Antonio didn't go to the coffee shop on Monday. He felt so guilty for thinking of Lovino like… that, for not being true to his girlfriend, that he decided that he would punish himself by not going to the coffee shop at all that week, and would instead use the time to hang out with his girlfriend and remember why he was dating her, why he loved her, why she was his girlfriend.

He picked up his cellphone and dialed her number.

"Hello?" her familiar voice answered and Antonio could already remember why he loved her, her warm, buttery voice filling him from top to bottom.

"Hey, Ems," he said.

"Antonio? I thought you said you were going to be busy this week?"

"Yeah, I am, but I was missing you." True enough.

A pause. "That's so sweet," she said. He could hear the smile in her voice and started to smile, too.

"You wanna meet up tonight?" Antonio asked.

"Um… hold on, just a sec." He heard the sound of her phone being put down, and waited, knowing she was flipping through her schedule. "Yeah, that sounds good, my paper's not due till Wednesday."

"Great!" Antonio enthused. "Is 7 okay? I'll meet you outside your place."

"Sounds good, I'll see you then! But I have to go now, I have another class soon."

"That works. See you at seven!" Antonio flipped his phone shut and took a deep breath.

Yes. This was what he needed. He needed Ems, cute, sweet Emma Maes, the girl from Belgium whom he had grown up with and whom he had always loved to remind him of what he already had. No point in chasing after something- or someone- that wouldn't work out, and that he didn't (he tried to convince himself this) really want anyway. Lovino was nice, and yes, he was gorgeous, but he was a friend, a mere coffee barista. A really hot coffee barista, but one who also ate napkins, and oatmeal off the floor, and fell asleep in public bathrooms.

Emma, however, was funny, and smart, an agriculture major, and quite literally the girl next door. She was refined and sweet and understanding and accepted Antonio and his weird friends for who they were, but was also playful and fun to be around.

Antonio loved her for these things, but more, he loved her for her and who she was, and he loved her for loving him and everyone else. She didn't try to hide her feelings, she didn't have to put on a false face like Lovino, because she knew who she was and everyone else knew it, too. Antonio admired that in her. Growing up, she had always been a sort of role model for him, and still, even though they had been dating for years, he still found himself in awe that a girl like her had fallen for him.

He checked his watch. It was still just 5pm. He sighed and sat down, figuring he should at least get some work done before his date.

Lovino waited, in a full and bustling coffee shop, for Antonio, a cold mocha and stale pastry beside him.

"Hi, I'd like a.."

Lovino awoke from his spaced-out dreaming, smiled and nodded, and got to work. As the customer left and the next one in line came up, he slowly, almost regretfully, tipped the pastry and drink in the garbage.

Antonio exited Emma's car, his shirt buttons askew. She kissed him goodbye and fixed her dress, before promising to call him, and drived away. He walked up to his dorm slowly, tired, spotting the clock on the wall. The time read 11 pm. He yawned, covering his mouth with his hand.

When he got to his room, he just fell on top of the bed without even bothering to change first. In seconds, he was fast asleep.

Antonio woke up ten minutes after his first class was supposed to start, having forgot to set his alarm the previous night. With a jolt he bolted out of bed in the same clothes, gulping down Listerine before running out the door. As he jogged, backpack over his shoulder, to his class, his stomach growled. He hadn't eaten since Lovino's pizza yesterday afternoon and he was starving. He knew he had to get something quick or else he wouldn't be able to focus all class, and he slowed down a bit, looking around for a McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts or someplace where he could get an espresso and a cheap meal in seconds, but he couldn't see any. He paused outside the coffee shop where Lovino worked. He had decided not to go in for a whole week, and he hesitated, not wanting to go back on his pact, but his stomach growled again and he could almost feel the time slipping away as he made up his mind. Finally he just barged in, the bell on the door ringing furiously. Lovino looked up from serving a customer, and as his face became visible, his eyes fixing on Antonio, all thoughts of Emma Maes, the pretty girl who he had been dating since high school, abandoned Antonio's mind.

"Where were you yesterday?" Lovino asked in that voice of his, that melodic voice that Antonio couldn't seem to get enough of, that voice which had just yesterday cried out and screamed Antonio's name…

"M-Me?" Antonio asked, a little stunned, pointing to himself for clarification.

"Who else?" Lovino said sarcastically, and Antonio reluctantly tore his eyes away from Lovino's lips, which looked so pink and warm, and his hands, which had held onto him so desperately yesterday, and his dark brown hair, which looked so soft and god, Antonio could practically feel it balled up in his fist as he took Lovino from behind…

And then he realized that the customer had left and that him and Lovino were all alone in the coffee shop and five minutes had already passed while he had been gawking at Lovino and fuck, he had a boner. He hurried quickly to the counter, pressing his torso against it, hoping Lovino hadn't noticed.

Lovino looked at him impatiently. "Yesterday…?" he prompted.

"Oh, right. Yesterday. I was- uh- yesterday- I…" That's right. He should tell Lovino that he had a girlfriend. He didn't want to accidentally lead Lovino on… but then again, a guy like Lovino would never want him… but if he did- which he wouldn't- but Antonio had responsibilities, like being true to his girlfriend and- oh shit he had a girlfriend- they had gone on a date yesterday… had there been sex? Yes, Antonio affirmed in his memory, there had been sex. And he hadn't showered. And she had been wearing lipstick.

"Don't strain yourself," Lovino rolled his eyes.

Antonio pulled up his collar, hoping there were no suggestive red marks on his face or neck. And then he smelt it, on his hands as they passed his face- Emma's perfume. It was the one he had bought her, the fancy Dior one, that could be smelled by anyone within a foot of her.

Lovino stood across from him, tapping his fingers on the counter. He frowned and leaned forward, his face close to Antonio's.

"You got a little something there," he murmured distractedly, and Antonio could see in his peripheral vision Lovino's hand reach up and then he could feel it on his face- Lovino was so close, just a couple more inches, and perhaps Antonio might just slip on something that wasn't there and topple forward, and his lips might just happen to fall on Lovino's- it wasn't cheating, it was just an accident, and maybe if he just got over with it and kissed Lovino, the thoughts about Lovino might stop…

And then Lovino leaned backward just as Antonio fell on purpose and Antonio did not tumble onto Lovino as he had planned, but instead onto the hard plastic counter.

Lovino looked at the hand he had just pulled away from Antonio's face. "You're sweating," he stated, not caring that Antonio was now holding his nose in agony. He held up his wet finger for Antonio to see, to prove his point.

"Yeah, I ran here," Antonio groaned, cupping his nose. "I was-" he glanced at the clock, "I am late to class."

"Then what the fuck are you doing here?!" Lovino yelled. Antonio stared, not sure what he had done to make Lovino angry.

"You got into a good university and you're standing here in a coffee shop, wasting your time, money, and education? Go to class!" Lovino gestured wildly, furious, and a stray arm knocked over a stack of paper cups. "Ah, fuck," he muttered, and bent over to pick them up. "Go to class!" he yelled once more, and it took all of Antonio's willpower to tear his gaze away from the seemingly heaven-sent sight in front of him and hurry out the door.

Antonio returned to the coffee shop that evening. He felt guilty about about abandoning his plans, but he was hungry and Lovino was beautiful and gorgeous and smart and funny and sexy, albeit a little cold.

But as he walked in at half past seven, the small shop was completely crowded, a long line of people waiting to get coffee. Antonio joined the back of the line, peering over the queuers' heads.

The line shortened and soon he found himself facing Lovino. "Medium mocha, two shots of espresso, for here, no pastry," he said wearily, placing a five-dollar bill on the counter. Lovino nodded curtly and snatched up the money before disappearing behind the coffee machines. Antonio went ahead and took a seat at an empty table and moments later Lovino arrived carrying a steaming cup of coffee. He took it from him without looking up, guilt racking his body when he thought of what he had done, thinking of Lovino, last night.

He stared into the depths of his coffee mournfully, seeing his face reflected in the dark surface. He picked up the cup and his face distorted and grew and stretched into something gross, something awful, as the liquid inside moved.

He felt as terrible as he looked. He had a girlfriend, and yet, earlier today, he had tried (unsuccessfully) to kiss Lovino. How disgusting he was. He lifted the cup to his lips. He didn't want to have to look at that side of him, the real side, reflected honestly in the coffee.

Lovino walked coolly past Antonio, his side brushing against Antonio's forearm. Antonio looked up instinctively, only to see Lovino nonchalantly place a napkin on the table before disappearing. Curious, Antonio picked it up and saw, scrawled across it in black ink,

"I'll close late tonight, around 10, if you're willing to wait."

And despite how bad he had been feeling just seconds before, he started to smile. He could be just friends with Lovino, right?