Antonio paced the café impatiently as people organised themselves around him. He barely heard Arthur explaining the situation to everyone; Francis, Feliciano, Ludwig(who came back from shopping to find his boyfriend a complete wreck) and Alfred would also be helping in the search. He felt angry at himself for allowing it to happen, and his own subconscious butchered him with horrible scenarios. Shamefully, half of them weren't so impossible if the monsters in Antonio's abusive imagination knew what Lovino was. Antonio felt sick at the thought and began muttering things in Spanish. Arthur turned to Ludwig suddenly. "Where is Gilbert?" He questioned. Sheepishly and mildly frustrated Ludwig answered with a simple: "Too hungover." A mass nodding of heads signalled these words were empathised. "Well, we can't afford to wait on his hangover, we'll just have to have us six-" Arthur was interrupted by Kiku entering the café cautiously. He was instantly jumped on by Feliciano. Through hiccupping-tears he spoke quickly. "Kiku you came to help, grazie!" "Help with what? I came here to look for my camera." Kiku choked from within Feliciano's surprisingly strong hold. He looked about the many grave faces and finally rested on Antonio continually pacing in the corner, his tanned-face surprisingly pale. A wave of concern washed over him. "What has happened?" Francis answered grimly. "Lovino's gone missing. We got drunk last night and none of us recall him coming back so now we're sending search parties out for him. We're already down by one man with Gilbert too hungover." The blond attempted a smile, somewhat suspiciously too sweet. Kiku didn't need the persuasion and spoke firmly. "Of course I will help find Lovino." Immediately a flash of a hand grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the door. Loudly, Alfred shouted: "Team Heroes are beginning the mission!" And then disappeared with Kiku on his arm almost as pale as Antonio, the door slamming on their sudden exit.
Silence engulfed the café for a moment, Arthur disgruntled as he then announced to everyone still present. "We'll have groups of two then. Francis and Antonio can be one and Ludwig and Feliciano the other. I'll stay in case Lovino turns up-" "I will stay." Ludwig said. "I can keep an eye on Gilbert too." Arthur nodded his head and noticed Feliciano grinning at him gleefully, as much as he could do in this situation. He was shocked by the expression, he assumed the Italian would be disappointed to be separated from Ludwig. After all, Arthur had always seen them together since they had first met.
"I guess I'll pair with Feliciano then." Arthur murmured as he made sure everything in the café was orderly. Feliciano took his time saying goodbye to Ludwig and then the four stood outside. The dawn shone beautifully above the rows of the buildings, almost mocking the forbidding atmosphere that hung over the four. All Antonio wanted to do was run off in any direction, anything was better than wasting more time not trying to find Lovino. "We'll go towards the bar we were at last night and circle around there." Francis explained, "You and Feliciano can try the park." Arthur stiffened himself to look taller. "I planned to do that anyway." He said with a sharp edge to his voice. Francis rolled his eyes. "This isn't the time to play games, Arthur, leave all of that in the past for a little while, oui?" Francis sighed. It seemed even behind Arthur's glare his eyes softened and he gently pulled Feliciano down the path silently.
Francis shook his head. "That man always causes trouble, no matter how much he tries to be an adult." He reflected more to himself than Antonio. His partner silent and gloomy, the two things that had never resonated from the man before. "Come on Toni, the sooner we find him the better. And we will find him." Francis added as he led his heart-stricken friend towards the bar, turning his head around once to see Feliciano and Arthur disappearing in the distance. Arthur was reasonably content with Feliciano. He wasn't Francis for one, and his smiles were always so bright happy; a contrast to his missing brother. Feliciano could fill silence with endless chattering about one thing or another and Arthur could just listen or say one or two things before Feliciano changed to another subject. However, even happy Feliciano looked solemn as they drew closer to the park. Early morning mist drifted over the grass and the place appeared abandoned, the crunching of their shoes on the gravel louder than usual. Feliciano ran ahead towards the large duck pond, swivelling his head frantically and shouting Lovino's name. Arthur followed a little further behind, scanning around far more closely than Feliciano's jerky movements. Eventually Feliciano began walking beside Arthur again, quietly speaking about the shared childhood they had had. "Lovi never liked playing with other kids, especially if there was any boys around. Usually he would say some excuse and rush home or be rude to them or just say nothing at all until he dragged me away after. I guess he knew even back then he liked boys and not pretty girls." Arthur snapped awake when he realised there was a pause "Some people do, others it takes some time." "How long did it take you?" Taken aback by Feliciano's big curious eyes Arthur had to think for a moment. When had he known? He thought for a moment. "I suppose I was about eighteen. This younger girl had a thing for me, I can't recall her name but it lasted for a little while, and when she kissed me it just...well, I'm sure you know." Arthur ended with a small chuckle. He could picture the girl at least: dark hair, warm smile and completely obsessed with him. Well, actually, it may have been the other way around. In his younger years he was definitely obsessed with being with a girl, perhaps to deny his true emotions. He hated his past self with a passion. "I used to play kiss-chase with pretty girls, but that was just for fun." Feliciano said, giggled, and then grabbed Arthur's hand. Arthur froze. His first thought was to yank his hand away but Feliciano was squeezing too hard and the contact was warm and pleasant. When was the last time he had held someone's hand? That girl he had mentioned? His head was spinning. "Why, uh, why are you holding my hand?" Arthur uttered, his cheeks hot. Feliciano giggled as if it were obvious. "I hold all my friends' hands." To emphasise he swung their entwined hands into the air and down again. "And even though you're grumpy all the time you have a big heart and I trust you." Arthur stared down at this cheerful Italian. Big heart? Not many people said that to him, ever. He shook his head and noticed that a few early walkers were mingling about the park now. His hand slipped out of Feliciano's immediately as a businessman walked briskly past them. Arthur felt safe within his café, but out in the world one glance from a stranger caused his skin to crawl. Some things didn't change. Feliciano sighed, disappointed by Arthur letting go of his hand. Sometimes Ludwig did that too depending on who was around, Feliciano understood why but he hated having to hide from people. If he could, he would shout how much he loved Ludwig to the world. "The sun's getting higher now, we should hurry around here and try somewhere else." Arthur muttered and sped up his walk. Reluctantly Feliciano did the same.
Kiku nearly keeled over when he rested against a low wall. His heart had stopped when Alfred had grabbed him earlier and had since been dragged all over London; the young American had enough energy for an eternity. The morning had been filled with Alfred's bellowing voice shouting for Lovino and generally annoying any person that came close to them about where the short Italian might be. However, Lovino still hadn't turned up.
Kiku sucked in a deep breath. "Maybe we should slow down, we may miss him otherwise." Alfred wasn't listening, instead he was bouncing on his toes and apparently trying to look over walls and buildings alike. "Why is London so confusing? It'll take all day to find him at this rate." Kiku seemed grim. "That's if we do find him." He said, doubtfully. He liked Lovino, for Feliciano's sake, but London was a big place and finding the lost Italian in a few hours seemed unlikely. Alfred suddenly leaned very close to Kiku's face, his heart skipping a beat and a knot tightening in his stomach.
"Come on now, that's not hero talk. We'll find Lovino and get him back to Antonio safe and sound." "You're so optimistic, Alfred." Kiku said shyly. He looked very handsome when he had his heart set on something, just like his music. Alfred grinned. "Of course! Someone has to don't they?" Kiku involuntarily smiled, but was once again pulled to his feet by his wrist and sprinting down the path, Alfred laughing somewhat obnoxiously. Further up the street, they met a woman with shoulder length sandy hair and striking emerald eyes which bared a resemblance to Antonio somehow. By the time Kiku could process the fact that they had stopped, Alfred had already engaged in a conversation.
The woman's speech was clipped by a Belgian accent. "Is he about this tall?" She held up her hand to about Lovino's height. "And swears a lot?"
Alfred's excitement escalated, which Kiku didn't think was possible. "Yes, yes, that's him!"
The Belgian woman nodded gratefully. "Ah, I was beginning to think he had no family. He's just at my apartment I share with my brother. Follow me."
The sun was slowly making its way to the horizon and Francis and Antonio were still out looking for Lovino. They still were also Lovino-less and Antonio seemed nearly hysterical. He was speaking loudly in a mixture of English, Spanish and random words of Italian.
Francis sighed. "We need to go back to the café, Antonio. Before you have a heart attack."
"I'm staying out here to find him!" Antonio shouted firmly. Francis shook his head. "No Toni. You need to rest, we can carry on looking later but right now you need to go back to the café." It took a good ten or so minutes to convince Antonio to go back to the café, his face falling as the hours ticked by without Lovino's angry voice. His Italian wasn't by his side and it didn't feel right at all.
Antonio thought he was dreaming when he entered the café. At the bar sat beautiful amazing Lovino, and his beautiful amazing fingers nursing a coffee. Antonio almost practically leapt on him, but was cut short by the steely glare Lovino threw at him, one of the coldest Antonio had seen in a while. Antonio's breath caught in his throat.
"Lovino, where have you been? We've been looking for you all day!" Francis broke the uncomfortable silence.
Lovino looked bak down at the black liquid in his mug. "I was picked up by this nice lady and we — she let me stay for the night." If the lack of swearing wasn't odd enough, Lovino then stood up and made to leave the café without finishing his coffee. He stood for a brief second next to Antonio, stealing a gaze in his direction. Antonio wasn't sure whether it was full of shame or disappointment, either way Antonio felt even more dread replace the relief in the pit of his stomach. Lovino left the café. Antonio and Feliciano followed.
Once back at the apartment, Lovino locked himself in his and Antonio's room. He collapsed on the crumpled sheets, more than ready for sleep to engulf him. Antonio's scent clung to the mattress, reminding Lovino of his betrayal. A betrayal the Spaniard must never know. Thumps on the door interrupted Lovino's thoughts, as Antonio's muffled voice through the cracks followed.
"Lovino? I know you're mad at me but please say you'll forgive me." Mad at him? Why would Lovino be mad at him? "All that I can say is that I am so sorry and that I'll never leave you behind again." Oh. Oh. Antonio thought Lovino was mad at him because Antonio left Lovino behind. Some boyfriend. Why wasn't he mad then? He guessed he was too hung up on what happened last night. Shamefully so, he contemplated on telling Antonio, or anyone at all for that matter. Silence stole Antonio's words away. Lovino felt terrible leaving Antonio in the dark like that, but it would cause more grievance if he did come clean.
A quieter, more timid knock came then, followed by, "Lovino? Can I come in?" It was Feliciano. Perfect Feliciano, with his perfect art school and his muscly boyfriend. His envy would be the death of him. All the same, he couldn't say no to Feliciano. He reluctantly dragged himself to the door and unlocked it. Feliciano threw his arms around his brother as soon as he was able, and looked to be on the verge of tears.
"I was so worried." Feliciano's words were smothered by Lovino's shoulder. It was times like this Lovino was reminded of how much Feliciano felt towards him, and that he wasn't able to reflect these emotions back no matter how hard he tried, if he tried at all. Lovino awkwardly patted his sibling's back, and then broke free of the suffocating grip. Lovino stepped back a bit.
"Oh Lovino, won't you forgive Antonio? He said he's sorry and that he'll never do it again. You know, he was out all day looking for you. He missed lunch and everything. He'll never do it again so please forgive him." Feliciano said in a rush.
Lovino pondered for a second whether to tell Feliciano about last night. He decided against it. Instead, he spun on the spot and started walking back towards the bed. "I'm not mad." He sighed and fell back into bed. He raised his voice so Antonio could hear. "I just want to fucking sleep."
To be continued...