A Match Into Water (Hetalia Short Fic)

Chapter 3

Antonio had stayed in the town he moved to when he was that young seventeen year old kid. He had gone to the community college and earned a nursing degree, becoming a registered nurse and working in the hospital. Antonio loved it, he loved helping people, especially any kids he encountered. He was doing the thing he loved most, helping people. His time away from Lovino, he missed and longed for him, wishing to see him again. Antonio had spent a lot of time with Gilbert and Francis, as well as keeping tabs on Feliciano, bonding with him and his grandfather on missing Lovino.

Keeping in constant contact with Lovino was something that kept Antonio going. Lovino had opened up to him about things he knew Lovino would never share with anyone but him because they areas close as they are, Lovino's trust for him was just one of the many things that helped push Antonio to fall further and further in love with him. Antonio had briefly talked to Lovino's friends from school Emil and Feliks, thinking they were funny and a good pair for Lovino to have around, it also didn't hurt that Emil would give him updates on Lovino too, putting his mind at ease when Lovino would go through his bouts of distance.

Of course when Lovino was starting his internship, around the time Antonio had started working on the pediatric floor of a hospital, is when he started to get a bit worried. Lovino was going to be on his own, and Antonio knew there was something wrong, but no matter how hard he pushed to get Lovino to open up about this one thing, it seemed to push Lovino farther away from him, almost out of reach.

It was the opening night of Lovino's play, and Antonio was out with Gilbert, Francis, Ludwig and Feliciano, celebrating Francis' birthday, when Feliciano's phone rang. It was late, and according to the time zone's Lovino should've been watching the second act of his play right now. But it was Feliks who had called Feliciano, informing him of Lovino's episode. Feliciano returned to the table, once the phone call was finished and asked to speak to Antonio a little later, to which he agreed.

Once they had finished with dinner, Antonio had met with Feliciano and Ludwig at their house, where Ludwig left the two alone to have this much needed talk. "It's about Lovino," Feliciano started. Antonio nodded, "Si, what about my Lovi?" he asked with a loving smile on his face. Feliciano returned with a sad smile, "it was Feliks who had called me, he informed me of something that happened with him." Feliciano began to feel a knot in his throat, tears formed in his eyes. Antonio got nervous, wondering if Lovino was okay. "Yes Feliciano, please go on." Antonio urged. Feliciano sighed, letting his tears finally fall. "He had an episode today, a pretty bad one." Antonio grew confused, "An episode? What do you mean?"

Feliciano knew then that Lovino had spent these years somehow successfully hiding his depression from Antonio, and knew he was going to have some explaining to do. Antonio learned that night that Lovino felt cold, and used to be someone completely different than the man he had come to love. Antonio was confused and refused to believe it at first, but the more he and Feliciano talked, the more he understood, and when looking back he should've noticed it earlier. He knew there was something wrong, and he knew Lovino had some sort of depression, but the true level was something he did not have an understanding of.

Antonio from that night forward, couldn't wait for Lovino's internship to officially end, so he could see him again, and finally tell him how he felt. He wanted nothing more than to help Lovino feel warm, in any way that he could.