Paint It Red

{4}

Everyone was sitting around the table in the conference room. They watched as Italy was chained tightly to the middle of the table, pouting at the fact that he couldn't move. His eyes surveyed the room, but he paused at England, who trembled slightly under his glare.

"Hmm...yours is strong..." Italy muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" England responded bravely, though there was fear hidden beneath. 

Italy just shrugged as best as he could and continued looking around the room. He poked his tongue out at the other countries. They all looked scared, and a little annoyed. Even Russia, who was glaring at Italy intensely.

"I could use you just the way you are, however..."

He turned his eyes to America.

"You'd definitely be useful," he muttered once again.

It was then that Germany stood upend scanned the room, once more making sure there was no way for the chained up man to escape.

"I have called you all here to discuss a very serious matter," Germany began. "Italy Veneziano has become...sick, in a sense, and he seems to now be a threat." He looked around the room at everyone who was there.

"To us all."

There was a moments silence. Then...

"Sick? How so?" England asked.

"I think that this is very self explanatory," Germany replied. "Does anyone in this room, anyone at all, know what could be causing this?"

Glances were thrown around the room, but nobody raised their hand. Germany's glaring eyes stopped on Romano, who was shivering and looking oddly shy. It reminded Germany, for a moment, of how he had looked when they first met-before he opened his mouth. 

Romano glanced up and saw Germany making eye contact with him, and quickly turned away, confirming Germany's suspicions.

"Romano..." Germany grunted. 

"I-I...What do you want potato bastard?" Romano shouted. 

Germany eyed him. "You know."

"I know what? Be more specific!"

"You know what's wrong with your brother." 

Romano didn't reply for a while. He simply developed an apologetic look on his face, running his hand through his hair and sighing. He looked up at Germany before looking down again, catching a glimpse of his brother's cruelly smiling face watching him.

"Romano! What is wrong with Italy?" Germany shouted, causing Romano to jump at his booming voice.

"Okay! Okay I get it! Dammit..." Romano said, mumbling to himself as he stood up. He folded his arms and began to speak.

"My fratello and I...we have this connection. Since we are both Italy..." Everyone nodded. They all knew this. 

Romano continued. "I-I can't feel him as strongly. He has been sucked into his conscience. If that makes any sense. I'm worried because...if Italy loses control of his body completely..." He paused and took a breath, glancing worriedly at Spain. 

"I could die."

Spain burst out of his seat. "Romano! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Like I would tell you! Anyway..I thought this might happen. I've been...feeling it for a while. That's the best way I can describe it. Whenever Italy gets really upset, even depressed, for a while...this thing in his conscious takes over."