Mi Corazón

Chapter 5- Lovino

Chapter 5- Lovino's POV

Chapter 5- Lovino

I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was the worst place Antonio could have taken me. Oh God, anywhere but here.

Antonio's face was perfectly framed by the warm sunlight light that filtered through the car window, outlining his complexion. He looked... content. He looked proud of himself. I couldn't tell wether he was proud to have gotten me on a date with him or proud of his choice of date location. Or maybe it was both.

We pulled up outside and I waited for Antonio to open the door for me like a proper gentleman. I told myself it was to prove to me that he was good enough for me but inside I knew that wasn't true. It was because I was a lazy asshole and I wasn't good enough for him. Oh, shut up brain.

The front of the pasta restaurant hadn't changed since I last saw it. But then again the manager was too busy to redecorate and the co-manager (also head chef) was as lazy as me so he'd probably never redecorate either. The last time I saw him... that was way too long ago. I tried to swallow my sudden pang of guilt as I entered the restaurant. The interior was identical to how I remebered it. I did think of telling Antonio that this was probably the worst place he could have taken me but he seemed so proud of his choice. I thought it best to let him be.

We sat at our table in the centre of the restuarant and I looked around. Not a thing had changed. When I looked back at Antonio, he was gazing at me like a crazed teenage girl gazes at posters of her favourite boyband.
"What?"
"You."
"What?" I could feel my face burning up. I couldn't tell wether my stomach was tying itself in knots because of Antonio or because I knew what was coming and it made me anxious as fuck.

"Is everything okay?" Antonio dropped his smile.
"Yeah. It's just... I know the guys who own this restaurant." I said, rubbing the back of my neck.
Antonio's face lit up again.
"Really? That's great Lovi, why didn't you tell me before?"
"We're on a..." I paused "a... date." The word 'date' came out too slowly, like it was too big and bulky to fit out of my mouth. "And the guys who run this restaurant are... sort of relatives of mine." I saw one of the  waiters glance at us and head towards what I was sure was the manager's office. It was at the other end of the restaurant so it was hard to tell from such a distance. A tall, broad figure emerged from the office and quickly headed through a set of double doors into the kitchen.
Oh, crap.

"It doesn't matter. Just brace yourself and nod when he stops for breath."
Antonio looked confused. He had every right to be. But I knew all too well what was coming.

I heard Feliciano before I saw him, but that had always been the way. He crept up behind me, the little shit, and started gabbling rubbish at me in Italian and enthusiastically kissing my cheeks and suffocating me with hugs. Although I put on a miserable face, I liked it. I hadn't seen my brother in over a year. I felt a smile creep its way across my face as I finally understood the meaning of the term 'light hearted'.

He stopped hugging me and bounded back to his stern-looking husband. Feliciano was way too clingy with Ludwig, always bouncing around him like a puppy and holding his hand. He was doing it now! I shot the German bastard my scariest death-stare which admittedly wasn't that scary.
And then my attention turned back to Antonio. He was staring in awe.

"Your brother owns this restaurant?" He asked.
"Yes." I said.
"No." Said Feliciano.
"He's the head chef." Said Ludwig. "I own it."
"Then why is it called 'Casa de Vargas'?'' Antonio asked.
"Vargas is Feliciano's maiden name, obvioulsy." I said.
"How is that obvious?" He asked.
"My surname is Vargas and he's my brother so..."
"I didn't know your surname was Vargas."
"Well Feliciano's surname is Beilschmidt now."