A/N: This is a Spamano oneshot for my lovely friend Sunni~ Merry Christmas!
"I don't understand why you always have to be so obstinate, Lovinito!"
"Tch, I didn't even know that word was in your vocabulary," Lovino spat, as he stormed into the house, trying to lock Antonio out, but failing as the other man pushed in after him and shut the door.
They'd begun to argue, and it had started over something so small, but as things tended to go between the two hot-blooded Latin nations, it heated and escalated quickly.
"Won't you just listen, for once? Why can't you be more reasonable? You're always so difficult!" Antonio retorted, voice raising slightly as he got more exasperated and irritated.
"If you wanted an easy relationship, then maybe you should've gone and dated my stupid brother!" Lovino snapped back, whirling around to face Antonio, fed up with his boyfriend at the moment, and even more fed up with always being called "difficult." He was so sick of always being seen as that and only that.
Antonio's expression shifted from that of irritation to that of seriousness, and slight anger. "Well, maybe I should have!" he said back.
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them.
He saw the flash of hurt in Lovino's eyes, the way the other man flinched away from him and stormed up the stairs, as fast as he could. His beloved was running from him, tears in his eyes, and he tried to chase after him, only to be locked out of the bedroom.
"Lovino! Lovino, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that-"
"Leave me the fuck alone!" came the sharp shout from inside the room, and Antonio knew he wouldn't be getting Lovino's forgiveness- at least, not tonight.
He'd need to work this out, and fast…
Luckily for him, an idea came to him, thus he went to a guest bedroom to sleep for the night, cool down, and plan.
Lovino woke up the next morning to a depressingly empty bed, and started the day in a foul mood. He went through his usual morning routine, although, from the sound of things, Antonio wasn't around- either that or he was being ridiculously quiet.
He felt bad, not that he would admit it yet. He'd probably pushed the argument too far, he'd been too stubborn- he just didn't want to admit he'd been in the wrong.
But for Antonio to say what he had- to play on his greatest fear and torment… he just couldn't take that. That had crossed the line, gone way too far- and like hell would Lovino forgive him so easily.
Once he'd gotten showered and dressed, he finally unlocked his bedroom door and opened it, being greeted with the scent of wonderful food- had Antonio made him breakfast?
He caught a glimpse of bright yellow when he opened the door, though, and he looked to find that someone had placed a post-it note onto his door.
Buenos dias, Lovinito! I'm so sorry about last night. Did you sleep well?
Lovino scoffed and snatched the note off, crumpling it up in irritation. "Bastard… like I could sleep after what you pulled," he grumbled to himself. He'd tossed and turned all night, the lack of company in his bed something unusual after being together so long with Antonio. But he figured that he should head downstairs.
There was another post-it note at the top of the stairs, on the railing.
I really am sorry. Te amo, you know that. I made you breakfast. Please have some, okay? I know you tend not to eat when you're stressed.
Lovino turned a bit red, tearing that note off the railing and crumpling it as well. He huffed, both annoyed and slightly touched. "You're trying to guilt trip me, aren't you?" he asked aloud, as if Antonio could hear him. (For all he knew, maybe he could.) He headed down the stairs, and found breakfast on the table- fresh juice, coffee prepared just the way he liked it, and a tomato, basil, and cheese omelette, along with a small piece of buttered bread all on a plate, just for him.
He sighed. Well, it was nice to have a fresh, hot meal waiting for him. He sat, unsurprised to find a sticky note by his fork.
I hope you enjoy it, mi amor! I packed you a lunch, too. It's on the counter.
After looking over- it was definitely there, packed into a bag and all. The Italian had caught on now to what Antonio was doing- trying to win him back over by doing all these sweet things while staying out of sight, to give Lovino space.
"T-This isn't going to work, you know," he grumbled, before digging in. "But I'm only eating this because it'd be a waste of food otherwise!" he explained, stubborn as ever. (He mentally admitted that the food tasted pretty damn delicious- but it wasn't surprising, with how good a cook Antonio was.) He finished the meal, and moved the dishes over to the sink, to find another sticky note.
I'll do the dishes! You should get to work. Your keys and briefcase are by the front door, with your phone.
Shaking his head, Lovino picked up that sticky note as well, tossing all the ones he'd found into the trash bin. It was nice though, not to have to bother with dishes. Having everything done for him like this was nice… he could use the little break.
There was even a sticky note on the front door, that read, Have a nice day at work, mi amor! Lovino blushed slightly and gave a sigh. "Thanks, Toni," he murmured softly, more to the note, before he took that one down too. He picked up his things and headed out to the car, and frowned when he saw the note on his steering wheel.
I know you're probably stressed, but please drive safely!
Lovino almost honked the horn out of irritation before he read the other half of the note, which promptly calmed him and melted his heart further, making him feel guilty for having gotten angry:
I want you to come home safe and sound so I can hold you and kiss you again- if you'll let me. I couldn't ever live with myself if something happened to you because I made you upset.
He sighed. "How can you be so sweet and depressing at the same time," he grumbled, before removing that note as well, and heading to work. He'd begun to expect the sticky notes, although he didn't expect to find any at work, seeing as it would be difficult for Antonio to have pulled that off.
What he hadn't expected, though, was the beautiful bouquet of flowers on his desk when he arrived at work. Some of the secretaries were giggling, and for a moment, he thought maybe he'd earned another human admirer (because let's face it, Lovino was well aware of how attractive he was), but upon checking the card, he found that it was from Antonio.
Ti amo, Lovino. I really am so sorry. I never meant what I said. I chose you for a reason, amado, and I would choose you again every time. I shouldn't have said what I said, and I'm so sorry. :( Please forgive me, Lovinito. I hope you like the flowers! :)
He'd even drawn that stupid little smiley face on the card- it drove Lovino nuts, the way Antonio would abuse emoticons whenever they were texting, and he'd even draw faces on cards and notes. It was ridiculous! (And also slightly endearing.) But he could've taken this more seriously and left those faces off the card!
Idiotic bastard.
The flowers were high-quality, in the peak of their bloom with the colors bright and healthy, the scent sweet and light and refreshing. Even the vase looked immaculate, crystalline and detailed, already filled with water.
And he'd even used Italian… such a subtle change in the words, but enough to melt Lovino's heart a little more.
He wasn't mad, not anymore. Nonetheless, even with the burning anger gone, the aching hurt remained.
When the meetings ended for lunch, Lovino opened his lunchbag and set to eating, searching for a sticky note, since there was bound to be one in there. And there was, covered in Antonio's scrawl of a message.
I hope the food is good, Lovinito! I'm missing you a lot right now. Will you forgive me?
Lovino felt almost guilty reading that. Almost. It had only been a short while, but he was feeling the absence of his lover's company as well, and it was weighing down on him, making his heart heavy. He really just wanted to get home and maybe forgive him, that is, if Antonio would even show himself that day.
And he was really hoping he would. He was already hating how this fight had put some distance between them, and he wanted to get things back to normal.
The rest of the day was uneventful, and so was the drive home.
(Lovino drove more slowly today than usual.)
Upon arriving back to that cozy little house he and Antonio shared, he found another sticky note at the door.
Welcome home! :) I missed you. Would you like to take a bath?
Lovino raised an eyebrow, but headed upstairs (after putting the vase of flowers down on a table in the hallway), into his bedroom, undressing and setting down his things. He peeked into the only dimly-lit bathroom to find lit candles around and rose petals over a lightly scented bubble bath. It was certainly extravagant, that was for sure.
He laughed slightly, and undressed completely, finding another sticky note by the tub.
I did my best to make it relaxing! It's my special de-stressing bath!
Shaking his head, Lovino slipped into the water, noticing it felt different than just hot water- it was a milk bath! Hot milk mixed into the hot water with the scent and the bubbles… It was rather soothing and relaxing. He could feel his muscles and bones eased of their tension and aches by the heat, while the scents and the warmth helped him to calm down mentally as well, wiping away the stresses of the busy workday.
As he relaxed and washed up, Lovino glanced at the clock to see that it was almost dinnertime. He guessed that Antonio was probably going to leave him with dinner too- he wondered what it would be like. He got up and dried himself off with a fluffy white towel that had been set near the bath, obviously left by Antonio so that Lovino wouldn't have to get up and freeze from the wet cold while he searched for a towel. He put on boxers, and a nightshirt, before heading down to get dinner.
He wasn't disappointed when he headed downstairs. On the railing of the stairs was another note.
I made dinner for you while you were washing up! Come eat! (And don't worry, I've eaten, too!)
Lovino blushed a bright red, startled with how Antonio always seemed to know what he would be thinking (or worrying) about. But it was just another pleasant reminder of how well Antonio knew him, how far under that tough shell Antonio had managed to dig.
And even after digging so far, Antonio still loved him.
And he still loved Antonio.
So, so much.
Where was the Spaniard, anyway? He hadn't seen him physically all day- just the notes left behind, along with all the wonderful little things he'd done. It would be nice to actually just see him again- it felt fucking weird just having him be like some weird fairy all over the house.
He headed on into the kitchen, eyes widening slightly in surprise when he saw what was going on there. A candle was lit at the table, and one of the best wines had been chosen and set in a pail of ice, uncorked to let the wine breathe a bit. A glass was beside it, and a fantastic-looking meal was waiting for him on the table, along with another post-it.
I hope you enjoy dinner, too! I can do the dishes afterwards, again, and then you can head over to the living room.
"You really pulled out all the stops today," Lovino commented aloud, in case Antonio could hear. He got no response, and pouted for a brief moment. The bastard could at least come out and talk to him now… But he nonetheless sat down and began to eat, savoring every last bite of the flavorful, perfectly prepared food. "But I think I can handle these dishes, Toni," he said, before enjoying some of the wine as well. There was even dessert off to the side- a little flan, the firm creamy sweetness of it helping to round out and finish off the meal.
He did the dishes, putting them away, before heading over curiously into the living room and seeing what Antonio had in store for him there.
There was a nest on the couch- blankets, pillows, comforters, anything warm and cozy had been piled and arranged to make the perfect little spot to nestle and relax. And by the nest, were some of Lovino's favorite movies and TV shows, all on DVD. With a laugh, he went and popped in a movie, before settling into the nest and relaxing, watching without a care.
There was a post-it note on the armrest of the couch.
I thought it'd be a nice way to end the day, if you could just rest somewhere comfy and watch a movie or two. :)
Lovino was melting to a puddle at how sweet Antonio had been all day. After all these wonderful things he'd done, making his day calm, relaxing and very luxurious, Lovino just wanted to get back to Antonio and kiss him and drag him back to bed to cuddle. Because right now, Lovino was just craving to see Antonio again, to hold and be held, see that smile he loved so much.
Two movies later, Lovino finally managed to convince himself to get out of the nest, and he headed upstairs, finding another post-it on the way up.
Mi amor, have you forgiven me? I hope you have. I love you so much, and I don't want us to stay mad and fighting.
Lovino laughed softly and shook his head.
"Idiot… if he thinks I can stay mad after all this…"
He entered the bedroom to find Antonio already in bed in his nightclothes, fidgeting nervously. The usually chipper and bright Spaniard seemed anxious, and when he saw Lovino, he offered him a hopeful little smile.
"Buenas noches, Lovinito. Are you still mad at me? I'm so sorry, you know-"
Lovino walked over quickly and shut Antonio up with a long, deep kiss.
Slightly breathless, he grumbled, "Antonio, ti amo, and I'm not angry, but don't pull that shit on me ever again or I'll kick your ass next time." But his expression soon softened, and he settled down in his boyfriend's lap, giving him another, gentler kiss. "Of course I forgive you… how could I not, after all those things you did?" he murmured next, softly, considerably more calm and gentle than just moments before.
Antonio seemed relieved, and his smile brightened as he gently ran his fingers through Lovino's hair. "I was just worried, mi amor. I didn't want you to be upset, because I didn't want you to ever think I would say something like that and mean it… I was just angry, and I shouldn't have said it, y lo siento," he murmured, nuzzling him affectionately. "You're the perfect one for me, and I meant what I said in the flower card… I would choose you again, and again. Always. I chose you for a reason, amado, because you make me happy. You're a challenge, but you make life so interesting, and you have this fire in you that makes you so determined and loyal and fierce, and I love that about you. Especially since I know how sweet you are under that grumpy mask you like to wear."
Lovino turned a bright red, but returned the nuzzle, before tugging Antonio into bed and under the sheets. "I said I forgave you already, s-so quit it…" he murmured, hiding a small smile into his pillow. Antonio could be so silly, but so sweet. So stupidly sweet. "And I'm not grumpy, shut up and come sleep with me," he ordered, relaxing when he felt Antonio wrap his arms around him and pull him close, tight.
The larger man gave a little sigh of contentment as he held Lovino, curling around him slightly, protectively. "I'm so glad you're not angry anymore, Lovinito. Did you like the flowers?"
"Si, Toni, I loved them."
"And what about the food, was the food alright?"
"Perfect."
"What about the bath, or the movies, or-"
Lovino kissed Antonio again, to quiet him, before saying, "Toni, it was all wonderful, so please shut up and cuddle with me." His cheeks were a bright red, and his eyes were giving Antonio a stubborn half-glare.
"You're so cute, Lovinito! Tan lindo~!" Antonio laughed in delight, kissing his forehead, before teasing, "Especially when you pout."
"I'm not pouting."
"But you are!"
"Toni," Lovino warned.
"Ah, lo siento. Should we sleep, then?"
"Si. Please."
They settled down, happy to finally be back to normal, the fight resolved, Lovino soothed, and Antonio forgiven.
It was just another day in the life of the happy couple- and one more apology to go with it.
And as usual, one more bout of forgiveness.
Love forgives.
Fin.