Ticket to Freedom

My name is Lovino Vargas and right now I am working as a bartender. I say right now because I have changed jobs more than my own age. My former bosses have fired me because of my foul mouth. Well sorry for being direct! (In an odd manner, I suppose.) I sighed and decided to keep my mouth shut (Of course it's hard damnit!) to at least keep this good for six months. If only not for that stupid bet with a stupid Spanish bastard named Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, I wouldn't have to endure this kind of torture.

A few months ago

"Congrats on you nth job Lovino!" The Spaniard patted my back. "There, there my little tomato."

"Shut up bastard!" I moved away and glared at him. If only looks could kill but it couldn't.

"Now, don't be so temperamental my little tomato. That's the very reason you always get fired." Antonio chuckled and offered me some drinks.

I begrudgingly took the wine at hand and gulped it in one go.

"Hey, if you do get to stay with one job for six months, I would… hm?" The Spaniard paused. "Hm… I would do whatever you want?"

I was shocked then a smile curved my lips.

"Anything I want?" I said mischievously. I wonder if it was my imagination or what-not but a cold sweat ran down Antonio's temples.

"That is if you can keep ONE job for six months…"

Present day

"Ugh, damnit!" I quietly cursed I began cleaning up. Thankfully the day ended without many casualties. He did have an argument (arguments) with some of the costumers and a bicker with his boss. Thank heavens that he wasn't fired.

"That Spaniard I'll make sure that he gets the worst possible punishment…" I laughed sinisterly as I continued walking home.

I took a long look towards the evening sky. I finally what was off, it was dark. The sky didn't have a single star and the moon was covered by ominous clouds. I have nothing against the dark, damnit.

I decided to pick up my pace to reach the apartment faster. I don't know but relief washed through me when I saw the lights in the sala and the tomato bastard waiting at the lanai.

"LO-VI-NO~" Antonio waved at me and I won't dare admit it but I am glad that he went out his way to welcome me back. "SO, how was work?"

"I still have my job bastard," I proudly told him. "Just two more weeks and I will win this bet."

A nervous laugh escaped the bastard's mouth but I paid no mind. "Have you eaten dinner mi tomate?"

"Not yet." I said.

"Good, then join me!" Antonio said joyfully.

I shrugged and followed him to the kitchen. I may not be the brightest human but I know that Antonio made too much, it's an understatement but I couldn't come up with anything else, for just a dinner.

"Let's eat?"

"Sure."

After saying our prayers, we started to feast. After the main course, Antonio opened the wine and he poured it in our goblets. We toasted and drank the wine. It was a bit sweet but oh well, it was not bad.

"I pray that you do get this job finished," Antonio winked at me and I felt goosebumps.

"Hah! I will without you telling me!"

At the back of my mind, it's not bad to have some moments like this.

Three days before the completion of the bet…

My whole world broke apart. It was worse than getting fired. I just realized, no pun intended. My working place was under fire! I panicked. It was the kitchen staffs' fault. What sheer dumb luck. Damnit!

When news of the fire broke out, Antonio immediately called me. I was thinking that he would mock me for losing the bet but the bastard was asking if I was well and unhurt. Moments later, he was with me.

"Lovino!" The stupid bastard ran towards me and hugged me as if I was his lost bull that he found after a long time. "Are alright?"

"I'm fine bastard. Damnit, I was so near to winning the bet…"

"Now, forget about the bet and let's be thankful that you are not wounded." Antonio consolation was… nice.

"Hmph." I scoffed at him but didn't break the embrace. Then I realized I was shaking. Perhaps this was because I was so close to dying.

"Let us go home, little tomato." He whispered to my ear and he helped walk towards his Ferrari. It was a good thing I had already given my testimony to the police.

Once we reached the apartment, Antonio rushed to the kitchen and gave me some tea. He said to calm the nerves. After some time, I fell asleep on the couch.

The next day…

"Aw~ Lovino… Tomorrow would have been you're sixth month as a bartender at that shoppe. What a shame that it fired down yesterday…" The Spaniard was teasing, no, insulting me. I guess mocking me would be a bit accurate.

"Fuck off bastard. Damnit, that was a natural disaster!" I was fiery with rage.

"Mi tomate, it's just unfortunate that a natural cause of job loss was not enclosed in our agreement…"

"Shut up!" I pouted.

There was silence. It wasn't awkward but we just kept quiet.

"If in any case you were able to complete the whole bet, what would you have asked me to do?" Antonio sincerely asked.

"Anyway why the hell did you even make that stupid bet with me?" I asked him.

"Why you ask… Hm, I guess I wanted to see you stay with a job~" The bastard said this with this mental image of a flowery background. "You seem to frequently change your job and working place. Every time you shifted jobs, it seemed to get farther and farther from here. So that's why I thought of that challenge."

"I also didn't want you to go too far from me." He quietly added.

Now that he mentioned it, my previous jobs did begin to be farther this apartment. The shoppe that I worked for was a hell of stupidly walking distance. Then I wondered why did Antonio bring his car when he picked me up yesterday? Oh well, whatever.

"Hmph, so it was self-satisfaction after all." I shot him with a glare.

"Well, you did benefit little tomate. Look, you were able to stay on a job for almost half-a-year!" He was so cheerful that he looked too bright for me.

"Whatever bastard…" I said. He does have a point.

"Anyway~ Back to my question…" A smile crossed his face. "What would you have let me done if you did finish that six months' worth of bartending?"

I kept silent. In all honesty, it was not really something mischievous. For the most part.

"Iwantedatickettofreedom" I told him. I was blushing because of embarrassment.

"I couldn't catch that…" Antonio said.

"I wanted… I wanted… a… ticket to freedom…" I told him. Ugh, I know that bastard is thinking of weird ideas.

Antonio laughed. "If you wanted to travel so much, you should have said so…"

I folded my arms and looked away from him. My family history is a bit complicated you see. I have a younger brother, Veneziano, and we live in different countries – I am in Spain (hence I am living with this Spanish tomato bastard) and my younger brother is in Italy. For the longest time, I haven't seen him and my jobs aren't that high paying as to I can leisurely travel to and from Italy.

"I wouldn't mind letting you visit your brother…" Antonio said, scratching his cheek.

To put it bluntly, I was placed under the care of this man, Antonio Fernandez Carriedo after my grandfather disappeared or died (or whatever). I do have inheritance from my grandfather but I cannot get a hold of it unless I was of legal age. That's why I do odd jobs (which always ended deep shit).

As I was about to respond, I felt something soft touch my cheek.

"B-B-BASTARD! Why the fuck did you kiss me?" My face was immensely red. My shock, surprise, name it was beyond words to express.

"Well then, since I already got to kiss the cheek of my cute Lovino… I would gladly travel with you in visiting Veneziano." Antonio said and I impulsively punched his gut.

"What the hell tomato bastard!" I stood up and left him crunching over. Somehow, I felt a bit bad. I know that he was just being considerate but what the hell! He had no right to just be so touchy!

"Lovi-no~"

I did go back and helped him up and once he was properly seated in the couch, I immediately left him.

A few days after…

"Since I couldn't get us to travel to Italy, I invited Veneziano." Antonio told me.

I just couldn't believe his… kindness or compassion or what-the-hell-it's-called.

"…Thank…you…" I uttered at him.

"No problem." Antonio smiled at me and impulsively I closed at him and kissed his cheek. After that, I immediately ran towards Veneziano (and thank heavens, he didn't bring along that potato bastard).

Antonio was dumbstruck at what just happened.

'Lovino kissed me! If only he would be this cute, not that he isn't cute but he is über cute the way he is, everyday… Ah~ '

The Spaniard was in his own world and was more than happy that he invited over the younger Italian.

.END.

A/N: Alright, this was purely experimental. I was testing out if I could do a 1.5K word count in one go and yehey! I was able to pull it off. The title is quite weird anyway, it's something spontaneous and I was in my creative mood (although it's FINALS WEEK!). SpaMano FTW!