Loving a Stranger

Chapter six: When the Baby is the First to Fly

"Ve~ Are you sure you don't need help with dinner, fratello?" Feliciano asked, poking his head into the kitchen for the third time.

I looked up from the pot on the stove and shook a spoon at him. "Yes I'm sure! What kind of guest of honor makes his own food, huh?" I tried to sound firm, but the smile pulling on the corners of my mouth gave me away.

"But you shouldn't have to make everything yourself!" Feli protested, skipping into the kitchen as he rolled up his sleeves.

I turned back to the stove with a smirk. "Fratello, if you do not leave I'm going to have to do something drastic. Now go entertain your guests."

I could hear him turn on the sink to wash his hands, laughing softly. "But Nonno is entertaining them!"

I chuckled. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

With that, I dipped my spoon into the half-prepared pot of sauce and poured a small amount into my hand; it wasn't that hot. Then I slowly crept behind Feliciano and put my hand in his face, effectively smearing sauce all over him. "Ah! Lovino, stop it!" He shrieked as he laughed and struggled in my grasp. "Struggling will only make it worse!" I declared. "You don't want sauce in your hair and clothes, do you?" He stopped moving immediately, going limp. "Now you're going to go back to the living room like a good boy and-"

Feli suddenly cupped his hand under the still running water and flicked some at me, causing me to let him go and sputter as water got in my face.

He laughed triumphantly and washed his face, half-heartedly complaining about how I could have gotten tomato stains on his shirt.

I rolled my eyes and returned to the stove. "I warned you, didn't I?"

"Ve~ but I didn't think you would do something like that!"

"Never underestimate me, fratello. Now I suggest you go out to the living room before Nonno tells your potato bastard about how you wet the bed right up until you were eleven or something equally embarrassing."

"I think that was you, Lovino."

"Really? Because I always told him it was your fault. You're the one who would always climb in my bed, after all."

Feli suddenly turned off the water. "Do you think he would do that?"

"Pffft. Of course he would."

And right on cue, Nonno and Gilbert started howling in laughter, and Ludwig was saying, "that really happened?"

I turned to look at my brother, who's face was sheet white. "I have to go," he murmured, running into the living room. "Ah, ve! Luddy, what sort of funny made up story is Nonno telling you? He likes making up weird tales, huh?"

"What are you talking about, Feli?" Nonno asked. "This story is one hundred percent true!"

"NO IT'S NOT! WHATEVER HE TOLD YOU IS A LIE! I NEVER-"

"Calm down," Ludwig said as my brother's voice began shaking.

"Ja, he was just telling us about Lovi slipping off a rock and falling into the river," Gilbert added.

"H-he did? Oh! I remember that! It was so funny! And then he had to walk around the entire trip with those soggy clothes, and he fell right in front of a pretty girl he was trying to impress!"

I frowned. "HEY! THAT DID NOT HAPPEN!" I shouted, hearing the rest of them laugh loudly. "And shouldn't you be reminiscing about Feliciano? He's the one leaving after all." That was exactly why I wanted to stay in the kitchen, so I wouldn't have to deal with Nonno's retarded stories or those stupid Germans. They were always hanging around, especially recently.

I sighed as I attended to the meal I was making- spaghetti alla norma- which was one of Feli's favorites. It was strange, I had always thought I would be the first one out of the house, going to college with high ambitions. But another year had come and gone and it was my baby brother who was flying away while I stayed behind, my wings clipped and useless. Everyone was moving on with their lives, I noticed, and the only ones who were staying around were some of the most annoying: Gilbert and Ludwig preferred to go to the local college since they actually had a decent engineering program, Francis was taking one more year at this college before transferring to one in France, and Elizabeta(who I didn't mind as long as her camera was far away) was attending a college a few towns over, close enough to stay at home. Then there was Lukas, who was working his butt off to get Emil through his schooling, and then the useless piece of shit, also known as me.

"We're gonna have a blast!" Gilbert had said. "We'll show those losers that one doesn't need to attend some fancy college to have fun!" Personally, I'd rather burn in hell.

But Feli wasn't giving me the option. "Fratello, promise me you'll have friends, and you won't be alone," he had said the night before. "I know it will be hard since I'm at school and Tonio is away, and I know you don't think you like most of the people staying. But don't be alone! Even you need company!"

I had scoffed and began to say no, but he started pouting and I had to give in. "Fine," I had sighed. "I fucking promise, you idiota."

"Ve! Pinky swear!"

"You're such a child..."

"Please?"

"Fine."

So thanks to my brother, I was going to have to hang out with people I hated- let's face it. Lukas was far too busy to socialize, not like he would if he could, and Gil was already making plans to have Lizzy around as much as possible, so my only other options were Antonio's friends or Ludwig, and the greatest instrument of torture couldn't make me willingly spend time with that potato.

I finally finished the food and brought it out to the dinning room. "Time to eat," I announced as I set the wonderful-smelling dish down in the center of the nicely decorated table.

"Thank you for cooking, Lovino!" Feli said as they gathered around and took their seats.

Nonno nodded. "Sì. It looks delicious!"

"Would have been better with wurst," Gilbert muttered.

I glared at him. "And ruin everything with that deathlike garbage? Hell no!" Mr. Beilschmidt elbowed his elder grandson and warned him about his manners, and we started eating.

"I can't believe I'm leaving the day after tomorrow," Feli sighed. "It's so scary, but I'm excited at the same time! Ve~ I'll miss you all so much though!"

Ludwig nodded and swallowed a bite of food. "But you can still call und write."

"Ugh! Writing is so old! You're such a nerd!" Gilbert whined.

Ludwig shot him an irritated look. "I'd rather be a nerd then an idiot."

Nonno suddenly looked at me. "That reminds me! There's a letter for you on the coffee table! It's from a certain Antonio-"

"Tonio wrote?" Feli asked excitedly. "Oh that's fantastico! Are you happy, Lovino?"

I shrugged as I studied my food, trying to hide my red face. The truth was, I didn't know how I felt.

After dinner, Feli and Ludwig insisted on cleaning up, and forced a complaining Gilbert to help them. "But cleaning is girl's work!" He insisted lazily.

"First of all," his brother started, "that statement is both sexist and untrue. Secondly, seeing that there aren't any women present anyway, it is also irrelevant."

"Go relax," Feliciano told me, pushing me out of the kitchen when I tried to clean. "Read your letter."

"Can I go too?" Gilbert asked.

Ludwig grabbed him as he tried to sneak out. "Nein! Get drying the dishes!"

I thanked my lucky stars that I didn't have to stick around with those two any longer. "Alright, I'll go," I submitted. "But if you bastards break any of my mother's dishes I will not hesitate to slit your German throats, capeesh?" Ludwig nodded while Gilbert rolled his eyes at me, and I left the kitchen.

In the living room, Nonno and Mr. Beilschmidt were talking, my grandfather waving his hands in animation while the other simply nodded. Nonno glanced at me and pointed to the letter on the coffee table without a break in his story.

My stomach curled as I picked up the letter and reacquainted myself with Antonio's familiar handwriting as I retreated to my room. Why do I feel so anxious to hear from him? I wondered as I closed my bedroom door behind me with a slightly shaky hand. It's just the Tomato Bastard. Nothing interesting, right? Except for the fact that he had actually told me he was in love with me, nothing had changed between us. Oh for fuck's sake. Everything had changed. I plopped down on my bed and ripped open the envelope, removing the letter.

August 23

Querido Lovi, mi pequeño tomate

Well, that was the date when I started writing this letter, but I have such a limited time to actually write I know it will take a lot longer than one day! Besides, I still have to write my mother, Francis and Gilbert before I can send everything. How are things going back home? Everyone is getting ready to go back to school, right?

Basic training is hard; they are very strict around here and they made me cut my hair- I didn't like that at all. I know it will grow back, but it still bothers me. But I already feel closer to my father. Isn't that strange? I was given wall locker as well as foot locker to put all my personal belongings- and no one else can go in them! It doesn't stop them from looking over my shoulder when I'm getting something. I'm allowed to have photos taped in my locker, so I asked my mom to send me my favorites; the one of all of us during our Senior trip, a snapshot of Francis, Gilbert, and I during one of our schemes, one of you laughing- I think you were making fun of me, but you look beautiful when you laugh so I don't mind.

I already miss you like crazy, Lovi! I wish I could see you get all red in the face at the nickname even though you'd also be shouting at me too. You can be pretty mean to me, mi amor, but I don't mind. There's a look in your lovely eyes that tells me up don't really mean everything you say. I know I'm being stupid, but I cannot help myself! I love you! I will try to get a letter out to you every week, alright? If you're not too angry with me, I'd love it if you wrote me back. I'd treasure it even if it was simply half a page of profanities, because they were written by you.

I miss you, mi corazòn.

Antonio Fernandez Carriedo

I read and reread Antonio's first letter, my face flushed a bright red as my heart seemed to leap inside my chest. I could almost hear his lighthearted voice rambling all those words to me. Did he actually mean everything he had said?

I shook my head. "Stupid idiota," I muttered, shoving the letter into the top drawer of my desk. "When he gets that picture of me up, the others are going to assume we're dating or something and they'll torment him for it. At least there will be photos of his bastard friends as well."

A sudden crash from the kitchen interrupted my thoughts, followed by angry shouts in a mixture of German and English.

"Merda..." I grumbled, rushing out the door.

"I told you not to break anything, you fucking idiot!" I shouted, my fingers tightening on Gilbert's throat. Luckily for me our grandfathers had left to do God knew what, so there was no one to keep me from murdering the little piece of shit.

"Lovino! Stop!" Feliciano cried, tugging vainly at my hands. "Don't hurt him!"

"D-don't worry, Feli. He can't hurt the awesome me," Gilbert choked out, his normally pale face going blue from lack of oxygen.

That was when Ludwig intervened, pulling me away from his older brother. "Stop acting like children, both of you!" He shouted. "We cannot go killing each other like this over a stupid plate-"

"Stupid? That plate was my mother's, you idiotic potato bastard! How would you like to go to Italy to replace it, huh?" I growled, glaring daggers at him.

Ludwig sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Even so, it's about time you two act your age. Now we need to clean this up before someone steps on the glass and slices their foot open." I shot Gilbert a death glare and grabbed the broom from the pantry.

"Kesese," he laughed weakly, sitting down on a nearby stool. "I hope you don't act like this if someone breaks something tomorrow night."

I glanced away from the mess I was sweeping and stared at him. "What the hell does that mean?"

Gil's red eyes widened as he looked to Feli, who had resumed washing the dishes as Ludwig dried. "Didn't you tell him about the party, Feliciano?"

"Ve~ I'm pretty sure I did," my brother looked at me curiously. "You knew about the party tomorrow night, didn't you?"

I nodded as I continued sweeping. "Yeah, it's the stupid ball-sucking party to commemorate all your damn ambitions. No one said it was going to be here, though."

"Well it is," Gilbert stated. "So get your shit together. Your house is the only one big enough- besides Francis'- with a guardian who is kinda awesome and doesn't treat you like elementary students."

I finished sweeping up the glass and motioned for him to get off his ass and help me with the dustpan. "Well that's just great," I said sarcastically. "And I won't be able to stay in my room, for we all know what bedrooms are used for during parties. I swear, if my bed sheets get screwed up I'm gonna murder them! And not only that, but Elizabeta will be going around with her demonic camera invading personal space."

"Not if she's busy," Gilbert said with a suggestive smirk. I hit him on the shoulder hard enough to make him drop the dustpan, glass falling onto the floor again.

"Stop being disgusting," Ludwig grumbled as he put away a stack of plates.

His brother looked at him in surprise. "Oh, don't act so prudish!" He accused. "As if you and Feliciano haven't already fu-"

I punched the idiot before he could finish, noticing that my brother stiffened while Ludwig went white, then red. "I'd rather not discuss our little brothers' sex lives, thank you!" I shouted. "Besides, we all know you well enough to know that you're all bark and no bite, and that you get nervous out of your mind when you're around Lizzy." That shut him up, so I turned to the squirming potato in the corner.

"And you! I'm honestly not surprised, since you have been together for so damn long. If you value your pathetic life you will never, ever do anything to hurt my brother!"

Ludwig seemed to realize how serious I was about the whole thing, for he pushed his emotional awkwardness to the side and nodded. "I'd never dream of hurting Feliciano."

I huffed in response, and glanced at my blushing little brother. "Thanks for telling me, asshole."

He blushed harder and gave me a small smile. "Ve~ sorry fratello!"

"Mhm. Now let's finish cleaning before Nonno gets home."

The party seriously sucked, although I was the only one who thought so. Francis insisted that it was because I missed Antonio, but that was stupid. I hated the party because I hated people, simple as that. I curled up on the edge of the couch, praying it would be over soon, that no one would drink too much and have to stay the night, that Nonno would come home from his little trip with Mr. Beilschmidt and suddenly transform into an 'uncool parent' and kick everyone out. I was starting to lose my sanity.

What amazed me, however; was how close everyone was even after high school. Aside from me, a Swiss named Vash, and Bella's older brother who's name I can't remember, everyone had a group of friends to laugh with as they spent their last night home before they embarked on the perils of college life.

"Hey Lovino, mind if I sit here for a minute?" Bella asked me, smiling.

I narrowed my eyes, although she couldn't see me with the low lights in the room. I didn't care if that dare was Francis' fault, I still hadn't forgiven her for that. But I'm not rude- at least not to women, so I shook my head. "No, not at all. Make yourself at home."

She giggled and plopped beside me, brushing her hair out of her face. "So, how have you been? I haven't seen you since..."

Since you sat on Tonio's lap and kissed him? I thought spitefully. "Since Antonio's party," I finished.

"Yeah! It's been a couple weeks! So how are you?"

"Eh, whatever. My job is hell, home life sucks." Now why the fuck are you really talking to me?

"I feel you," she nodded. "And...about Antonio... Have you heard from him at all?"

I raised an eyebrow. So that's what she wants to know. I couldn't help but smirk slyly. "You mean he didn't write you?"

"No... I haven't gotten anything from him."

"Weird. Yeah, I got a letter from him the other day. He's doing fine- his biggest complaint is the fact that they forced him to cut his hair."

"That sounds like Toni," Bella said softly, her voice losing all its former mirth. "I wonder if he'll write me at all."

Don't count on it. "I don't know. He's really busy, so he only has time to write to those closest to him, you know?"

She nodded and stood up, faking a smile. "Yeah, I get it. Thanks Lovino! See you around."

I smiled and returned the farewell, wondering why I had felt so intimidated by her during Antonio's party. There was obviously nothing going on between them.

Introductions

Vash: Switzerland

Translations

Fratello(Italian)- Brother

Nonno(Italian)- Grandpa

Ja(German)- Yes

Idiota(Italian)- Idiot

Sí(Italian)- Yes

Und(German)- And

Fantastico(Italian)- Fantastic

Nein(German)- No

Querido Lovi, mi pequeño tomate(Spanish)- Dear Lovi, my little tomato

Mi amor(Spanish)- My love

Mi corazòn(Spanish)- My heart

Merda(Italian)- Shit

A/N: There you have it! Another chapter finished! I hope you all enjoyed it! Antonio freaking cut his beautiful hair! I wanna cry!

Like always, you guys are awesome! I love you all!

altera vita mea