Honestly, the scene of what many people would usually see as a reunited family would have been incredibly heartwarming if Antonio hadn't been covered in blood. Instead, the blood changed the scene into something that looked straight out of a horror flick. Or at least, Canada thought so. He lingered behind Alfred and Matthias, watching as Ludwig checked Feliciano one, two three times, repeatedly asking if he was hurt, if he was okay, which he honestly thought were pretty stupid questions. Of course he wasn't okay, he had been trapped in this room since the fall of Italy to Russia with only his brother and soldiers that he had no doubt would shoot them if it came down to it as company. It was sweet, he acknowledged that fact. Matthew was definitely happy to see that the brothers were fine and that their mission had so far been a success without any near fatalities or trauma inducing situations going on. But he couldn't help but feel the little swell of resentment in his chest as the brothers thanked Antonio and Ludwig and Matthias and his dear-superhero-superstar brother again and again as he just stood there. He was invisible to them, as he always was, and he could feel that resentment sit and simmer in his chest as they picked their way over the dead bodies of the men outside of the door, as they flickered through the hallways and took cover in the shadows cast by fluorescent lights and sharp corners of unforgiving stone walls and as they fled and he fired round after round into the bodies of men who were doing their job and chased after them, sending bullets whizzing past their faces and embedding themselves into the ground at their feet as they fled through Rome to the best of their ability, the Italy brothers, usually the fastest, struggling to keep up due to their confinement and lack of exercise.

Matthew felt that the pounding of his heart could be heard, bouncing off of the buildings that loomed over him and echoing through the streets as he turned and shot more rounds before they finally managed lose them, weaving through the maze of streets before entering an alley way and slowing to a stop.

Feliciano and Lovino both slumped against the side of one of the buildings, gulping down air as if it were going out of style while Antonio sat down next to Romano, clutching his side.

"Jesus Christ… Did… Did we lose them?" Alfred gasped, leaning forward to place his hands on his knees. Germany pushed the bangs that had fallen from their slicked back hold out of his face and nodded, face flushed from running.

"Ja. We did." He puffed. Matthew checked either side of the alley, listening closely for footsteps or just the barest flicker of a soldiers shadow bust saw none, and found himself slowly pacing.

"Mattie." Alfred said. Matthew stopped his pacing to look at his brother. His oh-so-heroic brother, he thought bitterly. "Radio Francis to send Anthony to get us." And Matthew did what his brother told him more out of necessity than actual want to obey.

Matthew would have tuned everybody else out had there actually been any conversation. Instead, as they sat in the back of a pickup truck that aimed to transport them out of the area, to northern Italy. More specifically, Genoa, where Francis would be waiting for them and they would pull off the rest of their escape. He would spend five hours in the back of a pickup truck in the middle of the night with Matthias, rattling along until they reached their destination. Antonio, Feliciano, Ludwig and Lovino rode in the cabin along with the American soldier who was driving them. He, Alfred and Matthias were forced to take the back, the night air crisp and cool as the stars existed only as pinpricks of light in the sky. Alfred sat slumped against the window of the cabin, passed out with his snores drowned out by the rushing wind and his hair whipping about his face in blond ropes. Matthias was absently scrubbing at his face, flakes of crusted blood fluttering onto his clothes, obviously spacing out.

Matthew himself frowned down at the rifle that lay across his lap, running his hand over the barrel of the gun. They hadn't noticed him. Nobody ever did. Not when he saved Alfred's ass in Madrid, not when he picked off soldiers in bloodbath during their escape, not even in their most recent venture. Hell, Feliciano and Lovino didn't notice him in their group until Alfred had mentioned him and even then, it took Feliciano some time to find him let alone recognize him.

Yet, when Alfred stood there in the doorway, Feliciano had thanked him profusely and didn't even see Matthew. He had lived through years of that, all of his life being overshadowed by his brother and it had bothered him the slightest bit, of course. Getting beat up by Cuba because he had thought that he was America or being ignored in meetings or not even being seen in most instances. Yes, he had always found himself getting frustrated by these instances, and sure over time he had developed a sort of resentment for his younger brother but now it had changed from the gentle rolls of a tide to crashing waves.

Matthew curled his hands into fists, violet eyes focused on the truck bed, threatening to burn through it. Alfred was the hero. He always was, and Matthew was left standing in his shadow, never complaining, never fighting for the spotlight. And Alfred repaid him by disregarding him until he was needed. Some brother he was.

Matthew gave an subconscious snort of derision and Matthias looked up, snapped out of whatever trance he had found himself caught in. Matthew felt bad, he had to admit, for interrupting the Dane's train of thought like that. So, he did the typical Matthew thing, what he was expected to do.

"O-oh. I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to disturb you." He stammered quietly. God, he hated having to act like this, so meek and shy. But it was expected of him, and it made Al happy, so…

"Ah, it's no problem, it was better you did it anyway. I probably would've fallen out of the truck or something." The Dane gave a short burst of half hearted laughter and rubbed his neck. The goofy grin on his face made the Canadian smile a little and he nodded, switching his gaze to his brother, who remained dead asleep.

The silence that settled between them was comfortable he supposed. Or at least, would have been had Matthias not been staring at him with blue eyes that looked like they were trying to pick apart his soul. He tried to ignore the gaze, he really did, but it was really hard. He wasn't used to people looking at him for long periods of time. It made the back of his neck tingle and he rubbed it in a vain attempt to soothe the feeling. A few more minutes passed before he gathered his thoughts enough to speak up, tearing his gaze away from Alfred to look at Matthias.

"Why are you staring at me, eh?" He asked. His voice wasn't soft and gentle as usual. It was normal, a reasonable tone that made Matthias's eyebrows shoot up and he blinked a few times before he responded. And it certainly wasn't the response Matthew thought it would be.

"You resent him." Matthias claimed, crossing his arms and nodding over to the dozing American. It wasn't even a question, it was a statement as if Matthias had known all along and Canada couldn't help but frown. Was it that obvious?

It must have been the look on his face, but Matthias just smiled and nodded as if he completely understood, this time turning his own gaze to the American. Matthew waited for him to speak again, but he was only answered with the whipping of the wind and the road beneath churning tires.

"He's my brother." He stated with a shrug, as if that answered everything. Like how it voiced the littlest bit of guilt for his feelings of anger towards Alfred, or even how he himself knew that he had every right to feel the way he did. Matthias looked like he understood though and nodded, letting his head loll back against the side of the truck, allowing him to stare at the sky.

"As long as you remember that, you two should always be fine." Matthew was genuinely surprised by Matthias's behavior. He never really knew the Dane very well, but he did know that he was not the serious type and definitely not the cerebral type. If he recalled, that was more of Lukas's thing.

"Why the sudden advice?" Matthew asked, raising an eyebrow. The other man chuckled and then proceeded to let out a sigh that made it sound like he held the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Because I grew up with four brothers, and at one point, we all hated each other to some degree." There was a sad smile over his face, nostalgia obviously taking over his features as he began to talk again. "Berwald and I always had it out for each other and Emil was such a rebellious little shit sometimes. Tino was scary when I got him angry and Lukas… Lukas was mean sometimes, but he always was my favorite." The fondness was so evident in his voice that it made Matthew feel bad for the Dane. What it must have been like to be the only one in your family to escape and be completely unsure of what had happened to the rest of them. Matthew could only imagine the pain and guilt. He was silent for a little as he watched Matthias, his face unnaturally solemn as he gazed at the stars, as if asking his gods about whether or not the only family he had ever known was okay.

"Do you miss them?" Matthew asked, simultaneously pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Every day." Matthias replied with a sad smile. He rubbed his face and through the darkness Matthew could faintly see tear tracks as every so often a glimmer of light would catch his cheeks. Because of that, Matthew stayed quiet, leaving Matthias to himself to wrestle with the emotions that he had dug up.

"You make sure that you and your brother always have each others backs, you got that?" Matthias asked. "No matter what happens in this world, you will always be brothers. Allies change, but families don't." There was something in Matthias's voice that made him stop and stare at the him as if he were wondering if he was alright. Matthew doubted it. Nobody was alright anymore. There was panic all across the globe and everybody was so, so sick.

"Yeah. I understand." Matthew responded, voice firm. Silence was suspended between the two and after some time, Matthias gave him a watery smile and nodded before turning Matthew sat and ran Matthias's words over and over again in his head, replaying the message that had been conveyed to him and he understood. He understood all too well what he was saying. It was good advice, excellent advice and he was grateful for it. But it didn't stop the rising resentment, only made him so much more sure that he and Alfred had to stay together no matter what.

Through the silence of the night, they drove onward as Matthew watched the countryside fly by, endless fields of grape vines and orchards and vegetables dotted with houses who seemed just as extinguished as their lighting.

And throughout that time, Matthew pretended that he didn't see Matthias's shaking shoulders as he hunched forward into himself, muffling heartbroken sobs into the back of a leather glove.

AN: Welp, promise broken. Didn't make Saturday because of Sea Fair and my parents banned me from the computer. Don't forget to leave a review!