week two's story prompt fic

This is set around college, so Antonio and Lovino are Uni friends but hey, maybe they might be boyfriends in the future. It's more centered around romano than spamano.

xxx

Lovino waved goodbye to his brother, reassured him it was fine when Feliciano asked him if he was sure he didn't want to join them, and drove back to their house. Now what was this event that he had denied himself? Christmas dinner. And not family Christmas dinner, since the brothers didn't really have a family to go home to, but Christmas dinner with friends. Feliciano's friends anyways, since Lovino was slightly acquainted with them but not close enough to consider them as his own. And while spending Christmas with company sounds like a better idea than spending it with yourself, he would've felt too much of a fourth wheel to the group of friends.

So he drove home, tossed the keys onto the kitchen table, flop himself down onto the couch, and let out a drawn out sigh. This really wasn't how you're suppose to spend christmas, damn it, but what can you do when all your friends had to go home to spend time with their family and the closest person to you besides your little brother was probably off partying with his pair of douchebag friends? Nothing, nothing but to stay home and lay there like a lonely fuck.

Lovino rolled over to his side and stared at the flickering lights of the mini Christmas tree they had found at a garage sale. Blue, green, red, yellow, and then back to green again. It lit up the little corner it stood in with a false cheer of colors and it was unbearable to continue looking at. So he sat up and steered himself to the kitchen to find something to eat and maybe watch some TV while he was at it.

They had left over baked Ziti, so he threw that into the microwave, and went off to flick through the channels. They were all the same, Christmas movies, Christmas news, Christmas commercials, and everything you can think of on TV with Christmas slapped onto it. They irritated him too. After a few more minutes of pointlessly trying to find a channel that wasn't shoving the merry holiday spirit down his throat, the Italian turned off the TV and went back to his Ziti.

When it was done being reheated and let to cool down enough for him to eat, he found himself not wanting to eat it anymore. There was no appetite to will himself to eat but he couldn't let himself waste food like that. Lovino picked up the fork and stabbed it into the food and ate it, chewing slowly with little enthusiasm. The flavor was there, there was no doubt about it, but it all tasted bland to him. A few more tries at finishing the food before he pushed it away, a third of it eaten, but not enjoyed.

It shouldn't be this bad, for fuck sake this wasn't his first time spending the holiday alone! So why was he feeling so irritated with this? The Italian racked at his brain to find a reason why, something to explain the uncomfortable feeling that was creeping up his body. But he found no explanation, no reason to calm his fidgety body.

Out of the corner of his eyes he could still see that Christmas tree with its lights. Their house was small, so there was a perfect view of the living room from the kitchen. There was something about it he still didn't like, it felt like the tree was mocking him with its dancing lights. Lovino wanted it off. But when he walked over to it and tried to pull the plug he couldn't. Attempts after attempt, he still couldn't pull the damn plug. Cursing under his breath he paced back and forth to only stop once again in front of the tree. The man glared at it, gritting his teeth with frustration. The more he looked at it the more uncomfortable it felt to the point where it was almost suffocating.

Lovino needed to get out of the house. He didn't want to spend the rest of his time in the house with that damnable tree anymore. Turning himself around, he marched to the kitchen and threw the rest of the food away, leaving the dishes to be washed later, grabbed his keys, and finally left the house. The chilled air hit his face with a burst once he was outside, it was refreshing. The Italian smiled and got into his car, driving with no destination but anywhere away from his house.

He drove with silence, no radio, just the sound of other cars rushing past his own. And somehow he found himself in front of a certain Spaniard's house. Parked on the curb and wondering why he was there, Lovino found his body moving on its own. Leaving his car and walking to the door when halfway through he stopped. What was he thinking? What was he doing? He had no business being there, the lights were all off inside, there was probably no Spaniard at home, so what was he thinking?

What the hell made him come here in the first place there was no one there! His body shook, the hot tears started to roll down his face as he clenched his fist in denial until he couldn't stand anymore and crouch down onto the grass. It was so pathetic, he was so pathetic, for being there and ending up like this. Lovino knew why he was there, he was there because he wanted company, he wanted to escape his loneliness and the one symbol of christmas that reminded him of how lonely he was.

Now that he was where he had hope to find that company, Lovino was disappointed to find it empty. Even when he knew the Antonio wasn't going to be at home but hoped that he was. So he continued to cry, huddle up in the same feeble position until someone shook his shoulders.

A familiar, accented voice spoke to him, "Lovino? Lovi are you alright? Lovi, please stop crying and come inside with me, it's not good for you to stay outside like this."

Lovino looked up with surprised, eyes puffy and cheeks red from crying. "Antonio," he said softly in disbelief.

The other nodded, happy that the Italian was finally looking at him, "yes that's me. Are you alright Lovi?"

"I- don't look at me!" he shouted, burying his face in his knees again. He had forgot how pathetic he must look for a second before remembering it again in a flash of embarrassment. "Leave me alone, g-go away!" No, no that's not what he wanted.

"I'm not going away Lovino, I can't leave you in this state. Come inside with me? I can get you something warm to drink and we can talk about what's wrong."

He shook his head. "No, I don't want to, I'm fine Toni, just leave me alone."

"Lovino please," Antonio coaxed, pulling him gently up.

"No!" Stop acting like a fucking child and go you idiot! he yelled at himself.

Furrowing his eyebrows in frustration, Antonio bit his tongue and search for a way to get Lovino out of the cold. Finally, he decided there was no use arguing because the Italian will still tell him no anyways, so he picked the other up and started carrying him into his house.

"Hey! Let m-me down, I don't want to go inside your house!" Lovino yelled. Antonio winced at the loud protest in his ear but ignored it, "No, I'm not going to stay there and have you catch a cold. You're going inside, I'll make you something warm to drink and you don't have to tell me what's wrong if you don't want to."

Lovino was about to say something when Antonio gave him a look. Not a stern one, but more of a pleading one, and he closed his mouth, looking away from the Spaniard's eyes.

"Fine. But...don't you have somewhere to go, like meet up with your stupid friends?"

"They can do without me, I don't think they'll mind if I'm not there."

"Antonio, stop, go have fun with your friend, let me down. I'll be fine."

The Spaniard shook his head stubbornly, "I already told you, I'm not leaving you alone in this state. They'll understand."

"Anto-"

"Lovino,please , let me do this."

And he did, he let Antonio take care of him. The Spaniard fixed them warm eggnog to drink and they sat there silently sipping at their drinks before he suggested they watch a movie together. There was little protest from the Italian, so he put on a DVD and got them blankets. The movie was something they both love and while watching it, Lovino took a peek at Antonio and smiled into his cup.

The suffocating feeling was gone, replaced by a feeling of warmth and coziness he indulged in.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"What was that Lovi?"

"Nothing, just keep watching the movie."

Antonio gave him a questioning look before turning his attention back to the movie. Fifty minutes later, Antonio found a weight on his shoulders that turned out to be Lovino who had dozed off during the movie. He chuckled, scooting in closer to the Italian so that his head was better pillowed on his shoulders. After awhile he too fell asleep, his head laid back against the couch. The movie was still on, nearing the end, but the two watcher paid no attention to it. They sat there sleeping, tucked closely next to each other until morning came.

End.