Here's chapter 3! the 'something big' thing that i was talking about in chapter 2 is here, and it also leads into chapter 4. thanks again for reading!

Alfred and Arthur walked back to the party pavilion hand-in-hand. Several people who had brought presents and brightly colored gif bags for the young blonde-haired person followed the two. Arthur seemed much more relaxed, as did Matthew who now caught up to the two and gave his brother a surprisingly big hug. Gilbert raised his eyebrows and looked over at Ludwig, tugging on his arm and walking over to Alfred and crew.

"Come on West, I gotta to say 'hi' to the guy!" Gilbert continued to walk, Ludwig following closely behind. "Hey, Alfie! Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks dude! Really great seeing you here." Alfred smiled and patted Gilbert on the back when the two brothers finally caught up with him. "Did you help plan this?"

Arthur and Ludwig both laughed and rolled their eyes. "Gilbert has a hard time planning his own day, let alone a party like this." Ludwig hid a small smile.

"H-hey! I am totally capable of planning a party, hell, wait until your birthday West! We'll see who ca-"

"Anyway," interrupted Ludwig. "Here is the gift that I remembered to get on behalf of both of us. It's not much, but I'm sure you'll find a good use for it." He handed the box to Arthur, who now looked like he was going to collapse from all the gifts. The Brit nodded back towards the parking lot and stumbled his way over the sand, heading back to his car to put the presents in the trunk. 'How come I didn't get that many presents on my birthday?' Gilbert crossed his arms. Something in the pocket of his trunks started to vibrate. He took out his phone and a smiled slid across his face when he saw Lovino's number on the screen.

"Ah, sorry I'm ditching you so soon," Gilbert interrupted the two. "but I'll be right back, I gotta call. I'll catch up with you later, alright?" Gilbert started to walk over to the parking lot where his car was parked.

"Ok! But dude don't forget about the cake Mattie bought! Its gonna be so good!" Alfred yelled back in response, but Gilbert was already talking to Lovino on the other line.

"I'm waiting outside of my car idiot, calm down for fuck's sake."

"It took you long enough." The albino smirked and stepped over the small wired fence that bored the black, sandy parking lot. He looked around and saw a red Ferrari 458 Italia (surprise surprise, Gilbert knew a lot about cars) and a familiar brunette leaning against the driver's door. He hung up and made his way over to him.

"That's some car you got there. Mind if I use her a couple times?" He tried to look into the car's tinted windows, only to be pulled away by a warm hand on his shoulder.

"Don't get your dirty fingers on my car." Lovino glared at him with dull eyes.

"Geez, what's you today? Don't tell me you're gonna be like this for the whole day."

Lovi simply pouted his lips and slung his beach bag over his shoulder. He put his sunglasses on (because everyone knows an Italian with class is never caught without a pair in public) and looked over at the shore. A cool breeze passed by their legs, making Lovino shiver. After all, flip-flops, dark red trunks and loose tank top wasn't exactly making him feel so concealed. Gilbert grabbed his hand, looking at him cheerfully.

"Well, the party's over there. So whenever you're done staring at whatever it is your staring at, did you wanna head over?" Gilbert tugged a bit on his hand.

"That's what I was doing bastard, now let go! I don't need your help to walk across the fucking parking lot."

"You kinda look like you do." Muttered Gilbert teasingly.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing! Just come on!" Gilbert was starting to jog back over to the shaded beach pavilion, still holding onto Lovino's hand, who was now trying to keep up with the taller man in front of him.

'Oh fuck' The Italian could feel his face warm up. 'We're fucking h-holding hands, and walking on the beach together, and everyone will be able to see us-' Lovino stopped walking.

"Shit."

Gilbert turned around, a confused expression on his face. "Why'd you stop?"

"Was… An.. Antonio invited here?" Lovino felt his palms start to get sweaty.

"I uh, don't know. Did you want him to come?"

"NO! I-I mean," Lovi interrupted himself "I don't really care. Just, keep walking bastard."

Gilbert shrugged and started to walk again. They were only a few yards away from the party pavilion and it looked like more people had showed up. The last thing Lovino wanted to do was see that tomato-loving, green eyed-Spanish bastard. After what happened last week, he wasn't sure if he could ever stand to see him again. The whole experience at Antonio's house was very frustrating, and made Lovino question many things about himself. Was he really that in love with Gil- no, did he honestly dislike Antonio so much that he refused to accept his love? And why was he so upset with him afterwards? Sure, Lovino liked- 'no dammit. 'Preferred'' Gilbert over Antonio, but why? After all, the stupid German completely ditched him without even giving him a reasonable explanation! Who the fuck does that?

"Hey." Gilbert put his hands on Lovino's shoulders and looked at him in the eyes. "Are you alright? You look kinda.."

"Kinda what? Angry? Annoyed? Pissed?"

"Well if that's what you wanna go with, then yes. But to be honest, I don't like seeing you like this." Gilbert gave the italian and soft smile. "Something I can do to make you feel better?"

'Oh great, the bastard is actually starting to care about me now. 'Bout time.. I-I mean, uhh..'

Lovino relaxed his shoulders. He wished it was just the two of them alone together on the beach, Gilbert holding him in his arms and giving him soft kisses. Their first kiss wasn't long, but Lovino remembered every second of it. He wished that he would kiss him again now. He felt his body start to lean forward, but then snapped out of his thoughts and quickly shook his head.

"Agh!- I'm f-fine idiot!" Lovi shook Gilbert's hands off his shoulders and walked over to the red-striped pavilion.

Gilbert laughed as he walked behind him, possibly looking at the brunette's butt in the process. He blinked and looked over to his side, trying to avoid any possible turn-ons. 'Get yourself together Gil. You're not here to get some as- er, never mind that.' He stopped thinking to himself when he heard a loud scream come from Lovino's direction. Surely enough, it was him.

"WHAT THE FUCK FELI? IM GOING TO FUCKING MURDER YOU." yelled the now red-faced Lovino as he was grabbing Feliciano by his hair and shaking him roughly.

"I just w-wanted to have fun Fratello! And It's just a lil-li-little water! Lovi stop, please! It huuuurrts!" Feliciano whimpered.

"Just 'a little water' MY ASS. You know I don't like getting my shirts wet! And where the hell did you get that stupid water gun anyway?"

By now several people where looking over at the two brothers. Apparently, this was a normal thing for them to do. Gilbert found it kinda funny how the other nations didn't even seem to mind the loud yelps and pleas coming from them. He must have definitely missed out on a couple good fights before he met Lovino. 'I must have missed a lot of things when I wasn't around. What else did Lovi do? Is he with someone? Oh fuck, if he is I'm such a douche for doing that.. thing at Francis's party. No ah-shit, shit don't think about that now! Quit thinking about relationships so much-'

"So you're just gonna stand there, hm?"

Gilbert, startled, look down at the tempered-faced Italian who's face and shirt were soaked with water. He tried not to crack a smile but ended up giggling under his breath.

"Oh, you think it's so funny huh? Would it still be funny if I did this?" Lovino held up the blue and yellow water gun that Feliciano had up to Gilbert's chest.

"W-woah hold on! I was just laughing at, um..." Gilbert stuttered, trying to search for a reasonable explanation for the chuckles that would not stop coming out of his mouth.

Lovino rolled his eyes and scoffed, spraying Gilbert in the face. Gilbert started to run away towards the shoreline, Lovino running right behind him. The two looked like little boys playing on the sun-kissed summer sand, shouting and laughing at each other. Gilbert ran into the water and slapped his hand across the top, sending a big splash of water in Lovi's direction. He was having such a good time with him. The last time he laughed this hard must have been when he was younger, but even then, he didn't feel this happy with anyone else. A part of Gilbert told him that he shouldn't get so attached to Lovino, because if anything wrong were to happen he would blame himself. However, another part of Gilbert wanted to be close and intimate with Lovino. He loved hearing him laugh and call him names. To him, Lovino was the only person who seemed to put up with his nonsense. He liked that about him, he liked that a lot.

"Gilbert,"

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Lovino. Was that the first time he used his name?

"Yeah?" he replied while wiping the water off his face.

"I've been meaning to tell you something, but I was too much of a coward to actually tell you." Lovino looked back over to the party pavilion. People seemed to be dancing, while a couple nations where a few yards away from them in the water.

"What's on your mind?" Gilbert took a couple slow steps over to him. They were now waist high in the cool water.

"Just promise you won't say anything stupid or I'll punch your fucking nose off."

"I can't make any promises, but I doubt that'll happen."

Lovino scoffed and took a deep breath. He took a step closer to Gilbert and looked up at his face, using his hand to block the bright sun from his eyes.

"…Ok I, I think I like you dammit. But you're just so god damn obnoxious all the time it makes me even think twice about wanting to kiss those stupid lips of yours."

The two stood there in silence as the waves ran up against their sides. As the seconds passed by, Lovino instantly regretted every word he said. He tried to search in his mind for something to say to make their current situation less awkward, but all that came out of his words were stuttered "um"s. Suddenly, he was pulled forward by Gilbert, both of his arms in his grip.

"Then tell me why.. tell me why you choose to put up with me." Gilbert's eyes were searching Lovino's eyes desperately for an explanation.

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Just tell me please! No one has ever told me that they actually like being around me, and hearing it come from you just... it just…"

"Just what? Ow! Fuck! Stop squeezing my arms like that!" Lovino tried to break free from Gilbert's grip.

Gilbert let go of Lovi's arms and continued to stare at him. He started to shake his head.

"..It makes me feel like I'm wanted by someone! A-and that I possibly might want someone back! I…Lovino I want you! Every single part of you, your smile, your laugh, your hugs, everything! I don't know what I'm feeling inside right now, but I think it's love, and I've never felt like this around anyone else but you!" He wiped his forehead from the water drops that were coming down on it.

Lovino put his head down, feeling his entire body fill up with joy and excitement. All those words that came out of Gilbert's mouth, each one of them, he would cherish them forever. Then he remembered why he was mad at the Prussian in the first place.

"Then why did you just leave me like that.. the first night we met. Do you know how fucking upset I was?" Lovino looked up at Gilbert. "You made me feel like you were just using me, using me for your personal enjoyment."

"And I was a jerk and a moron for doing that to you. Listen, I didn't think I was ready to actually be with someone, but then you came along and I felt a connection! Something I've never had the chance to feel with anyone else, it was amazing!"

A big smiled spread across Gilbert's face as he gripped the sides of Lovino's face. He looked at every one of his features, his nose, his tanned cheeks, his eyebrows. An excited giggle escaped his mouth.

"So, will you please, please forgive me?"

Lovino's breathing hitched. He felt his body jolt forward and his arms wrap around Gilbert's neck. He kissed him ever so slowly, then again, and again. He could taste the salt water on his lips, and his warm breath enter his mouth. Lovi entangled his fingers in Gilbert's platinum white, wet hair. Gilbert then hoisted Lovino up on his waist, holding his legs up for support. He could feel his heart race as their lips met, small gasps for air in-between each kiss. Lovino finally pulled away, almost of out breath.

"Yes idiot. J-just don't do anything stupid like t-that again or I'll kill you."

Gilbert smiled and gave Lovi a quick kiss on the cheek. "I think we should head back to the party."

"They don't need us there."

"Yeah, well I'm starving and I think my stomach is about to start eating itself."

"Gross."

Gilbert chuckled. He placed Lovino back in the water and winked. Just as he was about to grab onto Lovino's hand, he heard someone call out his name.

"Gilbert! Lovino~! Brother Toni is here!" Feliciano cried out, waving his hand in the air. Right there next to him stood Antonio with a beach towel over his shoulder and sunglasses over his eyes.