Welcome to the Vargas Café!

Chapter 4

By 11am, Lovino's head was still reeling from the information Feli had given him about Antonio. He tried not to overthink it, to see it rationally. An ex didn't mean anything, it wasn't uncommon for people to be on good terms with an ex partner. And even if the two of them reconnected, what did it have to do with him? His feelings for Antonio - if they even existed - were nothing but a stupid crush. To the Spaniard he was no one but the grouchy cafe owner who served him spicy spaghetti and glared at him from across the room. It was ridiculous to expect anything. Maybe it was time to move on from this ridiculous crush.

The bell above the cafe entrance jingled.
"Welcome to the Vargas Cafe-" Lovino said on impulse, without much enthusiasm.
In front of him stood a stranger who looked awfully familiar. Curly brown hair, glowing green eyes. But his hair was longer and tied back in a ponytail. His facial structure was different too, and he noticed a beauty spot under one eye.

"Oh, thank you." The stranger smiled pleasantly. "I've heard so much about this place, I wanted to see it for myself! I'm also meeting a friend here, but he's always fashionably late. Brits, am I right?" He winked at Lovino, who still wasn't sure what to make of this situation. "You're Lovino Vargas, right? Or was it Feliciano? My name is João, I'm Antonio's cooler, older brother." He grinned.

That explained a lot.
"Uh, Lovino. I didn't know Antonio had a brother." He tried to sound uninterested but he felt the exact opposite. It made him realise how much he didn't know.

João let out a short laugh.
"That's because he doesn't like talking about me. We weren't on good terms for a while but we're better now, at least in my opinion."

Lovino nodded. Although he was desperate to know more, he remembered his job and led João to a table. He took his order and brought it to him a couple minutes later: a black coffee with sugar and a cup of tea, milk and sugar; Arthur's usual, he couldn't help but notice.

He lingered around the table while João stirred his coffee.
"So, um- just out of curiosity, why are you meeting with Arthur, and not Antonio?"

João smiled,

"Quite the observant one, aren't you?"

Before Lovino could protest, he carried on talking.

"Arthur and I used to be a thing, it was the main cause of tension between Toni and I. You see, those two didn't get along at all. That's all in the past now of course, but I still like to catch up with Arthur as he's become a good, close friend to me. Sometimes strong friendships are the best outcome from a relationship and I treasure that."

Lovino nodded and wondered if that was also the case for Antonio and his ex. Maybe the whole thing was just blown out of proportion through overthinking. He watched João take a sip of his coffee, and without really thinking about it, he decided to ask him about it.

"I heard Antonio's ex is also in town. I don't know anything more..."

"...but you want me to tell you about him?" João finished for him, grinning a little mischievously which annoyed Lovino slightly.

Lovino shrugged, and said somewhat defensively,

"It's a small town with a lot of gossip. I don't know Antonio personally so I thought I'd get the facts from his brother. You don't have to say anything."

João's grin seem to widen.

"That's a nice way to put it. Well I don't mind talking about it but it's Toni's private business so it's not my place. If you really want the facts, you should ask him yourself."

Lovino couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. João seemed to pick up on it.

"What I will say though, is that those two have some unfinished business. And I think if they really talk through their issues, they may make it work again, but that remains to be seen."

Lovino felt a little sick but he plastered on a smile. Stupid crush.

"Yeah that's great for them." He tried his hardest to sound sincere but it came out sounding sarcastic. João's eyes widened as if he just realised something but before he could say anything, the cafe door flew open and a panting blonde with horrendously bushy eyebrows, and dressed in an old fashioned brown suit stumbled in.

"Please excuse me, I forgot the time and then I realised some twats stole my bike so I had to run here." Arthur was gasping for air a bit.

Lovino frowned.
"No need to break down our door, you bastard." He eyed the hinges a little worriedly.

"You should repair that bloody door anyway," Arthur grumbled as he sat down across from João, who watched the spectacle with an amused expression.

Lovino rolled his eyes and left them to catch up. He wondered if Antonio would come by and if he would bring this mysterious ex.