Lovino had never told me he could dance. He hadn't told me about the piano playing, either. He said that art wasn't his thing. What he obviously didn't understand was, there are so many different kinds of art. I knew, from the minute I walked in on him playing an original piece on my worn-out piano, that it wasn't only his little brother that the Renissance had smiled upon. My little tomate had talents other than being completely useless and a sailor's mouth that was quite impressive for his age.

That doesn't mean I wasn't surprised when he walked into my study and pulled on my sleeve.

"I want to show you something." No sass, no swearing. He looked at me earnestly, determination hardening his twenty year old features. "Come out to the patio. Bring your guitar."

"Sì, Lovi~." I jumped up from my paperwork and grabbed my guitar from the corner. I never let it get too far away. Holding its familiar golden neck, I followed my henchman down the stairs and outside.

The late Spanish afternoon hit like a wave of bathwater as I stepped out the door. The air betrayed a hint of fall, and the reddening tomatoes in the garden glistened like the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.

"Hey, Antonio, over here. You look stupid staring at nothing with that dumb expression on your face." Lovino crossed his arms impatiently. With the sun hitting his hair and highlighting the red in it, and the murderous expression in his eyes, he looked almost demonic. With a sigh, I remembered that this was Lovi, he always looked like that.

I found a crate and pulled it over to where he was standing, back to the setting sun. The crate, one of about two dozen, would be used to hold tomatoes after the harvest. I sat down, guitar in lap.

"What should I play?"

"Anything. Something with a quick beat." I fingered the chords to my favorite song. I strummed a bit to make sure I was all tuned up, then I started in on the melody.

As I watched, Lovino began to tap his feet to the beat of my playing. Then his feet began to move faster, faster, impossibly fast. He slowly raised his arms, holding them, slightly bent, in front of him. With the rosy glow of the sunset illuminating him in an unearthly way, he seemed less like a demon, and more like a creature from a fairy tale.

He finished and bowed, his chocolate hair falling into his eyes. Straightening, he grinned impishly at me.

"You like, Boss?" How could I respond to that? Lovi certainly wasn't a little kid anymore, he was growing up. The way he smiled told me he knew that. "Still wanna trade me?" Though his tone was boastful and arrogant, there was an undercurrent of uncertainty. Almost as if he were silently begging, say no, say no! Keep me!

I stood, and adjusted the strap of my guitar so the instrument was slung over my back.

"Lovi~ I didn't know you could dance."

"Big surprise, eh? You thought it was Feli who was good at everything. Well nope, I'm the dancer." His amber eyes glowed, but that pleading was still there.

"You didn't honestly think I would give you up, did you?" I cupped his chin in my hand, and to my surprise, he didn't pull away. "I love you more than life itself." He took half a step back.

"Um, okay. Well…this is kinda awkward…" I smiled sadly at him, my shoulders sagging.

"I'll, just, um…go put my guitar away and get back to work." I turned to go, only to feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Tonio…ti amo." I turned in shock. Ti amo. I love you. Before I could reply, his lean body was crushed against mine. "Ti amo, Antonio, I always have." I sighed out of pure relief and hugged him back. I just prayed the day he begged for independence would never come…