mmm I'm loving you guys more and more for loving my story~ Uploading a bit early because I have a lot to do tomorrow (heading back down to Texas T^T)

um ... also ... kind of worried about some of my readers for NekoRoma ... I got half as many reviews from my regulars and return reviewers ... just hoping you guys are okay and/or I didn't disappoint you T^T

anyways~ I really hope you enjoy this chapter because it's mostly a bit of fluff in prep for the vacation~

Kismet

Chapter Twelve: Preparations

More time passed and Lovino couldn't be happier with the life he had. A little over two months later, he and Antonio were still together, happy to share their nights curled up beside each other. Lovino quickly became used to his schedule and was easily able to balance his many chores, love life, and visiting his best friend and surrogate mother.

It was the beginning of summer and the heat was only just settling in. Lovino began wearing shorter shirts, mostly vests alone, something Femke was happy for since it showed off the gift she'd given him.

He walked down the halls to take breakfast to the king. The servant sighed walking up to the door, which like usual, was opened for him. Lovino walked up to the king, who was leaned back in his seat smiling, "Hello, my love~ thank you~"

The king took the tray and set it down, but turned back to Lovino and opened his arms expectantly. Lovino slipped into his lap and rested his head on Antonio's chest, as it had become a morning routine for the two.

"Mm … I missed you so much, sweetheart~!" Lovino blushed, but glared, "Shut up. You saw me an hour ago."

"I know Lovi! But that felt like years~!" Antonio kissed Lovino's neck softly, trailing up to his soft lips.

"Stupid …" kiss, "It …" kiss, "was …" kiss, "just …" kiss, kiss, "An hour!" kiss. Lovino quickly gave up on talking for the more favorable kissing Antonio was giving him. The king held Lovino closer and moaned softly into the kiss, "I love you so much~! Oh~ I have some good news I hope you'll enjoy~!"

Lovino glared about being deprived of kisses, "It better be good."

"It is~! You know how I've been working extra late every night?" Lovino nodded irritably, "Well, it was so that I could take a vacation farther south with you~! We're going to go to my family's beach home!"

"Beach?" Lovino looked at him confused.

"Yeah~! Remember? I said we'd go! Well, I've let the court know I've been working too hard and need a break. You, of course, as my personal (and only) servant, will be going with me. The only others there will be guards and I can either make them stay down stairs or swear them to secrecy~! We'll have an entire week to ourselves. Since no one there will recognize me and of course no one will know we're coming, we can have fun at the summer festival that takes place at the start of summer! We'll be just in time when it starts if we leave tomorrow morning~! Isn't that exciting~? Just a vacation for the two of us on the beach?"

Lovino blushed deeply. A vacation did sound wonderful. They would have full days to lay around if they wanted or go into town where no one would know he was royalty. No one would be able to keep them from enjoying each other's company. Long days on the beach and late nights at the festival. It was too good to pass up, "Okay. Fine. But I'd better have fun or else I'll kick your ass, Antonio."

Antonio grinned and kissed Lovino passionately, "You will, my Lovi~! But if this vacation is going to happen, I'm going to need to get the rest of this work done~ I'll see you at lunch, love~!" he pecked Lovino on the lips and turned to his breakfast. The Illonian nodded and shook his head to rid himself of the blush before making his way out of the study to go to the rest of his chores.

Femke was standing over a huge wooden basin of scalding hot water, mixing the clothes to clean them. She looked up and smiled, "Hey, Lovi! Come to get the king's clothing?"

He nodded, "How's your morning been so far?" Lovino asked leaning against the wall. Femke grinned, "Pretty good, actually. After breakfast mama decided to use her day off to go into town and buy some new fabric for a new dress she wanted to make. I'm happy for her! Ever since Daan left and made something of himself, she's been really happy.

"I thought about going to follow the same path, but then who would be here to listen to your love problems?" she laughed, ignoring her best friend's look of anger. "Besides, I'm content here working for Toni!"

Lovino nodded, "Speaking of, he's taking a vacation starting tomorrow."

"Really? Are you … going with him~?" she wiggled her eyebrow suggestively.

A blush spread across his face, "Yeah. You know he only wants me to serve him." His arms crossed over his chest.

Femke shut the door to the room, after checking the halls, "So~?" she turned to him with a devious glint in her eyes, "Are you going to finally do it?"

He looked at her in utter confusion. "Do what?"

"It! You know … are you going to let Toni take your … innocence?" the woman giggled at Lovino's sudden embarrassment.

"How could y-you ASK me that?" he looked at his friend in horror. It wasn't as though Lovino hadn't thought about it, he had! It's also not as though Antonio hadn't tried, either. Sometimes the man got caught up kissing, but Lovino would freak out and ruin the moment. It would take Antonio a few days to beg for forgiveness before Lovino forgave him and trusted him again.

His heart began to sped up. He'd dreamed of doing such things … but … once again, it came down to him being scared. He trusted Antonio, more than anyone else, but that would make the relationship that much more real. Lovino wouldn't be able to call it a fling anymore. It would be real. He already lov-like … no … Lovino was in love with Antonio. Love. Such a funny word. So small, yet it held so much power. It could fuel wars … create peace … destroy lives … and make Lovino Vargas's life worth living.

"Lovi? Are you okay? You look out of it." Femke waved her hand in front of his face. His eyes met hers and he smiled lazily, "I'm … I'm just fine, Femke … I just … I have … to get the laundry done … I'll see you at lunch or dinner … I'm kind of behind schedule now."

She laughed, "What ever lover boy~ if I don't see you tonight, good luck on your vacation~!" he nodded and grabbed the basket holding Antonio's things. His mind was fully distracted with scenarios he was already planning. He wanted his first time to be perfect, kind of like the many dreams he'd had. Maybe he'd prepare Antonio's bath after a day at the beach and be waiting in the bath for him. There would be wine and they would cuddle. Then Lovino would instigate everything by kissing this little spot on Antonio's neck that made the older man quiver.

Or perhaps he'd ask Antonio to go get him something and while the man was out of the room, he'd use that time to strip down to nothing but that choker Antonio loved so much and he would be biting into a tomato, leaning back against the pillows. Antonio would come back and Lovino would complain about the heat getting to him.

Lovino groaned, feeling the problem return. It had been a week or so since the last time the problem had come about, but he'd effectively ruined the mood. He shut the door behind him and dropped the basket to the side and sat down against the wall. He pictured Antonio's expression, full of love and lust as he would come across the scene before him.

That image alone drove Lovino wild. His hand slipped under the hem of his pants and gripped the painfully hard member. With images and memories of Antonio kissing him, from lips to neck and back up again, the man began to stroke himself.

It didn't take long for him to release. Now that he shared a room with Antonio, alone time like this was rare and now he'd have to hurry and change before he was late to deliver lunch to the king. The laundry would have to wait until later that night, which meant Antonio would be upset that Lovino would be stuck doing chores over going to sleep, especially with their early morning plans.

He changed his pants and cleaned up, hiding his shame in his laundry basket and headed out to the kitchen where Antonio's lunch tray would be waiting for him. With a stupid grin on his face, he took the tray to the throne room. Lovino stopped at the door to make sure Antonio was alone, and not with a noble or citizen before barging in with the food.

"Antonio, my son … please … why do you have to go alone? Can't you take someone else with you? You'll be bored out there all by yourself and that servant is not good company. You need a friend, possibly a lady friend? I hear a princess from up north is dying to meet you. I'm sure her family would be delighted to partake in some of our summer festivities!" Lovino held his breath. He was always wary of the queen. While she did not suspect what Lovino and Antonio had, she still hated the younger man and wanted him away from her son. He'd over heard many a conversation where she was complaining about how Lovino was corrupting her son and the crown or how he was only after something like this or that.

Antonio usually kept his calm. It was his mother after all, but he had promised Lovino that all he needed was him and that he trusted him. The queen no longer held any power unless she was named heir in Antonio's absence, which would be coming up the very next day, so she could no longer choose to rid the castle of Lovino. She definitely used to make things harder for him by secretly adding to his list or taking things off and causing him to miss something important, in hopes Antonio would get upset and fire him.

However, she didn't know that Antonio didn't care if his clothes weren't folded on time or if Lovino was late drawing a bath. He didn't like that Lovino was working too hard, but he never got mad at him for it.

"Mother … I just want some peace and quiet. I'm tired of entertaining nobles and working myself to death. I want to get away from everything. I'm taking Lovino because I can trust him to make sure my time there is completely relaxing. No one knows my schedule like he does and any other servant will only get in my way and anger me. I wish you'd put more faith in him. He's never done me wrong and has faithfully served me many years. Please do not mention him again in my presence, mother. I don't like it."

The queen huffed, "Very well, Antonio. But you're taking double the guard. I'd rather you safe than me sorry." she kissed his forehead and walked out, passed Lovino, giving him the darkest look she could muster.

Lovino bit his lip and entered the room with the food, slightly shaking. Antonio looked at him and the anger melted away, "Lovi? How good to see you … you look upset! You're not worried about the vacation, are you? Everything will be fine!"

Lovino set the tray down, "I'm fine, just … your mother really hates me … and double the guard? You can't bribe them all Antonio. One of them is bound to be more loyal to her than you."

"You forget the power my crown holds, Lovi~! Even if she is the old queen, I am current king and can have any one who betrays me in any form executed~" his eyes were still light and happy, even as he said such dark words.

"You scare me sometimes … you know that?" Lovino shuddered, "And you can't just kill them, Antonio … they are only doing their job. Some of them probably have families at home barely surviving because of their pay …"

The king smiled, "You're too kind, Lovi~! My people would love you."

Lovino rolled his eyes and tapped his foot, "Yeah, well, I know what it's like to have someone depending on you for food and income and then failing completely. It … it's horrible and Feliciano probably thinks I'm dead, so it's almost the same thing!"

Antonio laughed, "Fine, I won't execute them … but only for you."

The servant frowned, "You shouldn't do it at all! Ugh! Eat your food! It's going to get cold. I actually have several things to do … kind of got distracted and let the laundry pile up."

"Again?" Antonio shook his head, but was smiling brightly in silent laughter, "Don't worry about doing any dinner service tonight. I'm having a private party for some noble to the east and since mother is technically hosting …" he let Lovino fill in the rest: he wasn't welcome. He never was, at least, not to any of the old queen's parties.

"I get it, I get it! That'll give me some time to get that laundry done and maybe go help mama with her new dress."

"You call her mama now?" Antonio raised a brow.

Lovino blushed lightly, "She insisted and who am I to say no to a woman?" he grinned, leaving Antonio to eat his lunch.

Laundry was done and set aside. The old man had insisted he get the packing done for one week of vacation for himself and more importantly, the king. That was seven night shirts and pants, and seven sets of day clothes, one formal wear and two summer beach wear, just in case.

He also needed to pack anything else the king may want, including a favorite soap or trinket, so that he can feel comfortable away from the castle.

Lovino growled and tossed the clothing into a bag that the old man had given him. He grabbed several of his things and also crammed them in a bag, before heading down to the servant's quarters.

Tessa was back from the market and was busy wrapping her new gown fabric over her table. "Oh, Lovino!" she hugged him, "I haven't seen you in days! How have you been? I hear the king is taking you on a vacation~! Exciting! Have you even been to the beach?"

Lovino smiled, "Hey, mama. And I've been good, just busy." he sighed, "and yeah, a few years ago, remember? The island?"

"Right … well this beach will be much more fun! No crazy fairies or anything like that. Only a visitor or five hundred seeing the sights Sverran has to offer~!" she pulled the scissors from a basket and skillfully began cutting at the fabric, "can you hand me the off white thread?"

Lovino nodded and grabbed said thread. He'd learned the hard way which colors were which. She thanked him and set it aside to finished cutting the pieces out.

"What are you making?" he asked. It was definitely different from the other dresses he'd seen her make. This one being much longer and a almost white cream color.

"Oh? This? It's just a dress. Darn … Femke isn't back, yet," Tessa smiled sweetly … the kind of sweet you knew she was going to ask you something you wouldn't dare say no to, "I need a model to pin these together on. Can you do it?"

The man looked at the pieces and swallowed his pride, which was slowly fading away with his dignity, "The dress? You want me to model your dress?"

"Please? I'd ask Femke, but she's not here~!"

Lovino closed his eyes and nodded, knowing his face was probably a bright red. "Thank you, sweetie!" she had him stand on a low stool as she slowly put the dress together on him. An hour must have passed, because she was finally done pinning it on. "Oh, it looks wonderful! Hold still for a bit longer, I need to test a few things!" she pulled out a thick ribbon of maroon fabric and held it up around Lovino's waist. She pinned it in place and took a step back, looking over the dress, "Perfect … now where is that rope …" she mumbled going through her sewing drawers to find a long golden cord, "Ah~ here it is!" she tied it around the maroon and grinned, "It'll look great!"

The woman removed the cord and fabric strip to pull the dress off of Lovino. He sighed in relief and pulled his vest back on, "Why are there no sleeves?" he pointed to the three inch thick strips that held the dress on the shoulder. Usually dresses, even in the summer, had some sort of longer sleeve. It was just how the women liked them.

"Well, you see, there's going to be a rare see through fabric on the arms, matching the strip in the middle, and gold edges on the end. However, I need to add those separately." he nodded, not really following her.

Tessa reached up and pulled down a box. Inside was the maroon see through fabric she had been talking about, "I have just enough to make sleeves and some trimming on the dress. It will be gorgeous!"

"What's the occasion?" Lovino asked, taking a drink of water.

"A wedding~!" he looked at her funny.

"A wedding?"

The woman nodded her head, "Yes! This beautiful dress is for a wedding!"

Lovino didn't get women and their weddings. He sometimes got forced into conversations with Tessa and Femke over some wedding a friend was having. They talked about the perfect flowers and dress and how Tessa couldn't wait until her children were all married and having her some grandbabies.

"I see." he frowned at the dress that she was coddling like a child while putting it in a large box, "I won't be finished for such a long time, but hopefully before the special day~!"

Lovino smiled, "I hope so, too. It would be a shame to work so much on it and not finish it on time …" His surrogate mother laughed, "Thank you, Lovino. Are you hungry? I figure you'll be busy here soon getting ready for that vacation."

He nodded, becoming aware of his hunger, having skipped lunch and dinner was about this time any way.

Tessa made her way into the small kitchen and began to prepare some random dish when the door opened and Femke stumbled in, "Mama, I'm home. Oh! Hey Lovi~! Looks like you could get here after all~!"

Lovino nodded, "Yeah, couldn't leave without saying good bye to you two."

Femke giggled and went to help her mother with the cooking. The three shared a conversation on Daan's newest conquest: a lover. And how Tessa was going to try to visit him. Lovino would have to talk to Antonio about getting her some much needed vacation time.

He was sure the king wouldn't mind since he knew how much Lovino cared for his put together family.

Dinner was delicious. Lovino missed having dinners with Tessa and Femke and made a mental note to visit more often. He said good night to them and they wished him luck on his trip.

He drew the bath for Antonio and made sure nothing was missing from Antonio's bags or his own and sighed. Getting ready for a vacation was quite a bit of work. Lovino laid down on the bed, waiting for Antonio to come in and hadn't expected to fall asleep.

TBC

~Lady Pyrien