Note: Thanks for all your support for this story~

The title: I want it to sound badass. Sorry.

Side Story 1: Meeting with the Mafia Boss

They are at the Vargas dining room, Mr. Vargas on the father's seat and Antonio in the far opposite. It gives the impression of a business meeting where Mr. Vargas is the president and the Spaniard is a mere worker. Lovino is sitting beside his grandfather like a nervous secretary. Somehow, it makes Antonio feel like someone who did a blunder, and soon will be fed to the lions.

"So... You are my grandson's boyfriend?" Mr. Vargas menacingly asked the Spaniard, as if daring him.

"S-Si," Antonio shakily answered. After mistaking the man for Lovino's father, the elder Italian (who was shaking Antonio's hand that time) crushed the Spaniard's fingers. It was taking all of the shorter brunette's conviction not to shed a tear from the pain.

"He was your student, si?"

"S-Si."

"You are aware that he is 12 years younger than you and is a boy?"

"S-Si..." answered the Spaniard, feeling stupider every second.

"You were his teacher, 12 years older and you still has the guts to go out with my grandson," emphasizing the 'son' part. The elder man droned matter-of-factly, as if it was an everyday incident.

"S-Si," Antonio just muttered again, not knowing what to say. The glare of the old man Vargas intensified. The Spaniard was wondering how in the earth is he still alive while being eyed by the man.

Meanwhile, Lovino is hating the cold atmosphere.

"Nonno, you're scaring hi-"

"Lovino, shut up. You are not to speak until I let you," Mr. Vargas snapped at him. Lovino wilted and the old man returned to scrutinizing Antonio.

"So. What are you planning to do?"

It was as if all the lines he rehearsed to answer that question suddenly left him. It was very unnerving, how the man's gaze seem enough to peel him alive.

"Mr. Antonino-"

"It's Antonio," Lovino whispered.

"Well, whatever. Do you know my grandson well?" Mr. Vargas began without waiting for Antonio to say something about his last question. The Spaniard doesn't know if he should be grateful at the elder Italian's conversing tone.

"Do you know how clumsy he is?"

Lovino visibly flinched at his grandfather's revelations. He looked reproachfully at the man, but he just continued his blaberings.

"He is such a klutz that he broke eight vases, knocked over three bookshelves and had set our house on fire once when he was a child."

The younger Italian was blushing and fidgeting on his seat, sending his grandfather angry hisses.

"He wets his bed until he was seven."

Steam seems to be escaping Lovino's ears now.

"And his staple food is pi-"

"Enough."

Lovino had stood up so suddenly that the two elder men barely noticed. He shot his grandfather a very hurt and annoyed look before stomping out of the house. Antonio is torn between following him or staying with Mr. Vargas when he heard the old man chuckling fondly.

"Isn't he such a fun to tease?" he laughed, wiping the corners of his eyes. The Spaniard had to remind himself how the man had cracked his hand bones in a single squeeze to stop himself from strangling the old man.

"No use of glaring at me like that, old boy," Lovino's grandfather chided. "My grandson's are deadlier."

When he saw that the Spaniard is nowhere from retreating his fierce stare, he coughed a bit and adopted a serious tone again.

"Do you love my grandson?"

Antonio was amazed at how the man could change from one mood to another but this time, his answers are spontaneous.

"Si."

"Do you think you love him more than I do?"

Once again, the Spaniard was caught off-guard. How would one answer to that?

"Do you love him enough take him away from this poor old man?"

"I woul-"

"JUST ANSWER WITH A YES OR NO!" the old man spat, his veins apparent. Antonio went rigid for a moment there...

"S-Si..."

"Well that's good, then," Mr. Vargas said simply. "It's good," but there is a sadness in his voice that did not escaped the Spaniard's hearing.

"S-Sir-"

"You may go. Get out of my sight."

Antonio doesn't know if he will feel relieved or more nervous about this kind of kicking out. But as he walks out the door, the old man's throaty voice said:

"Make my grandson cry and you won't get off with just a fractured wrist."

Antonio glanced back to smile reassuringly to the man but regretted it as Mr. Vargas now wears a creepy face.

"You do that and I will skin you alive with a blunt and rusty bread knife."

It never registered to the Spaniard that Mr. Vargas couldn't probably do that to him because by the looks of it, he can. So Antonio just run for his life right there and then.

His feet brought him to the garden bench where Lovino sits.

"So, you alright?" the Italian asked without sparing him as much as a glance. Antonio was quite shocked at the calmness of the boy's voice.

"I guess so," he answered. "Ahhh~ it feels nice to be able to say words other than 'Si.'"

"Hehe, yeah, you'd say that."

Antonio is not liking the plain-ness of the Italian's voice. It sounds so... err, dead.

"Lovi, are you-?"

"M'fine. Really, fine..."

"But-"

"I should've realized that it's no use," the Italian sobbed so suddenly. He rested his head to the Spaniard's chest. Antonio caressed his back consolingly.

Meanwhile, Mr. Vargas is at the window, chewing on the curtains.

"I could see you, you bastard!"

"Sir, you'll be late for the meeting now," a (by the looks of it) butler said to him.

"...will sew his skin in rainbow colored threads and-"

"Sir!"

"Oh! Yeah fine! Meeting that is!"

The butler sighed in relief as Mr. Vargas strode down the hall. He heard the man talk to the chef as he followed him.

"He doesn't love me, you know..."

Antonio gazed questioningly at the still slumping Lovino. The sobs had subsided but there was bitterness in his voice.

"His favorite has always been Feliciano. Always. He was the sweet one anyway so I really couldn't care less...

"But... I was hoping that, you know, he would at least be happy for me," the Italian choked back the forming snivel. "That or he'd at least be like those soap opera fathers that hand me to you and ask you to take good care of me and all that shit..."

He swallowed.

"But I guess that's too much to ask."

"Lovino..." Antonio wiped the Italian's tears and made the boy to face him. "I know it's not that believable coming fron me, but I think your grandfather really loves you."

"Yeah, you probably conclude that after hearing him say those embarassing things..."

"Ha ha, those things we're funny..."

"I'll kill you."

"Just kidding. But really, I think, by saying those things, he is testing me. Testing me if my love for you is enough for me to overlook those things. And that if I'd be willing to take care of you even how clumsy you seem to be, that sort of thing."

"H-How does it come down to that?"

"Ha ha, you're really still very young to understand," Antonio said while patting the boy's head.

"C-Cut it out, you stinky old man!"

"I'm not stinky!"

"You didn't deny the 'old man' part."

"Well, I am 12 years older."

"B-But... It doesn't matter now, right?" Lovino leaned on the Spaniard's shoulders. "And you... You love me enough, right?"

The elder brunette smiled contently.

"Of course, Lovi. If I hadn't I would be dead meat now. You're grandfather would've made sure of it," he shuddered at the thought.

"That's good, then. It's good."

Antonio had to hold back a chuckle at how Lovino had said exactly the same lines as his 'hated' grandfather.

"But I still don't believe that Nonno loves me," Lovino murmured stubbornly. "Your proof isn't enough yet."

Ahh, Mr. Vargas. You still have a long way to go.

"Let's go back, Lovi? I still want to formally ask for your hand from your grandfather," Antonio stood and hold out his hand to Lovino.

"D-Don't make it sound l-like, like marriage! God damn it!"

"Why? You wouldn't marry me?"

Lovino headbutted the Spaniard on the belly.

"BASTARD!"

He stomped back to the house.

Antonio followed limply while nursing his painful rib.

When they reached the dining area, Mr. Vargas wasn't there. All they found was a buffet of pizza and pasta and tomatoes. Everything looks freshly cooked and even the smell was delicious.

"Aren't these... all your favorite food, Lovi?"

The Spaniard turn to see Lovino clutching his mouth, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. Antonio smiled and patted his head as he wept.

"He knows you more than you think he does. Do you still need more proof, Lovi?"

"N-No..." Lovino rubbed his eyes and gave a small smile. Antonio was stunned for a moment.

"We are really running late-"

They heard some loud talking from the hallway. They found the butler telling off a flustered Mr. Vargas. They haven't noticed the couple until they were in front of them.

"If you only didn't schedule an appointment at the very same time as the meeting-" the butler chattered away.

"Well I had to meet my grandson's..."

"Nonno..."

"...boyfriend."

The man stopped walking. He kind of blushed but he quickly coughed to regain himself.

"I thought you would act like some sugar-coated lovebirds in the yard longer," the man muttered coldly. Antonio scratched his head guiltily.

"T-Thank you... for everything..." Lovino whispered only for the Spaniard and his grandfather to hear.

"Anito."

"It's Antonio," Lovino chided.

"Whatever. This is just for now. Make my Lovino cry and," he made a gesture of running a finger over his neck. "Mark my words."

"Si," Antonio said confidently, determinedly. The old man nodded and walked off.

A/N: Oh god. I made Antonio say "Si" until the very end. He must have been that nervous towards Grampa Rome. Teehee.

Lovi's Tomato Lover: I hope this suits your taste… And I say you've got an interesting school life.

There is still another side story that I'm working on. I'll probably upload it early next week since I'm going out of town this weekend. Till next time :)