Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia or Beauty and the Beast.

"Tonight is the night, the night you confess your love!" announced Francis, idly preening himself in front of the mirror.

Antonio sat chewing his claws, his legs bouncing up and down with nerves. "I'm not sure I can do this."

"You must!" said Arthur.

Francis looked up from the mirror at Antonio. "You care for the boy, don't you?"

Antonio looked down at Francis. "More than anything."

"Then why not tell him?" Francis smirked.

Antonio let his head drop into his hands. "I can't!"

"Calm down Antoine, it will be perfect!" Francis patted his friend's knee. "There will be beautiful music, romantic candlelight, provided by myself, and then, when the moment is right..."

Antonio looked completely confused. "How will I know when the moment is right?"

Arthur thought for a moment. "You'll feel slightly nauseous."

Francis waved Arthur away irritably. "No! You will know because you will feel it in here." He pointed to Antonio's chest. "And you must speak from the heart."

"I must speak from the..." The information sank into Antonio's brain. "I can't!"

"You must!" insisted Arthur

Francis stared at Antonio thoughtfully. "Mon ami, what are you afraid of?"

"Nothing!" growled Antonio, nettled.

Francis put his hands on his hips and glared at him disbelievingly. "Antoine"

Antonio bucked his head down again. "I afraid he might…"

The two of them looked up at him, curious. "Might what?"

"Laugh at me."

Arthur and Francis looked at each other, sympathetic to Antonio's plight.

"Somehow mon ami, you must find the courage to take that chance."

Arthur nodded slowly. "Sire, look at the carnation. There is so little time left."

Antonio clasped his knees to prevent them from shaking. "I really don't thing I can do this."

Francis gestured at Arthur to get a mirror. "Here this might help bolster your courage."

Antonio looked up tentatively then dipped his head away at the sight of the mirror. Francis irritably forced Antonio's face towards the mirror.

"Oh!" Antonio stared at his reflection in utter surprise. He actually looked pretty good. He was still a beast with fur and claws and fangs but with all the loose fur cleaned and combed back and him being properly dressed, he could see traces of the man he once was. Francis patted him companionably on the shoulder,

"You can do it mon ami. I know you can."

Antonio stood up, his knees still shaking. He stumbled his way to the dining room with Arthur and Francis flanking him, whispering advice and recommendations. Most of what Francis said was bad from an educational point of view, so we're cutting that out.

They reached the dining room door. Antonio reached out to open it but drew back his hand."I can't do this, I really can't."

Francis and Arthur shared a look then pushed him through the door. Antonio fell through the door and into a pair of warm arms that released him the moment he steadied himself. Antonio raised his eyes to meet Lovino's and felt another wave of butterflies wash over him.

With a casual black jacket, dark dress pants and a pale gold shirt that brought out the flecks of gold and amber in his eyes and his faint lighter brown highlights, Lovino looked utterly breathtaking to Antonio.

Antonio hesitated then, remembering something Arthur had told him on the way, offered Lovino his arm. Lovino took it and Antonio could have sworn he felt Lovino's hand shaking, or was it just his own arm shaking?

Arthur and Francis peeked out from behind the curtain they'd been hiding behind to watch to proceedings. Meanwhile Ciara and Peter watched silently from a little alcove on the other side of the room.

Antonio led Lovino to his seat and pulled it out for him. Once Lovino had sat down, he pushed the chair back in and sat down slightly self-consciously in his own chair opposite.

Ciara subconsciously began singing a song she had once heard to herself.

Tale as old as time

True as it can be

Barely even friends

Then somebody bends

Unexpectedly

Antonio sat fidgeting, looking everywhere except directly at Lovino. Francis and Arthur covered their eyes, hardly daring to watch. Antonio peeked at Lovino out of the corner of his eye and waved shyly. Lovino waved back, obviously confused. Arthur and Francis facepalmed with the shared thought of "Oh dear Lord!"

Just a little change

Small to say the least

Both a little scared

Neither one prepared

Beauty and the Beast

Lovino stood up and offered Antonio his hand. "Dance with me?"

Antonio shook his head nervously. "Oh no, I don't really..."

"DANCE WITH HIM!" Arthur and Francis hissed at him.

Antonio reached out and took Lovino's hand. Lovino brought him to the centre of the room, away from the table. He brought Antonio's free hand to his waist, raised their joined hands and they began a slow waltz, Antonio keeping his eyes firmly on his feet.

Ever just the same

Ever a surprise

Ever as before

Ever just as sure

As the sun will rise

Lovino took Antonio's chin and raised it so they were looking directly at each other. Lovino leaned up slightly and whispered, "There's nothing interesting on that floor. And if you're dancing with me, you should try to dance properly, bastard." Antonio smiled: as much as that sounded like a veiled threat, there was no venom in Lovino's voice.

Antonio screwed up his courage and took charge of the dance, half-forgotten classes and teachings beginning to come back to him.

Tale as old as time

Tune as old as song

Bittersweet and strange

Finding you can change

Learning you were wrong

Arthur and Francis watched the dancing pair proudly. Francis nudged Arthur and waggled his eyebrows. Arthur shoved him and turned away irritably.

"Come on Angleterre! One dance!"

"Hell will freeze over before I dance with you, frog."

Certain as the sun

Rising in the east

Tale as old as time

Song as old as rhyme

Beauty and the Beast

Tale as old as time

Song as old as rhyme

Beauty and the Beast

Ciara sighed and smiled happily. Peter tried and failed to stifle a yawn beside her. "Oi, Peter. What on earth are you still doing up? It's miles past your bedtime. Good night love." Ciara gave him a goodnight kiss and they left the room as quietly as they could. Francis and Arthur left also, believing their work to be done.

Antonio and Lovino stopped dancing, both of them still drinking in the sight of the other. Antonio brought the two of them out onto the adjoining balcony. Lovino leaned on the edge, taking in the still night air.

"Thank you for asking me to dinner."

Lovino looked back at Antonio and nodded.

"Dinner was nice, I guess."

Antonio began fidgeting with his sleeve. "Lovi, I..." Lovino turned to face him dead on. "Yes?"

Antonio fumbled over himself, losing his nerve. "I... Are you happy here?"

Lovino blinked, not expecting that. "I... yes, I am. I wasn't at first but I suppose this place fucking grew on me."

"Did I?"

A familiar red began creeping up Lovino's neck. "Sì." He looked back out into the night, trying to will the blush away. Antonio moved directly beside him.

"Is something wrong, mi tomate?"

Lovino stared into the distance, chewing his lip. "It's just... I'm worried about my retard of a little brother. I wish I could see him again."

"There is a way!" Antonio rummaged through his pockets and pulled out the magic mirror from where Francis had put it earlier with a wink and a "Just in case".

"This mirror will show you anything, anything you wish to see! You just have to ask!"

Lovino accepted the mirror from Antonio and gazed into its silvery depths uncertainly.

"I'd like to see my little brother..."

Lovino's reflection swam in front of him before settling in a deserted forest clearing. Feliciano stumbled into view, looking around wildly and desperately mouthing his brother's name.

"Oh no! Feli!" Lovino began pacing frantically, his eyes firmly trained on the mirror. "He's in the woods looking for me. I think he's lost! I should... I should..."

Antonio closed his eyes and spoke slowly as though each word was a great burden. "Go to him."

Lovino tore his gaze away from the mirror. "What?"

"You should go to him. He needs you."

Lovino frowned in confusion. "But what about...?"

Antonio opened his eyes but looked firmly away from Lovino. "You're not my prisoner anymore. You haven't been for a long time."

Lovino held out the mirror wordlessly for him to take back. Antonio pushed it away.

"Take it with you. So you'll always have a way to look back... and remember me."

Lovino reached out and took Antonio's paw. "As fucking corny as it sounds, I could never forget you."

Antonio looked down at their hands then back up at Lovino's face. They stood in silence, waiting for the other to speak. Lovino dropped his hand after a minute's silence and left. Antonio watched him leave then sank to the ground in defeat, knowing very well that he would never see his little tomato again.

"Well sire, I must say things are going swimmingly! I knew you had it in you!"

Arthur and Francis practically danced in with Ciara bringing up the rear, all three clearly under the impression that everything was still going well.

"I let him go."

They all froze, joy and hope sliding off their faces. Arthur stared at Antonio, flabbergasted.

"What?"

Francis shook his head in disbelief. "H-how could you do that?"

Antonio looked up disparately. "I had to."

"But why?" Arthur could barely speak with horror.

Antonio made no answer. Arthur looked from him to an equally confused Francis to Ciara who was staring at Antonio with a curious mix of sadness, disappointment and pride.

"After all this time, he's finally learned to love."

"That's it then! That should break the spell." Francis' voice creaked halfway through. Ciara shook her head sadly.

"It's not enough. Lovino has to love him in return."

A single tear rolled down Arthur face. "And now it's too late."

Ciara nodded dejectedly. "Ochón."

Francis gulped back tears, looking from Arthur's silent sobs to Ciara's resigned face to Antonio's defeated form. They really were going to be like this for the rest of their lives. They would never be human again.

The three of them left silently, leaving Antonio to his lonely thoughts. He began singing softly to himself, trying to fill the silent void, tears tricking into his fur.

"No spell has been broken
No words have been spoken
No point anymore if he can't love me
No hope he would do so
No dream to pursue, so
I looked to myself, despise all the things I see
For I know that he
Cannot set me free
Let the world be done with"

Antonio let his head drop into his paws.

"Me."

A/n: Ochón is an Irish phrase that expresses sadness (closest translation i can think of is "alas" or something like that). My aunt said it in a text to my mam when her son passed his driving test. "So now, I probably won't be seeing my car for a while. Ochón"

Anyway, hope you enjoyed and if there's anything you want to point out to me, pm me or mention it in a review.

Ja!

-Animerockchic