O.O my god ... 30+ reviews 500+ hits in one night? TT^TT you guys are amazing and I love you all!

This chapter is slightly angsty

and that bit of darkness I mentioned before really comes out in this chapter ...

enjoy~

NekoRoma

Chapter Seventeen: Lolita Neko and the Vet

"Of course you can stay with us, Lovino!" Im Yong Soo grinned. He was sitting with the Korean in the bookstore's back room. Mei smiled sadly, "For as long as it takes to get you on your feet. I'll talk to GeGe about letting you work part time here!"

Lovino nodded. He'd stopped crying half way into town and now all he felt was rage and felt as though he was at a loss.

Kiku walked back into the room with the cup of hot tea, "Drink this … it will warm you up … it's cold out there."

The Italian nodded and thanked him, sipping the tea. He bounced his leg and bit his lip. All he'd told them was that he'd had a fight with Antonio and they were willing to let him stay for a little bit as long as he was willing to work.

He agreed. Anything to keep him away from Antonio. The man hated him. Had always hated him. He closed his eyes and bit back the wave of tears that threatened to fall. This is what he'd tried so hard to avoid. This entire time …

The bell to the door of the store in the front went off. He froze.

"Is he here?" Herakles, whom was working the register that day, lazily looked up. Lovino stared out the back room door window, glaring at the familiar head of brown, unruly hair.

"Who?" the Greek man asked slowly.

"Lovi … my Lovi … please tell me he came here … I have to find him …" Antonio's face was red and he was breathing heavily.

"Oh … Lovino? That cat guy from before? No … he's not here … why? Has he gone missing?"

Lovino made a mental note to thank the man for so greatly pulling off the lie. Antonio's face fell and he slammed his fists into the counter. Tears spilled over his cheeks. Lovino glared as Antonio kicked the counter before leaving.

"You sure you don't want to talk to him or something?" Kiku asked, watching the same scene take place.

"Fuck him. Fuck that. I'll be fine on my own …" Lovino whispered, wishing it didn't feel like his heart was bursting into a million pieces.

Kiku helped him get used to what he was supposed to do during the day while he worked, which wasn't much. He was only supposed to keep things tidy, making sure no kids left books lying around, or boxes and things out of place. However, there was a catch. The Japanese man blushed a crimson color and held up a small, lacy pink dress, including a matching bell for his tail and another for his neck. Mei grinned, "Come on~ wear it! Think of what customers will think seeing such a cute lolita neko cleaning up!"

The man vehemently shook his head in protest but was eventually forced into the small cafe/maid uniform and sent into the store to do the job he'd been hired to do. His face burned red, but he got over it. The only thing that bothered him was Kiku, seeing him as he passed by, snapping photos of him with his camera, muttering the word 'kawaii' and running off to do his own job.

He walked down an isle and picked up a toy some child left on the floor and his heart throbbed painfully. Why was Antonio coming up in his mind? That chapter of his life was closed!

Lovino slammed a book shut and set it back on the shelf with the others like it. He rubbed his cheeks. Maybe he was coming down with something? He sighed and sat down in a chair and let his head fall into his hands. Maybe Feliciano would miss him. Maybe … his airhead brother was hung up on his new human body … his perfect human body … and his 'Luddy'.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Mei, "Lovino … are you going to be okay?"

"I … I'll be fine, okay … thanks for asking … it's always nice to have a pretty lady worry about me …" he offered a small smile.

She blushed and rubbed his back lightly, before going back to her own work.

Lunch rolled around and Lovino's stomach growled. He walked to the back room and curled up, hoping maybe a nap was what he needed. He let his eyes close.

"Slacking off?"

Lovino jumped lightly and looked up to lock eyes with Herakles, "Oh … hey … sorry … I was done with what needed to do for now …"

"I'm not going to tell anyone … I come in here to nap as well … just one of those things I didn't let go of from my days as a cat." he sat down against the wall.

"So you really were a cat, too?"

"Yeah … was a stray until I met Pochi … Kiku's dog … he led me to Kiku and despite already having a pet, he took me in off the streets." Herakles yawned, "I was so grateful to him … after taking such good care of me, I'd fallen for him. There are some of us … animals … born with an almost human mind. We don't fit in with other animals. You, Pochi and I for example.

"Anyway … I wanted so desperately to hold Kiku in my arms and love him more than a cat could ever love anyone. One night … I was at my wit's end. I couldn't stay away from my Kiku any longer and wished to be human as well.

"My wish came true … Arthur, king of the angels, came to me and explained what my wish entitled, who I would become, what would happen. He then asked if I was sure, because I'd only get this one wish … I readily agreed. Kiku meant everything to me.

"That night, Arthur turned me into a human, let me choose a name, and let me go to Kiku." Herakles smiled softly, "I love him so much … it took a year or so, but he finally returned my feelings. I was so happy that day …"

Lovino nodded, "Love? Why would you go through so much for a stupid human? They only use us!" he growled, "Fucking humans … all they want from us is companionship and when we're not what they expect, they toss us to the cold! They get rid of us! They abandon us when they have no more use for us, when they don't want us … or when we ruin their lives …" he choked out angrily.

"Is that what went on? You ruined his life?" the man asked, petting a random kitty that strolled in the back room, "Are you so sure?"

"He fucking said so himself."

"Then if he wanted you gone … why is he here again trying so desperately hard to find you? Why are his eyes red and raw from crying? Why is he clinging so tightly to the words 'I didn't mean it'?"

"He's here again?" Lovino glared at the wall, though he couldn't deny his heart beating wildly. He rose to view out the door's window again. Yong Soo was at the register frowning, "No. for the last time, he's not here."

Antonio clenched his fist, "Don't tell me that … he has to be … he's no where else! Please … just let me talk to him …"

Yong Soo sighed, "Antonio … he's not here. Please leave … you're making a scene and scaring our customers away …"

The Spaniard frowned, looking behind him, "Please … I'm begging you … if you see him … please, please, I beg you … tell him Antonio said he was sorry … he honestly didn't mean a thing he said …" Antonio slipped his hands away from the counter and slowly walked out the doors. Lovino glared, watching the man leave.

"Anyway, Lovino … how about some lunch?" Herakles also stood up, "It's about time Kiku and I usually sit down for lunch … you're more than welcome to join us."

"No money, No food. I'll just wait until I get paid or something." he muttered, sitting down in a chair.

Kiku and Herakles' home was small, but had plenty of room for Lovino to crash on the couch. He ate a small dinner, not really hungry for … whatever Herakles had made. Kiku sat down in the living room and read a book while Pochi, the white dog, slept in his lap.

Pochi was the most well behaved, cat friendly dog Lovino had ever known. The Greek man brought an extra blanket and pillow out.

"Thanks …" Lovino muttered, taking them from the man.

"Anytime." he sat down on the couch close to Kiku and smiled.

Lovino watched the man as he leaned over the gap between the couch and chair and placed his hand on Kiku's arm. The Japanese man blushed, but let a small smile grace his lips.

They sat in silence for a long while, until Kiku yawned. He put the book down and the two shared a small kiss before heading up to bed.

Lovino felt his heart pang. It would be the first night in a very long time that he wouldn't be in that little apartment while he slept. He pulled the blanket up to his chin and willed away his tears. The man promised himself he would not cry anymore … that he would forget the past and forget Antonio.

So … so, why was that harder than he thought it would be? Why wouldn't those haunted, sad green eyes leave his mind? Why did he fucking want to go running back to that stupid bastard and curl up on the bed and just watch Animal Planet?

He rolled over on the couch and closed his eyes. Hopefully, this whole thing would blow over by morning.

Lovino found himself sitting on that wall again. His heart racing, speeding faster than ever. The sticky crimson blood already covered his hands, leftover from before. He still teetered on the wall that was suspended high above the ground, unable to see anything below him. It was all dark … or fading … had it even existed in the first place? Maybe it had and Lovino was going insane … perhaps … perhaps he was just tired of wishing there was something waiting on either side of the wall …

He just wanted to fall now … it didn't matter which side … if he fell … he wouldn't hurt anymore … he wouldn't feel all the pain … maybe a nice bath would be waiting for him? Maybe.

Or … maybe something else was there … it could be death … and life … sanity and insanity … light and dark … who knew what lies on each side of the wall … all Lovino knew was that he was growing tired of it all … he just wanted to fall.

"Lovino!" a voice? He knew the voice … it was that of Herakles … one of the two who took him in.

His eyes opened and he instantly began coughing. He was forced into a sitting position and he continued coughing, the pain welling up horribly.

"Get him some water!" he heard Kiku yell. Lovino tried to catch his breath, but wheezed before coughing again.

"Should we call a doctor?" Herakles asked, setting the water down. Kiku shook his head, "What doctor is going to see someone like this?"

Lovino stopped coughing and closed his eyes. That taste … he feared pulling his hands away from his mouth. The weird feeling on his hands told him … told him exactly what he didn't want. When the Italian pulled his hands away, they were covered in a spray of blood.

"Oh my god …" Herakles frowned, "We have to call somebody …"

Lovino shook his head and wheezed again, coughing again, accidentally sending drops of his blood onto Kiku and Herakles.

"Sorry …" he muttered, wiping his mouth on his arm, only spreading the crimson liquid. Kiku frowned, "I'll call Williams-san …" he rose and grabbed the phone to dial a number.

Lovino frowned. He didn't want any one … he was fine … so why was his voice freezing up as he was trying to tell Kiku no.

"Hai … thank you … thank you … I'm still sorry for calling at this time in the morning. Good bye." he hung up the phone, "Williams-san will be here in a few moments." the man seated himself on the coffee table and grabbed Herakles's hand.

The Italian man felt tears running down his face, "I'm … fine … please … just … let me wash up …"

"Lovino-san … you were screaming in your sleep … and then this … please, just let Williams-san take a look at you … he's the only one I know to call to look at you …" Kiku frowned.

Lovino nodded, "Fine … but … I need to fucking clean myself up …" he looked at his blood covered hands. Herakles led Lovino to a bathroom where he got a good look at himself in the mirror.

"No wonder …" his eyes looked sunken in and his skin was pale, of course, except for the blood colored lips and the thin trails running down his lips. He turned on the water and quickly began washing away the sticky liquid. It reminded him too much of his dream. Once his hands were clean and his face rinsed, he dried off and walked back into the living room.

A blonde man with glasses looked up and smiled, "You must be Lovino … you might not remember me, but I remember you … well … when Ludwig brought you in for shots … wow … Kiku said you'd changed but … wow …"

Lovino shuddered, remembering his from before. He was the vet. So that was it? They were going to treat him like an animal …

"Kiku asked me to come see if I couldn't … help you with your problem … at least see if I can't find out what's wrong … I may not be a human doctor, but I'm just as good!" he smiled.

"I'm fine, Williams …" Lovino muttered.

"Call me Matthew … or Mattie for short," he smiled, "and Kiku sounded really upset … coughing up blood isn't normal for animals or people, Lovino … please let me check … I can get a hold of medicine if you need it …"

Lovino growled, sitting down beside Matthew, "Fine."

Matthew checked his heart and breathing and a few other things, "He seems normal … at least … nothing wrong with his lungs … Lovino, would you mind coming into the office for a bit? Let's say Monday morning? I'll come pick you up?"

Lovino nodded, "Okay … fine …"

Matthew smiled, "Thank you, I'll see you then, okay?" they agreed and the veterinarian left.

Mattie is the best vet ^_^ I love Mattie

~Lady Pyrien