Author's Note

Hi everyone ! This is a spamano fic. It is rated M for a reason, there will be fluff and maybe an m-preg (not sure yet). I try to update as often as possible. The last fic I wrote I updated every single day (except one when I got sick). I would also like to note that any foreign words and dialogue in the story will have translations at the bottom of each me know what you think about the story. I love suggestions for plot, pairings etc. Please favorite, rate and review ! It is always appreciated!

Enjoy,

ThePirateChick020497

Ps. There is a lot of Italian in this chapter, translations are at the bottom :)

Chapter 10 - Second Impression

As Antonio continued searching for Lovino July slipped into August and Antonio still had no idea where Lovino could be. Antonio yawned and decided to stop in the next village for some food. He got off the highway and found himself in a quaint little town with streets lined with little shops. Antonio parked the rented car and hopped out.

He sniffed the air, the smell of fresh coffee, pastries and candies wafted towards him and having located where the delectable smell was coming from Antonio crossed the street and entered the small shop. The lights inside the shop were off and the sound of a ceiling fan and children's laughter filled the shop.

Antonio approached the counter which was tended by an old man with a bushy white mustache. The man was talking to a bunch of young children that were all crowded around him and seemed to hang of the old man's every word. The old man stopped talking and gesturing when he saw Antonio.

"Cosa posso ottenere giovane?" the man inquired. By now Antonio was familiar with Italian and could order what he wanted without cracking open a translation dictionary.

"Un caffè e una fetta di quella torta per favore." Antonio said pointing to the piece of cake he wanted. The old man smiled and stood up from his stool behind the counter. The children looked up at Lovino curiously. The old man caught them and scolded them.

"No, va bene. Il mio nome è Antonio." Antonio said to the children who proceeded to introduce themselves and ask questions, most of which Antonio did not understand. The old man had figured out that Antonio was a foreigner and translated the questions for Antonio.

A few minutes later the old man pushed a cup of coffee and a plate of cake towards Antonio who sat at one of the tables by the window. The children crowded around the old man again who resumed his story. Antonio listened trying his best to understand what the man was saying. The one sentence he caught clearly made his eyes widen in realization.

"Il ragazzino è andato a l'isola, perché è lì che la madre nacque e morì."

"Signore che cosa hai detto?" Antonio asked getting up from his seat.

"Ah, I say that the bambino go to the island because it is where his mamma was born and died." the man explained. Antonio thanked him and then paid for his food. He left the shop and headed straight for a payphone.

His heartbeat picked up and he sprinted as soon as he spotted a telephone booth. He knew where Lovino would be. All he had to do now was ask. He dialed Feliciano's number. It rang and rang and rang and finally Feliciano picked up.

"Hello?"

"Feliciano, it's me Antonio."

"Ah, Antonio how are you?"

"I'm well but I have a question. Where was your mother from?"

"Eh, what an odd question. Mm... She was from Roma but she hated it there. She never liked the city."

"Then where was it that she was most happy?" Antonio pleaded desperately.

"Well, one summer right before she died she, Lovino and I went to an island. She loved it there."

"What is its name?"

"Mmm... Giglio I think... Yes! La Isola del Giglio that's it!"

"Thank you." Antonio exhaled feeling very relieved.

"Why do you ask though?"

"Just curious that's all." Antonio lied. He didn't want Feliciano getting involved in this if he could. Who knew what Han Fei-Zi would do if he found out that Feliciano was the Dagger Angel's brother.

Antonio thanked Feliciano and hung up. He went back to his car and started the engine. He was going to La Isola del Giglio.

Lovino arrived at the docks and hopped off the fishing boat, tying it down. He was about to unload that morning's catch when he heard angry voices nearby. He recognized the distinctively gruff voice of his boss, Lorenzo Ricci, among the loud voices so he went to see what the problem was.

"Cosa sta succedendo?" Lovino inquired as he approached his elderly boss.

"Alcuni straniero chiesto quella donna Vargas!" the older man spat. Lovino stiffened and his heart started pounding in his chest. The man preceded telling Lovino that some 'idiota' had shown up and asked about 'that wretched Vargas woman'. Lovino felt the bile rushing up and he swallowed hard, his lips a thin and tight line across his face.

"No, non è una donna, un uomo, come si chiamava ... Ah, Lovino Vargas!" another man said correcting Lovino's boss. Lovino was sweating a lot by now and it was not because of the heat.

"Ah, sì, hai ragione, Lovi -" Lovino's boss started to say before cutting himself off and turning sharply towards Lovino, his eyes wide and anger filled. Lovino just stood there unable to move a muscle.

"Tu!" the elderly man yelled, pointing his index at Lovino. His face contorting into an ugly rictus of disgust. Lovino felt his lower lip tremble slightly and he took a step back from the group of men. Then the accusations flew each stabbing at Lovino's heart like the sharpest of knives.

"Traitor!" roared a man. Lovino took a step back.

"Liar!" spat another. Lovino took another step back.

"You and your family are devils! Murderers! Burn in hell murderer!" Lovino's boss spat his words out like venom. Lovino distanced himself from the men yet again. Lorenzo advanced towards Lovino as a crowd started to gather curiously around them. As soon as newcomers were informed of what was taking place men jeered, women looked shocked and were covering the ears of their children.

"Perire all'inferno !"Lorenzo hissed and raised his hand to hit Lovino. The hand came down, sharp and quick but Lovino turned the other cheek. A small trickle of blood appeared at the corner of Lovino's mouth.

The sight of blood got the other men riled up, their eyes filled with rage and hints of bloodlust. Lovino backed away again as the men stepped closer and closer to him. Lorenzo raised his hand again to strike at Lovino, who stumbled and fell to the ground. Looking up into Lorenzo's face Lovino closed his eyes and waited.

The hand never came and from his place on the ground Lovino opened his eyes. Basked in sunlight Antonio stood towering behind the old Lorenzo his smooth tan hand restraining Lorenzo's old wrinkly one.

Lovino blinked, what was Antonio doing here. Lorenzo swore and shook his hand free of Antonio's who swept past him and came to a halt in front of Lovino. The Spaniard then extended his hand out to Lovino, and as Lovino reached for it he paused, nasty words circulated around him. He grabbed Antonio's hand and his vision blurred a little.

"Such a child should never have been born to that devil woman." a voice said from afar. Lovino shuddered. His vision blurred again as he was being pulled up and then everything faded and blackness surrounded him.

Antonio watched in horror as Lovino fainted into his arms. His breath trembled as he listened to the nasty things being said. Scooping Lovino up into his arms Antonio started to walk and found his path blocked by Lorenzo and a couple of other men. Antonio snarled at them and the men flinched but held their ground.

"Let me through or you will regret it." Antonio growled in Italian. The threat worked and the men and the rest of the crowd parted for Antonio like the red sea. As he reached the end of the crowd he approached an old woman who seemed to have a concerned look on her face.

"Dove si trova la sua casa?" he inquired. The woman stiffened and backed off not saying a word.

"La sua casa è lassù!" a little boy said and pointed to a cliff further on the far end of the island coast. Antonio smiled his thanks and set off.

Antonio got lost a few times but he eventually found the house. It had to be it since it was the only one of this end of the island. Antonio walked up the steps, Lovino still unconscious in his arms and tried the door.

It opened, creaking on its hinges to reveal a sunlit corridor. There was a staircase right off the hall. Antonio climbed the stairs and tried one of the doors. It was a bedroom decorated in soft greens and blues making it look like the ocean.

Antonio laid Lovino down gently on the bed and sat down in a chair. He would wait till Lovino awoke.

Lovino slowly came into awareness, blinking his eyes as they adjusted to the late afternoon light.

"Oh, you're awake. How do you feel?" a voice said. Lovino sat up and turned around to see Antonio's concerned green eyes looking into his. Lovino didn't answer, he just sat there his mind reeling as everything came flooding back. Those words, that hand, the hate in their eyes. But most of all the fear and disgust.

"Such a child should never have been born to that devil woman."

The words still rang in his ears.

"Lovino?" Antonio said, "Don't cry Lovino. Don't cry, it's okay."

Lovino lifted his hands to his wet cheeks, he hadn't even realized that he had been crying. The tears would not stop. Lovino then felt two strong arms wrap around him and he was drawn to Antonio's chest, the warmth almost radiating off him. Lovino spluttered a little.

The tears kept falling. Then he shoved Antonio away from him.

"Go away." Lovino's voice trembled.

"No. I will not." Antonio said smiling with melancholy. So that was what this was, Lovino thought, pity.

"I do not want your pity." he said and rose quickly to his feet. His legs were not ready to support his weight yet and for the second time that day Antonio caught him. Lovino sat on the bed.

"This is not pity Lovino. How could you say that?" Antonio said as his eyebrows knit closer together in a pained expression. Lovino swallowed hard.

"Then what is it?" he asked. Antonio opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, so he shut his mouth. He sat there for a while thinking.

"I don't know." Antonio said finally. Lovino said nothing. Antonio gently pushed Lovino down onto the bed.

"You should rest. I will bring you something to eat." Antonio whispered into Lovino's ear and then rose and exited the room. Lovino laid on the bed unmoving his eyes fixed on the turquoise ceiling.

What would he do now? Why was Antonio here? And most of all why had Lovino felt so relieved to see his refelection in those green eyes when he had woken?

Antonio went into the kitchen and looked through the fridge; there wasn't much in it. Antonio took what ingredients he found and started to mindlessly prepare some food for Lovino. It became obvious to Antonio that Lovino had fainted from a combination of exhaustion and stress.

The look on Lovino's face as he had lain on the pavement that morning was so pained Antonio thought Lovino would have shattered then and there. He had also felt something ignite in the pit of his stomach that morning as Lovino was attacked.

Why hadn't Lovino defended himself? He was fully capable of it. But if he wasn't then... then Antonio would protect Lovino instead. He wasn't sure why but somewhere deep inside him he yearned to apart of Lovino's world, to understand the complex man he knew close to nothing about. He would be there, whether Lovino liked it or not.

Translations

: Cosa posso ottenere giovane? - What can I get you young man?

: Un caffè e una fetta di quella torta per favore. - A coffee and a slice of that cake please.

: No, va bene. Il mio nome è Antonio. - No it's okay. My name is Antonio.

: Il ragazzino è andato a l'isola, perché è lì che la madre nacque e morì - The little boy went to the island because that's where his mother was born and died

: Signore che cosa hai detto? - Sir, what did you say ?

: Bambino - Little boy/child

: Cosa sta succedendo? - What's going on ?

: Alcuni straniero chiesto quella donna Vargas! - Some foreigner asked about that Vargas woman!

: No, non è una donna, un uomo, come si chiamava ... Ah, Lovino Vargas! - No, not a woman, a man, what was the name... Ah, Lovino Vargas!

: Ah, sì, hai ragione, Lovi - Ah yes, you're right, Lovi-

: Tu! - You

: Perire all'inferno! - Perish in hell!

: Dove si trova la sua casa? Where is his house?

: La sua casa è lassù! - His house is over there!