The Vargas brothers ran through the busy market area. They weaved through the crowd of people. Some people yelled at them for pushing. But what did it matter? Lovino was with his brother. Even though Feliciano said that he too didn't remember, Lovino knew that he was going to get some answers from his.
They left the market and headed down some alleyway. They came to the opening at the end of the alley and ran out into a street. "Let's go this way." Feliciano pointed to the right. They went right. The brothers continued running around the town, taking random turns.
"Lovi, can we please stop running?"
Lovino and Feliciano finally stopped at a bench in a playful park. They plopped down, catching their breaths. They watched the kids running around, playing with each other. They climbed on the structures. Some kids screamed just because they could. Some parents played with their kids, and others sat on benches watching.
Lovino started to laugh.
"Ve? What is so funny?"
"Remember when we took Grandpa's underwear and hung it on the flagpole? Some important people were coming over that day. Grandpa was pissed at us. He chased us all through town. You remember that?" Lovino looked at his brother.
"Si. I do remember that. It said 'Strongest Nation' and had little hearts all over them." Feliciano rested his head on Lovino's shoulder. He laced his fingers through Lovino's fingers. "And so do you."
"Yeah, I do remember." He thought about why it was so easy for him to remember that silly memory.
"Do you remember anything else?
Lovino thought for a moment. "Olives."
Feliciano snuggled closer into his brother. "Ve~! Grandpa had an olive farm."
The two Vargas brothers sat in silence, watching the happy screaming kids running around.
"Fratello I know. There is a great stand at the market that sells the best tomatoes. We can make tomato sauce and have pasta."
"Sounds good, Feli."
"Lovi~ you called me Feli!" Feliciano smiled a great big smile.
"So?" He looked at his brother in confusion.
"You used to always called me Feli or fratello. I'm glad you remember."
The Vargas brothers headed back to the market. Lovino grabbed Feliciano's arm, so he wouldn't lose him. Lovino felt uneasy. The people stopped what there were doing to watch the Vargas brothers walked by and would whisper after they passed. Lovino followed Feliciano to the stand he was talking about.
"Ciao signor. We would like some tomatoes."
"Go away. I won't do business with either one of you."
"But signor-"
"GO!"
"Come Feli. We can find some other place."
Lovino took Feliciano out of the market area. They went for a walk through the alleyways. "Don't you think it was strange at the market area?"
"Singor was always happy to see me. Why was he so mean?" Feliciano looked to Lovino with tears forming in his eyes.
"How the hell should I know?" Tears poured down Feliciano's cheek. "Don't cry, Feli. Look, we'll have pasta and tomato sauce. Come on, I can have Antonio make it for us."
They held hands as they walked. After a little bit Feliciano stopped crying. "Can we go back to the park for a little bit, fratello?"
"Sure."
The boys sat down again on a bench. There were still lots of screaming kids playing. Feliciano rested his head Lovino's shoulder, snuggled close to his brother. He held Lovino's arm.
"Feli, what happened to Grandpa?"
Feliciano sat up. "Come on fratello." Feliciano stood up. He led his brother out of the park. Lovino followed his brother, not knowing where they were going.
"Feli," Lovino stopped short. His heart felt broken. "I've seen enough."
Feliciano had brought his brother to a cemetery. It was not one of the dark, scary, sad, depressing, sketchy kind of cemeteries. This cemetery had healthy green grass. The Vargas brothers smelled the newly cut grass in the air. The head stones have no weeds growing around them. There must be a caretaker for this cemetery.
"It's okay. Come and see Grandpa." Feliciano took Lovino's hand and brought him to their grandfather's head stone. "See? He passed away a couple years after the fire." Feliciano pointed to the date. The younger Italian hugged his brother. Feliciano gave Lovino a small kiss. "It's okay. We have each other, fratello."
"Yeah. You're right." Lovino wrapped his arms around his little brother.
"Let's go have some pasta now. That will make us feel better."
Lovino nodded. "And tomato sauce."
"Si."
The Vargas brothers left the cemetery, hand in hand, feeling better.
A black van pulled up in front of the cemetery just as the brothers passed through the gate. Fear filled both teens as the sliding door opened. "Fratello run!" Both boys yelled at each other.
They took off running. They still held hands in order not to lose each other. "This way." Feliciano pulled Lovino to the right. "We'll take alleys and back streets. The way won't be able to follow us." Feliciano huffed.
Lovino didn't argue with Feliciano. Lovino let his brother lead them through the alleys. Lovino got a feeling that Feliciano had a run in with these guys before. They jumped over some crates at the end of the alley. They looked around their surroundings. They were in a square. A round water fountain sat in the middle of the square. Houses sat neatly in a row. Lovino and Feliciano's shoes clicked on the cobblestone.
"Where are we?" Lovino asked.
"Uh. I don't know. I've never here before."
"Let's go back the way we came."
"But Lovi-"
"I know. They think that we went through here. So, going back will throw them off."
Feliciano's face lit up once understand what his brother was saying. "I get it."
The brothers climbed over the wood crates again. They didn't run, but walk quickly. Their hands still intertwine.
"Feli, I know this isn't exactly the right time, but do you know who those people are? And why they are after us?"
"All I know is that those people are bad." Feliciano quietly answered. "I like it when you call me Feli."
The boys stopped. They looked at each other. "I guess being with you helps me remember. Like I know that I call you Feli and I remembered Grandpa's underwear."
"Ve."
The Vargas brothers kissed each other. It wasn't the same way how Antonio kissed Lovino, but for whatever reason Lovino enjoyed kissing his brother.
"We can go to Antonio's. We'll be safe there."
"Si."
They got to the end of the alleyway and hung a left. Feliciano screamed as someone grabbed him. A pair of strong hands grabbed Lovino, pulling him away from his brother.
"LOVI!" Feliciano tried his best to fight against the person holding him. He reached out to Lovino. "FRATELLO HELP!"
"FELI!" Lovino reached out to Feliciano. Their fingers barely brushed each other. "NO! DON'T TAKE HIM!" The person holding onto Lovino struck him on the back of his head, knocking him out.
"FRATELLO!" The person holding onto Feliciano tossed him into the black van.