Thanks to Zumba classes twice a week and walks in the park on the weekend Lovino had managed to lose a little over ten pounds. Though his cheeks were still round and his belly was still rather soft there was such an overall improvement made on his health. Lovino would never admit it, but Antonio was the one who encouraged him to make it happen.

Antonio. It was still hard for him to believe that he had agreed to be the goofy Spaniard's boyfriend. He guessed that there was just something about that idiot smile and how much he seemed to genuinely care about everyone that drew him in. They'd only been dating for about two months so those three special words hadn't been exchanged yet, but begrudgingly Lovino could admit in his head that he loved his boyfriend.

That didn't keep him from cussing him out though.

"Stupido bastardo! Why the hell would you take that?" He was enjoying a large plate of spaghetti for lunch when about half-way through the pile of noodles Antonio snatched the plate away and began putting what was left in a container.

"Because you don't need to eat all of these carbs in a single meal. It's not healthy for you."

"Like I give a fuck! Give me back my pasta!" The angry Italian tried to snatch away the container being put in the fridge. Before he could manage he was tossed gently over Antonio's shoulder (damn his strength) and brought over to sit on the couch. Antonio tried to kiss him but he turned so that his lips hit his cheek.

"Don't be that way Lovi," he whined, "I'm just trying to help you. If you eat all that salty, fatty food every day your heart will stop in your chest."

"Stop being so dramatic."

"Not to mention you'll gain back all that weight you lost…"

Lovino grumbled at that. He knew the Zumba instructor was most likely right. "But I love pasta," he scowled in annoyance.

Antonio ruffled his hair lovingly. "I know you do but you can't eat it every day. How about you try going a week without any pasta?"

A week without pasta. Those words sounded near blasphemous. Lovi's blood was practically tomato sauce! Going without his favorite food that long would be the death of him. Metaphorically, that is. Lovino was able to begrudgingly face the fact that devouring pasta that often is what would end his life, not to mention make him totally chub up again.

"I… guess I could do that," he reluctantly agreed after a moment. There was a possibility he would be able to handle it. Instead he'd just eat some-

"Also no pizza."

Then the flood of utter outrage came crashing down. "What the hell am I supposed to eat?"

"How about fruit and vegetables?" was the kindly offered reply. Lovino glared at the Spaniard with death in his eyes, a few steps away from slapping that stupid adorable smile from his handsome idiot face.

"I'm not a fucking rabbit! How about you eat a box of nails?" he viciously hissed. How dare he make the ridiculous suggestion to give up both pizza and pasta? It just couldn't be done. "I would never be able to do that and you know it."

Antonio sighed, "I suppose you're right. You don't have much self-control. It takes a strong person to give up something they love so much for just a week."

"Now you're making sense- hey! Are you implying that I'm not strong or something?

"I'm not-"

"You are! You're saying that I'm not strong enough to go a week without pasta and pizza!"

"Actually you're the one who said-"

"I'll show you, tomato bastard! I'll go an entire week without pizza, pasta and deserts. Hah!" he laughed smugly, seeming pleased with himself. On the inside Antonio was smirking but he didn't let it show. He knew exactly how to get what he wanted from his stubborn boyfriend.

"Just remember Lovi, this is your choice. Don't worry though! I'll help you get through this week just fine." He pulled the other onto his lap and wrapped his arms around him. There was a sly gleam in his eyes rarely seen. "And since you won't be eating dessert for seven days I'll give you something sweet to hold you over."

It wasn't until Lovino was picked up and carried to his bedroom that he realized what he had gotten himself into.

The first day was in an odd way the easiest. On Sundays he didn't like going to Mass with his family (another flaw he got judged for) but he did agree to eat dinner with them in the evening. Despite the food being delicious he hated going to those meals.

"You've already had a second plate Lovino, time to stop."

"I don't think you need dessert tonight."

"Maybe if you weighted a little less you'd be able to find a pretty girl to bring home sometime."

The constant barrage of unwanted comments always made him sick but not sick enough to stop attacking a cutlet of veal. This Sunday would be different though Lovino promised himself as he greeted his grandfather with a hug.

"Lovino! Have you been working out? You've gotten smaller." The pride in his nonno's voice made him what to burst into tears. He had never received that sort of pride for anything else he had ever done. Not when he managed to graduate high school, not when he had been accepted into community college. It took losing a couple of pounds for him to get the praise he had always wanted.

"I started taking a class," he mumbled, going into the kitchen. His brother was already there, stirring pasta over a stove.

"Fratello! Dinner will be done shortly," Feliciano chirped. "Come give me a hug."

The siblings embraced and Feli noticed the weight loss as well. "Have you continued going to Zumba?" When Lovino grumbled and stalked off he knew the answer was yes.

Dinner was served when everyone sat around the large dining room table. Aunts, uncles, cousins- Lovino had nearly his entire family there. Joking and laughter filled the house. No one really bothered speaking to Lovi until they decided to comment on him.

"What's with you eating all that salad? Are you dieting?"

"You look like you've lost weight. You've been working out."

"Finally, I thought you going to grow until you couldn't move. Now maybe you'll get a girl if you start looking like your brother-"

The talking came to a halt when Lovino slammed his fist into the table.

"I am not my brother! I am not my god damn brother!"

"Lovino! Sit down at once!" Nonno's eyes flashed dangerously.

"No! Shut your mouth!" There was a gasp. No one spoke to the family patriarch that way. Lovino took a shaking breath.

"I am not my brother and I never will be. I am Lovino Vargas. I am fat. I am angry. I am my own man. And if none of you can accept that then you're the flawed ones here, not me." He turned and began to leave before pausing.

"And I don't need to bring a girl home because I already have a boyfriend! His name is Antonio, and I would never take him to meet people as rude as you. Tch."

His family sat there in stunned silence.

"You've never been so cuddly before." Antonio chuckled at the Italian clinging to his arm with his head nuzzled into his chest.

"Shut up. Don't ruin it." But Lovino's voice held little spite.

"I just still can't believe you confronted your family like that."

"What? Is it so hard to believe that I didn't want to take abuse any longer?"

"No, not that." Antonio gently ran his fingers through the shorter man's hair. "It's just so brave, you know? I could have never faced my family like that."

"Brave?" He could feel his cheeks flushing.

"Si. My little tomato is very brave and strong, too. I am so lucky to have him in my life."

Lovi's heart ached pleasantly in his chest. Love really was a strange emotion.

"I don't know how much longer I can be strong. I'm really craving ravioli."

"Want me to take your mind off of it?" The suggestive tone caused a bark of laughter.

"It seems you can't keep your hands off of me lately." He would have been lying if he said he didn't enjoy the attention lavished on him. It was just something to get used to.

"There's no one else in the world I would rather hold in my arms."

"Antonio I l-" The words were at the tip of his tongue but why couldn't he say them? He loved the man in front of him but something held him back. "…I like being held in your arms, even if I don't say it often enough."

There was a moment of silence.

"I love you too, Lovi."

Huzzah! I finally completed the epilogue! This took me a couple months because boy is motivation hard to come by. But you all's comments encouraged me to get it done. Now I'm gonna work on updating some of my other stories. However I really like this one, so I'm prolly gonna eventually add another chapter when the inspiration strikes.

Thank you ever so much for reading. I crave reviews almost as much as Lovino craves ravioli.