Disclaimer: Hetalia does not belong to me.

Chapter 4

4 DAYS LATER

"Thank you again for bringing me along," Antonio said after he and Alfred began their drive back to school.

"It was awesome that you came. I'm sorry we couldn't hang out more. Artie really wanted to catch up." Alfred chuckled.

"I understand. It's fine. I got to know your little brother more. He's really funny when he actually talks." Antonio said, smiling fondly.

"Man, I saw him even less than I saw you." Alfred winced. "Maybe I'll give him a call later."

"You should. I think he would like that," Antonio suggested. "Ah, Al? Why are you slowing down?"

"Shit!" Alfred swore, pulling up to the side of the road. "Aww man, we're outta gas."

"What? I thought you filled it up before we left!" Antonio exclaimed.

"I was going to but I got a little preoccupied…" Alfred groaned. "Fuck, what do we do?"

"We have to get gas." Antonio huffed. "You said you were going to fill the car up when you left to drop Arthur off. How could you forget? Actually I don't want to know."

"Sorry, geez. I messed up." Alfred puffed out his cheeks. "I'll make a quick call right now and soon we'll be on our way okay? Just chill."

"Just chill." Antonio said sarcastically one hour later. "We'll be home soon enough."

Alfred glared at him. "Shut up. It's not my fault that the guy's taking forever. He said he would be here soon."

"No but it is your fault we're stuck like this in the first place. All you had to do was fill up the car but no you had to waste time with your boyfriend." Antonio scoffed, looking out the window. Truthfully, Antonio was annoyed by more than Alfred's forgetting to fill up the car. Even though he'd told Alfred that it was okay that they hadn't hung out together that much, he had been a little hurt and resentful of how he'd been ditched almost the entire holiday. Now he was finally showing his irritation.

"I was not wasting time!" Alfred argued. "Yeah it was my bad but don't say I was wasting time!"

"Oh I am sorry. I wouldn't know, seeing as I wasn't with you most of the time." Antonio snorted.

"You said you weren't mad about that!" Alfred exclaimed. "You lied!"

Antonio responded by putting up the hood of his red sweater and resting his forehead against the window.

Alfred let out a loud groan and looked out his own window as well.

A loud honk caused Antonio to smack his head against the window a few minutes later. He rubbed his forehead and watched Alfred get out and go talk to the guy who had brought a gallon of gasoline which would be enough to get them to the nearest gas station where they could really fill up. He didn't say anything when Alfred began driving again and he pretended not to notice the tense silence.

When they got back to the university, Antonio went straight to his best friends room. "Tonio, hi!" Francis said when he opened the door. Antonio grunted and stomped inside. "Oh? What's going on mon ami?"

"Alfred is a jerk." Antonio declared, taking a seat on Francis' bed. "Where's Gil?"

"He's not back yet. I have the room all to myself if you want to do anything~" Francis said slyly, sitting next to his friend. Antonio punched his shoulder. "I was teasing, cher. Talk to me. Why is Alfred a jerk?"

"First of all, he invited me to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family but when we got there, he ended up spending the majority of the time with his dumb boyfriend and didn't even feel bad about ditching me!" Antonio said angrily.

"Well I agree that it was rude of him to leave you alone but I can understand. He was spending time with his significant other. There's nothing wrong with that, Tonio." Francis said lightly.

"I know. I just wish he would have spent more time with me." Antonio said miserably, leaning against Francis.

Francis kissed the top of Antonio's head. "I'm sorry, mon ami. Unrequited crushes are the worst aren't they?" He said softly. "Want to do something to get this off your mind?"

Antonio nodded petulantly and left with Francis, hoping he would feel better soon though he doubted it.

They ended up spending the rest of the afternoon out and the sun had nearly set by the time Antonio reluctantly returned to his own room. He wondered if Alfred was still mad at him. He hoped that Alfred wouldn't be there but that hope faded quickly when he saw the American laying in bed, tossing a football up in the air and catching it again.

"Toni!" Alfred said, jumping to his feet.

"Alfred…" Antonio mumbled warily. "What do you want?"

"I've been waiting for you to get back all day. I wanted to apologize. Really apologize. I was kind of an ass these past few days and I feel really bad about it. You had every right to be mad at me! I know this doesn't make up for it but I hope you like it. And if you don't want it, I'll take it back!" Alfred was starting to ramble so Antonio placed a finger on the other's lips to shut him up. He didn't notice Alfred blushing as he replied. "You didn't have to get me anything, Al." He sighed.

Still blushing, Alfred turned away and picked up something from his desk. "I know. But I wanted you to have this." He responded, holding out a tiny aquarium. Antonio didn't see anything until he leaned in closer and then gasped.

"Is that a little turtle?" He whispered, glancing up at Alfred who nodded rapidly.

"I remembered you talking about having one as a pet when you were a kid and how would like to have one again and they're your favorite animals so I thought you might like it! Do you like it?" Alfred asked hesitantly.

A huge smile appeared on Antonio's face. "I love it! He's so cute!" He said excitedly. "Thank you, Alfie!" Alfred stumbled back a little as Antonio hugged him but he hugged back after setting the aquarium down on his bed.

"I'm so happy you like it!" Alfred said, smiling in relief. "Does that mean you're not mad at me anymore?"

"Al, I stopped being mad like an hour ago," Antonio laughed. Alfred's smile grew as he looked at Antonio. It was just then that the pair realized they were still hugging. Antonio let go first, followed reluctantly by Alfred. The Spaniard cleared his throat. "Erm well thank you again, Al. This is the best gift I've gotten in a long time." He said softly.

"Good. Good good. Good." Were the only words Alfred seemed to be able to say.

Antonio smiled and picked up the aquarium, taking out his turtle and cooing at it softly in Spanish. Alfred's smile returned as he watched and he joined the Spaniard in playing with the turtle.