Chapter 2: Double pasta... and tomatoes?

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Pure white walls decorated with beautiful paintings that reflected the different artistic periods in Italy. Adorning shelves, there were miniatures of their most famous buildings and sculptures. And a pasta scent covered each room of the building. So was the house where the Italians brothers lived.

But before getting there, they made a brief stop at Elizabeta's house, Hungary, to lend her some clothes. Living on an island had those little inconveniences to unforeseen situations. Normally, if the Conference was to last several days, [Name] carried a suitcase with clothes. But that day was not the case.

[Name] browsed the new small sculptures added to their collection while they were changing into more comfortable clothes for dinner. One of the figurines got her attention. It was a small black bull, the base was a wooden pedestal and in one of its sides was a small
silver plate with an inscription:

'Feliz Cumpleaños Lovino~.'

[Name] smiled. It was definitely a gift from Antonio, the personification of Spain. The really strange thing was that Lovino accept to place it there. [Name] returned the little bull to its place and turned toward the stairs when she heard footsteps approaching. The first to go down was Feliciano, who quickly approached her and grabbed her hand to take her to the kitchen.

"Ve~. Come on bella, let's make pasta~!"

[Name] chuckled at the enthusiasm of Feliciano and took one last look at the stairs leading to the upper floor.

"Lovino won't be upset if we don't wait for him?"

"Don't worry [Name], fratello will soon come down."

Feliciano was right. By the time they prepared everything needed to start making dinner, Lovino went down and joined them in the kitchen. However, seeing that [Name] wanted to help them cook the pasta, he refused to allow her to do that.

"Damn, I don't want that the British influence in your cooking spoils our delicious pasta."

[Name] laid her hands on her waist and gave him a glare.

"Do I have to remind you that I have also French influence in my cooking?"

"And should I remind you that the last time you tried to make pasta, it was inedible?"

[Name] opened her mouth intending to reply, but after thinking a few seconds decided to surrender. It's true that [Name] can cook well, but the pasta was one of the few dishes that resisted her.

Feliciano began to cook the pasta while Lovino was preparing the garrison. [Name] watched them sitting on the kitchen table somewhat frustrated by not being able to cook with them, but because of that she could admire carefully the culinary skills of the brothers. Suddenly the doorbell rang surprising the three of them. Who could be at that hour?

"Ve~, can any of you go to open the door? I have to watch the pasta."

[Name] and Lovino looked at each other debating which of them should go open. The bell rang a second and third time, indicating that who was on the other side of the door was getting impatient. [Name] and Lovino looked at each other one last time, he already a bit upset by the bell.

"What? You don't want me to go open the door, right? I'm the guest, if it something important shouldn't open one of the owners of the house?"

Lovino narrowed his eyes and placed the knife with which he had been cutting some vegetables on the counter.

"Agh! Okay, I'll go!"

[Name] observed with a winner smile how Lovino left the kitchen and headed for the door. She heard the sound of the door opening and...

"What are you doing here at this time, you idiot!?"

Feliciano looked curiously at [Name], who couldn't prevent that a small laugh escaped her lips.

"Ve~, who do you think is it, [Name]?"

"I think I have a slight idea. Be right back."

[Name] got up and followed the same direction taken by Lovino moments before, leaving Feliciano in the kitchen much more intrigued. When she turned the last corner, her suspicions were confirmed.

"[Name]! Mi pequeño tomate, I've missed you so much~."

In the blink of an eye, [Name] was found in the arms of Antonio. She blushed slightly upon hearing the old nickname which he called her when they were little. She escaped from the embrace and gave him a small smile.

"Come on, don't call me that, I'm not a child. Also it isn't so long ago that we met, remember? This afternoon, the World Conference..."

Antonio laughed.

"I know, but I couldn't tell you anything!"

Assuming Antonio was no longer to answer the question he had done, Lovino sighed angrily and began to head back to the kitchen.

"I guess you'll stay for dinner... Feliciano, I hope you made enough pasta, because the tomato bastard stays for dinner too!"

"Ve~. The more people, the more fun~."

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, the four sat down to dinner. The night passed quietly... not counting the end of the night. Talking about old memories, Antonio told them how Lovino thanked him for what he had done for him one night after being reprimanded again by his fight against Turkey. Due to the terrible shame that he felt of admitting it, Lovino took a terrible tantrum.

"Damn! Why you had to tell it!? You're an idiot!"

Without saying a word, Lovino rose from the table and left the house with a loud slam...