Note 1: Song featured in this chapter is Norwegian Wood by The Beatles. I also really enjoyed the novel with the same title, by Haruki Murakami so if you're interested in a nostalgic story of loss that features an open ending, Japanese people in the late 1960's and burgeoning sexuality, then this is the book for you.
Note 2: Femke is Belgium and João is Portugal, just in case.
Note 3: I read somewhere that your libido can increase or decrease when you smoke marijuana so I thought, 'what if Antonio's increased and Lovino's decreased?' and thus, I applied it on them. Oh yeah, if you're uncomfortable with weed then don't read this, idk.
Note 4: Big things are going to happen next chapter! I'm not going to focus so much on the city since there is a lot of things that I have to say about Antonio's past and all that! So stay tuned!
Ciao!~
"We rise and fall and light from dying embers.
Remembrances that hope and love lasts longer.
And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love, cannot be killed or swept aside."
-Lin Manuel Miranda
(American composer)
XxX
"Umm… Pablo Picasso?"
Lovino looked at Antonio from his leg and smiled. "Yeah."
Antonio looked at the ceiling and smirked as Lovino continued painting flowers on his leg. "That's an interesting one." He said. "Hmmm...Ceci n'est pas une pipe."
Lovino snorted. "Who wouldn't know that? It's fucking René Magritte. I can't believe you made me say a French name, dammit." He muttered as he concentrated on the shade of a carnation.
"You're right, haha.~" Antonio laughed. "Your turn!"
"Let me fucking think." Lovino scratched his head. "Umm, okay. Cancer or tsunami, it all ends the same, a friend or a lover, a loss is a loss is a loss."
Antonio looked at him and raised his eyebrows. "That's kind of depressing."
Lovino only shrugged while continuing to paint. "Rupi Kaur is depressing." And then he facepalmed himself. He didn't even think and whoosh, he just told Antonio the author. Fucking great.
"Ooh, Rupi Kaur is a goddess." Antonio clapped his hands together and nodded enthusiastically. "Also don't hit yourself like that, sweetie. You're gonna get a concussion one of these days, I swear."
Lovino stoped and frowned at him. "You're not my mothe- you know what? Whatever you say. Your turn." He took the glass of water from beside him and drank.
"Oh, um…. I dream my paintings and I paint my dream."
"You only know these lame-ass quotes, dammit, it's Van Gogh."
"Well, I only know a few quotes and I learned most of them from you, sweetie." Antonio laughed. "Okay, your turn."
"Obviously." Lovino tapped his chin with his paintbrush, accidentally smearing yellow paint on himself. He cursed and wiped his face, knowing that he has to get up and wash himself eventually. At least he wasn't wearing his clothes anymore so he couldn't stain them. He continued to paint Antonio's leg. "In times of war, the law falls silent."
Antonio only looked at him for a long time before sighing in defeat. "I don't know, who said it?"
Lovino snorted. "I have absolutely no fucking clue. Cicero, maybe."
Antonio laughed and then looked into Lovino's eyes. "We love the things we love for what they are."
Lovino only looked at him for a moment and then shrugged, putting his paintbrush in the wrong water. He cursed. "Dammit, now I won't have water to drink. This always fucking happens to me, hell!" He sighed and took the blue paint, softly touching Antonio's leg with the paintbrush. "Well, I don't know who said it, but it sounds good."
"Think." Antonio only smiled.
"We love the things we love…" Lovino muttered.
"For what they are." Antonio continued and took Lovino's chin in his hand, making him look into his eyes. Their noses were barely touching and then he kissed him, and the world seemed to disappear. It was slow and soft, comforting like words would never be, a way of saying 'it's okay, I love you no matter what'. When they broke the kiss, they only stared at eachother, Antonio's eyes full of understanding and love.
Lovino got the urge to apologise again, his jaw clenching painfully but he remembered how he said sorry over and over again yesterday, so he just smirked. "Frost." He felt so relieved that Antonio undoubtedly won't leave him for his breakdown, that stupid moron. That fool.
Antonio pulled a confused face. "Huh?"
Unbelievable. "Robert Frost. The quote is by Robert Frost." Lovino rolled his eyes and picked up his paintbrush again.
"Oooh, haha.~ The quote."
"HALF AN HOUR!" Eliza shouted from where she was driving. Two groans were heard from above them, clearly that white moron and that French bastard having a huge hangover from yesterday. Serves them right.
"Well, shit, I won't be able to finish this." Lovino put the paintbrush in his water and stretched himself. He took the camera from beside him and made a photo of Antonio's flowery leg. "Don't fucking move, you'll destroy it, dammit."
He looked at the photo for awhile and then put the camera beside him. "You can wash it off now." He got up from the bed and put the paints and pencils in their place.
"But I like it! I don't wanna wash it off!"
Lovino looked at him from a drawer from where he pulled a clean, green shirt. "Are you fucking kidding me? Are you going to Seville like that?"
Antonio got up from the bed as well and put his hands on his hips, smiling brightly at Lovino. "Yeah! It'll look great!"
"That's so gay." Lovino smirked and shook his head, exiting the room.
Antonio only followed him and stoped when Lovino was about to enter the bathroom. "But Lovino, I am kinda gay."
"Just shut up you fucking moron, God." Lovino slammed the door.
It's gonna be better. This day is going to be better than the other one. They were nearing Seville, Seville, and nothing would stop him from having the best day of his life. He slept almost 12 hours, he had Antonio by his side, he didn't have to put up with the other three idiots necessarily, his hair looked great, his clothes weren't wrinkled, he felt no pain, only a small guilt because of yesterday but no actual pain and he already smiled six times this morning.
It's gonna be great!
XxX
Seville.
Where to fucking begin?
Call him a color-loving art hoe, a cliché or just a very stubborn, crabby, yet smoking hot Italian but he thought that Seville was a city that swept you off your feet the moment you take a step onto the Andalusian soil.
From the arches of the Alcazar Palace to the million of random little side streets and everything in between, churches, markets, homes, parks, every time he turned a corner of this city, it took Lovino's breath away again and again and again, welcoming him with open arms.
The city was so colorful, so full of life that even if you had the worst of days, it could cheer you up by just looking at it and maybe even eating some delicious dish in the process. The views were worth millions of dollars and the rarest gems on earth, but you could see them for free or for a cheap price. Fortunately, Lovino didn't have to battle with the stairs, climbing them and struggling for oxygen since they were broke-ass students who only had a limited amount of money.
And the oranges! Oh God, the orange trees! They were scattered all over Seville, giving a fresh air to the city, oh so different from Barcelona and Valencia.
He was completely in love with the old, Mudéjar style city that made him long for something he didn't even know. All that he knew was that he couldn't leave this place without seeing every little piece of it.
"Lovi, are you crying?"
They were standing in front of the Ildefonso church, that motherfucking beautiful piece of Neo-Classical art in colours of red and gold and Lovino felt like the world stoped still to allow him to stare at it. He wiped the tear that threatened to escape his eyes and looked at Antonio, judging him hard.
"It's so fucking beautiful, dammit, can't you see?" He pointed at the towers. "Look at it bastard and tell me it isn't the best building you've ever seen in your whole pitiful life."
Antonio looked at the building and shrugged. "Well, it's like any other one. Full of colour. Nothing really special to it."
Lovino made a frustrated noise and held his head in his hands. "How dare you, you fucker? You better take that back."
"Although the church is a exquisite one with beautiful and striking details," Francis put his hand on Antonio's shoulder, interrupting them with his annoying french voice and accent, "I have to agree with Toni here. The city is filled with more interesting buildings than this one and even thought it is very mesmerising, indeed, it's just not worth out time."
Lovino crossed his arms and ignored Antonio's 'I didn't say that!' comment. "No one fucking asked you, you hairy kiwi, you're a damn design student, what do you know about true art?"
He just raised an eyebrow. "More than you, you photography boy. Is that even real art? Making photos all day long?"
Lovino balled his hands into fists and grittered his teeth. "Yes, it is! It fucking is! At least I can appreciate real life instead of just sitting at a computer all day, staring at squares and shit."
Francis gasped rather dramatically and put his hands on his chest. "We don't just do that! I'll have you know, architectural design is one of the fields in design. Of course I know about architecture! We study it!"
"You're not in that fucking field, you moron! You're a fashion designer!"
"Doesn't matter!"
"Guys, I'm hungry. Let's just go." Antonio took Lovino's hand and gave him a pleading look.
Lovino only blinked, staring at Antonio like he's just gone mad. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He asked.
His face softened. "Nothing, I just don't like you to fight." He looked at Francis, who was just looking at the church with a almost disgusted face. "Let's not fight anymore, you're giving me a headache from all those art terms. Please? Francis?"
"Alright then, mon ami, we'll leave." Francis looked at him and smiled, ruffling his hair.
Lovino only grittered his teeth and muttered under his breath. "Why the fuck are we stuck with the pomme de terre anyway?"
Fortunately, nobody heard him, the buzzing sound of people talking from around them drowning his words.
XxX
"And o thought 'while Lovi is away, why shouldn't I clean his room? After all, he has way too many things in there that he doesn't even need!' and then I tried to reach you to see what should I throw out but you didn't respond! And I panicked and went over to Luddy to give me advice! And he said that I should probably call Antonio since he was your boyfriend and I called him and he didn't respond!" Veneziano got teary-eyed from Francis' phone screen. "And then we called mom Carmen and she said something about broken phones and that we should call Eliza and so we did, but she said you weren't with them and that I should call Francis and now here we are! You worry me so much sometimes, Lovi."
Lovino only stared at the phone with a blank expression, trying to understand the stupidity of those sentences. He hooked his fingers in Antonio's belt loops since there were a lot of people in here and he might get lost, and he gave Veneziano an emotionless frown. If that was possible.
"Are you wearing a fucking dress?"
"Huh?" Veneziano looked down at himself and smiled, his eyes almost closing. "Yeah! Do you like it?"
"A dress, Veneziano? A purple, pastel dress? With gay flowers?"
"Is something wrong with that? Does it bother you, brother?" Veneziano pouted.
Lovino only rubbed his eyes with one hand and looked at the nearing the Royal Tobacco Factory. "No, it's just… you and my dumbass are so much alike, I swear to God. It's as if you were soulmates, perfect for eachother." He didn't want the jealousy he was feeling show but unfortunately it kinda did.
"Lovi!" Both Antonio and Veneziano shouted at the same time and Lovino winced, wanting for the ground to swallow him whole.
He clenched his jaw and ended the call, wanting to smash that motherfucker to the ground but before he could do that, Francis grabbed him by the wrist and took his phone back, giving him a nasty look.
"Lovino, you're still thinking about that?" Antonio put his hands on Lovino's shoulders and got uncomfortably close to his face.
Lovino pulled himself from their grasps, slapping Francis in the process and fisted his hands, making a frustrated noise. "Fuck you! Don't fucking touch me anymore, why do you keep touching me all the fucking time, dammit!?" He shouted.
"Lovi…" Antonio said but Lovino interrupted him.
"No, fuck, leave me the fuck alone! So what if I let that slip up? Who the fuck cares?! Let's just go, dammit!" Lovino went forward, not seeing where he's going but Antonio grabbed his arm right as a car honked and drove in front of him.
The shock from the loud sound of the car made him gasp, his vision becoming a blurry mess and it put off any flame of rage that he previously had. He blinked, looking at a worried Antonio who was clearly saying something.
"What the fuck just happened?" He interrupted him and Antonio sighed in relief. Even Francis smiled and looked at him like he was silently asking for forgiveness. For what, Lovino barely understood.
Antonio smiled at him and took a lock of hair from Lovino's confused face, tucking it behind his ear. "Its alright, I'm sorry sweetie, I'm so sorry. Let's just go."
They started to move and Francis' phone rang, but instead of giving it to Lovino, he answered it himself.
Lovino sighed and took his hand from Antonio's, but at his worried look, he held on his belt loops and looked at Antonio with an apologetic frown. He was finally coming back to himself again.
"I'm sor… you bastard, you shouldn't worry so fucking much." He licked his lips and looked away. "I'm over that phase of being jealous all the time, I swear. It's just… this happens sometimes." He looked at him again. "You really are alike in a lot of things. You with your stupid flowery leg and Veneziano with his dumb flower dress."
Antonio only laughed a bit. " I guess, but," He kissed the top of his head, "You have to remember I don't like wearing dresses, sweetie. And I love you, not him."
Lovino blushed and held his cheeks in his hands, trying to cool them off. "I know, dammit. I know."
Antonio only smiled. "Can I kiss you?"
It was such an innocent question but it made Lovino feel so awkward and loved and utterly gay inside, that he had to hide his burning face and his growing smile.
"Shit, why do you have to ask, you bastard?... You know, you know you can, d-dammit." He looked at him and Antonio kissed him.
"Wait a minute Gil, they're kissing!" Francis almost shouted excitedly in the phone and Lovino broke the kiss. Shit, they were in a public place, he almost forgot about that.
"Fuck, I can't believe you, you pervert." He said, but he didn't push it any longer. He said that he's going to have a great day and he would do anything to have it.
Instead of giving that stupid smirk of his, Francis actually frowned and looked away. He started talking to Gilbert again but in a quieter voice. Lovino blinked at the weird reaction of his and he had the urge to fuck shit up again but he bit his lip and chose to ignore it. Fortunately, Antonio didn't seem to be bothered, only looking at the buildings around him, probably trying to find a good place to eat.
They walked the streets like that -since they didn't bother themselves with taking their bikes- and passed a multitude of pretty coloured and detailed buildings including The Torre del Oro, build initially as a prison in the middle ages, near the Guadalquivir river and El Salvador Church, built in the baroque style and particularly loved by Francis. They even passed Casa Pilatos after they ate something and they both sat there, in front of it, with their mouths open in amazement, staring at the breathtaking mix of Renaissance and Mudéjar styles while Antonio only drummed on his guitar, not caring about his surroundings, that bastard.
They reached the Metropol Parasol in the Encarnación square. The largest wooden sculpture in the world.
It looked like some mushrooms.
Francis loved it.
Lovino didn't as much.
"Ah, this is absolutely lovely!" Francis exclaimed while putting one hand on his chest. "A massive structure giving life and contemporary spirit to such an traditional and historical city. It's delightfully big! It's aesthetically pleasing! It's dynamic! A true masterpiece of the architectural world. I am feeling such a deep lo-"
"It's weird." Lovino interupted him.
Francis only looked at him with a frown and opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment his phone rang again, making him roll his eyes and shut his mouth.
"Allô?" He answered and then started blabbering, his frown gone and his face light. Huh, it seemed that he was really sought today. First Veneziano, then that white bastard who was definitely getting in trouble at this moment, then this unidentified person. He was only relieved that he didn't have a phone anymore that could work, so that bastard from yesterday couldn't call him anymore.
Antonio sat down on the stairs in front of the building, at shade, and drummed on his guitar, humming a song that Lovino didn't know. He sighed and sat down beside him, looking at the passing people.
"Is it legal to sit here?" He asked Antonio. "I mean, people are doing photos of the building. I don't think it's okay if we sit here."
Antonio chuckled and looked at him. "If there's a problem with that, well just move." He leaned in. "Can I kiss you?"
Lovino raised his shoulders and blushed. "Dammit, this is the second time, what the fuck is wrong with you? Yes, you bastard."
Antonio kissed his lips and then cheek. "I love you, sweetie."
"Yeah, yeah…" Lovino muttered. "I know." He looked away, trying to put off his blush. Dammit, that sweet bastard.
As Francis stood beside them with a hand running through his hair, making awful and weird thrusting movements with his hips while talking on the phone with God-knows-who and as Antonio was finally fully singing at his guitar and kissing his cheek, Lovino took the time to watch the people around them, blushing at the feeling of Antonio smiling and humming in his kisses.
Spanish girls sure we're cute but they reminded him of miss Carmen for some reason, all of them sun-kissed and brown-haired. They were beautiful, of course, but no woman could really compare with Italian ones. Of course, he couldn't generalize them, every girl of every race was different and beautiful in their own way. He maybe just had a type. Yeah. He really liked tanned people with green eyes and curly hair. And a big butt, let's not forget that.
Wait…
Dammit.
He looked at Antonio and put his hand on his cheek, stopping him from his kisses. Antonio blinked at him and blushed. Heh, he really loved these face touches, huh? Better take advantage of that later.
"Lovi?" Antonio asked, grinning broadly.
"Just play the guitar. I just wanted to make you stop, dammit. My cheek is all wet and gross." He rubbed his cheek in demonstration. It wasn't really that bad, it just made Lovino uncomfortable to be kissed so many times while people are making photos in your direction.
"Ahaha!~" Antonio scratched his neck and resumed in playing. "So… do you think we'll make money if I put the guitar case in front of me?"
Lovino rested his head in his hand. "Why don't you try it?"
Francis flopped down next to them but not before putting a newspaper under his French ass. Antonio put the case in front of them and played the guitar, some Latin songs or something. Lovino didn't know.
He stared in front of him absentmindedly, listening to the rich sounds of the music and taking in the smell of oranges from the breeze and he could say that it was a really nice ambiance. He felt...relaxed and content. Of course, as relaxed as you can be when the French bastard was sitting near them and when people were gathering around to listen to Antonio.
He only then noticed a petite girl and a tall man standing near them, but not near enough that he could hear them.
From this angle, Lovino could see that the girl looked uncomfortable with the guy, who was getting closer to her, mouthing some words. Lovino looked at them for some reason, remembering Eliza's blabbering about sexual assaults from yesterday from before Antonio bursted into the motorhome, and when the guy began to pull on her hijab, Lovino got up, interrupting Francis' 'Gil will be here in a min-."
"Hey, where are you going?" Antonio asked in the background but Lovino ignored him from the time being.
He approached them and put himself in front of her, crossing his arms and giving the guy the most hatred-filled look he could muster.
"Yo, can't you see you're upsetting the lady?"
The man only looked at him and smirked, saying something in Spanish. The girl whispered in broken English from behind him. "He said he's gonna beat ya if ya don't move."
Lovino clenched his jaw. "Well, I'm not gonna move, you moron. Take a hike."
The guy frowned and raised his fist to punch him, making Lovino wince in realization and fear of what's going to happen but as he closed his eyes he only heard a punching noise.
But the punch never came.
"Take THAT, you asshole!" Gilbert held the guy by his shirt, while Eliza was running to them.
"Hey, are you guys okay?" Eliza looked at the girl and smiled at her. Lovino nodded and decided to look at Gilbert, giving the ladies some privacy. He took a deep breath, his shoulders finally slumping. God, he was so fucking glad that Gilbert loved punching people and being punched.
Antonio came to his side and wiped his forehead. He looked a bit scared and relieved at the same time. "Lovi, I love you sweetie and you did a good thing, but please, never scare me so much next time you decide to get a beating."
Lovino only looked at him and shrugged. "I planned this. I heard Francis. Also, that guy was pulling on her headscarf. I had to do something." He said, even thought he didn't plan this at all.
"And thank God Gil was here on time." Antonio looked at Gilbert who successfully made that guy run for his life.
"Hey, I'm going to take her home safely, we'll meet in Spain Square, okay?" Eliza hugged the smaller girl rather protectively. She seemed to be crying silently. Eliza gave Lovino an understanding look and a motherly nod and Lovino blushed, holding his cheeks. She knew exactly why he's done it, she knew he didn't forget her monologue from yesterday.
"Okay."
And everyone took a deep breath and moved forward.
XxX
Plaza de España was magical in the 8pm sun. The Venice of Seville.
It had a huge canal that followed the curve of the massive building and in the middle of it was the Plaza itself. Tourists filled this place, taking millions of photos of the Hogwarts-like building. Lovino thought this place was taken out of a fairytale.
The only problem that Lovino could think of was…
"IT'S TOO FUCKING HOT IN HERE!" Gilbert shouted and Lovino nodded in agreement. It was too fucking hot and you didn't really had many options for shade.
The plaza was colorful like the rest of the city with bold geometric shapes and the gigantic fountain was the only thing that kept you from melting in this hot summer day. That's why Gilbert was splashing around in it with his hands, laughing like a dumb monkey.
There wasn't much to do in here instead of taking photos and taking tours on the canal for about a hour, so because they had a limited amount of money, they spend around an hour there, just taking photos from different points of view.
They decided to exit and get an ice-cream from a small street near the plaza and then they got lost into some shady street. They didn't mind thought, they always had the phones and GPS with them. They found a kids playground that was strangely deserted, Eliza and Gilbert racing at who could swing the highest while Antonio laughed as he went down the slide. Lovino and Francis only watched them, sitting in the shade at a different corners of a bench, eating their ice-cream. It was a weird kind of ice-cream, named dulce de romero. It tasted like rosemary and honey.
Lovino liked it. He liked weird things.
"Dear Antoine didn't get any money but we'll hopefully get to sing in one of the popular market streets." Francis said while looking away. Only then Lovino noticed a weird case beside him.
"What's that?" He pointed at it and Francis blinked.
"Oh, it's my ukulele!" He patted the case.
"Do you know how to sing at it?"
"Oh, well, of course!" Francis tucked his hair behind his ear with his slim, manicured fingers. He looked almost shy.
"Huh…" Lovino looked at him. Who would have know? "Why are you a design student then?"
Francis looked surprised at the question and he looked at the sky, thinking and holding his stubbled chin. "Well, you have to know that I went to the same school with Toni and Gil, even though Gil only stayed a few months and then left for London and then came back and left again." He was quiet for a moment, letting his hand fall in his pocket. "Of course we learned music there. We had to pick an instrument so Toni got the guitar, I took the ukulele and Gil is good with the flute." He looked at Antonio. "Guess that only I went further in art, Antoine giving up highschool to stay home with his daughter and Gilbert getting money from his blogging, even though I chose a different path."
A beat.
"I love it. Art, I mean. It makes me feel." He held his chest gingerly. He didn't even say that it made him feel good, just feel. Lovino wondered what was up with that.
And with that he was silent. He chuckled and looked at Lovino. "Why I'm telling this to you?"
Lovino only crossed his arms and looked away. "You're right, I don't even care, dammit, so shut up." Even as he said that, he was still happy that he learned something from Antonio's past. He was about to let a smile escape, his lips twitching but then Francis shattered that urge with his annoying voice.
"I still don't like that you got involved with dear Toni that deeply. You're too of an vulgar ass for his gentle soul."
"I know, shut up."
"Good." A beat. "Never break his heart. I'll hurt you if you ever let him down. Understood?"
"You're not his mom." He said, clenching his jaw in annoyance and when he felt Francis eyes on him, judging him, he nodded.
"Good." He said one more time and with that the conversation was over.
Gilbert suddenly fell on his ass, right in front of Francis, scaring the crap out of him. Lovino snorted. Gilbert blinked a couple of times and then got up and pointed at Eliza, who was laughing hysterically.
"Ha! Beat ya! I was the highest so you owe me something now!"
Eliza held her mouth with her hand. "You still fell, so I win! It's only fair."
"Nuh uh, I won! Doesn't matter that I fell!"
"That's unfair." Eliza said but she only laughed, her eyes sparkling for the first time in this goddamn trip. Huh, Lovino only wondered why.
"Let's go and sing! My fingers are aching for the guitar!" Antonio slid down and got up from the slide. He was wearing a big smile and Lovino only thought how lucky he was to see that smile every day.
"Let's go."
XxX
"She asked me to stay and she told me to sit anywhere."
Francis and Antonio made a good pair, Antonio having a higher, dipped in honey voice and Francis having a lower, hoarse and deeply accented voice. Maybe that's why people were gathering around them, dropping coins in their cases.
"But I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair."
He had no idea about what the song was about but they were singing it perfectly, Francis strong voice covering up Antonio's sweet and more silent voice. Even then, Antonio brought gentleness into the song and Lovino let himself be enchanted.
"I sat on a rug, biding my time, drinking her wine."
Francis smiled at that.
"We talked until two, and then she said, it's time for bed."
Lovino sighed and looked around. People were ridiculously piling up here on the Avenida de la Constitución street, near the Sevilla Cathedral, which was built in that gorgeous Mudéjar style with Moorish and Gothic influences. Lovino couldn't even see Antonio anymore and he could barely hear him from the buzzing of the street, but he knew he was fine so he busied himself with taking photos of the cathedral. Dancers, singers, art performers and even writers were sitting at shade, doing their thing and filling the street with an content, but really crowded atmosphere. Also, pickpocketers.
"Hey, you!" He shouted at a lady who was blowing huge balloons. She looked at him, almost scared and she approached him when he made her a sign. "Can you blow the bubbles in front of me?" He prayed that she understood and when she nodded her head and smiled, he sighed and readied himself.
Fifteen photos, fifteen different view points and a shy giggle from the girl later and Lovino had the best pictures ever from every corner of the cathedral.
He noticed Eliza, sitting further away in a small portion of shade and looking at her phone blankly. Gilbert was nowhere on sight. He approached her and sat down next to her, running his hand through his hair.
"Pretty hot in here, huh?"
"Global warming." She put her phone away and smiled at him, acting like nothing bothered her on the phone. "Why did you do it?"
"Huh?"
"Why did you stand up for that girl? Many girls are approached or abused, sexually or not, so why her?"
Lovino looked at her and frowned, scratching his neck. "Uh…" He looked away. "Because she had a hijab. That asshole tried to pull it off. I had to do something."
"Why?"
Lovino looked at her, blinking. He bit his lip and fidgeted with his ring. Dammit, Eliza was really expecting something great coming out of his mouth? He didn't even know why he stood up for her, he just did! Also, Gilbert was the one who punched him, so he was the 'mighty saviour'. He almost rolled his eyes at the thought.
"Because…because...women in the Middle East are attacked for not wearing a hijab and here, in the west they are attacked for wearing one. So I just thought… it's not fair." Lovino looked away from Eliza's intense stare.
"You stole my words, that's not fair."
"Life isn't fair."
She was silent for a few minutes and then she put a hand on his knee. "You're a kind man, Lovino and I'm so sorry for everything that happened in your life to make you as sad and empty as yesterday. I'm truly sorry."
Lovino's breath hitched and he looked away, clenching his jaw. "Shut up."
"You know I can't." She giggled. "Just...next time you're in that mood just seek out me or dear Toni and we'll keep you company. We'll be there for you because we both love you. Differently of course, I would never steal someone's lover, but yeah. I love you like a brother, Lovino, even thought I know you for only one year. Don't forget this."
Lovino stared at her and wiped his hot tears that was threatening to escape. He took a deep breath and smiled awkwardly at her. "Thanks." His voice cracked.
"You always smile like you're about to cry. Don't cry, dear, you'll make me cry too." Eliza put her hand over her mouth and smiled, her eyes getting teary.
"Hey, what the fuck have you done to her?" Gilbert flopped himself right between Eliza and Lovino, making Eliza pout and Lovino roll his eyes.
"You destroyed an emotional moment in here Gil, fuck off." She slapped his hand from her shoulder.
"Why did you make her cry? That's so un-awesome." He addressed Lovino but before he could snap something back, Eliza snorted.
"He didn't make me cry you dumbass, I was making him cry. Now leave me alone, I have to find pretty foreign people so I could shoot them."
"Sounds cool, babe."
She got up and took him by the front of his shirt. "I'll show you how cool a 'babe' I am, don't ever call me that, ever again!"
"Woah, chill, crazy bitch!"
"Crap, are you kidding me? That's worse!"
Aaand the moment was indeed ruined. Crumbled down. Destroyed. Anihilated to the last atom. Fucking Gilbert. That's it, this was the last time he's gonna let his emotions run free like that. What the fuck was even in his mind, crying in front of Eliza because of some lovely words. Weak-ass bitch.
"I hope you burn in the sun, idiots." He muttered and got up, making his way through the crowd. He pushed a few people out of the way until he could finally see Antonio, strumming on his guitar like a madman. Even so, he wasn't aggressive. He never was. He looked up and smiled at Lovino when he noticed him.
Lovino only sat there with his camera in hand and when the song came to an end, he smirked. "Should I pay you now?"
Antonio thanked the people who were dropping money and leaving and then he gave his guitar to Francis. "Haha, no, of course not!"
"I was just joking."
"I know, haha." Antonio raised his arms and Lovino thought he wanted to fucking hug him. He took a step back and eyes him suspiciously. "Can you help me get up? My butt hurts."
"Oh, fuck, okay." Lovino took his hands and pulled him up. He rolled his eyes as Antonio stretched himself as if he wanted to touch the sun with his hands.
Only when Francis got up on his own Lovino realized that Antonio could've done it himself and that he only wanted to hold Lovino's hands, that manipulative bastard. Still, he didn't say anything about it because Antonio looked overjoyed, smiling like that and letting the sun kiss his dimpled face. Lovino blushed and slapped his cheeks, not wanting Antonio to see him like that.
Shit, Lovino felt that he is falling in love with him all over again.
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Gilbert came in a hurry, shouting and smirking at them. "Come with me guys! I have a surprise to show you!"
And everything went down from there.
XxX
"You brought weed?" Lovino asked as he sat cross-legged on the bed from the upper side of the motorhome, pajamas already put on.
"Is that even legal?" Eliza asked, an excited smile creeping over her face.
Francis got up from the bed violently and put on his pants again. "If we're going to smoke this, this atrocious thing then I wish to not be a part of it."
"Aww, come on man!"
"No, I'm going in the city again. I have a phone and everything and I'll be here later anyway to make sure you don't accidentally kill yourselves. I'm going to sleep at some lady so don't bug me with calls."
Gilbert didn't look so pleased and he wouldn't let it go. "Come on, Franny! Let's do it like in highschool! Let's smoke and have fun with eachother! Just like old times!"
"No, those years are gone, I'm cleaning myself." He put on his shirt and as he was about to exit the motorhome, he gave Gilbert one more look. Lovino couldn't deschiper it but it seemed that Antonio and Gilbert understood. "Please."
"Yeah, shit, I forgot about that. Sorry." Gilbert mumbled, scratching his neck and Lovino raised an eyebrow. What in the world they were talking about? He looked at Antonio but he looked away. Huh. It must've been something serious, judging from Gilbert's apology, after all, he was that kind of man that didn't really like to apologise.
"Thank you." Francis said and then he was gone.
A weird silence was set upon them. Gilbert looked downcast with his brows furrowed, looking guilty. Antonio only put an hand on Gilbert's knee and smiled at him sadly. Lovino didn't understand anything and it seemed that Eliza didn't either, judging from the confused looks she was giving them.
"Is that even legal?" Eliza asked again rather impatiently and annoyed and the pair seemed to snap out of it.
"I don't think so, but who cares! Here, take one." Gilbert said as he handed everyone a rolled joint.
Lovino took it hesitantly. "And what if we don't want to fucking smoke this?" Even so, he lighted it and took it to his mouth.
"Then you're all pussies, just like Francis." Gilbert lighted it too and smirked at him.
Eliza frowned and lighted the weed joint, taking it to her mouth. "Don't ever use that word again, ugh. Idiot." She muttered.
Antonio blinked at them and then turned to Lovino. "You smoke weed? Like, you did this before?"
Lovino winced. "Yeah, in highschool. I don't want to talk about it."
Gilbert took a drag and then snickered. "Man, what the fuck was up with highschool anyway? It seems that everyone lost it then."
"Right," Eliza added, "You lost it more than everyone, jumping out of windows when you were on the 4th floor, you idiot."
Antonio then snorted. It seemed that the weed already took it's took on them. "What even were you thinking then? That if you jump then you'll find a treasure or something?"
"Nah, man," Gilbert clenched his jaw and smirked, "I kept seeing these weird birds and I thought that if I jumped, I will fly with them and they will take me somewhere high."
Lovino smirked. "You were already high."
"Right." Gilbert flopped down on the bed in the middle of them and raised an arm to the ceiling. "I wish I was in highschool again, then I wouldn't have to say goodbye to Jeanne and Femke and João. Or even Franny's sister, man, she was so cool. I-!" Antonio slapped a hand on his mouth.
"Don't mention them. What is wrong with you?"
Gilbert slapped away his hand. "With me? What's wrong with you? Franny isn't here anymore! We can talk about them!"
"Franny isn't here but Lovi and Eliza are! Gil, we promised not to tell!"
Gilbert looked around him and saw Lovino, who was looking between them confusedly. Eliza, on the contrary, looked ready to slap him senseless.
"Shit, okay, okay, but why shouldn't talk about Femke then? Or about João?"
"Because!" But Antonio left it at that. Lovino wondered who those people were. He didn't deschiper the first name so he couldn't know about where they came from or if it was a girl or a boy. João thought, was definitely a Portuguese male name. He clenched his jaw and took a long drag from the joint. He needed to ask Antonio about that later.
"I'm hungry, do we have anything in here?" Eliza got up and went to search the refrigerator. She took a few cans of beer and a few snacks and threw them on the bed with full force, trying to hit the spot from the low point, just like basketball. It was a good move, she broke the tension.
"There is chocolate in the cupboards!" Antonio seemed to forget everything that happened -or he just ignored it- and started to chuckle.
Eliza took the chocolate and threw it at Antonio like it was a basketball. "Whoooohooooo!" She shouted as she hit Antonio in the face with it.
Gilbert whistled and even Lovino loosened up and shouted, "Fuck yeah!"
Antonio only giggled and opened the packet.
They opened the cans and drank while they smoked. It was nice, Lovino had to admit. Gilbert took the remote and flickered through the channels, leaving it on Looney Tunes. Lovino didn't like that, demanding that he's too old for that shit but soon he began enjoying it, giggling and snickering at the silly characters.
"Man, I am so in love with Tweety Pie, I would fuck her."
"It's a he." Eliza corrected.
"Damn, now it's all ruined for me, thanks a bunch."
"I would probably fuck Sylvester, don't even ask me why." Lovino hit Antonio's chest. "Who would you fuck?" He asked him, not even taking his eyes off the TV.
Antonio snorted and tapped his chin in thought. "I don't know, Marvin? Since he doesn't have a mouth and all."
"Why would you want to fuck something without a mouth?" Eliza asked him.
Antonio only smirked excitedly. "Well imagine this, the sex would be out of this world since he's a Martian and all."
At that everyone bursted into laughter. Lovino had to hold his stomach and gasp for air.
"Okay, okay, that was a good one. Eliza, you?" Lovino asked.
Eliza didn't miss a beat. "The Tasmanian Devil."
"What the fuck Eliza? He's ugly as fuck! Have some decency." Gilbert hollered.
Eliza just sneered. "Have you seen that guy's energy and muscles? He could fucking raw me so hard and long, honestly."
"Raphael didn't die for this shit." Lovino said and then snorted. The others laughed too but Lovino was sure they didn't understand the joke.
"Fucking furries." Gilbert said and shook his head. He continued watching the show.
"Hey! Look who's talking!" Antonio shouted and rubbed his eye. "You're the one who wants to fuck a little bird! At least mine is not an animal!"
Lovino would've felt hot and bothered at Antonio's accent that curled on the word 'fuck' in any other situation than this but here he was, his libido deceased to the lowest point.
"Wait, what even are we talking about?" Gilbert scratched his neck and everyone snickered at him.
They continued to talk like that and watch Looney Tunes until 6am.
"When I grow up," Eliza drowned her can of beer and threw it on the floor, smiling, "I'm going to establish myself as a writer who never writes straight couples, only gay ones. Then one day, after I published at least ten books and become famous, I'm going to introduce a straight couple." She giggled at the others who were staring at her like she was the salvation. "I'm going to make them the healthiest couple without even saying they're in a relationship. I'll keep it subtext most of the time but even so, they will be as developed as my gay army. Then, just as their life will seem the best thing you've ever seen, I'm gonna kill one, just for the drama."
"Why the fuck would you do that?" Gilbert slapped his forehead.
"So that straight people who write gays can feel the anguish gay people feel when they're reading about the death of their favourite character. Serves them right."
"You're cruel, holy shit." Lovino snickered.
"I also want to speak against rape and abuse, or something, y'know? Like seminars or something. What you guys doing in the future, huh? I bet no future is better than mine." Eliza particularly looked at Gilbert and smirked.
Gilbert took the bait. "Nuh-uh, mine would be the most awesome future!" He shifted his position to look all of them in the eye and he began telling his stoner story.
"Im going to love a girl and marry her and live happily ever after with her but there will be a catch." Gilbert drank his beer. "I will never buy her flowers. They're stupid and worthless and they die too fast. I will buy her a rock. Rocks are strong. Roks don't die after two days."
"Diamonds."
"Huh?"
"You're thinking about diamonds. The word you're looking for are diamonds, you idiot." Lovino repeated.
Gilbert only snorted and dismissed Lovino with his hand. "Diamonds are overpriced and far too common. I'm gonna hand-forge two engagement rings and etch a script into them. When the time comes, I'm gonna give one to my bitch and we're going to use the rings to ensnare the world leaders and then take over the world. And when I sit on the supreme throne and my wife is sitting on my lap, I'm gonna give her a rock, remembering the good old days. It's gonna be ao awesome!"
"There are literally two trilogies that tells you why engraving a ring is a bad and stupid idea." Eliza slapped the back of his head. "Also, my future is more realistic."
"Yeah, but mine is more awesome than yours!" He laughed.
"You guys?" Eliza ignored him and asked Lovino and Antonio.
Antonio slapped his tights with his palms and smiled brightly at them. "A future with Lovi and Lucía, of course! The two cutest things in the universe! I'd also like to finish highschool someday!"
"My fucking God, you didn't smoke enough." Gilbert said.
"You're so fucking boring." Lovino snikered but even so, a warm feeling of happiness spread out in his belly.
"You?" Antonio asked him with big, red eyes and Lovino smirked. It was his time to shine.
"I'm going to be the best mathematician in the whole world to create a time machine so I could go back in time to do exactly three things." Lovino ate a piece of chocolate.
"The first thing is to raw Leonardo da Vinci so hard that he can't walk for three days straight. Then I'm going to go and get Julius Caesar addicted to hentai. And last but not least, I'm going to seduce Cleopatra." Lovino waited a bit and at the weird faces of the others he snickered and continued.
"You might wonder how I'm going to seduce Cleopatra because you're all morons who can't remember 5th grade history, so I'm gonna explain it to you. It's simple. I'm gonna marry a tall and fat guy, fatter and taller than Antonio. Fatness was considered hot and sexy back then and it showed you had lots of money with which you could fill up that stomach with yours. And also, if you were tall, like really tall, 180cm tall, is unreasonably gigantically tall in the BC times."
He pointed at his head and tapped his forehead. "So Cleopatra would be like 'A giant? AND he got scretch marks?' and she'll instantly feel infatuated with my boyfriend thick roundness. He will become royalty and he will live with her for the rest of his days. Meanwhile, I'm going to be their safeguard, the one who sacrifices for them since my boyfriend loves me and he can't get rid of me that easily."
"That's not as great as mine!" Gilbert shouted.
"No, but think about this you tickhead. I will live in royalty too. I will always live with my boyfriend AND Cleopatra under the same fucking roof. We're gonna be a polyamorous couple, isn't that cool as fuck?"
"Shit, I guess?"
"You're damn right you guess." Lovino nodded at him.
"No but really, what do you guys want to be in the future?"
Lovino snorted. "Who the fuck knows?"
Gilbert agreed. "Yeah, besides Antonio, nobody has a plan."
They were quiet for a moment, melancholy and anxiety for the future begining to set inside of their hearts. Lovino didn't know if he's going to be a successful photographer or even an assistant, or he's going to wash dishes in an restaurant somewhere far away from everybody he knows and that scared him to death. He cleared his throat and looked the others in the eye, not wanting this self pity to continue.
"Let's go in the city to eat something. I'm getting hungrier with every bite of this damn chocolate."
And everyone was back to normal.
"I'm not hungry anymore, the snacks are just fine." Eliza giggled for no reason. "Shit, I'm drunk. I don't know if I can stand."
"Yeah I'm not hungry either, you two go." Gilbert took Eliza by the shoulders and laid her completely into the bed.
"Don't forget to use a condom!" She shouted and Antonio gave her a nod. Lovino rolled his eyes. They were gonna eat, not fuck.
"Right, I'm just going to put her off to sleep." Gilbert said.
Lovino looked at Antonio who was smiling at him. Lovino blushed and let a giggle escape his mouth. He got up from the bed and planned on getting off on the ladder but he miscalculated his footing and fell on the floor, hitting the stove with his hand. Antonio rushed to him and took him off the ground while Gilbert and Eliza just laughed away.
"Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"
Lovino looked at him and then he winced. "Fuck. Yeah I'm fine." He got up and then he didn't even bother to get dressed. He only put on a jacket and some crocks and threw a jacket to the still concerned Antonio.
"Put that on and let's go. God, I swear that my future self would hate me for going outside like this."
Antonio complied and then Gilbert threw them the phone, which landed on the floor instead of landing in their hands.
"Aww, come on, what the fuck guys?"
Antonio picked it up and checked if it's still working. "It's on! Thanks Gil!"
"Nice!"
Lovino opened the door and almost hit Francis in the mouth. He shrieked. "Jesus Christ, don't scare me like that, asshole!"
"Where are you going?" He asked them and got past them to enter the motorhome. "Mon Dieu, what in the world happened here? It smells like a ranch!"
"We had an awesome party! Not like you would've been invited!" Gilbert hollered from upstairs, showing Francis a can of beer.
Francis winced. "Talking nonesense as usual." He then turned around to the other two. "Where are you going?"
"In the city! We're hungry!" Antonio smiled excitedly and before Francis could say anything else, Antonio was already dragging Lovino with him out the door. "We have phones! We'll be here soon!"
They only heard a distant 'but i got food.' ant out they were, running and laughing like they just smoked away their problems.
XxX
Gilbert's phone rang as they were exiting the restaurant, if it could be called like that. Shit's too disgusting at McDonald's to have the honour of being named like that.
Lovino took it out of his jacket and looked at the caller. Luddy.
Antonio looked at him warningly but Lovino only smirked and answered the phone.
"You won't believe this, Luddy, but Gilbert got himself killed! I know right? What a fucking dumbass! I had to clean up the house from his blood and gutters, it was disgusting but at the same time exciting! You wouldn't believe how much blood can be spilled from just one person! He-" Antonio took the phone before Lovino could say anything else.
"Um, yeah, Antonio here, don't listen to him Ludwig. We're not with Gil now but we're going to meet with him soon so if you have a message to give him I could tell him?" Antonio grabbed Lovino's arm before he hit a lamppost. Lovino only glared at it.
"Err...ahem, yes." Ludwig cleared his throat, probably overwhelmed because of Lovino's words. Ha! Serves him right! "I actually wanted to speak with Lovino, if it's possible. Or, um...if he's avabile?"
Lovino took the phone again. "What do you want?" He asked, his voice dropping warningly.
"Um, it's about Feliciano."
His blood ran cold. "What?"
"He left. He-"
"What the fuck do you mean he left?"
"I'm trying to explain it, please calm down."
Lovino would've shouted at him again but now his heart was beating crazily in his chest. "Just speak already, dammit."
"Feliciano left this morning. He packed his bags and literally left without saying anything. He's not responding to his phone either. Should I be worried?"
"Huh…" Lovino only murmured. He frowned, as if he forgot something important. "Could you wait a minute?" He asked and put the phone on his chest, not waiting for that bastard's answer.
"Hey, what's the date?"
Antonio looked at him questioningly and scratched his chin. "Umm, we haven't planned a date. Do you want to go on a date?"
"No, fuck, what day is today, dammit?"
"Ah, the fifth of June? I think?"
"Shit." He put the phone back to the ear. "Don't worry your stupid little head, he's in Italy. He's going back home after two days so you better forget about him until then."
"Um...alright but, why isn't he responding?"
"He doesn't want to because of a personal matter so shut the fuck up and accept it."
"Alright then. Thank you, Lovino."
"Don't even fucking mention this to anybody or I'll kill Gilbert with my own two hands."
Silence. "Um, okay. Also, me and Feliciano cleaned your room." And then he hung up.
Lovino let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and put the phone back in his pocket. "Shit, I don't like that bastard at all."
"Why?" Antonio asked him.
"I don't know but I know that I'll never forgive him for what he did."
Antonio looked surprised. "What did he do?"
Lovino only frowned at him. "I don't fucking know Antonio but I bet he did something to piss me off like an year ago or something." He couldn't remember what but he still got chills of embarrassment when he thought about that time he first met him. "Let's just go and see if those two shitty bastards didn't already kill Francis."
"And then you'll paint my back!" Antonio laughed excitedly.
"And then I'll paint your back." Lovino muttered and shok his head. What a stupid thing to be excited about.
XxX
"I didn't even get to see La Mar de Flores." Lovino muttered as he concentrated on getting the rose perfect. He shifted his position, not because he was uncomfortable but because he liked getting Antonio excited at the mere move on his perfect ass.
Holy shit his ass! You could pull the fucking Golden Ratio on his butt and it would be perfectly aligned, what the entire fuck?
"Mmmm...it is permanently closed. If we went there a few years earlier…" Antonio looked at him from his shoulder, a gesture that could make Lovino faint if he was in the mood. But he wasn't.
"And I missed so many other things that I don't even know about." Lovino signed. He knew it was impossible to see the whole city in just one day but he also knew that he could've seen more.
Antonio chuckled and ran his hand through his hair. "Don't worry sweetie, we'll see it later. We can always come back."
"If we come back." Lovino muttered.
"We will. Someday." Antonio whispered.
Lovino didn't respond, deciding that self pity won't help in this situation and he continued to paint Antonio's back. From upstairs -if it could be called like that- they could hear Eliza and Gilbert laughing, probably at eachother. Francis was probably the third wheel whenever he stayed with them or with Lovino and Antonio, that poor bastard.
"Hey, what's the deal with that albino bastard and Eliza anyway? Are they together?" Because if they were, Lovino would be judging them. That's not a way to act with your lover, punching them and telling them how much they hate eachother. Eliza even spit on his face some time ago, what the fuck?
"Um, no… they're just friends. Gilbert says that sometimes he has fantasies of her future husband dying on a train explosion or boat explosion or something. He often described them to me and Francis and they're rather… explicit."
"What an asshole." Lovino muttered and then he was silent again.
He loved this atmosphere, this gentle and calming ambiance that made Lovino relax completely. It was his favourite thing to do with Antonio, staying in silence together, hidden from the other's eyes. He felt vulnerable but strangely calm, and just looking into Antonio's eyes made him trust him more and more everyday. The lights were dimmed and soft, the only things heard being their breathing and the others' laugher from upstairs. It smelled strangely like tomato soup and paint but that was probably because Francis was cooking something. It was a time ripped out of a fairytale.
Intimacy.
That was the word for it. Intimacy. The bonding moments like this where they touched, body, soul and mind.
Lovino loved tracing his fingers on Antonio's tanned skin that would've been perfect, if it didn't have those grotesque marks on his hip and back. Lovino wanted to ask him about them so many times but he was scared. Scared of what he would hear.
"Does these hurt?" He softly asked him while tracing a scar with his paintbrush, making a leaf out of it.
"Not anymore." Antonio looked away and sighed. "Does yours hurt?"
Lovino looked at him and frowned in confusion. "Mine?"
Antonio didn't say anything, only looking at his arms. Lovino understood, avoiding his intense gaze. He went back to painting, an unpleasant feeling rising in the pit of his stomach. "No." He responded. He had the urge to throw away the paintbrush and to destroy the sheets in water and paint but he only clenched his jaw. God, it was hard talking about fucking scars. Even so, he added, "they're only sensitive to touch."
"Ah." Antonio only said and then the conversation was over. Lovino continued to paint. Antonio continued to stare at the wall in thought. The guys from upstairs laughed. And it was okay.
"I'm done." Lovino announced after a while and he dropped the paintbrush in the water. He got his camera from beside him and told Antonio not to move. Antonio only looked at him from his shoulder and smiled at the picture, holding up a peace sign.
"Goddammit, Antonio, you're gonna ruin it!" Even as he said that, he still snapped the picture and when he looked at it with analyzing eyes he still thought it was the best picture he had ever taken in his life.
He swallowed and got up from Antonio's butt, blushing like a madman. Antonio only stretched himself, making one of his shoulders pop audibly.
"NAP TIME!" Eliza shouted as she knocked on their door. Antonio looked at Lovino.
"It's so weird that we have to sleep at two pm."
"Yeah."
"I need to take a shower so this thing on my back will be completely ruined. Such a shame of your hard work. And the leg too." Antonio sighed. He got up and put his hands on his hips, smiling brightly, but mischievously. "Do you want to help me get it off?"
Lovino only blinked a few times and then blushed. He slapped his cheeks and looked away. "Shit, are you saying what I think you're saying? Because if you are, the answer is no."
Antonio's face fell. "No? Are you alright?"
He ran his fingers through his hair. "Of course, you dumbass, I'm just not in the mood. I'll help you wash it of, but no sex."
"Oh, okay then!" Antonio was himself again.
They exited the room and told Eliza -who was weirdly sleeping alone in the hammock and not with the others for unknown reason, even since day one- goodnight and then they entered the bathroom.
"This bathroom is too damn small for two people." Lovino muttered.
They got undressed and got under the shower stream, Lovino wincing at the cold droplets of water that hit his body. He hated that they couldn't have at least warm water but this is life. Fucking with Lovino since he was born.
He sighed and looked into Antonio's eyes, noticing how his hair almost got in them. He chuckled and removed a wet strand from his forehead, resting his hand on Antonio's cheek.
He wanted to ask him so many questions, about the scars, about Lucía, about those guys, João and Femke, about his father, about everything that made Antonio, Antonio. But. He couldn't. Not now.
He lightly pat Antonio's cheek.
He's not going to ask him anything. He's going to let Antonio come to him, telling him on his own. He knew it wasn't easy, he knew that he had to do the same thing, but it would be worth it.
"Just turn around, you dumbass. I need to wash your back, not chest."
Antonio only chuckled and turned around, but not before giving him a kiss on the forehead. Lovino's lips curved upwards on his red face.
Someday, it would be worth it.
Note 1: Lovino's stoner future is based on a Tumblr post and what I dreamt about that post, combined.
Note 2: The joke about Raphael was put there just because, fun fact, Raphael, the Renaissance painter, literally fucked himself to death. I had to say that.
Note 3: The joke with the engraved rings references The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien.
Note 4: Gilbert is such an asshole in this, I love it!