Neither Aly nor I own Hetalia. The characters belong to their respective owners. All we take claim for is the plot.

Now, enjoy~!

Lovino couldn't help but grin slightly at Antonio's childlike expression. He wondered how someone who had yelled at him earlier could suddenly be so happy. However he did it, Lovino didn't want him to stop. They had been in the café for a long time; the sky was considerably darker with the changing season. He didn't notice it, but he was walking a bit closer to Antonio than he had on the way to the café.

"What do you want to do now, Lovi?" Antonio was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. Excitement had welled up inside of him and was threatening to burst out if he didn't do something soon.

This time Lovino did laugh. Why did Antonio have to be so adorable? He gave a small shrug, shyly staring at his feet. "You dragged me out here, you pick."

"Oh nononono! I picked the café, now you should pick whatever else!" Thunder rolled across the sky and raindrops started falling. "¡Rápidamente!"

He glanced up to the rumbling sky, huge drops of rain beginning to splash onto the sidewalk. He thought quickly, "Um, would you like to come to my place?" he stumbled. He didn't even know what they would do when they got there, but some part of him wanted Antonio to stay with him.

"I would love to." Antonio took a deep breath before grasping Lovi's hand, hoping beyond hope he wouldn't pull away or cuss him out. When nothing happened, Antonio smiled through the rain and said, "Lead the way."

Lovino's breath hitched slightly at Antonio's warm grasp, but he hesitantly entwined his fingers with the other's. Everything about Antonio was warm and loving, and deep down Lovino was afraid that he would get frustrated with his personality and move on. But he didn't want to think about that now.

Antonio's heart skipped a beat when he felt Lovino's fingers intertwine with his own. His warm hands were a stark contrast to the freezing water. They had been outside for less than thirty seconds, but it had already started raining buckets. Water soaked Antonio, running down his face and chest. He shivered, wishing he had his jacket back, but not willing to ask for it. He had more pressing matters to think about, like how Lovi had just reacted.

Turning a corner, he headed in the direction of his small neighborhood. The rain poured down harder; water was now dripping from Lovi's head. "It's not much but..." he trailed off, spitting out water.

The Italian led them to a small neighbourhood and they stopped in front of the last house on the street. "Not much? It's beautiful!" Antonio gazed at the tiny house. Lovi was right; it wasn't much, but he appreciated it all the same. Anything to get him inside from the rain was welcome.

He scoffed, "I tried alright?" he muttered under his breath, reaching into his pocket to get out his key to unlock the door. The inside of his house wasn't filthy, but more of just a disorganized clutter of things. He didn't have company often. He grunted, slightly embarrassed, and kicked a few boxes out of his way.

Almost everything Lovino said made Antonio smile. The house was cozy on the inside. Any open space was filled with something or another, giving off the air of a disorganised mess, but a mess that one could live with. Antonio sneezed, covering his mouth with an elbow and then smiling sheepishly. "Lo siento Lovi."

Lovino rubbed his neck nervously. Was his home really that dusty? "Mi dispiace for the mess," he apologized before looking down and seeing that he was still holding onto the Spaniard's hand.

"It's not the mess, it's the weather." Antonio said, sneezing and coughing repeatedly. "Rain never agreed with me." Antonio squeezed Lovi's hand reassuringly.

Lovino looked at Antonio like one would look like a lonely puppy left out in the rain. A wave of guilt washed over him, "Bastard! You should have taken your coat back! You're soaking wet!" he worried, staring at him with panicked hazel eyes.

Another sheepish grin broke out across Antonio's face. "It's nothing. I'm fine." The Spaniard was anything but fine. His hair was plastered to his forehead and his white, button-down shirt was completely soaked through; practially transparent. His sneezed had subsided into coughing fits.

Clearly panicked now, Lovino led the sneezing Spaniard to the couch and sat down next to him, pulling up a blanket that had been pushed onto the floor from when Lovino would fall asleep on his couch. He wrapped it around Antonio's shoulders, not bothering to think of why he suddenly cared so much. "I can make another pot of coffee or something..." he trailed off, his eyes not leaving the shivering man's.

"You know what would make me warmer?" Antonio said, smiling micheviously.

"Hm?" Lovino replied, still not used to the other's brilliant grin.

Antonio stretched out his arms, opening and closing his hands as if reaching for something. "Hug. Ahora."
At first, he leaned back slightly, shocked. He couldn't even remember the last time he had hugged anyone. Eventually, though every voice in his stubborn mind was scolding him not to, he sighed and hesitantly closed the gap of space between them by wrapping his small arms around Antonio's wet frame. His heart raced in his chest, and he wondered if the other could feel it.

Antonio's arms circled around Lovi, pulling him closer. "Gracias, mi tomate." His fingers ran through the smaller man's hair before he pulled away, grinning. "I think I may have gotten you wet."

Lovino let out a shaky laugh when the man pulled away. He would never admit it, but he almost wished that he hadn't let go. "I'm already damp from the rain don't worry," he said with a grin. When was the last time he had smiled this much in less than an hour?

"Look Lovi! You're turning red again!" Antonio grabbed Lovi's face and pulled it closer, staring at his cheeks. "So cute~"

"Agh!" Lovino silently cursed his bashful nature. "Quit that!" he whined, glaring at the Spaniard's grinning face, which he now realized was only inches from his own.

Both Antonio's brain and his heart had become painfully aware of the almost nonexistent space separating their two faces. He smiled, searching Lovino's face. His heart screamed for him to close the distance between their lips, but his brain said otherwise. They were both overruled as his throat seized up, preparing a cough. At the last second, he pulled away.

Lovino blinked rapidly as though he had been awakened from a trance. "Gosh, this is my fault.. cazzo.." he whispered to himself before looking back to the sniffling man at his side. The rain continued to poor heavily onto Lovino's small roof. "Maybe you should stay here tonight," he grumbled, "The rain isn't letting up." He was practically shaking from nervousness.

"No no...it's fine." Antonio sneezed once more. "I don't want to be a bother for you." He shivered. His wet clothes were not helping his current condition in the slightest.

"I don't mind, really!" he blurted before catching himself, "Um, if y-you don't want to then that's fine." He aimlessly picked at a loose string on his sweater. A loud clap of thunder ripped through the clouds outside, making the tiny house almost shake.

"You're sure you don't mind?" An enormous clap of thunder sounded, making Antonio turn around and look out the window. He shivered again, doubting that he would be able to walk home in this weather.

"No, stay." Without thinking, Lovino leaned over wrapped his arms around Antonio again when he shivered. He stiffened, fearing he had gotten the wrong signals.

The Italian's sudden affection was surprising but welcome all the same. "Gracias, Lovi." His hands ran through the smaller man's hair once again before he became very aware of the hotness of Lovi's skin, very contradictory to the cold of his clothes. "Um Lovi? You wouldn't happen to have clothes I can change into, would you?"

Lovino backed away almost instantly, "Un momento." He dashed down the hallway and into his bedroom, fishing through his drawers to find something that would fit the Spaniard. During his search, he panicked inside his head. Why is he letting a Spanish man he met on the street stay at his house? Why was he being so friendly and kind even though Lovino had been so rude? Why did his heart beat so fast when he touched him? He hurried back to the living room, trying shake off his bouncing thoughts. "Sorry they're so small," he sighed, handing a t-shirt and sweatpants to Antonio.

"Gracias again. Can you show me where the bathroom is, so I can change?" Antonio stood up from the couch, no longer sopping wet but still uncomfortable.

"Down the hall, take a left." he pointed down the hallway he had just been down.

"Grazie amici." Antonio in the direction he had been pointed. Once he got into the bathroom, he broke out in sweat and had to steady himself on the sink. His heart was beating madly in his chest, almost in time with the crazy thoughts that spun in and out of his head. Was there the possibility that Lovino liked him? If not, why had he been so affectionate? And if so, how much did the Italian like him? He stripped, still thinking wildly.

Lovino stood, not bringing himself to sit down. He felt dizzy, this was all happening too fast. He tried to think little of it, Antonio would spend the night and then he'd leave and they'd never see each other again, right? A volt of pain shot through his veins at this thought, and he came to the painful realization that he did not want Antonio to leave. He sighed, feeling hopeless.

Antonio splashed his face with cold water repeatedly, mentally smacking himself. Get a grip, Antonio! He thought, smacking himself physically this time. He could not have fallen for Lovino. He had known the man for what, approximately two hours? The face that he was staying over his house was nothing; he would've done the same for anyone, given the situation. The fact that he was wearing his clothes was nothing also, or so Antonio tried to tell himself that.

Drumming his fingers impatiently, Lovino finally brought himself to move to turn the TV on, so the room had a little more noise than just the pouring rain. He heard the water running in the bathroom and wondered if Antonio was okay, but he didn't want to seem bothersome. Dammit, why did he care so much about the stupid Spaniard?

Antonio breathed deeply once more before opening the door and walking back to the living room. Lovino had turned the TV on. Its noise was calming and it let Antonio clear his mind more.

Lovino turned at the creak of the door opening. Seeing Antonio in Lovino's small sweats made his cheeks burn again, but thankfully it was darker in the room now. He sat on the couch with his knees tucked into his chest.

Antonio sat down next to Lovino. He focused on the TV for a brief second, barely registering what it was showing before more pressing matters caught his attention. Lovino was so close.

It wasn't that late, but Lovino could already feel his eyelids becoming heavy. He glanced once at the man at his side before staring back at the television, his heart soaring in his chest. Was this ever going to end?

Tension increased. Where was the easygoing atmosphere that they had had only minutes before? This new tension was not welcome, at all.

Leaning back into the couch, he let out a shaky breath. His palms were beginning to sweat slightly. Lovino felt like shouting in anger and confusion, why couldn't he just get over the fact that Antonio just needed a place to stay for the night and that it was nothing more? His eyes were only half open - he was exhausted.

More tension-filled minutes passed. Antonio snuck a glance at Lovino. His face had calmed and his breathing evened out. Had he fallen asleep? Antonio gazed at Lovino's face, taking in every feature. The constant scowl that had etched permanent lines had disappeared, leaving Lovi looking peaceful and like a child again.

Lost in his thoughts, Lovino couldn't help but give into his exhaustion. Part asleep, he didn't even notice that he was slightly leaning against Antonio.

"Lovi?" Antonio called softly. When no answer came, he leaned back against the couch. Lovino fell over, his head resting on Antonio's torso. His mouth was opened slightly as he slept.

For the first time in a while, Lovino actually dreamed. He dreamed of laying in a field with Antonio, the air filled with not the bitter cold of autumn but the soft warmth of spring. They lay hand in hand, just talking about pointless things. It was strangely peaceful in a way Lovino didn't know. He ever so slightly smiled in his sleep.

Antonio stared at the Italian for a little while longer, admiring his face. Lovino smiled slightly in his sleep. The change was so minuscule that Antonio almost barely saw it. Antonio however, smiled largely and picked up Lovino from the couch. He walked down the hallway, past the bathroom, and into what had to be Lovino's bedroom.

Lovino's eyes fluttered softly, registering that he was being moved. He didn't want to awake his sweet dream, though he'd never admit that if he were conscious.

Walking in the room, it was a miracle Antonio didn't trip and fall. Boxes, discarded clothes, and all other sorts of items were strewn everywhere. After some struggle, he made it to the bed and placed Lovino down on it gently.

His eyes opened halfway, and he felt that he was in his bed. Confused and half asleep, he mumbled, "A-Antonio?"

Lovino's half-lidded eyes look up him. "Si, mi tomate. I am here."

Lovino smiled, still lost in his dream. "Toni.." he whispered.

"Go back to sleep, Lovi. I am here." Antonio kissed Lovino on the forehead, letting his lips linger for the smallest amount of time.

Though he may have imagined it, Lovino thought he could feel a light kiss on his forehead. He sighed and turned to lay on his side, falling asleep again.

Antonio turned on his heel and walked out of the room, shutting the door gently behind him.

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~Aly and Renee