Definitely, Maybe (Hetalia Fanfic)

Chapter Twelve

"Nothing really happened with Artie and me, we just remained friends. That's how it stayed, and that's how we liked it. Tonio, well, he acted as Cupid for me now, trying to set me up with people or either really excited whenever I said I had something else to do that night, nothing ever happened, he just set his expectations high like the idiot he is."

-

Lovino was sprawled across the couch in their little, cozy living room, reading a novel he got hooked on a few weeks ago; it was a recommendation from Artie, meaning he had to read it before the Brit kicked his ass for being a lazy 'prick' and not doing something productive; like every day of his mundane, normal life. No, but Artie wanted him to do something for once, so read the book he will. The couch had dipped a bit near where his feet rested. Lovino looked up from his book and saw Tonio sitting across from him, staring right back at him. "You know, you're fucking creepy."

"Am I?" Tonio asked, shifting his gaze to the empty picture frames that were standing on the tv. The two best friends were meaning to replace the shitty ones that come with the frames with memories that they were supposed to be making, but never got around to doing it. "Yeah, hey, by the way, did you get the groceries for the week already?"

"I thought it was your turn to do it?"

"Is not!" Lovino folded the corner of the page he was reading before closing the book and setting it down on the small, oval-shaped coffee table near the couch. His temper was starting to take over again. "I did the dishes last night when you were supposed to, so you take over doing the groceries!"

"You didn't do the dishes! I did." Tonio replied, keeping his cool. He laid back on the couch and played with the hem of his tan sweater he was wearing. "You were putting them in the sink for me to clean. That doesn't count as 'doing the dishes'."

"Same thing!"

"It isn't the same thing."

"Yeah? Well, fuck you." The Italian moved swung his feet off the couch, almost hitting Tonio and stood up. "Fine, I'll do the groceries, but that means your cooking."

"I have to, it's my turn to do it." Lovino huffed and trudged over to the door, not wanting to continue the stupid conversation. It was always the thing between the two of them, arguing on a daily basis; it wasn't anything new. He grabbed his jacket and slipped on his shoes before stepping out of the house. "So much work, ugh." The Italian mumbled under his breath as he slowly made his way over to the supermarket. Grocery shopping was okay, he was able to take as many tomatoes and food as he wanted without Tonio complaining, but it was the amount of people he had to put up with while he was shopping, those are the types of people Lovino didn't want to deal with on his special days of no work.

"Stupid Tonio, not wanting to switch jobs with me." He picked a shopping cart from the row of stacked shopping carts before wheeling it into the store. Every time he turned the cart made an annoying, high-pitched squeaking noise that pissed Lovino off very much. As he wheeled the demonic cart around, placing food items he believed he and Tonio needed for the week, Lovino came in contact with someone else's cart. "Oh, hey! Sorry!"

"Watch where you're fucking.." Lovino stopped himself from swearing once he heard the familiar voice. It wasn't who he thought it was, right? He looked up and met the familiar blue orbs of his childhood friend, Alfred. Well, he was horrible at guessing, either that or he jinxed it. "I mean, uh... Sorry for bumping into you.."

"No problem Lovi!" Alfred chuckled and reeled his cart back a bit for Lovino to maneuver his cart away. "It was my fault anyways."

"No, no.." Lovino felt himself smile, a genuine smile when he heard Alfred call him by his nickname once again. He missed the sound of that, it never failed to make him happy. "It was my fault, Alfie. If anything, I should be sorry."

"Yeah right! As the hero, I won't allow that!"

"You and your stupid hero complex." Lovino laughed and pushed his cart alongside Alfred's. Finishing off his shopping with Alfred made everything much better, it made the job more fun than it would be. "So, how's everything been and all, Alfie?"

"Hm?" Said blond looked up from the self-checkout line where the two were helping each other out with scanning the produce, bagging it and paying for what they had bought. "Uh, it's cool, I found a little apartment I share with my brother, um, I got a really awesome job at a video game store and yeah! How about you?"

"It's... It's okay, yeah." Lovino replied as he picked up his plastic bags filled with food. "I mean, it's kinda missing something, but,eh, I'm doing alright. I live with Tonio and he helps out like a little shit he is." Alfred laughed and picked up his bags as well. The pair walked side-by-side as they walked. "Although, I missed you a lot. Why haven't you checked in with me every once in awhile?"

"I figured you were busy with your life," Alfred replied with a small shrug. "Besides, knowing you, I bet you have either work or dates... I dunno, I just didn't wanna bother you.""

"Me? Date?" Lovino rolled his eyes and snorted. "Like I would be the type of person to fall in love." Alfred sighed and shook his head. "You're still like that?"

"Like what?"

"Not into love and all?" The blond's question earned a shake of the head from the man beside him. "Damn, you know, if you don't find someone soon, you'll end up alone and childless."

"For the record, I don't mind being alone and I don't care if I don't have kids. The world's getting overpopulated anyways." Lovino replied in a matter-of-fact kind of tone. Alfred shifted his bags on his right hand for a bit as he playfully punched Lovino's arm. He then held the bags with both hands once again. "You ass. As your hero, I won't allow that to happen."

"Good luck with that."

"I will." Alfred nodded, kinda like he was making a promise to, not just Lovino, but himself. "I'll find your princess for you and make sure she's amazing and cool just like you. Hero's honor!" Lovino rolled his eyes and grinned. "You go do that, I'll stay on the sidelines and watch."

"You're so lazy." The American pushed Lovino playfully and laughed. "You never changed."

"Yeah," Lovino smiled and felt his heart flutter.

-- Definitely, Maybe --

Lovino and Alfred, once they caught up on everything, talking about everything and anything, waved goodbye and parted ways. The Italian's dorky smile disappeared as Alfred left. He quickly made it home, unlocking the door and stepping inside. "I'm home." He said, loudly, alerting his annoying roommate Tonio. "Help me out with the fucking groceries you ass."

"Coming!" Lovino heard running come from down the hall where Tonio's room was situated. "You're so slow!"

"I was watching something, that's why!" Tonio, once he got to the front of their shared apartment, picked up one of the bags, bringing it to the kitchen to put away the contents in it. "You took longer than expected, what's up?"

"I just ran into someone, Tonio," Lovino replied very vaguely knowing Tonio wouldn't push him for answers. "Plus the cashier there was being an ass and taking so long." Lies, he and Alfred used the self-checkout line, none of the cashiers had helped them. The American had claimed that heroes shouldn't bother the civilians while they work. "So, yeah, I was late, oops, sorry."

"I see," The Spaniard smirked as he put away the vegetables and whatnot. "It wasn't because you ran into someone you liked?"

"Fuck no!"

"It was just a possibility."

"A possibility that's completely impossible." Lovino terminated the conversation, taking a tomato out of one of the bags and started to munch on it. "I don't like anyone."

"What about me? I thought we had something here, Lovino!"

"I tolerate you, nothing more, nothing less." The Italian continued to eat the tomato he was munching on. "To an extent." He added, earning a groan from the other. "What will it take to, uh, like me more?"

"Make pasta for dinner and I might just reconsider!"

"Really?"

"No."