Him and Him

09 - Falso Amore

09

Falso Amore

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"Will you be my boyfriend?"

Did he hear that right? Did he really ask that? Lovino's brain was suddenly clogged from all the possible explanations behind that question. No, it wasn't a question. Well, it is but coming from Antonio, it sounded more like a request. Oh right, he did say before that he wanted to ask a favor. So that was it?

Lovino was speechless, expressionless and almost breathless. He didn't know what to reply, what to say, how to react, what to do. His dead eyes just stared at the sky where the sun cannot be seen anymore. This worried Antonio quite much, and finally let go of the other man's hand.

No words came out from the two within the next few minutes. Antonio wasn't surprised at all; he just kissed the grumpy Italian and asked to be his lover. What else did he expect to see from Lovino aside from that? Sighing and completely understanding his mistake, Antonio stood up and spoke,

"I have to go now, Lovi. I need to help in the restaurant and..." he hesitated for at least two seconds. "I'm sorry for suddenly jumping onto you. I understand if you don't want to do what I asked you! See you tomorrow!" he said, trying to keep his normal, cheery voice to avoid any more conflict.

And he hated seeing Lovino like that.

As he walked pass the Italian, and about three steps away from him, Lovino suddenly grabbed onto one of the edges of Antonio's pants, which successfully stopped the latter to take any step further. He looked down at Lovino, shocked at the sudden action.

"Get your butt back here. I didn't give you my answer yet, idiot. Don't just fucking leave like that." he said, keeping his head down now.

Even though Lovino didn't land a sight on Antonio's face before, he knew how crushed and disappointed he looked. He can feel it.

And he hated seeing Antonio like that.

Antonio hesitated for a while. Does that mean Lovino agrees? But then again, he might shout at his face and rub it in how impossible that would be. Antonio gulped, ready for the consequences coming ahead after just sitting next to Lovino once again, which is what he did.

"Why ask me of all people?" the Italian started, his knees know curled up and hugging them, his forehead resting on his knees to keep his face hidden.

Now what? Antonio wanted to say the real reason why, but decided to set that aside for now.

"Well... You're the closest one I know. And Bella did hear it from my mouth, that I like you, though not directly."

"Do you like me?"

BA DUMP. BA DUMP. BA DUMP.

Antonio froze from his seat, face heating up once again. However, he didn't feel any of it. That question lingered into his mind, running from left to right. Is that the prompt? The prompt to tell his feelings?

Maybe it is. Antonio braced himself. He swear to God that he knows a fist might land on his face and never recover. As he was about to open his mouth to tell him, Lovino suddenly followed,

"Oh right, no you don't. You like someone else."

Sadly, no. It wasn't the prompt. Disappointment was seen clearly on Antonio's face (too bad Lovino wasn't looking), but he immediately recovered from that. He sighed, and decided to set aside, again, the prompt to tell him. Maybe one day, during their life as a couple, he might express it without Lovino knocking out his teeth.