Feliciano threw the door open, calling out a greeting as he went in.

"Grandpa, Lovi, I'm home from practise!"

He didn't hear an answer. Confused, he ran down the hallway, then stopped, slid his shoes off and ran back to put them in the hall, then hurried into the lounge.

"Grandpa, I'm home! I'm sorry I was a little late back from practise, I got distracted and then I bumped into Ludwig, I mean coach Beilschmidt, and he said I was a good player, and then he said I could be a 'formidable asset to the team', can you believe it? Then he asked me if we had ever met before, which I thought was a little strange, because I'm sure I would remember if I had ever met him before, because he's really tall and strong and-"

His thoughts tailed off when he noticed Antonio sitting in the chair in front of him, a vaguely amused expression on his face.

"…Grandpa, who is this?" he asked politely.

Antonio smiled. Standing, he came up next to Roma and said in a light tone,

"It is good to see Feliciano hasn't changed since he was little, hey?"

Feliciano tilted his head to one side in confusion. Do I know this man? The accent sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before. He looked from Roma to the newcomer in interest.

Roma smiled tiredly and motioned Feliciano to stand in front of him.

"This is Antonio, Feliciano. You might not remember him, you didn't know him as well as Lovino, but you spend some time together when you were little. He had a farm near ours in Italy, growing tomatoes and olives. Do you remember?"

Feliciano drew his eyebrows together in thought. His face lit up with realisation as he remembered.

"Si! I remember you! You would pick us up and spin us round. We helped you pick the tomatoes." His face fell slightly, looking almost worried. "Lovi wasn't very nice to you. I'm sorry."

Feliciano looked away, his face falling even further. "He's still not very nice" he muttered, almost inaudibly. Roma and Antonio shared a knowing look over his head. Shall we tell him? Roma nodded imperceptibly.

"Actually, Feli, that is why I am here." Antonio said, seriously. Feliciano's head shot up.

"Why you're here? What do you mean? Because Lovi isn't very nice? What does that mean?" He turned to face Roma, his expression torn between panic and fear. "Has he done something? Please say he hasn't done something. He's already on his last chance at school."

Roma's face was stern. He looked down at his grandson's face, then addressed Antonio. "Show him the letter, Toni."

Antonio complied, taking the envelope out of his pocket and handing it to Feliciano, who took it gingerly. He opened it up and read it, tears forming in his eyes as he scanned the lines. When he finished, he looked back up at the two men, a tear falling down his cheek.

"I-is this true?"

Antonio nodded. "Si. Unless Lovino agrees to this, he will face expulsion. We have already agreed to a meeting to discuss it tomorrow morning, but he is refusing to go."

Feliciano's face turned pale with Antonio's unspoken implication, then hopeful. "So, all he has to do is agree to it, yes? Then everything will be ok, right?" His voice wavered, torn between hope and panic.

Antonio shot a look at Roma, then turned his gaze back to Feliciano. "Y-yes. But Lovi does not seem like he will ever agree to it." He gazed searchingly into Feliciano's eyes, as if hinting. Feliciano understood, and wiped the tears from his face. His voice was the angriest Roma had heard in a long time as he said quietly

"So all I have to do is convince him to go to the meeting tomorrow morning, yes?"

Antonio shot a look at Roma, then nodded slowly. "Well, he would have to agree to the terms of the letter as well, but yes, attending the meeting would be a start."

Feliciano nodded determinedly. His hand unconsciously clenched around the letter, almost crushing it. He walked over to the stairs, then paused on the bottom step.

"I will make Lovi agree to this, Grandpa. Don't worry." With that, he made his way upstairs, his steps slow and determined.

Roma and Antonio stood in the lounge, faces mirrored in surprise. Faintly, Antonio said in a tone of wonder,

"I have never heard Feliciano sound so serious. Do you think he can do it?"

Roma nodded slowly, his face determined. "Yes. He may not show it, but when Feliciano gets angry there is no way Lovino will be able to say no to him." he turned back to the TV and sat down.

"They will likely argue for a while. I suggest we leave them to it. There is no point interrupting them until they are done. Feli will convince him, I am sure of it."

Antonio sat down again reluctantly. Sighing, all he replied with was "I sure hope you are right, old friend."

The two sat in silence again, waiting for the two boys to reach a conclusion, each praying that Feliciano would be able to make his brother see that he really did have no other choice but to accept the contents of the letter, however dreadful it may seem to him.

Feliciano made his way up the stairs, each step slow and determined. He hesitated when he reached the top step. What is that sound? Is Lovi…no. It can't be. Lovi never cries. Just hwo bad does he think this could be?

He frowned. Why was his brother getting so upset about this? The school was trying to help, for goodness sake! He should be grateful they were offering him a final chance at all instead of outright expulsion. The least he could do was accept it, damn him.

He stormed down the corridor and knocked on Lovino's door. He tried to make his voice sound calm and cheerful as he said,

"Lovi? It's me. Let me in."

He rattled the doorknob, unsurprised to find it locked. He heard a muffled refusal. Undeterred, he kept rattling the handle. "Lovi, please. Let me in. Grandpa and Antonio are still downstairs, they aren't gonna come up, I promise. It's just us. Let me in, please. Just let me talk to you."

He let his hand fall from the handle, waiting. After what seemed like an eternity, he eventually heard a faint shuffling and the door opened a tiny fraction, letting him see his brothers tired, tearstained face. Lovino's voice was rough as he spoke.

"…you promise that bastard will stay downstairs?"

Feliciano sighed in relief. "Si. I promise. It's just you and me, I swear."

Mollified, Lovino opened the door another fraction, just enough space for Feliciano to slip through. Once his brother was in the room, he reached around him and locked the door again.

The two stood in silence for a few moments, looking at each other's faces, then Lovino suddenly threw his arms around his brother and started crying again. Feliciano jerked back in surprise, wholly taken aback at his brother's action, then tightened his arms around him, letting him cry. After a few minutes, he steered them both to the bed and sat Lovino down, arms still locked around him. He waited patiently for Lovino to collect himself, knowing he would speak when he was ready.

Eventually, Lovino's cries died down to sobs, then stopped completely. He drew back from Feliciano, dragging an arm across his face. Feliciano wordlessly reached over to the bedside table and took the tissue box, holding it out to Lovino. He took a tissue and blew his nose, then sat looking down at his hands. When he finally spoke, his voice was uncharacteristically quiet, made hoarse by crying.

"What am I gonna do, Feli?"

Feliciano said nothing, but placed his arm around his brother again and squeezed his shoulder tightly. After a while, he replied, his voice set.

"I think you know what you have to do, Lovi."

Lovino broke away from his brother, his expression horrified. "What, you think I should do it? Agree to this stupid idea?" He snatched the letter out of Feliciano's hand. "I won't do it. I won't go. They think they know what is best for me, do they? They don't know anything! They're idiots, all of them!" He crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it across the room making it hit against the wall and fall to the floor.

Feliciano sat on the bed, his expression unimpressed. Slightly sarcastically, he replied "well, what other choice do you have? Refuse and get expelled? And then what? Drop out? Try and get a job with the few qualifications you've managed to get, God knows how, since you've no chance of getting into another school after this one? Go on then, go ahead, refuse. Get expelled. See where that gets you." His eyes narrowed. "See where that gets you, on your own. I won't help you this time, brother."

Lovino jerked back in surprise at his brother's vitriolic words. Feliciano never spoke like this, not to anyone. His face resumed its normal anger.

"So that's what you think, huh? That I'm a loser, that I can't do anything, can't achieve anything? Well, I'll show you, you and grandpa and everyone else. I don't need you!" He made as if to storm out of the room. Feliciano blocked him with lightning speed, throwing a hand out to stop him from reaching the lock.

"You know, you can be such an idiot sometimes, Lovi." His voice was back to being cheerful, his expression soft.

Lovino glared at him, unwilling to try and use force to reach past Feliciano, however angry was. Instead, he spat at him "and you're not? I see how you look at your stupid coach, with your stupid puppy gaze. Good luck with that, brother. I bet you're just his type."

Feliciano's face dropped, hurt, then set into quiet anger. "My feelings for Ludwig are none of your concern, Lovi. And this is about your future. Mine is already set, in case you didn't know." His expression softened, turning questioning. Shaking his head slightly, he asked simply

"What is it about this whole thing that you are so against?"

He took his hand away from the door, then folded his arms, waiting for a reply.

Lovino glared again, unwilling to answer. He stared at the door, then threw his hands in the air, spinning on his heel and facing Feliciano.

"Urgh. Nothing, alright! I just, I.." his voice trailed off as he tried to collect his thoughts. As much as he tried to hide it, he felt tears clog his throat again as he said,

"I just..don't get it." He started pacing around the room, his hands gesturing wildly. "Why are they giving me another chance? I don't deserve it. I've gone way past where they should have given up on me. There's no point trying to change me. It's too late. It won't work. If I could change on my own, I would. But nothing can change me. I've tried. No one will ever believe in me. I'm not you." His voice cracked on the last word, and he looked away.

Feliciano let his brother speak, horror growing as he heard him say his true feelings. He knew that Lovino had felt the same depression and anxiety that he himself did, but to that extent? And what did he mean, I'm not you? Confused, he watched as Lovino wiped his face of tears yet again, drawing breath in great heaving gulps, trying so hard not to cry again.

He got up from the bed slowly and took the few steps forward to stand in front of his brother. Placing a hand on either side of his face, he leaned in until their foreheads were touching. Amazingly, Lovino did not draw away, letting his hands fall to his sides as they stood there.

"Don't be silly, Lovi. Everyone deserves a second chance. All you have to do is go downstairs and say to Antonio that you accept. This is a good thing, see? It's not even a stranger. Its someone who knows you, he won't judge you. He wants to help you, can't you see? Please, Lovi. Do this. For you if not for me. Please. I don't want my fratello to waste his life. Please, Lovi. Please." He kept his eyes closed as he spoke, trying to convey his feelings by touch and voice instead.

Lovino twisted his mouth in a grimace. Is my little brother really that upset for me? He didn't want to believe Feliciano, but at the same time he clung to his words, desperately hoping that it was the truth. For so long he had compared himself to his brother, unable to find his own worth, trapped in a downward spiral of self-hatred and apathy. But perhaps Feliciano was right. Maybe having someone like Antonio, who knew him, knew his personality and what he had done through, was exactly what he needed. He drew back from Feliciano, his expression determined. He gulped, suddenly nervous.

Without warning, Feliciano drew his hand back, his fist flying at Lovino to connect soundly with his cheek. Furious, Lovino jumped back, cradling his face with both hands.

"What the hell was that for, you bastard!"

Feliciano smirked. "That was for being such an idiot, Lovi." He smiled his brother. "You should never compare yourself with me, silly. We may be twins, but we're completely different people. No one should expect us to be the same. And if they do, they are the ones in the wrong, not us. Ok?"

Lovino glared at his brother. "Easy for you to say, bastard" he muttered. Feliciano looked down in apology, then took a step back towards the door.

"I'll go get something for that, ok? Don't go anywhere." Saying that, he unlocked the door and walked out, then closed it behind him. Lovino heard him go into the bathroom and start running the water, presumably getting a cold cloth for him.

He walked over and sat back down on the bed. As an afterthought, he got up again and went over to where the letter lay scrunched up. Unfolding it, he walked back over to the bed and sat down again, reading through the letter carefully.

Dear Mr Vargas,

It has come to the school's attention that your grandson's behaviour has become increasingly erratic, and we now feel that there is no other option than to offer an ultimatum.

The school is currently due to accept a new counsellor and psychiatrist starting in a months time. It is of our opinion that your grandson would benefit greatly from a term of sessions with a professional such as this, and so we would like to offer this as a chance for Lovino to improve his behaviour. The conditions would be thus:

The student will accept a suspension from school until the term of counselling can begin.

Once the suspension is over, the student must attend thrice-weekly sessions with the counsellor, with each session set at a minimum of one hour.

The student must conform to all school rules, including attending morning registration, and will not be allowed off school grounds unless with the express written permission of at least two teachers, or unless accompanied by a member of teaching staff. If accompanied, absences must be reported and justified, and limited to not more than twice weekly.

The student must attend all lessons as stated on their personal timetable, unless a leave of absence is agreed upon according to the above condition.

At the end of the term, a written evaluation must be presented to the school board with evaluations from all teachers, as well as a separate evaluation from the counsellor as to the student's improvement.

Lastly, the student must show a genuine desire to change and improve their behaviour, grades and overall school presence. If at the end of the term it is determined that there has not been a significant change in the student, as determined by the written evaluation, there will be no further chances granted and we will have no choice but to initiate a permanent expulsion for the student.

If the student agrees to these conditions, and on sufficient completion thereof, all plans for his expulsion will be withdrawn and he will be allowed to continue education until his graduation.

To arrange a suitable time for a meeting to discuss these terms, please contact the school.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur Kirkland, headmaster (B.A)

Lovino read the last words, then sighed deeply. Well, I don't even have to contact them, do I? Apparently that has been decided for me!

Placing the letter down next to him on the bed, he fisted his hands against his eyes.

Why am I even refusing this? Damn you, Lovi, just accept it!

He let himself fall back until he was lying on the bed, his hands still against his eyes. He heard the door open and Feli re-enter the room, evidently carrying something. Lovino lifted a hand slightly to see his brother approaching him with a small bowl held between his hands.

"Lovi? Sit up. I've got something for your cheek." He sounded apologetic, presumably feeling guilty for having hit him so hard.

Lovino sat up slowly, groaning, and allowed Feli to press the ice-water soaked cloth to his swollen cheek. He hissed and jerked back when the fabric of the cloth scraped against the tender skin. Feli stopped and jerked his hand back.

"I'm sorry, fratello! Please don't hate me." He hesitated for a moment. "You did deserve it though."

Lovino glared at him, then, surprisingly, gave a low laugh.

"yeah, I guess I did."

Feli smiled and sighed relievedly, then tried to approach Lovino again with the cloth. He leaned away from his brother's touch for a moment, then allowed Feliciano to press the cloth against his face. He pressed his hand against his cheek to hold it in place, wincing occasionally as the cloth scraped him again. Feliciano retreated to sit on his heels, looking up at Lovino curiously.

Lovino glared at his brother again, irritated. "What now, bastard?"

Feliciano giggled. "Nothing. I'm just surprised that you gave in so easily, Lovi. If this was all it took to get you to agree, maybe Antonio should have come here earlier, hmm?"

Lovino stared at his brother, aghast. His face blushed deep red. His mouth worked silently for a few moments, then he eventually sputtered out

"T-that has nothing to do with it!"

He turned away from his brother, staring at the wall. He heard Feliciano burst out laughing.

"Si, and I don't like pasta!" he kept giggling. Lovino looked around for something to throw. Seeing his brother's temper rising, Feliciano hopped up and went over to the door again, escaping his brother's wrath. He popped his head around the door, his face suddenly serious again.

"Whether Antonio has anything to do with this, I don't care. I'm just glad you agreed to this, mio fratello." With that, he shut the door and went downstairs, presumably to give the news to Roma and Antonio, who would be delighted.

Lovino sighed. This will be sickening. Groaning, he lay back on the bed again, gathering his strength to go downstairs and face the two men.

He couldn't hear anything from downstairs, but he assumed that Feliciano would have told them by now. Just as he thought that, he heard a heavy tread on the stairs, indicating his grandfather coming up to see him. Sure enough, he heard a solid knock on the door and Roma' gruff voice, softened in concern.

"Lovino? Can I come in?"

Lovino sat up and straightened his clothes, reading himself. Satisfied that he looked reasonably presentable and most of the traces of his crying was gone, he replied.

"Si, nonno."

If Roma was surprised to hear his grandson call him in his native tongue instead of his usual more formal speech, he didn't show it. Instead, he opened the door slowly to find Lovino sitting up straight on his bed, his face looking almost nervous.

He shut the door behind him and walked over to Lovino, then, strangely, kneeled in front of him and took his hands in his own. He raised them to his mouth and kissed them, making Lovino stare at him in complete confusion.

"Grandfather?" he asked, his voice confused.

Roma sat back on his heels and looked into his grandson's face. Lovino was shocked to see a hint of tears in his grandfather's eyes. Was he really that worried about me? He looked away, matching tears springing to his eyes, uncomfortable with the display of emotion.

Roma sensed Lovino's discomfort and sat back, then rose. Leaning down, he placed his hands on Lovino's arms and drew him up into a deep embrace. Lovino resisted at first, then relaxed into his grandfather's warm hug.

"I'm so proud of you, Lovi. You have done the right thing."

Lovino couldn't keep the tears away this time, and blinked rapidly, trying not to cry again. His grandfather's words were a trigger, however, and he couldn't help from sobbing again. Roma said nothing, simply letting him cry himself out into his shirt, one hand on the back of his head, the other rubbing calming circles on his back.

Eventually, Lovino's sobs quietened down, and he tried to say something, the words lost in Roma's shirt. Roma pulled away, gently, letting his grandson speak.

Between quiet gasps as he tried to get his breath back, Lovino whispered "I'm sorry, nonno. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He kept repeating it, almost hyperventilating. Roma clutched him again, shushing him.

"I am not going to insult you by saying it is alright, Lovino. This will take time, and a lot of work. But I will say this, however." He drew back again. Lovino looked at him in confusion, scared.

Roma raised his hand and wiped away the last of Lovino's tears. His face was infinitely gentle as he said

"I believe in you, Lovi. You will get through this, as you have got through everything else. And I am sorry for keeping this from you. Believe me, we had no other choice. Do you forgive me?"

Lovino looked up at his Roma, his expression inscrutable. Eventually, he leaned back into the older man. "Si. I suppose I forgive you. But not that tomato bastard." HIs voice was muffled against the fabric of Roma's sweater, but he still heard the words.

Roma chuckled. "Well, you don't have to forgive him now. You can do that later." With that, he kissed Lovino's forehead tenderly, then took a step back.

"Now, how about we go downstairs to the others and cook some pasta, hmm? I'm sure you must be getting hungry by now."

As if on cue, Lovino's stomach rumbled, making him flush red again. Roma chuckled. Lovino opened his mouth to argue, then closed it again, choosing instead to allow his grandfather to take his hand and lead him out of the room. Roma smiled to himself, more glad than he could say that Lovino was back to his normal self.

The two went downstairs, finding Feliciano and Antonio deep in conversation about something. Seeing Roma in the doorway, Lovino in tow, their conversation petered out, whatever Antonio was about to say forgotten. Relief spread over his face as he saw Lovino's blushing, shy expression.

Roma spoke first.

"So, it is all sorted. Now, what would anyone like for dinner?"

Feliciano immediately jumped up and shouted "Pasta!" making Roma chuckle.

"Yes, that's all you ever say. Care to give me a hand at making it, then?" Feli grinned and ran over to his grandfather, stopping to smile at his brother and wink at Antonio, then followed Roma into the kitchen.

Lovino waited until his brother and grandfather were safely in the other room, then allowed himself to look at Antonio. The Spaniard was staring at him with a strange expression, a mixture of relief and something else he couldn't place. Whatever it was, it made a strange spark flare through his body and he looked away, suddenly shy.

Antonio knew exactly what Lovino meant, however, and didn't make a move to step towards him. instead, he said quietly, making sure that only Lovino could hear him

"I'm glad you made this decision, Lovino. Your mother would be proud of you."

At those words, Lovino's head shot up and he stared at the man in front of him, his face shocked.

"H-how did you know my mother, you bastard?" he eventually asked, the words said with a kind of fearful hope.

Antonio's expression was full of sadness and remembrance as he said softly "we were friends, that's all." His mouth curved in his usual gentle smile. "She would be very happy to see you now. You have done the right thing, Lovi, believe me. We can get through this, together. You'll see. I believe in you."

Lovino felt his heart jump again with that same unidentifiable emotion. Although Antonio had said nothing more than what his grandfather had, coming from him the words seemed to mean so much more. He would have rather died than admit this, however, so he stayed silent, his gaze wandering around the room, unable to look at Antonio.

The Spaniard didn't seem to expect an answer, however, and walked over to Lovino. He ruffled his hair, making the boy glare at him and try to flatten it again, one curl stubbornly springing free to bounce against the top of his head.

"What the hell are you doing? Stop it, you bastard. And I still don't forgive you for playing such a cheap trick and deciding this without me." He looked away, his face flushing deeper red. Mumbling, he asked "Y-you will be there though, right?"

Antonio laughed softly. "Of course I will be there. I have to be, I am your new counsellor, yes?"

Lovino didn't reply. Antonio smiled, glad to see the boy's usual character resurface. He started walking to the kitchen. "Now, Let's see how your brother and Roma are doing with that pasta, hey?"

Muttering under his breath, Lovino consented and followed him back to the kitchen, determined to do nothing more than enjoy a simple, home-cooked family dinner. True to his expectations, they spent the evening laughing and reminiscing. Antonio had Roma and Feliciano in stitches with tales of his escapades, usually involving his two friends Francis and Gilbert, who Lovino decided sounded like definite trouble. Even he could not keep from laughing at some of Antonio's more ridiculous accounts. Late that night, after both he and Feliciano could not keep from yawning, he collapsed into bed, incredibly tired from the mixture of emotions and crying, but more determined than he had felt in a long time.

I can do this. Somehow, I'll get through this. Thinking that, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.