I'd like to apologize for not updating sooner. I know it has been a long time. I have been busy and so caught up that I just let this go. Until now. So here is your last chapter. Thank you for sticking with me.
If you have any questions by the end, message me on tumblr ( .com) OR just PM me on here!
The five were on the ship for weeks, stopping only once in Sardinia. The time seemed to go by slowly, but it wasn't a bad time. They took the weeks to bond and become healthy again. Well, as healthy as they could get on a ship in the middle of the sea with Winter approaching.
None wanted to talk about what they'd seen in Barcelona, especially the death of Augustine and the mysterious man who had killed him. Roma took it upon himself to finally say, "Who was that?"
It was a stormy day when he asked this. Sleet was falling heavily into the sea and onto the decks, forcing them all below into the small room with no escaping the questions Roma felt he needed to ask. When he asked, they gave him confused looks. Ludwig was the first to speak, saying, "We know as much as you."
Somehow, Roma didn't believe that. He narrowed his eyes and looked over at Antonio, who was now staring down at the floorboards. "Antonio," he said, eyebrows furrowed. "Antonio, who was that?" Lovino turned to stare at Antonio, then back at his grandfather.
"Maybe he doesn't know," he said defensively. "You don't know, right?"
Antonio was silent, clearly thinking over his answer. Should he lie? It would make life so much easier to lie, but he wasn't sure he could keep lying over and over again, bringing back a nasty habit that he had promised himself recently he would get rid of. Finally, he said, "Si. He's been following me for a little over a year."
Everyone looked at Antonio, each one of their faces looking as confused as the next. "Why?" Lovino asked, eyes glued to Antonio's.
"Maybe he thought I could lead him to Augustine. I don't know. God, I don't know. I don't want to talk about this anymore."
Lovino could tell Roma didn't quite believe Antonio, and he himself couldn't help but wonder if Antonio knew more. But he didn't ask. He could see something about it was tearing Antonio up, and he let it be.
.
Six months later:
"Where is Antonio, figlio?"
"He's up in his room working, I think. Is dinner ready? I could go get him," Lovino said, humming as he walked up the stairs, fixing a crooked painting on the wall on his way to his and Antonio's room. He knocked on the door lightly. "Antonio?" He walked in. Antonio was sitting at his desk and writing furiously, beads of sweat forming on his forehead and dripping onto the top of the wooden desk. Lovino put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up, smiling. "Si, Lovi?"
Lovino smiled and looked down at the paper. "You'll melt if you stay up here writing like that all night. Dinner is ready. You need to wash up, though, bastard. Too sweaty," he said, leaning in and kissing his cheek. Antonio smiled, closed the book, and went to wash up, coming downstairs five minutes later with a large grin plastered to his face.
"What are you so happy about?" Lovino asked, putting bread on the table and pouring wine in each glass. Antonio laughed at the question and said, "Is there something I shouldn't be happy about? Don't be grumpy, querido." Lovino tried not to smile as he sat next to Antonio, holding his hand under the table.
"I see you holding hands. You two aren't so slick," Roma said, putting a bowl of pasta on the table next to the bread. He sat at the head of the table and smiled, placing his hands together to say grace, but stopping before he could say anything. "Wait, where is Feli and Ludwig?" As if on cue, the door opened and Feli came in, holding Ludwigs hand and tugging him along behind him. Feliciano was laughing about something and even Ludwig was smiling. They both plopped down at the table. "Sorry we're late, Grandpa Roma!" Feliciano said, clasping his hands together to say grace.
Roma couldn't be mad. He smiled and said, "At least you didn't miss the grace, Feli." He bowed his head and said a quick grace, everyone following along as he spoke, saying Amen as he finished. They ate in silence, all being too focused on the food to speak.
Halfway through the meal, Roma looked up at Antonio. "So what is your plan, Antonio?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at a confused Antonio. The Spaniard nervously clasped his fork, looking from Lovino to Roma. "With?"
"With my grandson."
Antonio turned a light shade of pink and smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, si. Well, Roma, I would like your blessing to marry him." Roma smiled at this, leaning back and nodding. "You've had my blessing for a long time, Antonio," he said, glancing at Ludwig. "You, on the other hand. We'll see about you."
Ludwig paled and Feliciano laughed, patting his arm. "Aw, Luddy. You'll get it one of these days," he said, trying not to laugh anymore at Ludwigs serious expression. Antonio grinned and said, "Thank you so much, Roma." He shook the older mans hand, then looked at Lovino, who was actually grinning.
"Ti amo, Antonio."
Antonio snuck a quick kiss and replied, "Te amo, Lovino."
.
The boy looked up at the crumbling building he once called home, flames peaking out of the roof and busting through the window panes, the sound of crackling and fire whipping the cool air was all he could hear. He gripped the silver star on his chest, tossing it between his fingers before ripping it off and throwing it into the dirt, tears starting to stream down his cheeks as he clutched onto his brothers hand tighter.
"Madre! MADRE!" He yelled to the house, recieving no reply. His brother looked down at him and said, "They can't hear you anymore, Antonio." He looked up at his brother, whose cheeks were as dry as ever, but his eyes burned with more intensity than the fire in front of them. Antonio was young, but he knew what rage looked like.
"We need to go. Now," he said as he began dragging Antonio down the street. Antonio tried to remove himself from his brothers hand, screaming as sobs racked his body. "MAMA! MAMAAA!"
"Antonio, stop it. They're gone and they're not coming back."
"No! Let me go! LET ME GO! LET M-" The older brother smacked him across the cheek, sending him to the ground with so much force that he began to feel light-headed and his vision grew blurry. He could hear his brother whisper something, feel himself being lifted, and then there was nothing.
The End.