[Action]

[bewaeltigung]

Throughout the area, in one of the neighborhoods, you could hear hammers and saws. In the streets the sound seemed to echo but anyone determined enough to follow it would find a rather nice looking but rundown house. Germany was standing outside, shirt off, sweaty, working on some boards to add to the inside of the house

Comments

[morethanpasta]

[Lots of work to be done? Too few pairs of hands to get it done? Not the kind of environment Feliciano enjoys, but he is a faithful friend and he had promised. So when he walks by to see Ludwig working on the house, he doesn't run the other way as his laziness commands him to do. No, he approaches, determined to be helpful... or keep Ludwig from work, as is more likely.]

You're working very hard! Are you hungry? I promised to make pasta.

[bewaeltigung]

Hm?

[He smiled. Smiling at the thought of Italy had become commonplace for him. Something from deep within had been stirring up lately. There was this familiar feeling about smiling when Feliciano came up]

Ja, actually... I zink ze kitchen has running vater.

[morethanpasta]

[Feliciano cheers loudly and claps his hands in excitement.]

Sí, pasta it is, then! Your kitchen isn't stocked yet, is it? Never mind, I'll just run home and get the ingredients!

[bewaeltigung]

Nein, I don't have much. I do have ze dishes you need zough.

Be careful!

[morethanpasta]

[Feli just laughs in reply, already running off to fetch the food. Silly Ludwig, as if he would need to be careful, he's an expert at running. Unless it's running laps, that is, but he has never had any problems running towards pasta.

He grabs the necessary ingredients from home, then he is on the way back again with a basket hanging from his arm. There is a proud grin on his face as he comes to a standstill at Ludwig's side again.

I brought wine, too, and dessert!

[bewaeltigung]

Ah, zat is good. I have pots and pans inside.

Maybe it's a good time for a break.

[morethanpasta]

It is! You look very exhausted and too much hard work isn't good for you.

[He laughs and walks towards the door, where he lingers, waiting for Ludwig to follow him.]

You can clean yourself up while I cook!

[bewaeltigung]

Ah... ja..

[He did probably need a shower. He headed inside the house and slipped into the bathroom to wash and change clothes.]

Danke, Italy.

[morethanpasta]

[Said Italy makes himself at home in the kitchen. It doesn't take him more than five minutes to turn the neat room into an utter mess, pots and pans, plates and cutlery scattered around the room in a way that makes sense only to him, with their meal's ingredients in-between.

By the time Germany returns, he will find the sauce merrily boiling away in a pot, just short of boiling over, and most of the kitchen covered in a thin layer of flour. Two chairs have been placed back to back in the middle of the room with a broom handle propped up between them and Feliciano is hanging up the pasta dough to dry over the handle, cheerfully singing to himself as he does so.]

[bewaeltigung]

[And well... his eye twitched at the sight of the kitchen. But it wasn't perhaps that big a deal. With the house still under renovation nothing was destined to remain clean forever. Still, he'd be over to wipe up the flour and turn the heat down on the sauce pot. He'd usually scold Italy but the change that had been happening slowly over the last few months, day by day, had only recently taken a noticeable effect. He recovered a certain gentleness and a hesitation to scold Italy. Like Holy Rome]

I never sought ze broom vould be used in zat vay... [he tried not to sound irritated at the mess and... mostly succeeded]

[morethanpasta]

It's brilliant, isn't it? [Feli beams, cheerfully oblivious to Ludwig's irritation. Of course, chances are, he would be ignoring it even if he were aware of it. What he isn't oblivious to is the lack of scolding, he had fully counted on it, but not cared enough to actually make an effort and keep the kitchen clean. Ludwig needed to learn that a certain amount of chaos made life far more entertaining. And look, here he was, not scolding! Some Italianness must be rubbing off on him already!] I had to improvise. You don't have a pasta rack! [He looks vaguely scandalized as he points out that horrible failure.

Feliciano wipes his hands off on his pants and surveys his work with satisfaction.] The pasta just needs to dry for a few minutes and then we can cook it! Dinner's nearly done now. I made more than we need of everything, that way you'll have leftovers for dinner! [His gaze turns solemn as he gazes at his friend. He hasn't forgotten what state Ludwig was in when he first met him in Ruby City.] You need to take better care of

[bewaeltigung]

A vhat? [The only association he had with the food was you]

Ah, danke.Zat vas very kind of you... Vait, Huh? Vhat do you mean? [that sudden change to serious caught him off guard. Feli wasn't supposed to be serious. Well it would be nice if he could be more often but warn him next time!]

I take care of myself...

[morethanpasta]

[That serious expression remains firmly affixed to his face, not even his indignation that Germany doesn't know what a pasta rack is can distract him. He takes a step closer and gazes sternly at him with just the hint of an indignant pout on his lips.]

No, you don't! You never take proper care of yourself! You work too hard and never have siesta and you stress over every little thing. It's unhealthy! [He sighs.] I worry for you sometimes. I know you're strong, but no one can be strong all the time.

[bewaeltigung]

...

[He has to process this, you seem to understand something deeper than a superficial incident. You... you read him! Even more than he read himself. And that was kind of scary. He should be defensive or irked at the suggestion but he was so thrown by the sudden topic change he merely nodded]

I am sorry for vorrying you... You vorry me too sometimes. [Most of the time actually]

[morethanpasta]

[And the moment passes, the solemnity vanishing from Feliciano's face as he quickly pastes a bright smile onto his face and rubs the back of his neck. He laughs awkwardly.]

Ve~ Germany doesn't need to be worry about me! I'm well!

[bewaeltigung]

...

I didn't know you ever noticed sings like zat...

[Oh you weren't serious anymore...right] You can't get mad at me for vorrying you if you don't vant me vorrying about you.