After the incident Antonio hadn't said anything about that day.

He had gone home and left the Italian relatively alone. And even for the week after that he seemed off. He just wasn't all there. Romano knew he was upset. No doubt he himself was probably to blame, but he wasn't about to forgive the moron! Antonio couldn't just get into his space like that! He had boundaries too! There were things he wasn't comfortable with.

And physical intimacy was public enemy number one.

Yet here he was, stuck at home with a sulking Spaniard.

Romano usually worked weekends, and Antonio worked from home. But this week there was no overtime available. So he was basically stuck at the condo with a very depressed boyfriend. For the most part Antonio had stayed in the home office to work and only came out for a drink or the bathroom. Romano sat on the couch with his laptop. He wouldn't admit it, but when the older man came out, the Italian's gaze followed him.

Watching him closely. Studying his erratic movements as if they held the answer to everything. As if they held the answer on how to make it stop. Because this wasn't Antonio. He looked pitiful. His completely sure and steadfast confidence was gone. He'd turned into a cautious being; acting as if one wrong move would cause the world to shudder and crack around him.

And Romano could only take it for so long.

After at least two hours of mindlessly surfing the internet and being completely ignored, he got up and followed Antonio into the kitchen. He watched as the older rinsed off the from lunch, then set it down at the bottom of the sink. Antonio paused for a second, then picked it back up. Grabbing a dish towel he absentmindedly dried it off.

It was weird. Somehow having Antonio around all the time had become so usual. And now that he had been avoiding Romano like the Black Plague for the past week, him not being mentally there was unusual , even while they were asleep the older man didn't touch him! Antonio would go to bed with his back facing Romano, then when the Italian woke up, he was still like that. Not that he wanted the idiot all over him, but damn! He didn't want to be treated like a disease! That's just a bit hurtful.

But what really caught Romano's eyes was how tired Antonio looked recently. It only got worse each day, and it looked like he was going to fall over and die if he didn't get some sleep. Dark circles had etched their way onto the usually happy man's face. And the need for at least a nap seemed overwhelming.

There was no way he could keep watching this without feeling sorry!

It'd be like kicking a puppy.

"Hey dumbass." Romano called.

Antonio turned towards him and smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "What is it?"

Slowly, he opened the cabinet and placed the plate where it belonged.

"You look like shit. You need sleep or else you'll die." The younger commented dryly.

There was a poignant silence for a moment. Then;

"It really looks that bad?" The taller asked.

Romano rolled his eyes. "Just lay down. I'm going to Feliciano's. You better be asleep when I come back."

The relief in Antonio's eyes was clear.

He made his way back through the kitchen and stopped in front of Romano. The smaller felt bad when he received quite the somber look. The older lifted his hand and ran it through the hair at the shorter's temple.

Romano would have said something, but he was taken aback by the sudden flash of sadness in the others eyes. Antonio leaned down slightly, and the Italian was unsure of what to do. He was still confused by that look. Everything seemed to be moving too fast and too slow at the same time. As the other got closer his mind processed what was happening, but didn't work fast enough to tell him what to do. He looked like a deer in headlights. He was so close! Antonio's cologne (or was that just how he smelled?) was strong and spicy, but clean. Romano could hear his heartbeat in his ears. The taller was less than and inch away when another flicker of sadness marred his face. He leaned his forehead on the smaller's and smiled tiredly.

"Have fun at Feli's. Tell him and Ludwig I said "Hi"." Antonio said, then pulled away from Romano heavily.

Romano could only stare in shock as Antonio walked through the living room, and out of sight into the small hallway their bedroom was in.

His whole body was numb.

What was that?

The Italian could feel his heart beating a mile a minute. Normally he wouldn't of let something like that happen. So why did he just stand there? Why did he like it? What confused him the most was the overwhelming sense of disappointment.

Damn. He needed to get to Feliciano's. Quick.

"I keep telling him it's a good idea, but you know him! He wants to make sure it's the right thing to do. But why wouldn't it be? This house is too big for just the two of us, and it's not like we don't have the money." Feliciano said, folding another one of Ludwig's shirts.

Romano watched his brother talk about this and that while folding laundry in the kitchen of all places. It was, of course, Feliciano's favorite room in the whole house. Ludwig had made sure it was perfect. The walls were Feli's favorite shade of blue, and all the cabinets were made of a light colored oak. All of the appliances shone with a metallic finish. A gas oven stood in it's place next to the sink. A small wooden table with four chairs finished off the room. Romano couldn't really think of a time Feli wasn't in the kitchen. He did everything there. Hell, he and that potato bastard probably even fucked here too...

Romano suddenly lifted his arms and drink off the table with that thought, looking displeased.

"How about you? Are you and Antonio doing well?" The younger Italian asked flippantly.

"Fine I guess. The idiot wouldn't keep off me. He was like a leech." Romano scoffed.

Feliciano laughed. "I'm sure it's not that bad!"

"Yeah, well you don't have to live with him." Was the retort.

"So other than that, everything's ok?" Feliciano asked hopefully.

Romano didn't answer, and that worried him. Was his brother going to suddenly jump out of this relationship too? He couldn't! Antonio loved him so much! Why couldn't Romano see that? There had to be some sort of misunderstanding between them! Felicano had seen the difference between real love and the feelings that only imitated it. Antonio looked at Romano like he was one of the rarest paintings on earth! And he knew Romano felt the same way!

But there was this quality his brother had about him. Romano acted like everyone was beneath him, but in reality that was just to hide the fact he hated himself. That's what killed Feliciano the most. His precious older brother felt like scum.

He hated himself and never thought he was good enough for anything. Not even love. Romano never even held himself to be good at the things he was so amazing at. No one knew it, but Romano was just as good with art as Feli was! And he could name any wine he tasted blindfolded!

But nothing could get through to him. Maybe not even Antonio could...

"The stupid bastard's been ignoring me. Not that I care! It's just... I just don't want to be treated like a fucking disease that's all!" Romano blurted out.

It almost made Feliciano relieved. His brother might think he'd been fooling him by playing the big bad guy, but out of everyone Feliciano was going to see through it. But it still didn't calm any fears about the situation.

"When did it start?" Was the younger's first question.

"About a week ago." Romano replied. He left out that little bit about kind of sort of maybe pushing the other to the floor.

"He just started ignoring me. Even when we go to bed he doesn't move. Normally I wake up to the idiot smothering me."

The expression in Romano's eyes belied his "I don't care" act. It was so obvious this whole thing was bothering him. Feliciano knew his brother too well. He wanted to look like he could do everything alone. Like he didn't need anyone to help him up if he fell. But in reality Romano was easily upset. He didn't like to be around others unless he knew they wouldn't leave him. And one of the many reasons he visited so much was because he was lonely.

"Be nicer to Antonio! He only cares about you." Feliciano chided, hoping the keep of of his usual tone would satiate his brothers fears, even just a little bit.

Romano scoffed and leaned back in his chair. "I wish he'd care a little less."

The younger Italian didn't take this comment as being out of the ordinary. But the older suddenly went quiet. They just sat there in silence. Feliciano folding clothes and humming softly, and Romano staring into space. The thought that Antonio might actually do just that perturbed the older a bit.

Would that happen? Has it already happened? No way. There was no way that would ever happen! Antonio was way too obsessed with Romano to give him up!

But the thought still bugged him. Romano would admit that maybe he was being a bit needlessly hostile towards the other recently. But he was at a loss as how to change that. For as long as he could remember, Romano never let anyone comfort him. If he couldn't do it himself he wasn't about to let others be bothered by his weakness. And in turn he didn't know how to handle others emotions. It was as foreign as speaking German to him.

"Romano, I think you should just talk to Antonio. He comes over all the time. We talk about everything, and we've never fought!" Feliciano said happily.

All he tried to do was help, but Romano didn't quite see it that way...

What the hell was Antonio doing at his brother's so much? They talked about everything? If Antonio could tell Feliciano everything, did he tell him why he was avoiding him, but Feliciano couldn't tell Romano? And why wasn't Antonio talking to him about what was going on instead of his brother? Romano felt betrayed and spiteful. Not completely at Feliciano. He could never hate his brother. But Antonio was a different story! That bastard wouldn't even explain what was going on, even though they were supposedly "together"!

"I have to go. See you later." Romano grumbled gruffly.

Feliciano stopped folding for a second to look at his brother questioningly. "Um, ok... then. See you later?"

"Yeah." Romano said over his shoulder as he made his way to the door.

Antonio was going to get it.

Author's Note

I have a feeling I'm going to regret posting this. I have yet to finish chapter 7, and this is chapter 4. I really need to get to work. But it's so awkward writing in front of my family. I really wish I had my laptop back.

But, on a better note, thank you so much to the reviews I've gotten! I'm trying my best and I hope this chapter (mostly the story) lives up to your expectations!

I look forward to seeing your opinions on this and future chapters~!