"What? Italy, we need to get you out of here... You can kill him another day. I give you my word, okay?"

Italy frowned. "Ok." He had to agree now was not the best time to get revenge. He'd kill France, and England, and America....and for Russia...that death would go particularly slow and painful. He tightened his fists into little balls.

Germany got them out of the area as quickly as possible and got them back to their building. He walked into his own room and gently laid Italy down. "Italy, how bad was it...?"

Italy stood up, not so sure he could answer a question like that with words. He pulled off all but his underwear, showing burns and cuts all over his body including a brand that marked him as the territory of England. There was dried up blood all over him and he looked hideous. "They let Russia interrogate me. I refused to give them your location and so I paid the price." he tried to shrug it off. "Look on the bright side of it. I learned my lesson."

Germany silenced as he saw all of the wounds, blood and burns. "I'm so sorry Italy..." he finally said. "Come on... Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

Italy held Germany's face in between his hands. "No Ludwig, I am sorry that I couldn't make you a proud man. I wanted you to have a boyfriend who was strong, and worth something, but I'll always he a weak failure." He kissed his love long and deep. "But at least one of us is strong. I love you Germany, and I'm so proud to say in yours." He moved away from the man and grabbed a knife, cutting the top layers of flesh from his own leg where he'd been physically branded with an English flag. He scrapped it all away, leaving a god awful bloody place. He put as much distance between himself and Germany as he could and grabbed a fire poker from the fireplace. He burned the wound closed, tears slipping from his eyes, but no noise coming from his mouth.

"I-Italy!!!" He watched in utter shock as Italy mutilated himself. He didn't know this man anymore. The fun loving Italy he had fallen in love with was gone. He may have him back physically, but he just wasn't himself anymore. "Italy...." Germany walked over and wiped the tears from his face before going and getting bandages to wrap the Italian, debating on his next course of action.

Italy looked down at the place where he'd hurt him own self. "I'm sorry. I'm not going to go around marked as the territory of that awful pirate." He looked dead serious, no signs of playfulness on his face. After being patched up by Germany, he left the room with no explanation other than that he had things to do. He was angry and full of hatred mixed with something he couldn't identify. He wanted blood. He looked at his ugly, bandaged form and screamed in agony. His door was shut and his face in a pillow, hoping he wouldn't be heard. He grabbed the nearest knife and hurled it at a wall, wailing again. "I will kill you all!" He shrieked, throwing more knifes.

Germany leaned against the wall and slid down. "Feliciano...." He raked a hand through his hair. He heard his screams and he felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. "I'm so sorry..."

Italy hit the wall until his fists were all bloodied up and then ran back to Germany, falling into his lap and busting into tears. "I h-hate them.." he cried.

Ludwig held Italy close. "Italy..." He sighed. "I'm so sorry.. We will kill them."

"They made me ugly..." He cried some more. "They took away the only one thing that was good about me..." He'd always hated himself for being a useless, balless pussy, but he'd always had his good looks. Now even that was stripped from him. "I want to kill them and then drop dead." He held his head in his hands and shook violently with sobs. He was screwed up on the inside.

"Please don't say that..." He didn't want to lose Italy, no matter how much he had changed. "Italy, these marks are nothing... You're perfect... You can always make me smile, and you're always so happy, no matter how mad I had gotten at you..." He kissed the Italian's forehead. "You could clear the skies with your smile Italy..."

Italy looked into Ludwig's eyes and then started crying anymore. "B-but...I don't know how anymore..I can't smile..." He buried his face in his hands to hide it from Germany to cry some more. "what did I do wrong? Why did it all go downhill? I'm s-such a loser..."

"You didn't do anything wrong my love, and you certainly aren't a loser..." He held Italy close. "Feliciano, you will smile again, I promise... I don't care what it takes, you will smile"

The young Italian tried to smile, he tried his hardest but it came out as a pained expression that turned into more wailing and crying. He just laid in Germany's arms until he fell asleep.

Japan walked through the door. He'd gotten away from the allies with no injury, he'd simply run until they lost him. He saw Italy and Germany and walked off to give them privacy, glad the Italian seemed to be ok, sleeping in Germany's lap.

Germany stayed awake, thinking for a moment. He set Italy on the bed and went into one of his drawers for a red ribbon. He slipped back to Italy and tied some around his pinkie, before doing the same to his own. They weren't connected, but it could be implied that it was.

Italy stayed asleep for a good little while until everyone else was asleep. When he woke, he felt something around his pinky finger. He blink a few times before looking and seeing a red ribbon. He frowned and then saw that it was also attached to Ludwig's pinky. That was more than a little adorable and he settled himself with one leg over Germany and the rest of his body snuggled into the curve of the other man.

Germany instinctively pulled the Italian closer, not wanting to lose him again. He woke up slowly to see him. "Italy...."

Italy had been almost asleep when he heard his name. "Hmm?" He asked sleepily, then spoke. "Yes Ludwig?" He asked in a groggy monotone that sounded slightly like a half awake child.

"Sorry to wake you... I just.. Wanted to tell you I love you." He kissed Italy's forehead. "Go back to sleep, okay?"

He cuddled the other and closed back his eyes. "Love you too, Ludwig."

He stroked the Italian's hair gently, trying to make him feel loved and comfortable. Feliciano may not be the same as he was, but he was stilll Italy. The fun loving Italy was still there, and Germany was determined to bring him back.

Italy was feeling the most like himself as he had for a while. Perhaps it was being with his beloved Germany that had him happy. He was asleep again, and a smile formed on his face. He dreamed of himself and his love on the beach, staring at the sunset. There was no more war and all was peaceful. They were all that mattered and there was no reason to be serious.

Germany began formulating the most perfect date he could think of to hold in the middle of this god forsaken war. Most of the beaches were targets for raids, but surely he could think of something.