The next day, Lovino enters the room. I raise my head quickly from the hospital bed, startled. "Oh, hi," I yawn, stretching my arm above my head.
"What's that about?" He raises an eyebrow, pointing next to me. I look down groggily and see that Feliciano was tightly grasping my arm to his chest.
"I don't know," I whisper, gently taking is arms off of mine. "I had fallen asleep next to him, I guess."
He crosses his arms over his chest and looks away. "I see."
"Where's Ludwig?" I ask, looking for the tall, blue eyed German.
"Why does he matter?"
"I was just curious," I shrug. "He was here last night and I-"
"Wait," he turns and holds a finger up, "He was here with you all alone?"
I shake my head ferociously. "No, Feliciano was here."
"He doesn't count!" Lovino raises his voice and throws his arms up in the air.
"Yes, he does! He's a person, too!"
"Not when he's on drugs!"
"Drugs?"
"Medical drugs," he facepalms.
"Right," I shake my head. "Anyways, did you sleep well?"
"No," he scoffs. "I can't sleep in that house."
"Why not?"
His eyes shoot open at my question, and he opens his mouth to answer. "Because that house used to be my grandfather's," he averts his gaze, staring at the ground. "He put so many pictures of us on the walls."
"Us?"
"Nonno, Feliciano, and me." I walked over to him, and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He placed his hands on my waist, and pulled me closer, hiding his face in the crook of my neck. "I miss him so much..." He whispers, his voice cracking.
"I know you do," I stroke his back.
He tightened his embrace and his shoulders shook. "I-I never told him that I loved him."
"Lovino, I-"
"He died, and he didn't know that I cared."
I scoff in annoyance of him not letting me finish. "It's ok, I know-"
"You know what?"
"What?"
"Before you go on about how rude and horrible I am, think about how I feel. Everyone is always saying how much greater Felciano is than me." I watch him walk to the window in silence, and he places his hand on the glass. "Why can't you be more like Feli, Lovino. He doesn't use foul language and isn't as lazy!" He mocks everyone who has ever told him those things. "How do you think I feel when everyone continues to call me useless? Everyone says I hate my younger brother, when in reality, I want to be him. I want to be loved as much as him; have people swooning over all of my needs."
My gaze softens, and I look at him in sympathy. "Oh, Lovino, I-"
"I want to be that perfect person everyone cherishes. But most of all, I wanted my grandfather and Antonio to just look down at me and say, I'm proud of you."
"I never knew, Lovino." He turns around, and there sits Feliciano, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Lovino grits his teeth together, glaring at his brother. "You were never supposed to know."
"Lovino!" I lightly punch him in disbelief. "Don't be rude!"
"What?!"
"I-I was just..." Feliciano chokes on his tears, unable to finish his sentence.
"You made him cry!" I yell, comforting Feliciano.
"Why are you choosing his side?"
"I'm not picking sides."
"Yes, you are!"
"No, I'm not."
"Yes."
"No!"
"Whatever," he throws his hands in a 'brush it off' manner. "I'm going out."
"Wait!" I rush after him, but he slams the door in my face.
"I'm sorry, (Name)."
I look back at Feliciano with tears in my eyes, a small smile on my face. "Me too."