I haven't posted or updated anything in a while... I've missed writing Spamano and so I was thinking and thinking about what to write, and this was born! Hope you enjoy it~

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Rated T for Lovi's potty mouth!

Lovino was always calmest when cooking. The sound of the knife steadily moving across the cutting board, the warmth of the water boiling for the pasta, the smell of various spices mingling in the air... All of these things put the normally irritable Italian at ease. Even more so if whatever he was cooking involved his favorite food - tomatoes. Lovino felt the tiniest of smiles forming on his face as he reached for the red orbs and began to dice them for his recipe. There was really nothing better than working with them. Oh how he loved tomatoes!

Lovino was so relaxed and focused on his cooking that he paid no mind to the ringing of the doorbell. The annoyingly repetitive rings that followed didn't bother him either. In fact, Lovino was so lost in his own little world that it wasn't until the Spaniard at the door used the spare key to let himself him and stood right behind Lovino that the Italian noticed anything, and even then, that was simply because the man made his appearance known with a bright, "Hi, Lovi~!"

"Gah, dammit, Antonio!" Lovino exclaimed, dropping his knife onto the counter with a loud clatter. His hand flew up to rest against his rapidly pounding heart while the other gave the Spanish man a firm thump on the head. "You bastard, don't startle me like that!"

Antonio pouted and rubbed the now sore spot on his head. "Sorry, Lovi, I didn't mean to scare you. It's just you hadn't answered the door, so I wanted to let you know that I got in okay!"

Lovino sighed. He was not going to point out the flaws in that logic, but - "How the hell did you get in anyway?"

"Oh, I just used the spare key your brother gave me."

Rolling his eyes, Lovino gave himself a mental reminder to kick Feliciano's ass later. Then, he picked up his knife again and returned to what he had been doing before Antonio interrupted. For his part, Antonio watched Lovino work quietly, sitting on the kitchen table as the Italian ran back and forth, boiling pasta, stirring sauce, placing the garlic bread in the oven... All of this Antonio observed unobtrusively, his legs swinging back and forth lightly.

Then Lovino got to the salad. He sliced, added and tossed the ingredients fairly quickly, only taking his time when he got to the tomatoes. It was during this time that Antonio finally hopped up from his spot on the table and made his way to Lovino. Moving so he was pressed right up against Lovino's back, he reached over the Italian's shoulder to snatch a slice of tomato. Antonio then pulled away, munching happily on his tomato slice.

Lovino whirled around and glared at his friend. "You know I don't like it when you do that, you dumbass." He pointed his knife at Antonio threateningly, hoping that would distract the other man from the blush blooming on his face. It didn't work.

"Aww, Lovi, you look just like this tomato~" Antonio even held up the tomato slice near Lovino's cheek as though to compare the colors. Huffing angrily, Lovino slapped his hand away. "Que precioso... Just like a tomato."

Lovino rolled his eyes. Only Antonio would think that looking like a tomato made him precious.

The two sat down to eat (Lovino had made plenty of food and so he reluctantly allowed Antonio to dine with him) and for some reason Antonio's words kept echoing in Lovino's mind. Unwillingly, Lovino found himself obsessing over it. What does he mean by that exactly? Is he that much of a weirdo to think that I look cute when I look like a tomato? But he always says that... so does he only think I'm cute because I resemble his favorite food?

Lovino tightened his grip around his fork; this was ridiculous. Lovino ate more fervently. Maybe if he stuffed himself with enough food, there'd be no room for those stupid rampant thoughts...

Lovino liked tomatoes. Everyone who knew him even a little bit knew at least that much. They had always held the spot of being his favorite food. He used them in as many dishes as possible. His favorite drink was a Bloody Mary. And the idea of Lovino damaging a tomato, even accidentally? Absurb, laughable even. It was for this reason that Lovino's actions the next day would have startled many.

This time Lovino was in his mini garden at the back of his house when his Spanish friend dropped by for another surprise visit. Antonio snuck up behind Lovino and gave him a big hug, also from behind, prompting the Italian to turn a dark shade of red. He stumbled out of Antonio's arms, stammering out a string of nervous curses.

"W-what the hell, you bastard? Who said you could just sneak up on me like that?"

Antonio beamed and poked his friend's cheek. "Nobody, silly, but is it so bad for me to want to visit you? I'm especially glad I got to see you all red and flustered like this~"

Lovino glared fiercely at him. "I am NOT flustered." That was a blatant lie and they both knew it, but Lovino was nothing if not in denial. Without waiting for a response, Lovino turned his back to Antonio and resumed his tomato-picking. Antonio rambled on obliviously, or perhaps he was simply used to this type of treatment from Lovino. He had certainly dealt with it long enough.

"Well, Lovi, even if you say you're not flustered, you're definitely red enough to fit in with the tomatoes here! Ahaha!" Antonio waved a hand in the air, indicating all the tomatoes in the garden with the gesture. He continued talking, throwing in more comments like this one every now and then.

Lovino kept his head bent low, studying the tomato in his hand so thoroughly that he seemed as though he was ignoring Antonio. He heard every sentence though, his mind dissecting and proccessing each word that spilled out of the Spaniard's mouth. Perhaps he was overthinking things, but Lovino couldn't help but feel as though Antonio was implying that his attractriveness came solely from... well, his resemblance to tomatoes. His hand unintentionally tightened around the fruit; he was surprised when he finally tiny streams of juice running through his fingers and down onto the ground. He made a conscious effort to loosen his grip after that, but he still didn't let go of that same tomato.

"You know, Lovi, you look so much like a tomato, I wonder if you smell and taste like one, too~!"

Lovino's eyes widened and he whipped his head around only to find Antonio leaning towards him, a smile still tugging at his lips as he did so. Standing up hurriedly, Lovino moved out of Antonio's reach. Then, overcome with something he couldn't quite identify, he threw the tomato at Antonio. It landed right in the middle of his forehead with a wet smack. Antonio's hand slowly reached up to wipe away the red mush, blinking at Lovino in pure shock. Looking very much embarrassed, and not to mention flustered, Lovino ran inside the house, shouting, "I'm nothing like a damn tomato!"

Tomatoes. Sure, Lovino guessed he liked tomatoes. Such a dull reaction to the fruit would shock people who knew Lovino, but if those people knew him well enough then they would notice that he has, in fact, been using tomatoes less and less in his recipes. Gazpacho? He hasn't had it in weeks. Salads? Hold the tomato please. Pasta sauce? Well, he has always preferred alfredo sauce…

That was a lie. It was a lie, and Lovino knew it. He had always preferred anything recipe, any dish, as long as it was well cooked and included that single glorious ingredient. And yet, here he was avoiding it as if it were a plague. Why?

"Lovi, what do you want for dinner?"

Lovino blinked and shook his thoughts away, turning instead to his Spanish friend, who was watching him with an expectant, but patient smile. Antonio reached into the fridge and took out two tomatoes. Passing one to Lovino, he said, "If you aren't hungry yet then we can just eat these as a snack for now~"

"Oh," Lovino said, and that was it. No other reaction, be it positive or negative, came from the Italian. He simply stared at the tomato in his hand, losing himself in his thoughts once again.

How did he feel about tomatoes? He was sure he-

"Come on, Lovi, dig in!" Antonio grinned and bit into his own snack eagerly. As he munched happily on his tomato, it looked as if he obviously expected Lovino would do the same. Mumbling to himself, Lovino opted to ignore the Spaniard and return to his thoughts. He was determined to figure this out.

When it came to tomatoes, Lovino would say that-

"Why aren't you eating your tomato, my little tomato?"

This time Lovino did answer him. "For the last time, I am not your tomato."

"But you look so much like one! It's so adorable, you just…"

Lovino's attention faded in and out while Antonio spoke. Every time he tried to finish his thoughts about tomatoes, he heard the bastard make another comment comparing him to them. It was irritating him to no end.

Lovino didn't love tomatoes. He didn't like them. He…

"-and you look so precious when you're blushing tomato red that I-"

"Dammit Antonio, I fucking HATE tomatoes!" Lovino shrieked. That was it. That was the statement his mind had been trying to grasp for the past ten minutes.

The silence that followed this statement was deafening. Lovino immediately clamped his hand over his mouth, while Antonio simply stared at him in shock, his own tomato set down on the counter. Had Antonio heard right? Surely Lovino hadn't just said that he hated tomatoes... But he had. And they both knew it.

"I… I…" Lovino began, searching for words and not finding any, because really, he didn't know what he wanted to say. Frustrated, he let out a cry of something that said it all without even being a real word. "Chigi!"

Even though he was still startled, Antonio's sense of care for Lovino kicked in and he rushed over to the Italian's side. He pressed a hand first against his forehead, then his cheek. His warm, calloused hand lingered on Lovino's cheek and guided his head up so that the two were locking gazes. In a solemn, worried voice, Antonio asked, "Are you okay?"

Angry for some inexplicable reason, Lovino jerked himself back and responded, "Why wouldn't I be okay? Jeez, so what so what if I don't like tomatoes?" Antonio opened his mouth to answer, but Lovino barreled on without allowing him to get even a sound in. A dam had been broken inside him, and what feelings that dam had been repressing! The angry, the insecure, the fearful words gushed out, and Antonio was right in their path. His green eyes were wide as if in awe of what went on before him.

"Why would anyone like tomatoes when they're always being freaking compared to them? Huh? I don't care if they're the only reason you think I'm cute, it's just not fair! They take up too much of your attention and the time that you should be talking to me you waste calling me a damn tomato! I want to be loved for me, not for some damn fruit vegetable shit that you claim I look like! Which I fucking don't!"

Seconds passed, then a minute, with no movement except for the steady up and down of Lovino's shoulders as he panted and a blink every so often from Antonio as his brain processed what Lovino had just shouted at him. Finally after a long stretch of time that went on like this for who knows how long, Antonio said, simply as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "But Lovino, I don't love you because you look like a tomato, I love tomatoes so much because they remind me of you."

This time it was Lovino's turn to blink. "W-what?"

Antonio nodded. "Of course I love you for yourself, Lovino. I only compare you to a compare you to a tomato because of how red you get at times. But the compliments, the affection, the love is is all for you. Thinking that my feelings for tomatoes could even compare with how I feel for you is... laughable really. I don't mean to say that I'm laughing at you , mi querido, but in my eyes everything pales in comparison to you. It's silly to even doubt that I love anything or anyone more."

Antonio wrapped his arms around Lovino, smiling down at the blushing man, who was now struggling for a proper response. Lovino couldn't bring himself to meet Antonio's radiant stare as he muttered, "...W-well I blame you for making me think that... but still, I-I'm glad I got to actually hear you say the words because... well, because I feel the same. I love you, too, Antonio."

Antonio smiled that wonderfully bright smile of his, and almost at once Lovino felt more at ease. Being in Antonio's arms was comforting, relaxing even. In fact, it almost reminded Lovino of the way he felt when cooking. Almost, because the feeling of Antonio's arms around him was way better than successfully cooking the most delectable dish. Speaking of cooking...

"I don't, um, really... hate tomatoes... anymore..." Lovino murmured, looking down and fiddling with the buttons of Antonio's shirt. His own foolishness and overreaction had hit him full force and he was feeling rather embarrassed, if not ashamed, by what he had said early. Feeling that this little statement was not enough, he added, "And you can call me your tomato all you want... because I don't mind being called one long as it means that I'm yours."

Antonio's grin softened to something gentle and sweet, something that made Lovino's heart thud erratically and his skin feel tingly. "Of course, my Lovino. I love calling you mine, just like how I love you."

That was all that he said before pressing his lips against Lovino's in a kiss. A kiss that started out sweet and progressed to possessive to needy to loving and romantic; it was the kind of kiss that left both of them breathless afterwards. And both could honestly say that nothing else could compare.

"Better than a tomato?" Lovino asked, a small smile playing on his now swollen lips.

"Way better. Always," Antonio told him, already leaning in for another. Lovino complied, and his only thought was, "Love... I love Antonio..."

So there you have it! What did you think? Please let me know in a review~! Reviews are like little tomatoes ^^

Oh, and I have a little challenge for you. I made an reference/quote thingy to a Hetalia song in here. Did you find it? If so, tell me and you get... uhh... you get me acknowledging your success? xD