A Helping Hand
Chapter Ten: Trouble
Antonio grins. "So the youngest Vargas has arrived, si? Come to meet little old me~?"
The boy stares at Antonio blankly for a moment before a large smile comes to his face. "Ahhh, so you are the man who has taken my eldest brother and given him Stockholm syndrome? Yes I would seriously like to talk with you." He says, his eyes wondering to inside the café. "But that will wait until I talk with Lovino."
Antonio sighs and lets him in, locking the store down for the day. Since, apparently he won't be making any money this fine morning. "Come in, come in. I suppose I won't be opening the store today….because of SOMEONE." He says loudly, making Lovino pop out from the kitchen.
"What the hell is your pro-?" Lovino falls silent, his eyes not leaving the boy. "Marcello…what are you…?"
"Fratello!" Marcello exclaims, running to the confused teen. "I have been so worried! Why are you here? Wait…" He looks up at Lovino carefully. "You two…haven't…"
"Huh?" Lovino asks.
"Well…" Marcello frowns. "You're cute, and I never was quite sure about your orientation, so…"
"WHA-?"Lovino twitches and pushes his brother away. "Why does everyone assume we are having sex?" He screams, his voice breaking midway. "Do I need a sign that says 'I'm not fucking my boss' around my goddamn neck?"
"Well…it's just…you came to hide here rather than at home…so I thought…everyone thinks…" Marcello looks to Antonio. "It's because of who is here."
Lovino blushes. "I-I like working at the café, he needs me at the café, that's all."
Antonio looks to Lovino amused, trying to fight the thought out of his head. It wouldn't be too bad if Lovino's reason was love. "Ah, that's all huh?"
"Yes that's all!" The Italian huffs, unaware of the disappointment Antonio's now feeling.
"Fratello really likes this guy, huh?" Marcello chimes in, watching them amused. "Anyways…fratello, I'm not only here to scold you for running off with some café owner."
"That's not what happened!" Lovino groans, rolling his eyes. "Anyways…what are you here for?"
Marcello sighs. "What else? Your ex-gang is coming! They know where you are now! Seriously, fratello, how can you be so careless?"
Lovino's eyes widen and his face pales to an unhealthy white. "…Ah…so…they know where I am?"
"That must be what Abel wanted to talk about this morning…" Antonio mumbles and Lovino twitches.
"Instead of pushing his relationship problems on us…he should have led with something so damned important!"
Marcello looks at Lovino confused. "Abel? Relationship? …There's another guy? Fratello, I didn't know you were collecting them." He teases, making Antonio fall into a silent rage, imagining different ways to kill Abel if he touches Lovino.
"D-don't make me out to be some weirdo, Marcello! And when did it become 'collecting' for a guy to know other guys?" Lovino fumes, ignoring the laughing from his brother.
"Ahhh it appears I have upset your boss." Marcello says, looking to a strangely silent Antonio. "He's in such a rage at the idea he can't speak."
"Hm…well…it makes sense. He hates Abel." Lovino mumbles, looking past the two and at the doors of the shop. "With them looking for me…I suppose we are going to have to be weary of customers, huh?"
Antonio snaps out of his rage to look at Lovino. "You…have a point." He sighs, leaning up against a nearby table. "So exhausting…."
"Mm…sorry for dragging you into this…" Lovino mumbles and Antonio gasps.
"Ah! N-no! That's not what I meant!"
"Sounded like it was." Marcello says. "Well, fratello, I will bring you home if you like."
Lovino raises a brow at his brother before looking to Antonio. "Would you…prefer that?"
Antonio quickly snatches Lovino's hand up and pulls him away from his brother. "D-don't just go twisting my words, you brat! Of course I don't want you away from me."
Lovino's eyes widen. "Ah…huh…." He blushes, looking away.
"Ugh, you two are so awkward it's painful." Marcello sighs. "I'll inform father you won't be leaving…and that this guy is…at least nice."
"He's pretty useful too." Lovino adds. "A relatively crafty ex-delinquent."
Marcello laughs a little. "Of course he is. You can't ever just be around someone normal, can you?"
Antonio laughs as well. "It's true; you really aren't good with normal people."
"Hey! You guys quit laughing!" Lovino whines. "I at least have Matthew! He's normal!"
Antonio's laughter stops. "Ah…Lovi…you poor kid. Don't you know? Matthew is a genius hacker."
"Are you kidding?" Lovino yells.
"Why do you think he hasn't been around in a while? He's had a job that has taken up his attention. I thought he told you…" Antonio mumbles, looking at him sympathetically.
"Pffft! S-sorry fratello!" Marcello stutters out between laughing. "You tried!"
"I'm going to kick you out in five seconds." Lovino groans.
"Fine, I'll leave you two to share tense, sexless, café ownership together." Marcello teases before leaving.
"You're brother…is…a character…" Antonio says amused.
"They both are. Father is too…let's just hope he doesn't come to the door." Lovino sighs.
"Your father, huh? That would be nice…" Antonio grins. "I wonder if he'd let me call him da-!"
"THAT RIGHT THERE IS WHY PEOPLE THINK THINGS!" Lovino yells, cutting his sentence off.
"People assume things because of you, Lovi." Antonio says, a serious look now on his face. "They know how you are, and obviously the only reason they can think of for such an unsociable guy to be living with a stranger, is love."
After a few minutes of trying to think of a valid argument, Lovino groans. "I'm not that unsociable…"
"Lovi, can I ask you a question?" Antonio asks, smiling innocently at him.
"What?"
"Why is everyone thinking we're together the topic of conversation when there's a gang who now knows where you live?"
Lovino frowns. "I don't want to think about that right now."
"Weelll….you kind of have to now. Have they taken on any new members? Do you know everyone's face?" The Spaniard looks outside. "Any customer could be one of them…if you don't know their face."
"Don't be so uneasy. We…apparently have connections…so it'll be fine." Lovino muses, unsure of his own words. "We'll be fine."
A small smile comes to Antonio's face and he places a hand on Lovino's head. "That's right. We'll gather everyone together and make a plan." He brings a hand down to cup the Italian's face. "Alright?"
Lovino's hand shoots up, grabbing Antonio's and bending it back. "Don't just touch a man's face."
"Ow ow owwww! I'm sorry Lovi!" Antonio whines.
"…We might need father here, actually…" Lovino mumbles, letting him go. "He knows how to deal with these sort of things."
A troubled look comes to Antonio's face. "Yeah…that makes sense…but before this continues, I'm sorry, I need to know now." He looks to Lovino hesitantly, he doesn't want to scare the boy off so far in, but he needs to know. There's no way he can ignore it now. "What happened with this gang?"
Nervous eyes look up at Antonio. "Y-you want to know…? I-I suppose that makes sense…" Lovino sighs heavily. "It's a pretty long story, so let's go home."
"Alright."
A/N: I don't know...I don't knnoowwww I have so...so many strong...reservations. (Line from a Little Shop of Horror's song. Look it up, kids!) Anyways, yeah, that pretty much sums up my thoughts here. PEACE! I'M OUT!