Loving a Stranger

Chapter five: And They say Blood is Thicker than Water

The month was August, and I was driving Gilbert's car while those two bastards sat quietly in the backseat. I had sentenced both of them back there, and since Gilbert was still sulking about losing twenty bucks, they stayed silent- except for the occasional taunting remarks Francis made to his friend.

I was still confused about Antonio's confession, and I couldn't stop thinking about it even if I tried. Damn it. It didn't make sense. Why would he say that? I hated him for his ridiculous impulses, yet at the same time I felt like I was on that swing again. No...he's supposed to be with Bella according to that snail bastard. How did he win that bet then?

"I'm sure you are wondering about our deal, no?" Francis asked suddenly.

I glared at his smirking, stubble-less face from the rearview mirror. "I thought I told you I didn't want to hear you talking."

"You cannot boss me around; I am older than you. And you cannot leave me on the side of the road; this is not your car." I growled as his smirk grew. "Besides, I can tell you're curious."

"You're pretty damn annoying," I grumbled as I tried to focus on the road. The first portion of the return trip had been fine, but during the last half hour they decided to drag me through hell.

"I agree, Lovino!" Gilbert stated loudly, sitting up and nearly yelling in my ear. "That makes you awesome! We should just ignore Francy-pants and dump his unawesome Arsch here. I'm sure he could just call up Eyebrows to save him anyway."

My fists tightened on the steering wheel. "You're just as bad, German bastard!"

"Actually, I prefer Prussian bastard. It is way more awesome, ja?"

"Will you shut up?!" I shouted.

Francis chuckled. "Yes, shut up Gilbert," he agreed. "You're trying to change the subject. Anyway, you know how France is the country of love?"

"More like the country of lustful creepers," I muttered, turning on the radio to drown out those annoying voices. Damn, they were worse than Antonio…

"Ooh! I know this song!" Gilbert exclaimed as some song started playing. "Turn it up!"

"No."

He didn't listen to me and leaned over the center console to do it himself. "You can't tell me no! It's me car!" He screamed with the maturity of a toddler. "Nobody, nobody, nobody can drag me down! Nobody, nobod- HEY! What the hell are you doing to my music?!"

"I'd rather listen to Francis then to you singing to some middle school girl's favorite boy band," I harrumphed, hoping my ears hadn't bled. "Dio, and you think you'll get anywhere in the music industry?"

Gilbert sniffled dramatically. "Don't trash One Direction," he pouted. "They're awesome."

"No one cares!" Francis said truthfully. "Now, as I was saying: France is the country of love, everybody knows that, but certain people like Arthur and Gilbert were doubting my powers! So I made bets with both of them; telling Arthur that I would get Lukas and Mathias together, and insisting to Gilbert that I could get Antonio to confess to you before he left."

My ears and face grew warm at the last part, but I remained silent, deciding that interrupting was just a bad idea. "So that game Alfred suggested was the perfect opportunity to put my plan into action! And when I got Lukas, I was rejoicing at my luck! Just like that, one bet was won. The other one was more difficult, believe it or not. I tried making you jealous- that was what happened with Bella- but you are so stubborn you pushed Tonio away. So I simply had to force you to come along with us and hope for the best! And it happened!"

I gritted my teeth. I couldn't wait for this trip to end.

By the time I got home from work a few days later, I was exhausted, greasy, and cranky- but that last one is normal.

"Lovino! There you are!" Nonno, that is my grandfather, jumped out at me from the kitchen, causing me to squeak slightly. I swear, that old man was way to energetic for his age.

I pushed back my hair, not surprised when it stood up weirdly due to the heavy amount of grease it had been exposed to throughout the day. "Yeah yeah, I'm here. Did you need me?" I asked as I began to peel off my nasty apron.

Nonno nodded. "Yes! Hurry up and get dressed to play football!"

"Football? Now?" I asked irritably. "I just got home-"

"but it's family day! Your brother has been waiting for this for months, and we can't disappoint him, can we? He'd be crushed!" Nonno interrupted me, obviously not caring that I felt like shit.

"Can't disappoint him? Why do you never say that when you change plans last minute on me?" I was quickly getting pissed off, especially since Nonno was walking away from me to get the football- or soccer ball as the Americans called it. I followed him into the garage, set on making my point. "What about when I had that viola recital in fifth grade, and you didn't go because-"

"Lovino, please go shower," Nonno interrupted again. "We're going to be with the Beilschmidts, so you cannot be filthy and covered in pizza grease." Did he just say the Beilschmidts?

"That makes everything fucking worse!" I exploded.

"Lovino Vargas!" Nonno was glaring at me. "Language! Seriously, do you see your little brother walking around talking like that? Why can't you be more like him?"

"Why can't you get over the fact that I am not him and I never will be? Stop treating me like I'm a glitchy version of Feliciano!" I clenched my fists so tightly that my knuckles went white and I nearly drew blood from digging my fingernails into my flesh. He always did this to me! 'Why can you be adorable and lovable like Feli? Why are you so lazy, your brother isn't like that. I wish you could be talented like Feliciano.' To hell with those ridiculous comments! I was so tired of this!

"Nonno, Fratello, please stop arguing!" Feli opened the garage door, fingering his jersey nervously. He was pouting, his lower lip trembling slightly as tears pooled in his eyes.

Nonno forgot whatever lameass excuse he was going to say to me and dropped the football, going to Feliciano's side in an instant. "Don't worry, caro," he said softly, hugging my brother as the adorable bastard cried. "Everything will be alright. Your brother and I were just having a discussion, that's all."

"Ve~ but it was loud and scary, Nonno! It sounded like Mamma e Papà did when they used to fight!"

Damn it, now I felt bad. When Feli and I were younger- I was five while he was three- our parents went through a huge divorce. I didn't remember all the details and Nonno refused to talk about it, but from what I could recall they yelled at each other constantly. I've been told that I'm like my Mamma, who was terrible when it came to expressing romantic affection. She was so bad our Papá thought she hated him, and to make himself feel better he sneaked around with other women. And when she found out, all hell broke lose and the two of them fought both verbally and physically nonstop before Nonno came and took us out of there. Feli was still kind of traumatized and couldn't handle loud arguments, and I eventually came to the realization that like my mother, I was unlovable. And I had stopped caring. But that was before Antonio showed up and screwed everything up.

Nonno rubbed the back of my brother's head comfortingly, giving me a look that meant 'go do what I told you, and we'll continue this talk later.'

I somehow managed to keep from rolling my eyes and trudged into the bathroom. Yeah, sure we'll talk later, I thought as I ran the shower and took my clothes off. Because Nonno definitely wants to get into a lengthy conversation about how much I look, talk, and act like the woman who brought about his son's demise. The rest of the family acted like the entire thing was Mamma's fault, like she was some horrible person who purposely tore down her entire household, yet I identified with her. I remember she used to sing Italian lullabies to me with her sweet voice, how she'd teach me the ways of cooking, and the way she would kiss the top of my head and comfort when I cried. We were both unloved, misunderstood, unwanted by the ones who should have wanted us the most…

"Stop this," I grumbled as I stepped into the shower. "I'm not going to think about this." I scrunched my eyes closed and focused on something- anything- that would brighten my mood, that would take my mind off subjects that made me want to dissolve into tears...

A pair of beautiful green eyes appeared in my mind. "Oh no!" I growled, opening my eyes. "Not him! Anything but him!" But Antonio was now in my mind: smiling at me, hugging me, kissing me and telling me he loved me just like he had done in that crowded airport...

That was the most stressful shower I had ever taken. It was so bad I was actually eager to go to the park and bring that German family to their knees. And luckily I didn't have long to wait.

Since we lived close to the park, we walked: Nonno and Feli in the front while I lagged behind. Of all the families to get close to, they just had to choose the Beilschmidts. It was bad enough that Feli and Ludwig were hopelessly in love, but both of our grandfathers were childhood friends and fellow co workers. That meant I was stuck with that annoying Gilbert. I caught sight of the small family as we entered the park; Mr. Beilschmidt was looking over a book with Ludwig as the older-but-less-responsible brother chatted loudly on his cell phone, a fluffy yellow bird perched on top of his silvery white hair.

"Ve~! Hello Ludwig! How are you?" The potato hardly had any time to close his book, for Feliciano was hugging him tightly.

The German blushed at the display of affection as he replied. "I'm good. How are you?" That sent Feli into a lengthy description about the day's events.

Nonno quickly strode over to Mr. Beilschmidt and started chatting as well, so I was left to wait until Gilbert got off the phone so I could insult him. Ah, he must have been on the phone with Lizzy; I could tell because he was pacing a little and bit the inside of his cheek as he listened attentively and only interrupted once.

Suddenly, he stopped, his classic smirk forming on his face. "So you will go? Oh that's awesome! I'll get the concert tickets the second I have the chance! ... Ja, you'll love it I promise! ... Kesesese! I can't wait! Awesome, well talk later okay? Bye!" He hung up the phone with a huge grin on his face. "Yes! She accepted!" He announced to the rest of his family, who gave him supportive nods of interest.

Feli gasped. "You have a date with Elizabeta?" He asked.

Gilbert smirked and nodded so violently his bird had to hop to his shoulder and chirped in displeasure. "Oops, sorry Gilbird," he murmured as he stroked the bird's head. "And yes, I do Feli, isn't it awesome? I'm getting us tickets for this concert-"

"If it's a One Direction concert, you've just signed a death wish," I muttered.

Gilbert rolled his eyes at me. "I don't even like them! I was just trying to distract Francis!"

"Sure you were."

Nonno then announced that we should start our game, so we all set down our unimportant belongings and jogged to the field. That was the stupidest football game I'd ever played: a grand total of six players on the field, two old men who thought they were still young but nearly broke their ankles on multiple occasions, Ludwig and Feli being too cautious around each other so the ball never got anywhere... At least I had an excuse to kick the brothers on their shins- and I took advantage of it too.

"Ow! I swear you're doing that on purpose!" Gilbert accused, jumping up and down on his good leg as I took of with the ball.

"You're not the only one who thinks that," Ludwig agreed as he tried to steal the ball from me. "That's playing dirty, Lovino."

After some fancy footwork and a not-so-innocent stomp on the potato's foot with my cleats, I was free and made a goal. Ha, chew on that German bastards! "You are so cheating!" Gilbert shouted.

I smiled and blinked. "Me? Not at all! I'm so sorry for injuring you, but I am rather clumsy and it's not my fault if you're weak and frail!" I said with sarcastic sweetness.

"Maybe we should...take a break..." Nonno panted. I bet he was regretting the sport: the perfect karma for forcing me to go.

Mr. Beilschmidt nodded slightly. "This reminds me of just how old we are."

"Sì, still young at heart, but I'm afraid my bones are having a hard time keeping up with me!"

"How about we go home?" I suggested.

Nonno shot me a warning look. "We haven't even gotten started, mio nipote."

Introductions

Nonno: Ancient Rome

Mr. Beilschmidt: Germania

Translations

Arsch(German)- Ass

Ja(German)- Yes

Dio(Italian)- God

Nonno(Italian)- Grandpa

Fratello(Italian)- Brother

Caro(Italian)- Dear

Mamma e Papà(Italian)- Mom and Dad

Sí(Italian)- Yes

Mio nipote(Italian)- My grandson

A/N: Hey, what do you know? You didn't have to wait that long! I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, now that people are reviewing and everything I'm so scared I'll end up screwing this story up and disappointing you all…

But really, every time I get a review my heart feels so warm and fuzzy- cheesy I know, but that is seriously how I feel! It means so much to me!

You guys are still Prussia-awesome! I love you all!

altera vita mea