A/N: It's finally updated and finished! I'm so sorry that it took awhile, I just really didn't know how to end this perfectly. But, thank you for everyone that has read this and supported me along the way! :D Your words have been so encouraging.
I hope you all enjoy this!
Staring at his older brother, Ludwig couldn't piece together anything. He didn't know what Gilbert had meant, but it looked serious. If Gilbert was wearing such a melancholic expression on his face than it was definitely serious indeed.
"Rejected? And what do you mean by that?" he finally asked.
He didn't know what that few seconds of delay meant, but finally Gilbert looked up at him and slowly shook his head.
"Ah, it's nothing."
Ludwig watched as Gilbert stood up from the couch and walked into the hallway to retreat to his bedroom.
"Hm… okay. Well, I'm making lunch soon, is there anything that you—"
The slam of that bedroom door must've meant that Gilbert wasn't hungry at all. Or, maybe he had just gotten into an argument with someone on the phone? He'd get over it soon when he recognized the delicious smell of the meal that Ludwig was cooking up. Food always knocked Gilbert out of his little moods that came randomly. Only this time, Ludwig was surprised when he didn't see his brother for the rest of the day. And he hardly saw him the days that came after that.
"Lovino? Is everything alright?" Feliciano questioned when he heard his brother slam the phone down.
He had been eavesdropping on his brother's conversation with Gilbert, but didn't manage to hear much. He was especially concerned when he heard Lovino practically yelling into the phone, a sudden slam, and sobbing that was barely audible. Well, if Lovino was crying then it really must've been bad! Feliciano slowly opened the door to the small office room and poked his head inside.
"Are you alright? What happened? Are you and Gilbert fighting?"
"Just… just go away, dammit." Lovino managed to calm his sobs for a moment to sputter out those words. He buried his head into his crossed arms on the desk, mumbling something to himself.
"But, what's wrong? I don't like to see you cry, brother! You can tell me what—"
"I said just get the fuck out! Go away!"
Well, perhaps Lovino would confide in him later. He always did. Feliciano slowly closed the door and went to go clean something to get his mind off of things. Then, he'd make a nice pot of pasta to cheer Lovino up! Surely that would help, because eating pasta while in distress never failed to bring his brother out of whatever mood he was in. While Feliciano was completely sure it would work, Lovino refused to eat anything when the time came. He only managed to force his brother to eat when Lovino's stomach made a rumbling sound of being starving. But he still hardly ate anything, and shut himself in that same room again.
"And so, that's what my brother has been doing this entire time… He works all day and night, even when he doesn't need to. He just gets extra work done, and falls asleep at his desk, sometimes on the couch. I'm really worried about him… and, Gilly has been acting strange as well?"
Feliciano looked over at Ludwig, who was also deep in thought about his brother's behavior. The two of them were walking in the park together and eating little scoops of ice cream, although it was still a bit chilly out. Spring would be there soon, thus winter needed to pack its bags and get out of town. Neither of them knew exactly what had happened between their brothers, but it was beyond serious now.
"Well, I suppose that is correct. Gilbert stays in his room most of the day, blasting music and ignoring my calls. He comes out when I'm at class, because whenever I return there are dishes in the sink and sometimes empty beer bottles on the table. He also leaves a mess in the bathroom, even though I always tell him not to leave the floor wet after he showers. It's bothersome, but I'm worried about him. You don't have any knowledge of what happened between them?"
Feliciano let out a sigh of frustration and shrugged. "On that day, I heard Lovino mention something about not being together with Gilly. He said that they couldn't, and that he didn't mean for things to happen. Also, that he was sorry… It doesn't make any sense! That was two weeks ago, I thought that they would've made up by now! That's why I stopped interfering."
Observing the way Feliciano dramatically flailed his arms in the air, Ludwig still couldn't piece everything together.
"So basically, Gilbert wanted your brother to do something, but he said that he couldn't. Lovino flips out, and Gilbert goes into depression. What were they arguing about, though? My brother hasn't said a word to me about it. He only reminds me to get more beer and food."
"Don't you know, Luddy? Those two are in love! It's so romantic, but also tragic… I'm sad for them."
Ludwig stopped in his tracks and sent a questioning glare towards Feliciano, who only smiled as he got distracted with his melting cone. How is it possible that Gilbert and Lovino were in love? Those two were always arguing or messing with each other! He didn't see how that was love, at all. They seemed more like friends who also hated each other sometimes, but stuck together out of boredom. Besides, Gilbert had never mentioned anything about it. But then again, his brother wasn't the type to gossip about his own feelings.
In fact, Gilbert never talked about his emotions at all, and neither did Ludwig. He supposed that was only called having a private life, but now his brother was hurting and he didn't know why. He was practically clueless, which made him feel like a bad sibling. Perhaps the two of them should sit down sometime and talk to each other about things like they used to when they were younger.
"Are you sure about that, Feli? I mean, what if it's something else?"
"Hm? I'm completely sure! I mean, that's why they kissed each other that night at your apartment. Well, more like making-out. And Lovino said that friends don't kiss friends, but he is afraid of becoming more than friends with Gilly! It's weird, but that's how he is."
Wait, they kissed each other? At his apartment? Yeah, Ludwig definitely needed to get more in touch with Gilbert. If he couldn't see that his older brother was in love with his boyfriend's older brother, then there was something wrong with their communication. The first thing he'd do when he got home was try and get Gilbert to open up! But, was that the right thing to do? And would it actually work? He wanted his brother to be happy, that's for sure.
"So then, what should we do? They won't talk to us, and I'm sure that they haven't been talking to each other, either. I don't want this to continue on forever."
Feliciano chomped on the rest of his cone and jumped up and down excitedly once he had gotten the perfect idea.
"I know! We'll ask the professionals for help!"
"The professionals?"
Francis flipped his hair back over his shoulders and smiled into his little mirror, before putting it back into his pants pocket. He looked over to Antonio and gave him a thumbs up, signaling that the plan was now in motion. After knocking on the door in front of them, Ludwig answered within only a few seconds, nodding at each of them and stepping to the side so that they may enter.
"Are you two sure that this will work? I mean, what if he doesn't want to talk?"
It was easy to see that Ludwig was a tad nervous, since he was now prying into his brother's personal life without the man's consent. However, Feliciano said that Antonio and Francis would be able to help, and Ludwig was tired of seeing his brother like this. He would do anything to knock him out of this dark depression.
"Of course it will, just leave it to us. Our Gilly will open up in no time, we just have to casually bring the subject up without forcing it onto him," Francis reassured him.
If those two mischievous friends had everything covered, then Ludwig would go right along with it. He waited until Antonio and Francis had situated themselves on the couch, before going into the hallway and knocking on Gilbert's door. Thankfully, no music was being blasted this time and Gilbert answered without completely ignoring the outside world.
"What is it? I'm kind of in the middle of work, and it's important that I'm not distracted. We're developing this new game of a genre that we've never even tried before, so this better be good."
Normally, Ludwig would have stated how it would be difficult to brainstorm and work without a proper meal, or something else to get Gilbert out of that dark room, but this time was strictly business. At least Gilbert didn't look bad, save for his messy hair and the dark marks under his eyes. Other than that, he actually looked presentable. Maybe he was getting over the depression and was now simply grouchy?
"You've got a couple of guests in the living room, so please come out and greet them."
"Guests? I didn't ask for any. Whoever they are, tell them to fuck off. I'm busy."
"It's Francis and Antonio."
The bored expression on Gilbert's face actually perked up a little. Even Ludwig, of all people, was surprised to see this sudden change in attitude, no matter how small it was.
"Really? Strange, I didn't invite them… but, alright. I'll be out in a minute, tell them to hold on!"
If Ludwig had known it would be that easy to get Gilbert out of his room, he would have invited Francis and Antonio over at least a week ago, when he noticed that something was seriously wrong. Within a couple of minutes, Gilbert joined the others in the living room with a fake smile on his face.
"Hey, guys! I guess it's been a while. What are you two doing here?"
Fake smile, fake happy tone of voice, was there anything real that Gilbert was throwing out there? If Antonio and Francis hadn't known him almost all of their lives, they would have easily fallen for this act. It was very convincing, even the dark marks under his eyes could be passed off as overworking or Gilbert's usual habit of gaming all night. However, they knew that he wasn't doing well at all. They hadn't heard from him in two weeks, and if what Ludwig and Feliciano told them was true, Gilbert was an emotional wreck.
"We came to see you, since you haven't talked to us in two weeks! What's up with that? We need to hang out and go for a few drinks!"
Antonio was the first to speak, as he got up from the couch and embraced Gilbert into a tight hug. That's what he usually did, so Gilbert didn't question it.
"I'll go clean the kitchen, and perhaps make a few snacks just in case you all want some."
In reality, Ludwig only wanted to eavesdrop on their conversation, and hiding away in the kitchen was the perfect way to do it.
"Yeah, well… I've been really busy, you know? Surely you guys know how that is!" Gilbert chuckled lightly, nervously scratching the back of his head as he plopped down into the chair near the couch.
"Strange, that's never stopped you from contacting us before. Maybe you just don't like hanging out with us anymore."
Francis was obviously joking, when he pouted his lips and continued to give Gilbert a guilt trip. Even though it was obvious, Gilbert was taking everything that they said serious. Had he really been anti-social in his room so much that he forgot what a joke was? It was kind of funny, but also pathetic.
"You guys are over thinking things. I really have been busy, and I still am, until you two came in here."
A part of Gilbert was glad that they were there for him, but he still wanted them to leave so that he could stop pretending and sulk again.
"We know, we know. You're so busy that it's painful… Lovino said the same thing. Geez, it seems as if you two have completely forgotten about us."
Jackpot. After Francis had mentioned Lovino, he and Antonio instantly took notice of the expression change on Gilbert's face and his sudden flinching. Pretty soon, Gilbert would finally show his true emotions and be open with everything. Well, hopefully he would.
"Are you two working on something together?" Antonio asked.
"No." Gilbert's reply was almost instant, as he tried mustering up a snarky grin. "We're not working on anything together. Not at all. We haven't even been together."
Such a fail cover up. And Gilbert could tell, from the way his two nosy friends glanced at each other. Should he tell them? But, it was embarrassing! Not to mention heart-wrenching. He wanted Lovino, Gilbert wanted that man so badly. Lovino didn't want him, though. If he did, then he wouldn't have rejected the damn invitation to get even closer to each other. Just the thought pierced Gilbert's chest, and if he continued to think on it, it would pierce his eyes and make them water.
"Did something happen between you two? You're usually together, so it's weird that—"
"No, Francis. Nothing happened between us. So just mind your own business, yeah?"
The intense atmosphere in the room wasn't something that could be easily ignored. Everyone knew that Gilbert was stubborn with his true feelings. Almost as stubborn as Lovino was. However, he was much easier to get through to. All they had to do was nudge him in the right direction and he'd spill the beans.
Francis shrugged, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "So sensitive. But, I've got an idea! What about the three of us go out to drink? We haven't done that in awhile, and we need to catch up."
"Now that's what I like to hear! I'm up for it, how about you, Toni? Of course you are! Let's get the hell out of here, then."
The sudden change in Gilbert's attitude told it all, if his horrible lying skills hadn't already. Going out drinking was his favorite activity to do with his two of his best friends! This would definitely take his mind off of the dreadful pain lingering up there. There was no doubt about it.
Or so he thought.
"He completely rejected me, you know? And not even in a gentle way, no, he made it seem as if it was impossible for us to ever become more than friends! Do you know how that feels, guys? No, you don't."
Downing his sixth glass of beer, Gilbert was doing more than simply spilling the beans. That was how Francis and Antonio usually got him to talk about important things like this, when Gilbert refused to talk while sober. Now, as they sat at the bar and watched their albino friend drink his way towards certain misery, the two nearly felt as gloomy as he did.
"And you know what else? I was so sure that he liked me— positive and ready to take action. I mean, why wouldn't he like me? And I don't even mean that in an arrogant way. After all we've been through, and the way he looks at me… Whenever we're together, I just know everything that he's feeling because I feel it, too. But, he said no. Why? Because I'm unbearable, that's why."
"Gil, that's not true and you know it." Antonio had already given his friend many pats on the shoulder, but simple words and such wasn't working this time. Gilbert was really broken, and he and Francis felt useless.
"It is! There's no other explanation for it… Another beer!"
If he kept this up, pretty soon Gilbert would be lying on the bar floor, piss drunk and still as miserable than ever. He slowly began to sip out of his seventh beer now, as Francis grabbed Antonio by the arm and tugged him aside to speak privately.
"Alright. So you and I both know that Lovino loves Gilbert, right? Then, what the hell is going on? They're supposed to be together right now so that we can tease them." Francis groaned, scratching his head irritably. Usually it was fun to watch Gilbert get drunk, but that was only when he was celebrating something. Now, it was just pitiful.
"I don't know… If what Gilly says is true, then Lovino rejected him. But, why?" Antonio couldn't figure it out, either. Even when he stood in his thinking pose, nothing clear could come to mind. There was a reason for everything, though. And if they wanted to know that reason, they'd have to discover the cause.
"We'll have to ask Lovino, then. It won't be easy, but he'll tell us," Francis proposed.
"Oh! I'll go! I'm sure he'll open up to me quicker than he'll open up to you."
"Geez, thanks Toni. You go ahead and do that, I'll stay here with our depressed friend and drive him home before he passes out."
Francis returned to Gilbert's side to listen to his senseless rambling as Antonio bolted out of the door. Now he'd make his way to Lovino's home and find out the truth! He knew it was easier in his mind that it would really be. He'd probably even get kicked out, literally, if he simply asked why Lovino had rejected Gilbert's offer when it was so plain to see that they were into each other.
Antonio didn't know how he would do it, but he'd get Lovino to talk. His friends were counting on it! Surely there was a legitimate reason to his whole mess. Once everything was solved, they'd all hang out again just like old times. He really hoped so. Hope was all that he could do for now.
"Goddammit, Feli. Work faster, this is your fucking project, not mine."
It seemed no matter how much Lovino scolded his brother, things weren't going any faster than he'd like for it to. Why was he even helping, anyway? He had work of his own to do! Well, he had finished it for the day already, but he could always start on tomorrow's work load. Oh, wait, he had finished that as well. Thus, Lovino knew that the only reason he was helping was that he had nothing else to do. He had worked without breaks, just to distract himself from the horrible pit in his stomach. It was agonizing, but there was nothing he could do about it except wait for it to go back to normal. Although he knew it wouldn't simply disappear. When you love someone and deliberately hurt them along with hurting yourself, you will never heal. Not by ignoring the horrid thoughts and the way his heart felt at the moment.
"I'm trying, I'm trying! The tape keeps sticking to my fingers," Feliciano whined, trying to remove the sticky tape from his hands. Somehow, it had also stuck to his pants, cheeks, and neck. He was like a child playing office supplies.
"Then try harder! I shouldn't even be helping you right now. You have friends, don't you? They should be here, not me."
"But, they have projects of their own to complete! You don't necessarily have to help me, you know. I told you that I could do it on my own, since it isn't due for some time… I'm still thankful you are helping, though."
"I know that, I'm just helping you because… You'll never get done if I don't! You always wait until the last minute to complete things if no one pushes you to do the work. Hell, you can't even use the tape correctly."
Lovino snatched the roll of tape from Feliciano's sticky hands, and applied it to the paper he'd just folded. God, doing things with his brother was so irritating, even if it was a good distraction. He didn't even know what they were making or what this art project was about, but he volunteered to help. For a moment, Lovino was so busy yelling at Feliciano that he forgot how miserable he was. All he needed to do was keep himself distracted, and everything would peachy soon!
Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Feliciano sprung up from his seat so that he'd finally get a break from all work and yelling.
"I'll get it!" he chimed, running towards the door.
This was probably a devious plan for him to stop working on the stupid project, then he'd leave Lovino to do all the work! And since he needed a distraction, there's no doubt that Lovino would actually complete it, with or without his procrastinating brother there to help. If it was the potato fucker at the door, Lovino would definitely throw the stapler at his ugly face. That would ease some of his stress and just the thought made him smile.
"Hey, Lovino! What're you working on?"
Great. Just fucking great. Lovino instantly recognized that cheerful voice— he obviously should, since he heard it all the damn time. And when he looked up from his seat, he recognized that same bright smile that annoyed him to no end.
"What the hell are you doing here, Antonio?" He asked, quickly returning to the work. "Feli! Get your ass in here and finish helping."
Sighing, Feliciano put down the bread that he was about to use to make a delicious sandwich, and returned to the table. Sometimes, he sincerely thought that Lovino was more of a drill sergeant than Ludwig was. Though, he was used to being ordered about.
"I'm here to see you, of course. You haven't answered our calls in days, so Francis and I were worried."
"Well, you see me. I'm fine, so you can leave now. You know the way out."
'Harsh' wouldn't even begin to describe Lovino's tone.
"Aw, don't be so distant! I actually want to spend time with you, as well."
If the scissors weren't on the other side of the table, Lovino knew he would have picked them up and aimed for one of those bright green eyes that continued to stare down at him as if he was a rare animal at a zoo. He didn't want company, not from anyone. Yet, he knew that Antonio wouldn't leave without prying into his business. How bothersome.
"Fine! You can stay, but you're going to help us or get the fuck out now. So sit down and get to work."
Antonio did as he was told, still smiling faintly and looking at this huge mess spread all around the table. Supplies were scattered everywhere, along with paper of all colors; some already cut and folded into odd shapes he didn't recognize. Whatever the Italian brothers were working on, seemed important.
"Alright, so what do I have to do?" he asked.
"It's not too hard! Just take one of the papers and fold it like this," Feliciano said, demonstrating what he meant. Though, Lovino was doing a much better job at it. "Once you finish folding it again like this… Take a piece of tape and make it stick together like I did just now."
"Ah, that's pretty simple. How many do I have to make?"
"We've made around seventy. We need two hundred," Lovino announced, not once taking his eyes off his own work.
So maybe Antonio was in over his head now. This would take quite awhile, but he did accept the offer to help so there was no way he'd give up! They worked in silence for countless minutes, save for the few times Feliciano complained about his paper cuts and Lovino hissed at him to shut up. Antonio was lost in his own thoughts, trying to figure out how he'd bring up the subject that he needed to speak with Lovino about. The main reason he was even there.
Though, looking at Lovino now, he could tell that the other didn't want to talk about it. At least he could try, right? And that's exactly what he did.
"So, Lovi, what's up with you and Gilbert?"
The silence was shattered not when that question was asked, but when Lovino dropped both the scissors and the roll of tape in his hands, leaving the supplies clattering onto the hardwood floor. Even Feliciano stared at Antonio as if he had asked the most forbidden question in the world. Well, this was completely awkward.
"I-I mean, you two have been ignoring Francis and I. I figured that both of you were busy working on something together. But, we visited Gil and he was alone, so…"
Curse his words for not making any damn sense. Antonio really wasn't good at lying, especially when it came to sensitive subjects that would make Lovino explode in any moment. He tried to keep an innocent face as possible, despite being given the infamous death stare by the emotional Italian sitting across from him. Finally, Lovino simply shrugged and picked up the items he'd dropped.
"Nothing. I haven't spoken to him, either. We're not doing anything together so go ask someone else."
Feliciano looked as if he wanted to say something as well, but he kept his mouth shut and instead wiggled a little uncomfortably in his seat.
This conversation was dead before it even started. It was silent again for another five minutes, as Antonio couldn't think of any other idea. Maybe he'd just be blunt about it? Gilbert and Francis were always blunt and rarely considered others when they spoke about things. And, well, it worked! So, he would give it a shot and dodge in case Lovino threw those scissors at him.
"Lovino—"
"What now?" he interrupted, looking as irritated as ever.
"Ah… I just want to know something." Antonio smiled his best smile as an attempt to loosen the tension.
"Well? What is it?"
"Why did you reject Gilbert? I thought that you liked him."
Any second now, his face would be bashed in, Antonio knew it! However, that didn't happen. For some reason, it was completely silent again. That was worse than listening to Lovino's loud cursing and raging. In fact, Lovino didn't look angry at all. Antonio could instantly see that he looked… hurt, instead. Maybe he shouldn't have asked at all.
"Tonio, I don't think Lovino wants to talk about that right now—"
"Feli, go take a break. Let us… talk in private, okay?" Lovino ordered, which came as a shock to the other two. Nonetheless, Feliciano slowly stood up and exited the room.
"He told you, didn't he?" Lovino finally said, ceasing the repetitive paper folding that was keeping him from these annoying thoughts. But no matter what he did, they always returned.
"More or less… Lovi, I don't mean to pry, Francis doesn't, either. We're just worried about the two of you. And, we want to help."
"And who the fuck says I need your help, huh? I'm taking care of things on my own. In fact, nothing needs to be taken care of. Everything is perfect and normal and—"
"You really hurt him, you know. Not the type of hurt when there's no beer left in the fridge and he's thirsty. No, I mean he's really hurt, Lovino." Antonio didn't want to make Lovino the antagonist, but he had to make sure that he knew this wasn't a game of sorts. "Most people think that Gilbert can get over anything. I did, too. He's brash, brave, confident— all of those things. But, he's actually a really sensitive guy, and you know that. So do Francis and I."
"Is it… really that bad?" Lovino asked in a near whisper. He knew what he had done, and he knew he'd probably hurt Gilbert. Badly. But, he thought the guy would get over it within a few days! It wasn't as if he was in love with Lovino, right? That would be impossible. Right?
"We haven't seen him this upset since, well, I can't even remember. He's more upset now than he was when Gilbird got really sick, and it took us forever to find a veterinarian to help us. He wasn't even this upset when he and Lizzy broke up."
This really was bad. Not only did Lovino feel miserable, but now he felt so guilty that it nearly hurt to even move. He hadn't meant to hurt the man that he loved. Well, he did but not in this way! Whatever poor excuse me made up for himself, was pointless. The fact remained that he hurt the one that he wished he could bring happiness to.
"So, we just want to know why you said no. Up until then, we were all sure the two of you were close to becoming a cute couple. What happened?"
"Nothing happened," Lovino murmured. If he spoke any louder than that, the knot in his throat would tighten even more and then the evil tears would come.
"Lovino… If you don't tell me, then we can't help. Something happened, so what was it? Did Gilbert say something to you that made you change your mind? Or are you not ready for a relationship? You could always tell him that. He'd understand—"
"I said nothing happened, dammit!" Lovino yelled, his face so red with anger and guilt that it was nearly frightening. "Gilbert didn't do anything, okay? It wasn't him, it was me! All of it is my fault. I'm the one who hurt him, and I knew that if we kissed, then… But, I did it anyway because I couldn't help it! Even though I love him so much…"
None of what was being said, made any sense. Antonio tried to keep up, but couldn't. For a moment, it was as if Antonio wasn't even there anymore. Lovino just kept rambling under his breath to himself, cursing every now and then about how much he hated this. Whatever 'this' was.
"Then, why?" Antonio decided to ask, since his original question remained unanswered.
"Because I don't deserve him! Don't you see? I'm just a horrible person, and it's all my fault!"
"What are you talking about? You're not a horrible person, Lovino! What makes you say that?" Antonio quickly stood up and moved around the table to rub the hysterical Italian's trembling back. Now he was kind of regretting bringing up the sensitive subject in the first place, but Lovino looked like he really needed to get these things off his chest.
"You don't even know… just, go. Leave me alone," he sputtered out, quickly wiping his damp eyes and returning to the repetitive task of folding papers.
"But, Lovi, I need to help you—"
"Leave, I said. Please… Feli and I can finish these up. There aren't many left to do now, so go."
Now, Lovino suddenly looked like an emotionless robot who only knew how to tape things together and avoid the many emotions swarming around in his head. It nearly gave him a migraine, so he did his best not to think anymore. Just work. Feliciano warily returned into the room and resumed his own work, as well.
Not really knowing what else to say on the matter, Antonio decided it probably would be best to leave Lovino alone for the moment. That, or deal with a major break down that he couldn't handle alone. He turned to walk out, and paused at the doorway.
"Hey, Lovino? Whatever it is that you're upset about… I'm sure Gilbert will understand. The two of you never stay separated for long, so please try talking to him when you're ready? I can't force you to do it, but holding everything in won't work for long. And… You shouldn't let anything ruin the bond that you have together."
Lovino had paused to listen to the Spaniard's words of encouragement, and stayed silent until he heard the sound of the front door being closed. If Feliciano wasn't in the room, he would no doubt have broken down right there. But instead, he retreated to his bedroom once they had finished their tedious task, since he felt like he would faint in any given moment. He desperately needed to clear his head and figure out what he'd do, because ignoring his true feelings and avoiding the love of his life, just wasn't working at all.
"What exactly does he expect me to do? I can't just suddenly fix everything!"
Since there was no one around, Lovino continued to yell to himself. Staring up at the unchanging ceiling of his bedroom wasn't easing the stress one bit, and he knew that it wouldn't any time soon. God, he hated this. Why did Antonio think that simple words could just fix everything? There's no way that he'd be able to talk to Gilbert— he couldn't even imagine being in the same building as the man!
Lovino rolled over onto the other side of the bed and buried his face into the cold, empty pillow. Why there was another pillow, he had no idea. It's not as if anyone else would ever sleep there, anyway; besides the very few times that Feliciano snuck into his bed. But, the younger Italian hadn't done that in so many months, Lovino couldn't even remember the last time they had slept together. Wait— when was the last time that Feliciano had slept in their home at all? Great. Now Lovino had to think about the fact that not only was he losing Gilbert (if he hadn't lost him already), but Feliciano had been spending less and less time with him since the previous year.
"If you want to be with that fucking potato-loving cunt so badly, then why don't you just move in with him?" he grumbled into the pillow. Although, Lovino knew that he wouldn't last long if even his brother left him.
Every minute that went by was nearly torture. He wanted to just jump up from his bed and rush over to the bastard's place. He'd take Gilbert into his arms and attack those lips with his own until he couldn't breathe anymore. Then he'd make sure to apologize over and over again, confessing just how much he loved that albino idiot and everything else that he was feeling at that moment.
Lovino couldn't do that, though. Like he had told Antonio, he didn't deserve to be with Gilbert in such a way. Not after ruining his previous relationship with Elizaveta. He had done much more than simply sleep with Gilbert, that no one else knew about. Still, to completely cut off all interaction with him? That was madness!
Maybe, just maybe, the two of them could fix this together. They could go back to being best friends, and forget that it all happened. Gilbert would come to his senses and realize that he didn't like Lovino as more than just a friend; at least, Lovino hoped that he would. Hell, maybe Antonio was being overdramatic! Surely Gilbert wasn't that hurt about this entire fiasco. It was probably all just a misunderstanding. The two of them had been through so much more together, and along with Francis and Antonio, everything always ended up back to the way it was supposed to be. This time was no different!
"R-right! I just have to apologize and explain a bit to him, then he'll understand and things will be back to normal! Damn, why didn't I think of this before?"
Giving himself that push he needed, Lovino finally sat up and grabbed his cell phone. It was always easy to lock himself in denial and pretend that complex problems were as simple as he wished they were. By now, he could tell that it was past sunset since the shadows in his room had nearly disappeared and everything was much darker.
This little plan of his proved to be much more easier in his head than in reality. As he sat there on the edge of the mattress, his hands wouldn't stop shaking from the anticipation and nervousness that he felt. He knew that if he simply called Gilbert right now, his voice would stop working. Maybe he should just call Antonio or Francis first? They did offer to help him out, after all.
"No, no… I caused this, and I can fix it on my own, as well."
Though, it was nice to know that he had friends who were there for him. After he fixed everything, he'd definitely treat them all out to dinner! Well, maybe. First things first, he had to meet up with Gilbert and hope that he wasn't hated.
If not for his annoying cell phone beeping continuously, Gilbert would have stayed asleep until the next morning. He couldn't reach it from where he was sprawled out on the bed in his pitch black bedroom, either. And now that he was fully awakened, he wanted to die. The throbbing pain in his head was ten times worse than the last hangover that he'd had. How the hell did he even make it back home and into his room in one piece?
The last thing he remembered was Francis practically dragging him out of the bar and into the car. The next second, he was magically home and falling onto his bed. All of that happened about a handful of hours ago, but it felt like days since he had been conscious. Well, thank god Francis was such a good friend. Any other asshole would've just laughed and videotaped his miserable rambling until he passed out.
Gilbert attempted to sit up, and after the third try, he could've sworn that the world was moving around him. From the smell of it, Ludwig had probably made dinner some time ago and was now off cleaning something random or reading his 'serious' books. He couldn't tell where the hell Gilbird was, but chances are that he was asleep in his cage. The two of them always slept at the same time.
"Alright, alright, geez. What am I, the most wanted man on earth? Though, that wouldn't be wrong."
Even if he was in a sour mood, Gilbert still had to flaunt his ego. The ringing on his phone that went off every time he got a text message, finally stopped when he leaned toward the his dresser and grabbed it. Whoever was trying to reach him, sure was desperate.
"Eight new messages? Man, I really am the most wanted man on… wait, Lovino?" His eyes widened when he saw which contact had been spamming him. Just to make sure that he wasn't dreaming or reading it wrong since his vision was still a bit hazy, his rubbed his eyes and sat up straight.
Sure enough, it really was Lovino that was trying to talk to him. And for a moment, Gilbert's mind went blank. How should he feel about this? Happy? Or, maybe he should just throw the phone at the wall. Maybe even delete the messages and pretend that he didn't see them. But, that would be too cruel of him— even though Lovino didn't hesitate to be cruel to him a couple weeks before. The way that the mysterious Italian had rejected him, was far too painful to forget about. It made him angry, and for a moment, he really did want to throw the phone someplace else.
But, Gilbert's curiosity always won in these type of situations. Gulping nervously, he opened the first message with a subtle push of a button.
Gil, I really need to see you.
It's urgent. Please come?
— Lovino
"What's urgent?" he questioned. Before countless thoughts could enter his mind, he decided to open the second message he'd received.
I have to see you, now. Right now.
Meet me at the hill— our hill.
Please?
— Lovino
Each text message seemed to sound even more urgent than the last. At least, it did in Gilbert's mind. Whatever it was must've been an emergency! Lovino practically never used the word 'please'. Especially when he was talking to, well, everyone that wasn't a gorgeous woman. There wasn't even a single curse word in the texts! What if Lovino was in danger? Something drastic must've happened if he was desperately texting Gilbert, of all people. In the confusing and painful situation that they were in now, Gilbert had imagined that Lovino would never text him again.
There was only one way to find out what was going on. Smacking his cheeks a bit to knock him out of the daze he was still in, Gilbert hopped off of his bed and was glad that his clothing from earlier was still on. His anxiousness caused him to nearly trip when he sprang for the door, but nothing would stop him from seeing Lovino, not even the pit in his stomach that made him want to bury himself under the safe blankets on his bed.
"Oh, you're up? There's dinner in the oven, I made it about an hour ago," Ludwig said. Once he heard the sound of footsteps entering the living room, he looked up from his book (just as Gilbert had predicted) and was quite shocked to see a different expression on Gilbert's face. For the past couple of weeks, that expression had been gloomy or irritable. Now, it was full of determination.
"No time to eat. I have an emergency to attend to, so I'm going out!"
Ludwig watched in confusion as his brother shuffled around to put on his shoes and find a jacket that was actually his. He was happy that Gilbert wasn't moping around for once, but also kind of worried since he'd used the word 'emergency'.
"What emergency? And where are you going?"
"To the hill! I mean, cliff— whatever the hell it is. Lovino's waiting for me so I gotta go help him!"
"The cliff right outside of the city? And… Lovino? You two are speaking again? Gilbert, would you please take a moment to explain to me what it is that you're talking about—"
Slam!
Before Ludwig could ask anymore questions, Gilbert bolted out of the front door and slammed it close. Normally the younger German would have simply sighed at his brother's crazy behavior, but this time it was far too suspicious. He decided the best thing to do would be to ask the two people who understood Gilbert best.
Pacing back and forth, Lovino contemplated whether he should just call Gilbert instead of spamming him with texts again. He had been waiting on the cliff for quite awhile now, and it was getting cold. At least he was alone, though. If it had been a Friday night, there would no doubt be teenagers up there, as well; driving up to that particular cliff at night was a very popular thing to do in the spring and summer, some would say it was the best place for a date.
Standing behind the wooden rails on the edge, one could oversee nearly half of the city. Bright lights glowed below, and the sounds of distant cars could be heard. However, most of the busy city sounds were swallowed by the gusts of wind that carried a much different scent than the town. It was fresh, and actually helped to calm Lovino's nervousness a little.
Closing his eyes and sniffing in that familiar air gave him a strong sense of nostalgia. Along with Francis, Antonio and Gilbert, Lovino would sometimes visit this same cliff just to get away from anything that was bothering them at the time. For many years now, this little spot was their escape. Now that he thought about it, Lovino wished he had come up here these past two weeks that he'd been feeling like complete and utter shit. After tonight, perhaps he wouldn't even need to come back for a very long time. That is, if things went his way.
"Hey! Lovino!"
The voice that he had been longing to hear, made his heart stop. Lovino whirled around to see Gilbert racing towards him, yet it seemed as if it took forever for them to finally be standing right before each other. For a moment, no one said anything. Lovino just stared with his eyes widened, and Gilbert tried to catch his breath.
"A-are you alright? What happened? Why the hell were you up here, anyway?" Gilbert questioned, straightening himself up. Lovino didn't look hurt, but he looked as if he had seen a ghost or something.
"You really came… Uh, yeah! I'm fine, why wouldn't I be? And I'm here because I simply felt like coming here."
"But, you messaged me eight times. I thought that something really bad happened because of the way you made your texts sound! You mean to tell me that nothing's wrong at all? What the hell, Lovino."
Well, so far, nothing was going the way that Lovino had hoped it would. Gilbert almost sounded angry now, since he was worried beyond belief and had taken a taxi all the way out of the city. Then, he had to run all the way up the merciless hill without stopping until he reached the top and made his way to the cliff. What for, though? Lovino was fine, it seemed.
In truth, the Italian was desperately trying to figure out what to say next. Damn, and he had rehearsed this, too!
"It… It really was an emergency, dammit! I've made up my mind that I absolutely have to talk to you about… you know. No more avoiding the subject."
Lovino quickly turned back around to face the beautiful view and leaned against the railing, resting his palms on the sturdy wood. After a moment of silence, Gilbert joined him and stood by his side; not too closely, but not far enough so that it would seem awkward. However, the inevitable awkwardness had already sunken in.
"Talk? Talk about what?" Gilbert finally answered back once he could muster up the courage. "You know, if you wanted to talk, you could've called me. Phones were invented for a reason, right?"
Lovino wanted to yell at him for being a smartass in such a serious moment while he himself was trying not to falter, but that would only arise more problems. Instead, he took a deep breath and rolled his eyes before starting again.
"That's not what I fucking meant. This type of talking needs to be done in person, or it won't mean much… So just listen to what I have to say, alright?"
Since Gilbert went silent again, that must've meant that he was ready to listen. Now Lovino wondered if this whole thing was a good idea, after all. What if he said the wrong thing and Gilbert wouldn't forgive him? Or, what if Gilbert would forgive him, but would refuse to be his friend again? That might've been unlikely, since Gilbert did rush there when he thought that something was wrong.
"First off… I'm sorry. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding, which I'm sure it was, or maybe I simply overreacted. Either way, I'm apologizing for the things that I said on the phone. I probably really confused you, huh? Well, just forget about that. I didn't mean it. And I want to be friends again," he paused for a moment so that his words wouldn't fumble, before continuing, "because you're important to me."
For a moment, Lovino had thought that Gilbert wasn't even there anymore since it was so silent again. Not once had he looked to his side at the albino man as he spoke, because he was afraid of what he'd see. It was even frightening to imagine what Gilbert's facial expression looked like right then. Finally, the still body next to him let out a short sigh.
"You want me to just… 'forget about it'? Really, Lovino?"
In his mind, Gilbert had been trying to come up with a good response to this 'apology' that he was getting. At first, he had decided that maybe he would simply say it was nothing, and that Lovino didn't even have to apologize. Then he'd make some lame joke about the whole thing and they'd laugh, then return to the city together and forget this had ever happened. But, there's no way he could do that. Not now. He couldn't let his feelings get stepped on like that. He couldn't accept whatever half-assed excuse that Lovino was putting out. His heart had been broken, and he demanded to know why.
"I just don't understand. Why did it turn out like that? A simple 'I don't like you that way' would have sufficed. But, the things you said to me were really hurtful, Lovino. It doesn't make any sense, either, because I was so sure that you did like me! But then… that happened. I really don't get it."
Lovino wasn't sure of what reaction he'd get, but this definitely wasn't what he expected. He was forced to turn and face the other, and the confused yet frustrated look on Gilbert's face was painful to look at.
"Gilbert, look. I'm really sorry, alright? It's hard to explain, but I really didn't mean to hurt you. In fact, I'm surprised that you're hurt at all— I mean, it usually takes a lot to get you this upset…"
Clearly, everything that Lovino was saying only made the situation much worse. Gilbert looked angrier than Lovino had seen him in months. But even more than that, the look in his eyes shown just how hurt he was inside. He figured there was no use hiding anything from this point onward.
"What? Why the fuck wouldn't I be hurt? Okay, I know that I'm awesome and all that but since when does that mean that I don't have feelings? Because I do, just like everyone else! You, of all people, should know that. And you know what? I'm starting to think that you're not even as sorry as you claim to be."
"No, that's not true! I really am sorry, and I'll say it as many goddamn times as you want me to. It's just… Some things just can't be. And so they shouldn't, no matter how badly you want them to."
Gilbert narrowed his eyes. Obviously Lovino was speaking in riddles again, and he wasn't buying any of it. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean? Or, let me guess, it's 'hard to explain'? As if I haven't heard that one before. You still haven't even told me why you suddenly said that we couldn't be friends anymore! You remember that, don't you? About six months ago, right around the time I broke up with Liz. If you think that you can just discontinue our friendship whenever you want to without a legit reason, and then act as if nothing ever happened, then you're wrong."
Lovino was literally at a loss for words. He really wasn't used to having Gilbert get so upset at him like this, since usually it was the other way around. Gilbert would piss him off, sending him over the edge and into a raging fit. But, it seemed that Gilbert always knew how to get forgiveness and make him smile again. Now, however, Lovino felt helpless and didn't know how to deal with this at all. From the direction that this conversation was going in, he would most likely lose Gilbert for good. What would he do if that happened?
"Fuck— I… I really didn't know that the date meant this much to you. Honestly. I didn't know you'd be this upset," Lovino murmured, though mostly to himself.
"Idiot… That's not the main reason that I'm upset." A tad bit calmer now, Gilbert sighed and faced the other way again. Time looked as if it had stopped just for the two of them. From where they stood, the city below them hadn't changed since they first began this uncomfortable conversation. Yet the nostalgic breeze was nothing but melancholic now. It made the both of them shiver; though it was mainly the icy atmosphere between them.
It didn't feel right to yell at Lovino, but he was just so angry, confused and frustrated. Gilbert didn't know how else he could express his feelings like he had been wanting to. It would probably take a miracle for their relationship to be repaired, after all of this.
Sighing, Gilbert finally continued once his words were properly gathered. "I'm upset because… I feel as if I was led on. I mean, these past few months with you have just been so wonderful. You were there when I really needed you to be— so were Francis and Antonio, but you really helped me out, Lovino. Every moment with you was exciting, even when all we did was rant to each other or watch movies together. Before I knew it, you weren't just my best friend anymore. No, you became… someone very special to me."
Was this actually a confession? Whatever it was, it sure seemed like it. The beating of Lovino's heart made it almost difficult to hear Gilbert's words that came out in a hushed tone. The guilt in Lovino's throat swelled up even more, if that was possible. He wanted so badly to tell Gilbert everything, every single thing that he had been holding it. What would happen if he did? For once, Gilbert wasn't pretending that everything was fine. He wasn't smiling or laughing, nor was he making jokes about it and trying to change the subject. If he could muster up the strength to tell exactly how he felt, shouldn't Lovino be able to do it, as well?
Before Lovino could say anything, Gilbert snapped himself out of the depressing trance he had begun to sink into again and he simply shrugged. It looked to Lovino as if the albino had simply given up on everything. Even the façade that he had gotten rid of, was starting to appear again.
"Oh well," he started, and gave a lazy fake chuckle,"It was silly to think that I'd actually be capable of having an established relationship again. Not after the way I completely screwed up my last one— and you wanna know something? I knew it was going down the shithole, but I didn't even try to fix it. Whatever, though. I give up on that lame crap. It's completely un-awesome."
Give up? Give up on love? But, Gilbert never gave up on anything! Hearing him say that literally ripped Lovino's heart to shreds. Why is it that every time something wonderful is right in front of him, he ends up pushing it away? His mind wanted to explode, and it was as if he was having an internal fight with himself. One part of him wanted to claim Gilbert as his own so that they could finally be happy together. But, the other part of him knew the reason he couldn't do that. At least, he told himself that he couldn't.
"What the fuck do you mean you give up? But, you never give up anything! You're Gilbert, and you get through things as if they're nothing! S-so you can't give up, you just can't!"
"And why can't I? I had love, and I lost it. Big deal. I'm not wasting my time on that shit anymore. And even if I did, who would I get it from?" Gilbert looked at Lovino as if suggestion of not giving up was the most stupidest thing he'd ever heard. Perhaps it was a mistake to come there in the first place. After he found out that Lovino was fine, he should've just left. Now he felt even more horrible than the past fourteen days combined.
Because he wasn't sure if he'd be able to hold the tears that were swelling up in his eyes and it definitely wasn't awesome to cry in front of others, Gilbert flashed the best smirk that he could muster up at the moment, and turned to walk away. Before he could take even two steps, though, he felt his left arm being tightly grasped as he was tugged from behind and forced to turn back around, facing Lovino again.
"From me, you fucking pitiful bastard! From me!" Lovino yelled these words at the top of his lungs, not daring to loosen his grip. Even though it was dark, Gilbert could see just how red and furious the Italian's face was. But, was he really angry, or just upset? "Y-you'll get love from me, because I love you, goddammit!"
'Love'? Did he just say love? That forbidden word bounced against every corner of Gilbert's frozen mind. No matter how many times he repeated it to himself in his head, it was just too much to take in all at once. A moment ago, Lovino was rejecting him all over again, wasn't he? Then, where the hell did this come from? He wanted to ask, but he kept his mouth shut. His mouth wouldn't be able to form the words, anyway. Gilbert was completely dumbfounded.
"I love you, Gilbert," Lovino went on to repeat again. It was his turn to confess now. "I-I love you so fucking much that it hurts! I can't help it, even though I shouldn't be with you in that type of relationship… I don't deserve to be."
"I don't… understand?" Gilbert murmured when Lovino had gone silent again. He tried to read the guilty expression on Lovino's face but he just couldn't. Not this time.
After a short moment, Lovino sadly shook his head and looked down into the dirt that they were standing in. He suddenly felt weak in the knees, and looking Gilbert in those ruby eyes that he adored so much, wouldn't make it any better.
"I hated seeing the two of you together. I really hated it… Why couldn't I just be glad that my best friend, and my other friend, were happy together? I tried to be, but I just couldn't. Not after I realized just how much I liked you. That was well over a year ago, you know?"
Wait— Lovino was jealous of Liz and I? Again, all of this came to Gilbert as a complete shock. Why hadn't he noticed this before? He thought that he knew just about everything about Lovino. Yet, he couldn't see that his best friend had feelings for him until only a little bit over a month ago?
"I told myself that I wouldn't get between you two, no matter what. No matter what I was feeling, I wouldn't do anything about it. And yet, I went ahead and fucked you. Even though you were still together with Liz, I… Drunk or not, I helped ruin your relationship! Sure, the two of you would fight sometimes, but I'm part of the reason you went through all of that!" Lovino shuddered, thinking about just how much of a miserable sap Gilbert had been that entire month after the break-up. "Hell, I even remember wishing that each argument would be the last, and that I'd have a chance to be with you. What kind of horrible friend does that?"
"Lovino, I never knew…"
"That's exactly the reason why we can't be together… Why should I deserve to be happy with you, when I couldn't even be happy when you were with someone else? I couldn't tell you because you'd think I was pathetic. And well, you'd be right. That's also why I had broken off our friendship that time— I was so close to just taking you for myself, even though I had already helped you cheat on her once."
The way that Lovino's entire body was trembling now, told that he was crying as he confessed everything he'd kept to himself for so long. The tears trickling down his bright red cheeks shown in the moonlight, and Gilbert wanted nothing more than to wipe them away. He was still having a bit of trouble grasping all of this newfound information, as well. God, he felt like such an idiot! Lovino was pouring his heart out to him, and all he could do was stand there in shock with his mouth hanging open.
What should he say, though? 'It's okay' was obviously not the right term to use in this situation. Because, well, nothing was okay. He and Lovino claimed to know everything about each other, and people always said they were inseparable. Yet, neither of them could see just how much they loved each other. Either they were both good at hiding it, or that was a huge fail on their part. What would it be like if they were in a relationship, then? Gilbert didn't want to make the same mistakes he'd made with Liz, if he got together with Lovino. Losing her was difficult enough, he wouldn't bear it if he drove Lovino away, too.
It never hurt to try, though, right? And with their awesome individual skills, they could work together!
Gilbert cleared his throat, and hoped that his throbbing head wouldn't screw up what he had to say next. "Listen, Lovino. The truth is, I also—"
"I shouldn't even be telling you this shit, since you're so fed up with me. But, you wanted to know, right? Well, now you know," Lovino grumbled, and rose a hand to wipe both of his tearstained cheeks. He did a sloppy job, and Feliciano would no doubt ask him what happened when he returned home. He hated how his cheeks always told his feelings.
"Hey, wait. Let me talk first—"
"What the hell are we going to do now?" Lovino interrupted again. "We just confessed all of these fucked up things to each other, but I still feel like shit. I'm guessing you're not gonna want anything to do with me—"
"Just shut up for a second!" Gilbert shouted above Lovino's rambling, and cupped his hands on both of the Italian's cheeks. Before he could really figure out what was going on, Lovino was silenced by the pair of lips that he'd longed to feel again. Gilbert smashed their lips together with so much force, that the contact nearly hurt. However, neither of them really minded. They didn't mind at all, because they were too absorbed into the feeling of kissing each other to think about anything else.
"W-what the hell w-was that for?" Lovino sputtered out, furrowing his brows and sticking out his bottom lip just a bit. He always held this expression when Gilbert did something completely random that embarrassed him, even when he secretly enjoyed it.
"To shut you up, of course. Now listen to me, I feel the same way, you know? I mean, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself… It's only natural that you were jealous— ah, I don't mean that in an egotistical way, or anything. Though, it is true. Um… and like I've said before, don't blame yourself. What happened between Liz and I was our business, okay? So stop blaming yourself already!"
Gilbert playfully flicked Lovino on the forehead as if scolding him for being so irrational. But, he received no complaint from the silent man before him. Mainly since all of the emotions that both of them were feeling was far too overwhelming for him.
"So, yeah. Stop beating yourself up. I obviously would have been the same way if you were the one in a relationship, instead. And, about what happens after this, well… I also, uh, feel the way you do… about this whole thing. Which basically means…"
"You suck at this." Lovino scoffed, trying not to laugh at Gilbert's loss for words and obvious embarrassment. It was actually kind of cute.
"No, I don't!"
"Yeah, you do."
Gilbert puffed out his cheeks and groaned irritably before shouting out, "Stupid, I'm trying to say that I love you, too!"
Silence. This time, it was probably even longer than the other awkward moments of silence when neither of them knew what to say. Only, it wasn't awkward, Lovino was simply in awe to hear such words come out of the mouth of the one that he loved. The fact that he was loved back, was too unreal. For a moment, he could've sworn that this whole thing was just a dream that he'd wake up from and curse the world at how it couldn't have been reality.
That is, until Gilbert pecked his lips again.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Cut that out, dammit." He looked away from those smirking lips, trying to fight the smile that desperately wanted to spread across his lips.
"Why? You love my kisses. And you love me," Gilbert teased.
"You kiss like an old woman. You're like a grandmother giving sloppy wet kisses to her damn grandchildren."
"W-what? That's a lie! You're in denial, Lovi!"
Lovino chuckled mischievously and discreetly wrapped his arms around Gilbert's waist, trapping him into a hug. "Like hell I am. If you're going to be my lover, then you're going to need a lot of practicing, right?"
Lover, huh? Gilbert definitely liked the sound of that. He liked it even more when Lovino pulled him into another kiss, this time much more fiery and passionate than the previous ones. Having an Italian boyfriend with a spicy personality? Yeah, he could definitely get used to this. Letting his arms slither their way around his new lover's neck, Gilbert anticipated their colorful future together. For now, they would probably be on that cliff for a little while longer.
"Looks like they've finally got their happy ending! It took awhile, but I'm so proud of them! And for two amateurs, I'm surprised that they didn't need us to trap them into a room together and force them to make up."
Watching through a pair of binoculars from a bush many yards away, Francis couldn't help but squeal at the sight of Lovino and Gilbert snuggled together under the starry sky and bright moonlight. He'd definitely have to congratulate them the very next day and buy them gifts like condoms and lingerie to play in! That's what best friends are for, right? Of course!
"I'm happy for them, as well! I was worried that both of them were too stubborn to fix this on their own, but it's good to see that they have," Antonio replied, grinning from ear to ear despite warning Francis only a few minutes before that they shouldn't be spying again. The last time they'd done that, Gilbert was pissed.
"I agree. And, it's a good thing that Ludwig told us that Gil was coming here, or else we would've missed such a great scene! At least things will be back to the way that they should be. It's going to be incredibly fun to mess with our little love birds."
The two mischievous spying men laughed and sighed with relief afterwards. Looks like things were definitely working out in everyone's favor.
"So… blackmail?" Francis suggested, pulling out the camera from his pocket.
"You bet."
Edit—A/N: So there was a request for an epilogue— I was thinking about writing one already, I just don't know what it'll be about. I really want it to be domestic and natural, though. I'll update this when I've written it~ Again, thanks to everyone for reading this and/or reviewing!