As soon as the bomb went off, frantic searching commenced when the young Italian was engulfed by black merciless smoke. The Italian's comrade, a blue-eyed German was determined to find his friend. Beside him, two blonds- one English and one American- couldn't help but feel a sense of dread when the Italian disappeared.

"We have to leave!" the Englishman shouted, covering his mouth with his hand in order to protect himself from the poison smoke. The German did not move.

"Ludwig! Now!" He shouted again, green eyes frantic. Ludwig looked into the smoke hoping the Italian would emerge unharmed.

Nothing.

"Ludwig." The American said, calmer than his British comrade, "Time to leave."

Ludwig turned, "Nein! Feliciano may be hurt! I have to find him! Please, Alfred… Arthur…" he looked at the two blonds, blue eyes pleading, begging with them. The British soldier nodded, "Be careful, Ludwig."

"Arthur!" the America protested but Arthur was already walking away.

"Come, Alfred." was all he got in reply.

Ludwig nodded, "Danke…" he walked into the smoke, determination absolute in his blue eyes.

Coughing, a young Italian soldier sat against a derelict building clutching a bullet would to his shoulder. The Russian's were winning and there was nothing he could do about it.

He wiped his grimy cheeks of the warm tears that had escaped from his brown eyes. He felt utterly useless. He had let everyone down. If he had just listened to Kiku…

The boy shifted his position so he was slightly more comfortable, however still wincing whenever he moved. He glanced up at the sky and it wasn't the sky he remembered. This sky was blood red, plumes of smoke whirling through the atmosphere. Planes flying overhead. Plummeting to the ground. The Italian squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block out the screams of pain that filled the air around him.

Death was all around him. Soldiers of many nationalities were strewn across the bloodstained grass. It was as if no one cared.

He didn't care.

"General, I am here to inform you we are winning."

The violet-eyed General looked up as a wicked grin spread across his pale lips, "Da, I am very pleased. Thank you Natalia, you are dismissed."

The girl nodded and walked out the room, casting her General a backwards glance, catching him holding his precious faucet pipe and looking out the window. Natalia knew her brother was planning something, and it wouldn't be good. For the person involved, that is.

After all, what Ivan wants… Ivan gets.

Ludwig was starting to get desperate. His strong shouts had turned into raspy pleas.

Pleas for Feliciano to hear him and come running like he always did. Ludwig would give anything to see his best friend running towards him now.

Ludwig coughed. The air was thick with toxic fumes, death and decay. It was painful to see. All around him, Ludwig could see young medical officers fighting to save the lives of those who were injured. Sometimes they succeeded. Most times they failed.

Ahead of him, Ludwig could hear a young man pleading in Spanish. He blinked; he knew that voice. It must be…

Ludwig approached the owner of the voice and recognized Feliciano's brother Lovino instantly. The German felt his heart sink; Lovino was alive and Feliciano was missing.

The man Lovino held in his arms was bleeding from a chest wound and Ludwig recognized him as Antonio, one of Gilbert's old friends. Ludwig remembered Feliciano talking about Antonio. About how he was so affectionate towards Lovino, how Lovino pretended he didn't care.

Lovino cared now.

The crying stopped and the medics took Antonio away. They said they would make him better. Ludwig took a step forward, "Lovino…"

The older Italian jumped up and spun around, glaring at the German, "You! Wh-what do you want? Wh-where's Feliciano?"

"I don't know…"

"What do you mean you don't know, you potato bastard!" Lovino shouted, balling his hands into fists. Ludwig remained silent. The older Italian wiped his eyes on his sleeve and sniffed, "You'd better find him, you damn bastard… or I'm going to kill you."

Ludwig nodded, "I will find him, I promise."

Lovino nodded too, then ran away in the direction that Antonio was taken. Ludwig shut his eyes, Lovino cant loose his best friend and brother in the same day…

Ludwig would definitely find Feliciano and bring him back. Alive.

The Russian General Ivan Braginski smiled sadistically when he walked around the bloody battlefield. Many of his own had fallen. He didn't care. They were merely pawns in his plan for domination. So far, his plan was working. He glanced at the bodies of the opposing side. There're more of them than there were his. His smile turned cruel.

He suddenly felt disappointment. He hadn't killed anyone today; he'd let his sister have all the fun. No matter, Ivan decided that he would find someone, after all there had to be someone alive out there somewhere, right?

Ivan kicked away some debris and looked around. This war was won, he was sure of it. Russia had prevailed once more and any who stood in his way would feel his wrath. The world would be begging for mercy.

A small whimper ahead made Ivan look up. A boy was sitting against a derelict building holding a wound to his shoulder. So he was already hurt? No matter, Ivan decided. He casually made his way towards the boy, swinging his metal faucet pipe and knocking dome pieces of wood out the way. As he got closer, Ivan recognized the boy as Italian, due to his uniform. Ivan decided that the boy was pretty- soft brown hair with a wild curl from the side of his head. When he looked up, Ivan stared into those honey brown eyes that were clouded with fear and pain.

This made his smile widen. As the Russian advanced, the Italian let a small squeak of fright escape his pale lips and Ivan could sense that the boy was distressed. Of course he was… Ivan was glad that he was already suffering.

The Russian General stopped infront of the boy and his childish smile never faltered, "What is your name?"

The Italian whimpered again.

"You name, da…" Ivan repeated, his tone darkening. It wasn't a question this time.

"F-Feliciano…"

"Good boy." Ivan said, his voice lightened up again, which made the Italian's fear increase. What was with this guy?

"So, Feliciano." Ivan said, twirling his pipe in his hand, "Are you ready to die?"

If Ludwig wasn't frantic before then God knows what he was feeling now. If he didn't find Feliciano soon then he didn't know what he would do. He promised Lovino that he would bring his brother back safe. Yeah, they didn't get along but Ludwig was determined to keep his promise he made to the older Italian. No question about it.

Ludwig needed to find his friend. He didn't know what he'd do if he lost him. Yes, the Italian was pretty useless at this kind of thing and yes Ludwig wished that he were a bit more efficient, but there was nothing that could be done.

A loud shriek of fright brought Ludwig back to reality. The shriek was desperate and painful.

But most of all, Ludwig recognized it.

Ludwig recognized it as Feliciano.

His Feli was in trouble.

Ludwig started to run, pulling out his gun as he did so. Through the smoke and debris he went, coughing out Feliciano's name, begging for a response.

"N-no!" the voice shouted, "No please! I beg you, no!"

Ludwig ran faster.

"No… no… NO!"

Ludwig had never run so fast. His vision was blurring around the edges slightly as he ran through the think smoke. He saw two figures ahead of him. One tall and holding something that looked like a faucet pipe, and the other was crouched down on the floor, holding his hands over his head.

"Feliciano!"

The standing figure turned and smiled childishly at Ludwig when he skidded to a halt. He looked down at Feliciano, who was bleeding from the wound in his shoulder Ludwig's eyes narrowed.

"Leave!" The German demanded to the Russian. His voice was dangerous.

The Russian laughed, "I do not want to. This is so much fun, da!" he kicked Feliciano hard in the side and the Italian whimpered in pain. Ludwig growled and made to move forward but the Russian was quick enough to pull out a gun and point it at Feliciano.

"Do not come closer, or I shall blow his head apart, da."

Ludwig had no choice but to stop. He couldn't risk anything else happening to his Feli. The Russian smiled that childish smile and kicked Feliciano again.

Feliciano coughed up some blood and held his side. He looked up at Ludwig and his eyes held only fear.

Help, they pleaded. Please help me.

Ludwig wanted to. With every fibre of his being he wanted to. But the Russian kept hold of the gun as he beat the Italian senseless.

Ludwig watched and once more Feliciano cried out in pain.

"V-ve… please stop… please…"

"Nyet. This is fun. I am having much fun!"

Ludwig watched as the Russian brought his foot down and made contact with Feliciano's gut. The Italian screamed in pain and this was the last straw for Ludwig. He readied his gun and aimed it at the Russian. With two quick shots, he fired the gun at the Russian's gun hand and the hand he was holding the pipe.

The Russian hissed in pain as he dropped both his weapons. Ludwig held the gun steady and aimed at the man's head, "Move and I shall shoot!"

"Ivan!"

The Russian turned to see his sister standing a few feet away, looking scared. The Russian- Ivan- growled and hissed, "I will get my revenge. You will see!" he hurried toward his sister and the two of the disappeared into the smoke.

Ludwig waited until he was sure they were gone until he hurried to Feliciano's side. He gently pushed the brown hair out of his friends face as he said, "Feliciano… can you hear me?"

"L-Ludwig…?"

"Ja, it is I. Hush now, I am going to take you to get help. Hold still, I apologise for any pain I cause you," Ludwig gently manoeuvred his arms under the Italian's body (earning a whimper), and he picked him up bridal style. Feliciano whimpered again but didn't complain.

Ludwig walked back the way he came, carefully holding onto his friend as if he were the most delicate ornament in the world.

"Wh-why did you h-help me?" Feliciano asked quietly with half lidded eyes. Ludwig looked down at him briefly and replied, "You are my friend. It's what friends do."

Feliciano smiled weakly and closed his eyes fully, resting his head on the German's broad shoulder.

"Grazie, Ludwig… grazie…"

Hi guys, this was just something that I found on my laptop and really wanted to finish. It's a little different from what I'm used to so I hoped it worked out alright.

Review por favor? Gracias!

DISCLAIMER: Hetalia belongs to the one and only Hidekaz Himaruya!

~Iggy :)