Wooohoooo new update! I just want to say thank you so much for the amazing feedback I received from the first chapter! I'm so glad you all are enjoying this! Because I'm having so much fun writing it :) Just a btw, Emma is Belgium and no I don't hate her I promise, I just kinda needed someone to fit the bubbly, airhead TV personality role and she was who I decided to throw under the bus :/ oh well, enjoy ^_^
"Today we have with us the renowned author of the most creative best-selling book of the decade 'Love Never Dies'. At only twenty-one years of age, he is one of the youngest authors ever to reach this status of popularity. He is here now to speak to us about his newest endeavor. Yes, folks, you guessed it. It's Lovino Vargas!"
The author briskly strolled onto the stage upon hearing his name announced. Clapping and whistling resounded from the audience seated before him. Everyone was going crazy as the famous writer made his way to the overstuffed maroon chair that was currently empty and took a seat after shaking the female TV personality's hand.
"Always a pleasure, Emma," Lovino replied, charmingly batting his eyelashes in a manner that was seductive enough to make people fall in love with him, but not so much that it made him seem ridiculous. The interviewer took a moment to drastically react by poofing her strawberry-blonde curls and placing a dainty hand over her lacquered lips.
"Well aren't you just the ladies man," she joked, playfully hitting him on the arm. The author merely lifted his shoulders sheepishly and sank into the massive chair.
"Alright, before we start in on your upcoming novel, let's talk a bit about your previous one," Emma continued, producing a copy from the table between them, "In this book's first week of being released it sold over a million copies worldwide. Did you ever think it would grow to be this popular?"
"To be honest, no. I mean, when you're writing you have hopes that everyone will love it and it'll go over well but you can never really tell how well its going to do. Fortunately, people seemed to like it so that's always a plus!" the author smiled, his honey-toned orbs twinkling. He was always happiest when talking about his work. The petite woman displayed the cover to the audience before setting it back down.
"For those of you who haven't already read it, 'Love Never Dies' is a masterfully creative story that personifies the nations of the world as actual people. This tale is between the personifications of Spain and South Italy, who is called Romano is the novel to distinguish him from his northern brother. Romano, like the nation he portrays, is extremely insecure and withdrawn from people. He falls into the hands of Spain, an outgoing former empire trying to hold his country together the best he can. He is carefree and living life to its full extent. As they progress through history together, they help each other see life through the other's eyes. Romano keeps Spain grounded while Spain teaches Romano to love. Viewers, this is not your average love story. There are some pretty crazy twists in there that you don't want to miss, but I won't give them away. So, Lovino, what inspired you to write this anyways?"
The man paused a moment to scratch the back of his head before delving into his answer.
"To be honest, I originally wanted to write about the deep-rooted fascination between Germany and Italy, but I can't stand Germans so that option was tossed out quickly." At this the audience responded with the appropriate chuckling. "But I've always thought this type of relationship would be beautiful: two lovers saving each other when they didn't even know they needed to be saved. There's something alluring in that. As for them being nations, I wanted to write the plot throughout a lot of history and making them nations seemed to fit," he revealed.
"Of course, of course," Emma nodded, "And now, you've managed to think up another brilliant plot that you're writing. Could you give us any hints as to what this new story will be about?"
"Erm, well, it is about another pair of nations but it's a bit complicated at the moment" Lovino grimaced, shifting in the plush chair, "But basically its about a love triangle between Hungary, Austria, and Prussia alluding to the Austro-Hungarian empire but set in modern times. Obviously, that can't end well but I haven't really hashed out the finer points or anything. Sorry to disappoint."
"No, its completely fine! Besides, a good author never reveals their secrets, right?" she winked.
The audience rolled in laughter and Lovino gave a half smile but his judging eyes betrayed his true emotions. He wished he could just get this interview over with already so he could go home and indulge himself in words. People were so simple-minded sometimes. Emma's 'joke' wasn't humorous in the least.
"Something like that," Lovino condescendingly smirked, leaning on his elbow.
"Phew, that was a right laugh," the interviewer squeaked while pretending to wipe fake tears from the corner of her eyes. Oh, television. Always one for pointless dramatics. "Anywho, moving right along! We now know everything there is about this man's books, past and future, but how much do we know about the author himself? Who is the real Lovino Vargas? Find out after this commercial break!"
One minute, Emma was all grins and positivity but the second that the cameramen yelled 'clear' her nice façade washed away and was replaced by a sour-attitude. With one snap of her fingers, a team of make-up and hair staff was immediately at her side touching up her powder and re-coloring her already perfect lips. She yelled for someone to bring her water and complained when it wasn't 'the expensive one from the glass bottle'.
Lovino was utterly appalled by her behavior. Then again, it didn't necessarily surprise him that she was so two-faced, but it was disappointing to be even further disgusted with the human race everywhere he went. The interviewer only helped to prove why he was a self-proclaimed recluse.
"Got to get my TV face back on," Emma chirped over at the author, plastering that oh-so-fake gleam on her make-up caked face. Lovino gave a noncommittal smile before looking down at his lap and shuddering. He'd spent more than enough time around horrid people today and all he craved was some solitude where no one could bother him. Unfortunately, though, he had an entire half of an interview to sit through. Why had he ever agreed to do this?
"And we are back folks!" the interviewer said in the high pitched tone she fabricated so well as the cameraman gave her the signal that they were rolling, "Before the break, I promised we would get to know Lovino Vargas, not as the author put as the person. Now its time to find out just that. So Lovino, I'm sure this is the question everyone wants to know: what do you love the most about writing?"
"Well, basically I love the amount of control I have," the author disclosed, "When I'm writing, my characters do whatever I want them to do. I always know what their next move will be and everything is precisely calculated. Nothing like real life where something could wrong in the blink of an eye. Like, when two people fall in love in my book, I know it will last, but in real life there's no telling what could happen. When I'm in control, I can decide what people are thinking, what they're doing. I could even kill them, if I want to."
After Lovino's speech he trailed off into silence, feeling everyone's gaping stare at him. What had he just done? He'd practically laid out half of his soul for the entre world to see and judge. Right from the minute he opened his mouth, the author knew he was going too far, so why hadn't he stopped? Why had he given these abominable people his innermost being for them to do whatever they please with it? Self-loathing coursed through him as he tried to think of a way to ease the awkward tension now hovering over the studio.
"Erm, I mean I like to write love stories because they're happy?" he amended sheepishly. Emma quickly recovered from her shell-shocked state with a good-natured chuckle, but the audience didn't bounce back so easily. Their glaring eyes were practically painful. It felt like a massive weight being lowered onto the young man's chest, suffocating him to the point of asphyxiation.
"Next question then," the interviewer said, smoothly seguing into another topic, "Can you tell us about your love life? Someone who writes stories like you do must have people throwing themselves at you. I'm sure it also doesn't hurt that you're a looker too." The author blinked once, brushed his locks to the side, and then frowned.
"No, I don't. I've never even been in love before."
"Not even once?" the astonished woman probed, curiosity burning in her green eyes.
Lovino's own eyes widened once he realized what he'd just revealed over national television. Fuck, what was wrong with him today? Couldn't he keep his head on straight for one measly interview? God, he was so rusty with social interaction that keeping his damn mouth shut was a gargantuan feat.
"Well, I'm sure I have at some point but I've never found 'the one'," Lovino effortlessly lied to cover up the huge personal secret.
"Mmm I see. Well unfortunately, that's all we have time for this morning! Thank you so much for joining us, Lovino. Be sure to stay tuned as we interview the chart-topping pop group, The Bad Touch Trio, coming up next!"
The camera panned away from Emma and the happy persona fell away, just like last time. The author briefly nodded his thanks to her before arising from the gaudy, plush chair and making his way backstage where several crew members were bustling around trying to prepare everything during the commercials. After dodging two burly men moving a rather large lighting screen and making sure no one was near, he slammed a fist down on the sturdy prop table in fury.
Since when had he become chummy enough with the general public to decide that it was perfectly fine to share his deepest secrets with them? He'd been too caught up in the moment, his mind was elsewhere, and no thinking had occurred before he opened his mouth. For the most part, Lovino was phenomenal at filtering out what he deemed acceptable to let others knows from what was too worthy to grace the barbaric ears of the masses, but today he had slipped up.
Ok, yes, that did sound completely arrogant, which he truly wasn't but he didn't want others knowing all about him. Once people had information, they had power over him and that was something Lovino didn't want to happen. He was his own master and it was staying that way.
Like for instance, talk-show viewers didn't need to know that he had never even…
'Stop worrying about this,' Lovino mentally reprimanded himself. The past was the past and dwelling on it would only drive him to insanity. Maybe Feliciano was right. Maybe he had been spending too much time focused on writing. When he got home, the first thing he would do is call up his brother and they would go for a drink.
As the small man turned to go towards his dressing room, a figure passed by him that stole his every breath within the blink of an eye. Whipping his head around, Lovino kept his gaze following the man as he continued walking until he met up with two other people standing just off the set. The author's heart was reverberating erratically like a drum line gone mad. His hands were trembling from the rush of adrenaline. All because of one simple guy.
What was going on with him? This was crazy.
But no, this was not just a simple guy. He looked like a character that had stepped right out of one of his own stories. Perfection was written on every single feature that he possessed. The flawless skin encasing round bone structure and chiseled cheeks was bronzed to perfection. His espresso-coloured locks were styled in a manner that was just messy enough to pass as trendy. And don't even get the author started on his eyes. Those eyes were what took away his breath in the first place after locking the endless fields of green in a gaze that couldn't have lasted longer than a second.
For all purposes, this god-like man was utterly gorgeous in Lovino's eyes. After a moment of deep concentration on him, the man broke his stare, furrowing his brows in bewilderment. In all his years of writing about the finer workings of love, never had he himself felt the telltale signs. A hand fluttered to his chest, feeling the palpitating heart beat with the cavity. He was beyond dumbfounded why this would be happening to him now when he didn't even know the man that passed by. But perhaps, after all this time of being lonely he'd managed to stumble across what he had been looking for. Perhaps, he'd found 'the one'.
Lovino made the decision to stay behind stage a while longer just to find out a little bit more about his person of interest. Being a writer, he could easily discern a lot of his personality by the way he presented himself. From what Lovino could tell, the man was quite relaxed today yet had some hidden tension built up inside. The goofy way he communicated with the other people near him suggested he was a bit of a jokester. His… wait, where was he going? Why was he walking on stage?
As the doe-eyed man continued forward, Lovino also moved in sync with him. There was almost a gravitational pull edging him onwards, pushing him to find out more about this guy. If he was a stagehand, it didn't make sense as to why he was greeting a grinning Emma unless…
"Ladies and gentlemen, you've listened to them since the beginning, you've seen them rise to fame, and now here they are live and in studio. They are: The Bad Touch Trio!"
"Of course," the author whispered, peering at the stage from behind the massive dividers hiding the backstage area from the audience. Damn, did he feel like an idiot right now. He should have known just from the immaculate way the guy dressed that he was in a boyband. And not just any boyband. He was in the boyband that currently had everyone in the world pining after them for their cheesy mass-produced lyrics and crazy fashion sense.
Yet, there was something deep inside of Lovino that urged him to stay just a moment longer. Just to give the man a chance. Maybe he wasn't as bad as he came off to be. Leaning into the wall, the author crossed his arms and listened as the interview went underway.
"Well hello, hello! It's been a couple years since I've seen your beautiful faces on this stage," Emma started off with some playful banter. The three members chorused back their laughter in response.
"Yea, I'm pretty sure the last time we were here was just after our first album got released," the silver-haired one in the skull-and-crossbones tank-top affirmed.
"We just couldn't stay away from your pretty face darling," joked the boy who had caught his attention with a smirk. Yes, he was definitely the center of the group. As if his flamboyant pairing of tan skinny jeans and brightly patterned red and yellow jacket hadn't given that away instantly… The third person who had his shaggy blonde hair styled with gel gasped.
"Mon cher, that is my line!" the fairy-like blonde yelped, "Hmph, just ignore Antonio. He's only in the band for comical relief."
So his name was Antonio. Lovino allowed a Cheshire-cat grin to form on his face. He rather liked the way the name rolled off his tongue like melted butter. Antonio was fascinating him more with every tick of the clock.
"Boys, boys, no squabbling!" Emma playfully reprimanded, using one hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her earring laden ear, "Now the reason you lot are here is to promote your newest album, Brave Young Hearts, which will be available in stores next month. The track listing has already been revealed as well as your current single Double Take. So tell me, what is your favorite song off the album and why? We'll start with you, Francis."
The blonde standing behind the chair occupied by his two other band mates pretended to scratch his stubble while thinking about his answer.
"For me, I'd have to say that Crazy For You is my favourite because it just talks about how the guy is pining for his girl but she isn't returning the love," the man, apparently Francis, responded. Emma mock winced.
"Ooh, that's always the worst. How about you, Gilbert?"
"I'd actually go with Double Take as mine," the silver-haired one admitted, "Because there'll always be that one person who will catch your attention and then you can't get them out of your mind."
"So true. And you, Antonio?" the interviewer probed.
The stunning man dramatically tilted his head, narrowing his eyes until they were barely more than slits. Gilbert tried to shove him into speaking but he held up one finger to settle his friend. Meanwhile, Lovino awaited backstage with bated breath. He couldn't wait to hear what his attraction was going to say. After all, this would be the first glimpse into Antonio's brain that the author would have.
"My favourite song of the entire album would definitely be…" Antonio slowly drug out his answer, "Take Me Away. Mainly because it's all about fiesta and having fun, nothing too serious, you know?"
Fiesta and having fun? Nothing too serious? At first, Lovino had thought the other lad's answers were cheap cop-outs, but this one? This one took the cake.
It was physically revolting how insincere Antonio's response was. To a man who lived off of poetic lines and deep meanings, it was almost a direct slap in the face. No one appreciated carefully selected terms artfully strung together into a masterpiece anymore. People like Antonio made the author want to give up his career, for his audience was simple minded humans who would only take the words at face value.
But the thing was, Antonio wasn't just another person. There was something about the enigmatic man that completely enraptured the writer. The innocent smile that graced the singer's easy-going features begged for another chance. And that's exactly what Lovino gave him, remaining right where he was behind the set divider. Surely the answer had been some attempt at a cute remark and not his actual thoughts.
"They all sound like wonderful songs I'm sure everyone will enjoy them," Emma cooed, "Speaking of love, a lot of your songs are about this wonderful emotion and serenading girls because of it. So in your own words, how would you describe love?"
"That's a good question. I don't even know if love can be described," Antonio reasoned with the interviewer. Good answer, Lovino thought, now in for the kill.
"It's basically just this fuzzy feeling you get when you're around an attractive person."
Did he hear that right? Love was a 'fuzzy feeling'? That you get when you're around an attractive person? As if Lovino hadn't felt sick earlier, he certainly did now. Who in their right mind would be shallow enough to describe love as 'a fuzzy feeling'? Antonio could've said something along the lines of 'an enigma' or even a 'bond between two people'. But no, he had chosen potentially the least heartfelt answer possible.
Shaking his head in disappointment, the author slammed a fist into the divider before storming out of the backstage area not bothering to wait in his dressing room as per instructions. Whatever hope he had in the pop-star vanished when the dolt opened his infuriatingly perfect lips. Someone as stupid as him didn't deserve the artful features that he had. It was almost a waste of beauty.
But the worst part? The worst part was that, for a moment, Lovino might just have had the capability of falling in love. He'd been so ready to tear down all barriers surrounding his hardened heart for a shot at the alluring male. Sadly, the author had let himself get tricked into giving the trivial boy a shot at ruining his happiness and, not only that, but he'd given Antonio a second chance as well. From now on, there would be round the clock security on Lovino's heart and no one, especially not some airhead from a boyband, was getting inside of it.
"For the last time, Feliciano, get away from my door or I'm calling the police on you!"
"You can't call the police on your own brother! What kind of person does that?"
"Me. Now get off my property before I make the call."
"You are being ridiculous, Brother. All I want is to hang out with you. I haven't seen you in months."
The author blew a stray strand of hair out of his eyes and slumped wearily against the door frame. An hour ago he'd come home from the studios livid and disappointed in himself and just wanting to escape the world for a while. Unfortunately for him, not even an hour later a very hyper Feliciano Vargas showed up at his door wanting company and refusing to leave until he got it.
"Why can't you leave me alone? Don't you understand that all I want is to write in solitude?" Lovino retorted, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.
"You have got to stop this, Lovi, please. Your reclusiveness is getting out of control," the younger twin yelled back from the other side of the closed door. The young man bit down on his lip hard, drawing tiny pricks of blood to the surface.
"Feliciano, for the last time… GO AWAY!"
"Okay, Lovi," he responded, his tone calm and defeated, "But I wish you would realize what you're doing to yourself. Someday those stories are going to be all you'll have."
The bitter words that Feliciano spoke stabbed at the author's heart, making him think twice. He fumbled around until his hand latched onto the cold, brass doorknob and he swung open the massive, black painted front door.
"Wait, Feli, I'm… Feli?" Lovino turned his gaze in all directions searching for the familiar golden eyes but his sights came up empty. It appeared that his brother had already vacated the premises.
"Fine. Whatever! I don't need you either," he bellowed to no one before banging the door shut.
His feet pounded down the hallway as he raged back to the study. That was twice today he had given people chances and twice that it had come back around to bite him in the ass. His hand grabbed at a stack of discarded papers and he flung most of them across the room. The ones still in his hands he tore to shreds before tossing the remains into the crackling fireplace in the back. Next, he raised the desk chair over his head and sent it crashing into the opposite wall, leaving several dents in the plaster. Finally, he kicked the desk and everything, books, ink, trinkets, went toppling to the ground leaving an ink stain from the shattered bottle on the tan carpet.
Then Lovino stopped in his tracks, taking in all of the destruction around him. What had he just done? This wasn't who he was. The real Lovino Vargas didn't get angry like this. In fact, the real Lovino Vargas didn't show emotion at all. And most certainly, the real Lovino Vargas didn't let brainless nobodies from mainstream boybands affect them like he had done.
Where had the young man gone wrong? What happened to the strong wall he'd built up to keep the bombs and blows of life from hurting him? Never in his twenty-two years had he ever felt so vulnerable. So perhaps, that was why he chose this moment, and this moment only, to let a single tear cascade down his tanned cheek as he gazed upon his surroundings and realized just how alone he truly was.
Poor Romano bby :( he never gets a break, eh? Review/favourite/or do whatever! You'll have my undying love and gratitude :D Oh and I think you guys will like the next chapter, just saying ;) yay for cliffhangers!