Disclaimer: Hetalia does not belong to me.

Chapter 10

A FEW WEEKS LATER

"I'll finish editing the essay and then I'll email it to ya!" Alfred told Elizaveta, a Hungarian girl in one of his classes as he left her room.

"Don't forget! Our grade depends on it!" Elizaveta reminded him. Alfred gave her a thumbs up and took off down the hall to leave her dorm building so that he could return to his own. He was waiting for the elevator when he heard Antonio's voice from around the corner. Alfred grinned and decided he would take the opportunity to scare his roommate. He tiptoed towards him and peered around the corner, jaw dropping when he saw the Spaniard leaning in to kiss a handsome guy with dark hair and a distinguishable mole on his chin.

"Get a room!" A guy shouted as he walked past Alfred and the couple broke apart.

"Sorry," Antonio laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Roddie."

"I told you not to call me that." The guy said stiffly but blushed when Antonio pecked his lips again. "See you tomorrow. And you! Mind your own business!" He added, glaring at Alfred who was still frozen in the same position.

"Alfie!" Antonio breathed, heart dropping into his stomach.

"Hm? You two know each other?" The guy asked, still looking annoyed.

"S-sí. That's my roommate, Alfred…" Antonio replied quietly. Alfred gulped and grinned weakly. "Alfred, this is Roderich…"

"Nice to meet ya. I didn't know Toni was seeing anyone. He never mentioned you." Alfred waved quickly, not getting any closer to the couple.

"He didn't?" Roderich frowned. "Ah, Antonio. I have to go meet my friend soon so I need to get ready. Go go."

Antonio nodded and noticed Roderich looking expectantly at him. He avoided looking at Alfred as he placed a quick kiss on Roderich's cheek. The Austrian went into his room after and Antonio walked up to Alfred slowly.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here…" Antonio said lamely, following Alfred into the elevator.

"I was working on a project with a classmate." Alfred said dully. "How long have you been seeing that guy? Where did you two meet?"

"We met in the music building. I heard him playing the piano…" Antonio trailed off. "We've been together for about two weeks now."

"Two weeks?" Alfred spluttered. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's been going so well I didn't want to jinx anything by talking about it." Antonio lied. "You're not mad at me are you?"

"No way! This isn't any of my business! You two make a nice couple." Alfred spoke even faster than Antonio.

Antonio's shoulders slumped at Alfred's response but he mustered up a smile when the American looked at him. "Yeah. A nice couple…"

The walk back to their building was silent and awkward. Antonio was so mad at himself. He thought he had been doing so well. He genuinely liked Roderich but he still liked Alfred way too much. His heart beat more rapidly now when the back of his hand brushed against Alfred's than when he kissed his new boyfriend. This wasn't fair. Why couldn't he like the right people?

"I think you're in love, cher…" Francis said when Antonio told this to him later that evening.

"In love? Don't be stupid, frog. I am not in love. It's just a huge crush. A dumb stupid crush." Antonio denied fervently.

"Don't call me frog, rosbif!" Francis snapped, looking annoyed. "You are so in love! You have been for months."

"I can't be in love, Francis!" Antonio said desperately now. "I don't want to be in love! Not with him! He's so happy with Arthur; I can't come between them. I like Roddie! I want to be in love with him!"

"Do you really? Or are you just trying to avoid your feelings by seeing him?" Francis questioned. "I'm sorry, Tonio. As the great Selena Gomez once sang, 'the heart wants what it wants' and cher, your heart wants that naïve yet endearing American."

"So what do I do? Do I break up with Roddie?" Antonio asked frustratedly.

Francis shrugged. "What happens next is up to you, mon ami. You can do the healthy thing which is to try to work things out with your new man or you can continue pining for a man you can't have."

Antonio's lips wobbled. He didn't like his options too much. He desperately wished he hadn't found out that he was in love with his roommate. Ignorance really had been bliss.

Antonio shuffled into his room a half hour later. Alfred looked up from his laptop and frowned, noticing the solemn expression on his friend's face.

"Toni, are you okay?" He asked.

Antonio shook his head. "Alfred, we need to talk…" He said quietly.

"Talk about what?" Alfred stood up and walked towards Antonio, clicking his tongue when the Spaniard took a step back.

"I can't do this anymore, Alfred-" Antonio began, shaking his head when he saw Alfred was about to interrupt. "Please don't speak until I am finished. I'm going to ask to switch rooms. I can't live with you anymore." He looked down at his shoes, missing the strange look on Alfred's face. "Having to see you everyday is becoming harder and harder. I don't know if you have noticed but I am in love with you. Apparently, I have been for a while." Antonio confessed with a humorless laugh. "Uh uh, you can't speak yet." He placed a finger on Alfred's lips to shush him when Alfred tried to speak. "I know. I am stupid for falling for a guy in a committed relationship. For a guy who will never feel the same way about me. But can you blame me? You're a wonderfully kind person. You're sweet, funny, smart, forgiving... Lo siento, I'm getting off track. Anyway, I just thought you should know. I don't want you thinking I'm leaving because I hate you. It's the complete opposite. I hope that maybe someday we can be friends again." He gave Alfred a small smile and rushed out of the room before the shocked American could gather his thoughts to give a coherent response.