"And what are you doing here, bastardo?" Romano's eyebrows lifted in surprise as he stared at the pathetic picture João Henrique Lisboa-Carriedo made standing soaking-wet on his doorstep.
Portugal squirmed, not really keen on opening his mouth and the Italian just rolled his hazel eyes. Who could understand those Iberian weirdos?...
"Never mind, come on in. Your little brother is here, sleeping like the useless bum he is, you'll fit with your mopey attitude." he said stepping aside from the door and opening it wider so that Portugal could come in.
"You are leaving somewhere?" João asked when his gaze fell on the packed bags and suitcases stacked in the hall.
"Um, yeah, we were planning on visiting Canada for a few days." Romano explained and then his eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, you wanted to stay longer?"
Portugal nodded, already feeling resigned to spend his emotional low alone.
"Ever heard of a phone call before, stronzo? Couldn't have given us a heads up? No, of course not, because you're a stupid Iberian, just like Spain, out to make my life difficult!" Romano exclaimed, his curl bobbing furiously as he shook his head. "Surrounded by idiotas..." he muttered already looking for his phone.
"And you" he barked as João made an uncertain step back towards the door. "go make me coffee while I'm calling Canada so that he can prepare to have one more guest to empty his fridge."
"Wait a minute" the Portugese man finally found his loud mouth. "who said I wanted to go anywhere with you two?"
Lovino shot him an unimpressed look.
"You wouldn't have come here if you didn't want to spend time with the two of us and you said yourself you planned on being here for a while, you can as well spend a while in Canada, if he's alright with that." he said condescendingly and then left the kitchen heading to the bedroom. His bedroom, which recently became his-and-Antonio's bedroom and he barely suppressed a mushy smile at the thought and then again when he saw a mop of brown head sticking out from underneath the rumpled sheets.
"Rise and shine, bastardo." he said taking hold of the sheets and dragging them over the edge of the mattress and onto the floor, taking the sleeping nation with them so that he landed safely but with a thump.
"Wha-? Lovi!? Why would you do that to me?" Spain whined blinking his green eyes blearily, searching for Romano with his sleepy gaze.
"We're going to see Matteo today, I hope you haven't forgotten" he said gathering the sheets in his fists again and forcefully throwing them back on the bed, which resulted in Spain's body finally hitting the floor. "And we're taking your dumb brother with us" actually he hasn't asked Canada yet but he was fairly sure the man would agree to that, seriously, he was too good for them. "so get your lazy ass up and go play with him. Nice. If I hear you squabbling you'll both learn to skydive without parachutes."
And with that nice threat he left the room to finally call his friend.
Meanwhile in the kitchen Portugal was brewing a pot of coffee.
"I'm not doing it because he told me to." he muttered to himself stubbornly. "I'm simply doing it because I'm not in the mood to put up with his attitude. Damn Antonio, why did he have to end up in a relationship with such an irritating-"
"João?"
Portugal turned abruptly hearing the voice of the aforementioned baby brother from the entrance to the kitchen.
"Antonio." he said staring at his just-woke-up looking sibling.
That was, apparently, all they had to say and an awkward silence descended upon them. Finally, João turned back to the coffee pot, just to have something to do with his hands.
Normally he would tease Antonio but in his current mood he didn't really feel like arguing with him again.
Spain slowly let out a breath he was holding, apparently waiting for some kind of jab but it never came.
And that was how he knew something was not right with his bother.
/txtbreak/
"Matteo, buongiorno." Romano said hearing the soft "Hello?" from the other side of the line.
"Good morning to you too, Lovino. What's up? Can you not come today? Has something happened?"
"No, no, nothing's happened, we're sure coming to bother you, don't worry about that!" Romano said smiling as he heard his friend chuckling.
"You'll be no bother, Lovino, it's a pleasure to have my friends around." Canada assured.
"Well then, would you mind of we brought one more? Antonio's brother, you remember João, has turned up on my doorstep today, all miserable and soaked from the downpour and I can't exactly throw him back out, you know but we were leaving and... well. You get the picture."
Canada did get the picture but before he could utter anything more than an "umm" Romano broke in again.
"If you don't want to that's okay but we haven't seen him in a long time and-"
"Lovino, it's okay, really!" Matthew interrupted hastily before the Italian could go too far in his assumptions. "I was merely wondering when you were exactly planning to come here because I'll need to prepare another room for him." he explained cheerfully.
Romano grinned.
"Well we're still at mine so we're not going to be there until evening." he said.
"Great! I'll have Gilbert and Alfred help and everything'll be ready for when you come. So, I guess, I'll see you then!"
"Si, Matteo, see you then. And Matthew?"
"Yes?"
"You're awesome." Lovino said quickly and hung up.
He knew that Canada sometimes had problems with being around too many people, not used to that, and bringing a half-stranger to spend a weekend at his house with could be tricky but Matthew got over his problems and bravely went through his life. Romano couldn't help but feel pride swelling in his chest.
He shook his head hastily. Dammit, get a grip! I can't be so soft! I'm not soft!
… I'm so becoming soft...
/txtbreak/
Guys I know I'm the absolute worst. I've been, believe it or not, trying to decide on the pairings in here. THEY ARE DECIDED ON and we can go on with the story :) So here is the chapter that, while seemingly not connected with our dear Nordics, is very needed. Trust me :)
Thank you for sticking with me despite me being the absolute worst ;D