Do You Remember? Germany x Italy

24. Fifth Day

I arrived at work, the strange man from yesterday was our first costumer. We open at 10:00, who drinks at this time? I went over to the man, asking for his order. "What may I-a get you today?" I kindly smiled. "A Coors." He replied, his eyes scanning me. I would occasionally look back over, smiling and waving like I didn't know he was watching. Hours had passed, I continually kept bringing him beer as well as serving others. It was around 6:00 pm when I approached him yet again, "Sir, I-a would advise not to-a have another beer. It seems you-a have had a lot already." He mumbled. "Excuse-a me sir?" "Just bring me the bill." He turned his head away. I went to revive the bill, his total $74 in beer. He took a beer to go and sat on the bench outside. I guess he was waiting for someone to pick him up. But here I was still serving tables 2 hours later and he was still outside on the bench smoking. "That-a guy is really ruining his-a health..." I thought. The boss came and tapped me on the shoulder, "It's not that busy today, you can go ahead early. You have somebody waiting for you don't you?" Her smile assured me I was free to go. "Grazie!" I hugged her. "Of course. Tomorrow is your last day working here, but I know you might have something else to do so it's only a half day ok?" "You've-as been so nice to me... I-a will work my-a best tomorrow!" She patted me on the back, "I will see you then." I went and changed into my casual clothing. There was no need to get in my blue uniform since I'm not hiding that I'm not working for Romano. Though he still doesn't know I work at a bar... My outfit consisted of black ripped skinny jeans and a sleeveless shirt of the Italian flag. I walked out the back, so no one saw "Feliciana" was actually a guy. I turned around the corner to see the man smoking a cigarette, he hasn't moved. I decided to mind my own business and walk home, it was starting to get dark so I shouldn't dilly dally. I turned my back to the man and walked down a busy street. I caught a glimpse of him behind me out of the corner of my eye. I tried giving myself plenty of reasons to why he might be behind me, but none of them made any sense. "He-a really is following me!" My head screamed. "I-a have to go home quick!" I picked up the pace, and so did he. The closer I was getting to the house the more isolated the streets became and the darker it got. He finally grabbed my shoulder and tossed me into an ally with a bunch of trash. "M-May I-a help you?" "You have no idea." He smirked. "Don't you remember me?" He picked up a bottle and smashed it on the side of a building. I remember him now, the crazed look in his eyes. He was the one that stabbed me when I threw myself in front of Germany at that one bar. I nodded, "I-a remember." I tried standing up but he stepped on my thigh with tremendous force. He kneeled down in front of me and pressed the glass to my cheek. "Then you know why I'm here right?" "No." I squeaked. The glass dug into my skin, blood staining my cheek from the trail the glass bottle cut. "There I was, about to finish that guy off, but you had to come and get in my way." He grabbed me by the collar and threw me down on the floor again. "Get on your hands and knees and apologize, and things won't get messy." He commanded. By now I would surrender, but I wouldn't apologize for the actions I took to protect Luddy. I shook my head no. "Excuse me? You seem to not understand, you're on the losing end right now so I'll say it again: apologize." "No!!" I retorted. He punched me. "Say it!" "No!!" He punched me again. "I won't repeat myself! Say it or your going to get it!" "No!!! I-a have nothing to-a be sorry for!" I refused. He removed his foot off of my thigh, and picked me up by my hair with one hand. He slapped me across the face, a stinging sensation remained. "How fucking dare you." He snarled. I glared back. This was unusual for me: not surrendering, trying to act brave for once. But was I really acting? I had a purpose to stick up for myself. I felt a wet liquid across my forehead, he slashed me with the broken bottle. I tried not to let it faze me, but I was scared. I retaliated by sending him a quick punch to the jaw. He let me go for a split second out of shock but quickly came back and kicked me in the stomach. I landed on the cold concrete, gasping for the air that left my lungs. He continually kicked me as I lay on the ground. "I-a won't give in!" I coughed up blood. I looked at the red floor mortified at what I saw. He stepped on my wrist as I screamed in pain, it still hurt from the incident with Ludwig yesterday. "Hmm what's with the curl?" He pointed at it smirking. He knelt and I tried turning my head away, he grabbed my shoulder and pinned it to the ground. His hand wavered in front of my curl, enjoying the look of terror he received from me. He grabbed it and pulled. "Nnn~" I tried holding it in. He pulled harder, "Mngh- stop!" I whimpered, tears in my eyes. He stood again, and threw the bottle on the floor so it was completely shattered. I tried crawling away but it was futile. "Aww Feliciana we aren't done yet!" His voice bounced off the walls of the alley. "Or are you really a Feliciana?" His grin was etched in my mind. I was never going to forget this. He walked a couple steps before reaching me and picking me up by the collar. He turned and threw me on the shattered glass. "How would it feel to be publicly known as a male that cross dresses for work? How do you think that will affect the bars business hm?" He snapped his phone out of his pocket and showed me a picture of me in the dress. He must have taken it while I wasn't looking. "No... Those-a people don't deserve to have-a their business fail because of me!! They-a are too nice!" Tears fell down my cheeks, mixing with the dirt and blood already claiming it's place there. "N-No.." I croaked. "Tell this to anyone and I will make this picture public." Sirens started ringing in the distance, "I guess that's my que to leave~" He chimed and knelt down beside me one last time. "Until next time!" He whispered and grabbed my chin then kissed me. He was sloppy and bit down on my lip hard. I didn't have it in me to protest or scream in agony, though I was petrified. He left moments afteras I managed to stand with help from the wall. I grabbed my shoulder and limped home, getting support from any solid object I could.

I finally reached home and I fell against the side of the wall next to the door with a loud 'THUD.' I slid down resting from my 6 block walk. Luddy opened the door out of curiosity from the sound and saw me on the floor. "VHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!" He panicked as he picked my up. I winced at the pain. I smiled weakly at him, "I-a didn't surrender Luddy... I-a stood my ground." Tears escaped my eyes. My hair was a wreck, I had glass in my back, cuts and bruises everywhere, I had a black eye and a red ring around the other from crying, and had blood dried on my lips. He rushed me inside and laid me down on the couch, running to grab the first aid kit. He was quick to clean me up. "Vhat happened?!" His voice in distress. "I-a asked for it, don't worry." I smiled." "I VILL VORRY SO TELL ME DAMMIT SO I CAN SET STRAIGHT WHOEVER DID THIS TO JOU!" He raised his voice. "I-I can't." I wept. "Vhy?" "I-a can't tell you-a that either..." "Listen Feli," he pet my hair, "No matter vhat it is be vill get through it together ok? Jou and me." "You-a won't get mad?" "I can't say I won't get mad, but I von't love jou any less." His cheeks turned pink. "I-a work at a bar as-a a female due to-a low female staff so I-a have to cross dress," I began, "But recently there is-a a man who stays at the-a bar for long periods of time staring at me until he has to-a leave. After work today he-a confronted me. Turns out he is-a the man that tried to-a stab you but I interfered which pissed him off. When I-a refused to apologize he-a got angry and started to... Started to..." I was choking on words, tears filling my eyes. "Jou don't have to say it." Germany tried soothing me. "Yes-a I do. I need to-a tell you." I rubbed my eyes. "He started to-a beat me. Then he proceeded pull-a my curl..." I paused blushing, "Then-a kissed me... and threatened to-a use my identity as-a a female at the bar against me..." I finished. His hand left my head and grabbed my hand. "I vill go vith jou to vork tomorrow." He assured me. "I'm guessing he plans to keep this up. Ve are arriving early tomorrow though." He sighed. "Why?" "I need to talk to jour boss about his threat." He kissed my cheek. "Vhy didn't jou just say sorry? This could have been avoided." "I-a am a coward... But I-a wasn't sorry for defending you.." I blushed, "I-a would always try my-a best for you." He sighed, his face redder than mine. "For now let's go to bed though." He laid on the floor. "Aren't you-a going to go to your-a bed?" I questioned. "Right now jou are too hurt to move even though it should all heal tomorrow. Even then, I'm not going to leave jou alone." His voice got quieter and quieter, his embarrassment flooding him. I rolled off the couch on to the floor. I winced in pain for a moment then brushed it off as I scooted over to Ludwig. "Vhy did jou do that?!" "Because-a I want to be close to you." I smiled. "Feli..." "Yes?" "Vhat did jou say the other night before jou vent to bed?" He asked. I took a moment to think. "I don't-a remember." I lied. "Ok." He answered. And we drifted to sleep, each of us thinking about a future one of us knew didn't exist.