eyes. "East, vatch your language, ve have company," he called. Glancing apologetically at Chibitalia, he left the room to check on his brother.

Gilbert was swaggering around the living room in a way that suggested a vague attempt at dancing, making an incoherent sound that might have been supposed to resemble humming a tune.

"... You vere out vith Francis und Antonio again, veren't you?" Ludwig asked flatly.

"Souija," Gilbert practically sang some slurred combination of three different words for "yes". He then looked up at Ludwig, apparently noticing him for the first time. "Oh, Bruder, vhere'd you come from?" he slurred. Not giving his brother time to respond, he continued. "You shoulda been zere... See, Franshis decided ve should all go play zis prank on Rod'rich..."

"Gilbert, I don't..."

"... zen he started freaking out, like... I d'even know. Just FREAKING OUT... so Eliza had to come und..."

"Gilbert..."

"... I vas like, 'Bitch, please, I'm ze awesomest one in zis room...'"

"Gilbert."

"... und she vas all like 'Nuh uh!' und I vas all like 'Ja huh!'..."

"Gilbert!"

"... so France dared me to kiss Shpain, but I'd chosen truth, so I vas so confused..."

"GILBERT!"

"... und zen I said, 'Oatmeal, are you crazy?'"

Gilbert chose this moment to pass out on the couch. Ludwig rolled his eyes and scooped his brother up- while he was younger, he was much stronger than Gilbert- and carried the unconsious albino to his bedroom.

"Sorry about zat," he said as he returned to the kitchen. Chibitalia was on his tiptoes, trying to reach the plates in the high-up cupboard. Ludwig reached them with ease and handed them to the child.

"Veee~ grazie," Chibitalia said, taking the two of plates and setting each one onto the counter and beginning to serve all the food he'd made. While he couldn't find the means for pasta, he had somehow been able to make a sizeable Italian feast out of ingredients he had found in Germany's pantry. "Buon appetito!"

"Uhh... Danke," Ludwig replied, rather amazed at the child's talent.

"It's-a no problem at all!" sang Chibitalia, hopping off the chair and taking his own plate to the table. Ludwig followed him, sat down and began to eat, although by this point Chibitalia was halfway finished.

"Mm... it's good," Ludwig obseved. Suddenly it was no wonder modern Feliciano was able to cook so well.

"Yaaayy!"

Ludwig couldn't help but laugh at the child's adorableness.

Finishing his dinner, Chibitalia yawned. "Tiiired..."

Ludwig glanced at the cuckoo clock on the wall. "It's getting late. I'd say it's bedtime for you."

"Veeeee~..."

"Come on, let's get you into bed."

"Okay..." Chibitalia slipped off his chair and took Ludwig's hand to follow him to the bedroom. Seeing Germany's big, welcoming bed, he automatically jumped onto it and dove under the covers.

Seeing that Chibitalia was comfortable, Ludwig smiled. "Guten nacht," he said, turning off the light and closing the door.

Chibitalia whimpered.

The door opened. "... Ja? Vat is it?"

There was a brief pause.

"... Sing me a song?" the child asked hopefully.

"Uhh..."

"Pleeeeaase? Miss Hungary sings me a song every night. I can't-a sleep without it."

"Like... a lullaby?"

"It doesn't really matter. Anything will do."

Ludwig sighed. After thinking a moment, he began singing the first song thst came to mind.

"In München steht ein Hofbräuhaus:

Eins, zwei, g'suffa . . .

Da läuft so manches Fäßchen aus:

Eins, zwei, g'suffa..."

Chibitalia sighed contently and closed his eyes.

Ludwig continued in his deep baritone. "Da hat so manche braver Mann:

Eins, zwei, g'suffa...

Gezeigt was er so vertragen kann

Schon früh am Morgen fing er an

Und spät am Abend kam er heraus

So schön ist's im Hofbräuhaus..."

"Buonanotte," Chibitalia murmured before slipping into soft and peaceful snores.

Ludwig stopped singing and smiled. "Guten nacht," he said softly, quietly leaving the room and closing the door.

Feliciano lay in bed awake, staring up at the ceiling. Beside him slept Lovino, occasionally kicking or talking in his sleep. Feliciano was usually the first one asleep, but tonight he felt troubled for some reason. At first he figured it was because he was worried about Chibitalia. But then, the kid was with Ludwig, and there wasn't a soul Feliciano trusted more than him. Could he be nervous about confronting Arthur tomorrow? The Englishman did intimidate him, so that was quite plausible. He was the only one Feliciano could think of who might hold the secrets of time travel, so there was no avoiding it.

Yet somehow, when he really thought about it, that wasn't what kept Feliciano awake. No, it was something else, something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Lovino stirred. "No, Antonio... I'm too young, bad touch, bad touch..." he mumbled, then continued snoring.

Finally, Feliciano sat up and turned on his bedside lamp. He slipped out of bed and went over to his dresser, on top of which sat many framed pictures from many different time periods. In the center, side by side, were two pictures; each of one of the people that meant the most to Feliciano. Anyone who didn't know better would say they were both of the same person, taken at different ages. Both had short blond hair and piercing blue eyes, and wore a serious expression on their faces. Feliciano looked at one, then the other, and sighed. Chibitalia had also noticed the resemblance, so it was clearly hot just his hazy memory and his dysfunctional mind playing tricks on him. They really did look the same. But they couldn't be... could they?

Lovino snorted loudly, drawing Feliciano out of his thoughts. "... I'm only a bambino... you sick bastard..."

Ignoring him, Feliciano picked up both pictures. He studied each one, taking in the facial features and the memories that went with them. To be completely honest, was desperately in love with both of them. But the only one who loved him back had disappeared and never returned. For years upon years upon years, Italy had waited and pined and mourned for him. Then, as soon as he thought he'd finally gotten over that heartbreaking traitor, along had come this big strong nation who looked exactly like him. It was fate's way of telling Feliciano, "No, you're not going to move on with your life, you're going to sit here and be stuck in this depressing period of history forever." It just wasn't fair. And now, here he'd thought he'd been able to transmit his feelings for Holy Rome onto Germany, and forget about the lying bastard... but no. Instead his past self had to come and rekindle all these old feelings. Why did fate hate him so much?

Feliciano set the pictures back down so that he could wipe the tears that were now streaming down his face. He sighed and turned around, ready to go back to bed, figuring there was no sense in staying up any later.

Lovino moaned, rolled over, then suddenly bolted upright and stared at Feliciano with wide eyes. "Veneziano," he panted, "la Spagna è un pedofilo!"

Feliciano blinked. "Uh ... crescere e Spagna se ne andarsene," he suggested. "Grow up and maybe he'll leave."

"B-but... I'm not sure I want him to andarsene," Lovino protested, clearly not fully awake.

"Then don't-a crescere."

"... Oh," the older half-country said softly before flopping back over and continuing to snore.

Smiling and shaking his head, Feliciano crawled back into bed and turned off the light. "Buonanotte, Romano," he sighed.

"... mmm... yeah, gimme those tomatoes, Tony, I'm legal now..." was all Lovino said in response.

Like always, Ludwig was the first one awake. After checking on Chibitalia and Gilbert- both of which were sound asleep- he put on some coffee and began to make sausages for breakfast. Before long, Chibitalia drifted to the table, awakened an motivated by the smell and promise of food.

Noticing him, Ludwig couldn't help but laugh. "Italy hasn't changed much since he vas you, has he?"

Chibitalia looked up. "I don't change? But he told-a me I'd grow up to be great and powerful..."

Hoppla. "I mean... er... in your personality und your habits. He's just as motivated by food as you are."

"Oh. Okay."

That was too close. If Feliciano had grown up with some sort of complex, knowing he'd never amount to anything, who knew how drastically reality could be changed.

Ludwig set a plate in front of Chibitalia. "Here you go. Go ahead und start eating... I need to check on Prussia."

He went down the hall to Gilbert's room. Opening the door, he found the albino sprawled across his bed in a position that appeared less than comfortable.

"Hey, Bruder, wach auf," Ludwig said gruffly, punching him in the gut.

Gilbert moaned and curled up into a ball. "Five more minutes, Vatti," he mumbled.

Ludwig only punched him again.

"Verdammt- vill you stop zat?" Gilbert groaned, holding a hand up to his pounding head.

"It's your own fault."

Gilbert sat up and glared at him with blood-red eyes (both naturally red and bloodshot). He then stood up and staggered across the hall to the bathroom, where he promptly knelt down in front of the toilet and vomited.

Ludwig followed him and leaned against the bathroom wall. "So vat have you learned from zis experience, Gilbert?" he asked nonchalantly.

Without looking up, Gilbert shoved an obscene gesture in his brother's direction.

"I'm just saying. Try showing a little self control next time."

"You sound like Vater."

"At least one of us does."

Gilbert shot Ludwig a look, then waved him off. "Ach, vatever. You look just like him anyvay, Deutschland."

"I don't zink I ever even met him."

"Ja, you did."

"Nein... I don't zink so."

"Ja, you definitely- oh, vait, zat vas... never mind." Gilbert stared down into the toilet, then threw up again.

"Zat vas vhen?"

Gilbert was silent.

"East, tell me. Vat do you know about my life... before...?"

"Nein, you're not awesome enough. You vouldn't understand."

"Tell me or I swear to Gott, I vill rip out your intestines und strangle you vith zem."

The albino only vomited in response.

Ludwig let out an aggrivated sigh, shook his head and went back to the kitchen, where Chibitalia was helping himself to fourths.

"I zink you've had enough," Ludwig said sternly, snatching the plate away from him.

"But I'm-a still hungry," protested Chibitalia.

"You need to leave some for me und Prussia."

"Fine," the child pouted. He then yawned, stretched, and fell asleep on the table.

Ludwig wasn't even surprised. He figured now would be a good time to call Feliciano, who was no doubt still asleep, and help him with his assumably half-baked plans for the day. Ludwig picked up the phone, dialed, and waited. It rang once... twice... three times...

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT? Whatever it is, it'd better be pretty damn important, because I was in the middle of a really good-a dream." It was Romano who answered.

"Hallo, I'd like to speak to your bruder," Ludwig said cooly.

"Oh, fantastico, it's you. Well, Veneziano's asleep right now, so please call-a back... hm... never."

"Vake him up."

The Italian sighed and set the phone down so he could shake his brother by the shoulders, shouting, "Sveglia, idiota, the potato eater wants to talk to you!"

"Ve~... what? Germany's on the phone?" asked Feliciano, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He took the phone from Lovino. "Ciao?"

"Guten morgen... So, vat's the plan for today? Vhen are you coming to pick up your past self? Do you need me to go vith you to Britain's house?"

"Uhh... Well..."

"Zat's vat I zought. Come over here und ve'll figure it out."

"But it's-a so early..."

"Get up, get dressed, und come over. Now."

"Fine," Feliciano sighed, "see you soon."

Feliciano hung up- reaching over a very annoyed Lovino to do so- and got out of bed. "So, Romano, did you sleep well?" he asked cheerfully as he got dressed.

"I had weird dreams," the older half-country said flatly.

"About Spain, right?"

Lovino turned bright red. "H-how did you...?"

"You talk in your sleep."

"Merda... W-what did I say?"

"You called him a pedofilo or something, I don't really remember," Feliciano replied innocently.

"That's all?"

"Sì."

"Oh, grazie a dio," Lovino breathed. "... Mi scusi while I go change my underwear."

Now fully clothed, Feliciano kissed both of the pictures on his dresser and grabbed his keys. "I'm-a going to Germany's house, ciao," he called.

"Yeah, whatever," muttered Lovino, reaching for the phone and dialing Antonio's number as Feliciano left.

Chibitalia awoke to a scary pair of red eyes staring at him. He screamed and jumped a foot in the air, landing with a loud thud on the floor. Gilbert stepped over him and went down the hall, then entered the bathroom where Ludwig was showering.

"Hey, West?"

"Vat?"

"Vhy is zere a little Italienisch girl in our kitchen?"

"Oh... zat's Italien's past self or somezing. I'm babysitting for him."

"... Huh. I vas hoping it vas just some sort of hangover hallucination. Vatever. I'm going back to bed." Gilbert shut the door and did exactly what he said he would.

Finishing his shower, Ludwig toweled himself off and got dressed, this time in a proper shirt. He went out to the kitchen, where Chibitalia was eating the last of the leftover from breakfast. He was about to scold the child when there came a knock on the door.

"Come in," Ludwig called, knowing who it was, and Feliciano entered.

"Futuro mi!" squealed Chibitalia, running up to Feliciano and leaping into his arms. "I missed-a you so much!"

Ludwig stood patiently while the two had their little reunion, until finally Feliciano set down his past self and smiled at the German. "Grazie, Germany," he said softly.

"It vas no problem. He-"

"Ooh, hey, Futuro Italia, I have-a something I wanna show you!" interrupted Chibitalia. He ran down the hall before Ludwig could stop him, and returned with the deck broom from the closet. "Look what Signore Germany has!"

Feliciano's eyes widened, and he took the broom with a slight gasp. "Germany?" he asked slowly. "W-where did you get this?"

"I asked him the same thing," Chibitalia whispered. "He said he doesn't remember."

"I don't see vat ze big deal is," Ludwig said with a shrug. "It's just a broom..."

"IT'S NOT JUST A BROOM!" both Italys snapped in unison, tears forming in their eyes.

Ludwig raised his hands defensively. "O-okay, okay, just calm down and tell me vat it is, zen."

Feliciano sat down on the couch, staring at the broom for a while, until finally he stood, handed it to Ludwig and looked away. "... It's nothing," he sighed in defeat.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah... C'mon, Passato Me, let's go see Britain."

"But what about the...?" protested Chibitalia.

"It doesn't-a matter, okay?" Feliciano snapped, much more harshly than he usually spoke. Turning to Ludwig, he added more softly, "Grazie again. Addio." He left without another word.

Chibitalia tightly hugged Ludwig's legs, then followed after Feliciano. Once he reached the doorway, he turned and softly said, "Goodbye... Holy Rome..."

The door swung shut behind the two Italians, leaving Ludwig alone, staring wide-eyed into space. If there wasn't a couch there to catch him, he would have fallen backwards onto the floor. He sat and gazed up at the ceiling, clutching the broom, taking it all in. That name... that name Chibitalia had called him... Somehow, it had unwedged something blocking off a part of Ludwig's brain, unlocked a door; and now memories were flooding out, flashing before his eyes. He suddenly remembered everything. He remembered being a power-hungry young nation, striving to become a powerful empire. He remembered going off to a brutal, bloody war, which he had hardly survived. Most importantly, however; he remembered a pretty little girl, staring at him with a dumb grin that by now he recognized all too well...

Before he was even aware of what he was doing, Ludwig threw open the door and shouted, "ITALY! VAIT!"

The automobile, which was just backing out of the driveway, screeched to a halt.

"Wha...?" Feliciano began.

Broom still in hand, Ludwig ran up to the car, opened the door, yanked Feliciano out, and kissed him. As soon as their lips touched, the Italian immediately melted and wrapped his arms around Ludwig's neck.

"Ich liebe dich, Feliciano," whispered Germany once they'd parted for air. "I... I'm so sorry I never came back..."

Italy smiled and glanced at the deck broom, which the German still tightly clutched in one hand. "But you did, Ludwig," he replied. "You've come back just now. Ti amo."

Glancing at Chibitalia, Ludwig let go of Feliciano. "Isn't ze present going to be changed, after all your past self has vitnessed?"

The Italian shrugged. "I'm sure Britain can wipe his memory if he has to."

"All right zen... so I guess you should go now..."

Feliciano nodded. "But when this-a whole thing is over, I promise I'll come and-a see you again."

"Promise?" Ludwig smiled. "I'll be vaiting."

Feliciano laughed and got back into his car. Ludwig waved and watched as they drove away. Once they were out or sight, he looked back down at the broom, shrugged, and went inside; suddenly more content than he remembered ever being before.

Fine~End