It will take away your sanity.

[Feliciano Vargas]

The wastes were a dangerous thing, and Feliciano thought back to the days were it was lush and vibrant, filled with the living and the wonderful. His eyes looked around the vast landscape and sighed. His land.... his friends land, his countries... were all gone. Only odd settlements lye here and there. Feliciano was out to find good land, and help restore his country.
A few days had gone buy, and Feliciano was exhausted, lonely, and without a doubt, dirty. He was desperate to find someone, all he had were his white flags, and his gun. Wich he didnt want to use, but had too since some odd looking animals came his way, he was crying for a day after that. He wasnt too far from some sort of odd town, but he wasnt too sure were exactly he was. He found a rock and sat down, and unfolded the old map on top of it. He then took the newer map and did the same. Comparing where he was and trying to figure out where he could go. His eyes welled up. Was he ever going to find /anyone/ that he knew ever again? or was he alone...?

[Ludwig]

Ludwig had already been out in the wastes for about a week. Like usual, he had been out scavenging, though he hadn't found too , mostly some scrap metal and larger pieces of plastic. Both could be melted down and recast into something useful, though most people living in the wastes didn't have those kinds of resources and were far more likely to just nail it onto a lean-to.

It hadn't been a very good trip in the first place. He had been set upon by enough creatures that he was already low on ammunition again, and he wasn't even certain he had enough money left to buy more. That didn't leave Ludwig in a very good mood. But there was a small settlement close by, which at least meant he could at least find a place to clean up, and hopefully somewhere to sleep.

He was walking along at a steady pace, a hat pulled low over his eyes, when... he saw something in the distance. Was that a person? Ludwig slowed, taking a good look around, but he didn't see any others. That at least reassured him that it wasn't likely to be a raider... but he kept his rifle in reach, just in case.

[Feliciano Vargas]

The sun was beating down on Feliciano, so he dug through his bag and took out a weird sort of blanket and thew it over himself like a trader had shown him. He glanced around every wich way, not noticing the figure in the distance. He tucked his maps in the bag and reassured himself that he was going the right way. He took out his cantina, and relised it was all gone.

A small whine resonated from him. "veeeeeeeeee...!!" his face teared up slightly and he took his goggles off for a few seconds to whiped his eyes. A town was nearby but he wouldnt get there until a few more endless hours. He sniffled and kicked a rock, then proceeded to walk in the same direction, hoping he would be able to buy some water. Maybe boiling pasta wasnt such a good idea...

[Ludwig]

The longer he watched, the more likely it seemed that this was a lone traveler. That in itself was unusual; it was dangerous enough that most normal townsfolk would travel in groups, when they had to travel. The only ones that went solo were either skilled, brave, crazy, or just stupid. Some days, Ludwig felt a little like he himself qualified for all four.

He was left in indecision for a long moment; he had never been very good at being social before the blasts, and he was even worse at it now. But Ludwig also knew that most people were glad for directions, or knowing about what dangers were in each particular area. And... if it came to a fight, he was confident enough that he could hold his own, if he had to.

With that in mind, he started jogging towards the person in the distance, calling out in rough German, "You there, wait!"

[Feliciano Vargas]

He had just begun to truge in the direction he thought was correct and sniffling that everything was just too stupid, and things should be easier. He kicked another stone and acted like it was a soccerball, then he heard something strange. "Ve... wha?" he swiveled his head around at the sounds of footsteps and the call of a rough voice. "oh no! raiders!" he quickly thought, stepping back and taking a small run. "ah I should get out my flag!" he exclaimed, clumsily taking out his handmade flag, and waving it as he ran. "DONT HURT ME PLEASE!" He called back in Italian.

[Ludwig]

Seeing that flag actually made him stumble. It was an Italian! Ludwig hadn't seen a white flag like that in quite a long time, not since... well, it had just startled him, that was all. It all seemed familiar, that voice included, but... no, he had to be imagining things.

And of course, he knew that running faster would only make the other person run faster as well, so he had to try a different approach. "I won't hurt you!" he called out, in Italian this time - though his Italian sounded nearly as rough as his German did, from incredible disuse. Ludwig shouted it again in English for good measure as he continued to jog towards him, thinking that if he tried enough languages, he was bound to find one that would do the trick.

[Feliciano Vargas]

Feliciano just ran. But then happened to stop for a few seconds and think about what was happening.He spoke in Italian... and then English... Was he someone going to hurt him? Feliciano made a little jog, them almost tripped. His shoes had not been tied properly in a long while. He stopped and waved the flag at him, calling in English "p-please! no please dont hurt me!" He huffed, getting tired. " ve ve please dont!" He called again, hoping the other figure wont come any closer.

[Ludwig]

He stopped when the other man did, and raised his hands to show that he wasn't carrying a weapon. This was starting to get a bit surreal. Ludwig couldn't see his face clearly, not from his distance and not with the flag sometimes in the way, but... it seemed even more familiar now. ... It couldn't be. It was only wishful thinking, of the sort he'd had more often than once.

"Do I look like I'm going to hurt you?!" Ludwig asked now, sticking to English. "I just wanted to talk!" He couldn't blame anyone for being cautious, but it was annoying, having to chase after someone like that! And after miles of walking, with his pack nearly half-full... had the Italian just kept running, he wouldn't have been able to catch up.

[Feliciano Vargas]

Feliciano sprinted back again as the man got closer. Of course his shoes needed a good tying, he thought, as he tripped over the once more, loosing his weird headscarf and hat. He bolted up wanting to escape but his leg was suddenly /throbbing/ with pain. "ve! oooww..." he cried, poking his leg and trying to get into a good postion. "I-it hurts...." He said, noticing how close the other man was, then the pain suddenly went way, but he didnt stand up.

"ve!" he squeaked,shoving the flag into the air. "p-please! I beg you!" he called to him. "p-please take my favorite hat! and my gun! have it all, just please dont hurt me!" he begged, waving the flag some more. You could see the boy clearly now, and it was sure that he was crying.

[Ludwig]

His first thought when the other man tripped was that this scene was entirely pathetic. Ludwig had no way of looking less threatening, except for perhaps throwing down his rifle, which he was largely unwilling to do. This was the point where he might've just walked away before it shot his blood pressure higher, but then... he got a good look at the Italian's face...

"Feliciano.......?"

It felt like his heart had stopped. Ludwig couldn't move and couldn't breathe, he just stood there staring at him. For the last century, he'd had a secret fear that Italy might not have survived the war, to the point that he'd even been avoiding straying into Italian lands. He hadn't wanted to confirm his suspicion and have to live with that knowledge. But now, Feliciano was here, he had made it through somehow...!

He was so stunned, he couldn't think much further than that.

[Feliciano Vargas]

The sounds of the other had stopped and so did Feliciano to see what was actually going on. A few hiccups here and there and he was almost back to normal. He looked past his flag and saw something he thought he would never see again. Ludwig. Like the other, he just stared, his tears soon started coming back, someone who he thought he had lost... was alive, and well.

As soon as he was able to process anything in his slow mind, he blurted out "LUDWIG?!" and that was the end of his thinking. He lept onto him at first chance he was able to get, clinging and sobbing and whining. "L-l-l-l-ludwwiiiiiiggg!!"

[Ludwig]

It wasn't until he had Feliciano clinging to him that Ludwig was finally able to move again. He slowly wrapped his arms around the other nation and held on, tightly. He couldn't believe it... this was Feliciano, real and solid, not just some figment out of his memories

"It's... it's okay." Though it wasn't really okay, and hadn't been for years and years, this was at least much better than it had been a few minutes ago. Ludwig didn't know what other comfort he could offer, so he just kept holding onto him, not wanting to let go. "I'm here."

[Feliciano Vargas]

He hiccuped and sobbed all over the Germans semi-clean uniform, trying to touch the other as close as he could. He had been away from him for what seemed like endless years. The moments passed to what Feliciano thought were hours, then he looked up through his teary eyes to see if what he was clinging on to was real.

"L-Ludwig.....?" The smaller man squeaked out, studying the others face. He decided to bring his hand up to Ludwigs face and pat it. He did that to almost all the other parts of his body, including his butt. "v-ve! Its you! I-its... Ludwig!!" he announced, pressing his face into the others shirt.

[Ludwig]

He would've been able to take the touching stoically, had the Italian not decided to touch more sensitive areas as well. That left Ludwig jumping a little, face reddening, "Can't you tell by looking?!"

Calming a bit after that, he lifted a hand and nearly touched Feliciano's hair... but realizing how dirty his gloves were, he thought better of it, and left his hand on his shoulder instead. "It's been... so long, Feliciano. I can't believe you... where have you been all this time?" That was what confused him the most; Ludwig knew that a world like this wouldn't be very kind to the other nation, and yet he was healthy, and whole. If it weren't for the different clothes and the dirt, it'd be like looking at a photograph of an earlier time.

[Feliciano Vargas]

Feliciano breathed in every scent he could find on the German man. "ve..." he said after a few short seconds and pushed him out further to stare him down. He wanted to make sure this wasnt a dream. Like it had been almost everyday for the past couple hundred years. He sniffled, looking the other back in the eyes, those nice ocean like eyes... "Ve... I... I was granted a shelter thanks to America... " He said softly, patting his chest. "W-what about you...? I... I have missed you.." He said, his eyes started to tear up again at the prospect of him being real. He believed it, but it had been so long...

[Ludwig]

Ludwig likely didn't smell very nice at all, since he hadn't had a good wash for about a week. Some of the stains on his uniform were spots of dried blood, though most of it had been from animals and wasn't his own.

"At least America makes sturdy shelters," he said with a faint huff, putting both hands on Feli's back now, to rub there only somewhat awkwardly. It comforted him as well; Ludwig couldn't cry as openly as that, but he was still unsettled, and still needed the contact. "I was in a shelter, for a while, but I couldn't stay there without... without knowing what had happened on the surface. I've been up here for a long time." Longer than he wanted to think about.

"... I missed you too, Feliciano." Ludwig admitted it quietly, unable to keep it to himself right now. "Too much. It's good that you stayed safe."

[Feliciano Vargas]

Feliciano shook his head and pulled away from the German, he smiled up at him and tugged on his jacket. "si si! I'm so glad your safe!" he shifted his weight and took his hand instead, placeing it to his cheek. "Im glad you missed me! I'm missed you even more!" he exlaimed, taking his hand away because it happens to be too rough. He gave him another huge hug, seemingly unable to keep his hands of the other man. It had been so long...

[Ludwig]

"You shouldn't do that," he murmured when his hand was taken, "That's dirty." Ludwig tried to keep clean, when he could, but he realized that it was largely a futile battle. His gloves were possibly the worst; he wasn't about to go without them when he often had to dig through rubble and other trash.

He only hugged Feliciano back for a brief moment this time, then stepped back, "We should go get out of the sun." Before something, or someone, saw them. They were safer in a group like this, but some raiders just didn't care. "How are your supplies? Do you have food and water? We may be able to find an old house, if you need to rest."

[Feliciano Vargas]

Feliciano nodded and turned o grab his hat and towel. "I have no more water... I tried to me pasta.." he said sheepishly. "Im tired! my ma says there is a town near bye!" he exlaimed, waving his hands around like the Italian he was. He pulled up the Germans shirt and pressed his face against his body briefly and stopped abruptly when he head rustling in the near bye rotting trees.
"ve, i-i think we should go..."

[Ludwig]

Feliciano's carefree manner was almost a relief to see, though it also made Ludwig want to facepalm. Had he really been cooking pasta again? And out in the middle of a wasteland?! Ludwig had been about to yell at him for it when he heard the rustling, too, and went completely still.

"The town is that way," he said quietly, pointing. "Walk quickly, and stay in front of me." Ludwig was already moving to protect Feliciano, standing between him and the trees. He couldn't see what it was, not yet, but the chances of it being a hungry creature was far too good. They might be able to leave without it attacking... maybe.

[Feliciano Vargas]

He nodded alot and let out a small whine, and stood infront of him. "ve... yo-you will protect me...si?" he said as he marched , looking over with his white flag, hoping not to be caught.

Soon there was a growl and a feral do came slinking out of the bus, teeth bared and hunched over, looking directly at Ludwig.

[Ludwig]

Ludwig unslung his rifle from his shoulder, slowly, not wanting to startle the animal into attacking. He wasn't too surprised to see it was a mutated dog; they were depressingly common, and also largely hostile, thanks to how scarce food was for them. The dog started growling soon after, but Ludwig had his rifle pointed at it now, and his finger on the trigger.

"Keep walking!" He shouted at Feliciano. "But don't run!" The last thing he wanted was for the Italian to distract the dog's attention! But it turned out that he shouldn't have worried; the dog leapt at Ludwig shortly after, just as he fired two quick shots at it.

[Feliciano Vargas]

Feliciano nodded, teary eyed at the scene that was unfolding, scared to do anything he took a few steps and tried his hardest not to run. He flinched, almost jumping five feet in he air, and squeaking as the sound of the rifle was heard through the air.

The dog yelled and then lay limped on the ground. A few convultions and it layed still. Feli turned around a few seconds afterwards and slowly walked over to the other. "v-ve Ludwig.. It's safe si?" he said, finally reaching him and tugging on his coat. "I-I think we should go now.."

[Ludwig]

The crack of the gunshots had been loud, too loud out here in the middle of nowhere. Ludwig had stood there staring into the trees, waiting to see if any other animals would come running out, until Feliciano brought him out of it.

"... Yes, you're right." Ludwig slung his rifle back over his shoulder, turning to lead Feliciano away from the dog's corpse. If there were any other animals close by, he could at least be reassured that they were far more likely to scavenge on it than attack them directly.

"Did you say you had pasta?... I could let you have some water, if you promise you won't cook with it." He hesitated a moment before adding, "... It might be better to sell it. Most towns have wells now, so water isn't so much of a concern." The water was often dirty, or irradiated, but it was better than going without.

[Feliciano Vargas]

"ve, I do... In my bag! Do you want to make some?" his smile grew and he held on the Germans arm as they walked away. He looked back cautiously a few times to see if anything would pop out. Thankfully nothing happened. Feliciano couldnt help but stared the German down from under the shade of his hat. He couldnt take his eyes off him, if he heard nothing suspicious from behind him.
"I have something... Ludwig." He said, tugging on his coat sleeve, trying to get his attention.

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