Here is the next chapter! Hope it isn't too bad... This is really partly a filler chapter that contains one of those bits of plot that will add up to the conclusion.
And so the courtship of Romano ended with the advent of Lovino and a gain for Antonio. The latter was his usual lighthearted, affectionate self. He tried to shower his beau with embraces and kisses any chance that he could and immediately confided in him all of his trust. Lovino was a bit more wary. He skirted around Antonio like a hummingbird with a flower when it came to more intimate instances. After all, he was a novice to romance and furthermore had not abandoned his suicide plans entirely (Antonio did not know about them yet). Their relationship however, strange as it was, still managed to hold up.
One afternoon, Lovino received a surprise visit from Antonio at the Veneroma headquarters. Panicked that his coworkers would make malicious gossip about his relationship and sexuality, he told the receptionist over the intercom,
"Yes, let him come up. He's delivering something to me." Antonio entered his office moments later, looking confused.
"I think the receptionist thought that I was a deliveryman."
"Yes, well… she tends to make that mistake." Lovino's fingers fidgeted under his chrome-plated desk. Perhaps he was still Romano in more ways than he thought. Antonio shrugged, then smiled brightly.
"Don't worry, I set her straight. I told her that I was your boyfriend!" Lovino's brain suddenly froze.
"You did what?"
"I said that we are dating." Antonio's grin faltered. "Did I do something wrong?" At that, the designer's brain imploded. He felt a supernova roar from the center of his cerebrum to the edges, consuming everything in its path. His reputation flashed before his eyes. He watched it burn into cinders within ruby-red flames of mortification. Wasn't Antonio a few years older than him? Then how could he be so naïve?
"Oh, you did nothing wrong. Nothing at all."
"I sense sarcasm…"
"Really? Because you didn't do anything wrong, you just destroyed my reputation."
"Isn't that… bad?" God, Antonio could be so clueless sometimes.
"Look. You just revealed to my receptionist that we are a gay couple. People don't look favorably on gay couples. My reputation, therefore, as an efficient, no-nonsense designer is ruined."
"Oh." Antonio seemed to understand. "But I only spoke to the receptionist."
"Gossip can spread, you know."
"Oh," the other man repeated. He hesitated for a second, then asked, "But what do we care what other people think about us?"
"…What?" Lovino gaped at him. "I don't know if you noticed, but the world revolves around appearances and opinions. That's how people find jobs and make a living for themselves."
"That's not true! Appearances and opinions aren't everything." Antonio walked over to the office's window and flung open the curtains. Lovino winced as the bright light hit him. "If you think something feels right, do it! What other people think doesn't matter as long as you're happy." Antonio half turned, smiling. He looked vaguely heroic silhouetted against a backdrop of golden sunlight. Nevertheless, Lovino was unconvinced.
"The staff is going to make my life hell."
"Only if you let them. Remember: you're the one writing the story, Lovi!" The addressed scowled.
"I didn't work toward becoming an author. And don't call me that here, it's unprofessional."
"Alright. But you'll see; I'll prove by the end of the day that nothing will change between you and the office staff!" With that, Antonio rushed out of the office to do God-knew-what. Lovino contemplated running after him. He finally decided against it and sat back at his desk. Whatever happened, it wouldn't be good.
Toward the end of the day, Lovino ventured cautiously out of his office. The coast was clear, to his great relief, and he briefly entertained the thought that he might be able to leave undetected. Then he walked into the junction between two hallways and was assailed by a voice.
"Oh! Hello, Mr. Vargas!" It was Alicia, the chirpy new intern to one of the department heads of Veneroma. Interns were always the ones to work the least and talk the most. He nodded at her, bracing for the worst. "I heard about your relationship." Here came the deathblow… "Congratulations!"
"Huh?" That was odd. "I mean, thanks." She seemed genuinely happy for him. Could it be a trick aided by convincing acting? Or perhaps she just didn't know all of the details.
"Antonio seems like a great guy. I hope you two are happy together." Apparently, she did.
"Yeah, thanks." He couldn't wrap his head around it. Where were the jibes, the false smiles, the vicious gossiping behind his back? "Um, you don't think it's… weird?" She looked at him, befuddled.
"What's weird about it? Oh, you mean that you're gay?" He winced inwardly. "I don't think any of that matters as long as you're genuinely happy. I've got to go make some copies now. I'm happy for you, Mr. Vargas!" As the intern scampered away, Lovino stayed frozen to the spot. The encounter had not turned out as he had anticipated. Was it because the snarky office employee population had changed its demeaning ways or was it because his previous fears were overblown? He suddenly recalled Alicia's comment about Antonio.
He seems like a great guy.
Maybe Antonio was the cause of all this. Lovino had not seen him since he left the office. As he contemplated it further, he suspected that the other man had played a large hand in the matter. He set out to find him. Along the way, he met several other office ladies who all gave him their sincere congratulations. They all had one thing in common: all seemed as if they were in a dazed trance, walking about with silly simpers on their faces. Finally, after encountering what seemed like masses of faculty, Lovino chanced upon Antonio. He was in the staff lounge talking with some girls.
"Is he very different from usual when you two meet in private?" one asked. Antonio looked thoughtful.
"Yeah! He's much cuter and not as uptight."
"What do you like most about him?"
"Um… his smile and the way his face turns red when I tease him, I guess."The females tittered at the response. No one noticed Lovino as he inched his way up to them. He cleared his throat loudly.
"Ahem. What is going on here?"
"We were just asking Toni about your relationship," one of the girls explained unabashedly. "Congratulations, by the way!"
"Uh, yes, thank you. Now, if you'll excuse Mr. Carriedo and me, I'll ask you to please resume working." As he led Antonio away, he heard someone whisper,
"He's still pretty stiff. Maybe he hasn't gotten used to romance yet!" Lovino let the lounge's door fall shut on the fresh burst of giggling that ensued. He looked at Antonio with suspicion.
"What have you been doing all day?"
"Just talking with the staff and getting to know them. They're very interesting people." Admittedly, Lovino was not aware of this, as he never really interacted on a social level with his staff. He had always thought of them as merely hired workers who kept Veneroma in shape.
"Were you talking to them about us?"
"Yeah! They were really curious and congratulated us a lot of times."
"… I noticed."
"Oh, you did? Were you congratulated too?" An idea was slowly starting to dawn on Lovino. Formerly captious and derisive employees turned fawning and benevolent…
Had Antonio charmed them into being this way?
It was possible. He was quite a looker, and he was pretty persuasive when he wanted to be…
"Yeah," Lovino muttered. A strange feeling welled up in him. It was… contentedness. Contentedness at the congratulations he had received, contentedness at the new friendly relations between him and the employees. Everything, for once, had turned out alright. "H-Hey, Antonio?"
"Hmm?"
"… Thanks." Antonio did not seem to understand why he said that or why he was blushing so brightly, but he pulled Lovino into a crushing hug anyway. The designer grew flustered as he was wont to do, but he let a small smile slip out behind the other's back.
Thank you all for the reviews, alerts, and favorites! They are much appreciated. Also, please keep giving me constructive criticism; it helps!