Chapter Thirty: My Brother's Keeper

NCIS and whatever was on after that (he had watched at least half a marathon of NCIS and then one episode of the show after that… Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, perhaps) later and Feliciano wasn't feeling any better about himself. So he went to bed early, and woke up early as well.

He was at work right as Ludwig was unlocking the café doors. "Something the matter, Feli? You're usually the last one here…"

Feliciano put on the best smile that he could and replied, "Naw… just thought I'd try and get here earlier than usual, is all. Can't you tell? Spring is in the air!" he chirped convincingly.

Ludwig paused for a moment, and then chuckled to himself, letting the Italian go in before him.

Feliciano tried his best to stay cheerful even when Lovino arrived a few minutes after Arthur and Francis. There was some news at lunch from the Good Slash Forever Fangirl Alliance, and Arthur and Francis were forced into confessing that they were moving in together. Matthew and Alfred all ready knew of this, and were no doubt secretly pleased and sad about the fact. Pleased that they finally would have the house to themselves, and sad because, come on, they would be losing their precious Queen of England!

Feliciano came home drained of any real emotion, and just went through his usual movements of preparing dinner. A few minutes in to his zombie-like preparing techniques, he heard a knock on the door and became a living person again. (The color even returned to his paled face.)

"Coming~" he yelled, running around his counter to the door.

Upon opening it, he saw a bouquet of roses. Knowing that bouquets of roses didn't just sprout legs and start walking, he gently pushed the flowers down, revealing a face he never thought he'd see in any light but awkward and somewhat mad at him for some unknown reason.

"Hey, Lovi," Feliciano said, quite surprised.

"Hey, Feli," Lovino replied, smiling awkwardly.

Feliciano pulled him inside (it was still freezing) and shut the door before taking the flowers from Lovino. "Are these for me?" and after the dark-haired Sicilian nodded shyly, "They're beautiful!"

Lovino cleared his throat and moved close to the smaller boy, "This is for you, too," he said quickly before giving Feliciano a chaste kiss on the mouth.

Before Lovi could pull away, Feliciano deepened the kiss, moaning a little into it, which aroused Lovino a little bit. Feliciano pulled away, licking the side of his mouth a little bit with a look of innocence in his bright brown eyes. "Thank you…" he murmured.

Then he sniffed, "Ah~ Would you like some pasta alfredo, Lovino?" he asked, hurrying back into the kitchen area as his water boiled.

Lovino blinked. From kissing me to cooking dinner? But he smiled anyway and nodded, sitting on one of the stools near the counter that separated the kitchen from the fake dining room.

After dinner, Lovino and Feliciano sat on the couch. It had started out a little awkward, with Lovino and Feliciano at opposite sides of the couch, but then Feliciano seemed to get a little braver, and he began moving inch by inch until he was sitting next to Lovino, their knees touching slightly and blushes creeping on their faces.

There was no fire to stare at, as it was nearing the spring equinox, so Feliciano flicked his eyes on his companion's face for a moment before he moved a hand under Lovino's chin and pulled his face so that Lovino was looking back at him. Lovino's face flushed deeply, but Feliciano simply smiled and pressed their lips together. After a few moments, Lovino pressed back, gently putting his arms around the other boy's waist. It's a wonder you're not fat from all the Italian food you eat, Feli.

"I know you came here to tell me something…" Feli murmured as they parted, his lips still millimeters away from Lovi's.

Lovino blinked, his dark eyes flickering.

Feliciano went on, "The flowers, the kiss? It didn't feel like the usual 'Hey-you're-my-brother-so-we'll-hang-out-and-stuff' thing we've been doing…" he said, a hint of teasing in his light brown eyes.

Lovino looked down at his hands as they came up from Feliciano's waist and began playing with a button on Feliciano's uniform (he hadn't changed when he came home from work, Lovino guessed). "No… I came here because… Because I've realized something."

"Oh?"

"Well… Everyone's coupled up now… and there have been some major leaps in relationships… Nat and Kat… and now Arthur and Francis… and in those and because of those… I've realized that… that I love you, Feliciano. And not… not the way we were supposed to back when Marcus was still alive…"

Feliciano smiled, "And I love you too. I've always loved you. And I think I've loved in a the way a brother really shouldn't since you took me to the Prom…" Feliciano replied, putting his thumb and first finger over Lovino's, helping him snap open the first button on his shirt.

Lovino was surprised, both at Feliciano's simple action with his first button, and also at his confession. Feliciano watched Lovino's eyes widen slightly, and began moving closer to close the gap between their lips again. "Is this wrong? We're brothers, aren't we?" Lovino suddenly asked.

"You were free to go when Marcus died, Lovino…" Feliciano replied, his breath warm on Lovino's lips, "We're technically not brothers anymore…" and with that said, Feliciano kissed Lovino again.

The kiss became deeper and deeper until Lovino was pinned under Feliciano. Feliciano's hands dragged over Lovino's torso, making the older male shiver and moan into the kiss. The younger Italian stopped his hand on Lovino's first button, and, like a natural, had all of Lovino's buttons undone and the shirt pulled off in a matter of seconds. Lovino pulled in breath audibly as Feliciano let go of his lips to pull Lovi's shirt off.

Smirking lightly, the younger boy began to place gentle, feathered kisses all down Lovino's chest, lapping at his nipples like a snake smelling for prey. His hands once more dragged against Lovi's bare skin until the other was whimpering slightly, and Feli had a hand on the top button of Lovino's pants.

"Feliiiiiii…" Lovino whined.

"Do you want me, Lovino?" Feliciano asked, those innocent eyes appearing again.

Lovino simply flushed again, "D-d-dammit, Feliciano. I love you. If I didn't want you, then I'd be a terrible liar as well as a terrible lover!"

Feliciano smiled, kissing Lovino just under his navel before he undid the button on Lovi's pants in record time…

Nope. No sex for you.

Just know that they are. Having a good time. On the couch. Without any clothes on. -shot-

Please review! 3 chapters left and then... I have a sequel for j00! (okay... not a 'real' sequel, but close enough .)

Ana