The Pirate's Treasure Ch.15

The Pirate's Treasure

Chapter Fifteen: His Royal admission
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Lovino wakes up in the middle of the night, Antonio lying behind him deep asleep. He looks the man over and thinks of how innocent the captain actually looks asleep. With his hair askew on the pillow, lips parted slightly for his even breathing, and his eyes closed to reveal long eyelashes you would never know he was such a hardened pirate. Being so handsome one would think he would be married with children by now, but alas he has no interest in that.
His lack of interest in family, love, and closeness in general worries Lovino. The prince is not exactly the embodiment of healthy relationships, but he still doesn't look at those things with disgust or fear. Perhaps Antonio is weaker than him in this way.

Lovino shakes the thought away before moving some hair out of Antonio's face. "I doubt anything about you is weak. For a human at least." He whispers, enjoying the feel of the Spaniard's hair in his fingers. Watching closely to ensure Antonio is still asleep, Lovino continues to pet the soft hair for the first real time. They have been so close every night yet not even such a small form of physical contact has ever happened.

Lovino never thought much on it at first, but honestly he can't get it out of his head anymore. The only contact they share is when Antonio is teaching him, saving him, or helping him in some way and even those are as limited as can be. It's become frustrating. While he will never say it out loud, since there is no reason to, Lovino has grown very fond of Antonio and wants a sort of closeness that Marcello has with his human Peter. A loving, warm, relationship. Of course he won't tell Antonio that, since it would get him kicked off of his crew so fast he would still be human by the time he was tossed in the water.

"You're annoying…" He grumbles to himself, lightly pulling on Antonio's hair and watching as the man winces. "AH!"

"Dios mio, Lovi. You do not go from gentle to pulling." Antonio groans, opening an eye to look at the flustered prince.

"Y-y-you were asleep! YOU WERE ASLEEP!" Lovino yells, moving away.

"Would you keep it down? People are sleeping now." The pirate chastises dully, sitting up to get a better view of the boy's horror. "Besides, as a pirate I have learned to wake at the slightest touch." He explains as incomprehensible noises escape Lovino's lips. "No need to be so horrified, I don't mind if it's you."

Lovino blushes more and falls completely silent for a moment; his eyes trailing Antonio's well-toned body. "You don't mind if what's me?" He asks, catching Antonio a little off-guard.

"What are you asking, Lovi?" Antonio counters, receiving a confused look from Lovino.

"I don't know." He answers in sincerity. "What does it sound like I'm asking?"

Antonio sighs and pats the boy on the head. "Go to sleep so you can see your surprise tomorrow."

Lovino frowns a little. "You're not going to drop me somewhere and say something like 'I am giving you the gift of freedom' or anything, right?"

Antonio scoffs. "How absurd, me giving you freedom will never happen." He answers with a cold sort of bluntness.

"I see. It makes sense, seeing how frantic you were yesterday about finding me." Lovino mocks, receiving a confused look from Antonio. "People stalk, Antonio."

"…Um…what…?" Antonio asks, truly confused at Lovino's meaning.

"You know, conversing about you behind your back." Lovino explains and Antonio laughs.

"People talk, Lovino. Stalking is completely different."

"Then what is stalking?"

"When someone follows you around where you cannot see them." Antonio answers, making the prince look at him curiously.

"…Isn't that…what you do with me?" Lovino asks and Antonio blushes a little.

"Y-you cannot stalk what you own!"

"I get the feeling that is a lie…" Lovino mumbles, looking at him suspiciously. "Sometimes I wonder…"

"FRATELLO!" A loud voice coos, barreling through the door, a thin body landing on top of Lovino on the bed in a bear hug.

"WHAT THE-?" Lovino hisses, struggling under the shadowy figure for a moment before he recognizes a familiar scent coming from it. "…Feliciano…?"

"I told you to wait until the morning, Feliciano. Your brother is hurt." Antonio groans, getting up from the bed and putting on a shirt. "I'll leave you two alone for a while."

Feliciano waits for Antonio to leave before turning on the lamp beside them and smiling down at his older brother. "Fratello, you have come to steal me haven't you?" He asks and Lovino looks up at him surprised.

"Do you…want me to?"

"Never." Feliciano answers immediately. "I love Ludwig, but I know you and Marcello will never understand." He says sadly. "You won't understand caring about a human this much…he didn't steal me, I willingly went."

"Feliciano…" Lovino begins, getting cut off by his brother.

"We met by accident, you see. We met and he fascinated me. Humans are fascinating creatures, Fratello. He continued to meet me in the spot we met for a few months until one day he said he must leave. I begged him not to, telling him I loved him and didn't want to see him go…but then I decided…why can't I go with him? So I did. It was my decision, Fratello, please try to understand." Feliciano explains, now close to tears.

Lovino stares up at the crying boy on surprise. "Feliciano…I had no intention of stealing you from him." He answers, handing his brother a nearby handkerchief. "I...I do understand your feelings towards Ludwig." The older prince admits. "I was not forced into my journey either, and while it wasn't originally to be near Antonio or anything…now…I don't want to leave him." He mumbles and Feliciano gasps.

"AAHHH! NO WAAAYYYY!" Feliciano squeals, making Lovino go bright red and smack him with a pillow.

"Silence you fool! Someone could hear you! How did you not take to our lessons on decorum from father?" Lovino groans lowering the pillow from his brother's face to see a wide grin on the prince's face.

"I'm so happy though! You love him, right?" Feliciano asks, making Lovino's face go even brighter red.

"Whoa! Whoa! L-let's not get crazy!" Lovino exclaims, his hands waving wildly in front of him. "He is a friend I c-care about! Not someone I love!"

Feliciano's grin widens. "Suspicious…"

"I wish to go to bed now." Lovino grumbles and Feliciano rolls over to lay down next to him.

"Alright, goodnight, brother." Feliciano says, placing an arm around Lovino's shoulders.

"Good night, Feliciano." Lovino replies, quickly falling asleep.

As the two slumber, Francis walks down the hall to see Antonio leaning against the bedroom door.

"Hmm? Kicked out, Antonio?" Francis asks amused and Antonio shakes his head no. The blonde walks up closer to Antonio and notices the man is a little pale. "Are you alright? You look…scared." He observes and Antonio gulps nervously.

"I overheard something between the eldest Vargas brothers…" Antonio explains slowly. "I think…Lovino…is falling for me."

Francis nods. "Yes, it's quite a dangerous thing. What do you plan to do?" He asks, receiving a strange look from Antonio.

"Let him fall. Loyalty is loyalty." Antonio says and Francis sighs.

"Mon dieu you love him as well don't you?"

"That's not what it is."

"That is what it is" Francis groans. "You are in love with the kid. It will only lead to hurt, though. After all, mermaids are immortal."

"Francis…" Antonio begins, getting interrupted.

"You don't want the one you love to suffer, right? I've been talking to Marcello about it and he has told me thousands of stories where mermaids fall for humans and suffer as they must watch them age and die." Francis says. "Get rid of him."

Antonio falls silent, contemplating, before looking to Francis annoyed and grabbing his shirt collar, pulling him closer roughly. "Don't think I don't know what you are doing. Stop trying to rid me of Lovino. No matter what the feelings between us, I will not get rid of my most valuable treasure, understand? Try again and I will hurt you."

Francis glares. "He's making you weak. You almost died just to calm him down."

"Francis, stay out of it."

"You are my friend and I don't want you hurt."

Antonio sighs and lets him go. "I understand your concern…but I can handle myself. Lovino would do nothing to hurt me."

"On purpose no. But let's say that we get into a battle and Lovino loses it again. You would kill yourself to help him, it's a fact. He is collateral."

"You just hate Lovino. I don't know why, but you do. Or perhaps…you want me to drop him so you can take him?" Antonio asks, a dark look in his eyes.

"Th-that is not it, Antonio. You have more than enough jewels from him to be rich for a hundred lifetimes. What more do you need?" Francis asks, growing frustrated.

"It is not what I need, it is what I promised. I promised to show Lovino the world." Antonio answers. "I am a man of my word. After all he has done for me, he can leave on his terms."

"Then you realize he will never leave, right?" Francis groans and Antonio nods.

"I hope he doesn't. I would be happy if he stayed with me forever." The Spaniard replies in earnest.

"…You really worry me, Antonio." Francis says, sighing in defeat.
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A/N: People have been complaining of the lack of relationship progress, sooooooooooooooooo there's this. Sorry. It's super busy over here so...yeah. Don't worry though, I'm trying a new time management thing so hopefully things will get done better.