Chapter one: Declaration

I have to do it today. If I don't, I might explode. And no one wants to see little bits of exploded Antonio fly all over the walls. No one wants to clean it up either, that's just gross. Antonio sat up on his bed and giggled as he remembered how well Lovino used to clean. Knocking over bookshelves again and again, constantly making more of a mess than he was supposed to be cleaning, and that one time he peed on the floor. Adorable little Lovino. He's even cuter when he's sick. Antonio pleasantly thought back to the day when Lovino caught a stomach bug that had been traveling around.

Antonio woke up and burst into the boy's room to say good morning, only to find him looking pale and shivering, even though he was underneath three blankets.

"Are you okay?" He asked, sitting next to him.

"I'm fine, bastard. Just go away." Lovino's disgruntled face often had the opposite effect on Antonio. Instead of being scared off, he smiled at the cuteness.

"No, you're sick. I can tell." Antonio ruffled Lovino's hair, accidentally brushing his hand across the curl.

Lovino smacked him but quickly drew his hand back under the blanket, "STOP TOUCHING THAT!" He paused until he managed to stop blushing, "Fine, I'm sick. But there's nothing you can do about it, bastard."

Antonio smiled, the defeated face was even cuter than the disgruntled face. Antonio wrapped his arms around Lovino who after only a few seconds of protest gave up and sat there.

Antonio sighed, that day Lovino had let him hold him till he stopped shivering. When asked later, as Antonio constantly brought it up, Lovino would blush and vehemently deny that he'd actually snuggled against Antonio. He'd only been using him as a source of heat, Lovino would claim. Antonio had asked Francis a million times if he thought Lovino shared his feelings. He figured the self-declared King of Romance would know what he should do to find out. Francis told him the best thing to do would be to just tell him. So Antonio was going to do just that.

I have to do it. Come on Antonio! He stood up and squared his shoulders. But then he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and cracked up, he looked so ridiculously serious. He ran his fingers through his dark brown hair and left his room, walking confidently toward where he knew Lovino would be at this time of day.

Lovino sighed and pulled another brown leaf off the poor tomato plant. No matter how many times Antonio planted one in this spot, and no matter how well it was taken care of, the little plant always managed to die. He poured water into the soil and stood up.

"It's alright little plant, I won't let you die this time." Lovino sighed again and brushed his hands off on his pants. He nearly jumped three feet into the air when a hand landed on his shoulder. He whirled himself around, only to be staring into a pair of green eyes.

"Hi, Lovi! Taking care of the plant again?" Antonio flashed Lovino one of his heart-melting smiles. Lovino repressed a strange, sudden urge to hug the Spaniard.

"Dammit Antonio! Stop sneaking up on me like that! You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days." Lovino turned back around and kneeled next to the plant, "And yeah, I was. Why do you keep planting them here? This little patch never seems to grow any healthy ones. I know I'm stubborn, but this is just stupid."

Antonio sat in the dirt next to the Italian, "Well, I figure that if I can ever grow a plant here, it would be the most beautiful and healthy plant ever, with the most delicious tomatoes. It may be struggling now, hiding it's beauty, but with care, it will realize how beautiful it is. Just like you, Lovino." Antonio turned his green gaze from the plant to Lovino, who stared back like a deer caught in headlights.

"What the hell are you saying?" He felt the first tendrils of panic form in his mind. "I may have thought you were confusing before, but that was just weird." Lovino's heart beat wildly in his chest. There was no way he meant what Lovino thought he meant. Right?

Antonio smiled and Lovino could almost see happiness emanating out of him, "Lovi, I don't really know how to say this, but I suppose I'll just have to be blunt. I had some beautiful things planned out to say but they just disappeared." Antonio closed his hands into a fist and opened his fingers quickly as if to show something disappearing, "Poof, gone, just as I looked into those eyes."

If it was possible, Lovino's heart beat even faster. He felt heat creep into his cheeks and tried to look anywhere but those green eyes.

"Lovi, I love you." Antonio pulled Lovino closer to him and slid his hand under Lovino's chin. Lovino's heart was practically doing jumping jacks. His mind whipped through about twenty different thoughts at once.

He loves me? Lovino wasn't sure if this made him really happy or scared him. But how could he love me? I'm not even nice to him. I never thought he'd love me. I thought he just put up with me. Lovino watched Antonio's face fall slightly as he raced through his thoughts. He couldn't possibly love him, could he? But the real question was, did Lovino feel the same way? His mind spit out an answer, Yes. Lovino tried hard to catch his breath, but found he couldn't. No I don't, right? His brain continued to panic, I don't know. But I can't, I can't love him.

Antonio suddenly felt silly. Lovino hadn't answered, and in fact, he looked terrified and confused. Had he misjudged him? Lovino was always mean to him, yelling and swearing at him, but Antonio always assumed that that was how he showed affection. Adorably, of course. What if Lovino had really meant everything he said? What if he really wanted Antonio to go away and leave him alone?

Lovino pulled away and shoved Antonio backwards, "Get away. I'm leaving. You're a nice guy and all Antonio, but I don't think I feel the same way." He shifted his eyes downward, "Why the hell would you love me anyway?" Lovino stood up and ran out of the garden, slamming the door behind him.

"Lovi?" Antonio sat and stared in shock at the closed door. He really had meant everything he said. He felt a dark cloud descend on him, as if the sun had finally set on his mood. He'd been wrong this whole time. Lovino never loved him, never cared. All those little bits of affection Antonio got, the quick hugs, the stolen glances Lovino thought he didn't notice, had they been misread? "Mi amor, how could I have been so wrong?" Antonio drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He set his head on his knees as quiet tears slid down his cheeks. He felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces. A thousand irreplaceable, delicate pieces he feared would never fit together correctly again.

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Antonio jumped as the door slammed back open, "Lovi?" He asked hopefully. He looked towards the door.

"Nope! It's me, the awesome Gilbert! And Francis." Gilbert stood with a fist raised above his head in an "awesome" looking pose. Antonio quickly wiped his face off and managed a weak smile at his two friends.

Francis walked over and grabbed Antonio's chin, forcing him to look up, "Goodness mon ami, have you been crying?"

Antonio decided he probably couldn't deny it, the proof was still on his face, "Yes, but only a little."

Gilbert chuckled, "I know you love tomatoes, but isn't it a little much to cry over a dying plant?" Gilbird chirped and landed on Antonio's head.

Antonio looked over at the brown plant. They think I'm upset about the plant. He sighed, Who am I to tell them they're wrong? Antonio wiped his eyes again, "It's just so sad. I plant one here every year and they always end up dying." He stood up and brushed off his pants, "So why are you here?"

Francis pretended to be shocked, "You don't want to see us? Can't we visit our friend whenever we want?" He crossed his arms and pouted at Antonio.

Antonio shook his head, "Of course you can visit, but usually when both of you come over, it means we're going to do something."

"Right you are!" Gilbert slapped Francis on the back, making him stumble forward and throw him a withering look, "We're going out to do anything we want!"

Antonio chuckled, "You're bored again, aren't you?"

Gilbert's face fell, "Yes." He admitted defeatedly, "I'm bored out of my mind! I can't even mess with Ludwig anymore because he's stopped caring!"

Francis shrugged, "We figured we go to a club or see a movie or something."

"Or we could go steal Matthew's underpants!" Gilbert added.

Francis whipped around and smacked Gilbert across the face, "We are not going to do that! Only you would want to!"

Gilbert rubbed his sore cheek, "Jeez, I didn't realize you were so protective. I was just kidding."

Anyone but Matthew and Francis would've been fine with it. Antonio shook his head, "Gilbert, you're lucky Francis allows you to chase after little Matthew."

"Oh come on! I didn't need permission! I'm the awesome Gilbert! No one had to give you permission to chase after Lovino!" Gilbird chirped his agreement.

Antonio's breath caught in his throat, and he felt tears welling up behind his eyes. He'd hoped his friends would help take his mind off it. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, "But, um...I have to stay in tonight. I'm not feeling very well. Have fun though."

"Aw, Tonio, come on, it was going to be awesome!" Gilbert looked genuinely crestfallen.

"I'm really sorry, I haven't been feeling my best lately. I'm sure you two can have fun all on your own." Antonio turned quickly to leave before he started crying again.

"Could you be any more of an idiot, mon ami? You scared him off with your talk of stealing underpants." Francis scolded.

"We could always add another pair of Arthur's underpants to your collection." Gilbert said cheekily.

Antonio heard another slap as he clicked the door shut.

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A/N

WAH! Sad Antonio. But Who doesn't love the Bad Touch Trio? As for what Francis and Gilbert are planning to relieve their boredom...well you can imagine that. ^.^