A/N: I don't stereotype Veneziano as a weakling. I really don't. I just need to do Hysterical!Veneziano again for this part. Don't worry, the story's just beginning. Although, I'm not sorry for making him cuss.

Happy reading!

Chapter 5; Tattered Bits

"A spectrum and myriad of colours in front of him, but he would still choose white. Slick him with all the shades invented, but he would still choose white. Lance him out with a scalpel and let the hue of crimson stain his wonderfully caramelized skin, but he would still choose white. It's like a trance, really, a hypnotized condition given to him even before he could blink. A state very alike with overdosed sedation, only, he isn't."

Fifth buzz, he noted.

Clad in a tuxedo with a white hue, a dash of jet black for his tie, Ludwig Beilschmidt set his arms intertwined in front of him as he gradually took another sigh, each of his breath a harder one from the last. A dawn of hefty sensations imprinted itself upon him as a pang of deafening silence surrounded the innards of the vehicle, mixing itself with the pristine colours of the seats and steering wheel in front.

The brusque man stared off into nowhere in particular, his eyes darting from the back of the seat before him and the view outside his window, the clashing of the canal's gentle waves presenting themselves occasionally as Vaporettos pass their way, a few structured buildings of Italy slightly protruding from his right. Enclosed by two enormous trees just beside the place, their car was hidden in the far-off corner of the hill where the event was being held at, remarkably invisible from the guests' sight.

Ludwig turned his attention beside him, towards Feliciano Vargas, for the umpteenth time of the morning, his cerulean orbs scanning him carefully. The brunette, with his legs crossed and a book placed on his laps, was tapping his fingers in a seemingly endless and desultory manner, being it the only sound emanating in the car. It was combined with entity and form of hesitation, his nails slowly gnawing the vehicle's coated door as they hit it haphazardly, yelling out his current state. The smaller man, clothed with just a simple long-sleeved polo shirt in a dark blue shade, a khaki jumper and white and red connector to match; the slick-haired blonde observed the artist silently, his eyes evident with doubt with brows furrowed. With his hair, fixed with a simple brushed up style, whole form trembling and rigid, Ludwig couldn't help but to clutch the miniscule vial of tablets in his hand closer, his own nails digging deeper on his skin. Visible bags can also be seen from his companion's eyes, his pale complexion making it more obvious and harder for Ludwig to even believe that the Italian agreed to get out from his manor in such vanity-off look.

Being the very man whom the artist gives his priority of trusting, he brought it into himself to be the person who knows Feliciano the most, even from the brunette himself. Following a rather strict routine regularly, the very country who showed how orderliness should be done, Ludwig has memorized his partner long before the other knew himself entirely. The blonde valiantly opened up to the said man faster than he could ever imagine, faster than anyone else ever tried to befriend him. He knows how things work out in every nook in the situation, he knows how to handle a rampage even in the slightest of things. Feliciano knows how to do just that, a human who's actually trying to lead a normal existence besides knowing that otherwise is much stronger and obligatory. Ludwig knows the basic, the front of the said painter, but he knows nothing about the one underneath.

Feliciano is a contraption, Ludwig believes. A leashed debacle hidden in the most powerful barricade he ever knew.

"How was your flight?" The brunette suddenly asked, placing a hand under his chin, supporting it. An exhausted sigh escaped his lips as he continued to stare at the view outside, away from Ludwig.

"Uneventful", the blonde pursed his lips slightly, "how're you feel-"

"I'm sorry I couldn't get you personally, Arthur's made me eat breakfast", he interrupted.

"So I've been told. He also told me you haven't sleep yet. You look like a disaster, to be honest."

"They'd live with it", Feliciano smirked, "don't I always before my events?"

Ludwig timidly scrunched his brows, "I know, but this time. . . it's different. And like I said, you haven't slept yet so it was nice of him to do that."

"It's not nice poking yourself into other people's businesses."

"He did the right thing."

Feliciano turned his attention to him, scoffing. "Here I thought you hated him. Wow", he mused.

"And here I thought you don't anymore. I thought you two were friends."

"Everybody does, don't they?" Feliciano laid down his hand haphazardly on the book. "Everyone thinks that we two are friends now just because we both paint. That all those scary shits we went through in the past had miraculously disappeared from our memories. I did too, actually," he said, pointing at himself, "I thought he was a really nice guy and then he do this kind of shit-"

"Feli, stop-" Ludwig moved closer to his partner, his whole form rigid and alarmed.

"-and all those fucking conversations, all those fucking "moments" with him crumbled. That jerk shouldn't have done that-"

"Feliciano, enough-"

"He should've just kept his mouth shut and not tell it to anyone, he should've fixed it himself! He shouldn't have called the others! He-"

"Enough!" The larger country held the brunette's right risk firmly, making him press himself unto the door behind him.

"-shouldn't have called you! He shouldn't have bothered you!"

"He already did, Italy! He did the right thing! And who told you you'll bother me!? You were having a panic attack, for God's sake-"

Feliciano's eyes were blurred as tears form up, "N-No! No! No! You'll think I'm weak and useless! You'll think I'm weak and useless!"

"Calm down!" The blonde wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly, their scents mixing with each other, the beating of their hearts in sync. "Calm down, Feliciano!"

"No! N-n-no! No… yo-you'll think… think I'm w-weak and… useless." He sniffed.

"I won't," Ludwig replied, his tone turning down and gentler, "I won't. I won't, Feli. I won't ever think that," he whispered, "just listen to me, listen to my breathing, my voice, anything. Listen to me and close your eyes, everything will be fine. . ." he said, feeling Feliciano's rough breaths unto his neck as his fingers draw in the cold, his whole body trembling.

"Ludwig-"

"Shh," he whispered, "shhhhh. It's alright, everything's going to be alright."

Silence enveloped the whole of them as they remained in that position, their bodies tucked in tightly around each other, Feliciano's nose at the nook of Ludwig's neck, his breathing heavy. The brunette was as callous as a stone, making the shaking of his being more obvious. Occasional whimpers and sniffs can be heard from the couple.

Then, another buzz came.

"Feli," Ludwig spoke, "Feli, I want you to listen carefully, okay? Arthur is already at the event and so is Eduard. They're taking care of the guest lists, d'you understand?" the painter nodded, albeit little, "Feliciano. . . we are going to meet them today-"

A muffled screech was then heard from the crying nation, his grip tightening unto Ludwig's white coat. Tears were continuously coming out from him, his fringe sticking to his cheeks, and his breathing becoming more shoal and clamorous. Ludwig crept a hand to Feliciano's hair and kissed his cheek.

"Feliciano. . . I'm scared, too-"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry for being selfish!"

"Shh, no, no. You're not. Calm down." The blonde furrowed his brows as he tightened his grasp even more on the now squirming Italian beneath him. "Breathe, Feli. Everything is alright. You'll. . . We'll be able to get through this." He cooed, lightly silencing the latter.

A gush of warm luminescence filled the spaces uncovered between them, thawing Feliciano's frozen form underneath Ludwig's sweating one, making sure that there is nothing to be left aside. Autumn is a rather large word for it; in which the very air itself contains you up with that definite comfort, a define chill from only the atmosphere. No, it was more alike with summer, laboured breaths and moist-scattered atmosphere.

"L-Lud—Ludwig. . .", he started, "we should get going."

"Have you calmed down?" Ludwig placed his hands on Feliciano's shoulders, his blue orbs unto the latter's bedraggled almonds.

"I-I can manage. We can't stay cooped up here forever, anyway." The brunette's lips quivered, trying his best to look at his companion's scanning diamonds. "A-and hey. . . you're there with me." His lips shook as he tried to draw in a smile, his tears welling up gradually.

"Of course I am."

It was not long before Ludwig finally let go of his hold on Feliciano, producing a vanilla neckerchief for the brunette's torrent. With the artist grabbing his right hand rigidly, the blonde wiped off the tears that kept flowing out from the brunette, fixing the now slightly creased shirt of his and his ruined bouffant. He placed the hardbound book from Feliciano's lap unto the vehicle's carpet as he dust off the remaining hysterics on his companion, making sure to do the same on himself.

With Feliciano still clutching his hand and his head lying down cosily on his seat, his eyes closed and throbbing, Ludwig pulled up his phone from his pocket and immediately scanned through Arthur's succeeding messages, a lengthy one after the other. There were eight of them.

Fr: ENGLAND

-
I am already in the second tent; Eduard's taking on the first. Crowd's not that big yet.
Thank you, by the way, for responding immediately in regards with Feliciano's condition. I'm afraid I had no idea of what to do since that was the first time I've seen him like that, my mind went completely blank. I'm terribly sorry. You saved us both. How is he feeling?
10:38 am
-
Germany, is everything alright?
10:43 am
-
I've spotted Amanda Rivers, the woman who's bringing them up here. I'm assuming that they're already somewhere in the other tents since she's currently alone. Please tell it to Feliciano, he's fairly close with her.
10:49 am
-
She just came this way. She's talking to a staff now. They are with her.
10:54 am
-
They're in the first tent, I've just texted Eduard. Are you getting this?
10:57 am
-
Damn it, Germany! What's happening over there!?
10:58 am
-
The plan is being executed, he's already in contact with them. GET YOUR ARSES OVER HERE IF YOU WANT THIS TO HAPPEN
11:00 am

As he toppled over at the edge of his seat, wide eyed and adrenaline-soaked, his phone vibrated again and his eyes spontaneously darted over to who the sender is. Brows furrowing and comically disappointed, he read a different name.

"L-Lutz," Feliciano chirped, his head now leveled with his body as he tensed up to Ludwig's sudden shift, "what's wrong?" he asked, noting his companion's evident conflict.

"Feli," he said, abstractedly glad that they now retain to pertaining each other with their bynames, "who else knows about Romano and Prussia's appearance?"

"No one, this is between the four of us. . . at least, that's what Arthur said," he answered, scooting over to Ludwig, "Why? What's happening?" Feliciano asked.

The blonde went through the laid out message in front of him, slightly regaining composure as he stared at his screen, his hand clutching his phone tightly. With his brows still scrunched down, lips curled as his teeth sunk deep onto them, he closed his eyes as he picked the bridge of his nose with his free hand, the impending drubbing sensation in his chest unfazed even with Feliciano's comforting grip on his shoulder. He repeated the words in his head.

Fr: SPAIN

-
Olaaa Lud! Long time no see! How r u? haha
I can't wait to see u guys later at Feli's gallery. It's been a while since I've been to one so I'm really excited! Francis is cming w me btw but he'll be cming later. I came over to his house earlier and he's still asleep! Said it's the red wine from last night -.- . . . anyways, pls tell Feli thank you for the wonderful hotel he checked us into! It's really amazing! I can't contact his cell tho. I've been trying to call him aaall morning. Did he forget to bring it with him again? Ayayayay Dio, so forgetful, my little Vene! –w– hahaha hopefully Franny's already on his way so we'll be seeing u soon!
11:18 am

"Antonio's here." Ludwig answered.

A/N: Sorry if it's too short. I'm finding it difficult to write this chapter and what goes next… Anyway, chapter 6 is brewing so it's not going to be long. Besides, it's Christmas (and we celebrate it here so we're kind of busy), so I won't leave you guys hanging. I just really needed to update.

That's it for now! Happy Holidays! See you before school starts again (and that's around these weeks so don't fret)! :D

-Radical