Lovino stared, still somewhat astonished over how he'd treated Antonia; surely, she didn't deserve that smack yet he couldn't help it as he'd been caught up with the quickest way to end the physical contact though it really did hurt to hear his best friend's stunted whimper and soft muttering of pain.
He stared down at the floor before he worked up the nerve to angrily tell her that he felt nothing romantic for her in the least as he already was in love with someone else.
He refused to utter his doubts about having his feelings returned as he didn't need to hear Antonia become more determined than ever due to such a thought.
"Who?" Antonia murmured back with tear filled eyes, looking as if she were about to break at the seams not unlike how Felicia had broken in the other room.
"Felicia." He refused to add on my sister and resurface his past guilt and eat away continuously at his conscious.
"She's your own flesh and blood; that's wrong." Antonio gasped out despite the softness of what she'd said, it ached and thrashed within Lovino.
"I can't help it." Lovino muttered, and that was broken, so Antonia held him just as a friend giving comfort to another.
"I'm sorry." The apology was for her own feelings, for his, and for the pain coupled with the guilt that he felt; Antonia could try to be there for him as his best friend regardless of her feelings for him.
"You don't have to be." Lovino grumbled, "I have to."
Antonia smiled sadly at her best friend, but she stayed there and held him in an attempt to comfort and help him through this.