I do not own Hetalia and its characters :P they belong to Himaruya Hidekaz
In Due Time

Chapter 11: Crossroad

"Fratello?" Feliciano stared at the figure before him, who was none other than his beloved brother. Auburn eyes stared back in shock.

"Feliciano…"

Tears welled up in young teen's eyes as he ran to hug Lovino. At first Lovino prepared himself to run, but then realized he had not seen his brother in four months. Allowing his brother to hug him, relief and warmth engulfed his body. He hugged back.

"What are you doing here, Feliciano?" Lovino asked, pulling away. Feliciano sniffed.

"Ve~ Grandpa helped me come here! I wanted to look for you ve…"

"Grandpa?"

"Romaaaaaaaa!" There was a loud exclamation that attracted eyes from the street, Lovino flinched.

A tall and handsome man who looked like he was in his early forties scooped Lovino and Feliciano up in a big hug. He had brown hair similar to Lovino's colour and although crying, had an air of importance and dominance. While the three were absorbed in their own world, Antonio stood, emotionless.

He couldn't fathom the fact that Lovino's brother was here, was he going to have to say goodbye to Lovino so soon? He, he hadn't prepared himself for this!

"Get off!" Lovino yelled in embarrassment, struggling to free himself from the affectionate hugs. His face was red, making Antonio fume in intense jealousy. He didn't Lovino making that face in front of anyone but him. He didn't want Lovino to be touched by anyone but him. Lovino was his! Antonio reached out and pulled Lovino to his side, His usual carefree emerald eyes had turned acidic, but they quickly returned to the jewel colour, after realizing what he had done. His grip on Lovino lessened. The man –who was likely the twins' grandfather- and Feliciano stood in shock.

"Ow! What the hell was that for bastard?" Lovino shouted, his heart beating fast at the sudden force. Sweat dripped from Antonio's forehead and it trickled down his cheek. What just happened?

"So-sorry Lovi." He apologized, fisting his hands.

"Romano," There it is again, the name Antonio didn't recognize as Lovino's.

"Who is this man?" Their grandfather asked, pointing rudely. Lovino opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to reply. Antonio sighed, feeling a small dagger through his heart. He took off his hat and bowed.

"Captain Antonio Fernández Carriedo at your service."

"Captain?"

"Of pirates." Antonio said with a business smirk, making the man furrow his eyebrows.

"My name is Romulus Vargas, I am Romano's grandfather. Can I assume you have good relations with Romano?"

So he was their grandfather, but he looks so young.

"Why, I am escorting young master home for a weighty reward." Now it was Lovino's turn to feel a sharp pain in his chest. He had always suspected Antonio was just after the prize, but the teen shook it off. He would not question the man's feelings now.

"Oh? How much did you promise him Roma?"

"A hundred gold pieces for his crew and two hundred for him."

"Come to my villa on the outskirts of the town at six o'clock sharp to collect your reward. Now then, come along Romano, Feliciano."

Antonio's heart sank, his head held a bit low. He held back his tears.

"Wa-wait grandpa!" Lovino called out, not moving from his spot next to Antonio.

"Um, I would like to say my goodbyes first."

Romulus glared at Antonio.

"…Do as you wish."

And so, Romulus and Feliciano went back first, leaving Lovino with Antonio. Antonio and Lovino walked back the ship in tense silence. The sun started to set on them as they arrived at the ship. The crew sensed the awkwardness between the two. Matthew was worried.

"What happened?" he asked. Lovino couldn't bear to look at him.

"I ran into Feliciano." He replied, his eyes focused on the deck. Matthew's eyes widened.

"As in your brother Feliciano? That Feli?" Matthew peered, hoping it wouldn't be true. At this, Lovino looked up with eyes that seemed like they would cry.

"Yea." Matthew bit his lip to hold in his tears and it looked like Lovino was doing the same Antonio stood rigid. His eyes lost their valuable shine, like they were lifeless.

"Lovi, get your clothes." He said with a quiet voice, almost inaudible.

"O-oh yeah." Lovino walked into the captain's room, a little surprised when Antonio didn't follow him. When Lovino was out of sight Matthew raised a fist in fury. The crew gasped when Antonio got knocked to the ground by Matthew who was now held back my Gilbert.

"O-oi! Birdie you went too far-"

"Why are you just letting him leave like this?!" he shouted, his usual calm eyes filled with hurt and anger. Antonio didn't reply. Tears streamed down violet eyes.

"Reply, you spineless bastard! Coward! Don't you Love hi-"

"Shut up!" Antonio's voice boomed, cutting Matthew off.

He looked up, his eyes drowning in sorrow.

"Of course I love him! I love him to death! But that won't stop him! He has a family Matthew, a brother. He has another life other than the one he had with us!"

Matthew whimpered, turning and burying his face in his boyfriend's chest. Lovino, who had heard shouts and yells from outside the cabin quickly finished packing and came out. Francis was helping Antonio up and Gilbert was still trying to calm Matthew down. When Matthew saw Lovino he immediately ran up to him and buried his face in the teen's chest. At first the position was a little awkward as the blonde was much taller than Lovino but the two shifted to make it work.

Lovino hugged back, holding back tears as a habit. Adrian made the mistake of telling Katyusha and the woman came up from her cell wailing like a baby.

"Don't go Mr. Romanooo!" she cried, taking him from Matthew's embrace and suffocating him between her breasts.

"I'm sorry, I have to go." Lovino stated, pulling away from Katyusha's embrace with a blush. He would have hugged Lilli too, if it weren't for her brother who would probably kill him. Lilli understood this and said goodbye with a small tear on the corner of her eyes. Lovino smiled, whether it was fake or not even he couldn't tell.

"Lovi, its six."

"Alright, let's go."

Lovino slowly walked off the wooden plank extended out onto the floor for them. All eyes on him. He had felt this before, when he first came on to the ship. Both times uncomfortable. This time more painful. Antonio followed behind him and soon the two was out of sight for the crew, as they walked straight to Antonio's worst nightmare.

The pair walked in silence to the town, neither of them spoke, as neither knew what to say. When they reached the town there was a carriage waiting for them in front of the shop where Lovino saw Feliciano.

"Your ride, young master." Said a finely dressed man in a tailcoat. Antonio couldn't help but laugh remembering the time when he used to call Lovino that. The teen's face flushed in embarrassment, pushing the man inside the vehicle who was in a fit of laughter. Once the carriage was on the way to Romulus' villa, the ice finally started to melt.

"Stop laughing." Lovino finally said after a few minutes of seeing Antonio crack up every five seconds or so.

"B-but it's just so funny! I never knew someone actually called you that."

Lovino head-butted the man whose injuries still weren't fully healed yet.

"Oow, Lovi! So mean~" Antonio whined, rubbing his stomach.

"Y-Your fault, bastard." Antonio grinned in happiness, seeing that the awkwardness was starting to break.

"Hey Lovi."

"Yea?"

"Lend me your shoulder."

Lovino pouted and straightened himself up for Antonio.

"J-just this once."

Both bodies were overflown with pain as the man tilted his body to lean down.

"I know." Was all he said and the ride continued, the silence no longer awkward but the air filled with hurt.

The villa was rather close by, it was only about twenty minutes away from port, and the two were escorted to Romulus' study. The villa, if it could be called that, was huge. It had marble floors and tall white pillars. It had a large garden surrounding it, save for the front of the house and everything from the grass to the roof screamed extravagant. Antonio shivered at Lovino, or rather, the Vargas family's richness. If he were still his old self, he probably think to ask more money.

"Master bid me only the pirate hooligan go in." The butler said, once outside the study. Lovino pouted and Antonio nodded.

"It's fine Lovi."

Lovino took a step back from the door and moved to the side, allowing Antonio to enter. He was going to wait outside for him but the butler dragged him away saying 'You must be famished young master.' Antonio took a deep breath before entering.

"Don't you know any manners to knock?" Romulus said, his glare fixated on the man. It was obvious that he didn't have a good opinion on Antonio.

"I'm a pirate, I don't need any." He simply replied. Romulus scoffed.

"How many crew members do you have?"

"Thirty three, including me."

Romulus brought out a big bag filled with leather coin pouches, and took four out. He handed to bag to Antonio who took one of the smaller pouches inside to count, once he deemed that they were a hundred, he tried to look for his pouch, the one with two hundred. As if reading his mind, Romulus helped him.

"Your two hundred is in the red pouch."

He nodded a thanks and quickly found the red pouch. He loosened the rope then turned it upside down. The two hundred coins spilled like sparkling stones to the rugged floor. Romulus' eyes widened in surprise.

"You are not satisfied?"

"Nay, I am merely giving it back." Amber eyes narrowed.

"What do you want then?"

"You can't grant me what I want."

Antonio simply replied, lugging the bag of coins over his shoulders, he turned to leave but was stopped.

"You are a pirate, surely you must want something."

Antonio turned his face to reply. His face tainted with a sad smile.

"It is something that I should have never laid my eyes on." It was a statement that welcomed no further inquiry.

With a court goodbye, Antonio left the study. Leaving the young looking grandfather to analyze.

Antonio wandered the house, looking for Lovino. He hadn't said his goodbye yet and there was no way he'd leave things between them this way. He went down the way he was brought upstairs and found Lovino waiting on the bottom of the chipped marble floor.

"Did you get your reward?" Lovino asked, Antonio smiled a sad smile.

"Aye."

Silence once rained on them, and they just stared at each other. Antonio taking in the beauty that was Lovino under the dim lights. Aching to touch him again, to feel his skin against his. To feel the soft and smooth lips on his. Antonio's hand twitched.

"Hey, um, do you have time?" Lovino asked, nervous. An emotion Antonio had never seen on the teen.

"I have time."

Lovino took Antonio's hand in his and lightly dragged him outside the house, into the garden. The teen sat the captain down on the edge of a fountain but couldn't form the words in his word. He still had not come to terms with the fact that he might never see Antonio again. But before Lovino could make a speech, Antonio spoke.

"Lovi," he began softly, pulling the younger man into a hug. Lovino hugged back.

"Don't say goodbye. If you do, then I really do have to accept that I will never see you again," he was holding back saying those three words, as it would make the parting even more painful.

"I," Don't say it you idiot! His mind screamed. His hand trembled, and for the first time in his pirate life, he was terrified.

"I love you." It slipped out, a mistake. He was an idiot but he couldn't help it. Lovino's grip on Antonio tightened. He was still unsure of his feelings for the man. He came to the conclusion that he loved him, but he didn't even know to what extent his love went. He didn't want to say it back before he was certain. But his mind was badgering him. Just say it! You'll never see him again!

He shut his eyes tight. He couldn't cry. He wouldn't allow himself to cry. Antonio's whole body ached when not hearing a response from the teen. He guessed he wasn't as important to Lovino as he thought. On the other hand, Lovino had become his whole world, but it was time to say goodbye. Antonio pulled away from the hug, to Lovino's fear. Say it! His mind hollered but the words got stuck in his throat and he felt mute for those few minutes of their last time together.

Instead of pulling away fully, Antonio moved a hand to caress the teen's cheek. He brought his face closer and met their lips in a passionate kiss, attempting one final way of expressing his love other than with words. At first he felt that it would make the separation more painful but it was more painful not hearing it back from Lovino. He was desperate. Lovino kissed back in surprise, letting himself drown in Antonio's affection, knowing that soon he would no longer receive gestures of love from the older man. When their lips parted, Lovino felt a tear roll down his cheek.

"I'll never forget you." He cried out, more tears pouring from his face, surprising Antonio. Small tears formed at the corner of his eyes.

"I'll never forget you either, mi tomate precioso." With a final kiss to the forehead, the pirate captain and aristocrat parted, witnessed by a certain grandfather. Romulus took out a journal and read the only content inside.

Two roads met and merged and soon diverged like a crossroad. But when one follows either of the roads they'll see that the two become one again. Like a highroad, it stretches out to the horizon.

After he finished, he stopped, and buried his face in his hands.

"Am I doing the right thing Angela?" he asked no one. He picked up a photo frame from his desk, a photograph of a beautiful young woman beside him. In her hands was a baby and both mother and child's smiles were vibrant.

Like the two roads, he thought to himself. They'll meet again.

A/N: aawwss, sho sad non? TTmTT