Chapter four – Façade
"Lovino!" Antonio called, waving his arms about excitedly, "Lovino, Lovino, Lovino!"
"For fuck's sake, calm down! What is it, Toni?" Lovino looked up from a book he was revising from. Recently he'd taken to wearing a pair of reading glasses, as Antonio had seemed to be very fond of them. The thing that made Lovino blush was that his eyesight was perfect, and now he couldn't escape from the fact that he was basically giving Antonio fanservice.
"I have an idea!" Antonio cried happily, "An idea for a date! I've planned it super, super carefully. You're going to love it!"
Lovino smiled weakly, then realised, "Hey, it was my turn to organise and pay for this date! You'd better not be stealing that privilege away from me; I can pay for things myself, you know," Lovino didn't care that it was sad – he and Antonio took dates in turn. It really did feel like they were turning into an old married couple. Luckily though, this old married couple weren't the arguable type, they were the loveable old married couple. Though sometimes Lovino wasn't quite sure which was worse.
Antonio pouted a little, "But this date is a once in a… long time chance!" the poor Spaniard couldn't remember just how rare the thing he was showing Lovino was, "Whatever it is, it's exciting! Come on, get your bag, you cute little thing, we're going!"
"What, now?" Lovino asked, retraining Antonio's pulling on his wrist just long enough to dog-ear his page in the book, and fold his glasses up on top of the book, before Antonio yanked Antonio through to their bedroom, throwing things at him.
"You'll probably want some money, and you might want some food, though I'll make we stop off for coffee, too! And it might get chilly, so I'd put that adorable scarf of yours on, too!" Antonio chirruped, very pleased with himself as he located each item he thought of without problem and handed them swiftly to Lovino, who held them dumbly, still not entirely sure what was going on.
"Toni, I need to revise, I'm sorry. There's a test on Monday and I don't even know what it's about…" Lovino sighed, deliberately not looking at Antonio. Though, without realising he was doing it, Lovino suddenly found himself looking up from the floor boards of their dorm and into Antonio's emerald green gaze, and he nearly drowned in his own guilt, "Okay. But tomorrow, no kissing, no hugging, just studying." Lovino knew that he was going to fail the test.
Though failing the test was enough to see Antonio's reaction. It was utterly adorable as he listened to Lovino's compromise, and nodded all-too-happily to what he was saying, and then, after thanking Lovino in Spanish, flung his arms around the Italian gleefully.
"I wonder how the fuck I'm meant to be the submissive one in this relationship…" Lovino muttered, throwing his favourite scarf – Antonio hadn't given it to him, damn it – around his neck, putting his loose change in one of his pockets, liking the feel of it rattling in there – it made him feel rich and mature, as childish as it sounded. Then, after going through and downing a well-made espresso from Antonio, the two were down the stairs, heading their way down to the school grounds, smiling at Feliciano and Kiku as they passed, who seemed to be talking about something important.
Finally they reached the bus stop – Lovino knew without Antonio even telling him that they'd go here, after all everyone did. There were no parents nearby to give lifts to their kids, and the day a teacher shipped you around like a parent might would be the day Mr. Belischmidt decided the national curriculum was too dull, and painted the entire school pink, and taught everyone how to groom unicorns. So, the only method of travel was the very cheap, very regular bus to everywhere that you might need to go, or foot. Hardly anyone chose the latter; as I'm sure you can believe.
So, Lovino sat down on a nearby wall, waiting for the bus, as Antonio muttered out a little plan that he was thinking up. Lovino would've listened in, but it was all nonsense to him, as Antonio muttered some words a loud, and must've kept others in his head, as he came out with very incomplete sentences. Either that, or Antonio was slowly turning insane. Neither would surprise Lovino.
Soon the bus arrived, thank God, and Antonio waved Lovino down, telling him to go and get a pair of seats while he paid. Lovino knew this was a very clever tactic in two ways – it ensured that Lovino didn't pay for his own ticket, and that he didn't find out the location they were going to.
Sadly, the bus was quite packed. There was one pair of seats left, and they were near the back. Lovino thought it was 'sadly' because that meant that he and Antonio probably couldn't get away with kissing and hand holding like they usually might if there was only a little girl and her mum sitting on the bus. But with there seeming to be an army of old women – a few of whom Lovino could've sworn he'd been told off by for 'showing affection publicly' before – it would probably offend more people than it'd make swoon.
Antonio, of course, was oblivious to these subtle little signs, and proudly took Lovino's hand, lacing their fingers together. Lovino was quite flattered by the motion – he loved it when they held hands. But shh. – though that didn't stop him shoving Antonio away from him when the Spaniard began placing little pecks to his cheek and neck.
"Toni, I love you and everything, but not in here," Lovino sighed, ruffling Antonio's hair as he gently pushed him away.
Antonio frowned, "But why? I really look out to our bus-make-out-sessions," oh God he'd even christened them, "Please, Lovi?"
"No! Usually I'd agree…" he hissed, hoping no one could hear them, "… but there are people here today, and I think we might offend some of them!"
Antonio blinked, "When have you been worried about offending people?"
"No, no, I don't give a damn what they think – I just want to spare my pride from being shattered by being lectured by a granny I don't even know in the middle of public." Lovino sighed, squeezing Antonio's hand a little, "Later, yeah?"
"Okay…" Antonio smiled, and leant gently against Lovino's shoulder, closing his eyes, "Is this okay?"
"Yes, that's fine. But don't fall asleep, because I have no idea where we're going, and you need to press that stop button…" Lovino carried on with his worried rambles.
"Yes, yes, mi amour, don't' worry," Antonio assured him, smiling as he felt Lovino shift slightly, to rest his head on top of Antonio's. It was extremely hard not to fall asleep in such a natural, comfy position.
"A train?"
"Yes!"
"We're taking a train? Okay, it's official. We're going to get lost in the middle of England somewhere, and we're just going to die. Thank you, Antonio, I love you too." Lovino sighed, burying his face in his hands.
"Don't' worry, Lovi! I've got all the tickets and everything, so all we need to do is go to the platforms and hope a train comes!" Antonio waved two orange pieces of card about, very nearly dropping one.
Lovino sighed, rescuing the pieces of paper from Antonio's grasp, pocketing them, "Come on… platform four was it? We're going to be late if we don't hurry up. Why're you taking me on a train?"
"Because it's hard to get where I want to go without a train! It was either train, miles of walking, or changing from bus station to bus station."
Lovino pouted, it did seem most likely to get lost by walking or changing bus stops. Perhaps Antonio had been right on the train front.
They quickly found platform four. To the pair's dismay, they saw that the platform was quite crowded, which would probably mean they'd only get quite public seats, which would also mean that they probably wouldn't get their 'public-transport-make-out-session' as Antonio had re-named it. Lovino didn't want to admit it, but he'd been looking forward to it just as much as Antonio was.
Soon the train arrived, and the pair realised with crushing dismay that the seats were only in groups of four – there were no single two seats anywhere, which was extremely stupid in Lovino's opinion – so that would mean they'd probably have to sit opposite two complete strangers.
Luckily, it seemed Lovino's rough scowl and the fact Antonio was proudly handing on to Lovino's hand seemed to put people off sitting by them, so they were on their own on in the little booth of seats, sitting next to each other, with the two empty seats opposite. The train was by no means pretty or a nice place to sit – it resembled the trains you found in the London underground, yet still grubbier. It definitely looked more like a bus than a train.
Across the rows from them, four girls were sitting in their own booth of seats, all twittering pointless crap about boys and how they hated girls that were prettier than them – or that's all Lovino heard. Both Antonio and Lovino decided they'd probably draw unwanted attention to themselves if they suddenly started kissing, so keeping their hands secretly connected, trapped between their thighs, the two just sat there, not saying or doing anything, so Lovino decided to reach his iPod out, and tucked a headphone into his own ear, and then the other into Antonio's, blasting My Chemical Romance through the buds.
Antonio was happily off in a world of his own, planning out every stage of the date in his head. He was really quite pleased with himself for thinking up the idea. Though he wished that he could've arranged it for Sunday, as then they might've got a bit more peace and quiet.
Speaking of peace and quiet, the girls across from him and Lovino were really starting to get annoying, and Antonio never usually got annoyed at things. It made his teeth grind together at how dense they sounded. They'd been discussing the Eurostar train from London to Calais, the one girl who'd obviously been on the journey was describing it, while one of her friends chipped in, saying 'Hang on… you do know there's water in between London and France, don't you!' to which her friends had replied 'yeah – it goes underwater, it's clever isn't it?' Antonio had nearly jumped out of the train they were so depressingly stupid.
Lovino also seemed to be getting agitated at the girl's stupidity from across him, as Antonio could hear the very quiet yet very sinister sound of the boy's teeth grinding together menacingly. Antonio couldn't help but smile a bit.
Then he heard the girls say something that made his blood boil a little bit.
"Hey," one blonde girl tapped another beside her, "That guy there," she pointed at Lovino very obviously, "He's cute, isn't he?"
The girl who Blondie had poked looked up – she had bright ginger hair, "Oh my god you're right! Though I think he's taken." Ginger winked, pointing at Antonio. Lovino and Antonio had to try very hard to resist the urge to scream at them, telling them that they weren't the only people on the train, and that people did have ears.
Blondie grinned at Ginger, and then caught the attention of the girl opposite her; a girl with pretty brown hair, "Hey, those guys there – gay or straight?"
Brunette studied Lovino and Antonio very obviously, narrowing her eyes with thought, "Hm… I think the one on the left," she pointed to Antonio, "Has a thing for the one on the right, but the one on the right's got a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend."
The final girl, a girl with jet black hair interrupted her friends, "Or you could just ask them yourself rather than talking extremely loudly?"
Blondie, Ginger and Brunette all exchanged looks, and then a second or two later, Lovino and Antonio found that the two seats opposite were being taken by Blondie and Ginger, both of them grinning obliviously.
"So, are you two…" Ginger asked, pausing to blush a little, "Like, gay?"
Lovino had to resist the urge to punch them, trying to remind himself that he'd probably be locked up if he hit a girl in public.
"Yes!"
"No."
Antonio and Lovino both answered at the same time, and then frowned at one another when they saw the other had answered the wrong answer to what they'd intended. Of course Antonio had said the positive.
"I told you." Jet Black called over from a magazine she was now reading.
"Loviiii~" Antonio pouted, now playing on the 'adorable gay guy image' that he knew made people melt, "You said you loved me!"
Ginger and Blondie were definitely falling for his act.
Lovino smirked inwardly. He may as well have a little fun. It might be his only opportunity to have a more dominant part in their relationship for a while. So, with a confident snarl of a smile, he ran a finger up Antonio's throat, "Ah, but I told you not to tell anyone about that…"
Ginger and Blondie were nearly dying from loss of blood.
"But I want you to say it to me now…" Antonio begged, enjoying his submissive act.
Lovino moved over to Antonio's ear, though made sure it was the side the girls could see, and whispered very lowly, "Ti amo…" and then snaked out his tongue, nibbling a little on the top of his ear. He could feel Antonio shudder at the pleasure.
The pair looked up, and were shocked at how Kiku-esque the girls looked right now; bright red in the face, itching to say something, though not entirely sure what they should say, and tense hands that looked like they wanted to grope something – most probably the shutter button of a camera. Perhaps he and Antonio should go into acting, Lovino thought slyly.
"O-Okay… Thank you!" Ginger said, the politest she'd been the whole journey. Her and Blondie quickly scampered back over to Brunette and Jet Black, both of whom looked extremely disinterested at what had just happened.
"You make a very sexy submissive, you know…" Lovino muttered, just loud enough for Antonio to hear.
Antonio looked ready to double up into giggles, "Where did that come from? Since when have you been such a flirt?"
Lovino was torn between blushing and smirking. Whatever had taken over him today, it made the smirk appear, "Well, let's just say I'm feeling a little deprived from my physical love towards you. I haven't had a kiss from you for over an hour…"
Antonio grinned hungrily, "Well, we've already made a public display. I don't think they'll mind if they see another, do you?"
"Not at all…" Lovino winked, and before Antonio could say or do anything else, the little Italian had captured the Spaniard's lips in his own, and they kissed their hearts content out, not caring about the tuts of disgust from people around them, or the flashing of cameras.
They even didn't care when they came to their station.
Well, they were mid kiss and the doors opened, and they realised with a hurry that they needed to get off. So, with a few second extension of their kiss, they grabbed their stuff, and just made it out of the doors before they slid powerfully shut behind them. The two nearly collapsed into giggles at the fact that people had been taking pictures of them. It seemed absurd!
For once, Lovino actually didn't care about showing his affection for Antonio. He was sure this free feeling wouldn't last, as he had no idea why he was feeling so juvenile and innocent, but in some ways he wished it'd stay with him forever, as it felt nice to give back to Antonio what the Spaniard had been giving him ever since they'd met.
The place Antonio had taken them was a small town called Boscastle. It wasn't too far from Padstow, and was apparently quite famous for being an area prone to flooding. Boscastle wasn't much bigger than Padstow, though the change of scenery was refreshing. Finally Lovino wouldn't have to put up with walking on the same cobbled path, seeing the same boats, the same shop keepers, the same grey clouds in the sky. At least this place had a different cobbled path, different boats and different shop keepers and different grey clouds. Though Lovino still wasn't quite sure why he'd been dragged all the way out to Boscastle by Antonio – they'd passed at least three seaside towns on their way to their destination, so why here?
Antonio didn't give any explanation for his choice of location, and just went around, holding Lovino's hand proudly and grinning brightly. Well, Lovino thought, if he's not going to tell me what we're doing here, then he may as well just play along.
Francis wanted to rip his own throat out. He had no idea what he was doing with his life. The door he stood staring at looked like a scarily inviting place to bash his head against until he killed every brain cell in his head. He felt like an utter bastard to too many people. Hell, he was even feeling remorse for Arthur, so either he was slowly going insane, or he really had fucked up.
But still, with all this knowledge in his brain, all screaming at him to leave, he still knocked on the door in front of him. He lowered his now shaking hand, biting the inside of his cheek as the door creaked open, and there stood Matthew in the door.
"Come in quickly. Hurry up before someone sees you…" Matthew muttered, practically dragging Francis inside.
Francis hated himself for the flirtatious grin he flashed Matthew, "What can I do for you, mon cher? I assumed you called me here for a reason?" Francis decided to play dumb – it would probably be for the best. Of course he knew exactly why Matthew had called him there; it had been the reason why he'd both been lured there and been terrified of going there.
Matthew frowned, knowing full well that Francis knew the reason, "Don't play stupid," Matthew chewed on his lip, and then with an awkward little cough, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again there was an odd look of determination in his purple-blue orbs.
The Canadian walked forward very confidently, grabbing Francis' bright red tie hanging loosely that he'd chosen to go with his designer shirt. Using the tie as a makeshift sort of leash, Matthew gritted his teeth, and with a deep breath pulled Francis towards him, crashing their lips together.
Francis knew that by walking into this room he'd sealed his fate. He knew it, and he'd walked right in, flirtatious grin and all. He'd avoided Matthew's invitations to 'help with his French homework' for weeks now. Matthew had wanted this, and he was getting it, no matter how many people he hurt, apparently. Francis felt terrible. This wasn't the first time he'd shared a kiss with Matthew without Owain knowing. At the beginning of summer, while Owain had been away visiting his mother, and Gilbert with his family, both Francis and Matthew had had a little 'summer fling' as they'd called it.
Francis had gotten over it quite quickly; of course he'd felt terrible, and confessed to Owain. The Welsh boy had blown it off, just smiling and saying 'it was inevitable when dating someone with such good looks' though Francis could see the broken side to the strong smile Owain put on. Francis knew full well that if Owain found out about this 'little fling' he'd be a little more than devastated. Either he had to stop it right now, lie to Owain, or tell him and risk breaking up with him.
Francis didn't move.
Why the hell was his brain deciding the first option? He didn't want this! Or that's what he was telling himself, though even the rational side of him couldn't deny that it felt amazing when Matthew pulled away from his lips and began sucking on the hollow just below his ear under his jaw. Matthew had learnt some pretty sexy strategies from Gilbert.
No! This is not what he wanted! And if he did want this, then he'd be dominant, thank you very much!
Mentally gouging his eyes out, Francis gently took Matthew's lips away from his own neck, and trapped them in his own, sliding his tongue inside Matthew's shocked little mouth, easily gaining control of the kiss.
"If we're going to do this, we may as well do it well, non? Are you sure you want to do this to Gilbert?" Francis asked nonchalantly, hiding his own fear and self-hatred easily with his usual façade.
"I want to hurt him." Matthew practically snarled, and let Francis take over on the kissing front.
"Very well, mon cher. Though if someone finds out about all of this I'm blaming it on you…" Francis muttered into his ear.
"Oh God, I don't' give a fuck." Matthew muttered uncharacteristically, and just let himself be taken over by Francis' perfect, sexy kisses.
Now Francis really understood why he was frequently described as a dick.
A/N
OOOH. Plot twist. That I'm sure most of you saw coming. Oh Francis, how could you do this?
Yeah, I'm jumping on the 'let's-make-Matty-an-innocent(?)-slut!' bandwagon! What can I say? I hold a grudge against a Canadian for being a dick to my best friend, so all my hatred for him comes out here! And I'm not saying I dislike anyone because they're Canadian! D: I'm not racist! I swear!
And we will revisit the end of Lovi and Toni's date X'D Don't worry ^^ I think I'm kinda bad for leaving things mid-scene X'D I'll try to stop doing that ._.
Also, I'm starting to writ an Avengers fic (yaaay!) But I won't let it interfere with this ^^ I think I'll post it up when I have it all written, rather than making you wait extra-long if your reading both this fic and that fic.
I don't know what I'm talking about X'D
So reviews are love, sweetie pies! :D Thank you to you guys who told me Russia/China was called RoChu ^^ /feels like a bit of a noob/ WOOP! I'm learning things!
So that, and hopefully some 'hot Nordic action (lol)' shall be on it's way to a website near you soon! First I have to figure out what to do with them…
I'm out, people!