Okay, this chapter gets back to Lovi. This chapter is also pretty long. There should be about 3 more chapters after this.
Sorry if anyone who's already read this chapter thought it was a new one. I forgot to put in the translations so I had to re-upload the chapter . Sorry, guys!
And I'm really sorry about the abrupt endings for each chapter. This was originally a one shot, so I'm just kind of finding semi-convenient placed to break it up because it got really long and I decided it needed to be more than one chapter.
Enjoy, my lovelies (:
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After a few excruciatingly long moments, Antonio's car rounds the corner at near ridiculous speed, pulling up to the house, half in the driveway and half in the lawn. The Spaniard leaps from the car and rushes forward, kneeling next to Lovino. Antonio takes one look at his love's breathless form, the wound on his forehead and the gash in his arm, and his blood turns cold for a moment. He cups Lovi's cheek softly, but Lovi does not lift his head.
"Oh, mi tomate," he whispers, brushing a few strands of auburn hair from Lovino's face gently. "Lovi, please look at me."
The Italian looks up, a few more tears making their way down his face.
"Toni," he gasps. "Spagna, aiutatemi, per favore. Non riesco a respirare, fa male."
Lovino's voice is feeble in his breathless state, but the panicked desperation it holds rings through clear enough to bring tears to Antonio's eyes instantly.
"It's alright, Roma," Antonio says quietly. "Don't be scared. You're perfectly safe now, no one here is going to hurt you. I'm going to pick you up now, alright?"
Lovino hesitates, but nods. Antonio smiles sadly, taking Lovino in his arms and Lovino cringes slightly but Antonio holds him close, protectively, and carrying him into the house. Matthew opens the door for them and Lovino clings to Antonio weakly, gasping.
"Ho paura, Toni, tutto fa male."
"Don't be scared, mi tomate. We're going to help you. Just breathe, all right? I know it hurts, but I need you to breathe as deep as you can, okay?"
Lovino nods, forcing deep breaths as Antonio enters the house, closely followed by the others. He lowers Lovino gingerly to the couch and turns to face Feliciano, and Lovino latches onto his sleeve.
"Non mi lasci," Romano beseeches. "Rimani con me, per favore."
Antonio sits down next to his love, wrapping his arms around him gently. "I'm not going anywhere, Roma," he assures him. "I'm not leaving you." Lovino clutches at his shirt, and he strokes Lovino's back soothingly, rhythmically, and Lovino times his breaths with it. "Feli," Antonio says, looking up. "The first aid kit is under the sink in the kitchen. Can you get it for me, please?" Italy nods and leaves the room, and Antonio turns his attention back to Lovino. He pulls away slightly to get a better look at him, and Lovino panics, gripping his hand tightly.
"Calm down, Lovi," Antonio says gently. "I'm not leaving you. Now, can you tell me what hurts?"
"Respirazione," Lovino says weakly. "Fa male quando respiro."
"I know," Antonio says sympathetically. "What else, love?"
"Mia testa," Lovino adds, still panting heavily. "E mia schiena."
Antonio nods. "Is that all, Lovi?" he asks, and Lovino nods.
"What did he say?" Prussia asks, kneeling next to Spain.
"He says his head and his back hurt and it hurts to breathe," Antonio tells him. "He's so scared," he adds in a desperate whisper. "It's been years since I've seen him this scared."
"It has been a while," Feliciano says, reentering the room and handing the first aid kit to Antonio, who accepts it with a nod of thanks before turning his attention back to Lovino.
"Will you let us help you now, mi tomate?" he asks gently, and Lovino nods mutely, his grip on Antonio's hand tightening when Gilbert steps forward, damp cloth in hand.
"Don't be scared, Lovi," Gilbert says gently. "I won't hurt you, I promise."
Lovino nods and Gilbert gives him a soft smile before beginning to dab carefully at the wound in Lovino's head.
"It isn't deep at all," he assures Antonio. "Head wounds usually bleed more than a wound the same size anywhere else would. But this one's already closing; it will heal just fine."
Antonio nods as Gilbert finishes cleaning the cut. "Do you need his shirt off?" the Spaniard asks, and Gilbert simply nods. Antonio motions for Feliciano to come over to them, and the younger Italian obliges. A whimper of panic escapes Lovino's throat when Antonio lets go of his hand, and Antonio's heart nearly breaks with the sound. Feliciano and Antonio carefully remove Lovino's shirt, a few more tears escaping Lovino's eyes when they slowly move his arms out of the sleeves.
"He's handling this really well," Germany notes, and Prussia nods in earnest agreement before beginning to clean the scrapes marring the Italian's chest and back.
"This will sting," he warns, and Lovino nods, wincing only slightly with each dab of the cloth. When Gilbert begins wrapping the bandages around Lovino's battered chest, however, his face pales even more and he is entirely too still.
"Lovi," Antonio says softly. "Please, breathe. I know it hurts, mi corazon," he adds sympathetically as Lovino draws a deep, shuddering breath, exhaling with a dry sob. "I know it hurts. But you need to breathe. You're alright, Lovi. You're safe. None of us is going to hurt you, mi querido, just trust us, alright? It's okay. Breathe, Lovi."
"Toni," Lovino whimpers, closing his eyes tight against the pain.
"Shhhh," Antonio whispers, ignoring Lovino's painfully tight grip on his hand, placing his free hand at the base of Lovino's neck, massaging gently as Gilbert continues to bandage the Italian's damaged chest. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere. You're safe, mi amor."
Lovino nods briefly as Gilbert finishes, moving next to clean the cut in Lovino's arm. Lovino relaxes slightly, leaning back against Antonio's chest. Antonio smiles slightly with relief, rubbing Lovino's uninjured arm soothingly and placing a gentle kiss on the top of his lover's head. Lovino relaxes farther as Gilbert finishes bandaging his arm.
"Stay with us, Lovi," Matthew says softly. "I need you to stay awake for a while."
"I'm so tired," Lovino mumbles, and Antonio's heart soars upon hearing the English words. He smiles brightly as he assists Lovino in putting his shirt back on. "And my head hurts."
"I know," Matthew says sympathetically. "You've probably got a concussion, and I need you to stay awake. Okay?"
Lovino nods, snuggling against Antonio's chest. Antonio wraps his arms gently around Lovino. Sensing that the two want to be alone, Feliciano places a gentle kiss on Lovino's forehead before leaving the room, closely followed by Ludwig. Matthew stops at the swinging door to the kitchen, turning to wait for Gilbert.
"Mattie's right, Toni," Gilbert says softly. "Make sure Lovi stays awake, okay? He probably has a concussion. His chest is really beat up, and he may have some cracked ribs. He'll be sore for a while, but he'll be fine."
Antonio nods with a smile before Gilbert turns, taking Matthew's hand as the two of them go into the kitchen.
As soon as the kitchen door swings shut, Lovino turns, burying his face in Antonio's chest, his breath hitching with tears.
"It's alright, mi tomate," Antonio says gently. "You're okay."
"I'm fine, bastard," Lovino mutters, and Antonio can't help but smile at the usual insult. There are a few minutes of silence, and just as Antonio begins to wonder if Lovino is drifting off, the Italian speaks again. "I'm sorry," he says quietly, turning his face farther into Antonio's chest.
"For what?" Antonio asks incredulously, staring down at the smaller man in his arms.
Lovino hesitates, drawing a deep breath and wincing slightly, but relishing the sweet scent of wheat and tomatoes, an aroma that seems to stick to Spain like glue. "For freaking out," he mutters into the fabric of Antonio's shirt. "For being a fucking pansy."
"Lovi," Antonio says, pulling away slightly so he can look Lovino in the eyes. Those lovely golden orbs are shining with tears and hold worlds of remorse, contrition, and self-deprecation. "Lovino, mi amor, how can you possibly think so little of yourself? You're hurt, mi querido, of course you'd be frightened, that's perfectly normal. There is nothing weak about that. You're not weak. Do you have any idea how much I hate it when you use that word about yourself?"
"But I am," Lovino protests, voice thick with tears. "I am, Toni. That's why I can't handle having your friends here when you're not, that's why I don't have any idea how to talk to people, that's why I can't stand being in this house without you, that's why I insult the people I care about. Toni, why don't you hate me? I don't understand!"
Antonio stares for a moment, confused and heartbroken. "Lovino," he says finally, his voice strained by the lump forming in his throat. "I never want to hear those words come out of your mouth again. I could never, never hate you. Never. I love you, and every flaw you possess. You are the most incredible, adorable, perfectly imperfect individual I have ever had the pleasure of knowing."
"I made you leave your meeting," Lovino says, the pain in his eyes so real, so unbearable that Antonio fights an urge to look away. "Now you'll be in trouble with your boss and it's my fault."
"Do you really think I care about that?" Antonio asks, fighting to keep his voice even. "Yes, I'm Spain, but I'm also Antonio. Sure, I'm a country. But I'm a person first. A person who loves you with every fiber of my being and who would be devastated if anything ever happened to you. And I would much rather skip out on a meeting and make it up later to make sure you're okay than come home and find out that you're hurt. Lovino, when did you start thinking so little of yourself? Who was it that convinced you of all these things? Just tell me who, I'll get Francis and Gilbert and the three of us will make sure he pays. You're better than this, Lovi. You're my Lovi, my adorable, sweet but spicy little Romano, and you are wonderful."
Lovino wraps his arms around his love, a round of sobs and shallow gasps racking his frame. He clutches desperately at the back of Antonio's shirt, terrified, as though losing contact with the man would cause him to disappear.
"Shhh," Antonio whispers, rubbing Lovino's back soothingly. "Shh, Lovi, it's alright."
"I love you," Lovino says between sobs. "I love you, Toni."
Antonio smiles sadly. "I love you too, Lovi," he says softly. "More than anything else in this world, mi tomate."
"I don't like being here without you," Lovino tells him, his voice still broken up with sobs and muffled, and Antonio strains to hear him, refuses not to hear the words Lovino can only bring himself to whisper into Antonio's chest. "I get nervous when I'm here without you f-for a long time. But I'm n-not mad at you for it, I know you c-can't help it sometimes. But th-that's part of why I left earlier, I-I don't like being in this house when you're not here. But I'm not mad. I love you, and I don't t-tell you that enough. I love you, Toni. I love you, it's only because of you that I can love."
"Shhh," Antonio says again, still more gently this time. "I love you too, Lovi. I'm here now, and I'm not leaving. I've got you, you're safe. I love you, mi tomate."
For nearly an hour they sit entwined like this, Lovino crying into Antonio's chest, letting lose the anxieties he tries so hard to lock away. Antonio holds him gently until finally he falls still again, forcing a deep breath and still hiccupping with tears.
"Crying hurts," Lovino mutters, and Antonio smiles sadly.
"All the more reason not to do it," he says softly before placing another loving kiss on the top of Lovino's head. There is a brief silence before Antonio speaks again. "It's been a while since I've seen you so scared you forgot how to speak English," he comments, and he doesn't need to look to know that Lovino is blushing, but he can't resist the temptation. "Since the fire at Francis's party a few years ago, when you realized Feliciano was still inside."
"I thought we agreed not to talk about that," Lovino snaps, albeit softly.
"Since he wasn't the only one who was scared," Matthew chimes in from the doorway. "Gil told me about that. He said Ludwig was terrified."
"Potato-bastard really proved himself that night," Lovino admits. "Anyone who is willing to reenter a burning building to save my brother is okay by me. I never would have thought that Feli meant as much to him as he does to Feli, but he definitely proved me wrong."
"Of course, you'd never tell him that," Antonio points out.
"I think he knows," Lovino says.
Matthew smiles. "How are you feeling?" he asks, sitting next to the two on the couch.
"Better," Lovino says. "Still hurts like hell, but it's not as bad."
"Good," Matthew says, his smile widening. "Just making sure you're okay."
"Question," Lovino says, after a brief pause. "How did you know where my phone was earlier? When you told Gilbert to go get it."
Matthew hesitates before saying, "It lit up when Gil and I sat down earlier. You had a text. And I was pretty sure your phone was the one with the picture of you and Antonio in the background. Sorry, I didn't mean to see it."
"It's fine," Lovino assures him.
"Your background is a picture of us?" Antonio asks with a surprised smile.
Lovino nods. "From me and Feliciano's birthday last year," he says. "Who was the text from, did you see?"
Matthew shakes his head, but Antonio speaks up.
"It was from me," he says. "Apologizing again for being late."
"Bastard," Lovino murmurs, and Antonio smiles.
There is a brief silence, broken only by a knock at the door. Matthew rises to open it, revealing Francis and Arthur.
"You're late," Antonio comments as they enter.
"'Tonio," Francis begins, "I always knew you weren't the best driver, but you usually park much better than -Mon Dieu," he says abruptly upon noticing Lovino's bruised and bandaged body. "It appears we've missed something."
Lovino smirks. "Maybe you should've tried harder to be on time."
"Lovi had a little mishap," Antonio tells them.
"We can see that," England says. "What happened?"
"He got hit by a car," Matthew reports sadly.
"Silly Lovi," Francis teases. "I'm sure even my dear, absent-minded 'Tonio taught you to look both ways before crossing the street."
"Shut it, Frenchy," Lovi snaps, attempting to rise. He stops when a spasm of pain shoots through his ribs, causing him to fall back against Antonio, who gasps in concern before shooting Francis a menacing glare. The Frenchman gulps, his eyes widening in fear, and Spain smiles smugly before returning his attention to Lovino.
"Are you alright, Lovi?" he asks kindly, and Lovino nods.
"I'm fine," he assures him, just a tad short of breath. "Just moved too fast. I'm alright."
"Good."
"It's getting late," Lovino says suddenly, glancing up at the clock. "And I never did make dinner."
"I can go make something," Antonio offers. "Paella or something."
"We don't have all the stuff for paella," Lovino says bitterly. "That's why I was out there, I was going to the store. Besides, you're staying right here, bastard."
Lovino's breath hitches again on the last phrase, and he clutches, almost painfully, at Antonio's arm. Antonio's brow furrows in concern, and he wraps his arms more securely around Lovino.
"Shhh," he says gently. "No need to get worked up again." Lovino nods, relaxing again, and Antonio looks up at Matthew. "Matthew, can you bring Feliciano in, please?"
Canada nods and stands, heading for the kitchen, but pauses with his hand on the door.
"I'm sorry about earlier, Lovi," he says suddenly. "If Gilbert creeped you out."
"Gilbert started without me?" Francis says incredulously, and Lovino laughs, wincing only slightly.
"Again, Frenchy, you should try harder to get here on time."
"What did he do?" Antonio demands, and Lovino's smile widens.
"It's fine, Toni," he says. "It's not a party until Gilbert and Francis creep me out a little. But thanks for calling him off, Mattie."
Matthew smiles, then turns and enters the kitchen. Moments later, Feliciano emerges, looking curious, the others coming in behind him.
"Yes, Toni?" he says.
"Do me a favor and make a nice big batch of spaghetti," Antonio tells him, and Feliciano smiles brightly. "I know we have all the ingredients for that."
"Will do," Feliciano says cheerily before returning to the kitchen.
"You gave him permission to make pasta," Lovino mutters sleepily and with a half-hearted scowl, snuggling closer to Antonio's chest. "You just made his day."
Antonio smiles brightly as Lovino relaxes farther in his arms.
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Yay, Toni finally showed up!
2 or 3 more chapters left. Thanks for reading, lovelies! :)
Italian Translations (that I forgot the first time. I'm so sorry!)
Spagna, aiutatemi, per favore. Non riesco a respirare, fa male: Spain, help me, please. I can't breathe, it hurts.
Ho paura, Toni, tutto fa male: I'm scared, Toni, everything hurts.
Non mi lasci. Rimani con me, per favore: Don't leave me. Stay with me, please.
Respirazione. Fa male quando respiro: Breathing. It hurts when I breathe.
Mia testa. E mia schiena: My head. And my back