Author's Notes: Oh my god, no words can describe how sorry I am for how late this is. I'd try to use an excuse, but really, none are good enough.

School is starting soon, so believe it or not, once I'm back on a regular sceduale, I should start updating a lot more often. My other stories should be updated soon, too.

I'm so so so so so so so sorry! But here we are, finally! There should be one or two more parts of this section, and then we move on to the next pair~ Can any of you guess what that will be? I mean, it's not really hinted at yet, at all, they didn't really even make an appearance... ahaha... oops... But I'd love to hear your guesses anyway~

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Chapter Three: Step Two-

Lovino hurried out of the building, cheeks red. Why couldn't he instantaneously deny it when someone asked if he liked Antonio like he used to? He had been teased ever since they were young and it had always been an easy, if slightly irritated, no. But today, when he was asked, something in him hesitated. Hesitated! And, to add to it, his face would heat up and his heart would race whenever he even thought about the Spaniard! N-Not that he thought about the other, of course. Wait… well; actually, he couldn't get the other out of his mind. It was annoying! The bastard was even showing up in his dreams! Maybe he was sick. Yeah. He'd go to his dorm and get some rest and-

"Ack!" Lovino had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he had slammed right into someone.

"Loovvviii! Where are you going? Are you okay? Alfred told me that you were leaving classes early!" Exclaimed an all too familiar voice. Lovino froze, cheeks turning scarlet. This was the last person he wanted to see right now.

"I'm sick so I'm going to my dorm! Leave me alone!" He demanded, taking a few steps back. Antonio actually looked… worried.

"What's wrong, Lovi? Do you have a stomach ache?" He asked, concerned.

"N-No!" Lovino said, attempting to walk past him. But Antonio grabbed his wrist, surprisingly gentle, and raised his other hand to feel Lovino's forehead.

"Do you have a fever? You're all red, Lovi!" He exclaimed. Indeed, Lovino's face was heating up rapidly. His heartbeat was also beginning to speed up.

Yeah, he was sick.

"Y-Yeah, I-I-I think. S-So l-let me g-go and g-get rest!" Lovino grabbed the excuse while he could.

"Do you need any-"

"Nope! I'll be fine by myself! So I'll be going now!" Lovino interrupted in a rush, pushing past the other and racing to the dorms. Antonio stared after him, worried. But… Lovi is so cute when he's all red! Antonio gushed in his thoughts.

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Lovino threw open the door to his room, panting. He quickly closed and locked the door behind him before collapsing on his bed. After a moment, he began to relax. Everything was alright, he'd get rest and get better, and then all of these weird thoughts would go away. He let out a tiny sigh and rolled onto his side.

Lovino turned slightly pink, staring at his wrist. Antonio had held it, to keep him from leaving. The other's hands weren't exactly smooth, but at the same time, they were warm and comforting. He wondered what it would like to hold the other's hand in his own. Probably just as… soothing as the person it belonged t-

Lovino groaned, burring his face in his pillow. What was wrong with him! This was a strange sickness, that was for sure. Because that was what is had to be. A disease. Nothing else.

"I mean, it's not like I like the bastard…" Lovino mumbled to himself. But for some reason, he wasn't convinced anymore. His eyes widened, moving his pillow to stare at the ceiling, his cheeks heating up rapidly.

"N-No…. no way…." Lovino whispered. But his hear was beating faster by the second, and all he could think about was Antonio. Antonio's stupid (handsome) smile, his annoying (charming) voice, and even the other's ridiculous (bright) eyes…

Suddenly, his phone rang. Lovino jumped, breaking out of his thoughts. He rolled to his side, picking up the phone from the bedside table. He peered at it, blinking when it read "12:04". It had been that long…? Quickly flipping open his phone so the person calling wouldn't hang up, and held it to his ear.

"…'llo?" Lovino was actually relieved that his voice was slurred, sounding as if he had merely been sleeping and not pining away like some lovesick fool.

"Fratello! Are you okay? I had no idea you were sick! Should I come back early and make you some pasta? Are you resting? Oh no! Did I wake you up?" Feliciano's worried voice filtered through the phone.

"…Feli?" Lovino mumbled, not noticing he had just used his brother's nickname.

"F-Fratello?" Feliciano sounded startled and worried, "Are you alright?"

"Mm… I just…. Need rest…" Lovino replied quietly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah…"

"I'll go ask someone what I should do! Hang in there, fratello!" Feliciano suddenly said. Lovino blinked, startled.

"F-Feli, I'm not dy-" Felciano had disconnected the call before he could finish his sentence. Lovino sighed, before closing his phone and setting it down. He flopped back down on the bed, closing his eyes.

To his surprise, he actually drifted off. His dreams were full of brown hair, green eyes, and warm smiles.

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"Hey, this is Alfed-"

"And Matthew-"

"Like anyone would call you~"

"S-shut up!"

"Anyway, we aren't here right now."

"So please leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can."

"Sort of. If we don't like you then we'll probably just not respond!"

"Alfred that's rude!"

"Ahahahaha~" Beeeeeep.

Lovino snapped his phone shut and gave a frustrated huff. Yesterday, Feliciano had consulted Alfred for whatever reason, and the American had decided that all Lovino needed was to get out of school for a day.

So here Lovino was, umbrella in hand as it rained quite hard, waiting for someone that probably wasn't coming. He had been ditched. A stab of pain ran through him, one that he couldn't shake away. It was no secret that everyone favored his younger brother, even their grandfather did! This meant that he was used to being alone, used to being ditched and made fun of behind his back. He learned not to care. R-Right? Y-Yeah, t-this didn't hurt at all…

Lovino was a second away from turning to go back to the train station and take the train back to the school, but something caught his attention. Or, rather, someone. The rain begun to let up, making the figure across the street clearer.

It was Antonio, hair glistening from the rain (that had just stopped completely), and eyes reflecting the sun that was shining through.

As cheesy as it sounds, Lovino felt his breath catch in his throat, and his heart begin to speed up. He couldn't tear his eyes off of the other, completely enchanted, though he would never admit it. Antonio's eyes met his, and the Spaniard smiled brightly, lighting up as if Lovino was the only person in the world that mattered.

If Lovino had been a girl, or, well, even the smallest bit more girly, he would have swooned right then and there.

But he wasn't a girl, so he merely flushed brightly, adverting his eyes shyly. The Spaniard bounded across the street when the sign lit up, coming to his side and smiling brightly.

"Feeling better, Lovi~?" Antonio asked cheerfully.

"Y-Yeah.." Lovino said quietly, feeling his heart pound in his chest. He had a feeling… t-that he wasn't sick. That it was… something else..

"That's great!" The Spaniard seemed to brighten even more. He paused, looking a little curious and… nervous? "Are you waiting for someone..?"

"I d-don't know, they were supposed to be here almost an hour ago…" Lovino muttered, keeping his eyes down. Antonio seemed to think for a second, before beaming and grabbing his hand.

"Since we both have nothing to do, then, how about we spend the day together~?"

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Author's Notes: Again, I'm soooo sorry for how late it is, and how short. DX...

A-Anyway, I want to thank any of you who stuck with me even with the super long wait. You guys are the besssttt!

Questions, comments, complains, whatever, are all welcome and appreciated~