It's so damn long it's not even funny, but I'm too lazy to cut it again, so here you go.

Disclaimer: I don't own things. I only own my plot here.

Chapter 3: The Little Priest of Trapani

Soon after that, Antonio retired and went to sleep but not before embracing the herbalist again. The idiot exerted himself too much today. "I just really like hugging my cute little Lovi~!" Which was the stupidest answer Antonio had given yet. Shoving, not gently tucking, the bastard into bed, Lovino left the room. He had lots of stuff to do now that Antonio was no longer pestering him. Like…like watering the garden, weeding the garden, laundry…he could clean the house… That's right he had a fucking whole lot to do, he totally had a life outside of taking care of stupid pirates.

The day passed with Lovino being bored to death. He sat in the garden and listened to the chatty flora as he waited for the laundry to dry. The bastard always got his damn clothes dirty and it would be bad if he got sick from how wet his clothes were after this afternoon. So before the idiot went to sleep he had to clean them, and when he told Antonio, the bastard just gave him a shit-faced grin. At least he didn't wear his ridiculously flashy pirate coat, because it was a bitch to wash the first time with all the blood on it from before.

It soon turned dark and he was all alone in the garden.

The two other sprites had left for some meeting near the river or something like that. The meetings came irregularly. Sometimes the gap was as short as several minutes to several years. But all the same, Lovino dropped their potted plants near the river and left, allowing the flowers to talk about whatever they talked about. Which was probably along the lines of bragging and insulting as they compared whose leaves or buds were prettier or some shit like that. That's exactly what happened last time Lovino asked to join in and he wasn't eager to attend another 'meeting'.

So there Lovino sat in the garden, twiddling his thumbs when Lukas showed up.

"The fuck are you doing here?" He definitely did not squeak or jump when he saw the oleander sprite appear out of nowhere. He was blonde, like Abel, with a perpetually bored look glued to his face. He never smiled, never laughed, and made snide comments every now and then. Always with a completely straight face of course. Anri and Abel wore more traditional looking clothes, Anri with a clean white blouse and a brown skirt while Abel wore the usual tunic and vest/jacket combo in addition to an out-of-place blue scarf. It was, overall, traditional villager garb. But Lukas, being Lukas, wore a dark blue sailor uniform with a beret and cross pin in his hair. He said he could see the future, and as fishy as it seemed, Lukas was never wrong when it came to his predictions.

The bored man seemed unaffected by Lovino's rudeness, "I just wanted to give you this." The monotone bastard threw a scabbard at him. Clumsily, the Italian caught it, fumbling and grumbling before securing it firmly in his hands. He frowned when he realized what it was.

"What the fuck is this?" He furrowed his brow and then tried to pull the knife out of its scabbard, but it didn't want to come out.

"You'll need it, don't know when but you will," Lukas replied in a bored tone, his face still devoid of any emotion. "It'll open when the time is right, so take good care of it and don't lose it."

Lovino pinned the indifferent sprite with the dirtiest glare he could muster, "Why do I need a knife? Tell me what you saw in the future, now."

Lukas looked at him, unimpressed. "You already know she's coming." He looked back at the forest, his expression was almost nervous. "I've already said enough; ask the other two if you want to know more." He walked away, leaving a dumbfounded Lovino to stare at the sheathed knife in his hands. At the last second, Lukas turned around and waved, "Good luck, little witch."

At that, Lovino's head snapped upwards and he scowled. "Don't call me that, asshole!" But Lukas was gone. He ignored the stab of fear he felt when he received the warning. He had always been able to handle her before…hadn't he? He examined the knife more carefully this time, the scabbard was simple. It was a dark blue, almost black, color with a painting of a pure white Oleander blossom on the front. The hilt was bound in black lacquered leather with a small opal placed in its center.

It looked more decorative than practical. He tried again to unsheathe the dagger, examining every possible detail that might show how he could pop the weapon out. "Shit, this thing is airtight…"

"What's airtight?" Lovino squeaked…or that was what most people would be led to believe. Lovino was a manly man who certainly did not squeak. He may have jumped a little when he heard Antonio and found the man so close to him. But that's a natural reaction when someone appears out of nowhere!

Antonio moved to take the dagger but Lovino held it close. "Like hell I'm going to give this to you, you'll probably break it, bastard!"

"So mean…" Antonio pouted, his lower lip sticking out. But he cheered up immediately, and hugged the little Italian, "But whatever you say, Lovi~!"

"Gah, get off! When will you get the message to stay away from me you bastard!" But this time he didn't bother, pushing the older man away, since he knew by now that no amount of shoving would deter the idiot from a hug. Damn bastard was relentless.

He could feel Antonio smile as the pirate nuzzled his face in the smaller male's hair. "That's what you always say mi tomate but you've always hugged me back!"

"I have fucking not!" Shit, he didn't actually hug him back did he? He scowled as darkly as he could at the Spaniard before finally extricating himself from the mess that was Antonio. "Why the fuck are you out here anyways? I thought you were asleep!"

"Hmmm, I woke up and I didn't see you or the others so I went to find you," he looked up at the sky, "And it's such a beautiful moon tonight, don't you think?" Lovino huffed, but looked up as well.

"It's a new moon you dumbass! All there is out here are stars!" Antonio laughed.

"But it's still beautiful si?" he leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "And plus, I hear that the fairies come out to play when the moon is away. Won't it be fun to find some?"

"There are no such things as fairies you bastard," Lovino said, letting out a short bark of laughter. It was just too ironic.

"Aww, but isn't fun to believe in just a-"Antonio stopped speaking when he heard music. He cocked his head to one side to hear where it was coming from better. To no avail, the music seemed to come from everywhere. "Do you hear that Lovi?"

"Of course I hear it you idiot," Lovino replied, thinking fast. Stupid fucking idiots, fairies couldn't be trusted to keep their own selves safe from equally stupid-and-yet-kind-of-perceptive pirates. "It's probably just Abel and Anri, they like playing out near the river and they've probably brought a couple of friends."

Antonio narrowed his eyes, still trying to detect the music's source, "But I thought you said we were alone up here?"

Lovino cursed inwardly. The bastard had to use his brain when he shouldn't! "Well…they sent out a letter this morning and invited a few people over and I kind of forgot. So stop worrying, you look like you're going to hurt yourself, stupid bastard." It was the lamest shit he had ever heard for a lie. But thank the gods that Antonio was an idiot, because he relented and then put back on his shit-eating smile.

"Hmmm, that so?" Lovino didn't like the glint in the pirate's eyes. Antonio, on the other hand, pulled himself from the ground and stood up in one fluid movement. Lovino followed suit, albeit a little bit clumsier. Damn it, even when he was injured that stupid pirate was more graceful than him. He smirked at Lovino, as if reading his mind. Fucking show-off.

He extended a hand to Lovino, who looked at him confused. "Since it's so nice out and the music is playing, won't you dance with me?" Antonio snickered when he saw the younger male flush.

"Why should I d-dance with you, stupid asshole?" Lovino turned away, "Dancing is for dumbasses!" He tried to stalk back into the house, but the bastard grabbed him by the hand.

He put on the stupid pout again. "Please? Just one dance? If you dance with me, I-I uh…" he paused to think a bit.

"Don't hurt yourself thinking, dumbass," Lovino sneered. Wouldn't he just let go already? He. Did. Not. Dance. End of story. Oh sure, he could dance, but he just didn't feel like it. Yes, that's right, he was a fucking master at dancing and stuff.

It was then that he had an idea, "If you dance with me, I'll give you a kiss!"

Lovino gaped at him, before spluttering, "W-what kind of offer is that?!"

The pirate wrapped an arm around the other's waist and pulled him close. "I'll have you know many would beg to even get a passing glance from me. I'm rather famous as a very good kisser if I do say so myself," the Spaniard was smirking, his tone slightly suggestive instead of dopey. Oddly enough, it seemed to suit him. Lovino flushed when the pirate leaned forward so close that their noses were almost touching.

"G-Get away from me pervert!" Lovino shoved him away and ran off into the forest. Unfortunately for him, he was tripped by the snapdragons (little traitors) and Antonio caught up to him. The pirate didn't pounce him as the Italian thought he would. Instead he sighed and pulled him up, firmly planting his hands on the smaller male's shoulders to maintain eye contact.

"Please Lovi? It's just one dance. For me?" He made those puppy eyes again. Goddammit, he was going soft.

He gave a resigned sigh, "Fine, but just one dance, capische?" Antonio brightened and nodded enthusiastically. The Spaniard grabbed both of his hands and pulled him so close, Lovino flushed even more. From embarrassment you pervert. Okay, he'd admit it. He was a horrible dancer and couldn't step in tune with Antonio quite right. He probably stepped on Antonio's foot a thousand times, but the pirate didn't do so much as bat an eye. Only guiding him gently in a circle around the garden, but careful to make sure they didn't crush any of his flowers.

Lovino could feel himself get dizzy from all the spins but it was soothing in a way. And how Antonio looked at him made him feel…like an idiot! He did not feel butterflies in his stomach nor did he feel happy in any way at dancing with a ridiculously hand- ugly….ah fuck it. He was enjoying himself and right now, Antonio looked fucking gorgeous at the moment. There, he said it!

It was like he was normal, for once. And he had to hide a small smile growing on his face as Antonio twirled him around. Before he knew it, the song was over and the two were caught standing face-to-face, fingers intertwined and faces so close to the point where Lovino was able to kiss the man if he leaned forward another few centimeters. Not like he was going to do such thing.

For a moment too long, the two stayed frozen like that. They were both slightly out of breath, staring into each other's eyes. That is, before Lovino came to his senses and pulled away, albeit much gentler than he wanted. Antonio frowned a bit at the other, wishing they could have stayed that way a bit longer. But he recovered quickly. If Lovino wanted to take this slow then he could stay and be patient.

Lovino felt that it was extremely hard to talk, awkwardly shuffling and staring at the ground. "I-I uh, I-" God he wanted to hit himself. Stop stuttering already!

Antonio smiled at him and walked closer, "Did you like the dance Lovino?"

The Italian blushed at the use of his full name, tongue-tied. "It wasn't horrible," he conceded grudgingly. He crossed his arms and tried to avoid looking into the Spaniard's expressive green eyes. Thank god it was dark, because Lovino could feel the blush rise from his cheeks all the way up to his ears.

Antonio smiled warmly at him, and cocked his head to one side. "Thanks Lovi~!" he chirped back, before wrapping his arms around the smaller male. Lovino made no move to pull away, resigning himself to the idiot's inescapable hug. It was quiet, the music had stopped, and all they did was stand there for a bit. Antonio hummed in contentment, and Lovino was surprised when he realized that his arms were moving of their own accord to gingerly hug the pirate back. He quickly put his arms down and was about to pull away when he heard a familiar voice call out.

"Fratello? Are you there, ve~?"

"Oh shit," Lovino turned to see idiot number one come skipping into the garden. Feliciano eyed the scene. And for once, he had opened his eyes, his mouth a perfect 'o'. Feli never opens his eyes. Ever. He just skips around through town with his eyes nearly closed while wearing the dumb happy-go-lucky grin he sports every second of the day. His eyes darted from Lovino to the pirate that was holding him.

"I-I'm sorry if I'm interrupting!" Feli cried out, bowing and quickly backtracking into the cottage.

"Just…We weren't fucking doing anything, goddammit! And don't you say anything you bastard!" Lovino sniped, seeing that Antonio was about to open his mouth. "One word to him, and I gut you, got it?"

Antonio let go of the Italian and cocked his head to the side in thought. "I'll try," he replied, seeming for all of the world to be sincere. But Lovino could make out the mischievous glint in his eyes and tightened his grasp on the little knife he stuffed into his belt while they were dancing. For once, he was grateful the stupid oleander appeared.

...

...

"Ve~, so you're a pirate?" Feli asked, horribly intrigued by the stupid bastard. "So what's it like out at sea?" Feli was looking at the asshole with admiring eyes. It made Lovino want to punch something. Preferably Abel, why? Just cause! But for now, he had to settle for aggressively stirring the sugar in his tea.

"Yep! I've been captain since I was sixteen!" Antonio was still wearing his stupid grin. Forget punching Abel, he wanted to pound the pirate's face into the ground.

"Ve~? So you've been captain for 6 years?"

"Yeah, pretty much! You see, my captain wasn't a really nice guy, so I overthrew him! Then we dumped most of the old crew and rounded up some new friends. They're all really great, but I've still held onto some of the old guys, just for old time's sake you know?"

"I see…" Feliciano drifted off, before jumping back to reality when Lovino slammed his tea cup onto the table. "Oh….u-um, I guess I'm getting off topic huh?" Lovino grunted, preferring to give a stony glare at his twin. Feliciano sweatdropped, "Um, I have seen some new people come into town, they don't really look like the usual merchants that pass by either," the ditzy brunet smiled, "I met one of them, he's really sweet! His name's Ludwig and he's from Germany, and I think he said something about finding his captain…"

Antonio nearly jumped out of his seat, "T-that's him! Dios I didn't think they would ever find me!" he said, relief evident on his face. "Did he look okay?"

Feli smiled, "Yes, he's claimed sanctuary at the church right now and he's staying with me…" The younger twin trailed off, and he toyed with his sleeves. The idiot must have just gotten off his duties, as he was still in his customary priest robes. The dope was blushing slightly and Lovino narrowed his eyes, noting to talk to his idiot brother in private later. But when Antonio started babbling again with his brother piping in, still wearing that stupid face of admiration, Lovino went back to thinking about all the ways he could kill Abel later. Why Abel and not the other two? Because Abel was dick and needed to get taken down a few pegs, that's why. Who cares if he doesn't seem relevant? Lovino fucking Vargas does whatever he fucking feels like!

It felt like an eternity before Feli finally got to the other point of why he was there, "Ve~, fratello I won't be able to come back to take Antonio into town. So u-um…" he twiddled his thumbs guiltily, "nonnoiscomingovertotakehimbackandseeyou!"

"Does it look like I speak idiot, Feli?" Lovino said flatly. But he already knew what the other would say.

"U-um, I know you won't like it…but Nonno is coming to pick Antonio up…" Lovino threw his hands up into the air.

"That's fucking great, just fucking perfect!" Lovino grumbled, but he softened his scowl when it looked like Feli was going to start crying for no good reason. "I'm not angry at you Feli, get your shit together already," he ground out. He wasn't angry, he was furious. And maybe…just maybe it had to do with the fact that Antonio couldn't seem to keep his eyes of his little brother. Not like it was jealousy or anything stupid like that, he just didn't want the pervert to get any weird ideas!

"U-um…well…um," Feliciano looked pointedly at the pirate, "Can I talk to you alone, fratello?"

Antonio raised his hands in surrender and moved over to his room. Lovino wasn't sure if he would be able to get a civil conversation through, he was still feeling pretty pissed about Antonio's staring. Damn pervert. "What is it that's so damn important?"

"I-I-I-" he stammered, trying to get the words out but so nervous he was visibly trembling.

"Just spit it out already!" Lovino snapped.

Feliciano looked down at the ground, his posture, somewhat ashamed. "I-I think I'm in love with him."

The elder twin narrowed his eyes, "You are, are you?" His tone changed from irritated to one of barely contained anger.

Feliciano shuffled his feet nervously, "I-I know it's wrong but I, I've just been spending so much time with him that I can't help but…"

"But what?" Lovino struggled to rein in his anger. Why was he so damn angry? It was just Antonio. The idiot was pirate and if anything, all he could say was that Antonio was a friend. That's all it was. So why did it hurt so much when he saw his brother with Antonio instead? He shouldn't be feeling jealous, more like protective rage for his brother. It was so damn confusing.

"But like him…I mean, Ludwig-"

"Wait, what?" Lovino looked at his twin confusedly. Weren't they talking about Antonio…?

"Hmm, what is it fratello?"

"I thought you were talking about Antonio…" the elder twin said slowly, making sure the ditzy kid before him was getting the message.

Feliciano wrinkled his nose, "No, I just met Antonio today, why would I say that I…" It was then that the confused expression morphed into a positively evil smirk. It was scary how well it fit his brother's face. "Ohhhhh I see, so how long have you been together fratello?"

Lovino blushed, then smacked his brother on the head, "You idiot! We aren't together, he's just…just a…we're just friends…and even that's stretching it!" Feli rubbed his head and consequently whined about his aching head.

"Aww, Lovi, you think we're friends? I'm so happy~!" The feisty Italian whirled around to see the shitty idiot himself, leaning on the doorway to the bedroom. "Sup!" he said with a salute.

He heard his younger twin giggle and then Antonio chuckled. "Fuck. You. All of you!"

The pirate had the decency to pretend to be ashamed and walked over to the twins. He pulled out a letter and passed it to Feliciano, "Here, mind giving this to Ludwig for me?"

Feli giggled before taking the offered letter, "No problem, Antonio. I guess I'll leave you two then, you must have a lot of business to get to…" He trailed off suggestively and Lovino's eyes flared dangerously. Since when did his brother become so much of a pervert? Did churches teach their kids to have such dirty thoughts?

"Another word and I will rip off your curl," Lovino growled, still leveling his twin with a nasty glare. Feliciano gulped, "S-si…"

Walking his little brother outside, Feliciano spoke up again. "Ve, fratello…what do you think? I…I like Ludwig a lot but I don't want to give it all up at the church. I want to help you more, fratello…"

Lovino gave a long-suffering sigh, "I don't need your help with the stupid church. Doing what you're doing now is enough. And I…" he took a deep breath, "I appreciate it." He said the last part under his breath, making it sound more like unintelligible murmurs but Feli caught the words anyway. Lovino looked back up at his younger twin, "Just…just don't overexert yourself idiot. If you die who's going to bring me all my shit? I don't give a damn if the church changes or not, just stay the way you are, you little dumbass."

Feliciano smiled brightly, "Ve, okay then Lovi!"

"Did I give you fucking permission to call me that?" Lovino barked, but let himself get hugged by his idiot brother nonetheless. "And if that potato-bastard does anything then I'm going to kill him, witch hunt be damned. Got it?"

Feliciano laughed gently at the statement, "I promise nothing's going to happen, fratello!" And with that he left, waving stupidly every few feet before finally disappearing in the dense foliage.

Lovino walked back inside, right into his bedroom, and pulled off some blankets which he threw on the floor. He pulled out a duvet that was kept inside his dresser. A little dusty, but still usable. He put that on his bed and lay down in it.

"For your idiocy, you get to sleep on the floor tonight!" He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. He would not be swayed by that ridiculously adorable- STUPID, STUPID, STUPID, he said stupid not adorable, grin.

Antonio gave the expected response. He whined and groaned. "Ehhhhh, can't I sleep with you Lovi?"

Lovino blushed, "Of course not you pervert bastard!"

The Spaniard persisted, "Can't we cut a deal Lovi? It's coooold!"

Lovino scoffed and glared at him, "We cut a deal with the stupid dance earlier, no more deals!"

The pirate sighed, before relenting and laying himself down on the floor. At least it was better than waking up completely alone as he had done in the last few days. "Good night then Lovi~!"

"Whatever, don't die in your sleep bastard," was the snarky reply back. Antonio could hear angry mutters and could imagine the annoyed scowl on Lovino's face. He nearly laughed out loud when he thought about how funny Lovi could be. He was just so interesting, Antonio couldn't keep his hands off. Whenever he had the chance, he hugged the little Italian to his chest. Lovino was just too cute for his own good. The younger twin was nice but there was just something so right about being with Lovino.

He smiled to himself, and when Lovino fell asleep (which was a few minutes after he made fun of him), he crawled into bed with the cute Italian. There was enough room for two people to fit comfortably. Plus, the blankets on the floor were cold, so Antonio shimmied closer to the source of warmth.

He had to use all of his willpower to not nuzzle into Lovino's hair. For his Lovi's sake he held back. He only hoped that he didn't start hugging the Italian in his sleep, because that tended to happen….sometimes….well, whatever happened it would at least be interesting.

Before he finally knocked out, Antonio ended up caressing the little brunet's face. How could he not? The Italian was the sweetest thing he had ever met. He doubted there would ever be anyone like him. Not even his twin, Feliciano, could compare to his gem of a brother.

"Buenas noches Lovi," he whispered. He was ecstatic to hear a quiet and sleepy "Good night" in return.

...

Lovino was sitting in the garden, playing with the daisies this time. They refused to tell him where his tomato plants went. He threatened them with a pruning, but they simply laughed. Bastards. He pulled out a nasty little weed before throwing himself onto his back to stare at the cloudy blue sky.

He was about to take a nap when he heard someone walking over to him. He turned his head lazily to see Antonio walking over to him. The pirate was smiling as usual, although there was something that was more nervous in his expression. He knelt down beside Lovino, staring down at him with warm green eyes.

"Hi Lovi~!"

Lovino didn't deign him with a proper reply, only nodding his head. God, Antonio looked so good right now. His hair framed his perfectly chiseled face and the gentle smile he directed towards Lovino made him feel, well, actually loved. Like he was the center of the man's affections rather than his fear and hatred as the little brunet was accustomed to.

It was then that he noticed that Antonio was leaning towards him. "What are you doing you-" He was cut off when the Spaniard placed his lips over his. It was strange, but Lovino didn't feel at all inclined to pull away. Instead, he pulled the pirate closer, tangling his fingers in the man's hair. He enjoyed every second, wishing it wouldn't stop, until he realized what would happen if he went through with this.

"Shit, what the fuck am I doing?!"

Lovino woke up with a start, jumping slightly before clinging to the thing closest to him. Which happened to be Antonio. He shrieked.

"What the fuck are you doing in my bed?!" In his attempt to scramble away, he fell off the bed. Pulling himself back up with one arm, he glared at the offending pirate, "Why the hell are you up here?! I told you to sleep on the floor you bastard!"

Antonio yawned, blinking sleepily in a fashion that was oddly endearing. "Hmmm…" then Antonio made an 'o' in surprise, "Oh God, I'm sorry Lovi..." then he smirked, "actually, I'm not, you're really cute when you sleep and I just wanted to cuddle with my cute little tomato!"

Lovino turned red, "You're a fucking pervert, you bastard! Get the hell out of my room asshole!" He threw the thing closest to him at the pirate. Which happened to be a pillow…not the best thing to throw in hindsight.

Antonio sighed dramatically and swatted the pillow away, "No need to get so sensitive Lovi, it was a compliment I swear! And the floor was really cold…"

At that Lovino felt a twinge of guilt. Maybe he shouldn't have forced an injured man to sleep on the floor whilst he slept on top, but goddammit, he was just freaking pissed off and…Lovino sighed resignedly. "What the fuck ever, let's just go get breakfast or something…" he muttered under his breath.

Antonio brightened. "Oh no, don't give me that look!" Lovino growled, "You're still not off the hook!" He brushed himself off and made to move towards the door.

"So grumpy, mi tomate dulce!" Antonio stood and grabbed Lovino by the hand. "But aren't you forgetting something?" He leaned forward, coming way too close for comfort.

"N-no, I'm not forgetting anything….n-now get away from me b-bastard…" the Italian stuttered, trying to back away before hitting a wall. Shit. What the fuck was he doing? He was turning red and trying to not think about what he was dreaming about earlier.

"A debt isn't so easily forgotten, remember Lovi~? And a pirate always keeps his promises!" Antonio said brightly, still seeming innocent despite the fact that he was a trapping the smaller male against the wall. His posture wasn't really threatening but Lovino was still inwardly freaking out.

"Don't you fucking dare you b-bastard!" Lovino tried to slide his way out of this but the man held him firmly by the shoulders and kept him pressed against the wall. Shit. Shit he was really, really going to do this wasn't he? He silently called for the surrounding flora to help him, though they weren't the fastest at reacting to these kinds of things. A faster reaction required vocal commands but when he tried to speak, nothing would come out. He closed his eyes and shut his mouth tightly, preparing for the worst. Instead of an insistent kiss on the mouth, he felt gentle lips kiss him tenderly on the forehead. Lovino snapped his eyes open and looked up, confused.

"Awww, my Lovi really is the cutest!" Antonio declared before wrapping the flustered little brunet with his arms.

"S-Shut up, you fucking pervert!" He kicked and shoved rigorously, making the pirate let go of him immediately. Seeing that the pervert was out of breath, Lovino made a beeline for the door.

The bastard was playing with him. He was sure of it. Once he realized who Lovino really was, he'd run for the hills towards the city, probably choosing to seduce his normal brother instead or some other beauty willing to bed the pirate. If anything, this was just a passing affection that Lovino had no intentions of returning. Best not to get too attached. Once bitten twice as shy after all.

...

...

Feliciano was trotting happily through the streets of Trapani. He was grateful that God had given his dear brother a friend. Or a potential lover. The ditzy brunet couldn't help but smile at the thought. His brother had been alone for far too long, and it was good that he had company, as unconventional as it may be. Antonio looked like a good person, as far as Feliciano's instincts had sensed and his gut had never wronged him yet. The only downside was the fact that he was Ludwig's captain. Although the engineer had only told him good things about the Spaniard, it was the fact that they would be leaving that made Feliciano a little wary about the future.

He shook off those dark thoughts and smiled even more brightly in an attempt to cheer himself up. He then walked into a cozy little bakery. Despite being rather sunny outside, the winds were blowing rather roughly that day. The warmth of the quaint bakery was a welcome change for the young priest-in-training.

"Afternoon Feliciano, how are you today?" the old baker said, respectfully bowing his head despite Feliciano being much younger than him.

"Oh, hello Giovanni! I'm doing fine, thanks! Ve~ How are your cats?" the optimistic man chirped as he picked up the food delivery off the counter. He sighed appreciatively when the sweet smell of pastries wafted into the air.

"Rather fine if I do say myself. Elena's got nine kittens to look after now," Giovanni said while swiftly pulling bread out of the oven. He brushed off his hands and gave Feliciano a kind smile. "If you want, I can give you one of them. The old girl's not going to be able to feed all nine of 'em at the rate they're going."

"Ve~? That'd be great! Grazie Giovanni!" he yelled, clapping his hands in enthusiasm. The old baker simply shook his head and chuckled. The boy was one of the few children he had the pleasure of watching grow up. He remembered when the little brunet was 5 and stumbling in the fields. Those children, including Feliciano, were treated as if they were his own, as he was a widow and had no sons to bear his name. It was with muted grief that he heard of the passing of Signore and Signora Vargas. And like the rest, he cursed at the mention of the boy's twin.

The old man gave the chattering boy his change, "Go on boy, back to the church with you now!" He shooed him to the door, "Can't have you slacking on the job now can we?"

"O-of course!" Feliciano bowed, "I'll see you tomorrow Giovanni!" The old man waved happily as Feliciano skipped out the door. He looked at the sky, shading his eyes with his hand. It was already noon. If he didn't hurry, then he would be late for mass! He walked a bit faster back to the church, taking extra care not to drop the bread as he had done many times before.

As he walked, many of the townsfolk waved hello, smiling indulgently at him. He waved back with as much enthusiasm, but his disappointment grew with each person he greeted. Why couldn't the people be as nice to his fratello? He didn't understand how people could be so cruel, they were all God's children right? He wasn't sure anymore, but he hoped that when he became priest, he would be able to change their minds.

Lovino and his Nonno said many times that it was impossible to change the church. It was corrupt by nature, they said. But Feliciano shrugged them off. They would never know if he didn't try! Sure, he was scared but surely things would change with time! After all, he wasn't smart or good at medicine like Lovino, nor was he brave and strong like his Nonno. So this was the least he could do to help.

He stopped at the hill before the church, and looked back. The hill overlooked the city, allowing him a clear view of the bustling city and its crowded port with the shimmering sea beyond even that.

The city was beautiful, despite its rotten origins. Rising in prominence because of a witch trial, the city soon became a source of interest to the church. With Nunzio's influence, wealth was poured into this backwater town. The little houses that used to be the quaint village were extravagant houses that decorated the hills. But there were still impoverished people sitting in small huts near the docks. The marketplace was decorated in various colors, the brightest reds and the deepest blues mixed with specks of yellow. As beautiful as it was, it only reminded him of all the things that Lovino was deprived of. It made him very sad just thinking about it. And then there was his guest.

Ludwig Beilschmidt. German. 21 years old. A year younger than Antonio. The chief engineer of the infamous Stella Maris and one of them most wanted men by the church. He didn't identify himself as a crew of the notorious vessel, he only said he was a wandering merchant that went through some bad luck with pirates. As the blonde man was very handsome, the priest agreed to provide Ludwig sanctuary.

"Ve~, Ludwig I'm back!" Feliciano whispered, loud enough for the German to hear. The blonde man looked up from the book he was reading and got out of his chair. His hair was combed back and neat as always. Those piercing blue eyes zeroed in on him when he walked through the door..

"Welcome back, Feliciano," Ludwig replied solemnly with a respectful nod of his head. Feliciano puffed up a cheek before putting the bag gently on the table in front of the German.

"I told you to call me Feli already, ve~," Feliciano pouted, pulling out various groceries from the bag. "So how are your injuries? Do you feel sore anywhere?"

Ludwig shook his head, "No, you've done a very good job taking care of me. I only feel a little tired, but I'm sure I'll be fine soon enough…" He looked at the groceries, "Allow me to help you put these away."

The little Italian shook his head quickly, "No, no! You're still healing, I'll put it away." He held up some sweet bread, "If you're good and stay put I'll give you some~!" The bright smile on his face made one appear on the serious German's face as well.

"Very well, I will stay put." Feliciano made a pleased sound, and placed the food in neat little cabinets in the corner of his room. It was a little larger than his peers, as the priest seemed to have taken a shine to him. There were two beds, but only one was actually used. The first time the little clergyman curled up into bed with Ludwig, the German almost squealed in surprise. He did it often so as to catch the German off guard; it was just too fun to not tease the stoic German. Unfortunately, it became so common that it wasn't so strange anymore, just normal.

The day Feliciano found the German pirate was when he had gone down to the docks to pick up supplies from Giovanni for his brother. He took a shortcut through the dock and found the man half-dead in an alleyway. The poor man looked so hurt that Feliciano just had to help. So he took him up to the church where he regained consciousness and claimed sanctuary. Being one of Nunzio's favorites, he was entrusted with the task of keeping an eye on the man.

Despite his reservations and how intimidating the German was, Ludwig made very good company. Not once has he regretted taking in the muscular blonde, although he began worrying more and more lately. Ever since they had discovered this…chemistry between them, things started to get a little confusing.

Nonno wasn't happy when he found out, but he said he would take care of the loose ends. Despite the church's warnings against such relationships, Feliciano couldn't bring himself to care.

Ludwig wrapped an arm around him and kissed him on the back of the neck. He flushed slightly at the contact but turned to smile warmly at the German. Okay, so he had a confession to make. He may have, maybe, perhaps, found Ludwig a little bit more than just a few days ago. Ludwig had actually claimed three weeks ago, a little before the time Antonio apparently arrived. He said something about a big battle and he was separated from the group. It seemed that Antonio's crew had been searching for him only to later lose the captain as well. It was only until Feliciano received a letter from his brother did he realize that there were more pirates stranded in Trapani.

The letter that Feliciano got from said pirate captain was something of a secret. It was all in code when they opened it and the brunet wasn't allowed to stand over Ludwig as he deciphered, memorized, then burned the note. The only thing that Ludwig would tell him was that there was a sympathizer here in Trapani that might be able to smuggle the pirates out. That is, if they managed to establish contact and that this sympathizer wasn't some traitor helping the church.

And since then, Ludwig had been trying to convince Feliciano of leaving the church the moment he got the chance. Yet even with all of the church's heinous actions, he couldn't bring himself to leave. He had a duty to his brother, his family, to change things. Coward he may be, but he could be as stubborn as a bull if he wanted to. Feliciano dreaded that day, for when Ludwig would have to leave. He prayed for a solution, but none seemed to come.

"Feliciano." The aforementioned German turned him around to look at him concernedly. "Is there something wrong?"

He shook his head, "Ve, nothing is wrong…"

The blonde narrowed his eyes and then sighed, "You can tell me anything Feliciano," he said, intertwining their fingers, "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do, ve~, but I…I don't want you to leave!" Feliciano threw his arms around the German, "Don't go, you can stay here with me! I..I can help you settle here, and I'll get out of the church so we can be together and we'll start a bakery just like old Giovanni downtown…"

Ludwig held the distraught Italian tightly, "I cannot stay here, I have a brother too that's waiting for me…Please, come with me instead, I will take care of you and Lovino if you will only let me."

Feliciano sniffed and looked up at the man, "Y-you know that's not possible…the church is after him and, and…." He buried his face into the man's shirt. "I'll never be able to go on knowing if you or fratello got hurt!"

"I'll protect you! You and your brother, I'll make sure you two are safe. I will not let the church touch either of you, I would rather die first," he said tightly, hugging his dearest closer to him. His eyes lit up with determination, "Come with me, please." Those blue eyes looked upon him with such conviction that Feliciano almost said yes. But he's seen those eyes before. In his father, his mother, and remembered what had happened to them, what they sacrificed.

"I can't…" Feliciano whispered, extricating himself from the embrace and looked at the blazing sun moving across the sky. "I have to go to mass….I'm sorry Ludwig…" he sniffled. The German gently held his face and kissed the tears away.

The sad smile on Ludwig's face made the Italian's heart clench painfully, "Then I will convince you when you return, be sure of that." He kissed him again, this time gently upon the lips. Feliciano returned it. The kiss threatened to get a little too heated before Ludwig managed to pull away. "Go, before they wonder where you have gone." Feliciano nodded, giving the German one last peck before leaving.

He wiped his face, clearing it of any possible sign from the previous exchange. He walked as calmly as he could down the halls of the opulent cathedral. It had various paintings of angels and saints, and a significant number were portraits of the Bishop Nunzio. The vaulted ceilings were held up by ornate columns and buttresses. Roses were one of the most common motifs around the cathedral though, it decorated almost every hall in vases, paintings and mosaics. The windows were almost as tall as the walls and the ones in the main hall were all of precious stained glass. Everything was spotless as servants worked tirelessly to keep the cathedral clean. Among all this beauty, he walked with purpose towards the main hall, readying himself for the scolding that would surely come for appearing late for mass. The doors were enormous; and intricately carved with lilies sprouting upward to form the Virgin Mary on the door.

He was about to open the door when a familiar voice called out to him.

"My son, wait a moment!" The brunet turned to see Bishop Nunzio himself walking towards him. He steeled himself, remembering how cruel the man was on that fateful day in the forest. He was wearing flowing red robes with a gold trim, a little fancy but the man could afford the luxury. The old bishop smiled warmly at him, "I want to introduce you to Sadiq Adnan." He gestured to a tall man with an eerie white mask obscuring his face. He was wearing a dusty, green cloak with the hood up, despite being in a church. Underneath the cloak was a double-breasted dark green jacket accompanied by a tan scarf, both looking rather worn from the journey. At his side was a fairly large sword that was slightly curved and was strapped to his belt.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, little one," the man said smoothly, taking Feliciano's hand and kissing it. The boy couldn't suppress a small shudder.

"N-nice to meet you too Signore Adnan, w-what brings you here to our humble city?" Feliciano said, trying his best to keep the stuttering and trembling to a minimum. This man had an eerie aura; it frightened him and made him want to run far, far away. The bishop seemed to have picked up on his discomfort and interjected before Sadiq could say more.

"You see, Signore Adnan is here to clean up our city by the Vatican. They highly recommended him and with his help, I hope to rid our streets of those filthy heathens that pollute our great city!" the old man said enthusiastically. Then the old man looked around and leaned in closer, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper, "He says he has a very extensive experience with witches." Feliciano pretended to be overjoyed by the news and gave a strained smile.

"T-that's wonderful news, Father!" Feliciano squeaked, hoping the conversation would end soon. The man was eyeing him like a fresh piece of meat.

"Yes, I look forward to it," Sadiq said and refocused his attention on Feliciano, "I do hope I will be able to see you again my dear," he smiled, but it was not comforting in the slightest. Feliciano's trembling became more pronounced at that. The look in the man's eyes, his tone, his cold smile, it frightened him. Like he was a hapless mouse who happened to be caught by the insidious snake.

"Y-yes, well, I am late for mass..." Feliciano said nervously, then he bowed deeply to the bishop, "Please excuse me."

"Of course, go on my boy and try not to be late this time, yes?" the bishop admonished lightly, wagging a finger at him. Nunzio turned to the strange man, "How about I show you more of our church? And then we can get you settled in?"

"I would be delighted," Sadiq replied, suave as ever. Their voices were silenced as soon as Feliciano closed the door. He let out a silent breath of relief, he didn't like this man. He had a really, really bad feeling. And as far as gut instincts went, Feliciano had never been wrong before. He kneeled in one of the front pews, Dear God, please, please let that man get a stomachache so he can go far, far away from here!

...Ahhhh, so things are beginning to get serious. That's right, plot will take a big leap forward after this chapter so look forward to it. Part of me is considering mass deleting stuff because the pacing doesn't feel right so I'll just tell you ahead of time that the next update might be a little delayed. That and chapters will be significantly longer, as in more or less this length. If you guys feel it's too long, then go ahead and say so by PM or review and I'll try to cut/pace things better.

For those who don't know, Sadiq Adnan = Turkey, you know...guy with the creepy white mask and is always chasing little kids? That guy.

Please drop a review on your way out and thank you for leaving reviews for last chapter and following/favoriting/actually-reading-this-monster-of-a-story. We've reached thirty followers recently! So *throws confetti* Thanks a bunch, and remember this. I HEART YOU (3) EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU ARE MY PEOPLE AND I HEART YOU GUYS.