Paint it Another Colour

Chapter 37

Lovino was flopped across the couch in the living room when Feliciano reappeared.

He'd disappeared for at least a full few hours, and Lovino had been getting to the stage where he was prepared to get up from his comfy position with the cushions pilled around him, and go and look for his supposed brother. Not that he really wanted to; he was reading. The book was supposed to have been his favourite, he understood why and didn't really want to leave Emma and Jacob alone on their small Welsh island. It was because of this that he was greatly disturbed when Feliciano paraded in, the whiteboard tied around his neck flapping about, and slammed a huge book on the coffee table proudly as though it was something revolutionary that was going to change the world. Lovino gave the book a bit of a disgusted look as Feliciano stood behind it grinning like a maniac.

"And?" Lovino folded the corner of his page and glanced at Feliciano. "What is it?"

Feliciano picked up his pen from his pocket and started scribbling:

It's a photo album dating back to I think the first century? I can't actually remember. It's been ages since I've seen it, but Antonio keeps adding stuff to it. Obviously, some are sketches

Lovino grunted in response and sat up, somewhat intrigued, flicking open the first page. It held a rough sketch of two small children in white robes and a larger man in golden armour. He stabbed the page randomly, not really knowing what to say. "Who's that?"

Feliciano moved his hand slightly and peered at the picture before writing.

It's us. 

"Eh?" Lovino stared at the man in armour. "That's Antonio?"

Feliciano's face lit up and a small laugh escaped before he doubled over coughing, clutching his stomach and shakily sitting down next to him.

No!! That's Grandpa Rome. That's me, and that's you

"Right. Of course" Lovino said sarcastically. "What happened to him?"

Feliciano sighed quietly.

He was dissolved. Empires never live forever.

"Okay" Lovino read the sentence over a couple of times. It was incredibly morbid sounding, as though there was something more to it than just a dead nonno. He flicked the page over, hoping for something a little less dark. He was met with a younger looking Feliciano and a small, blonde boy in a black hat and cloak looking as though he was trying to paint, and getting very frustrated at it. "And that?"

Feliciano sighed again.

Holy Rome. Another empire that didn't live forever. We were close

"Right" Lovino glanced at him. "Are all of these dead or dying empires? I'm I going to see some sort of Gaul, Mother Britannia corpse somewhere now?"

Feliciano's eyes visibly brightened.

You remember Gaul and Mother Britannia?

"I don't know" Lovino snapped. "They were just words I thought of. Should I know them?" Feliciano nodded eagerly.

You're remembering things?!

"Like I said, I don't know" Lovino sighed in an exasperated way. "This is stupid."

Feliciano hurriedly dived for the book and flipped a couple of pages past, frowning at the pictures, sometimes huffing or exhaling sharply. After a while, he stopped flicking and turned the book around. The page was titled 'Risorgimento', and underneath were two slightly awkward looking business men stood at podiums talking. Behind them, stood Lovino and Feliciano, even more awkward if possible, turned away from each other looking, to say the least, terrified of the whole situation.