A/N: Enjoy!

Chapter 5

Roderich was over at the house often now, which naturally meant dad stayed away.

I never hated another person more than I hated Roderich in my entire life.

He was a stuck up, pretty boy musician who thought he could just steal my mom away from my dad. Ok, yeah, they were divorced, big whoop. But did that mean they had to see other people? I didn't want his prissy attitude in the house and his overly polite way of doing things. He was the exact opposite of my dad! My dad was fun-loving, obnoxious, energetic, adventurous…the only thing the two of them had in common was their ego.

And the way my mom looked at Roderich was just horrible to watch. She would be sitting or standing nearby, look over her shoulder, smile, then sigh softly. She never did that with her husband! All of a sudden she's head-over-heels for this guy? Ok, I knew it had been one and a half since the divorce when she started seeing him and that she dated this guy in high school before she met my dad, but seriously? She was actually over my dad like this? She didn't love my dad! Dating Roderich was the exact opposite way of showing my dad she loved him! It was as if she was trying to hurt all of us on purpose.

My mom and Roderich have been dating for about a year now…Worst fucking year of my entire life. Dad's calls were less frequent. I would usually talk to him every day, but ever since my mom started seeing this guy, dad only called around once a week. My dad didn't visit anymore either. He only came during the holidays, and even though I got to see his face again, it did nothing to lift my spirits, not when we were celebrating the holiday with Roderich in the house as well.

Roderich had to realize how much the both of us hated him… I was purposely an ass to him. I did everything in my power to make sure that he had a miserable time. Maybe he would leave my mom so she could see what a bastard he was and then she'd finally realize how much she loved dad and they'd get married again and live happily ever after…

But I knew that wasn't going to happen. Besides, Roderich stuck around the house for this long, which meant he either really cared for my mom, or he was after something and no amount of my screaming could deter him from his goal. It was probably the latter.

I remember how I had blamed my dad and his drinking for what happened to this family, but lately I found myself blaming mom and Roderich. It was their fault I was feeling this miserable. It was their fault that I could never concentrate in school and that I just didn't care about anything anymore. Their fault. Not dad's, and not mine. Dad even seemed like the victim at times.

Roderich's visits to the house had been short and brief in the beginning. He'd say, "Hello, how are the two of you?" to my brother and I. After about a month or two, his visits became longer, and a month after that he started sleeping over on weekends. He slept in the same bed as my mom, the same side my dad used to sleep on. How dare that guy think he can do this?

I tried so many ways to get him out of the house. I insulted his music (which my mom fawned over every time he played), wouldn't let him drive me to my new school (since I had started junior high), always put things in his shoes, stole his glasses, screamed at him when he said something to piss me off… I knew I was being an ass, and my mom knew it too. Getting sent to my room wasn't really working anymore, so she would just scream at me to behave, saying how disappointed she was in me and stuff. Well, sorry to burst your bubble mom, but you gave birth to this big fucking disappointment, didn't you?

My mom was probably used to disappointment. I mean, there was my dad and there was me, and she hated us both. It was so obvious that she didn't love me from the way she yelled. And I would not spend the night crying in my sleep because I had realized my mom didn't care about me. Nope, not a single tear.

…Ok, so I knew my mom did love me. It's just…sometimes it really didn't seem like it. It was as if she was out to get me. I was growing up, and I guess hormones just kicked in and made me suddenly realize that, hey, I have opinions and I have a voice and I'll tell you just what's on my mind. I didn't care what she thought of me anymore, not at all! So what if I was a big disappointment? Why did I have to be nice and care about someone I hated? Why couldn't she be more considerate and stop dating that bastard?

Why couldn't she see how hurt I was, damn it?

I had no one at school to talk to about this shit… I don't think I was brave enough to talk about it with anybody, to be honest. All the morons at school were too consumed with their own lives to care about anyone else, so why should I have even bothered with them? The only one I could talk to was my dad…but he called so little nowadays that I didn't get that opportunity often. I usually didn't voice my feelings to anyone, but I knew I could usually trust dad with stuff. Each time he did call, I always had to make sure mom or Roderich weren't right there to eavesdrop, and it made everything all the more frustrating.

Feliciano was starting kindergarten. He was almost like a stranger to me at times. I didn't understand the kid. He was always so happy and naïve, it was actually pathetic. All the kid cared about was food and his naps. I knew he was young when the divorce happened, but he seemed too carefree to realize all the crap that was going on in his life.

We almost had to move out of our house at one point. We just couldn't afford the mortgage anymore. Of course, Mr. Knight in Shining Armor decided to help us pay the bills and keep us afloat. Thanks Roderich. Now why would mom want to get rid of you if you keep giving her money?

Nothing felt the same anymore. I felt as if my entire life had been turned upside down and now I was stuck in this fucked up dimension that had everything I could possibly hate. I wanted it to end so badly…

I really wanted my dad to come home…

Another year passed in a similar manner, but there was something different about today that was…off. My mom was giddy as she prepared dinner in the kitchen and Roderich was all smiles. That guy was so serious that I was surprised his mouth didn't break once he used his facial muscles or whatever.

As we all sat down at the table, my mom and Roderich stole glances at one another. It was pathetic to see two lovebirds like that, especially since one of those lovebirds was a bastard to the highest degree. Feliciano and I sat across from those two. I picked at my food. Something was definitely off. There were tons of tomatoes in the pasta and my mom knew how much I loved tomatoes… Why would she prepare one of my favorite dishes?

"Ahem," Roderich breathed, causing me to scowl at him. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion to what he was about to say.

"As you two know, I love your mother very much…" he began. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. My mom glared at me to make sure I kept my mouth shut.

I spoke anyway. "And you're telling us this because…?" I asked.

"Well, your mother and I have some great news," he said, looking towards my mom. "Elizaveta, why don't you show them your finger?"

As soon as she raised her hand to show us, I dropped my fork on the plate. There, right on my mom's finger, was an engagement ring.

Slamming my hands on the table, I stood up and shouted, "You're getting fucking married?"

My mom's mouth opened in outrage. "Do not use that language in front of your little brother!"

I continued to shout. "What the hell, mom? You can't marry him!" I was so furious at her, at the both of them. Married? Were they shitting me? I didn't want her to get married to this bastard, I didn't want anything to do with him! She wanted him to be my stepdad? Who did she think she was kidding?

"Lovino, sit down this instant!" my mom shouted.

"No!" I screamed back. "No, you can't do this to me, you can do this to us!"

My mom looked confused. "Us? Your little brother seems to be handling the news just fine!" I looked towards my brother with an angry scowl.

"I didn't mean 'us' as in me and Feliciano!" I shouted. Turning my head back in her direction, I went on, "I was talking about me and dad!" I was so aggravated that she didn't understand. Did she honestly think that I would sit down quietly and accept this news?

Roderich spoke up. "Lovino, please sit down, you're acting up and-"

"Of course I'm acting up!" I shook my head as I glowered at him, no words coming to my mouth. I took a step back and looked at the whole table. Everyone stared back as if I was some kind of freak. Feliciano was shivering in his seat, my mom was glaring at me, and Roderich just looked very serious. It was like I was an alien inside my own house. I felt an intense fury bubble in my chest. I started to breathe heavily through my nose, trying to keep calm but being overall unsuccessful. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know how to stop any of this. I only said one thing before stomping away:

"I fucking hate this family."

About two hours later, when no one was in or around the living room, I called my dad. I was never the one to call, but this time I really needed to talk to someone, anyone. No one in this family understood what I was going through. They all thought I was some kind of a freak and a disappointment for not being happy that my dad was being replaced. There was a lump that was starting to build up in my throat, but I concentrated on not letting any tears fall.

"Hetalia Fire Department personal line. Do you have an emergency?"

"Can I talk to Gilbert Vargas, please?" I asked. It felt so weird to be the one calling him…

After a bit of shuffling on the other end of the line, my dad's voice finally came. "Hello?" My dad sounded confused. He probably never received any calls at the station.

"…Dad?" I croaked out, still trying to calm down and make my emotions behave.

"Lovino? Lovino, what's wrong?" he asked, sounding extremely worried now. My bottom lip quivered.

"Dad…dad, mom's going to marry Roderich," I said, holding the phone close to my ear. There was nothing but silence on the other end of the line. I bit my lip and held the phone even closer. "Dad? Dad, are you there?"

"…Yeah. Yeah, I'm here," he said, his voice barely audible.

"Dad, please, you have to do something. I…I don't want her to marry him!" I whispered frantically into the phone in case someone overheard.

And then, the line went dead.

I sat there in disbelief for a few moments, listening to the low buzz ringing in my ear. "Dad?" I asked quietly, but it was obviously too late.

After a few more seconds, I threw the phone to the ground. What the hell was that? He just decided to hang up on me! Just like that! I didn't have anyone.

I tried calling again a few minutes later, but the guy on the other end of the line wouldn't let me speak to him.

"I'm sorry son, but I can't let you speak to Gilbert at the moment, so if you could please stop yelling, I'll take a message for you!"

"Fine!" I screamed. "Tell him that he better call me back! And that if mom and Roderich do decide to get married, that he better grow some balls and show up at the fucking wedding because I am not dealing with this myself!" And with that, I slammed the phone down.

A few months later, Elizaveta and Roderich were happily married.

Dad never showed up to the wedding.

A/N: Thank you for reading! Critiques are loved! :)