The Stray

by Kindacute

Lovino had always been a loner in contrast to his brother and he only had a few friends. He wouldn t say that he felt lonely because he chose this lifestyle himself. However, he would never have thought that one little cat could change his life. AU

2. Kapitel 2: There is only a small line

Author´s note

Hello, its me :D

Wow, I am really, really, really surprised that there was so much response to this story ( well considering my definition of "much" anyway)

I am glad that you like my story so far and I hope I will be able to keep up with your expectations.

I will answer some questions and explain a few things right now :D

KitKat1122: First of all, thank you so much for the first review on this story! Secondly, I am glad that I was able to peak your interest with the first chapter! I hope I am able to keep you interested with the following chapter :D And you will get your answer in this chapter

Silentwolf111: Thank you as well for the review and I will do just that! (Right now, I have got this scene from Tangled in my head where one of the criminals tells Rapunzel to follow her dreams xD)

The-Autumn-Goddess: Yes, Feli and Ludwig will both appear in this story, but the word "Kapitel" was not really an indication for Ludwig. I started using "Kapitel" in my PruHun-Story. I use it because I like the sound of it and I know how it sounds because I am originally from Germany. So it is more or less indication for my nationality. Sorry if that was confusing you :D

The Official Canadian Tea Bag: Great name and awesome picture by the way! Thank you for summing that up! Seriously! I don´t like those fanfictions! I mean, yeah Romano has got some problems but he is a man and he doesn´t have to cry 24/7! So thank you! And I can totally relate to that, my housemate and I were talking for a long time about how characters like Romano or England are portrayed some times and yeah, it is hard to stop once you get into it :3

Scarlett Wallflower: Yay! One more RomaSpa-fan! It is a shame that there aren´t so many RomaSpa fics, if you know any, tell me! :3

And to all of you once more: Thanks for reviewing and supporting me and I hope that you will keep on reading and reviewing

By the way, if there are sentences that sound weird to you, it is because I don´t have a beta and I am not a native speaker. I study English in university, so I hope that I am able to avoid making many mistakes, but nobody is perfect and academic writing is so much different from writing stories.

That´s it, I will stop talking now :D

Disclaimer: I don´t own Hetalia! (But it kind of owns my mind…..)

Enjoy~

ROMASPAMANOROMASPAMANOROMASPAMANOROMASPA

Kapitel 2: There is only a small line between dreams and reality

Lovino woke slowly as the sun brightened up his room and something soft but bony moved against his side. The Italian blinked confusedly. Bony? Soft? He lifted his hands to his eyes and rubbed them tiredly before sitting up and looking towards the object. As his eyes landed on the cat that was half buried beneath his blanket he remembered what had happened in the night before and he flopped back onto the bed with a groan.

His eyes found the damaged collar on his bed table and despite having to waste time on returning a cat to its owner, he was glad that at least there was an owner he could return it to and that he even had an address. He stretched before he stood up and opened the window, letting some fresh air into the room. Ignoring the animal in his bed, which had slowly began to wake up as well, he marched over to his wardrobe and pulled out a red long-sleeved T-Shirt and black pants before disappearing in the adjacent bathroom.

The bathroom door had been closed for only a few seconds before heartbreaking meowing echoed through the house. The Italian ripped open the door and stared furiously at the cat which was no sitting right in front of the bathroom door with big, green eyes. As soon as he had opened the door it lay down on its stomach and then rolled onto its side, still peering up at him with pleading eyes.

"What the hell do you want?!" Lovino hissed angrily and pulled on his top before proceeding with his pants. Hell would freeze over before he closed the door again. Only god knows what his neighbours thought he was doing. They were probably thinking that he was slaughtering something if the cat kept on meowing like that.

Meanwhile the cat hid its face with its tiny paws and its stomach growled loudly, making itself known. "Well, go hunt some mice or something. I don´t have cat food. Or you just have to wait until you are back home." Lovino muttered and combed his hair, ignoring his hairy guest once again.

As soon as he was finished with his morning routine, he went downstairs, stepping over the cat which was still lying in front of the bathroom. Entering the kitchen, he pulled out a bowl from a cupboard before grapping his cereals and some milk. A soft "meow" came from behind him and he glanced over his shoulder, seeing the cat sitting in the doorway. Said cat stared at his breakfast intently before its eyes flickered to his face.

"Oh no! Forget it! That's mine and besides, I don´t think that cats actually eat cereals!" Lovino sat down at the table with the bowl in his hands. He wouldn´t give the cat human food. Considering his luck, he would end up killing it and then its fucking owner would be heartbroken or whatsoever. Even if he could care less about people he didn´t even know, he would not be the one responsible for killing a helpless animal.

He was startled out of his thoughts when the cat jumped onto the table. "No! Down! No fucking animals on my frigging table!" he ordered but the cat didn´t budge one bit, instead it stared at his bowl. "I told you that if you wanted something to eat you have to go hunt some fucking mice!" Lovino took the bowl back into his hands before the cat could drink from it. Better safe than sorry.

It was unnerving. That cat was still staring at him expectantly and it was still sitting on his table. Here he thought that dogs were more annoying, but that cat sure showed him otherwise. Stubborn, stupid, little thing. He groaned loudly. "If I give you some milk, will you stop staring at me?" he asked out loud, returning the cat´s stare and as if understanding him it dipped its head.

"That just….that just didn´t happen." Lovino muttered as he stood up, getting another bowl and filling it with milk before putting it down on the floor next to the table. Immediately the cat jumped down and started drinking. Observing the cat, Lovino started eating his cereals, realizing quickly that they were mushy from the milk. He sighed and put the bowl into the sink before making himself a cup of coffee.

He leaned against the counter and observed the cat once again. The poo-….damn animal seemed to be starved as it didn´t stop drinking even once. How long has it been away from its owner? And how did it get those injuries anyway? He sure hoped that its fucking owner wasn´t the reason. The Italian drifted of with his thoughts, picturing the cat´s owner as some fat, ugly, bald man who threw stuff at helpless animals and sat in front of the TV all day.

Maybe he should just keep the ca…..he stopped himself. He wouldn´t adopt the cat. He didn´t know anything about cats and it wasn´t as if he was lonely or something. A clinking sound made him look up from his coffee and he saw the cat nudging the bowl around the floor as if looking for more milk. Lovino sighed.

"Come on, idiot cat, I will better bring you back to your owner." Lovino grabbed the cat and held it in his arms, scratching it behind its ears before taking his keys and his wallet from the dresser. After locking his door, he moved to his small car. It wasn´t anything big but it did its job and although he didn´t like meeting people on a regular basis it helped him staying in contact with the few friends he had. Not that he cared about them…..

He looked at the cat which was now seated on the passenger seat. It sniffed curiously at the seat before standing up on its hind legs and looking outside the car window. Lovino pulled out his phone and activated the GPS, entering the address. He started the engine and drove off quickly. Ignoring the frightened hisses emitting from the cat, he concentrated on the street.

After driving for 30 minutes, he reached an area in which big houses lined the streets, making it clear that their owners were well off. Lovino huffed. "Your owner must be really rich. I bet you ran away because he didn´t pay you any attention, huh?" he shortly glanced at the still frightened animals on the passenger seat before cursing. "Hey, careful! This car might be fucking old, but that doesn´t mean you are allowed to destroy it with your fucking claws!" Unsurprisingly, the cat ignored him.

"Your destination is on the left side." his GPS said and he looked to his left side. In between those big pompous houses was a big hole. Black soot and burned wood lay where once must have been a big house. Surprisingly the houses next to it weren´t damaged one bit and Lovino wondered when the house had burned down. Slowly he stepped out of his car, taking the cat with him. "What the fuck?" he muttered and went closer to the ruins, looking around curiously.

"I guess your frigging owner isn´t here. I sure hope he is still alive, you stupid cat." He petted the cat softly as it buried itself in his chest as if trying to hide from the view. Lovino noticed the singed parts of the fur and put one and one together. "Here I thought you were abused but looking at this fucking place I guess it wasn´t like that." He muttered lowly and scratched the cat behinds its ears, chuckling lowly as they flickered.

He looked around helplessly, unsure about what he was supposed to do now. He couldn´t just leave the cat her, could he? He spotted an old woman walking on the other side of the street and jogged up to her, Anto-…the cat still in his arms. "Excuse me, madam? But could you tell where the person is who lived in that house over there?" he asked in a polite tone and pointed at the ruin behind him.

The old woman glanced towards the ruin and her eyes saddened. "He died in the fire that destroyed the house. Poor boy, so young, so promising and so polite. We were all shocked when it happened." she answered with tears in her eyes. "I am sorry. But do you know to whom I could give the cat? It had a collar with this address but seeing that its owner isn't alive anymore I would like to give it to his family?" he held up the cat to her and she looked at it confusedly.

"I am sorry, but you must be mistaken young man. I haven´t seen that cat before and I am sure that sweet Antonio didn´t even have a cat." She answered and petted the cat, cooing at it with a small smile. "Antonio? I thought that it was the cats name…..You sure?" he pulled the thin animal to his chest and looked at it sadly before looking at the old woman. "I may be old, lad, but I am not senile. I am sorry that I can´t help you out, but I hope you will find a new owner for it." she waved him goodbye and went on her way.

"Fuck. I guess I am stuck with you. Just my fucking luck…." he groaned and went back to his car, opening the passenger side and putting the cat down. It looked at him with its big green eyes before letting out a bad sounding cough. "Don´t tell me I have to go to a vet with you!" he spat out, staring at the cat sceptically. Just his luck.

"Ohhhhhhh! That poor thing! What happened to you, sweetheart?" the vet cooed at the stray and Lovino rolled his eyes. Just what he needed. The vet, a young woman with blond hair which was tied with a green ribbon, and green eyes, had taken only one short glance at the fragile animal in his arms and immediately led him into the exam room. "I hope that it wasn´t you who did that to the poor cutie here!" she briefly glared at Lovino who in turn turned red and looked at her furiously. "Like hell I did that! Fuck it! It appeared in my backyard three days ago and didn´t leave! It was already like that!" Lovino defended himself, his eyes flickering between the vet and the softly mewling cat which tried to get out of the vet´s strong grip.

"I will believe you. Otherwise, you wouldn´t be here, I guess." the vet winked at him before sitting the cat down on the examination table. It tried to escape immediately, but with one skilful grab, the vet held it in place, earning a few hisses. "They are always so adorable when they try that. Anyway, besides the burnings, a few scratches, the cough and the malnutrition, he seems fine. I will take some blood samples just to be sure and then I will give you some pills it will need to fight the cough. Buuuuuut first of all, this sweet darling needs a shot. Ohhh he won´t like it. Could you maybe hold him still? It seems to be calmer when you hold it." the vet chimed cheerfully and pulled on a fresh pair of gloves before preparing the shot.

Lovino stepped up to the table and pulled the animal into his arms. It quickly hid its head in his elbow and nuzzled its inside. His other hand ruffled the cat´s fur softly before holding it more securely. The vet stepped up to him with the shot in one hand and petted the cat shortly before parting the fur and injecting it with the shot. A high, pained squeak escaped the cat as it portested and it buried its claws in Lovino´s arm.

"Just hold him a little bit longer. Taking the blood samples is even more uncomfortable for those little angels." the woman explained curtly and went back to a cupboard, taking out capsules and a fresh shot with a thicker needle. The cat which had turned its head towards the "evil" woman tried to escape Lovino´s hold with new vigor. However, he was able to hold onto it. Let you be told that Lovino didn´t know that cats could make such noises. It was fucking pathetic.

"Take care of it and I hope you will find someone who will take it in." Emma said as she led him to the door to see him off. "Yeah. Thanks." Lovino muttered discontentedly as he carried Antonio….fucking damn it, the cat outside. "Oh and please call me next week, so that I can tell you about the results of the blood samples." Emma shook his hand before he turned away and left.

"I hope you will take your fucking pills without behaving like a damn child." he said to the cat which was showing him a cold shoulder as if trying to punish him for putting it through this whole ordeal. "What the fuck? Are you serious? You are ignoring me?! Damn you!" he hissed and started the engine and drove off, cursing all the way home.

"You will fucking stay here and I dare you to scratch at my furniture and walls and stuff! Do it and I make sure that you won´t be able to have kittens!" he threatened and the cat ducked low as if he understood what the human had said and Lovino wondered whether cats could indeed understand humans. He shook his head and left to fetch some stuff for cats from a store nearby.

At least he wasn´t completely alone anymore. Lonvino halted in his movements. Where did that thought come from? He stood next to his car, key in one hand while the other reached out to the latch. Damn it, he wasn´t someone for human contact, he preferred being by himself, so why did he think that he was lonely? He wondered about this the whole drive to the store and back.

Grudgingly he opened the door, his arms full with cat food, toys and other stuff he considered necessary. He almost stepped onto the cat as it was patiently waiting right in front of the door. "Fucking damn it! Watch where you are sitting! Damn it!" Lovino cursed angrily as he stepped around the cat which was now treading between his legs, following him into the kitchen. "Oh, now you aren´t ignoring me, are you?" he asked irritated and put the groceries on the kitchen counter. Antonio…meowed, sounding almost cheerfully. He curiously stood on his hind legs and tried to reach the counter with his paws.

"No, you will stay down there! Be thankful that I will keep you damn it! Stupid cat!" Lovino muttered and packed away the cat food except for one can. He then took out a small metal bowl and put the cat food in it before putting it on the floor. Curiously the cat sniffed at it before sneezing and sitting down. It stared at Lovino. Why was it so good at doing that? "What? What do you want? There is food! You must be starving!" the human motioned to the bowl casually but Antonio didn´t move from his place, his right ear flickered.

"Don´t tell me you are some fucking spoiled cat that only eats overpriced cat food!" he swore loudly and crossed his arms. The cat shook its head and Lovino barked out a laugh. "I don´t believe that you can understand me!" he said and stared back at the cat sceptically. "No eat up! You will get milk and liver sausage afterwards, damn it." Lovino muttered and something sparked in the cats´ eyes before it slowly began eating, spitting out some of the food every so often.

"Ugh, look at the floor! I will have to clean that shit!" the Italian cursed and stomped into the living room. His eyes fell onto the telephone and he picked it up. He promised calling Feli the day before…..with a sigh he dialled his brother´s number, waiting for him to pick up.

"Feliciano Vargas, veee~" his brother said and Lovino rolled his eyes. "Hey." he muttered and an excited "Fratello" was the answer. "Yes, yes. So what did you want to tell me?" Lovino asked, remembering that his brother had written him that he had something interesting to tell him. "Lovi! You know Gilbert, Luddy´s older brother?" Feli asked and Lovino groaned in annoyance. Those damn potato bastards. "Yes, what did he do this time?" he replied and sat down on his couch.

"Veeee, you know that he is working in a fire department, si? Well, four days ago he was called to that extremely wealthy neighbourhood because a house was burning!" Lovino became keen-eared at this and sat up straighter. "Gil said that he noticed some strange things! He said that the fire didn´t threaten to damage the other houses next to the burning one in the slightest way and that he found it strange that they couldn't find the body of the man who lived there! Although he was sure he saw people in there, veee! Gil even said that one looked like an angel! Can you believe that? A real angel, veee~! So exciting! Luddy said that it must haven been Gil´s imagination or maybe he didn´t see right because of the smoke! But Gil said he was absolutely positive that he saw an angel!" Lovino huffed before rubbing his forehead. And here he thought he could get some information about the cat´s owner.

"Lovino, I hate to agree with that potato bastard you call your boyfriend, but I think he is right! There is no fucking way that that albino saw an angel!" Lovino gritted his teeth in annoyance. "But what if it is true? Oh by the way, nonno called and asked how you are doing!" Feli exclaimed cheerfully. "I am doing just fine, fucking fine." Lovino replied in annoyance, looking up as the cat came into the living room and jumped on the couch, putting one paw on his thigh.

"Down! I don´t want your stupid fur all over my couch!" Lovino hissed angrily and tried to push the cat away, being aware of the burns. "Lovi? Veeeee? Do you have a pet?" his brother asked curiously and Lovino sighed audibly. "Yes, more or less. Listen, I have to hang up now. I have uh… stuff to do. Good night Feli." Lovino said and before his twin could answer he hung up, putting the phone on the table.

He looked at the cat which was resting its head on his thigh and purred slightly. "You are really way too affectionate for your own good." Lovino murmured and petted Antonio gently. He had to admit that the warmth of the small body felt comforting somehow and he rested his hand on the cat´s back.

He took the cat into his arms before lying down on the couch, putting a pillow behind his head and closing his eyes. The weight of Antonio was resting on his chest and warming him up comfortably. He sighed tiredly. He could probably get used to this. At least animals couldn´t hurt you. With this thought Lovino fell asleep.

"You are so cute!" a voice echoed in the darkness which slowly dissolved and Lovino found himself on a wide field. The sky was a beautiful blue and only a few, small clouds were obscuring it. The Italian turned around and found himself face to face with a young man who couldn´t be much older than himself. He had chocolate brown, curly hair and bright green eyes. The brightness of his eyes was only challenged by his smile and Lovino found himself almost smiling back. Almost.

"Who the fuck are you?" he asked sceptically and mustered the man. He was thin, bones clearly visible and his cheeks were sunken in as if he had been starving for a long time. His clothes were clearly oversized and burns were marring his tanned skin. Despite the harsh tone, the man smiled softly at Lovino.

"Me llamo Toni. Thank you for saving me!" Lovino looked at him confusedly. He had never seen this man in his life and he would have remembered him. He was handsome enough. Lovino blushed at this thought and gritted his teeth. "I am sorry, but I don´t fucking know you." he snapped and glared at the sickly looking man who still had this infuriating smile plastered on his face.

"Yes, you don´t actually know me,, but please don´t leave me just yet, sí? I don´t like the silence and I can´t communicate with others right now. There only is you. Please, stay for a bit." the man pleaded and his green eyes locked with his. Lovino turned his head away.

"Why should I stay? I don´t even know you!" he muttered and turned away from the man. The man grabbed his arm, looking panicky and in this moment something struck Lovino. It was an image of a burning house and an angel looming over him. He pulled his arm free from the man quickly. "What the fuck? Don´t touch me like that, pervert!" he hissed angrily and rubbed his arm nervously. This was just weird. He didn´t like it one bit.

"Lo siento! Please, I am sorry! I really am. I won´t do it again, but please stay. I really don´t like the silence." the man pleaded once again, holding up his hands in defence. "What silence? You are talking non-stop; there is no silence here right now!" Lovino said and raised one eyebrow, waiting for an explanation.

"There is silence when you are not here. Por favor, I have been waiting long enough to talk to you in person." Toni said and something about these words felt off. There was something gnawing in his mind but he couldn´t put a finger on it at the moment.

"Okay. I will stay, but there are two conditions, alright?" Lovino held up two fingers and the stranger nodded eagerly. "First of all, no more touching, okay? I don´t feel comfortable with strangers touching me! Secondly, don´t talk all the time, alright? I don´t want to listen to senseless stuff and I don´t want to participate in gossip and tittle-tattle, alright?" the man nodded and smiled weakly, but cheerfully nonetheless and it kind of calmed Lovino down.

However, he would have left, had he known that Toni was indeed a very, very, very talk-active person and one that was changing topics faster than Feliciano.

ROMASPAMANOROMASPAMANOROMASPAMANOROMASPA

I hope you liked it!

Some translations:

Lo siento (Spanish): I am sory

Me llamo Toni (Spanish): I am called Toni

Por favour: Please

I have learned a few languages, but Italian is not one of them. So sorry guys.

Review and share ideas with me if you want to, I would love to hear your thoughts and feel free to tell me about grammatical mistakes or typos or mistakes concerning the plotline.

Kindacute