It started as a routine day, the sun licking over the top of the iridescently red fruits that went on for miles, the green vines intertwining creating an almost magical scene in the distance. Romano was inside, taking his late-morning, mid-afternoon nap, sprawled out across the top of the Spaniard's bed that he always seemed to be in. 'It's much bigger than that shit bed you make me sleep in-' was always the little Italian's excuse. On the back deck, Toni sat in his favorite lawn chair, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. His hands laid by his sides, as he nervously pressed his fingers into the grains of the wood. It was time for a change; the years had passed so slowly, all the memories and events constantly lingering in the back of the Spaniard's mind. He could barely take it, every little thought, every blatantly small event meant so much to him, so much it could break his heart. The first time Roma smiled at him, the first time Roma tried a tomato, the first time Roma looked at him. Normal everyday events, things that no normal person would find even the slightest bit remarkable, that constantly chimed in at random times, bringing back his obliviously ignorant smile that he was infamous for. Those little things meant the most to him. It was obvious his love for the Italian had grown throughout the years, and Roma knew how he felt. A couple months previous to this oh-so-normal day, he had confessed.
Toni was resting on the couch in the living room, staring blankly at the Spanish soap operas playing on the television when Romano walked in, staring at him. "Cosa? How do you sit there and watch those stupid things, they're so fake. She gets pregnant, he's the father, but that guy thinks he's the father. And oh look! That bastard thinks he's the father too!" He rolled his eyes, irritated that the other wasn't paying attention to him, and was more focused on the abnormally stupid television show.
"Ssh Roma- It's not always like that- It's just nice watching people fall in love sometimes, si?" Toni smiled up lightly, his heart inexplicably speeding up as his face flushed entirely red. "It's even nicer... to be in love- isn't it?"
He shrugged, "I don't get why it would be nice. Two stupid people fall in love, start a family, and then die. Big whoop, there goes my life."
Antonio chuckled, knowing he should've guessed Roma would respond in such a black and white way, only seeing one side of the situation. "But falling in love can be so much more- You have someone who's always there for you- Someone who you can count on, and experience life with together."
"I guess. But as if someone would feel like that about me. Not like I need anyone else anyways, I have you, even if you're an idiot-"
"So what if I felt like that about you?"
The question caught the other completely off guard, sending him into his everyday defensive state,
"You mean like, you loving me- in a cheesy romantic soap opera-ish kind of way? Bastardo- don't say stupid things like that-" His arms cross over his chest, his cute pout painted on his face, cheeks fluffed out in the most adorable way. Toni nodded, leaving it at that for the moment, knowing if he pushed him too much, he would push him away completely.
And that was the start, the first confession. Others followed, once a week. Toni would openly admit to loving the Italian, and he'd get shot down. It was heart breaking each time, the torment he was putting himself through almost too much. Tears welled up in his eyes as he stared off into the field. It was too much; he just wanted Roma to feel the same. Was it such a crazy idea? The two of them being in love? Practically raising the other, he had grown himself. Learning to care for others more than he cared for his own wellbeing, he was willing to give his life for the Italian, and he still had the audacity, the power, to tell him they're love was impossible? He wouldn't allow it, it was too much. It no longer just tore a gap in his heart but it ruptured his sanity.
His entire being revolved around Roma, no one else. He's all the wanted, he's the only person he cared for. Yet, he told him no? He wouldn't allow it. After all this time, his feelings were still unrequited even though it was obvious that he cared about the other more than anyone else ever would, ever could. Toni pressed himself out of the chair, making his way inside as the cool air rushed passed him. It was time to take all precautions to ensure Roma would stay his, and no one would have the chance to take him away.
Swiftly, he climbed the stairs, trying not to make too much noise, even though Romano was an infamous heavy sleeper. The door to his room was wide open the smaller male motionless besides his breathing. Toni walked over, slipping his hands around the other, caressing him, keeping him close to his chest. Lovi stirred quietly, his eyes opening, but the obvious sleep still too powerful over him to make him react in his normal outlandishly rude ways. "Spagna..? Cosa stai facendo..?"
"Ssh, sleep Lovi, I'm just going to move you so I can make the bed much more comfortable for you to take a siesta in, okay?"
Cutely the Italian nodded, quickly dozing off in his arms as Antonio made his way downstairs, strategically moving as he reached the secret door in the kitchen, to open it and turn the light on. Slowly, making sure not to stumble he went down the stairs, the cement walls leading a path down to his infamous basement that held all his old favorite toys. The room smelt of his past, gunpowder and seawater seeming to fill the air as he laid Roma down in the middle of the floor, away from anything dangerous he could possibly get his hands on. A small shackle that had laid there, bolted into the paved ground, now rested around the Italian's ankle. Toni took a seat a safe distance away as he admired the other, awaiting his reaction once he woke up.
Not long passed before the uncomfortable floor made Roma shoot up, letting out a low, grumbly sigh as he rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the overly luminescent light that shined directly above him.
"Eh? What the fuck? Where the hell is this?!" He was obviously angry, but Toni smiled, he always thought it was so cute when he was upset.
"Your new room! I thought you might grow to love this one more than your old one-"
"Stupid! No way in hell and what the-" Roma reached over tugging on the shackle, "What is this?! I knew you were a pervert but I never thought you'd go this far. Mio dio- It's not funny, now take it off."
The Spaniard shook his head, the lighting making the large smirk that ran over his face pop more than usual, his green eyes intensified as they gleamed, glaring over at Roma as they hungrily looked over him.
"It's not meant to be funny, Roma." He eagerly stood, moving over to the boy that sat below him, kneeling in from of him. "You should be a good boy, or else I'll never be able to let you go."
"Tch- What the fuck bastard.." The Italian stared across at him, his hands reaching out to grab the Spaniard, trying to think of a plot to get out of this overly weird situation. 'Maybe he has the key on him still'.
But Toni's normal airheaded personality had vanished; his chuckles from before growing more menacing as he stared at Roma, whose hands now gripped his white tank top. "What are you going to do? Huh, Roma?"
"Well- You put me in this thing- So I guessed that you'd have the-"
"EEEH! Wrong~ Estupido. You don't need a key to lock those. But you need one to unlock them, if it's necessary. I use to just wait till the person decomposed so I didn't have to make much of an effort looking for the key." The thought of being left there to die made Lovino feel sick to his stomach; he couldn't believe the other would possibly do that to him. But he had to face what was now in front of him. It was a possibility he would never see anything outside this room again. Toni leaned forward, catching the Italian off guard, as he closed the gap between the two of them almost completely. A dark blush covered the Roma's cheeks as he gasped letting go of Toni's shirt, trying to distance himself more. Instinctively, Toni's hand reached over gripping tightly into the Italian's hair, making him whimper, tears beginning to fill his eyes as he yanked him forward.
"If you ever want to leave- You're going to have to do what I want you to. Your prize will be life. And your punishment..." He snickered, licking his lips before pressing them against Roma's ear. "Well, with your stubbornness, I suppose you'll find out, si?"
Toni pulled away, shoving Roma back as he slowly stood up and turned, briskly walking into one of the darker corners of the room. Assuring the other that he was still there, he shouted out across to him, "For now, you get a prize~ for managing to stay quiet for so long."
The Italian bit his lip, not wanting to find out what the other had in mind for him acting up, but his personality got the best of him, "Oi, Spagna, how long you plan on keeping me here? People will figure it out y'know."
Toni walked out towards Roma stopping a few feet away, shaking his head. "Ah.. Poor amore- you think people actually care about you- That's why you're down here, to see I'm the only one that loves you- The only one that's ever loved you."
"Love me? Do you see what you're fucking doing to me-? You're a sick fuck, bastard. More than I thought."
Toni's face twisting in pain, hearing the other say such harsh things. He should know he's doing it because he wants Roma to love him. "Aha-.. I do love you Roma... "He nodded, dropped the food in his hands on the ground as he bent over looking over the Italian's face. "Don't you see it?"
Romano took the opportunity to spit directly into his face, glaring from the statement. "How could I?"
The Spaniard wiped his face, staring completely blankly at the Italian before him. He straightened his posture as he inched forward, not uttering a word as he pressed his foot to the Italian's chest, slamming him back against the cement, knocking most of the air out of his lungs, leaving him a wheezing, coughing mess.
"Shit, fucking get off!"
Silence. Toni dug in his back pocket, shifting the handcuffs he had taken from the dark corner out. He sat down on top of the Italian, easily maneuvering him around onto his chest.
"Stop it! Fuck- !" He pulled his hands back tightly locking the cuffs around his wrists, before leaning over him, his lips grazing his neck, a hand latched in his hair lifting his head.
"Bad boys get punished Roma." A smiled flicked across his face as he pressed his teeth into his skin, easily breaking in as blood flowed past his lips. A quiet scream escaped past Lovi's lips, Toni sitting up again, continuing to straddle the boy. "No one can hear you down here. And now, if you ever get out, people will know you're mine from that-" His free hand ran across the mark overflowing with red. "My Roma... It sounds so nice saying that... You should try saying something too... how about. 'I'm all yours Toni'?"
The Italian hesitated, staying quiet, whining lightly from the pain. Toni sighed, getting off him, getting a pan and a broom from the corner to clean up the snacks he had dropped, throwing them in the trash next to the exit. "You're going to regret this. Regret not loving me. Keep it up, and soon you'll feel enough pain, to understand what you put me through." And then he was gone, the light flicking off as he left.
Roma laid there not moving, tears streaming down his face as cried out into the dark. He didn't know how to react to the situation, who would? Sniffling, he shifted his position, trying to sit up. The handcuffs were digging into his wrists, the pain from them almost covering up the pain from the bite left on his neck. His eyes started to adjust to the dark, shapes in the complete darkness starting to take on a new form; he scanned the room noticing no way of escaping on his own. As much as it pained him, he would have to put up with it, and be obedient to the other man. He may be stubborn, but being the Italian he was, he knew how to survive, and that was his best bet. Roma assumed his position on the ground, it the only comfortable lay with the new handcuff accessory Toni had given him. His stomach growled, the regret already setting in as he closed his eyes, passing time by attempting to sleep, and rid himself, even if it was temporary, of the aching pains that engulfed multiple areas of his body. The next time Toni visited, whenever that would be, he would be good, and earn the food he wanted so badly.
The day passed, then the night, the Italian had utterly frustrated the Spaniard, nothing new, but he felt he should give him another chance. He loved him, and it was a new day, plus he felt the need to see him more than anything.
Toni made his way down the stairs with a plate topped with a freshly cooked tomato omelet on top. "Roma..? Wakey, wakey amore." He smiled, staring down at the sleeping boy covered in dried blood. "Ah look at you, you're a mess."
Romano slowly rolled over, blinking a few times, opening his mouth and then closing it, knowing he had to censor what he said. "S-Si.."
He whined, his wrists sore from the metal grinding against his hands all night long. Toni sighed sadly, setting the plate down in front of him. "After you eat, how about we give your pequeno wrists a break? They must hurt so much.. Lo siento amore.."
"Fu-..Grazie..Tonio..." Toni plopped down in front of him, using a fork to scoop up some of the egg and hold it up to his mouth.
"Say aah amore~!"
'How fucking embarrassing... No way in hell..' Roma shook his head, "I can do it.."
"Ah but you'll make a bigger mess."
"It's okay- You can uh-.. Help me wash up later then si? Like, a couple.. or whatever.."
He hadn't thought of doing something so cute and simple with the other, and nodded, happily complying. Scooting the plate and fork forward as he dug his hand in his pocket, sliding around behind Roma and pulling out the key, taking the cuffs off. "There you go- I'll be back with some water, you must be so dehydrated." He left upstairs.
Roma continued to devour the food in front of him, his stomach thanking him with every bite as Toni returned with a plastic cup full of water. Quickly he traded off, taking the fork and plate away before the other could possibly use them against him. "Ah are you feeling any better?"
"Si.." Roma lifted the cut sipping from it slowly, his hands shaking from the long night of restriction.
"I think we should talk, about our future together."
Roma senselessly choked on the water staring up at Toni. "What?!"
"Our future- Getting married, making love. Everything we'll be doing together."
"You can't fucking be serious. Never in a million years- Especially after this shit!" He threw the cup weakly at Toni, the Spaniard, quickly moving out of its path.
"What do you mean Roma? I choose what happens."
"Ahaha no! I'm not marrying you, and no way will I ever have sex with a freak like you!"
Toni smirked, "You'll do what I want. When I want. How I want. Dios mio Roma.. Your stubbornness is real uncute sometimes.." He got on his knees in front of the Italian, one of his hands gripping at his already tender wrists, holding them over his head as he pushed him back against the ground. Toni kissed lightly at his neck, before chuckling, eyes beaming down at him as he threw a leg over the Italian to straddle him. "You do what I want or you get punished. And after the small example you had yesterday, do you really want to fuck with me?"
Roma stared up, shaking his head, "M-Mi dispiace- Now get off-.."
Toni looked around for a second as if contemplating what he'd do before shaking his head, imitating the other. "Lo siento- Now shut the fuck up." He pulled the handcuffs back out of his pocket pulling the others hands into position before replacing them on. "Look what happens Roma.. When you don't keep your big ass mouth shut~ You get in trouble. I'd think you'd learn eventually- but no. Too stupid for that." Toni pressed his hand down on the Italian's waist as he quickly removed the others pants pulling them down, letting them hand around the shackle. Roma squirmed underneath him, wide eyed as he looked up at the Spaniard. "Mi dispiace! Really! Please!"
"I don't like lies Roma." He laughed lightly, tugging his boxers down too, "Ah such a cutie.."
He sat down between his legs, his feet resting beside Lovino's chest pressing into him tightly, making sure he didn't move as he dug in his pocket. "Ah I hope I didn't forget it-"
"What are you looking for now? You aren't seriously putting a condom on when you're about to-"
"No it's not a condom." He pulled out his small ribbon before tying it around the other member nice and tight. "I don't want you coming until I say so- I told you, I choose what happens amore."
Roma blushed even more than he already had been shaking his head, "Why would I even-!"
Toni's hand grazed over his member, before lightly stroking it. Roma wriggled beneath him, biting down on his lip as he shook his head, "I don't want it please.. I don't-"
He smirked, feeling his cock getting hard in his hand, "But look at that- you must." Roma sighed out, shaking his head, more hesitantly than before. "Amore- You do- What a little slut~ my slut. Si?" Weakly, Roma looked up at the other, his eyes half lidded as he stared.
"N-No.."
