It feels like a millennium passed since I wrote the first chapter...
I'm sorry, but I had an extreme writer's block, so...
Well, I think I can finish this whole thing before New Year, thanks to my Christmas break.
Still, I'm going to write GerIta smut before finishing this three-shots, because I feel so sorry for Feli...
I hope you enjoy this chapter:)
Lovino gazed out the window as the rich red tone of the sunset glowed just above the buildings, drawing long shadows that filled the gaps between them. It looked like a piece of art, so beautiful and peaceful... Unlike the cold, harsh reality that was chocking him, the world seemed like a utopia in its warm blanket of the last sun ray. The color that soaked that man's clothe.. was same as that sun...
At that thought, Lovino shuddered slightly, hugging himself tight desperately to stop the shivering. Breathing became so difficult that air he inhaled spread chills through his blood, while exhaling drew all strength out of him with shaky breaths. But a weight that was added on his shoulder gave him warmth, and gave him a feeling of being protected by something.
"Are you worried..?"
"...Why would I be. I was just fucking cold."
It was a poor lie; it was early summer in Naples, and how on earth can it be cold? Still, Lovino stared at Antonio's face with a face that was supposed to look scary. Though to Antonio, it was rather opposite of scary, for Lovino grabbed the sleeves of the brown jacket that he had place on the smaller one's shoulder and tried to fit himself in it, which was clearly too big for him. He made no sign of what he was thinking, though, since if he did, Lovino would be trying to shred him into pieces to hide his embarrassment.
"Well... You can have some of these to warm yourself."
Antonio opened the fridge in the small room and threw a can of beer which landed perfectly in Lovino's grip. Complaining about how cheap that beer was, Lovino sat down on the bed and opened the can. The taller man joined him, only to get his face hit by the pillow that Lovino threw toward him.
"You dare to sit on the same bed, bastard, let alone sleeping."
"But, it's the only bed in th-"
"Sit somewhere else."
"It's my room and-"
"It's your fault for getting this fucking small room out of all the others. Even the biggest room in this filthy inn won't be big enough for two 'men'."
After a short sigh, Antonio place himself on the floor next to the bed and had a long sip of beer. After all, he had never thought of bringing someone else in this room that he was using as his hide out until he ran into Lovino early in this afternoon. So, if he had tried to talk back, he could have won the conversation and the comfy seat on the bed. But he didn't want to disturbed the other's feeling, for he knew that it had been disturbed enough already.
"Get me another can."
"Um... You just drank the last can I had. And I think you already drunk enough..."
"Fucking bastard, are you telling me that I, the great Lovino, is drunk?"
"Y... nope. You are not drunk."
"Well, you'd better say that."
Antonio looked carefully at the other's face, trying to see if he was about to throw up. Lovino's face was red as tomato, and his eyes were half lidded; it was obvious that he was drunk. Antonio sighed as he stood up to clean up all the cans on the floor, while the brunet lied down on the bed, making it shriek in creepy sound.
"Hey..."
Sudden low tone caught Antonio. He turned around and saw Lovino's hand pounding on the empty space next to him. Slight chuckles left his mouth as he threw the cans away and headed to the bed; the smaller man was acting somewhat cute, like a 7-years-old kid, pouting just to get his parents' brunet's eyes were closed already, but he seemed to be still awake. The space left for him to sit was not that large, for the bed was barely big enough for one man. Yet, Antonio sat down next to the brunet, and gently brushed the sweat that was covering his face away.
"I always wanted an older brother... because of my stupid younger brother... I always had to take care of him..."
"Hmm, I don't have any siblings, so I don't know what it is like to-"
"It's pain in the butt, I guarantee you that."
"Oh..."
Starting from that, Lovino started bringing up random topics, and Antonio would answer whatever he was talking about. Many of those conversations were personal, as if Lovino was trying to get to know about the older one. And to Antonio's surprise, the brunet went as far to talk about something that he would dare talk to his own parents.
"You see, I had a boyfriend..."
"Uh... okay..? What was he like?"
"A total mother fucker who just loved to brag how handsome he was. He knew nothing about what love is."
"So you broke up?"
"More than that... more than just... breaking up."
Questioned look on Antonio's face was replaced by surprise once again as streams of tears flowed down Lovino's cheeks. He was unsure of what to do, but dared to clear the tears off with his finger. The hot temperature of his skin felt like burning fire under the slight touch of other's finger.
"He was a threat to my family... Caporegime wanted me to... eliminate him for the finance of our family..."
Words slipped out from the lips as smooth as silk. Antonio wasn't even sure if the drunken little man would regret talking too much about his personal affairs with mafia, but he had no choice but to listen to it. He didn't want to interrupt Lovino. If talking about this murder relieved his pain, Antonio was more than willing to carry his burden of guilt together.
"I was so eager to get that shitty face off the earth's surface... I hid in the crowd and waited for him. Then, he turned around, and... Bang..."
"..."
"I thought I would feel so happy when I finally get to see that jerk bleeding to death..."
"But... you didn't?"
Lovino's breathing became irregular, and soon changed into sobbing. Antonio startled as the brunet turned to face him and buried his face in his stomach. Strange feeling invaded his mind, as he saw the other crying so bitterly, and clinging to him to escape the despair of hopelessness. It was as if somebody held his arms out and gently put them down on the shaky body of the little one, caressing carefully; it was as if he was trying to comfort someone whom he loved.
"He smiled... when he saw me. He was trying to call my name... So, I thought... may be, he loved you after all... and stupid Lovino, you chose to kill him anyways... you could have asked him... I feel terrible..."
"You did it for your family, so-"
"I ran away after it... and my family won't accept any coward like me... They won't let me get away alive, either..."
Long silence held its place in the room. Antonio looked down to Lovino, who was just about to stop sobbing. He remained in same position, hugging the taller man tightly. Antonio knew that the brunet had no idea what he was doing. Yet, he hoped to keep the smaller man like this, until the morning sun arose to awake the drunken senses back.
"I won't let them get you, Lovi..."
"Hah, yeah... Someone like you... running away from the cops... Very reliable. What's your problem with them?"
"Hmm... How should I put this... I was falsely charged for a murder of someone... I loved. She... killed herself, but left no will. Her diary was found, but all she wrote there... were arguings we had, and... other troubles. I might have been a bad boyfriend for her, even though I tried not to be one. But I didn't kill her. Cops won't believe that so..."
Antonio's voice faded away as he dropped his head down to see Lovino's back slightly moving up and down as he breathing calmed down; the brunet was sound asleep. Antonio smiled as he laid the smaller one down properly on the bed and pulled the blanket over him. Then, he snuggled right next him, praying that Lovino wouldn't mind about it when he wakes up. Warm darkness filled the room when the light went off, and Antonio's mind started to drift away in the scent of alcohol still looming in the air. It was then, that two smaller hands firmly grasped Antonio's shirt, as the brown hair brushed against his face. Antonio gently patted the brunet, feeling the smaller body snuggling into his own.
"Do you... still love that boy friend of yours..?"
The cracked voice rang in the room. Antonio knew that it was his own voice, whispering quietly to himself. But it seemed like a small voice answered to the question, like a hint of hope glittering in the darkness.
"Nah... Need someone nicer... nice enough to take care of me..."
"Like hell, yeah, I need someone fucking nice enough to take care of this blabber mouthed me, but why the fuck did I say that to him?"
People's stares were fixed on him as his screeching shout echoed in the street. It was still early in the morning, but the streets were filled with tourist, making Lovino embarrassed yet annoyed at the crowd.
He had to keep his urge to kick Antonio out of the bed when he woke up. Partly, though he himself didn't want to admit it, it was because of the gentle warmth that he provided. Still, the bigger reason would be that even though he was drunk, he remembered every single thing that he did last night; all of those that he considered top secrets of his own were revealed by this cursed mouth, and his own body disobeying the conscience. So, he simply dashed out from the room, trying to forget about everything.
It wasn't that he was embarrassed or something... or yeah, but still, the thought of seeing Antonio that morning... It scared him. What would Antonio say about his actions? Him being mafia? And more than those, him being a gay?
"Shit... Why him... Why when I finally found someone who wants to take care of me... do I have to blabber everything-"
"Fratello..?"
Slight tap on his shoulder was enough to send Lovino on his guard, yet the glimpse of brown hair same as his stopped him from smacking the other on the head.
"It's me, Feliciano! please don't hurt me, fratello, I'm sorry!"
"What the fuck are you doing here, you moron! You are supposed to be in Venice!"
"Uh... I was just going to surprise you by visiting without any notice but... What are you doing in this early in the morning? Isn't it your day off?"
The curious look on his brother's face made Lovino sigh as he dragged the other into less crowded streets. His family doesn't know that Feliciano is here; he has right to know that he's in danger, and be protected. The brothers stood between old buildings, trying to hide themselves in the dark shadows.
"You see... I am in a great danger, and unfortunately... you, too, got involved just because you're my family."
"Vee..."
Feliciano's innocent look turned sad, unlike the surprised and scared face that Lovino expected. Amber eyes that reflected his own started to fill up with tears, when Lovino realized another layer of shadow had just started covering him. His attempt to turn around and check who the shadow belonged to fail, as a strong arm twisted his and held them tightly. The other arm chocked Lovino so hard that he could barely breath. All he could see was the betrayed look on Feliciano's face. All he could hear was Feliciano's unusual cold voice. Yet, all his heart cried for Antonio and his warmth.
"Then why did you kill a person, if you knew that I was going to get involved..?"
