Timely Trials

Chapter 20: "If It Kills Me"

ANTONIO POV

I don't think I could ever accurately describe how much I love Lovino Vargas. He probably never understood how much I love him either, and I'm not sure he could figure out the extent of it if he tried. Even when he does something silly or makes a fool of himself. That's just who he is, and I love him to death for it. I really don't know what I would do without him.

Amelia brought the movie, just like I asked her to. A superhero movie, of course. I wasn't surprised by her pick; after all, I hadn't specified what movie.

"Captain America!" She shouted, tossing the DVD case on the table in front of me. "Hey, what were you going to watch it on?"

I hesitated and shrugged. "The desktop in my office works, doesn't it?"

She pointed a finger at me. "If you think I am going to be aware of Steve Rogers on a screen within a mile radius of myself and not at least listen to his voice, you are completely wrong. If you go in your office, how am I supposed to enjoy it, too, huh?"

Lovi snorted.

"Use my laptop," Amelia said, going to her desk nearby. She didn't have an office by herself. "I can do some of my work without it, for a little while at least." As she put her computer on the table and entered the password, she gave me a look. "Can you do some of your work without your computer? You're going to have to stay late if you don't get it done."

"I'll be fine." I waved her away. "I was planning on staying late today and tomorrow anyway."

"Will you be super productive?" she asked me.

"I sure will be."

She stopped pestering me and started the film.

Lovi looked a little bored. I leaned over and kissed cheek. He turned bright red and was obviously trying not to smile at me. He avoided my gaze but scooted his chair closer to mine. I smiled.

"Hey, look!" Amelia said, leaning over to point at the screen. "See those two guys? Just look at them. They're almost as gay as you, Lovino!"

Lovi's face turned red again. "I-- I'm not as--"

"Lovino Whatever-your-middle-name-is Vargas. You literally have a boyfriend who you are sitting not even a foot away from. What are you trying to say over there?"

"Shit, I just meant-- cazzo I just meant that those two are way gayer than—whatever."

Lovi shut up. Amelia was smirking.

I kissed his cheek again. "It's okay. You are the cutest thing I have ever seen."

Under his breath I heard him mumble, "But you're the cutest one I've ever seen."

Amelia started laughing at us. "Always a gay time around you two, isn't it?" She was still giggling a little when she picked up the now-ringing work phone on the desk.

"Huh? Oh, hey, Mr. Kirkland. . . . Yeah, okay. Sir.  . . . Lighten up. I'm coming. I'm coming." She put the phone back in its place and said, "Okay, Lovino, let's go. Mr. Kirkland wants me and you in his office pronto."

Lovi asked why the hell he should go and looked like he wasn't interested in moving at all, but he stood up all the same.

Amelia shrugged. "Who knows? But I am not getting scolded for taking to long to get to his office again. Come on. Not you, Antonio."

"Huh? Okay."

They left. I wondered what Mr. Kirkland wanted Lovi for. He wasn't supposed to get any more treatments for a few days.