Chapter 21 (The List)

Matthew finished packing his things in the last box, he was leaving his brother´s apartment, and it wasn't because he had a new place to stay but he just wanted to leave as soon as he could. He had spent the last couple of days sulking about his situation, he was aware that seeing your plans crushed was something that could frustrate anyone, but besides that he was experiencing something different, something tha was keeping him from sleeping at night and filled his chest with an unpleasant feeling each time he remembered, this certain thing had red eyes and messy blond hair.

Yeah it was 'him', the scene of Gilbert looking at him with cold eyes kept replaying in his mind all day long, he told himself it was stupid feeling awful for a person he barely knew, but he still couldn't convince himself about that.

´I better finish with this´ he looked at the night table 'I always keep things there' Matthew opened the drawer to find the book he was currently reading "1984" 'I don't remember where I left…' a small card fell to the floor, Matthew knew exactly what it was. He stood there, silent, looking at the small white paper as if it was a threat to him.

'I still can´t believe what he did, he must have been joking…I hope he was joking' he picked the infamous card 'Francis Bonenfoy' Matthew felt the card burning in his hands, he despised the thought of having to deal with this person, but wait! Was he even considering it? 'I'll feel even worse, I just don't want to have anything to do with this people again' he creased the paper and was about to throw it away when an idea crossed his mind, 'I guess I won't rest until I finish with this' he searched for his phone and texted.

"Mattie I´m hungry!"

Matthew came out of thoughts at the call of his name "What is it Alfred?" he hid his phone

"Make us something bro I´m starving here" Although he said that, he was already carrying a box of cereal with him.

"Alfred you are not a child anymore you´re perfectly capable of preparing something yourself"

"Aww but your cooking is so amazing"

"Well I guess everything tastes better than…"

"Don't go there"

Matthew chuckled; his brother was always defending Arthur's horrible cooking.

"Fine what do you want?"

"What about some of your awesome pancakes"

Matthew felt a chill going down his spine, his expression changing inmediatly, and this didn't went unnoticed by his brother

"See, that´s what I'm talking about man, you tell me you wanna leave, but you don´t look fine to me at all"

"Alfred you´ve already helped me enough and for that I´m grateful, but I don't want to be a burden anymore, I have everything figured out already, so stop being so overprotective"

"Mattie I'm not overprotective I'm just worried, I know you´re disappointed for the scholarship but you can stay at my place as long as you want, you know I'll help you"

"I've told you I have everything under control so stop whining about it, besides don't you think you should continue with your plans?"

Alfred stopped eating and … breathing while he looked at Matthew who was grinning "What are you talking about?" Alfred forced a smile and tried to look natural but he failed greatly

"Oh don't play dumb with me; it has something to do with a certain grumpy blond"

"I told you don't call Iggy that…" Matthew laughed at his brother while Alfred facepalmed at his reaction, he being a physicist, a man who certaintly most of the time was right, found unveliebable there were people, (more specifically Arthur and his brother) who were capable of making a fool out of him.

"So… when are you telling him?"

"HAHAHA" even it was Alfred's normal laugh it was a nervous laugh, "Matthew I don´t know…"

Matthew gave his older brother an unnimpresed look.

"How did you know?"

"I saw the ring hidden with some of your especial edition video games"

Alfred's face was all red he was sinking in his seat.

"I must say I'm impressed you picked a model that Arthur would actually like or perhaps…"

"I asked Tino for help"

"Well that explains it"

"Ok fine can we please return to the main subject?"

"I thought I was clear when I said…"

"Mattie please let me help you"

Matthew was deeply moved, for Alfred acting like this towards his younger brother was just natural, perhaps he really didn't realise how caring and loving he was, Arthur was really lucky.

"Alfred you've always supported me in what's important for me, let me do the same for you this time"

Actually, what Matthew didn't tell Alfred was that, when he found the ring he felt terribly guilty, his brother was probably planning on proposing to Arthur and asking him to live together before Matthew came to live with him.

Alfred remained silent for some minutes "Are you sure?"

"Of course" Matthew lied

"Thanks bro, and please don't say anything about this"

"Don't worry I'm sure you'll give yourself away anyway"

"Matthew!"

The younger boy smiled and returned to his cooking when he heard his phone ringing.

"Feli what's wrong dear?" Elizabeta caressed his friend cheek in a motherly way

"Uh it's nothing, I'm just spacing out sorry"

Romano looked at his brother, he knew the reason of his sulky mood, it was that stupid german who canceled his brother in the last minute, but he´ll pay for making his little brother sad, Romano certainly had his ways, and the fact that Ludwig was absolutely scared about his grandpa was something that he could make use of.

Although he was going to make sure to solve this situation later, he had another problem in hand, and it was the reason why he was currently sitting at the garden with his brother's friends, he needed advice from a certain team mate who recently couldn't leave a shy Japanese boy alone.

Romano had been eating his lunch trying to avoid conversation, when finally the bell rung.

"Whe must go, we have gym now Feliciano" Kiku stood up, Heracles inmediatly after him

"God why!" said Feliciano in a dramatic way

"Stop complaining and go already idiot"

"Romano don't be so mean to your brother, he isn't feeling well today" Eli had lately acquired the habit of protecting Feliciano from Romano´s outburst. Feli was way too used to them but didn't mind Eli's protection.

"Whatever" was Romano´s response

"Let's go then" said the girl ignoring Romano's manners

"Heracles, I really should be going" Kiku was trying to free himself from the bear hug the taller boy was giving him, a red flush covering his face.

"Let him go Heracles he has class" said Eliza with a wide smile in her face

"Uh ok, I see you in last period then" Heracles kissed Kiku in the lips and run a hand trough his hair so he could see his face.

Romano watched with amazement how different the two boys were, and still how happy they looked together, it kind of reminded him of another very similar couple.

When Kiku started breathing again "…yeah see you" and he practically ran away leaving Feli and Elizabetha behind

"Wait for us Kiku!"

At last Romao could talk to the Greek alone, he didn't want Elizabetha or Feliciano intruding in this, he really didn't mind Kiku.

"Don't you have class?" asked Heracles lazily

"Uhm yeah but I'll just skip it"

"Really? Why's that?"

"Uhm I have math"

"With the other Beilschimt?"

"Yes"

"Then's understandable, but well you shouldn't skip you know, I know that you can't enjoy all the class as much as yo do with foreign language but you´re risking your place in the team"

"I know is not as if I did it everytime, actually the reason… what?" The italan suddenly processed what he had just heard

"Did I say something bad?"Heracles looked at him in confussion

The clueless look on Heracles relaxed Romano "It's nothing forget it… but the reason I'm here now it's because I need some advice"

"From me?"

"Yeah, it's because…I want to give a present, but this person is…special so I want it to be something amazing"

"Oh what's the occasion?"

"Uhm it's a birthday present"

"And this person is?"

"Does it really matter who it is?" asked the Italian clearly nervous

"Well I suppose, it depends the kind of relationship you have with the person"

Heracles had a point there, so Romano inhaled deeply before saying "I'm dating this person"

"Really? I never thought you'll…" when the taller boy saw the frown forming in Romano's face, he tried to correct himself "I mean congratulations" Heracles was a little impressed by the declaration, but seeing Romano was reluctant to share more information; he decided not to make more questions about it.

"And? What should I do?"

"Well I recommend something simple yet meaningful"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Sorry I'll explain…the first time I got a gift for Kiku I spent hours looking for something in almost every store but I wasn't able to find something, has this happened to you?"

"Yeah kind of" the truth was that Romano had been looking for an entire week, in almost every place in the city, not that he was ever going to admit that he had spent so much time in this for a certain spaniard, he really didn't care.

"Well" Heracles continued "I realized that what I was doing was wrong, because I shouldn't have serched for something that he may need or want, but something that showed him how much he meant to me, you understand me?"

The Italian nodded slowly "I do but, I have no idea how could I do that" he wasn't joking he rarely shared his feelings, with Antonio wasn't different.

Heracles being aware of his friend's inhability thought he could give him some guidance in the matter, he thought for a couple of minutes when the idea snapped in his head "Romano, what do you love the most about this person?"

"What?" Romano was all red

"Fine you don't need to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable"

"Are you sure you know what you´re doing?"

Heracles nodded looking serious

"Well let's start then"

Antonio arrived to his house late in the evening, it had been a long day at school, for some reason Roderich found out that he played the guitar and had been discussing all day with him about giving lessons to some kids in the music club. Not that he minded some extra money but having to deal with Roderich and Arthur so the lessons were approved was certainly something he didn't enjoy. Also since in the last days Gilbert had been staying extra hours at school with his soccer team, he had been forced to walk home. This wasn't the way he was planning to spend his birthday and on top of everything he didn't even get to see Romano, the boy called him saying, he'll perhaps go for dinner with him on Friday, he felt quit disappointed at this.

He finally arrived to his place, the house was too big for him, it was a place for a family not a sinlge man, but it once belonged to his grandma but since the rest of family lived in Spain, he had made use of it. When he was about to open the door he found something strange.

It was a small piece of pape taped to the door, there was something written in it.

"Your smile"

'What is this?' he decided to ignore it, he entered the house went straight to the kitchen he was starving, but it took him for surprise to see another note

"Your ass"

He jumped when he read this, and gave a look around him; perhaps this was some prank from his friends, they had made a tradition of it every year, that would explain why he hadn't received news from them all day. 'I won't fall this time' he left the kitchen and lead to the living, this time he wasn't so startled when he saw another paper in the tv.

"Your stupid jokes"

'What the?' he tried to calmed himself when he noticed all the hallway that lead to his room was filled with more small read some of them

"How you're passionate about everything you do"

"That you're always kind to others"

He took another from a little mirros in the wall

"Your eyes"

"Your accent"

"That you understand me"

Antonio started to suspect this couldn't be Franci's or Gilbert's work

"The way you dance"

"That I feel safe around you"

He got to his dorm door

"Your messy hair"

He opened the door expecting more notes, but there were none, he scratch his head in confussion, he was about to leave when he saw a tiny paper in his window, the one that had view to his small garden. He ripped the small paper carefully; this one he certainly didn't understand it

"I run out of paper"

He looked throught the window just to find that Romano was sitting on the grass, the Italian waved at him. Antonio ran to his ecounter, he was going to ask to ask Romano what did all this mean, he approached the boy when Romano extended his hand and gave Antonio one sheet of paper.

Antonio toke it and read in big letters

"Because I Iove everything about you"

Antonio stood there with the paper in his hands, no words would come out of his mouth, he raised his eyes, to find a very nervous Romano fidgeting in his place.

"Well say something" said the younger man trembling

Antonio smiled widely helping Romano calmed himself, then he said "This is the most beautiful thing someones ever done for me"

Romano's eyes were big like plates, he didn't expect such a response "I could have done better" he said faking confidence, Antonio rolled his eyes and walked closer to hug him tightly.

Romano returned the hug and said "I know I'm very difficult to deal with, and that I'm always mean and I also know that you understand me and how difficult is for me to say some things, but I thought It wasn't fair If I sometimes well…let you know how I feel because…you deserve it" said Roma with his face against the taller man's chest.

"I already have all I ever hoped for" Antonio leaned so he could kiss the Italian.

So this is the ending for Romano and Antonio, was it too corny? I hope not I enjoyed wirtting it that must be a sign (hehehe) well hopefully the next chapter will be done in two weeks, (exams are here again).

I know I always say the same, but please review, this story is about to finish and every chapter I swear I try my best , I would like to know what people think of if, there must be a reason for all the alerts and favs (be nice and you'll have a cookie) .

So I see u in two weeks, Thanks for al the amazing people who's been reading this crappy story so far you´re the best!