It had been a long day filled with meetings and appointments for both Antonio and Romano; who usually had nothing to do, ever. Maybe that wasn't entirely true. Romano just wasn't used to being present and attentive at meetings where he was supposed to represent and bring up issues – he was used to doing the paperwork because his brother didn't know how. But now he had done both of those things and hadn't had a minute of rest in the last forty-eight hours. All of this was because Feliciano had gotten a head cold and whined and begged to stay home when there was work to be done.
Romano had brushed off all of the things Antonio offered him, saying he didn't need anything, and that he better fuck off. Until he got so weary and annoyed that he started agreeing to everything being asked. "Do you need a ride home?" Sure. "Your apartment is like four hours away, Lovi…" Yeah. "It would be a lot easier if you just stayed at mine!" Whatever you say.
And that was how Romano ended up half asleep on Antonio's couch, his legs folded over the armrest, his bare feet twitched and kicked lightly at the Spaniards thigh when he walked by. The only response he got was a hearty chuckle and a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey Lovi, you can take a shower and change into one of my shirts if you want to." Antonio smiled at him – he was already in his 'pajamas', just a loose shirt and boxers.
"It's too hot to sleep in jeans." Romano mumbled under his breath, fighting to keep his eyes open, "And I don't think I can stand up long enough to take a goddamn shower."
"Haha, fair enough. Oh, uhm, I have soccer shorts."
"Great." Romano deadpanned as he started the painstaking process of propping himself up. He hadn't been over to the other's apartment in a really long time. They were still in the middle of an on and off relationship – thanks to Romano, neither of them were very happy.
He made the split-second decision to peck Antonio on the lips, pulling away half an inch before Antonio's lips followed and pressed against his own. Their lips were chapped and they caught and stuck together slightly as they slid over and between. Romano's bottom lip was pulled by the other's teeth and then nibbled on softly. His eyes slid closed and his hand found the other's fingers and gripped them loosely. "Mn."
Then Antonio pulled away and fumbled to get up, apologizing profusely. "I'll go get your clothes, uhm, haha."
Then Antonio was gone, opening and closing drawers in his room. Romano got up onto his shaky legs and followed, leaning all his weight against the doorframe as he watched Antonio pull out his nightclothes. The older handed them to him and then went into the bathroom off to the right of the room, presumably to brush his teeth. Romano hoped so; his mouth had tasted like racy fast food and sugar. Not the most enticing combination.
He slipped out of his shirt and jeans and left them in a crumpled pile on the floor; he pulled Antonio's shirt onto his arms and over his head, then he put on the shorts. He felt like he was swimming in fabric; soft, Antonio's cologne-smelling fabric. Romano felt like it had been decades since they had been this close – under the same roof, and not fighting, not struggling. The last time they had parted Romano recalled saying some horrible things.
"Get the fuck out of my life."
He took two steps towards the queen-sized bed and collapsed face-down onto the pillows, breathing in and reveling in the feeling of being on an actual bed and not on a cot in the living room while Feliciano and his boyfriend took his bed.
Antonio eventually came out of the bathroom and turned off the lights without saying a word. He flopped down beside Romano and pulled the sheets over them both. It felt wrong acting like there wasn't tension; because there was. And it was so thick even diamond wasn't scratching it.
"Goodnight," Romano murmured as he made himself comfortable, arm underneath the cool pillow and one of his legs lightly brushing the other's. He didn't make eye contact but they were facing each other and that was almost worse.
"Goodnight." Antonio said in hushed tones back to him. His calloused fingers found Romano's and curled around them.
Romano drifted off and when he woke up again he and Antonio were pressed flush against each other; chest to chest, their legs twined and arms sprawled. Antonio's hand rested comfortably over the small of Romano's back. It wasn't morning yet.
"I don't hate you."
"I was hoping you didn't." Antonio cracked an eye open and grinned. He leaned forward and kissed Romano lightly on his cheek. The corner of Romano's mouth twitched slightly as Antonio eased back into the array of pillows, bring them both farther into the middle of the bed. "Also, I think you look great when you wear my shirts."
"Shut up."
"You even smell like me, now."
"Oh my god."
"Call the press, Romano Vargas spends the night at strange men's houses!"
"You've been hanging out with those dumb perverts way too often."
"Maybe."
Romano felt two heavy hands settle on his waist and he frowned. "Oh, don't you fucking dare."
In a quick movement there were fingers digging into his sides and fluttering up to his ribs. Romano choked back laughs and sobs and tried to slap Antonio away. Why did he have to be so ticklish? It wasn't fucking fair. After a decent amount of rolling and trying to pin the other's arms down and away, he finally succeeded in subduing Antonio and his ruthless attempts to tickle him to death.
Antonio looked up at him with wide green eyes; his wrists were pinned above his head and his thighs and legs were pinned down by Romano's. Romano narrowed his eyes to slits, analyzing the other for a minute.
"I'm going to let you go but if you try to pull something I swear to god I'll leave right now."
As soon as Romano let the other go he was bombarded by strong arms wrapping around his middle and flipping him over onto his side. Antonio nuzzled against the other's neck and then froze.
"We need to catch up on our sleep."
Romano silently agreed and squirmed until he was comfortable.
The strangest sensation overwhelmed him all at once. The feeling of a cycle being repeated. Like after you went back to the start and finally got back to the point where everything took a turn for the worst. That was now. It was happening right now. There was nothing he could do to stop it, though. And the only indication of it was the lingering suspicion that this had already happened.
