Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia: Axis Powers. All rights go to their creators.

Chapter 3: Shapes

It had been a few months, and Arthur managed to pull a few more pranks on Lovino before he got Berwald involved. Ok maybe stealing the timers from the bakery and hiding them in hard to reach places was a step too far.

But swapping the tamp tops and pouring coffee beans in Lovino's jacket that he'd left overnight once or twice tickled him because of how upset the brunet was coming into work the day after. He hasn't told Lili about them, and she was always surprised to see the ferocity in Lovino's eyes when he walked through the door, probably fuming on the way to work, just to see Arthur smirking because he knew what he had done.

And so he sat currently in Berwald's cramped office with Lovino standing to Berwald's right, tapping his foot and his arms crossed.

Berwald sat at his desk, hands clasped in front of him, a light glint in his glasses, the usual intense aura about him. Arthur wasn't sure if the man was upset or not.

"I can assume I'm not here on good behavior."

"Of course not you bastard! It took three hours to find them all!" Lovino slapped the back of his hand against his palm to emphasize the words of his next statement. "Three hours of nonstop ringing!" Lovino said and Berwald gave him a nod.

"So what's my punishment, bathroom duty? Spitshine the floors until you can eat off of them?"

"Apologize and you'll be let go."

"What? Berwald! You can't be serious! That's it!? You're not going to punish him? O-or even better yet, fire him?"

Arthur met Lovino's gaze, gripped the handles of the chair, and stood up.

"Sorry, I promise to not bother you anymore." His voice was flat and monotone.

"Your talk is cheap! I don't accept your apology." Lovino puffed out his chest.

Lovino's face was sort of round, infant-like. Being stout didn't help his completely non-threatening appearance either.

"I don't really care." Arthur shrugged before he looked back over at Berwald. "I said it. Am I free to go?"

Berwald gave him a nod. "And I'm docking your pay for the two hours we lost customers."

Arthur grit his teeth, fuck. He gave Berwald a stiff nod and made his way out of the office.

Message clear, he's not doing that again. But it's not like he still couldn't give Lovino a hard time, he'd just have to be creative about it.

00000

Arthur was at his station with Lili, he'd just come from his break, cigarette squashed on the ground. He leaned over the counter as she handed a customer their mug. It contained a leaf design, and he was struck again with the knowledge she could make latte art.

"Lili! Is that offer still open for teaching me how to do that?"

She looked up at him with wide eyes before nodding. "Sure!"

Lili placed in the tamped coffee to filter the espresso into a glass mug. Arthur stood just a pace or so behind Lili and watched as she filled the container with steamed milk to make foam.

She gripped the mug and poured the foam high over the mug filled with espresso. She then brought it closer when it was almost full, shook it and then brought it down to make the point of the heart.

Arthur's hands weren't steady and were shaking. Lili placed a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, you're doing great." But his came out as a distorted blob.

Lili giggled and took a sip from the mug, "It looks like a heart to me."

Arthur rolled his eyes and she told him that it takes practice to get it right. And that the ink blot test says it looks like whatever she wants it to be, so it's definitely a heart.

And Arthur tried on each shift to get it right for the next week. Finally he was able to make hearts to give to customers that were dining in. And the smiles on their faces did make Arthur feel a bit warm and fuzzy inside, although they often didn't show that when he slid them their cups, so he only got to see them when they sat down.

Michelle eyed him doing it on one shift and elbowed him in the ribs, "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"Oh, it's something I picked up from Lili."

Michelle gave him a knowing grin.

Arthur pursed his lips, "I asked her and she showed me how to better my work performance."

"If that's the story you're going to go with I'll change the subject. My girlfriend Drifa is coming toward the end of my shift. We're going on a study date to the Brooklyn Museum."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. She doesn't seem like the type to enjoy studying. It didn't surprise him that she had a girlfriend, she was outgoing, nice, and conventionally attractive, of course she was snatched up already.

"It was her idea, not mine. I'm hoping I can distract her enough where we don't have to do any actual studying and can wander around the museum."

"That sounds more like you."

Michelle gave him a grin and sure enough a few minutes later a platinum blonde haired young woman with violet eyes hesitantly approached the counter.

"Muffin!" Michelle reached over the counter to plant a kiss on the other young woman's lips, colouring her cheeks a dark scarlet hue.

The girl spasmed upon noticing he was there. "Michelle, I-I'm happy to see you but could we not with prying eyes near?" She pushed the other girl back a little.

Michelle pouted, "I told Arthur about us Muffin. He doesn't care."

"How do you know I don't care about public displays of affection?" Michelle batted her eyelashes at him in response. "...In moderation it doesn't bother me." Arthur crossed his arms.

"How was your circumpolar geology class?" Michelle asked Drifa.

"It was fine. We learned a bit about global warming and climate change."

Michelle frowned, "The melting ice caps."

She nodded and Michelle started tearing up. "Don't think about drowning polar bears Michelle. We're going to the museum today, remember?"

Michelle still looked a bit downtrodden, but shook her head to shake herself out of it. She slapped her own cheeks, "Right. Right. The museum. I should be getting off in a few minutes. Feel free to order something, Muffin. It's on me."

"Michelle I couldn't."

"It makes my job easier if you don't." Arthur looked at Drifa through half lidded eyes as he felt a few light taps from where Michelle poked him in the head.

"Don't listen to him. He would enjoy making you a latte with a cutesy little heart in it." Michelle said, poking Arthur's cheek. Arthur gave her a scowl.

Drifa met his gaze, and after a beat of silence decided she wanted a cupcake. She picked out a bright yellow frosted one. Michelle handed it to her out of the display case.

Drifa made her way to a space by the window to sit and wait for Michelle's shift to end.

"Isn't she adorable?"

Arthur didn't want the next few minutes to be him receiving an earful about how spectacular her girlfriend was.

"Just leave already," He said, and Michelle gasped. "I'll clock you out."

The woman wasted no time sprinting from the counter, disappearing into the locker room and returning to drag her girlfriend, who almost dropped her cupcake, out of the café.

00000

Arthur picked up some overtime by covering Lili's shift. They were going into Midterm territory. Students took to studying in the cafe in groups or alone, taking tables for hours at a time.

Arthur would find himself in close quarters with Lovino because of this for the next four hours until the other student worker came in.

Arthur was behind the cash register, having just said goodbye to Alondra, when he watched Lovino come in along with a brunet who had crimson red eyes.

Lovino looked around the counter space as the other brunet walked straight up to him.

"Hello! You must be Arthur! I'm Valeriu! I've heard so much about you!" Valeriu, who Michelle and Alondra mentioned had gotten them the cinnamon rolls, held out his hand to shake.

Arthur grasped his hand, "Likewise."

"Oh fuck me! You're Lili's replacement?" Lovino said after seemingly having looked under every possible crevice for Lili.

"No of course not, she's hiding in a cupboard just to fuck with you."

Lovino stared at him, furrowed his eyebrows, and seemed to fully consider it. Before he could ask, Valeriu spoke up again.

"I hope working on the evening shift won't be too stressful for you. It kind of slows down in the middle and picks back up in the end."

"Good to know." Arthur gave him a nod.

Valeriu said he'd be in the bakery if Arthur needed anything as Lovino followed him to the locker room, but not before giving Arthur a glare.

Arthur was giving a "Jenny" a mocha latte complete with a fern, the new design he learned to make, when Lovino returned. Jenny smiled when she peered into the mug as she sat down.

Arthur moved back over to his side behind the cash register.

"Hey bastard, why don't we agree to stay on our own sides, keep to our own space?"

"Hey idiot, did it take you an entire afternoon to think of that?"

"I just want to get through this shift in peace. Do you have to be an asshole all the time?"

"I would've kept to my space anyway, lest I want to die from what you constitute as cologne."

"At least I wear cologne! You smell like you rolled around in the sewer before you got here!"

"You're just spouting nonsense!"

"Ok! Maybe I made that up, but you do smell like cigarettes and I really don't want to smell that all day!"

He felt his blood boil, clenching his fists, he was going to call the man a little bitch.

Someone cleared their throat, "Can I order?" Arthur turned to see a blonde haired woman wearing a puff ball beanie and a pink puffer coat standing at the register. There was a small line of customers waiting behind her.

Arthur straightened himself up, apologized and asked her what she wanted. They were forced into relative silence after the orders were placed and Lovino began fixing them.

He looked like he had a system that worked for him rather than being all over the place like Arthur usually was. Arthur wasn't sure what the system was, maybe iced lattes first while a hot latte brewed?

Lovino's voice took on a smooth velvety tone when he gave the blonde her order. Complimenting her coat, saying pink brought out the blue in her eyes to which the girl smiled at him with an abashed 'thanks' in reply.

And this happened again as a girl of seemingly East Asian descent came to get her drink as well, a comment about her bear eared hat being as adorable as her.

His tone became sharper when he gave a raven haired young man of Spanish descent and a pale redheaded man their drinks. Less care and flourish, just a straightforward "here you go."

"You got a problem bastard?" Lovino's gaze shifted to him.

And with that Arthur was transported back into his own skin. He wasn't just some casual observer, he worked with Lovino. What did his habits matter to Arthur anyway?

"How about not calling me a bastard?"

Lovino seemed to think about it for a moment, before he said, "Nah. I do it to everyone, it's not specific to you."

Arthur sighed but at the very least was happy the man wasn't going to ask him about the staring.

They settled back into silence for a moment, Arthur deciding to pick at his fingernails before Lovino spoke up again.

"So is blue your favorite color or something?"

"No, they'd run out of green dye, so I settled for blue."

Lovino made a humming noise before he scowled again, "I heard from Lili that you make hearts in your lattes now. You better not give the customers any ideas. They're going to start expecting that from me too!"

Arthur clicked his teeth, "They don't expect a free compliment and a seductive smile from me, so I don't think you'll have a problem." Arthur leaned his elbow on the counter and his chin in his hand.

"Che. Successfully flirting with women is an art few men possess." Lovino said, smirking, "Not that you would know anything about that."

"I'd rather not give out false promises and save the effort for an actual romantic pursuit."

Lovino gave him an incredulous stare, "You like chicks?"

"Yes?" They didn't know each other well, Arthur hadn't put any thought into what he assumed Lovino's sexuality was because he just didn't fucking care.

"Well that's a fucking suprise."

"I didn't know who I liked occupied your thoughts."

"Why do you have to say it like that? I've got to size up the competition if there is one."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, "Are you serious? I thought we left that kind of bullshite in the 80s."

Just then the doorbell jingled and in walked a brunet of Spanish descent, a wavy haired blond, and a pale silver haired albino man. Lovino immediately ducked under the counter.

"¡Hola señor! I was told my friend Lovino worked here! I didn't know he was back in town!" The brunet was the leader of their little group.

"If Lovino wanted you to know he worked here, wouldn't he have told you Antonio?" The albino asked the brunet.

"You know how…difficult Lovi can be sometimes. As his friends it's our duty to check up on him!"

The blond had his eyes on Arthur, seemingly giving him a once over.

Arthur glanced down at Lovino who waved his hands in dismissal. Arthur had two options really, pretend Lovino wasn't here, seemingly doing him a favor that could possibly be cashed in for later. Or tell these three weirdos that he was here, embarrassing Lovino, and having him be pissed off at Arthur for the rest of the night.

As tempting as the latter seemed, the former would reap more benefit. Lovino would owe him, and Arthur liked holding power over people.

"Ah, I don't know anyone who works here by that name. Sorry."

"Maybe Feli got the address wrong. Or the cafe wrong. That sounds very much like something he would do." The blond said to whom he could assume was Antonio. Antonio pouted, looking quite downtrodden as he agreed with the blond.

"Try calling Lovino again and asking him, Antonio. I'm sure he'd be willing to talk to you now," The blond slung his arm around Antonio's shoulders before leading them out of the cafe with the albino in tow.

Lovino peeked his head over the counter, "Holy shit you covered my ass. Grazie." Arthur met the other man's gaze, as he stood up.

"What was that all about?"

"I didn't tell anyone besides my idiota of a brother that I dropped out of college. That and I don't want to see Antonio and Francis sticking their tongues down each other's throats."

Possible homophobia aside, Arthur could understand running away because he didn't want to disappoint anyone with the choices he made.

"Tough break, I'm thousands of kilometers away from anyone who could judge me."

"Fuck, I thought they would've moved away by now. But they're still here…fucking satellites."

"I didn't do that for you for free, you know?"

Lovino frowned, "Of course. It was stupid of me to think you were generous. How much do I owe you?"

"Oh no I won't take monetary payment."

Lovino grimaced, "What do you want?"

"Are you a good cook?"

Lovino furrowed his eyebrows, "I don't know…maybe?"

"You've got something you like to make for yourself?"

"Spaghetti Carbonara, Mama used to make that for us. It's not so hard to make. You want me to cook something for you? Like I'm your wife or some shit?"

Arthur wrinkled his nose, "I'd prefer personal chef, but yes that's my price. A meal."

He has been living off of cheese sandwiches, beans on toast, and ramen noodles for a while now and a free homemade meal sounded really nice.

"I could just give you the money to buy something!"

"You could, but the extra effort is worth the trouble it's causing you."

"How are you going to tell that I made it huh?"

"I'll watch you make it."

"I don't want you to know where I live."

"Then bring what you need to my place."

Lovino seemed to weigh his options, and agreed. Arthur wrote his address on an old recipient and slid the paper to Lovino.

Honestly, for how worried Lovino seemed to be about him knowing his address, it didn't seem to occur to Lovino that Arthur had more of an advantage over him if they were at Arthur's flat. Not that Arthur would try anything, just logistically Lovino would be safer at his own home.

00000

Lovino told him he would be over on Sunday when the cafe was closed.

Lovino, holding plastic bags full of food items, complained as he had to walk up three flights of stairs.

Arthur led him into his apartment and Lovino remarked, "This is a shit hole." He followed Lovino's gaze to the cracked paint, the viewless window, and the mouse traps stuck in the corner.

"I know." He took the man's coat and hung it in the front room closet as Lovino walked over to the kitchen area to place down what he brought.

Lovino washed his hands in the kitchen sink. Then he cracked his knuckles, "Let's get this over with."

Under the guise of "making sure Lovino didn't poison him" Arthur had a perfect view of studying Lovino's practice. He looked like he knew what he was doing, having set the water to boil and was currently whisking some eggs.

"I thought you were going to have me do something…I don't know…humiliating like wearing a skirt to work or something like that."

Arthur was forced to look at his face again,"I hadn't thought of that, great idea for the next time you owe me."

Lovino frowned, "Your mama never show you how to make anything? Or was that for your sisters to learn?" Lovino set the bowl down and fired up the skillet on a second burner.

Arthur didn't notice how hairy the man's arms were before, straight, not coarse in texture. Lovino chopped some bacon slices into small pieces with impressive precision.

"No sisters, just three older brothers. And Mum wasn't much of a cook, just able to cobble together something edible. Desserts were more her forte."

Arthur cringed, he didn't have to tell him that. He could've just said he couldn't afford a nice meal. Which was partially true, everything he made turned out burnt anyway, but he also couldn't afford anything nice to cook either.

Lovino didn't seem to pick up on the past tense and Arthur was grateful not to have to mention his mother was deceased.

"Well don't expect five star quality."

He greased the skillet, and started frying up the pieces. Arthur stood leaning against the wall that separated his bathroom from the kitchen. He could smell the savory smell of the bacon, and it was making him even hungrier than he already was.

"If it's disgusting I'll let you know by throwing it straight into the trash." Arthur said, eyes on the steadily browning pieces, before he noticed Lovino was looking at him.

"I have a feeling you're gonna eat whatever I put on this plate." He gestured to the foam plate sitting on the counter. "Calling it now, you don't have a good sense of taste."

"Fuck off, my pallet is exquisite."

Lovino clicked his teeth, "You're easy to please."

"I'm not!" Arthur balled up his fists, this arrogant bastard.

Lovino shrugged, smirking. Then he proceeded to place the noodles into the boiling water without breaking them. Something he didn't know people did.

"You're not going to break them, you know, to fit them in?"

Lovino had irritation on his features but ignored his question.

Arthur watched as Lovino continued to prepare the meal, and soon after the noodles were drained, he was served the Spaghetti Carbonyaro.

"Spaghetti Carbonara." Lovino said.

"That's what I meant."

The sauce was creamy and the bacon was a bit crunchy. They sat on Arthur's couch, with plastic forks in hand, and Arthur restrained himself from devouring the food quickly. The space between them was large. They sat end to end. They drank some beer he had in the fridge.

Lovino watched him as he ate, a fact he was only aware of by the quick aversion when Arthur looked at him. In morbid curiosity, or fixation, Arthur couldn't really care to tell. It made him fidget just a little but the food being delicious overran his self consciousness at being stared at.

Arthur cleared his plate, "It was absolute garbage." And he walked over to the trash bin, dumping the plate in.

Lovino's cheeks were dusted pink, "I cooked the bacon too hard," he muttered. He moved his noodles around before eating the rest in a few bites.

Arthur would have reassured the man that his cooking was good according to his tastes, but Lovino had already discounted his opinion as being too forgiving of mistakes. So…fuck him.

There was still some left, Lovino packed up the rest to take with him, "One meal is one meal bastard." Arthur was sad to see the food go somewhere that wouldn't be his own stomach.

Arthur lit a fag as Lovino gathered his things to leave. He shrugged on his coat, pulled on his hat, and slipped on his mittens.

Arthur leaned over Lovino in the doorway, "I hope you get hit by a bus."

"And I hope you invest in a breath mint." And with that he left, down the hall and down the rickety steps he'd come from. The door slammed after it swung back onto its hinges.

Arthur blew smoke out of his nose. He was back to kind of hating Lovino again.

A/N: I recently got into Icesey and it seems cute. So here's Drifa (Nyo Iceland) as Michelle's (Seychelles) girlfriend.

Muffin rhymes with Puffin. Idk I thought it was cute.

I'm trying out another name for Romania, Valeriu.

Antonio (Spain), Gilbert (Prussia), and Francis (France) are 27.