A/N: So, come rain or hellfire, I'm gonna start wrting again, comencing with long overdue oneshot I wrote forever ago on just about the oddest couple I ship, but screw it, this ship doesn't get enough love and if I can add my little grain of rice, I will. Enjoy!
Salvatore wasn't sure why he had brought Peter along, he really wasn't. It was just a short time away, visiting his brothers, but, when he had been preparing to tell the boy that he would be gone for around three days, he couldn't find it in his heart to do so, especially with the wide grin Peter had been showing off since he had just eaten a ton of candy.
Salvatore's words then changed from "I'm going to visit my brothers." to "Would you like to come visit my brothers with me?" To which Peter obviously gave an enthusiastic yes.
They were in the cab now, heading towards the house owned by all three brothers. None of them lived there permanently, all preferring to reside with their partners in their respective countries and Salvatore with Peter in England, but they still used the house every once in a while, each brother having right to it.
Salvatore knew that his older brothers commonly used it as a place to… um… carry out business… with their own partners when they happened to be around sightseeing, both of which were things that Salvatore didn't see the use in doing himself. And he would've rather not have had those thoughts in mind when Peter began practicing his new favorite hobby of twirling Salvatore's curl in between his fingers.
Salvatore's breath suddenly came in sharply, his eyes blown wide. The driver looked back suspiciously for a moment but by then Salvatore had gathered his composure, taking deep breaths to try and suppress the growing desire that Peter was not aware he was provoking.
Salvatore had never told Peter about what his curl did. He had never found it a pertinent mater until Peter picked up the habit of messing around with it when he had nothing else to do, like a nervous tick but without the nerves, unless you counted the ones it gave Salvatore.
But then Salvatore felt too embarrassed to tell him to stop because he would have to explain the situation and, considering how young Peter was, he thought that might cause a few conflicting thoughts in Peter's head about their relationship and he didn't want that. He had gotten enough crap from enough people about being five years older than his boyfriend.
He wasn't trying to be a pedophile. He wasn't thinking about any of those things when he was with Peter. He just made him happy. But it'd be a bit difficult to keep Peter believing that if he told him this. He was young and impressionable and Salvatore didn't want Peter to start thinking that he might have ulterior motives in dating him.
Whatever the case, he wouldn't tell Peter, instead having to deal with situations like these.
His heart beat fast in his chest more out of stress than the actual stimulation. He was at least glad that Peter was usually too oblivious to notice any changes in behavior. He forced his breath to come slow, inhaling and exhaling with patience, counting repeatedly in his head and reciting the alphabet backwards all at the same time to distract himself from Peter's thin fingers twirling around randomly, almost as if drawing infinity signs with his curl.
Salvatore was quickly spared anymore aggravation though as Peter's phone went off in his pocket. Peter perked up and removed his hand from Salvatore's hair in order to answer it. Salvatore let out a shaky breath and placed his hand against his forehead, knowing Peter would be to enrapt with the conversation to notice it. He was burning, probably bright red too.
By the time Peter was done chatting away with whoever it was that called, Salvatore had managed to completely calm down, and he made sure to intercept Peter's hand before he resumed, intertwining their fingers and taking it down to rest between them. Peter seemed to like this.
"Who was that?" Salvatore asked, horrified to find his voice came out a bit gruffer than it was supposed to. He tried clearing his throat to cover it up, but Peter seemed amused by the change, chuckling.
"Just my jerk-o brother. Wanted to know where I was off to. Said he had come over and didn't find me." Salvatore looked at Peter oddly. "Why didn't you tell him you were leaving?" Peter seemed a bit perturbed by the serious tone that Salvatore had suddenly gotten. "I just… I thought he wouldn't care. Serves him right to worry, he's never cared about me." But he didn't sound too sure of his thoughts anymore.
The car finally began to slow down and Salvatore looked out the window to see the big house. It was old, built centuries ago, but it still retained its beauty. Salvatore helped Peter out of the car with a smile and got their small bags, since they were just staying overnight and leaving tomorrow afternoon. He walked up to the door and used the large brass knocker, immediately hearing the voice of his eldest brother call back through the thick wood: "Fuck off!" And quickly after, Feliciano's. "Lovi! There will be no cussing in this house! Plus, its probably Salvatore."
The door opened to reveal one of Salvatore's older brothers. Feliciano smiled down at the teenager and ruffled his hair, though he was, as all his family was, extremely careful about not coming even close to the curl.
Salvatore turned his head away, being annoyed by the childish treatment. He heard footsteps and looking back found Lovino behind his brother, giving him a smirk that he knew Lovino wanted to be taken as cynical or judging but Salvatore knew was actually quite proud and maybe even a bit impressed.
"Come on, inside. You know where your room is, the pasta is almost ready." And Salvatore rolled his eyes because even though he knew that Feliciano was not like Lovino, in the sense that he could eat almost anything and was not picky about it having to have originated from his country, he still insisted that it be breakfast, lunch and dinner when they were home.
Salvatore looked back at Peter who was still staring at the house in wonder, as if planning out the exploration routes he'd take through it. It made Salvatore grin wide.
"Babe," He called for the boy's attention, receiving a smile just as big in return. Peter followed him up the stairs and down a hallway into what would be their shared room. Salvatore blushed a bit. They had shared a bed before but only for naps.
Peter set his things out accordingly, amusing Salvatore to no end as it always did. For as messy as Peter might have seemed he was actually pretty intense about organization. Things had a place and if they weren't in their place then there was a problem.
As Peter set down little things he'd brought with him, a small stuffed animal he had gotten from Salvatore, some dice, a glowing alarm clock and a picture frame containing a reel from a photo booth he and Salvatore had once visited after the movies, in the same way that they were positioned in their own house, he looked back at Salvatore with a sheepish grin, realizing that the bed wasn't facing the same way. "Would you mind helping me…" Peter seemed too embarrassed to finish the question blushing a bit and rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.
"Not at all." Salvatore said and together they pushed the bed into the most alike position to the way it was in their house. Salvatore knew he shouldn't encourage the behavior, especially since he was such a big influence on Peter, but he found it hard to turn down any request that Peter made to him. Just then, he heard the call from downstairs. "Dinner!" And he scrambled after Peter who took off like a jet.
Dinner was nice. Feliciano cooked wonderfully and with lots of tomatoes that kept Lovino's mouth too busy to spout off his usual hateful comments. Feliciano couldn't seem to hear enough about Peter, finding him adorable in every sense. Even Lovino made a comment to his likeability.
"I don't completely hate you for some reason. That's odd."
When they were done, since dinner was served a bit early, nobody really wanted to go to sleep and Peter was too jacked up on hyperactivity to stay still, the brothers sat in the couch as Peter ran around the house, either Feliciano or Salvatore calling out to him every once in a while to be careful not to trip and Lovino encouraging him to do so, so long as he wouldn't break any important family relics or have the need to be taken to the hospital afterwards.
But in between these interruptions the brothers were having a nice conversation. Or at least as nice a conversation as you can have when you only see your brothers around once a year. Salvatore politely asked about their relationships to which Feliciano gushed about how happy he was with his German lover and even mentioned the possibility of a proposal soon and that Lovino answered with: "Same as always he's still a tomato bastard I still hate his guts." Which translated to: "It's been heavenly, he still treats me like I'm prince of the universe and to be worshipped, and I pretend I don't like the attention and do not wish to reciprocate."
That's when Salvatore regretted asking about relationships because, naturally, he should've known the topic was going to turn to him.
"So how long have you been with little hyperactivity over there?" Involuntarily, the smile came to his face. "Just about five months." He said. He bit his lip knowing it was coming and it was coming hard.
"So, ummm… isn't he a bit young for you?" It was awkwardly voiced by Feliciano who seemed to be avoiding Salvatore's eyes at all costs. Lovino made an odd noise that sounded kind of like a blown raspberry combined with a snort, and twice as rude. "The question is, is he even legal for you?"
It took a couple deep breaths for Salvatore to remember that these were family, even if his family always had a bit strange and detached and he could not simply yell at them for being stupid. Or, well, he couldn't before the first hour of being in the house with them was up.
"Yes, yes he is. He is twelve, I am seventeen and I will continue to be seventeen for the next two months." He prayed to God the follow up question would not follow up. "And what do you plan to do the next five years after that?" Lovino's sarcastic and demeaning tone was not appreciated. Feliciano tossed a sharp look at the eldest, something very out of character for him.
"I don't know, I haven't thought of it and I don't want to think about it. I'll probably end up hiding in our house until they're up." Feliciano shrugged, not wanting to bring up the topic he knew he would have to what with being the elder and not meaner brother of a boy who hadn't had any direct contact with his parents.
"Certainly, some things have happened, will happen, you're growing and-"
"OH GOD, SHUT UP!"
Salvatore said pressing his hands over his ears. He could see Lovino smirking and being wildly amused by his embarrassment. Feliciano raised his hands in surrender but continued anyways. "I know, I know, trust me I don't wanna talk about it as much as you do but it'll weigh on my conscious if I don't." To which Salvatore started yelling "LALALALALA!" As loud as he could, catching the attention of Peter who was already running low on fuel from giving the large house several dozen laps.
He peaked around the corner and giggled at his boyfriend's antics. He went into the room and Feliciano smiled at him, telling him he could sit down if he wanted to. Peter noticed and squeezed in next to Salvatore even though there was more space to the other side. Salvatore smiled at him, pecking his cheek for a moment before putting his arm over Peter's shoulders, that Peter cuddled up to.
Feliciano outright said how cute they were which made Peter blush. And because he had nothing to do he chose to do the worst possible thing at the worst possible time. He reached up with a devious smirk and gave a soft yank to Salvatore's curl just to annoy him.
Feliciano and Lovino's faces both went pale as paper in an instant, eyes wide with horror and jaws unhinged in surprise. Peter, assuming that the sound that Salvatore had made was from pain, apologized shortly and began twirling it absently around his thumb.
Salvatore had actually grown pretty adept at controlling the natural reactions that came from it, apart from the obvious… ahem… situation… that it caused if it went on for a prolonged period of time, but the blushing, breathing and noises that would've once been inevitable were mostly under Salvatore's grasp, especially if he knew it was coming.
He did not know this was coming.
And nothing would have ever prepared him for the experience of having his two elder siblings, complete with full and absolute knowledge about what that damned curl did to your body on every level, watch it get nonchalantly pulled by his boyfriend who happened to be way too young for that, most especially when one of the said brothers had actually been about to start a conversation on that topic.
Instantly Salvatore was bright red and tense and in the moment of his life in which he least liked his boyfriend, though it was just a fleeting second.
It only took a fraction of second longer for the brothers to notice that Peter had no idea what he was doing. It was Lovino who first let out a snort, and then Feliciano chuckled, until they were both hysterical as hyenas and gripping each other for support so they wouldn't fall off the couch.
Peter seemed startled by this sudden explosion of laughter, unintentionally tugging the curl again which caused another strong reaction with Salvatore, who whined low and needy in the back of his throat. Peter looked oddly at him before apologizing again, and the turning with a confused smile to the cackling brothers.
"What's so funny?"
The pair were still too far gone but when they finally pulled themselves together Lovino answered as he wiped a tear from his eye.
"Nothing, ohhh, it's nothing. How about you go get Sal here a drink of water, he looks a bit thirsty." Feliciano barked a laugh, much unlike the usual joyous sound he would make, at the innuendo, chortling away like he was crazy.
Peter glanced at them as if they had gone mad and gave Salvatore a questioning look. "Well, you do look like you're going to get a fever. Maybe a glass of cold water will help until we get home and I make you some tea."
If it was even possible Lovino and Feliciano laughed harder until Peter finally made his exit, muttering about unusual relatives. They sobered up quickly. When the last traces of laughter were gone Lovino and Feliciano looked as serious as if this matter was life or death.
"You haven't told him yet, about the curl." Feliciano said pointing out the obvious. Salvatore was a bit too busy trying to control the color of his face and willing down the situation in his pants that was still trying to wake up.
The question hung in the air though no one gave it voice.
When Salvatore finally felt mostly normal and functional again he answered it. "I think it'll scare him off. It would've been different if he had never done that, but he has. It would've been better if I told him as soon as he started but I didn't because it was awkward and we had only been dating for about two weeks or so. And now if I tell him I think he'll feel used."
Lovino gave a small sympathetic smile that surprised everyone in the room, himself included. "Of course he'll feel used. Which is why you've got to tell him as soon as possible. Advice from someone who's been through that exact same problem."
Salvatore tried not to look ashamed.
"I haven't been using him." He said stressing the word of negation. "I'm not dating him because he does that. That has nothing to do with our relationship. Everybody is always making comments about how I'm going to take him too young when I hadn't even thought about taking him at all. I don't care about that, even if I did it's a long way off and you guys know I don't think that far ahead. I just like that he makes me happy. And I think I make him happy. I don't want for this to start making him think that what people say about our relationship is true. I'm not using him."
The brothers seemed shocked that he was able to speak with such sincerity. Feliciano was about to attempt to say something, though what he would've said he did not know since he was speechless, when Peter burst around the corner shouting; "Oh my God, I love you too!"
He was almost teary eyed as he threw the glass behind him, bounding into Salvatore's arms. Lovino managed to catch it before it fell though most of the water spilled everywhere.
"I don't know what most of that was about, but I love you." He started pecking quick kisses all over Salvatore's face and cheeks who was caught off guard at first but then smiled widely and cradled Peter in his lap, leaning down and pressing their lips together for the tinniest fraction of a second. Peter turned beet red. "Not in front of your family!" He scolded not realizing the irony in saying that.
Feliciano stood ordering Lovino to do so as well. "We'll leave you two lovebirds alone. Salvatore has something to say to you, Peter."
The teenager glared at his brother, making a mental note to throw him under the bus the next time he got the chance to. Lovino and Feliciano disappeared and Peter turned to look at Salvatore with a dopey grin. "All that you said about me was so nice." Peter said dreamily. Salvatore nodded as he pet the boy's hair. "And I mean all of it."
They stayed quiet for a moment rocking back and forth subconsciously. Then Peter straightened himself up and sat next to the older boy. "What was that that your brother said about having something to tell me?"
Salvatore sighed trying to get ready for this. He didn't want to but Lovino was right. The more he waited the less he'd be able to get Peter to believe the truth, that this hadn't been his plan all along. He didn't want to hurt the boy.
"Maybe we should go to our room to talk about it I don't want those two knuckleheads spying on us." He said this loudly and heard the distinct noise of someone hiding under a table jump and hit their head.
"Good idea!" Called out Feliciano from under the mantel of the dining table. "Shut up bastard!" Lovino muttered, clearly having been the one who hit himself.
So, Peter and Salvatore trekked up the stairs with their hands linked together. They entered the room and Salvatore closed the door behind them, afterwards following Peter to where he sat at the bed, and placed himself next to the boy facing him. Peter smiled reassuringly but Salvatore could only give him a nervous quirk of the lips.
"Is something wrong?" Peter asked. Salvatore nodded but words seemed to fail him. Peter frowned a tiny bit. "Are you breaking up with me?" He said it cautiously and Salvatore could hear his voice threatening to break. He quickly shook his head, eyes wide, and took Peter's hands into his own. "No, nothing like that." Peter sighed in relief.
"Okay then, what is it?" He sounded curious. Salvatore let go of his hands and rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "Okay, I'm gonna need you to try and be calm about this, okay? And wait till I say everything before you start imagining things, because it's gonna sound really bad. And remember what I said in the living room because I meant every word and-" Peter gave him an amused look. "Get on with it." He said not finding any reason for his boyfriend to be nervous about simply talking, especially if they weren't going to break up.
Salvatore breathed deeply and finally threw himself into the fire. "You can't touch my curl anymore." Peter seemed very confused. "Alright then. That's fine. Why all the fuss? And why didn't you tell me before?" Salvatore nodded as if that would answer Peter's questions.
"This is going to sound very strange." Peter nodded slowly indicating the elder could go on. "You remember that talk you and Arthur had about how babies are made." Salvatore detested every word as it came out of his mouth. Peter wrinkled his nose distastefully but nodded. "Not like I could ever forget that, but what does that have to do with anything?"
Salvatore paused, very unsure how to say the next part, and blushing bright red as he did. "You know what he said about… that part boys have girls don't and how it… can feel good?" Peter looked just as uncomfortable as Salvatore felt. "Yes, but again what does-"
"It works the same way with my curl."
Salvatore really wished he could identify the other boy's emotions on his face. It was not fair to wait there, for what felt like an eternity, to see how Peter would react. Eventually the boy gulped heavily. "You mean… when I toyed around with it..."
"Yeah. That's why you can't do it anymore."
Peter still had very little emotion expressed on his face other than shock. But in a split second, it turned into a horrible mixture of embarrassment and anger. He grabbed a pillow and threw it at Salvatore, then turned and flopped down onto the bed, curling up into a tight ball, with his bright red face hidden away.
"Why didn't you tell me any sooner, you twat?!" He made an odd noise as he remembered all the times he had just upped and taken the curl, twirling it around his finger in front of Arthur, or the other micronations, or even right now in front of his older brothers. How many of those people had known? Oh God, what did they think of him if they did?!
Peter felt Salvatore shift, though not coming closer for fear of another pillow to the face. He faced Peter's figure. "I'm sorry, I really should've, I know, but, before you started it up, it hadn't even occurred to me that you would ever try it out of the blue, or that for any reason you'd pick up a habit and after the first couple of times I was embarrassed and then you started doing it constantly, I thought if I told you, you'd think that was the only reason I wanted to be with you." Salvatore explained, feeling relieved now that it was finally out of his chest. "I didn't want you to think I was using you and I didn't want you to leave me for some stupid curl."
Peter remained quiet. Finally, he unraveled himself. There were small tears in his eyes. "That wasn't what you were doing, right? You didn't just keep me because I would do that unknowingly?"
Salvatore shook his head firmly. "Of course not! I don't give a rat's ass about sleeping with anyone right now, especially not you. I know I can't do that now, I wouldn't even dream of it. That has it's time but it's certainly not now. Just because I'm older doesn't mean I'm always thinking about that, that's what other people can't understand, that I just love you for you, and I don't want absolutely anything that you're not ready for, and I'm completely fine waiting till you are."
Peter nodded, seeming calmer. "I believe you. I really do. And I love you too."
He looked around, uncertain what to do with himself now. Salvatore came closer, carefully, and gave Peter a tight hug. Peter hugged him back, nuzzling his face onto his chest.
"It's okay. It was just a shock, but it's okay. I believe you. I know you love me. I promise I won't do that again."
And Salvatore had never been happier to hear those words.
He pulled back and wiped the remaining tears on Peter's face. "Listen, when that time comes, we're both going to enjoy it very much. But right now, I'm sure neither of us would like that. What we like now is holding each other's hands and going to the park, and trying to bake cookies with your brother's recipe. You like that, and I like that, so let's just keep doing that." Peter nodded. Then he leaned up and pressed their lips together, for a little longer than usual. It was only a peck and their lips were tightly shut, but it was the best kiss Salvatore had ever had.