His Favorite Customer
Chapter Four: Attractive But Bitter
Romano's POV:
Romano walks over to the door to greet their new guests while staring down a blonde German his brother is talking to. He says his normal spiel before actually looking at the people in the booth and noticing who they are. "Y-YOU?" The Italian screams in horror and everyone but Matthew grins. "Hey, Romano…" The Canadian mumbles and Romano sighs in defeat. "Hey Matthew…" "Lovi~! You look so cute in your waiter outfit~!" Antonio coos and Romano twitches, looking at him annoyed. "…I'm burning it after my shift." He says decidedly and Antonio gasps. "L-LOVI! DON'T DO THAT!" "Oh, I'm doing it. Then I'm putting the ashes in the river, where I one day hope to put you." Romano says in a deadpanned voice.
"Mon dieu~! Romano wants to get Tonio all wet~!" Francis teases and Gilbert snickers. "Kesesese! How naughty you are, Romano!" Romano and Antonio look at the snickering teens. "SHUT UP!" They yell in unison, an identical blush covering their faces. "So mean~! Oh look, Gil! Your petit frère is here~!" Francis coos, pointing to the evil German who is trying to get into Romano's little brother's pants. "…Of COURSE that's your brother." He says bitterly and Gilbert looks at him curiously. "Well yeah! Wait…why are you saying it like that…?" Romano looks down at him with a murderous smirk. "Keep him out of here. FOREVER." Gilbert locks eyes with Romano, now annoyed. "And why SHOULD he stay away?"
Antonio's POV:
Antonio looks at the two boys locked in a deadly stare down and panics. Gilbert lets absolutely NO ONE say mean things about Ludwig, and Romano…well, he's Romano. That is worry enough! "Y-you two-!" He gets cut off by an angry Romano. "Because he has been here everyday since we opened, at least twice, and is trying to get in my brother's pants! I WONT ALLOW IT!" Antonio sighs in defeat and notices Matthew doing the same. There is one thing that is universal for all brothers; you never mess with their siblings. While Antonio doesn't have siblings, he certainly knows this fact well enough from all the guys he knows who do.
"If he wants to, he can!" Gilbert says and Romano twitches. "LIKE HELL HE CAN! THAT'S MY-!" "Fratello?" Marcello calls, placing a hand on Romano's shoulder and almost instantly calming him down, which totally didn't make Antonio envious. Not even a little. Romano and Gilbert both fall silent and stare at the younger boy. "What…are you doing?" Marcello asks before his eyes land on Antonio and a ghost of a smirk comes to his lips. "Did you sleep well, ANTONIO?" The Spaniard blushes, along with Romano, and he nods confused. "Y-yeah…" "D-DAMNIT! Don't say his name too loud, or-!"
Romano's POV:
"Ehhh? This is il mio bambino's amore~?" Romulus coos, popping up out of nowhere, and Romano pales. "I-I already said-!" "Ohhh! You're Lovi's dad~?" Antonio coos and Romulus smiles at him. "Lovi? Oh how adorable~! Pet names already~! What is Romano's for you?" The man asks as Romano watches on in a silent horror. "Um…uh...he doesn't really-!" "Toooomaaatoooo baaassstaaarrrd…!" Romano hisses and Antonio jumps a little as Romulus laughs. "Now Lovi, be nice!" He chides and Romano twitches, a chill running down his spine at his father using the name. "D-DON'T YOU DARE START ON THAT AS WELL, PAPA!" Romano warns and Romulus pouts. "But it's so cute; papa just wants to call his bambino something cute…"
"You need to be nice to your dad, Romano~!" Francis and Gilbert tease, making the Italian fume and stomp off, leaving Romulus and a snickering Marcello at the table. He goes into the kitchen and sits down in a huff. "Ah, is something wrong Romano-kun?" Romano looks over and sees the Japanese boy they hired today to help out. "No, Kiku, no I'm not." Kiku peaks out the door for a minute before looking back at Romano. "You are dating Antonio-sempai? That was fast…" "WE! ARE! NOT! DATING! Marcello is lying and papa and Antonio are too STUPID to know what the hell is really going on!"
Kiku nods understandingly. "Well, it's probably best you don't date Antonio-sempai anyways…" Romano looks at him, his curiosity piqued. "…Why not? I-I don't want to! I'm just curious why not!" He adds quickly and Kiku opens the door again, ushering Romano to look out with him. "Do you see that blonde girl over there with her tall brother?" Kiku asks and Romano nods. "Well that is Bella and her brother Abel. Bella is kind of…very in love with Antonio." Romano looks at the girl annoyed. "Is she stupid? And even if she does, why should that matter?" He asks, afraid of the answer.
"Well…Abel is a very protective brother…if someone broke his sister's heart, even indirectly, they would have to answer to him…" Kiku says and Romano notices a faint blush on the Asian boy's cheeks. "…Oh mio dio…you like one of them, don't you?" Romano asks and Kiku jumps back from the door flustered. "O-of course I don't. Anyways…none of that matters since you don't like him anyways, right?" Kiku asks and Romano blushes a little as well. "R-right! I don't care…" He walks away from Kiku and begins to cook the orders his brothers have brought in.
Antonio POV:
The Spaniard sighs as Romulus finally leaves, having taken their orders since Romano stormed off. Antonio looks around the restaurant for said Italian, he is the reason he came after all. "Romano's dad is so nice…it makes you wonder where he gets his attitude from!" Gilbert says and Antonio glares at him. "Lovi is nice too! He's just shy!" The albino looks at him confused for a minute before laughing a little. "Ok, ok! Then I wonder where he gets his shyness!" Francis sighs dramatically. "Perhaps big brother should help the poor boy out~!" The other three boys look at him confused. "Who is big brother?" They ask in unison and Francis smiles. "Me, of course!"
Antonio and Matthew twitch, looking at Francis darkly. "Stay. Away." They warn before everyone looks at Matthew surprised. "Why are you getting so protective?" Gilbert asks, a jealous tone to his voice, and Francis nods. "Oui, I can understand Tonio, but you shouldn't care." Matthew groans. "I don't want you guys scaring off my only friend! Please, PLEASE leave him alone!" He begs and the other three look at him silently for a minute before smiling. "Mathieu is so cute when begging~!" Francis coos and Gilbert blushes. "How could we possibly say no?" Antonio nods. "I'll make sure they behave Mattie!"
Matthew looks at him annoyed. "You too, Antonio. Are you even aware his dad thinks you two are dating?" He asks and Antonio gasps, blushing. "H-he does? When did he say that?" The Spaniard asks and Matthew groans. "He called you Romano's 'amore'. You know Italian, you should know what he meant." The Canadian says and Antonio looks at him shocked. He didn't hear that at all. "I-I…didn't hear that…" "What were you doing? Staring at Romano? Kesesese!" Gilbert jokes and Antonio looks over at him flustered. "Q-que? Of course not!" He exclaims before laughing nervously and the other three gawk at him. "Oh god you were." Matthew says before Gilbert and Francis burst into laughter. "KESESESESESE! THAT IS HILARIOUS!" Gilbert exclaims and Francis nods. "Ohohohon~! Someone has been bitten by the love bug, oui~?"
Antonio blushes. "N-no! That isn't it at all! I just-!" "Ahem!" The Spaniard pales and looks over to see Romano standing there holding a large tray full of their orders and blushing like crazy. He really needs to stop coming here with these guys. They are so evil, like Romano's brother Marcello. Of course Marcello's evilness usually benefits him, but still. "H-hey Lovi…I'm sorry about that! I didn't hear him say 'amore' so I thought-!"
Romano's POV:
Romano listens as Antonio apologizes, noticing the troubled look on the older teens face. "It doesn't matter. Marcello's to blame, the little bastard. I'll clear it up later." He says as he hands them their food and drinks. It's strange, but spending time with Kiku, or Matthew for that matter, has a calming effect. Romano doubts anyone can stay pissed with them around for long. Which is good, because if it wasn't for that he would be slamming Antonio's face into the table right now. And be totally justified, might he add. "I am really sorry, Lovi…" Antonio says, his face annoyingly sincere, and Romano groans.
"Wh-whatever. It doesn't matter anyways…he reads too much into things anyways. If it wasn't you, it would be Matthew he thought I was with." The Italian says, not noticing the dark looks flash through Gilbert and Antonio's eyes. "Or maybe even Kiku, since I get along with him so well." Romano continues, unaware of the pissed look now on Antonio's face. "The point is, it's not just you. It's anyone Marcello decides to point the finger at." The smaller brunette concludes before looking over at Antonio, who forces a smile back on his face. "I-I see…" Antonio says in a strained voice and Romano looks at him confused before shrugging it off and heading back to the kitchen.
"Oh my~! Looks like our little Antonio has people to be jealous of, oui~? Be careful Mathieu!" Francis teases and Matthew rolls his eyes. "I'm not attracted to Romano, and vice versa. I also doubt he or Kiku are attracted to each other. However…." Matthew looks over to Antonio, still smiling a strained smile. "…I have a feeling he isn't really listening right now anyways…so it doesn't matter what I say." Francis and Gilbert look at Antonio for a minute before nodding grimly. "Yep." Gilbert says and Francis sighs. "A man and his jealousies. How sad…and yet romantic~!"
Romano POV:
Romano finally finishes his shift after Antonio and the others leave. He goes in the back and sees Kiku also getting ready to leave. "Is Feliciano bringing you home tonight?" Romano asks and Kiku smiles at him. "No he's taking home Marcello-kun. Romulus-san is staying late, so…" The Italian groans, knowing what 'staying late' really translates to with his player of a dad. "Right, right…you want a ride?" Kiku nods. "If you don't mind, Romano-kun." Romano shrugs. "I wouldn't offer if I minded, Kiku. Come on." They both grab their coats and head to the back parking lot, getting on the vespa.
Romano flinches a little when Kiku puts his arms around his waist. Why couldn't vespas have handle bars in the back as well? Ignoring the annoying contact, he drives the other teen home as quick as possible. Making Kiku dreadfully pale when he finally does get off. "A-arigatou…Romano-kun…" He says and Romano nods, looking around the street. It's one he hasn't been on, but it's really close to the restaurant. For a minute he finds himself wondering if this is the street Antonio… "GAH! TH-THAT DOESN'T MATTER DAMNIT!" He screams, earning a confused look from Kiku.
"…What doesn't matter, Romano-kun?" The Japanese boy asks, an amused look in his eyes. "N-nothing! Nothing at all! Hurry up and go inside so I can go home, damnit!" He demands, flustered, and Kiku nods. "Oyasuminasai, Romano-kun." "Buona notte, Kiku. Now go inside." The Asian heads up to his house, smirking and mumbling under his breath. "Tsundere's are adorable. Let's hope Antonio-sempai is patient." "WHERE YOU TALKING TO ME?" Romano calls out from the driveway and Kiku laughs a little. "No, no, just myself. Good bye." He says before disappearing inside the house.
"Jeez, that kid is nice but he can be so weird…" Romano mumbles before pulling out and driving down the rest of the road, not to see if Antonio live here of course. There's no way he could tell anyways, unless the Spaniard was outside or something…WHICH HE ISN'T HOPING FOR. He just wants to get to know all the roads in town. In case his father makes a delivery service for their restaurant. THAT. IS. ALL. Going down farther he sees a large, beautiful house that looks southern even though they are in New York. He studies it as he goes by, the wrap around porch, the coliseums, a huge in-ground pool, and a couple of those half-tower corners made the house perfect in his eyes. Once he notices the tomato garden, the veritable cherry on top of the already perfect house, and in doing so he doesn't notice the light post he's heading for.
Finally looking away from the house he sees the post and tries to swerve to avoid it, doing so too late and crashing into it. He goes flying off his vespa and lands on the perfect house's lawn. "Owww…" Romano groans, rubbing his head after removing his now cracked helmet and looking at his vespa. Before he can remove his destroyed goggles and get a really good look at it though he's distracted by the sound of someone running over. "A-are you alright? I just got home and saw you crash and-!" Romano looks up as he removes his goggles, brown eyes meeting worried green ones.
"…Antonio…?" He asks, feeling his eyes twitch, and the Spaniard gasps. "DIOS MIO! LOVI! NO WAY!" Antonio quickly scoops the slightly dazed Italian and carries him bridal style inside. "Wh…? You live in the cherry-topping house?" Romano asks, not really aware of the words now coming out of his mouth. "…Que? Are you ok, Lovi?" Antonio asks and Romano looks up at him annoyed. "Of COURSE I am you idiot! Now stop multiplying and PUT ME DOWN!" "Mu-multiplying? OH NO! MY LOVI IS BROKEN!" The Spaniard cries and Romano fumes. "WHO THE HELL IS BROKEN OTHER THAN MY VESPA, YOU ASS?" Antonio looks down at him confused. "Oh…well…maybe not completely broken…" He says and Romano looks up at him confused.
A/N: Ohoho~! Loopy Romano next chapter~! XDXD Ugh, I've been writing this for three hours now...my cat actually got lonely and came up to sit in a small cubby on the computer desk and watch me. It's very awkward writing with a cat STARING at you. I'm JUST SAYIN. Speaking of just saying...I would very much appreciate if people quit telling me my writing style is wrong. I am well aware it is not the normal style. I never read normal novels, so I have never gotten used to that style. I only read history books and biographies and manga. So yeah, the history book style is what I use. I have tried to do the normal style but number 1: I don't do it right which annoys me, and number 2: I...no wait, that's pretty much it. So please, please, stop sending me those sort of comments. They always make me feel like I'm failing.(Which technically I kind of am) And by the way, I'm putting this at the end of every one of my stories (sorry for the repetition for those of you who read them all). But seriously people, I've written at least ten stories already. You don't think others have told me the EXACT same thing you are? Or that if I could, I would have changed my style by now? Oh, and I have given thought to someone re-writing it in the 'correct' format, but I would have to wait on them and I absolutely hate waiting. Life gets in the way of small stuff like that, so I understand. Which is why I don't do it. Anyways...sorry that I can't do that style, please stop rubbing it in my face, and sorry for the rant.