Where am I?
Why is everything...
Black..?
White..?
Blurry..?
Antonio? Lovino?
My eyes had opened to see a worried looking Spaniard and the flushed, tear-streaked face of...Lovino?! I rubbed my eyes. This whole thing was so confusing! Last thing I know was...I was at...which period? It was gym class aaand...oh! I got hit in the head with a dodgeball...now I was...in bed at home?
"Feliciano! You're okay!" Antonio exclaimed. The relief in his voice was obvious.
"Ve..? What happened after I got hit?" I asked dizzily. I pushed myself into a sitting-up position.
"You passed out and I took you and Lovino home..."
"Why did you take Lovino home?"
Lovino looked away.
"He was very worried about you!" then Antonio whispered, "he was sobbing softly the whole way home."
It was saddening that my proud fratello was upset, but it was also heart-warming that he worried about me. Aw, I love him so much! Turning to my brother, who was sitting on the bed next to me, I gave him a big bear-hug.
"I'm okay, Lovi~! Don't worry!" I chirped.
"I-I wasn't worried! It's just...you're my little brother so...that's all..."
Teehee. Ti amo, fratello!
"I'll fetch you an ice pack!" Antonio walked out of the room.
"Be quick!" Lovino demanded.
"F-Fratello I'm not going to die or something just because I got hit in the head with a ball. Even though the boy who threw it was strong...no, it's because I'm weak," I decided it was times like these when I needed to sound like a grown-up.
Lovino looked down for a few seconds before ending the silence.
"Yes, you are weak."
There was another silence.
"That's why you need your big brother to protect you."
This brought a grin to my chubby little face. Lovino likes to act tough, which I tend to admire, but when he chooses to act this way; like such a great fratellone; that's what I admire more. I never dare tell him though. He'd feel less prideful and get mad at me~
"Lovi, you get all serious randomly, it's funny!"
"Ah! Feliciano don't- ugh!"
I giggled "I'm sorry~!"
With a grunt, Lovino hopped of the bed and made hid way to the door.
"I'm going to see what's taking Antonio so long."
When he opened the door, right in front of him was the short Spaniard, in a side-ways crouching position. I could see the fury and irritation in Lovino's eyes.
"B-Bastard!"
Antonio rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
"I'm sorry, but that was really touching."
"You were listening in on us! Do you even have a fucking ice pack?! Son of a bitch who loves tomatoes! Uh...tomato bastard!" my brother stomped out of sight with bright red ears.
"Watch your language, Lovino."
"I'm sorry about him. He gets really embarrassed when people hear him letting out his emotions," I apologized for my brother, knowing he'd never do it himself.
Antonio just grinned and said "No no, it's alright."
He placed a large, baby blue ice pack on my sore head. I giggled at the coldness and the feeling of the condensation coming off on my forehead.
"Y'know, Feliciano, I was surprised a dodgeball being thrown could send you into a concussion."
"The person threw it very hard!" Feliciano said defensively, trying to hide his embarrassed flush "I-I think the gym coach threw it!"
Antonio chuckled.
"Don't worry, Feli, no one's judging you. It must've been very hard of a throw if you say it was."
The little Italian grinned.
"Are you hungry?"
Feliciano nodded eagerly with an "Oh, si!"
"What sounds good to you?"
"Um...pasta!"
...
...
The three of us sat at Antonio's large eating table with heaping bowls of pasta in front of us. Antonio told us that he hasn't made pasta often, for he only started making it after he moved to Italy, one in a half years ago, while he was trying to get into the cuisine. I dug into it immediately, savoring the flavor of the sauce. However, fratello still had his noes up. I guessed that he felt his pride was really dented. Besides a small compliment I sent towards Antonio, and his thanks, the table was rather...silent. I hated awkward moments like these so much. But Lovino hated them more.
"Ugh, say something!" he demanded, pounding a fist on the table.
"Oh, you're speaking again! Hooray, Lovi!" I chirped, pulling in my big brother who was yelling in protest. But he didn't dare squirm, perhaps in fear of whacking me on the head?
"Yeah whatever..." his face was emtionless until he looked like he had something important to say. And he did.
"F-Feli?"
"Si?"
"Did you remember to take your inhaler medicine today?"
I nodded with a grin.
"Inhaler?" Antonio asked in surprise.
"Were you not informed of his asthma?" Lovino sounded less annoyed than he was shocked. These were important things to know, he seemed to dislike the fact that he failed to obtain such serious information.
"I was supposed to have the medical records and other important papers faxed to me but it appears that never happened. I plan to stop by the orphanage to let someone know about that."
With a grunt, Lovino walked over to the counter and picked up a pad of paper and a pen.
"Take notes, tomato-bastard..."
"Alright~"
I looked at them curiously.
"Feliciano has a number of health issues that need to be addressed so I'm gonna start from the top."
"Kay."
"One: He has asthma, which I've already told you."
Antonio scratched that down on his paper.
"Chronic pain."
The Spaniard raised a concerned eyebrow.
"Anxiety disorder."
That one seemed to have taken him aback.
"That's it."
I smiled sheepishly. Now he was going to have to pay for my medicine. How horrible of me...I mean, fratello says it's not my fault but...who's else is it?
"I am so so so so so so sorry!" I finally cried out.
"It's alright, Feli, really!" Antonio have me a reassuring grin.
I could tell in his eyes he dreaded the expenses. Did I just ruin things for Lovi and I? Ooooh...now I was really disappointing myself. Lovino was trying hard (though it doesn't look like it, it's a step up from his usual game) to be good and finally get us adopted, and because of my stupid health, I was totally going to land us back where we started. Damn it!
I quietly finished my pasta and dumped the bowl in Antonio' kitchen sink.
"Lo~vi! I'm going to our room to play with Pookie. Ciao, fratello~"
I watched as he absentmindedly waved back as he put in the effort to devour his pasta. Lovino wasn't used to this much food at a time. Usually, portions of his food were offered to me, his sickly brother (though I always refused to accept, he'd stuff it in my face), so he adapted to a small appetite.
...
...
"Kitty kitty kitty~" I sang.
I held the small cat in my arms like a baby or a doll. Cooing to her, she fell asleep under the comfort of my petting. People tell me I'm good with animals, and I have to admit they are not wrong.
Lovino opened the door and sighed as he plopped on the bed. The force of him against the mattress caused the springs to whine which awoke Pookie with a start.
"Did you have a nice dinner, fratello?" I asked, joining him on the bed.
"I guess...the food was okay...I mean, for a tomato-bastards food..." he admitted, puffing his cheeks.
I giggled. Then I noticed that he seemed kinda down.
"What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing!" he immediately, like he suspected that I'd ask that.
"Lovino, I've known you longer than anyone else living on this earth has. I can tell that there's something wrong."
"Look, Feliciano, I know you are concerned, and I appreciate it, but maybe it'd be best if you not bother me about it."
Giving him a hurt look, I backed off, and jumped off the bed. Pookie greeted me from her spot on the floor, and I proceeded to love on my pet. I couldn't help but being a little angry at my fratello at that moment. It was painful, knowing he didn't want to talk with me, his own twin brother, about something that was bugging him.