Tomato of the Sea

Disclaimer: I don't Hetalia.

Warning: AU, Lovi's way of verbally expressing annoyance, male x male pairings, and a very bipolar Gilbird fluttering about.

This Romerica fic has been bugging me for awhile…so you get it now while I still have time to write/yell at my computer. Summer is a wonderful time of year… :3

Canton is a small port town located in the Viridian Islands between the western kingdom of Rastronegro and the southern empire of Torredirosso. As that island chain was run by the Union (a collection of powerful guilds) instead of a monarch; it was a hotspot for sailors and traders to gather and sell things freely, because let's face it, Royalty can be downright nosy and unreasonable when they wanted to be. And unauthorized dock parties? Forget it. Canton in particular, was known for its harbor that was almost the size of the entire town.

What had been shaping up to be a nice summer day ended up being a bust as storm clouds rushed in and began to cover the skies. Fishermen, sailors, and locals began to clear out of the harbor when the thunder began. Many could recall the day the owner of the textile store was nearly struck dead by a bolt of lightning (but debated on whether that was a coincidence or the wrath of his bushy-eyed boyfriend who had caught him flirting with a pretty barmaid) and didn't want the same to happen to them (tsunderes are scary).

One lone boy ignored the others dashing past him, continuing his slow walk out to a pier. He'd just gotten off a boat after a week long journey and was in a daze of sorts. Rain ran down his face and began to soak his tattered clothes, but he barely noticed. Lovino's eyes were empty as he thought about his family situation and old life before everything changed for the worse. Three weeks ago, he had been living a relatively peaceful life with his twin brother, then everything fell apart in only a few days. He only hoped all his efforts weren't in vain and Feliciano was safe and sound somewhere far away.

He didn't hear the shouting from the docks until the person was right beside him, pulling him up by the arm with some urgency.

"What are you doing out here?" the blonde-haired man asked. "It's really dangerous to be out in a storm like this! C'mon!"

Lovino barely snapped out of it for his mind to register he was talking to a person. He had tried to respond that he wanted to be left alone, but his mouth failed to form words and he found himself being dragged off by a stranger with the deepest blue eyes he'd ever seen. The brunette tried to tell the other man to let him go, he was fine out there alone, but his brain didn't seem willing to come out of its haze to let him speak up. Defeated by both his stressed out self and the blonde with the surprisingly strong grip, Lovino let himself be dragged off to wherever this guy was taking him. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go.

The run ended up being a short one and in less than five minutes, the two stopped outside a small, but welcoming house just off the beach. It was built from a lighter-colored wood and had large windows on every wall to let in the sunlight (Luckily, someone remembered to close them this morning). There were two long red drapes that fluttered in the wind, but remained firmly attached to the roof and porch where they were secured tightly. Not that Lovino noticed any of this, mind you. In his state, all he gathered from the sight was "red" "wood" and "house."

His hero quickly ushered him in without a second thought and tossed him a towel. The blonde tossed one for himself over his shoulder and began starting a fire. He struck the flint over the logs in the fireplace and the flames quickly sparked to life.

"I'm gonna go dig up some dry clothes for us," the blue-eyed man smiled. "You go ahead and start warming up by the fire."

Lovino slowly wandered off to the fire as the other walked off to a separate room to dig up some dry clothing. For the first time, the brunette realized how drenched he was, as he dried off his hair with the fluffy towel. His clothes clung to him and would probably make him shiver if he wasn't in front of a fire. He took a deep breath to calm himself. Lovino could smell the cedar scent from the towel, when he finally came to his senses.

He was in a house he didn't know… in a town he'd never visited before…with a complete stranger, who could have been an axe murderer for all he knew. What the hell was he doing?

The stranger returned with a cheerful smile on his face, catching Lovi off guard.

'He reminds me a little of Feli…' the green-eyed boy shook his head to clear it. 'No! Not Feliciano! He's a stranger! I don't know him! He's probably going to kill me or something and nobody will hear it over the storm!'

"Here ya go!" beamed the possible serial killer, handing over a few hastily folded items. "I dug around and found some of my old clothes, so they'd fit you better."

Lovino cautiously accepted the clothing, taking note of the other's toned arms and muscles.

'Yup. Definitely an axe murderer.'

"Are you okay?" the blonde asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"Why are you helping me?" Lovi asked, completely ignoring the way his new acquaintance's messy blonde hair swept over his eyes made him look more childish than heartless.

"A hero doesn't need a reason to help people," came his response, complete with a disarming laugh.

"A hero?"

"Yeah! I'm the Hero of Canton, the man they call Alfred!" he grinned. "Or 'Al' for short."

"U-Uh…" Lovino was at a loss for words. Why was the killer claiming to be a hero?

"And what's your name? Then I'll know what to call ya."

"L…Lovino."

" Lovino, huh?" Alfred tried out the unfamiliar name. "That's a cool name! You're probably not from around here, huh?"

The traveler with tsundere issues only nodded to agree with him. There was no use hiding a fact that would be discovered soon enough.

Alfred showed Lovino where the bathroom was to change and the latter was grateful for the privacy. Alfred had told him to let him know if he needed anything and ducked back out to the living room.

'Maybe he's not so bad…' thought the shorter man as he pulled the baggy shirt over his tanned body. 'Well, not bad enough to be an axe murderer…his fashion sense kind of sucks…' he amended. The clothes were definitely well-worn and chosen for comfort, not style, but Lovino supposed he couldn't afford be picky, given the situation he was in.

When he wandered back dried off and practically swimming in the oversized clothes, he sniffed the air. He smelled chocolate. Rolling up his huge sleeves could wait.

Sure enough, Alfred was making hot chocolate and greeted Lovi with a warm smile when he poked his head into the kitchen uncertainly. It wasn't like he was afraid or anything, he just wanted to make sure his host/possible kidnapper didn't have a butcher's knife in his hand or something first. Alfred didn't seem to notice his companion's cautious behavior and handed him a mug of the steaming liquid.

"Here, Lovino," his constant smile was blinding. "Drink this, so you warm up."

"…Thanks, bastard."

The tsundere reluctantly took it and drank a little. He could feel his chest heat up. It was pretty good, much better than he had been expecting. Alfred didn't really look like the kind of guy that knew how to cook, but maybe he was wrong.

"It's really good, isn't it? It's a special recipe!" the self-proclaimed hero explained. "My brother taught me how to make it when we were kids!"

Lovino's throat tightened a little at the mention of a little brother, but said nothing. He let Alfred continue rambling on about how to make 'Mattie's Special Hot Chocolate' to avoid getting lost in his own thoughts again. He'd take just about any distraction at this point. He sat down next to his chatterbox host on the couch when offered. Normally, he'd prefer to have a little more distance from someone he'd just met, but he didn't care at the moment.

Alfred was more than happy to be the one talking, noting that his guest seemed troubled. He hated to bring up a sad topic, so he carried on about cheerful things instead. Nothing sad or depressing about his brother's awesome hot chocolate! That stuff could make anyone feel better! Mathew would always make it on cold days or whenever their papas got into a fight.

During his companion's constant rambling, Lovino felt his eyes droop and he realized just how exhausted he was. He didn't get much sleep over the week he was on the boat or the last few chaotic days in Torre'. The Southerner realized he'd spent the last three weeks or so being far more paranoid and anxious than any boy his age had the right to be….which is why he was amazed how relaxed he felt now with a complete stranger. As Lovi began to doze off, he rested his head on Alfred's shoulder and fell asleep.

Feeling the weight on his shoulder, Alfred stopped explaining the pros and cons of adding maple syrup to hot chocolate and looked down.

"Lovino?" he gently nudged the boy. "Hey, Lovino? Are you asleep?"

No response.

"Alright, we can finish talking about it tomorrow," smiled the taller of the two. He scooped his guest up with ease. As he adjusted the weight in his arms, he decided that Lovi should really be eating more – he was even lighter than Mattie! He could probably toss him up at least five feet in the air, no problem, but didn't want to test it out and wake him up.

Alfred walked across the hall and put Lovino in his bed, since his room was on the main floor. He dug out a second quilt covered in red and blue patches and rested it on top of the blanket pile practically burying the brunette. He didn't want his new friend to catch a cold on his watch. He was the hero, after all!

"G'night, Lovino!" he whispered (to the best of his ability), before heading upstairs. His brother had moved out a few weeks ago, so it was just as easy to stay in his old room.

For once, Lovi's dreams were blessedly free of their usual fire, daggers, and near-drownings. Another reason he hadn't slept well lately was the nightmares constantly waking him up. He'd barely slept at all on the boat ride here, but something about this bed was downright magic. He was fairly sure the feathers came from the wings of fucking angels, given how soft it was. No bed had the right to be this comfortable. He was now jealous of the bed's owner, but before he could launch into a mental rant he smelled the familiar scent of smoke.

"Feli, you idiota, you're burning breakfast…" he mumbled, forcing his eyes open.

He leapt out of bed in surprise, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, and it all set in again. The fear, the panic, the weight of everything he'd done…Lovino had to stop and recompose himself, reminding himself what happened and where he was. Although he hadn't been in this exact room before, he was still fairly certain it was still Alfred's house, if the woodwork and wrinkled clothes on the ground were anything to go by. After a few minutes, he managed to push his way into the kitchen and the source of all the smoke.

"Hey, Lovino!" greeted Alfred, although how he saw him through the smoke was a mystery. "Breakfast will be done soon!"

"Breakfast was done ten minutes ago, moron!" he exclaimed, pushing the blonde out of the way, so he could attempt to save it before all was lost.

Alfred watched in amazement as Lovino worked, putting out the flaming toast, whipping what was left of the burned eggs into an omelet, and adding several spices that Alfred didn't even know he owned. The brunette quickly sliced up several vegetables to toss in with a speed that would impress even Alfred's gourmet papa.

"Wow, Lovino! You're amazing!" the Canton local exclaimed with a laugh. "I'm not much of a cook, myself…"

"Yeah, I can see that," grunted the chef. "I suppose I can try to turn this into something edible, since I'm already here…"

As Alfred watched with curiosity, Lovino rolled his eyes, realized how gruff he sounded, and softened a bit. He really didn't want to piss of the guy who helped him. Alfred went to a lot of trouble for some random guy he didn't know. He certainly didn't have to and—where the hell were the tomatoes?! He couldn't make omelets without tomatoes! That would be like making spaghetti without the noodles! Gelato without the sugar! Unacceptable! His brows furrowed together in frustration while he glanced around for any sign of them, but came up empty.

Alfred's face broke into a grin while Lovino tearfully dished up the tomato-less food.

"You're really expressive!"

"Huh?"

"Your face and the way you move!" the constantly cheery blonde explained.

"My, uh, what?" Lovino blushed. Why was Alfred watching him move? He didn't realize he was being watched. "I – nevermind! Are you sure you don't have any tomatoes here, bastard?"

"Sorry," Alfred apologized, stuffing toast into his mouth. "I'm awwl owwd I guss."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, idiot!" Lovino chided. "How am I supposed to understand you when you're mouth is crammed full of bread?"

"Sowwy."

"Just chew your food, jackass."

The two ate in a comfortable silence. Alfred was preoccupied with the delicious food (and still in disbelief that it came out of his kitchen) while Lovino was busy grieving over the cruelty of an omelet without tomatoes. When they had finished, Lovino stood to gather the plates out of habit, but Alfred grabbed them instead.

"No way! You cooked all this great food, I can't make you do the dishes too!" insisted Alfred. "You can just sit back and relax!"

"Whatever, bastard," Lovino tried to brush off the compliment. "Th-Thanks for all your help, but I have to be on my way."

"Did you come in on one of the boats yesterday?"

"Y-Yeah."

"So you're a traveler? Where are you from?" Alfred asked as he finished clearing the table, licking his fingers clean of the final crumbs. Lovino was a really good cook.

"…Across the sea," the dejected brunette finally added, plopping back down into his chair. It didn't look like Alfred was anywhere close to being done talking. He really did remind him of his brother.

"What brings you to Canton? You got friends or family here?" Alfred continued the conversation from the kitchen. It was connected to the space he used as a dining room, so it worked out well. He was even able to start washing dishes and keep his attention on his new friend.

"Nothing in particular…I just had to get out of town," Lovino sighed. "I, uh, felt like leaving."

"You're pretty brave! I don't think I'd be ready to leave town all by myself on a journey yet."

"A journey?"

"Yeah, all Heroes have to go on a journey, right?" asked Alfred, as if it was common knowledge.

"What? I'm not…Why are you so obsessed with heroes anyway?"

"Can't help it. My mom used to read me books about heroes since I was a kid," Alfred chuckled. "I've been the Hero of Canton ever since."

"You…gave yourself the title? Isn't that something you have to earn?" Lovino sweatdropped. He wasn't exactly the leading expert in the field of Heroism, but he was fairly certain that part was right.

"I have earned it!" Alfred pouted. "I help others in need! Or when they need something fixed, or—"

"Whatever, bastard," Lovino looked away to hide his slightly pink cheeks. He just hadn't expected someone of Alfred's stature to pout of all things. The guy looked like he bench-pressed trees for fun, not mastered the art of Puppy Eyes. It's not like he thought it was cute or anything either.

"I saved you yesterday, remember?" the hero in question reminded him puffing out his chest a little in pride and pulling Lovi out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, well I…fine. You did," Lovino admitted, covering up his blush with sarcasm. "They should give you a damned medal."

"I wouldn't be a hero if I expected to get something for it each time!" Alfred laughed like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Lovino could only nod, realizing after all that Alfred did for him, he never asked for anything in return.

"So do you plan on staying in town for awhile?" the Hero of Canton asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I guess so," the green-eyed boy responded. He couldn't exactly go home anymore and didn't have a clue where to even begin looking for his twin brother.

"Awesome!" cheered Alfred. "You wanna stay here, then?"

"What?" Lovino asked, thinking he didn't hear him right.

"Well, you said you didn't know anybody in town, and staying at the inn for even a couple days adds up, so I figured I'd offer my house," the blonde scratched his head. "And since we're already friends, it's all good!"

"F-Friends?" Lovino stammered, feeling his face heat up again. "You barely even know me, idiot! I-I could be some kind of thief…or assassin…or a pirate!"

"Then I can get to know you better," Alfred answered with a laugh. "And I'm pretty sure I can hold my own!"

"Why would you really let me stay, bastard. And don't say it's because you're a hero!" He cut him off, sensing a trend in his reasoning. Even the people who actually knew Lovino back in Torre' didn't like him. He was rude, too blunt, and couldn't control his temper. His saintly brother was always the favorite, not him.

"Well, you're really interesting! Canton's a port town, but we really don't get that many visitors that stay for awhile. Mostly sailors and traders…" Alfred began explaining. "And my brother recently moved in with his buddy, so it's been really boring here and—"

"…Fine."

"What's that?" it was Alfred's turn to be confused.

"I said fine, I'll stay….but only for a little while!" Lovino said quickly. "I can't stay in this town forever!"

"That's great, Lovi! I don't work today, so I can show you all around town!" Alfred brightened, flashing him a winning smile.

"W-Whoa, bastard you can't just drag me around wherever you want!" Lovino protested as his hand was grabbed. Alfred didn't seem to hear him. "And don't call me Lovi!"

All other protests were drowned out by the sound of Alfred's laughter as he eagerly dragged his friend out the door.

A/N

How did you all like the first chapter? It came to me as I was watching Firefly and listening to "The Hero of Canton" song for the 896th time. I borrowed the song (you'll see it later) and the town name for this fic, but that should be it for now, so no cross-over. Just straight-up Hetalia goodness in this story.

I had debated splitting this chapter up into two separate ones, but couldn't resist combining them in the end. The next chapter will probably be a little shorter and easier to read. I adore writing this couple, so hopefully I'll be able to update quickly!

~Rajikka

Word List

Canton (Firefly fandom) – This was the mudder's village the characters visited, but for the purposes of this fic, I only borrowed the name. The universe, location, and appearance is very different here.

Rastronegro (Sp.) – I combined the Spanish words for Black Trail (rastro negro) "Rastro" (trail) and "Negro" (black). You'll find out more about this place later.

Torredirosso (It.) – I combined the Italian words for Red Tower (torre di rosso) "Torre" (tower) and "Rosso" (red). You'll find out more about this place later.

Tsundere (Jap.) – Arthur Kirkland. Haha, just kidding. (sort of.) A tsundere is a type of character seen in anime or manga known for appearing cold or hostile, but having a hidden sweet side. "Tsun Tsun" is the aloof or irritable side, while "Dere Dere" is the lovey dovey side. Iggy and Lovi are two good examples of this character.

Idiota (It.) "Idiot"

Let me know if something's off!