I felt fat.

The suit wasn't helping dissuade that feeling. Not one bit. Of course, it was a possibility that the mirror was at fault. But it couldn't be the latter, because Sophia Madrigal Vargas would rather die than have a faulty mirror in her house.

No everything inside the house was properly picked after being observed, scrutinized, weighed, and tested for durability all the while considering how it'll it in with the rest of the house items.

There was no room for error. No room for faults.

Hence the unlikely probability of the mirror being faulty. Sophia would make sure of that.

And of course, the same goes for a faulty son.

"Lovino, perhaps we should cut back on your dinner portions. You're looking a little... too healthy."

Translation; It wasn't just a feeling- you really are fat.

This was something I had to go through on a daily basis. My mother had nothing better to do at the time than to give all her focus and attention to her darling wonderful children.

Particularly the eldest, which would be me, if that wasn't obvious enough.

Lovino Vargas. The heir. Her prezioso. The one who was next in line.

I didn't really want to inherit any of the things entitled to me but I didn't feel like pushing everything off to my brother either. As such, I had to act as any older brother would do. Like hell was I dooming my fratellino with a life of responsibility and entrapment when I could handle it myself.

I'm not saying Feliciano can't handle it. Don't misunderstand because he is a Vargas and Vargas' are perfectly capable of standing on their own two feet. Yes, incredulous bastard, even sweet and dear Feliciano.

You'd be surprised by what thoughts have passed through my fratellino's mind. You'd do well to remember that behind a smiling face is a plotting mind full of mischief.

And he could pay me back in another life. Yes. I was... somewhat aware. I don't always remember all my past lives. After every rebirth you kinda forget what happened the last eighty-three or so times. You still remember the most recent dozen or so lives but no more than that.

Why? I don't fucking know. It's just how it worked. The creators that be were too busy to provide instruction manuals but if I figure it out I'll let you know.

Anyways, why am I telling you all this? Well. To put it simply- I'm honestly not gonna bore you with every single life (it's not because I don't r-remember them dammit!) I'd had before I met... him. Dio no I'd never put anyone through that torture. Instead, I'll get on ahead and tell you about how we met.

Or didn't meet.

But we did meet in the end.

... It's hard to explain dammit!

Funny though how fate works. I did my hardest to avoid meeting him but...

Picture this. You have the heir, me. Born privileged, entitled to all good things, and a life without work- or at least manual labor.

Then, you have him. Poor man's poor son living life by routine, day in and day out. A never ending cycle. A wheel that never turned.

We were so far apart. And yet. We were so close.

As a man of my position, I wasn't meant to mingle with the so called common people. I didn't think that way because "people are still people. Fuck what the circles say!" and all that crap about being better than the social collars clasped around our necks.

Easier said than done.

Expectations, stipulations, and prohibitions. You've no idea how many rules I had over my head. Disobeying them would mean turning my back on my family, choosing to rebel when all I've been asked to do is to do these and to not do these.

Dio mio I can already hear the disembodied voices- dishonor on you, dishonor on your family, and fuckity fuck yes dishonor on your stupid damn cow too! Or horse. We didn't have a cow. Horses, those we got plenty.

To a common man though, something as minute as rules, frankly, didn't exist.

"Hola!"

He started the conversation. As perusual, the greeting wasn't directed to me. It was directed to Kiku, Feliciano's personal tutor and friend.

The Asian man, employed and paid generously by my parents, always spoke on behalf of my brother and consequently myself when Roderich was unavailable. Roderich was my tutor, older than I was by... a decade maybe. He had such a timeless face it's as if he didn't age- creepy.

He interceded and acted as an envoy whenever my brother and I were allowed that rare trip to the market. When Roderich was unavailable, like I said, Kiku took over his job of keeping us away from them.

Kiku spoke kindly to him, as he was inclined to do and at the time I chose to ignore them. I was tired and my suit was hot and stuffy (DIO was I really putting on weight?!). I honestly just wanted to go home.

"You're name is Feliciano? How cute!"

Tch. Stupid Feli. He knows better than to talk to them. This man could lose his head.

"And what is your name?"

I ignored him. Heck I didn't even glance at his direction. My thoughts were on only one thing; my bed. My lovely bed with all my pillows that would probably be warm from the afternoon sun and oh so welcoming for an early evening siesta.

I sighed and glared at my fratello's back. "Feliciano will you hurry up? I want to go home."

There were eyes on me. I could feel them and yes, as you can guess- I ignored them.

Until a pomodoro floated into my field of vision.

"Perhaps you'll spare me a glance?"

I turned my head and did more than just that.

I couldn't. Fucking. Look away.

"You have lovely eyes."

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat.

I don't know what his eyes looked like because I was too stuck starring at the tomato in his hand.

And guess what else was on his hand- or more specifically his ring finger.

That's fucking right.

The stupid string of fucking fate.

That was the moment we met you know, rather anticlimactic. He didn't save me from a burning house and no we didn't bump into each other as if fate decided it would be nice to trip me like some damsel, which I am fucking not, straight into his arms.

No. He offered me a tomato.

And to an innocent bystander- I just couldn't look away.

AN: Hey there! I finally got around to writing this. I'm so sorry it took so long. Life got in the way. Thank you for all the faves, follows, and reviews! I appreciate each na every one of them! Hope you guys are still reading! Send me your thoughts!

Nique