"Fratello, it's going to be fine."

"No, it's not."

"I know you haven't been on a date since freshman year of college –"

"Shut it."

"And it went horribly wrong –"

"Don't you dare –"

"And it's been five years since then –"

"What did I just say?"

"But Lovi, this is completely different. You've been talking to Antonio for many months now, and he's finally in town. You need to see him!"

Lovino's little brother, Feliciano, was referring to Antonio Fernández Carriedo, a man he has been talking to online for more than half a year now. They had met on some tomato garden forum (don't ask) and they exchanged emails. At first, Lovino was bored and saw the tomato-loving Spaniard as a means for some entertainment in his rather dull life as a front desk receptionist at a local art museum, but if he was being completely honest with himself, he knew they had a connection, and overtime, he grew attached to the eccentric businessman.

They spoke almost every day, whenever they had time, even if it was a simple greeting. Sometimes, they forewent the greeting and sent pictures of their day or videos they found amusing. Antonio usually forwarded photos of his pet turtles in funny costumes and some of himself either with his friends (who Lovino has heard way too much about) or with other random things like his coffee drink. Lovino tried to find exciting objects to take pictures of to reply with. When he was bored, he would sneak photos of the art exhibits and add funny commentary such as using the Martirio di Sant'Orsola painting with the caption, "Yo, Imma let you finish but…" Only one time did Lovino send a selfie to Antonio, only to prove that, yes, he was in fact real and to shut him up. Though, as soon as he sent it, endless messages flooded his inbox with compliments. That backfired real fast.

Online, Lovino is able to think about his word choice before typing a response. He is able to read over what he typed and edit it in case he seemed too harsh. He knows his ill-tempered demeanor deters people, which is why he only has a handful of friends, including his brother. He doesn't want to put off Antonio, especially since he kind of, sort of, maybe has feelings for his online friend.

Okay, who was he kidding. Lovino would never invest this much time in anyone, let alone someone from another country, unless he seriously cared about them. And, he knew that Antonio at least felt something towards him because why else would someone compliment him tirelessly, not to mention share personal stories and secrets with a stranger? Lovino knew his aspirations and dreams of opening his own healthy food business, even some strange bullet points on his bucket list such as pretending to be a matador and ride a real-life bull for at least three seconds.

When Antonio had told Lovino that he would be in the area, he could not believe the words on the screen. The man he always felt was too far away was coming in a few days. For those first few seconds, he was elated, but then the realization of Antonio meeting him in person made him anxious. He would see him for who he was: ordinary, crass, recluse.

Of course, Lovino was pessimistic that Antonio would even have the time to take another plane after his meeting just to see him when he would be exhausted and would much rather rest in his hotel room. The business meeting is in Northern Italy, and Lovino lives in Campania, Southern Italy. It would be too complicated for him to visit.

As soon as he expressed these sentiments, Antonio was shocked. How could his lovely Lovi not believe him? He made it his mission to rid him of all doubt. He bought the second plane ticket to Naples, screenshot his receipt, and sent it to his friend. He couldn't wait to meet him. Lovi's inbox doubled with messages, mostly ones that contained only exclamation points, to the point where he had to silence his phone from vibrating continually. He kept getting weird looks from the museum visitors.

In all that excitement, Antonio also confessed his feelings. He was going to wait until he saw his crush, but he could no longer hold back his love for the Italian. He was beyond ecstatic when Lovino finally admitted that he too felt more than just friends. He desperately wished next week to come so that he can finally hold him in his arms.

It was easier for Lovino to express himself through a computer. That and Antonio wouldn't be able to see the massive blush on his face. When he first read the confession, he believed the man to be teasing him. Why would anyone love him, especially someone that hadn't even met him in person? However, he thought it rude if he didn't respond, so Lovino carefully shared his own feelings, after much convincing from his brother.

Initially, Lovino wanted to hold off in reciprocating Antonio's feelings. He feared that his friend had fallen for his online personality and would think him a liar. Feli asked him, "Would you regret not taking this chance to see him even though you obviously care about him? Don't let your fears get in the way of following your heart. Ve~" He had been spending way too much time watching Rom-Coms and classic Disney movies with his potato-smelling, stick-in-the-mud, study-abroad, college boyfriend, Ludwig.

Lovino sighed. Shaking himself from doubting his decision and veering off into a negative spiral, he responds to Feliciano. "He's only visiting Italy because he has some dumbass business meeting to attend in Lainate. And the bastard will be too tired to commute."

"C'mon Lovi! When will you get another chance to meet him in person? You told me he's only here for a few days, so you only have tomorrow night to finally go on a date with him."

"Dammit, Feli. If he meets me, he'll see how I really am. He'll hate me," his voice trailing off.

Feliciano puts a firm hand on his brother's shoulder. "He's not going to hate you. And from what you told me, Toni will, without a doubt, want to see you. Please, for me," he pleads, tilting his head slightly, softening his eyes almost to the point of watering, and adding a lower lip pout to seal the deal.

"Ugh, you know I can't go against your puppy eyes trick, jerk. All right, I'll go on a date with the bastard."

"YAY! You won't regret this. Now, to choose your outfit!"

The following night, Lovino Vargas made his way to a restaurant in Naples. Antonio had asked him earlier which restaurant was his favorite and he suggested a small pizzeria he frequented. Honestly, Lovino didn't want to go through with this – he didn't want his image to be ruined by reality – but there was another part of him, a part he tries to squash down frequently, that desired to meet the person who actually enjoyed talking to him and has become a constant in his everyday life.

The Italian was not sure what to expect but this was certainly not it. As soon as he entered the building, the normally lit and busy room was dark, except for the light coming from the candles set on the tables, and the only person in the room was a single employee. When he looked down, he saw a trail of rose petals of reds and whites, leading towards a booth in the back. The worker had said it was for him to follow. Lovino shook his head at the ridiculousness of the situation. This was a first date, not an anniversary. Grumbling, he walked the few steps it took to reach the end of the trail – it was not that big of a restaurant – to where he assumed Antonio would be, but all he saw was dinner set up for two. Apparently, Antonio had already ordered their food and the man in question was nowhere to be found.

Not knowing what else to do, he sat down in front of the pizzas. He noticed it was his favorite kinds: Neapolitan Margherita and Peppers and Onions. How did he know I liked these? Damn, I can't stay mad at the bastard.

Seconds later, he heard guitar strings being gently plucked. He turned his head to look for the source, and out walked the familiar Spaniard holding an acoustic guitar. No, don't tell me he's –

"Buenos tardes, everyone," Antonio announced to his small audience. "I would like to dedicate this song I wrote to a very special person in my life, Lovino Romano Vargas. It's called Solamente Tú by Pablo Alboran."

He began to strum the chords in a gentle rocking rhythm and plucking a few notes in between to highlight the melody, all while solely focusing on his little Italian sitting in the booth. He was so adorable, staring with his mouth agape. After four measures, Antonio's tenor voice filled the room.

Regálame tu risa
Enseñame a soñar
Con solo una caricia
Me pierdo en este mar
Regálame tu estrella
La que ilumina esta noche
Llena de paz y de armonía
Y te entregaré mi vida

Haces que mi cielo
Vuelva a tener ese azul
Pintas de colores
Mis mañanas solo tú
Navego entre las olas de tu voz
Y tú, y tú, y tú, y solamente tú
Haces que mi alma se despierte con tu luz
Y tú, y tú, y tú

Antonio was playing a song for him. This is so embarrassing. He wished the world would swallow him up right now. He wanted to yell at him to stop, but he was secretly enjoying the serenade at the same time. He had an amazing voice, and the accent further weakened his resolve.

Once Antonio played the last chord, everyone in the restaurant applauded, which sounded like three or four people coming from the kitchen. Giving his thanks, the man walked to the seemingly awestruck Italian. He immediately hugged him.

"Lovi! What did you think? I practiced for days and days, I was so nervous. But I can't believe it. You're really here right now. I can finally hug you, and hold you, and kiss you, and –"

"Let go, bastard!" He reacts without thought. Struggling to break free from the iron hold, Lovino curses internally. Antonio sings to him and says the sweetest things, and the first words that come out of his mouth are an insult.

Antonio reluctantly lets go, and continues without missing a beat, a big smile still on his face. "What's wrong, mi tomate? Aren't you happy we're together now?"

"Dammit, you're so embarrassing. Who the hell sets up rose petals, candlelight dinner, and a show on their first date? The employees think we're celebrating an engagement proposal or something."

"Aw, I'm sorry Lovi, but I wanted to show you how much I've been looking forward to this moment, so I bought the restaurant for a night."

"It's not that big of a deal."

"You have no idea how badly I've wanted to see you! You're shorter than I imagined, and even cuter."

Lovino felt his face warm up. His brother was the cute one, not him, even though they look alike. He never got used to Antonio sending him those kinds of messages, and now hearing it with his own ears was too much to handle.

He lightly shoved him. "Tch, let's just hurry up and eat before the food gets cold."

After that, everything fell into place. The dinner was fantastic, Antonio was pretty much the same online as he was in person, and he didn't shy away from Lovino's sarcastic and cynical personality. Lovino was very much surprised that he didn't comment or leave after the first "bastard." Sure, he wrote it sparingly in their conversations – he couldn't help calling him that sometimes – but he was convinced his friend would take it to heart. When asked about it, Antonio simply chuckled and said he sees it as a pet name.

The two walked around the lively city aimlessly, no real destination in mind. The nightlife in Naples sure is entertaining, mused Antonio. Music was pouring out from every direction: numerous bars, classical teatros, and even street corners with musicians performing to their heart's content. Instinctively, they headed towards a quieter area, the narrow pathway aligned with tall, vivid houses only illuminated by strings of light and the moon.

"Lovi, I don't want this night to end. I don't want to go back to Madrid tomorrow."

"You need to go back, or else you'll lose your job, idiota."

"I honestly don't care. I want to stay here with you. I want us to have a real relationship. I can't stand being so far away from you, especially after tonight."

Lovino stops walking. "Don't be stupid. What did you think was going to happen? That I'll be swept off my feet by your grand romantic gestures? That I'll drop everything I've built here and fly away with you? That's not how life works. You're going back to Spain and I'm staying here," Lovino chokes out angrily, tears escaping by the end of his rant.

"Oh, Lovi." He moves to hug him.

He avoids Antonio's gaze. "This is why I didn't want to meet you. Because I knew that once I did…"

"I wouldn't be able to let you go," Antonio finishes for him. He wraps the smaller man into his arms, right into his chest. Antonio couldn't help but think how perfectly Lovino fit.

They remained in that position, Lovino's tears staining Antonio's beige collared shirt, Antonio hanging onto Lovino like a lifeline, neither of them wanting it to end.

Suddenly, he grabs Lovi by the shoulders.

"If we only have tonight, then I want to spend as much time with you as I can until my flight in the morning."

". . . What are you trying to say?"

"Please, spend the night with me? My hotel room is not far from here."

Lovino went quiet. Did Antonio know what that question insinuated?

Guessing from the look on his face, Antonio backtracked and answered Lovi's thoughts. "We'll do only what you want. If you want to talk, then we'll talk. If you want to sleep, then we'll sleep. If you want to do something more . . ." The words lingered.

He visibly blushed at that. He can throw all caution to the wind and let his desires take over him, but is that all Antonio wanted? And what would happen afterwards? The more rational part of his brain was screaming at him. The man couldn't possibly take responsibility over his emotions after he leaves.

Lovino realized he needed to say something, or else their date will end. "O-okay, bastard. I'll go with you to the ho-hotel," he caved, nerves seeping into his voice, "but don't expect anything!"

Antonio jumped for joy. Grabbing his tomate's hand, he ran to the hotel, dragging the younger man along.

The next morning was bittersweet.

Antonio woke up first. He found Lovino's sleeping face utterly adorable. His brows weren't scrunched up like they were yesterday, which he also found cute, and his mouth was slightly open. It was a sight he will burn to memory. He decided to let him sleep for a little longer. It was still too early in the morning, and he was used to waking up at this time no matter how much he rested the night before.

The two stayed up all night talking until they fell asleep without realizing. He doesn't remember what about, but he would not trade it for anything in the world. He had the most amazing time yesterday: being with Lovi, talking with Lovi, hugging Lovi nonstop. Why hadn't he visited sooner?

Instead of grabbing the complimentary breakfast provided by the hotel, Antonio decided to make breakfast. He wanted to spoil his little Italian as much as possible with the little amount of time they had left. With that in mind, he asked the receptionist in the lobby where he could find the nearest market.

Lovino awoke to delicious sweet smells. At first, he was confused as to why he was not in his bedroom, but then he remembered all that had happened the day before: meeting Antonio at the pizzeria, walking around the streets of the city, ending up at Toni's hotel room, and talking and laughing until sunrise. He blushed at a particular memory of Toni kissing him goodnight. He was surprised that they hadn't earlier, but maybe his friend (not friend, is it boyfriend now?) didn't want to mess up their first date. After that kiss, it was like the dam had been broken and they both wanted more. It took all of Lovino's willpower to stop them before things escalated, and his need to sleep won out in the end.

He found Toni cooking in front of the tiny stove. The small table had already been set up, decorated with a bouquet of a dozen red roses in the center. Lovino walked over to admire the flowers first and noticed a card tucked in between. It read, "Para mi tomate precioso," with a smiley tomato next to it. Butterflies formed in his stomach.

He had known his feelings for Antonio were growing with every passing minute, but it was at that moment that he fell hard. That bastard. That wonderful bastard. Doing romantic crap to persuade me. Ugh, I'm such an idiot, loving someone who lives thousands of miles away.

He stopped that train of thought before it deviated into self-deprecating territory. He didn't need that right now. Instead, he decided to sneak up on his clueless boyfriend and poke his sides. He didn't scream like Lovino wanted, though he did jump and almost whack him with the wooden spoon. The Italian laughed and the other joined him after recovering.

"Buenos dias, Lovi~" Antonio pecked him on the lips. "That's payback for trying to scare me."

Lovino was not expecting that sort of sneak attack. He felt his cheeks heat up.

He waved it off. "Pft, try? I did scare you. And I was almost hit in the face."

Antonio returned to mixing the dry ingredients for the Torrijas. "Yeah, sorry about that. João used to sneak up on me all the time when I least expected it, so it's a habit to defend myself."

"Your brother sounds like an ass."

He chuckled, "He is! I guess that's what brothers do. Get on each other's nerves."

"Don't get me started on Feli."

Their conversation continued in much the same manner. It didn't take long for Antonio to finish making breakfast since he had fried the bread before Lovino even woke up. Coffee beans grounded up and espressos made, they sat at the table to enjoy their light meal, Spanish style French toast with honey.

It was so domestic, they could only imagine this is exactly what it would be like if circumstances were different, if they had a normal relationship and lived in the same city. They tried to live in that fantasy for as much as the universe allowed; it was a space in time the two of them never wanted to leave.

Unfortunately, the universe was not so kind. It was time for Antonio's flight back to his home country.

Antonio went to call a taxi. However, Lovino proposed for his brother to pick them up and drop them off at the airport. Taxi cabs were expensive and a rip-off in his opinion.

Also, he secretly wanted Feliciano to meet Antonio so he can tell him his honest thoughts, an outside perspective. He was an excellent judge of character despite his carefree attitude, though Lovino knew he was a smart cookie and only acted aloof. Most of the time.

Lovino called Feli and told him the plan. The younger brother readily agreed. Lovino could hear the excitement in his voice.

About an hour later, he showed up outside the Hotel Il Faro in a red 1979 Fiat 124 Spider. Antonio and Lovino loaded the back with the few bags Toni packed, piled into the small car, and headed towards the airport.

It was hard to keep up with the younger Italian and his incessant chatter. Lovino was right when he had warned Antonio earlier about the speeding and that Feliciano would ask a million questions. Not only that, but Antonio's mind was overflowing with thoughts about his friend currently sitting next to him. No, he is definitely more than a friend. What do I call mi tomatito? A lover? A boyfriend? We don't have much time to talk about us, and I don't want to discuss something this serious over Skype. How can I show him that I love him and want to be with him?

After almost dying from the illegal speed racing Feliciano forced them through, they arrived at the Aeroporto Internazionale di Napoli. Feli stayed behind to "find parking" while the two of them said their goodbyes. He said looking for parking will make Antonio late – they were on time – though Lovino knew it was to give them privacy, which he silently thanked him for.

The duo entered the busy and crowded airport. Wordlessly, they went through the procedures needed, and Antonio had about an hour before his flight. They sat down in the uncomfortable blue chairs provided for guests. The entire time, Antonio held on to Lovino's hand.

Our last hour together. Lovino didn't want to think about that. He tried to enjoy his company as much as he could before he left. It was unfair, he thought.

The intercom announced it was time to board the flight to Madrid, Spain.

Time's up.

Reluctantly, Lovino stood up first. "C'mon, bastard. Your plane is here."

"I don't want to go," Toni admitted in a small voice with his head down.

"You're going to miss it if you don't get your ass up, now."

"But Lovi – "

"We can't do this. You need to return to where you belong." At this point, Lovino was tugging on the other man's arms, trying to pull him up.

Of course Lovino didn't want him to leave, but someone had to be the responsible one.

Antonio suddenly looked up, his eyes fierce and alight with passion. "I belong here with you!"

Lovino stiffened. "What? No, you're going back and that's final."

" . . . Is that really what you want? If it is, then I'll board that plane. But if you tell me, right now, that you want me to stay, I will."

The Italian didn't know what to say. He had to make a decision, and fast.

"This is the final boarding call for flight 3709 to Madrid, Spain. Would all remaining passengers for this flight please report to Gate 4," the intercom announced again in different languages.

Antonio continued to peer into his tomate's eyes, silently pleading him to agree. He didn't want to leave. He knew he had responsibilities, but he also knew that his love for Lovino is real and this was their chance to be together. If he were to board the plane, they would never be together, not like this.

His brain was already forming plans for if he stayed. He would just call the company and ask to be relocated, that he needed to remain in Italy for specific reasons. He was an important asset to his work so he knew they wouldn't just let him go. If it boils down to it, he'll quit. He has valuable experience; he can find work here. It didn't matter where, so long as they were together.

Lovino's mind was a jumbled mess. Mostly, it was filled with pessimistic and realistic thoughts. But his heart was persistent in dreaming of the possibilities.

Antonio needs to go back to his life. His job is there. His family is there. His mom. His brother. That's way more important than a relationship with me. Why would he want to stay anyways? He's seen how I really am. This is his chance to end it all, to go back home and never speak to me again. He's probably only asking me because he feels sorry for me. He's only going along with liking me because he doesn't want to hurt my feelings.

No, he loves you. Can't you see? Who else would travel this far just to see you? Who else would buy out a restaurant and sing to you? Who else would message you, a stranger, almost every day, for eight months straight? Why else would you be standing here right now at the very last second before his departure? He could have left when meeting you, but he stayed because he loves you. If you let him leave now, there goes your chance of anything more.

The announcement startled Lovino from his thoughts. It seemed like he had been standing there for hours when it had only been a few seconds.

Antonio didn't say anything in fear of interrupting whatever Lovino might say. He remained seated, patiently waiting for his response.

Lovino looked down. "I …" he started.

He gulped. "I …" he tried again. His voice was betraying him.

If his voice wasn't working, then dammit he'll use his actions. He sat down, looked into Antonio's eyes, and hugged him. Though the other couldn't see, Lovi smiled. He held him tighter, and finally he whispered a single word in his ear, "Stay."

To say Antonio was ecstatic was an understatement. From the way Lovino was behaving, he truly believed he would reject him. When he heard his soft voice utter that single word, he was immediately filled with great happiness. He stood up with Lovino still in his arms and twirled him around, all while laughing and whooping. People around them stared but neither of them could care at the moment.

As soon as he stopped and put Lovi down, he noticed his smile and teary eyes. He kissed him softly on the forehead.

"Te amo, Lovi. Nunca te dejaré, te prometo."

"Bastard." He replied with no malice. He grabbed Antonio's hand. "Ti amo troppo. Let's go home."

Notes:

- The cover photo is the view from the Il Faro Hotel in Italy.
- Lovino is 24 years old – Italian school graduate college at 19, university B.A takes 3 years, it's been 5 years since freshman year – and works at the Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano Museum as a receptionist.
- Antonio is 30 years old, born and raised in Madrid. He is a businessman, works for Ebro Foods in the marketing department. (No, look this up in Wikipedia under "Key People." Coincidence? I think not!)
- Look up the Martirio di Sant'Orsola art piece. I guarantee you will laugh.
- The song Antonio sings is "Solamente Tú" by Pablo Alborán, a Spanish musician from Spain. The English translation is "Only You."
- There is no time difference between Madrid, Spain and Rome, Italy.
- João is Antonio's younger/older brother, APH Portugal.
- Apparently, both in Spain and Italy, breakfast is the lightest meal of the day, usually consisting of coffee (latte or espresso) and sweet bread/pastry. Let's say that Antonio is making Torrijas (similar to bread pudding or french toast). It takes longer to make if the syrup is made by scratch and the fried bread is left in the fridge for a day or two. Antonio made a simplified version.
- The Il Faro hotel is an 18-20 minute car ride to the airport, NAP-Naples Intl.
- I tried to find the closest car like the one in episode 61 where Italy drives Japan, and I found the 1974 Fiat 124 Spider. It's a pretty expensive car even for an older model, so I was thinking that their grandpa passed it down to them as a graduation gift.
- They realized after that they had to hunt down Antonio's luggage that was already checked-in. Imagine that scene!

A/N: It's been more than a year since I've posted. I actually wrote this a while back, for some reason, it never quite made it online. I feel the fandom has quieted down, so it's bad timing on my part. Oh well.

Anyways, thank you for reading. Follow me on Tumblr, just check my Bio for the username.

I do not own Hetalia: Axis Powers, nor any of its characters. All rights go to Hidekaz Himaruya.