"It was many and many a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you know

By the name of Annabel Lee;

And this maiden she lived with no other thought

Than to love and be loved by me."

-Edgar Allan Poe, "Annabel Lee", Stanza 1

The sun is bright, flashing on the pale sand and reflecting into the emerald eyes that look upon them. Those same eyes flicker to the ocean beyond those sands, smiling with excitement at the day to come. Currently, he's waiting for his friends to get there share of beach things out of the car. He only brought a bamboo mat to lay on and some sunscreen; he figured that he would be out in the water most of the day.

His friends finally catch up, and they walk down the dune together before reaching the flat expanse of shore. Many other children and teenagers like themselves were already there, enjoying the warm rays of sun and the cooling waves. He spots other friends from their school and makes a note to greet them before getting into the water.

"Hey, there's Feliciano and his brother," his friend says from behind him. "We should go and say hi."

"Gil, I'm not sure if I should, I mean-"

"It'll be fine. Let's go," he—or Gil, as the emerald-eyed teenager calls him-says, grabbing the other teens' elbows.

"Gilbert's right, Antonio," the other one says. "You just need to get over your nerves and be the friendly, energetic person we both know you are. He's probably not mad at you anymore." Antonio sighs and walks with them in submission—as if he had a choice, however, as his friend's steel grip is as tight as ever.

"Hey Feli!" Gilbert exclaims once they reach the two other teens. The one with the lighter auburn hair turns his head away from the various bags they have and towards the trio. The already-existing smile widens at the sight of them.

"Hi guys! Oh, Francis, are those new swimming shorts?" Antonio's friends and Feliciano begin to chatter, but he himself walks over to the darker-haired one.

"Hey, Lovino," he says. He tries to come across as happy and energetic, but he instead sounds nervous, with a weird squeak in his voice.

"What?" Lovino says. He has sunglasses on and a magazine in hand, obviously looking to lounge on his towel and relax.

"Well, I was just wondering if—well, I mean, I guess if you don't want to that's fine, I mean you are reading and everything…"

"I'll go swimming with you," he says softly. Antonio's face perks up, and his nervousness almost lifts immediately. "Put some sunscreen on, and then we'll go."

"Okay!" He drops his mat and squirts some sunscreen onto his hands before lathering up the front of his body and the backs of his legs. "Could you maybe get my back? Please?"

"Sure." Lovino stands up and takes his glasses off before grabbing the bottle from him. "I don't know why you're so nervous," he whispers with a twinge of annoyance. "I'll never say no."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he admits. The cool liquid spreads across the muscles of his back, and any tension that he still has seeps out of him.

"You're not mad at me anymore?" Antonio asks tentatively.

"No. I could never stay mad at you, idiot." The insult has no bite to it. If anything, it's said almost lovingly.

"Yay!" He exclaims. "I was so worried that you were still angry with me. I didn't mean it, I really didn't, I never would!"

"I know that," Lovino replies. "Your mom told me you hadn't taken your medication that morning." His hands leave Antonio's back. "Let's go."

"Have fun you two!" Feliciano calls from behind them. They both turn a little red before walking towards the shore. Once they reach the water, they wade in, reveling in the silky feeling of the salty water.

"Are we going to go to our usual spot?" Antonio questions.

"Of course." Lovino begins to swim leisurely towards the end of the line of rocks that jut out of the blue waves. He follows suit, and in a matter of minutes, they reach the other side of the short rock wall. Antonio's always enjoyed swimming, as it gives his mind one complete thing to concentrate on. He knows that Lovino likes it too, mainly because of the soothing effects it seems to have on the teen.

On the other side of the rocks is a small, secluded beach that's deserted. Not many people know about it, since the swim out to the rocks isn't a short one. The beach is also filled with huge rocks, making it unappealing to those who do know about it. To them, though, it's perfect, as many of the large rocks have flat plateaus that they love to sit on.

They climb out of the water together, their hands linking together once they're both on solid land. Antonio loves these pieces of time that he has with him, since it reveals a side to Lovino that no one else gets to see.

"You're smiling really weirdly at me," Lovino says once they take their seats on the heated expanse of a rather large rock.

"It's because I really, really love you," Antonio replies. He squeezes the other's hand softly. "And I think that you're probably the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Yeah, yeah," he says. "I, uh—jeez, Antonio, you're the biggest sap I know. I love you too, ya bastard."

"And?" Antonio asks with a smile. Lovino glares at him with an obvious blush spreading on his face.

"Don't make me say it. You know what else."

"Do I?"

"Fine! You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he exclaims. "But you already knew that," he adds.

"Yeah, I just really like hearing it." Lovino scoffs and turns to look at the ocean. They stay like that for a while, enjoying each other's company and watching the sun sink lower and lower into the sky.

"I really love being with you. I hope you know that," Antonio whispers. "Whenever I'm with you I feel like you're the only thing I can think about."

"At least when you've taken your medication," Lovino interjects.

"Well, yeah." Antonio laughs. "I hope I do the same for you." Emerald and hazel eyes meet, conveying a type of feeling that words can't.

"Of course you do." Antonio smiles softly at his response. This is the side that he loves the most in Lovino, the side that has feeling and passion. Their lips meet, just barely brushing before coming together again in a more heated instance. His hands meet Lovino's sides, brushing over the heated skin and pulling him closer.

Lovino lays back on the rock, with Antonio hovering above him, his forearms planted on either side of him. His mind is amazed at how well he can concentrate on this one amazing, beautiful thing, and how he can only think about Lovino's roaming hands stretching across his chest. He marvels at the electricity that seems to course through him as hands travel over stomach and down, down, until—

Oh.

"I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea,

But we loved with a love that was more than love—

I and my Annabel Lee—

With a love that the winged seraphs of Heaven

Coveted her and me."

-Edgar Allan Poe, "Annabel Lee", Stanza 2