Wow. This story has actually ended! It makes me a little sad, since I really got attached to writing this. I'm also sorry about the delay. I had trouble uploading this chapter because it was so long, and there was an anime con near my home so I decided to go. You guys seriously won't believe it! I went as Romano, and out of nowhere, a Spain cosplayer came up to me, grabbed my face and kissed me. Afterwards, he said with a huge smile "That was my hello, just for you Romano!"

Now, I'm all for shipping Spamano cosplayers, but I was a little shocked at being kissed out of the blue like that. I ultimately decided it was okay though. He even offered to hold my hand as I walked around the convention. It was a beautiful, odd experience.

Enough about me though lol. Since there was a slight delay, I've decided to upload this about the same time as the first chapter of the sequel, which will be uploaded soon. Since I'm on summer break, I think I can safely say my updating days will be on Tuesday every week. Hopefully I can stick to that, lol.

Same warnings as before and I hope you guys enjoy this last chapter.

Chapter 13. "Ana shows no mercy,

She'll take your life away,

If you give her any chance,

In your head she'll stay."

Lovino's eyes fluttered open and he squirmed underneath the sleeping bag. He saw Antonio's sleeping face next to him and he smiled. In the distance he could hear voices, and he wondered who was all awake. Antonio's soft snoring was comforting, and Lovino realized that his arm was still slung over his waist. He stared at Antonio's face and the way his eyelashes fluttered when he breathed. His skin was much darker than his own and his curly hair was even messier than usual.

He cautiously reached up and brushed the bangs from Antonio's forehead, scooting closer to place a gentle kiss there. When he received no reaction, he nuzzled closer, burying his face into the Spaniard's neck. Antonio only sighed, but did not wake up, so Lovino hugged him tighter.

He could hear his brother's voice outside of their tent, and he tried not to think of the fact that he let his brother sleep in a tent with Ludwig.

Then a delicious smell hit his nose and he breathed it in softly. His stomach rumbled and he frowned. He thought back to last night and how he had eaten the hotdog and two s'mores and his mood declined. He shouldn't be hungry. He already ate that much food, so why was he still hungry? He wriggled out from Antonio's arm, sitting up and running his fingers through his unruly hair. His stomach twisted as he heard Feliciano call out suddenly, "Breakfast is ready~"

He shouldn't be eating so much. He didn't deserve to eat so much. What if Antonio stopped loving him because of how fat he was getting? He brought his knees up to his chest and gripped his hair anxiously. Should he even be here right now? Maybe if he asked Antonio, he would take him back home. Maybe he needed to break things off with Antonio to avoid being hurt… stop it before Antonio gets the chance to hurt him.

Antonio slowly woke up, his eyes opening blearily. He rubbed at his tired eyes and yawned, noticing how Lovino was already awake. He smiled, sat up, stretched, and was about to call out to him until he realized something was wrong.

Lovino was rocking back and forth, curled up in a ball and was muttering to himself words that Antonio couldn't make out. Immediately Antonio knew he was having one of those small attacks that came with eating. He wondered how long Lovino had been in this state and felt guilty for not being awake to stop it before it started.

"Lovi." He murmured, clearing his throat when his voice came out rough. He reached out and gently maneuvered Lovino into a hug, tucking him safely into his arms. With Lovino's back to his chest, he began placing soft kisses to his shoulder and neck, whispering compliments and praise.

They sat their for almost fifteen minutes before Lovino finally shifted in Antonio's arms, turning to him. He hadn't been crying, which Antonio found as a relief. He just looked….exhausted. Antonio pulled him closer to connect their lips in a quick kiss. "...Did you sleep okay?" He asked, inspecting Lovino for any other signs of his negative emotions.

Lovino shrugged, leaning into Antonio's chest. "I think I did. It's just… as soon as I woke up I couldn't help but think about last night...a-and the food..." Lovino mumbled, his voice dripping in regret.

"What kind of thoughts?" Antonio asked curiously.

Lovino huffed. "...I don't want you to leave me if I get fat and ugly." He grumbled, averting his eyes from the Spaniard's.

Antonio let out a soft chuckle, his arms tightening their hold around Lovino's body. "I could never. I will never leave you, my love. And there's seriously no way you can become fat or ugly to me. I will always see my beautiful Lovi." He cooed.

Lovino didn't answer, but Antonio could see the flush of his cheeks and ears. "...Thank you, Antonio..." He murmured, shifting just enough so he could place a loving kiss on the corner of Antonio's mouth.

Feeling giddy after the kiss, Antonio practically attacked Lovino with kisses, peppering them all over his face. "You are too cute Lovi!" Antonio exclaimed.

"L-let go of me-!" Lovino cried, trying to wriggle out of Antonio's grasp.

"Lovi? Antonio?" Feliciano's voice came from outside and his silhouette shown in the front of the tent. Lovino quickly pushed Antonio off of him and scooted away as he heard the his younger brother unzipping the tent. "Are you two okay? Isn't it hot in there?" Feliciano asked curiously.

"We're fine, we're fine!" Lovino growled, lifting a leg to shove his brother out of the tent. Feliciano landed on his butt and giggled lightly.

"What were you two doing? You're really red, Lovi~" He teased. "Anyway, breakfast is ready." With that, he stood up and walked away, leaving the two of them alone.

When Lovino turned around, Antonio was still laying on his back, a grin on his face. "You're honestly so cute when you're embarrassed." He told Lovino happily.

Lovino rolled his eyes and zipped the tent back up so he could get dressed, forcing the Spaniard to turn away.

~oO0Oo~

Lovino slowly ate breakfast. Antonio monitored him, making sure he ate the two eggs and bacon that he served him, as well as the cup of orange juice and a bottle of water. He was relieved to see Lovino eating, and it made him happy to think of him actually enjoying the taste of food.

"Are you done?" He asked. When Lovino nodded, he took the paper plate from him and discarded them into the trash bag nearby. It was only the two of them sitting at the long since put out campfire, everyone else had gone for a hike.

"...I don't know if it's right to say this, but...I'm proud of you, Lovi." Antonio said nervously.

Lovino's leg kept bouncing and he nodded as he chewed on his lip. "...I know..." He mumbled, but avoided eye contact with Antonio.

"...Hey, Lovi? Are you oka-" Antonio started, only to be cut off when Lovino suddenly bolted from where he was sitting. He dashed away from the campsite, Antonio following him once he got over the initial shock. "Lovi! Wait-!" He called out as Lovino ran further away.

Then Lovino stopped. He hunched over and shoved two fingers down his throat. "Lovi, stop!" Antonio shouted, grabbing Lovino's shoulders and attempting to pull him upright.

"Shut the fuck up, Antonio!" Lovino snarled as he pulled away. "Let me go!"

"Lovi, please calm down. Don't do this. Let's go back and talk..." Antonio tried reasoning, but Lovino only tried shoving him away in protest.

"I don't fucking want to talk!" He cried loudly. "I ate too much, I don't fucking deserve to eat anything! I don't deserve a talk!"

Antonio paused, simply staring at Lovino with a hurt expression. "Oh, Lovi..." He mumbled. "You can do this… it takes a lot of effort, but you can."

"Can't you see? I really fucking can't, Antonio. I'm weak as shit and I have no right to eat..." His voice trembled and he collapsed onto his knees on the grass.

Antonio kneeled down beside him and wrapped his arms around him. He had known it would be difficult, but right now he was getting frustrated. He sighed heavily and placed a kiss on the top of Lovino's head. "...You are not weak. Lovi, you deserve things. You deserve to eat." He tried.

A shuffle of grass came from behind them and Antonio looked over his shoulder to see Alfred. "Um...It's not really a good time right now, Alfred..." Antonio told him in a polite voice.

Alfred snorted, walking toward them and sitting down beside Lovino. "I know, it's just… He really helped me out last night… I want to return the favor."

Antonio considered him for a moment, looking from Lovino, back to Alfred. "...Alright." He agreed.

Alfred nodded and scooted closer, gently touching Lovino's knee to get his attention. "Hey." He greeted. Lovino only glared pointedly at him. "You were the one that said you wanted to get better. You were the one that really understood my situation, and I'm the only one who understands yours."

Lovino slowly nodded. Alfred continued. "Don't you think it would be nice to go a day without that voice? To not hear it anymore?... To be free?" Alfred asked thoughtfully.

Lovino glanced at Alfred, letting out a small huff. "...But sometimes I think that...that if I were to get rid of it… I'd be alone. I'd be disgusting and alone." Lovino mumbled, avoiding Antonio's sad gaze.

"You're not the only one that feels that way." Alfred sighed. "Sometimes it's comforting, but look at Antonio. You're not just hurting yourself. Last night you helped me realize that I'm also hurting Arthur. That what I… We have, affects everyone around us… And we're the only ones that can stop it. The only ones that can protect them."

Lovino let out a small sob, quickly wiping his eyes as the tears rolled down his cheeks. "...I know… I get it." He admitted weakly.

Alfred smiled fondly and patted him on the back. "We can do this, Lovi." He said promisingly.

Lovino nodded through his tears and then turned to Antonio, whose jaw had dropped at seeing how well the two interacted. Lovino threw his arms around Antonio's shoulders, burying his face into his neck as he cried harder. "I'm sorry, Antonio. God, I'm so sorry…" His apology was muffled and Antonio could feel his hot breath against his skin.

He wrapped his arms tightly around Lovino and had to blink the tears that formed on the corners of his eyes. Lovino was starting to understand. He met eyes with Alfred, who was smiling and looking pleased with himself. He mouthed a thank you to him, and was even more grateful when Alfred nodded, then stood to leave.

Once the two of them were alone again, Lovino continued to sob into Antonio's shoulder. "I'll try harder..." He mumbled, only to be hushed gently by Antonio.

"I know, Lovi. You're doing great. I'm so proud of you. Perfect, beautiful Lovi." Antonio cooed and let Lovino cuddle up to him.

When Lovino finally pulled away he kept a grip on Antonio's shirt sleeve. "...I can't jump to foods like last night..." He admitted. "I can't do those foods yet… They're good, but… it's too much."

Antonio nodded understandingly. "...I had no idea… But it's okay now. I should've been more considerate… We'll see if we can find you foods you're comfortable with."

Lovino sniffled and made a soft sound in agreement.

"...I want you to be at a safe weight too though..." Antonio said sadly. "I just want you to be happy."

~oO0Oo~

"West, you old man! C'mon, jump in!" Gilbert shouted at his younger brother who was perched on top of a rock that was seated on the riverbed.

Ludwig rolled his eyes and watched as his brother tackled Francis, both of them falling into the water and creating large splashes.

"It's so cold!" Feliciano complained as he slowly sunk lower into the water. "Lovi, how are you doing it!?"

Lovino was swimming silently on the other side of the river, watching as Antonio's friends wrestled one another. By now he was used to the water, and was neck deep.

Antonio was climbing the rock, judging where he should jump in, while Alfred was attempting to skip rocks on the more quiet part of the river. Arthur was reading a book further away on the grass.

"I think the deep part was right here? Or maybe there…?" Antonio said to himself as he inspected the water.

"Don't hurt yourself." Ludwig sighed, piecing together how Antonio, Francis, and Gilbert managed to be friends. He didn't know if Antonio had heard him, since immediately after he finished his sentence, the Spaniard jumped into the river with a splash.

Seconds later his head came back up and he swam towards his two friends. Immediately they pulled him into their wrestling match and all three of them were tackling each other. Feliciano sunk completely into the water and swam over to his brother. A big grin was on his face as he playfully splashed Lovino. "This is fun. I'm glad we came." He said happily.

Lovino nodded and allowed a small smile to grace his features. "I guess so. Antonio seems to love this place." He murmured as he watched his boyfriend laugh and wriggle out of Gilbert's grip.

"All three of them seem to." Feliciano nodded. "…Hey Lovi?" He asked suddenly.

"Hm?"

"...I-I'm really happy. I'm happy for you."

Lovino's eyes widened and he stared at his brother, confused. "What do you mean?"

Feliciano swam around a bit before answering. "You seem so happy these days. And… and you ate. Seeing that, after so long… I was so happy…!" Feliciano's voice wavered and Lovino was sure he was crying.

Lovino shrugged and beneath the water he intertwined their fingers. "...I'm sorry, Feli. I'm sorry that I did this to you, grandpa, and Antonio. But I'm starting to see. I'm starting to get better." He smiled reassuringly at his younger brother.

Feliciano's eyes watered and he threw his arms around Lovino. "You don't have to apologize Lovi! I'm so glad...so relieved…!" He cried.

"Is everything okay here?" Francis asked as he swam toward the two.

Lovino frowned and gently pushed Feliciano off of him. "Everything's fine." He grumbled. He remembered what Antonio had said about Francis when it came to swimming, and was eyeing him warily.

"Wanna join in?" Francis asked, a smirk gracing his features.

"Ve… it seems a little too rough..." Feliciano murmured, watching Gilbert and Antonio throw each other around at the other side of the river.

Francis chuckled and pushed his wet hair out of his face. "No, no, I don't mean that. We can jump from the rock over there if you'd like. The water's pretty deep right there." He told the two, pointing to the rock Ludwig was currently sitting on.

Lovino blushed as he remembered when he and Antonio visited this place, and how they had shared their first kiss on that same rock. To make matters worse, he and Antonio's eyes met just as Antonio managed to break free from Gilbert. It almost seemed as if they shared the same thought at that moment, because for a rare second, Antonio's face turned crimson. Right before he was tackled again.

"Lovi? Are you feeling ill?" Feliciano asked, looking at his brother in concern.

Lovino splashed water onto his face in a rush, shaking his head as he swam away from Francis and his brother. "Stop asking questions." He grumbled embarrassedly.

By the time everyone agreed to get out of the water, all of them had dived into the river from the rock at least once. Ludwig retrieved towels for all of them, murmuring about how they had stayed in the water for too long and had become prune-y.

"You had fun." Antonio commented as he took a hold of Lovino's towel and dried his hair for him.

"Same goes for you. A little too much fun..." Lovino mumbled, looking at the scrapes and bruises Antonio had gotten from his brawls with Gilbert and Francis.

Antonio laughed, his curly hair bouncing with his movements. "Ah, yeah. I guess I did get a little carried away… We haven't done that in so long though."

Unexpectedly, Lovino leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on Antonio's lips, his cheeks igniting a brilliant shade of red. "It was nice. Thanks..." He mumbled and hastily retreated before Antonio could snap out of his shock and coo over Lovino.

~oO0Oo~

On the last day of their time camping, Antonio avoided giving Lovino unhealthy foods. While they were packing, Antonio caught Lovino alone and had the chance to bring up their scheduled date.

"Y-you want to go see what?" Lovino mumbled, stuffing some clothes into a bag.

"It's a new scary movie out. It's called 'The Devil Sleeps Tight.'" Antonio replied excitedly. "It's showing a little late tonight, and I really think it'll be fun!"

Lovino sighed deeply and looked warily at Antonio. "...Popcorn..." He said.

Antonio blinked and tilted his head to the side. "Popcorn?"

"...Forget it. I don't even know what point I'm trying to make. I'll go to your stupid movie." Lovino grumbled and hoisted the bag onto his shoulders.

"Aw, Lovi. Don't do that! What about popcorn?" Antonio urged, trying to pull Lovino back into the tent.

What he didn't expect was for Lovino to round on him and glare pointedly. "I'm happy that you take what I say so seriously...But at the movies, there's popcorn. I want popcorn, but… I'll regret it..." Lovino explained and averted his eyes from Antonio's gaze.

"…I'll make sure you don't! Lovi, how many times do I have to tell you that you deserve everything! Popcorn especially!" He grabbed Lovino's small shoulders and waited until golden brown met emerald green before speaking again. "Stop thinking like that. When you let yourself be brought down like that, you're giving that negative mind power over you. Do you want that, Lovi?" He asked seriously, his grasp tightening.

Lovino shifted uncomfortably and frowned. "...I don't want that. I don't… I just want everything to be over." He said in a soft voice.

Antonio slowly released Lovino's shoulders, seemingly slumping as he took in Lovino's confession. "...Well, it can't and won't. Lovi, not unless you put in the effort. And I know you try. I can't ever understand it fully, and I don't always know what to say or do, but I do believe you can fight it. I believe that you will overcome it. You don't just choose recovery. You have to keep choosing it, over and over again."

Lovino carded his fingers through Antonio's hair and smiled as he pulled the Spaniard closer. "...You're right… Let's hurry up and finish packing so we can head back and see that movie." He told Antonio.

"Okay. I love you." Antonio answered happily as he pulled away and crawled out of the tent, Lovino following closely behind.

"I love you t-" Lovino's voice dropped to a whisper once they came face to face with Alfred. He was kneeling in front of the tent and a cheeky grin was plastered on his face.

"I never realized how adorable you two are." He laughed. Antonio only snorted and continued to haul bags to his car.

The two of them watched him go until he was far enough that he wouldn't hear them talk. Then Alfred turned to Lovino. "I… I ate an egg. I didn't even throw up! For the first time in months, my throat feels like it's not being torn to shreds. Arthur seems pretty happy too." Alfred sighed.

Lovino hummed and sat beside Alfred, bringing his knees up to his chest. "Antonio seems happy too. He wants to go to a horror movie that has an awful name tonight."

Alfred chuckled and nodded. "Yeah...You know, everyone on this trip kinda gave you guys your space. Ludwig had a hard time keeping your little brother away. We thought you could use the time together."

Lovino's eyes widened and he stared at Alfred. "What? But why-?"

"Antonio asked us to." Alfred answered immediately with a shrug. "To be honest, sometimes he scares me."

Lovino rolled his eyes and plucked some grass to play with. "Well, don't be. He's harmless." He mumbled.

"Yeah, maybe to you, but I've seen him angry." Lovino gave him a curious glance, so he continued. "Once I was walking to the gym building and I was walking behind the school when I stumbled on Antonio threatening this one guy."

Lovino couldn't help but laugh. "Are you sure that was Antonio? Because that Antonio would feel bad stepping on an ant, let alone threatening someone." He pointed to Antonio who had started talking to Francis on his way back.

"I'm telling you it was him! He told the guy that if they ever so much as looked at you, then he'd break more than his nose." Alfred explained with a shiver.

"Wait, wait wait- Me?" Lovino asked, an icy cold feeling settling into his chest.

"Yes, you! He said your name and everything!" Alfred said impatiently.

Lovino laid back on the grass with a sigh. "Oh my fucking god. I told him not to do anything… How did he even-" Lovino mumbled to himself and threaded his fingers through his hair.

Alfred laid down beside him. "Oh. Did the guy pick on you?" He asked softly.

It took a moment for Lovino to answer. He wondered if the boy Antonio had been threatening was even the right boy. He wondered how Antonio managed to find out who it was because he had never revealed that. "...Yeah. He kinda triggered the ED." Lovino finally said, letting his eyes flutter shut when a cool breeze sifted through.

"Oh shit...really?" Alfred asked and sat up a little, supporting himself on his elbows. "Then I agree with Antonio. He had every reason to threaten him like that." He murmured.

"I actually didn't think he would do anything..." Feliciano suddenly said as he plopped down beside them, causing the two to jump in shock. "You didn't say much about it though. You only said you disliked him." He continued sadly, looking apologetically at Lovino.

"You… You told him!?" Lovino asked incredulously.

"He made it sound very important!" Feliciano cried, throwing himself at Lovino and burying his face in his brother's chest. "I didn't know, I'm sorry!"

Alfred chuckled softly beside them at the little display and Lovino let out a huff. "Get off, Feli. I'm not mad. I'm surprised you even bothered to remember the name."

Feliciano looked up to meet his brother's eyes and frowned. "Of course I would. You seemed so upset and that was when you changed. Of course I'd remember something like that." He mumbled and blinked away tears that appeared in the corner of his eyes.

Lovino always tended to forget just how observant his little brother was.

~oO0Oo~

After everything was packed and ready, all of them headed back into town. Lovino had to admit it was a fun ride back, what with Feliciano talking to Antonio the entire ride home. He didn't seemed bothered in the slightest, which made Lovino happy. He was glad the two got along so well.

When they finally arrived back at their house, Antonio promised to pick Lovino up twenty minutes before the movie would start, leaving him with almost five hours of nothing to do. Romulus welcomed them jovially and practically beamed when Lovino told him everything that they had done, including him eating a few s'mores.

Lovino was also quick to shower once he got home. He wasn't surprised in the slightest when dirt and mud washed down the drain, most likely from their time in the river. Once out, he got dressed in a black and red t-shirt and dark blue jeans. He thought about taking the time to style his hair, but shook the idea off when he reminded himself that the date was just to the movies.

It was as him and his brother were sitting on the couch watching tv that his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, his heart thrumming as he read Antonio's message, promising to be there in no less than ten minutes.

"I hope you two have fun." Feliciano offered. He was sprawled out on the couch, his feet laying on Lovino's lap.

"Thanks… I hope so too..." Lovino mumbled as he texted the Spaniard back. "He sounds excited, at least."

Feliciano giggled lightly and they continued watching the rest of the program until Lovino received yet another text, saying that Antonio was outside. He stood up and shoved his phone back into his pocket, muttering a goodbye to his younger brother before briskly walking out the door. Of course, once he climbed into Antonio's ride, he turned to see probably the most widest grin he'd ever seen the Spaniard make.

"...What's up with you?" Lovino grumbled, eyeing Antonio suspiciously.

"Nothing! Well, I'm excited, happy and giddy that we're actually going on a real date. You look gorgeous, by the way." He winked as he pulled out of the driveway.

Lovino blushed and rolled his eyes at Antonio's words, but silently had to agree that he felt the same. Antonio looked stunning as well. He chanced a glance at him, watching him as he turned the radio on and continued driving without a care in the world.

His messy, curly, brown hair was still the same as ever. Only he wore a white button-up and black jeans. The sun was just setting, which illuminated his dark skin and emerald green eyes and Lovino gulped when Antonio started happily singing along to one of the songs.

They arrived at the movie theatre with time to spare, and Antonio held Lovino's hand, leading him into the building. Once they agreed on who would pay for the tickets and who the popcorn and drinks, they made their way into the theatre, which had very few people inside it.

"Do you like scary movies, Lovi?" Antonio asked softly as he popped a popcorn into his mouth.

"...Sure, I'll watch them when I'm bored, but I'm not that enthusiastic." Lovino shrugged, taking a sip of their shared soda. Antonio had insisted that they share a drink, and Lovino was pretty sure it was for the sole purpose of having him drink something else that wasn't water. He went along with it, immediately deciding that the taste of cherry coke was much better than water.

"You know...I think you really do look nice. When I saw you, I was at a loss for words, and I think I might've said something stupid." Antonio laughed.

Lovino quirked his lips up. "Really? I didn't notice. You're always saying something stupid." He mumbled, reaching over and taking a piece of popcorn. He met Antonio's wide eyes as he ate it.

"God, you're so beautiful." Antonio sighed and leaned closer to connect their lips. Lovino's eyes fluttered shut and he brought a hand up to run gently though Antonio's hair, keeping him in place as he deepened the kiss.

When they pulled away, Lovino's face was beet red, and he hid his face embarrassedly when Antonio happily pointed that out. Then the movie started and the lights dimmed further. Lovino smiled to himself when Antonio intertwined their fingers, and they watched the movie in silence.

~oO0Oo~

"That little squeak you made was absolutely adorable!" Antonio declared as they walked out into the parking lot. It seemed to have rained a bit and the air smelled fresh. The streetlights gave the pavement a nice glow and illuminated the night.

Lovino shivered and rubbed his arms to try and warm himself up. Most of the vehicles that were parked before were gone. They got into Antonio's car and he turned up the heat, much to Lovino's relief. "So… I don't think I'm ready to let you go tonight." Antonio said as he buckled up and pulled out of the parking lot.

Lovino looked at him curiously, buckling up before the Spaniard could comment about it. "...What do you have in mind?" He asked.

Then Antonio grinned and motioned toward the time. It wasn't too late, Lovino decided. "So throughout our time dating, I've noticed how much you love books. The first time we talked, you were reading a book. When you were alone in my room you were drawn to my bookshelf." Antonio explained easily.

Lovino smiled and tilted his head. "And? Where are you going with this?"

Antonio looked proud when he revealed his plans. "My point is, I want to take you to this bookstore on the other side of town. I don't know if you've heard of it, but it's kinda like a cafe and bookstore. I thought you'd might like it."

A bubble of excitement rose in Lovino's chest, but he did his best to remain calm and not seem too pleased by Antonio's plans. "You thought right." He simply said, desperately trying not to squirm in his seat.

The drive to the bookstore was pleasant. Antonio wanted to talk the entire way, mostly about Lovino's well-being which actually was welcomed. "I'm honestly so proud of you Lovi." Antonio said sincerely.

Lovino glanced at him, wondering what he could possibly say in response. "…..You're the one that helped me get this far." He finally said.

Antonio shrugged. "I guess you can say that, but I think it was mostly just you. You're strong, and I really admire that about you." He complimented, making Lovino blush.

"I-if you say so..." Lovino mumbled, smiling despite himself.

Antonio was about to reply when he spotted the bookstore. Only three or four vehicles were parked outside and the window emitted a warm glow onto the street. He cheered happily as he pulled into the parking lot. Lovino was practically dragging the Spaniard in by the time they both got out of the car barely unable to contain his excitement.

A bell overhead the door rang as they walked in and Lovino was glad that the building was warm. The only lights were the bright orange glows of the lamps placed throughout the room. Their feet clacked on the wooden floor as they walked further into the store and Antonio stuffed his hands into his pockets as he watched Lovino wander to look at the bookshelves.

"While you look, I'll grab us some drinks." Antonio murmured and motioned toward the small cafe. A woman was sitting behind the counter on her phone with a bored expression. Lovino barely glanced in the cafe's direction before agreeing with Antonio.

Antonio ordered two hot chocolate's and after a few minutes of deciding, ordered a brownie. It smelled delicious and he searched for Lovino to offer him the baked good. He wondered when was the last time Lovino had eaten something so tasty.

When Antonio finally managed to find Lovino, he was kneeling down, searching the bottom shelves. His eyes were practically sparkling as he read the titles and let his fingers trace the spines of the books. He would pull out a book, flip it open and read a few lines, then close it and put it back in place. Which would seem like nothing special, but to Antonio it was a site worth watching. It was obvious how much Lovino was enjoying this.

So in the end Antonio sat down in a comfy spot in the corner of the room where he could watch Lovino browse. He wasn't surprised when twenty minutes had passed before Lovino came walked over, carrying two books. "I could spend an entire day in here." Lovino sighed as he sat down across the small table from Antonio. "They have everything, I could practically live here!"

Antonio laughed and held out the hot chocolate that had cooled, but was thankfully not too tepid. "I see that. I'm glad you like this." He said and also pushed the brownie toward Lovino.

Lovino couldn't help but grin as he took the hot chocolate and drank some of it. Antonio wanted so badly to see that smile more often, because that was an honest smile. Lovino was sincerely happy, and that made him happy. Lovino put the drink down and rubbed his cheeks. "My face hurts. I think I've been smiling for too long..." He murmured, causing Antonio to make a soft titter of amusement.

"You don't know how happy that makes me." Antonio confessed, propping his elbow onto the table and resting his chin on his palm. "Just watching you enjoy yourself, it's made my entire week, basically."

Lovino blushed, but the smile was still there, and Antonio wanted to gush over how adorable Lovino looked at the moment, but decided against it when Lovino reached out and picked up the brownie.

"Oh, I got that for you. I know we kinda agreed on healthy foods, but I got it since I just thought-"

He was cut off when Lovino leaned over the table and kissed him softly on the lips. Their kiss lasted for only seconds, but both could feel the emotions put into the kiss, that it meant something special.

When Lovino pulled away, he curled up into a more comfortable position on the chair and began unwrapping the baked good. Antonio admired how determined Lovino looked, and he knew how much of an obstacle it had to be for him to overcome.

"I can eat it." Lovino mumbled, almost as if coaching himself. Once he unwrapped a part of the brownie, he held it up to his mouth. "I can eat it..." He more whispered than said, and took a bite of it.

Antonio watched as Lovino's eyes fluttered shut and he chewed like it was the best thing he's tasted in his entire life, which probably felt like it at the moment. Then tears fell and ran down his cheeks and he took another bite.

"...Are you okay?" Antonio asked in concern, surprised that Lovino was crying.

"...Yeth..." Lovino blubbered, still chewing. He eventually swallowed and desperately tried wiping his eyes. "It's been so long. I… I haven't...in so long..."

Antonio moved to comfort him, but was beaten to it when Lovino suddenly got up and curled up in Antonio's lap. Antonio only gave a seconds thought about the other occupants of the bookstore, before wrapping his arms around Lovino, rubbing his back comfortingly. "Shh, I know." He said soothingly. "You deserve it."

It might've looked ridiculous from afar or without context, a teenage boy curled up in another boy's arms and on his lap, crying while still eating a brownie. Lovino breathed out a laugh at the thought of how they might look. It wasn't until he heard Antonio sniffle that he looked up to see the Spaniard tearing up. His eyes were glossy and he tried laughing it off, even as he wiped at his eyes. "Sorry, Lovi. I'm just so happy." He murmured weakly.

Lovino wrapped his arms around Antonio's neck, hoping the gesture brought some sort of comfort. The two remained that way for a long while. Antonio was just grateful that the bookstore seemed pretty dead for the time being.

~oO0Oo~

When they finally decided to go home, Antonio bought the two books for Lovino, after much protesting. Lovino didn't eat the entire brownie, which was fine by Antonio because he knew Lovino was recovering in his own small ways. He drove Lovino back home and they shared one last lingering kiss before Lovino went inside.

In the morning Feliciano had a million questions for Lovino, asking about how the date went, where they went, and if Antonio had done a good job of planning it out.

"I already told you Feli, it was great, everything was great, it was the greatest fucking time of my life." Lovino rolled his eyes as he pulled his shoes on.

Feliciano made a sound of pure joy, practically bouncing with excitement. "It really does sound like you had a great time! I'm happy for you two! I hope Ludwig and I can be like that!" He exclaimed, earning a glare from his older brother.

"...Putting that aside, are you ready to go yet?" Lovino growled, hoisting his bag onto his shoulders as he straightened up.

Feliciano nodded and opened the front door, looking outside. "Oh! Antonio's here!" He called as soon as the red car pulled in.

Lovino quickly grabbed the book Antonio had purchased for him last night and followed his brother out the door, bidding a goodbye to their grandfather who was just sleepily making his way into the kitchen.

Once in the car, Antonio noticed the book Lovino was clutching to his chest and smiled brightly. "You already started reading it?" He asked happily.

Lovino fought the blush that threatened to stain his cheeks and held the book closer. "...Y-yeah. I read six chapters so far. It's really good." He mumbled and Feliciano giggled in the backseat.

"Lovi, you're gonna be tired during classes!" He scolded lightly and his brother rolled his eyes.

Antonio chuckled softly and pulled out of the driveway. "You do look tired. As soon as you get home you should take a nap." He suggested.

Lovino sighed and shook his head. "I can't. I have another...therapy session." He hesitantly said, almost as if ashamed to admit it.

"Oh, well, maybe after that then?" Antonio nodded in understanding, smiling at Lovino for a second before returning his eyes to the road.

"Actually..." Lovino started, he fumbled with the book as he mentally forced himself to finish his sentence. "...I kinda want you to go with me… I want you in the room with me..."

Antonio's eyes widened and he glanced in the mirror at Feliciano, who looked just as surprised as he was. He cleared his throat as he repeated Lovino, just to make sure he heard correctly. "You want me to go with you? Is that okay?" He asked.

Lovino nodded. "I already talked with the therapist… She said it was fine..." he grumbled as he looked out the window.

"Hmm… Okay then. If she says it's okay." Antonio smiled.

"You always ask Antonio! I'm feeling a little left out here!" Feliciano whined and Lovino groaned in annoyance.

"If I invited you, you would ask a billion questions, not sit still, and complain." Lovino turned in his seat to address his brother. "Besides, it's something I want Antonio to be there for."

Feliciano pouted while Antonio couldn't help but reach across the console to grab Lovino's hand. "I'd be more than happy to go with you." He stated, squeezing the Italian's hand for emphasis. "After school, we'll head right over there, okay?"

Lovino blushed and squeezed Antonio's hand in return. "...Okay..."

Once they got to the school, the three of them were surrounded by Francis, Gilbert, Ludwig, Arthur, and Alfred. Of course, Feliciano and Antonio greeted them easily while Lovino grimaced at the fact that he was absolutely surrounded by loud people. Alfred and Arthur eventually pulled him off to the side and Arthur threw his arms around Lovino, who tensed at the gesture. "I really can't thank you enough..." He mumbled into his shoulder. "It's because of you that… that-"

Alfred chuckled softly and patted Arthur on the back. Lovino met his bright blue eyes and Alfred began explaining. "I managed three slices of pizza last night and an omelet this morning. With a glass of orange juice, of course!" Alfred declared proudly.

Lovino gave a small smiled and told the two of his successes. He also mentioned the bookstore and how he had eaten some of a delicious brownie that Antonio had bought for him. Alfred looked relieved that Lovino was trying just as hard as he was. With one last hug, they parted ways.

The rest of the day went like any other, during lunch Lovino read in the passenger's seat of Antonio's car while Antonio preoccupied himself with either trying to cuddle up to him, hum a tune, or bring out the food he had made in his culinary class. Today he had made a cream of broccoli soup and was ecstatic when Lovino shared it with him.

Antonio knew that the disorder wasn't fully gone. He would catch Lovino staring at himself wherever his reflection could be seen, or he would unknowingly pinch or poke any part of his body he considered to be fat. After lunch, Antonio had even noticed how Lovino paused just in front of the bathroom doors, seemingly tempted to enter through its doors and purge. He was prepared for relapses, however, and made sure to let Lovino know that.

By the time the school day had ended and Lovino made sure Feliciano was escorted home safely by Gilbert's younger brother, the two headed over to Lovino's therapist. Antonio was honestly nervous, to say the least. He had always wondered what kinds of things Lovino told them, and if it really was okay for him to tag along.

When they were called on and entered the plain grey and spacious room, Antonio had been reassured by Lovino at least a dozen times that it was okay for him to be there. Lovino had explained that the first therapist, who had been a man had such difficulty with Lovino that he was then assigned a kind, older woman. She smiled warmly at Antonio and offered him a seat beside Lovino on the comfy red sofa.

Once they were comfortable, she began with her usual questions. She asked Lovino when the last time he ate was and what he ate. When he mentioned the brownie, her eyes rounded out and she seemed greatly surprised. Many other questions followed that one in which Lovino answered honestly and without hesitation.

Once the small interrogation was over, she placed her clipboard down and nearly beamed at Lovino. "Even I can tell what progress you've made in the short time you've been away from here. I'm honestly impressed and amazed at what you've managed to accomplish." She complimented Lovino, who blushed lightly and shied away. "However, I think we should do a small activity. I do this with all patients that come in with similar issues. Will you help me, Antonio?" She turned to Antonio, who perked at the question.

"Of course m'am." He responded politely, earning a kind smile.

She left the room for a moment, returning with a large paper that dragged across the floor as she carried it. Since Antonio was significantly taller than her, he was given the task of stapling it to the bare wall in the corner of the room. Once he was finished, she gave Lovino a marker and instructed him to make an outline of what he thought his body to be.

Antonio sat back and watched alongside the therapist as Lovino drew an outline of himself, the size much bigger than Lovino actually was. Once he was finished, she made him stand back and point out what he saw wrong with the image.

"The arms, the legs, the stomach...everything..." Lovino mumbled as he glared at the outline of himself.

Antonio wanted to say something, that the image wasn't even correct and resembled nothing like Lovino, but the therapist began speaking. "Okay. Well, Lovino. Would you stand with your back against the paper?" When he gave a curt nod and did as she asked, she turned and handed Antonio a marker. "Draw an outline of him over the outline he made of himself." She told Antonio, who nodded.

He started with Lovino's head, both of them sharing small glances and smiles as he did so. As he traced, he wondered what the objective of this activity was. Were they addressing Lovino's image of himself?

It was as he finished and pushed the marker back into it's cap that the therapist allowed Lovino to step away from the paper. She had him do the same as before and step away from the wall and examine the image.

The outline Antonio had drawn was much, much smaller than the one Lovino had drawn. The arms had thinned out and the legs were so small compared to the one's that Lovino had imagined, that he actually had to question if Antonio had drawn in too close.

"Nope. I was watching him, and I thought you trusted him to do an accurate drawing?" She reassured him calmly. He nodded and stared at the image on the paper. The outline Antonio had drawn was inside the larger one Lovino had drawn, only exaggerating how much of a difference there was.

Then the therapist handed Lovino a red marker and motioned him to fill in the smaller outline. He did so, and after a few minutes, had taken a step back and examined it himself without the therapist asking him to do so. He suddenly turned to her and asked for a different color, which she handed to him curiously. He then urged Antonio to come closer and they both took a hold of the plain black marker.

Antonio was confused at first, wondering what Lovino was going to draw next with the marker, scared that he might try and 'fix' the image further. But when Lovino began slowly and carefully leading his hand to draw a big heart in the middle of Antonio's outline of Lovino's chest, his heart swelled up and he hugged Lovino the second the heart was finished.

The therapist beamed in barely concealed joy and talked with Lovino for a few more minutes before she decided that it was okay for the two of them to leave early.

The drive back home was a comforting silence. Antonio was still replaying the scene in his head over and over again. Lovino was the one who drew the heart. It wasn't asked of him, no one suggested it, he took it upon himself to draw it. Antonio couldn't wait to see the look of Romulus' and Feliciano's faces once they were told about what had happened.

When they arrived back at Lovino's place, Antonio walked with him inside and Feliciano perked from where he was sitting on the couch watching a strange cooking program that showed how to make different German foods. "Lovi!" He cried and jumped up, throwing himself at his older brother. "How'd it go?" He asked excitedly when he noticed the grin that was plastered on Antonio's face.

Romulus appeared from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a cloth and raising his eyebrow in inquiry. Both Lovino and Antonio recounted all of what happened, during which Feliciano began to cry and Romulus sniffled a bit. By the time they were done retelling the events, Romulus declared that dinner was ready, and offered Antonio to stay for dinner.

He easily complied and was delighted when he found that Romulus had prepared lasagna. He bragged about it being a traditional family recipe, and how he was going to teach Lovino and Feliciano the next time he made it. Lovino rolled his eyes and Feliciano agreed gleefully.

For once, the dinner table was lively. Lovino couldn't even remember the last time he'd seen his grandfather and little brother so excited and happy while eating dinner. As the plate was placed in front of him, a wave of tension washed over the room as his grandfather, Feliciano, and Antonio stared at him. He took the fork on his side and stabbed the food, cutting off a piece and glanced up to see the encouraging looks of everyone at the table. With only seconds of hesitation, Lovino stuffed the food into his mouth, smiling as he chewed.

The excitement of the table returned, and Romulus began telling stories of the two brother's when they were younger, stories of how clumsy Lovino was and maybe still was, of how Feliciano had once broken his arm when he made the mistake of angering Lovino while they were playing on a trampoline, and Antonio's favorite, where Lovino had caught a cold when he decided to go outside to look for worms during a cold and rainy day in nothing but a sweater and jeans. Simply because Romulus had mentioned wanting to go fishing, but didn't have any bait.

Antonio had a great time eating with Lovino's family, laughing at how embarrassed Lovino became when Romulus cooed over the stories of his younger days, and how Feliciano constantly bothered Lovino, which again Romulus pointed out was a very normal thing.

As he was laughing at Romulus' tale of Lovino playing when he was about three years old and of how he'd thrown a blanket over his head, running around the house until he had slammed face first into a wall, his eyes met Lovino's who was actually silently laughing as well.

Once their eyes met, they shared a long stare, and Antonio wanted to convey just how much he loved Lovino, how much he meant to him. They were sitting beside one another, but suddenly it felt like the distance was much to far. Lovino seemed to think this too, because he subtly reached over and intertwined their fingers. Antonio grinned and he could see the meaningful stare Lovino returned as they continued eating.

Lovino finished the entire meal.