The Exception
Italy smiled at his older brother before reaching for the door handle. "Ve~, fratello!"
Romano looked over at his brother, raising an eyebrow. "Si?"
"I'm going to visit Germany, ok?" Italy opened the door and took one step over the threshold. "I'll be back tomorrow. Ciao!" With that, Italy left, closing the door behind him.
Romano sighed and glared at the spot where his brother had been. He was leaving him alone in the house to be with the stupid potato bastard. It's not that he didn't enjoy the peace and quiet every once in a while but it was becoming more frequent and it was starting to annoy him, especially considering his brother was leaving to see his stupid boyfriend while he had nobody.
Romano sighed and turned his attention back to the book he had been reading. Not that anybody would want to be around him for any lengthy period of time anyway. Except for the tomato bastard, Spain, who was probably his best friend. Not that Romano would ever say such a thing out loud. And besides, Spain probably only liked him for that stupid inheritance he had from his grandfather. Everyone liked Italy more than him, and Spain was probably no exception.
His thoughts were interrupted by the door bell ringing. He thought that maybe, if he ignored it, they would go away.
When a minute or so had gone by. Romano thought that they had left but then he heard a loud knock on the door. "Lovi! Are you home?"
Romano swore in Italian under his breath. It was that damn tomato bastard. He sighed, knowing Spain wouldn't give up, and opened the door.
Spain smiled upon seeing the southern portion of Italy. "Hola, Lovi. I heard that Feli was visiting Germany and thought that you may be lonely by yourself!"
Romano was definitely pleasantly surprised by this but didn't want it to show. "What makes you think I want company, you damn bastard?"
Spain merely smiled, used to Romano insulting him. "Aw, come on Lovi! I even brought some fresh tomatoes from my garden and a movie we could watch!"
Romano felt a smile tug at his mouth but kept his cold mask on. "Cazzo idiota, I can get tomatoes from my own garden…" But he sighed and moved out of the way. "But fine, come in."
Spain smiled. "Gracias Lovi." He entered the large home, a basket of tomatoes under one arm, and a movie in his other hand.
Spain set the basket in the kitchen and brought two tomatoes into the living room with him, handing one to Romano.
Romano took the tomato from the Spaniard. "What movie did you bring?" he asked before taking a bite from the red fruit.
"Titanic." Romano almost choked.
"That's a love story, cazzo bastardo!" Romano yelled at the Spanish man.
"I know." Spain merely smiled his goofy smile as always. "But I hear it's good, so I thought we could watch it together."
Romano went red in the face, not wanting to watch a cheesy romance movie with him.
Spain noticed the Italian man's red face and smiled wider. "Aw, youre face is red like a little tomato~!"
Romano blushed harder and gave the Spaniard a weak punch in the arm. "Cazzo bastard!"
Spain smiled through the insults and Romano stopped fuming. This man always managed to put up with his swearing, and cold and distant attitude. Maybe…
No. Romano shook his head. He just wanted the inheritance like everyone else. That's the only reason anyone ever put up with him. They were all after the inheritance. He was just too unlovable.
"Well, will you watch it with me?" Romano was once again snapped out of his train of thought by the Spanish man. He looked at that goofy grin he had become so accustomed to and sighed.
"Fine," he answered.
"Yay!" Spain pulled that Italian into a hug. "Gracias, Lovi."
Romano felt the strong arms wrap around him and struggled out of the hold. "Bastard, let me go!"
Romano managed to free himself and straighten out. "Just put the movie in the DVD player…"
Spain smiled and did as he was told, opening the case and removing the movie to place it in the player. He closed the case and sat next to Romano, holding the remote.
The main menu had showed up and he pressed play, placing the remote on the coffee table.
Romano sighed and layed back on the sofa, knowing this was going to be a long movie.
As the movie progressed, it wasn't all that bad. It was probably the cheesiest movie Romano had ever watched, but at least he didn't have to deal with the idiot he called his friend.
It was until the end came where the things began to get awkward. Of course the time came where Jack was about to die after the ship crashed into the iceberg and they were saying how much they loved each other and Jack begging that the girl never let go.
Romano stared down at his own hands, somewhat sadly. He would never say such a thing out loud, but he sometimes wished he could be like the other nations. They were kind and had lovers to keep them company. His brother had Germany, Canada had Germany's older brother Prussia, England was with America, and the list went on. He was simply alone, the most unlovable of the nations with all of his flaws.
Spain looked at Romano out of the corner of his eye and noticed the brunette staring at his hands, entwining his fingers together.
Spain smiled and took one of Romano's hands in his own.
Romano's eyes widened at the contact and he was about to swear at Spain and yank his hand back, but couldn't bring himself to do so after seeing the Spaniard's soft smile.
So he sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day and allowed the other man to pull his hand away so their entwined fingers lay in between the both of them.
Finally, the movie had ended and Spain turned to the other man, his smile back to it's original dopy look. "I liked it. What did you think, Lovi?"
Romano rolled his eyes. "It was ok, I guess."
Spain smiled, knowing that he had in fact liked it.
Romano turned his gaze away from the older man, a light blush dusting his cheeks. It was then that Spain realized their hands were still interlocked.
Spain smiled and held the hand tightly, using it to pull the smaller man toward him in a hug. "Thank you for watching it with me, Lovi."
Romano squirmed in the grasp a little but calmed down and reluctantly returned the hug. "De niente, bastardo…"
Spain smiled and held Romano in his embrace for a while before pulling away, smiling softly at the other.
Romano felt tears start to prick his eyes. Why did the damned Spaniard have to be so kind?
Spain noticed Romano's shining eyes and his smile vanished, replaced with a curious look of concern. "Lovi…?" Why did he let himself be so close to him?
Romano averted his gaze, looking down. Why did his voice have to be so concerned right now?
"What's wrong…?" Why did he ever let there be an exception to the rule?
"Lovi, please tell me, I can see your tears…" Why did he have to let himself fall in love?
Romano sniffled lightly and Spain pulled him back into his tight embrace. "Shhh, Lovi. Why are you crying?"
Romano let out choked sobs. "Ti amo…" Romano buried his head in the crook of Spain's head. "You damned bastard…"
Spain was shocked and a surprised look showed on his face. But he soon smiled and rubbed Romano's back lovingly. "Te amo, tambien, Lovi…"
Romano felt fresh, hot tears fall down his cheeks at the words. Could it actually be possible that to somebody he was lovable and not just somebody who had a lot of money to his name?
He didn't care if it wasn't; he was willing to take the chance with the idiotic Spaniard he called his best friend.
Romano pulled away from the hug so Spain could see his face. Spain's face went back to being concerned when he saw the streaks of salty tears and puffy, red eyes on his dear Italian. He kissed the tear streaks."I don't like seeing you cry, Lovi…" Romano nearly started crying again.
He looked up at the Spaniard, who leaned down to lightly press his lips against the smaller brunette's. Romano's eyes fluttered closed as he leaned into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Spain's neck.
Spain pulled Romano flush up against him, holding him tightly. He pulled away, a tender, loving smile on his face.
Romano looked into the soft, green eyes and sucked in a breath. He saw every truth the other had told him that day.
He buried his head in his Spanish companion's chest. He knew Spain had not lied when he told him he loved him.
Spain smiled and held his little Italian close to him, the both of them falling asleep on the couch.
-The Next Day-
Italy opened the door to his home, about to call to him brother to inform him of his return, when he saw him and Spain asleep on the couch. Italy smiled and quietly closed the door. He looked at the two sleeping forms. Italy felt a prick of concern upon seeing dried tears on his brother's face and that his eyes were red and swollen but smiled when he saw that the other two nations were smiling.
He grabbed a blanket from the other room before coming back into the living room and giving it a flick of his wrist so it unfolded onto the two hugging countries.
With that taken care of, he took out the movie and put it back in it's case as well as putting the tomatoes Spain had brought over into the fridge, before retreating to his room, still smiling to himself.