"So... I can pick you up around 7 tonight, then!"

"I never said you could take me out in the first place, cocky asswipe."

Antonio grinned at the smaller man as they walked together down the street, heading in the direction of Lovino's house.

"You never said you wouldn't, either." the Spanish man stated, before stretching and placing his hands behind the back of his head. Lovino averted his gaze quickly as the taller man looked at him with a smirk. Jesus Christ, what had gotten into him? Was he some little schoolgirl who couldn't look their crush in the eye?

The Italian's train of thought was interrupted by a short laugh from Antonio. Lovino turned his head back towards his companion to give him a vicious glare.

"What the hell are you laughing at anyway? And stop following me. I know my own way to my own fucking place, and it's not like I'm a defenseless-"

Lovino cut off mid sentence, his face paling as he saw something in not too far in the distance behind Antonio.

"Shit!" he suddenly hissed, eyes darting around to find an escape route. Just as Antonio was about to comment on Lovino's sudden mood-change, a sweet voice could be heard from behind him:

"Ah, Lovi! What a surprise to be meeting you here, da?"

Feeling his fight-or-flight instincts kicking in at the familiar voice, Lovino gritted his teeth.

"Go." he commanded the Spaniard, getting ready to kick into gear and take off himself. Antonio gave him a confused look.

"But-"

"Hahahaha! If it isn't my soulmate!" Antonio's question was quickly interrupted by an obnoxious voice. It's source could quickly be traced to the blonde in front of them, running towards the two at an alarmingly fast pace. Lovino sucked in a breath.

"Go!" he yelled again, this time giving the Spaniard a shove to go with it. The tan man stumbled back a few steps, the confused look never leaving his face. Just as Lovino frantically shook his head and faced towards the street, another voice could be heard:

"You guys better be backing off! He's mine!"

Another man, quite tan, came from around the corner of a nearby building. A smaller Asian man followed behind him, looking like he was struggling to keep up.

Lovino shot one more glance at the utterly-bewildered looking Antonio before darting out into the traffic of the busy street.

"Wait-!" Antonio started, but stopped himself this time, looking on anxiously as the Italian dodged the incoming cars like it was something he did everyday. As soon as Lovino reached the other side of the street, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He watched as the Italian ran without looking back before disappearing behind a corner.

Breaking his gaze away from the street, he took a look around curiously as he noticed that all of the guys from before were gone. Were they friends of his? He somehow doubted it, but then again this was Italy. Maybe everyone was just overly friendly here.

He started back down the street, brightening back up as he remembered the date he had planned tonight. Of course! Lovino was probably just in a hurry to get back to his house to get ready!

He smiled as he thought about the date, humming happily to himself before running into a pole.

"A date?" Bella repeated, smirking. Lovino flushed.

"Yes. A date. That's why I can't stay late tonight. Why do I need to anyway? We never have that many customers at night. And wipe that shit-eating grin off your face!" he snapped. She let out an airy giggle.

"I can handle it! It just gets boooring. The only person here besides me is my brother, and he's no fun for conversation." she whined. Lovino rolled his eyes. "But! That aside, you're going on a date! With one of your stalker guys? How cute! Wait, not the Russian guy, right?"

"Fuck no!" he spat with a huff. Bella laughed.

"I'm really glad that isn't the case. Then.. Which one is it?" she asked him, fully aware she was prying. But she knew what made the angry Italian tick, and she knew just how far she had to push him to get an answer out of him. Lovino gave her a flat look.

"The guy from the wedding, alright? Jesus. It's just a date, stop acting lik-"

"The one you chased out by the fountain!?" she interrupted him, ignoring the last half of his sentence. He shoved his head into his hands, partially to hide his embarrassment.

"Yes, okay? Is this interrogation over yet, damn it?"

Bella slammed her hands onto the counter. "This is the most romantic thing I've heard of since I watched 50 First Dates!" she exclaimed. "Just what time is this date!?"

Lovino gave her a bewildered look.

"Why the f-"

"Answer it!" she said, now leaning over the counter directly in front of Lovino's face. Lovino backed up.

"S-Seven..." he said, his expression unchanging.

She squealed.

"Seven! Oh, oh shit, seven!" she suddenly gasped, glancing back at the clock. She turned towards him ago, scowling.

"That's in two hours!" she pointed out flatly. Lovino nodded, looking unimpressed.

"And..?"

"And?" The blonde-haired Belgian whipped around, grabbing her purse from under the counter. "We've been here all freaking day and you didn't tell me you had a date at seven? Come on, we have to go!"

"We?" Lovino asked incredulously. "Just where are we going?"

Bella ignored him and turned towards the kitchen, where her brother was occupied with some oversized bags of flower.

"Daan, do you think you could hold down fort for a little while? It's an emergency!"

The Dutchman lifted his head up to give his sister a flat look. "Where are you going now?"

Bella huffed. "Pay attention, would you? I'm going to go help Lovino get ready for his date, of course. I'll be back later, bye!" she gave a cheerful wave before grabbing the nearby Italian by the collar and dragging him towards the exit.

"Ack- why do you need to help me?" he choked as he was nearly forced out the door. Bella laughed.

"Male or female, with only two hours left to get ready for a date, anyone could use some extra help. Now stop dragging, we're wasting precious time!" she ordered him, shoving him outside. She turned around to give a slight wave to her older brother.

"Thanks again, bro!"

The Danish man rolled his eyes as he watched the pair leave.

1 and a half hours and what looked to bystanders like a kidnapping later, and Bella was pounding on Lovino's bathroom door.

"Are you almost done in there?" she asked. Lovino huffed from the other side.

"Listen, crazy bipolar bitch. You were the one earlier who was yelling at me to get ready; now you're yelling at me to come out?"

"You have thirty minutes left." she warned. "And you haven't even gotten dressed yet, have you?"

"Perfection takes time!" he retorted. Bella snorted. "And I'm putting on my pants now, if you really must know."

"Good." she said back, grinning. He was just too much fun to tease.

The Belgian took another look around his apartment. It hadn't changed much since the last time she was here. She almost laughed. How ironic was it that the last time she was here, she was the panicked one seeking advice for a date?

She wandered away from the door and towards the shelf by his couch, examining it. It hadn't changed much. There was still the few decorations, mixed in with a couple stray books. She picked up a small porcelain bowl on the middle shelf, looking inside it.

A jumble of coins and what looked like... Some sort of an alcohol cap? Were all thrown together in the bowl. Bella furrowed her eyebrows. What would Lovino be doing with a bunch of coins?

Suddenly a light-bulb went off, and Bella gasped. Were these the coins he stole from the fountain?

She shot a glance back towards the bathroom door. No sing of any angry Italian yet.. She turned her attention back to the coins. If Feliciano was right, putting these back would break the love spell.

But... Was Antonio one of them under the spell? He and Lovino seemed to really hit it off. Lovino never did seem to have much luck in the romance department, what with his.. Fiery personality.

She nodded firmly to herself. That settled it, then. Bella grabbed the coins and dumped them into her purse, watching the bathroom door carefully the whole time. There was no harm in doing this anyway - if worst came to worst, she could always just return them, right?

She glanced back at the clock once the coins were securely in her purse and gasped.

"Lovino! Seven minutes!" she yelled, slightly alarmed at just how much time had passed. She heard a couple of swears from the bathroom before Lovino stumbled out with his jacket half-on.

As Lovino struggled to get his arm through the jacket, Bella let out a whistle.

"Lookin' good!" she exclaimed, grinning. "Now go out and get a piece of that fine Spanish ass!"

Lovino rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but laugh anyway.

"So... What exactly is this place?" Lovino asked as Antonio got out of the car. The Spanish man grinned.

"A black-out diner I had heard about." he explained as he walked around the side of the car to open Lovino's side. The Italian blushed and muttered something about "Chivalrous bastards." Antonio smiled.

"Shall we go in?"

"No." Lovino huffed, getting out of the car and marching towards the diner anyway. Antonio laughed.

"Do you always contradict yourself like that?"

Lovino turned around to give him a dirty look.

"Shut up and hurry, before I change my mind about this." he spat. Antonio sped up, barely brushing past Lovino as he opened the restaurant door for him. Lovino flushed, but didn't say a word as he passed through the door and into the restaurant.

"You're pretty cute when you blush."

"I'm serious. If you don't stop saying weird things like that I'm... I'm not going on any second dates." Lovino said, weakly. Antonio's eyes widened.

"So you were planning on it before?"

Shit. That was not what Lovino had meant to imply.

"Sh-shut up and let's get seated. I'm starving, dammit!"

Antonio laughed, turning towards the counter. He didn't even seem phased by Lovino's name calling. The Italian briefly wondered if his selective hearing was just that good, or if it really didn't bother him at all.

"Right this way, please!" the girl who was standing behind the counter before turned towards them, pulling a curtain back to reveal a pitch-black room. As she put on some strange-looking glasses, Lovino couldn't help but feel a little suspicious. She had a twinkle in her eyes that was just... A little off, if you asked him.

"Please take a hold of my hands!" she said cheerfully to the both of them, grinning widely. "I'll lead you to your table."

Lovino grimaced as he grabbed her hand, letting her lead the two of them into the darkness.

"My name's Elizaveta, and I'll be your host tonight." she said as she pulled them through the restaurant. Lovino swore as he tripped over something and stumbled.

"Oh, that was a chair!" Elizaveta added helpfully. Lovino repressed a sarcastic "Wow, thanks for the heads up!"and rolled his eyes, following behind the girl little more closely.

"I can see through the dark with these glasses on." she explained to them as she pulled out their chairs and helped them get seated. Lovino was suddenly glad that it was this dark, considering the way he stumbled over his own chair several times before figuring out exactly where to sit.

"Your wine is being poured right in front of you." Elizaveta said from.. Wherever she was standing, once the two of them were securely in their seats. A few awkward moments of silence passed, before Lovino was the first one to speak.

"... So. Why this place?" he asked, looking in the direction where he assumed Antonio was. The Spaniard gave a laugh from the other side of the table.

"Well... Our last big moment was when the lights went out at your brothers wedding, right? So I figured it was sort of... Symbolic."

You could practically hear the smile in his voice. Lovino turned red again. What a cheesy bastard! Who said things like that anyway?

"Er, th-that's-"

"So cute!" A feminine voice squealed from beside the table. Lovino froze.

"I thought you left." he said bluntly. The waitress giggled.

"I don't have your orders yet!" she responded cheerfully.

... Oh.

"Ah.." Antonio spoke up first this time. "I'll just take a salad. Simplest one you've got."

"Got it. And you?" she asked, presumably turning towards Lovino. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Uh. Same." he answered, desperate to get her to go away. She was definitely creeping him out.

"Alright. Then I'll go put your orders in!" she said. Lovino listened carefully for the sound of her footsteps walking away. He sighed when he deemed it safe.

"That bitch is fucking creepy." he said, frowning.

"Really? I thought she was nice!"

"You would." Lovino responded with a sigh, but he smiled despite himself. The Italian groped around for his wine glass, taking a sip.

It was... Surprisingly good. Not cheap, that was for sure.

Lovino always did appreciate good wine. Lovino had taken another drink just before he heard an all-too eerily familiar voice in his ear.

"It is delicious, da? Shall we plan some for our wedding?"

Lovino spit out his wine in shock. That was definitely not Antonio's voice. With that accent, it couldn't be..

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lovino spat, much to a confused Antonio sitting across the room from him.

"W-what?" the Spanish man asked, bewildered. "Lovino, what's wr-"

"Hey, where are the burgers in this place? You can't tell me an expensive place like this doesn't even have your basic cheeseburger, right?"

Oh. Fuck. No, no no. This wasn't happening right now. They couldn't all be here again-

"Ey, if y'all don't git outta my way-"

"A-ah, sumimasen..."

Lovino panicked. He slipped off of his seat and ducked under the table, hoping that none of them had noticed just yet.

"L-Lovino? What's going on?"

"Ah- Shit!" the Italian swore as he jerked his head up and smacked it against the bottom of the table. "Dammit! Just- we have to go! I have to go!" he scrambled out from under the table, grateful that it was so dark.

Until he ran into a table.

"Fuck-fucking..."

He groped around desperately, until a hand grabbed his. "Here. I think the exit's this way." Antonio's voice still managed to be calm, even in the chaos that was once the peaceful, dark restaurant.

They pushed their way through people and chairs, trying to dodge tables as they reached the exit. Lovino burst through the door, taking a deep breath at finally being able to see again.

"Lovi..."

The Italian was still holding the Spaniard's hand. He ripped away immediately, cheeks burning.

"S-Sorry. I can't be in there though. I can't..."

Antonio stared at him, frowning.

"Who were all those people?"

Lovino gave an exasperated sigh. "Honestly, fuck if I know!" he turned and started walking, feeling a little depressed at how terrible the date had turned out.

... Not that he cared, really. Just a shame for Antonio.

"They've started following me, all the time! Where I go, they appear, I can't even-"

Antonio interrupted him as he followed behind, grabbing him by his shoulders.

"Lovino." he started, staring at him. If Lovino's face could flush any more, it would have. "Where would you feel safe?" the Spaniard asked him, eyeing him with a concerned look. Lovino scowled, before hesitantly answering him.

"... This way."

Antonio gave a look around as Lovino inserted the key into the building.

"So, what exactly is this place?"

Lovino smirked.

"A museum. Well, an art one. My nonno had some huge part in it, donated most of the money to build and run it or something." he shrugged. "When he passed, Feli and I got almost everything, since we were his nearest relatives they could find."

Antonio nodded as they entered the gallery. It was beautiful - marble floors, expensive looking paintings, big sculptures every couple of feet.. It really had it all.

Lovino noticed the look on Antonio's face, and smiled somewhat triumphantly.

"So you've really never been in here before?"

Antonio shook his head and wandered over towards a painting, eyes wide. Lovino snorted and followed him.

"When we were little, grandpa used to take us here. I pretended to hate it, but I actually do really like art."

Antonio grinned a bit at that.

"Why do you do that?" he asked, giving the Italian a questioning gaze. Lovino quirked an eyebrow.

"Do what?"

"Say that you hate things when you really don't."

Lovino's cheeks started to redden at the question, and he turned his face away from the Spaniard.

"I-I have no fucking clue what you're talking about." he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Antonio chuckled.

"You're so adorable!" he said, barely managing to not burst out in laughter. Lovino said him a dark glare, and the Spaniard smiled sheepishly in response. "Sorry, but sometimes you act just like a little kid!"

Lovino huffed. "Way to call me a child on our first date."

The other man gave a slight smirk at that. "Oh, does that mean I get to make it up to you on a second date?"

If Lovino's blush from earlier had started to fade, it was now back with a vengeance. He crossed his arms again, trying to stay composed as he thought up an appropriate answer.

"I-I don't know, fuck... Face. Do you?"

Antonio smiled and stepped closer to Lovino, who sucked in a breath at what was to come.

In one smooth movement, Antonio leaned down and closed the space between their faces, pressing his lips to Lovino's. The Italian's eyes fluttered shut as he leaned into the kiss, relishing the way Antonio smelled.

He was pretty sure he had never been that close to the Spanish man before.

Antonio finally broke the kiss, smirking.

"So I'll take that as a yes?"

A/N: Aaaand the super-long hiatus is over! I've been looking forward to continuing this fic for so long, I'm glad I finally got around to it. :)

I wouldn't expect the next chapter REALLY soon, but it definitely won't be another couple months again.

Thank you so much for reading!