Ugh -_- i had actually already removed this (like and imbecile) from my document manager ... anyways, hopefully it will actually upload this time ...

NekoRoma

Chapter Eleven: Appreciation

When they finally got home, Lovino immediately stripped himself of the annoying sweater and hat. The pants were fine, since his tail wasn't trapped in the leg of them. He flopped onto the couch and curled up. Time for a nap~!

However, Antonio woke him up not long after for a late lunch/dinner. He groggily got up and ate the sandwich he'd been given, only slightly getting annoyed at the bread that stuck to the roof of his mouth while he was trying to eat.

"Want to watch that movie now, Lovi~?" Antonio asked, putting the plates into the sink, washing them up.

Lovino shrugged, "I guess so … kind of sleepy … just want to nap …"

Antonio chuckled, setting the dishes into the drying rack, "Aw, come on, you had a little nap. I really want to watch it!"

"Fine, bastard!" Lovino growled, sitting down on the couch while Antonio put the movie in.

"You're going to love it~!"

"And why is that?" Lovino curled up on the couch beside Antonio. Antonio looked down and smiled, "It had kitties in it~! And the Spanish~!"

Lovino rolled his head back to look at Antonio, "Once again, so what?"

Antonio pouted lightly, "I'm Spanish!"

"And? Bastard." Lovino closed his eyes, waiting for the movie to actually start. When it did, he had to admit, a cat acting human was kind of cool … and funny. He snickered at the cat dance moves and laughed every time Puss flexed his paws and someone's pants fell down.

"'You do not want to make the cat angry!'" he mimicked at least once, under his breath, "I gotta remember that one." he shifted his head onto Antonio's leg, and yawned, still sleepy.

Antonio let his hand rest on Lovino's head, mindlessly scratching his ears. Lovino let his eyes fall closed, just as the credits began to roll.

"Mmm …" Lovino let out the only noise close to a purr his new body could muster. Antonio froze as Lovino moaned, "Um … Lovi?"

Lovino looked back, glaring, "Why did you stop petting me, bastard?"

Antonio's face was dusted pink, "Um … sleepy … that's it … going to just go to bed now …" he pushed Lovino up and stretched. The man turned the DVD player and TV off and picked up Lovino's fallen hat and sweater to toss them on the couch.

Lovino watched him carefully, it was rather early for Antonio to be getting ready for bed, but shrugged walking to the bedroom to curl up on his side of the bed, after ridding himself of those pants. Antonio changed into sweats and a tank top and sat on the bed with a soft sigh. He flipped the TV on and made sure it was on Lovino's favorite channel, before laying down. It had been a really long day and he had work in the morning … he had work …

He couldn't leave Lovino home alone anymore … at least not as a human. He still had troubles with a few things that humans did and while he trusted Lovino not to leave, there was still that doubt that nothing bad wouldn't happen. He sighed, but became instantly distracted.

Lovino hadn't shown his appreciation for Antonio in a few days, since he had been so angry, but he figured now was as good a time as ever. The man had gone through a lot just to give him a true human identity. As much as he hated his human body, he liked that it kept him in one home.

He crawled onto Antonio, ignoring the man's look of shock and worry. He lowered his face to Antonio's cheek and flicked his tongue out against the man's cheek, just as he'd done before as a cat. The man froze, pressing his hands into Lovino's chest. Lovino licked him again, his tongue leaving behind small trails of saliva.

He moved farther down Antonio's jaw and trailed his tongue up in one long sweep. His body was suddenly pushed back on the bed and Antonio jumped up, "L-Lovi … what are you doing?"

The man rubbed his cheek, his face red.

Lovino glared, feeling utterly insulted, "I was showing my appreciation by cleaning your face, bastard! I've done it before! You hate me that much?"

Antonio shook his head, "N-no! Of course not! … b-but humans don't do that to one another unless … well … you shouldn't worry about that … um …" the man walked into his bathroom and locked the door behind him.

Lovino glared at the door, hearing the shower come on. He frowned and laid back on the bed. He just couldn't win! Everything he did made Antonio uncomfortable around him!

He pulled his blanket up around his shoulders and curled up, facing away from the bathroom. He didn't let the pain in his chest get to him as he thought that if Roderich had done that, Antonio would have let him. He shook his head and closed his eyes, willing away the pain.

Antonio stood under the cold stream of water and closed his eyes. He was going to have to teach Lovino about boundaries between acquaintances, friends, and … he swallowed hard … lovers. He shook his head. Lovino was his cat for crying out loud … or had been his cat! He'd cared for the furry little cat for almost two years! Why was simple little things doing this to him?

He groaned. It was wrong! It was so wrong for him to be turned on by Lovino crawling in his lap like that! Not even two days ago Lovino had been an animal! Did this make him sick in the head? Like a beasialist? He shuddered, hoping not!

When his problem was taken care of, the man turned off the water and climbed out, wrapping a towel around himself and drying off.

He redressed himself and sighed, walking from the bathroom. Lovino was already asleep, sprawled out across the bed. Antonio smiled. He loved his cat dearly … but Lovino wasn't that cat anymore.

The man laid down and sighed, trying to get some sleep. He was kicked awake only a short time later. It was nearly eleven thirty. Lovino was beginning to thrash in his sleep.

Antonio frowned and sat up. Lovino kicked, sweat pouring down his face and tears running from his eyes.

"Can't … can't hear you!" he growled.

He couldn't hear who? Antonio felt a little bit bad for listening in on his dream, but Lovino was looking terribly pained.

"Down … I just want down!" he yelled. The man jolted up in the bed and began sobbing uncontrollably until he began coughing. Antonio grabbed his shoulders, "Lovi! Calm down … it was just a dream!" he pulled him into his arms and stroked his back.

Lovino closed his eyes and continued coughing until he'd finally calmed down. Antonio rocked him back and forth, shushing him calmingly.

"Fusosososo~" he whispered. Lovino raised his brow, but just closed his eyes, holding Antonio tightly, making sure he was on the bed and not on that awful wall, covered in blood. It seemed terribly real.

"Are you okay now?" Antonio asked, rubbing Lovino's back.

Lovino nodded and shoved Antonio away, "I'm fine, bastard!" he coughed again, and groaned in pain, laying back down on the bed. He turned his back to Antonio and closed his eyes.

"I'll get you some water …" Antonio muttered, getting out of the bed. He came back with the water. Lovino was curled up into a tight ball. His coughing had finally died down and gone away, but Lovino looked terrible. His skin was pale and he was still covered in a sweat.

Antonio handed him the water and his downed it, "Thanks …" he muttered, handing it back to him. The Spaniard nodded and laid down on his side, looking at the trembling man and he sighed. He wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close, "It's okay, Lovi … it was just a nightmare … I don't know if animals get them, but humans do … they are nasty and scary, but we always wake up from them. We always come back to the world where people can hold you tight, let you know you're loved." he ran his hands through Lovino's hair.

Lovino curled up against Antonio's chest and closed his eyes, nodding, "I've had nightmares before, bastard … they just … weren't that scary … mostly of the vacuum cleaner or the vet …" Antonio chuckled and kissed the top of Lovino's head.

"Those must be terrifying dreams to a cat."

Lovino nodded and nuzzled his head against Antonio's chest, finally getting calm enough for sleep to pull at him again.

Antonio hummed softly and let Lovino fall asleep in his arms. It was the least he could do for his faithful friend over the passed year and a half.

Lovino shifted slightly in his sleep, but it didn't seem like the dream was coming back. Antonio let his eyes slip closed as well. Maybe he'd get Lovino to tell him what the dream was about in the morning. He rubbed Lovino's back once more, before falling asleep himself.

-_- i really hope this uploads

~Lady Pyrien