Antonio ran through the streets of the small town, looking down alleyways and street corners for the small child. In truth he was almost a teenager now, but he refused to act like one. Favoring the simplicities of childhood.

Lovino and Antonio had an argument and ended with the younger male running out. It was now around one in the morning and Antonio had yet to find the small boy. He was still so young, so stubborn. Even though he does nothing to help around the house Antonio, even with his young age, had already bonded with the child and his brother.

"Lovi~! Where are you! Lovino!" Antonio yelled waiting for a response. Though all he got was-

"Hey! Shut up! We're trying to sleep here!" a man yelled loudly.

Antonio growled and continued running down the next street. He was beginning to wonder if Lovino hadn't already gone back home when he looked into an alley and saw the boy snuggled up with a large dog.

Antonio sighed and walked over slowly. The dog eyed him suspiciously and started to growl as he got closer. "Good dog. I mean no harm. I'm just here to take that child home." the dog didn't move, already attached to the boy. "Do you have a home? You can come with us. We'll feed you and clean you up." Antonio offered. The dog nuzzled Lovi and woke him up.

"What is it, boy?" Lovi asked sleepily before looking up to see Antonio standing there with a smile. "I'm not going with you!" he yelled childishly.

"And why not? You have nowhere else to go! How else will you get enough food to fill that stomach of yours?" Antonio asked, tired and frustrated.

"I'll find a way! Me and Alvero will make our own way!" Lovi answered stubbornly.

Antonio sighed. "Lovi, you're barely ten years old. You're parents wanted me to take care of you in their place so I am. Now please, come with me. Come home, Alvero can come with us." he pleaded, willing to do almost anything to get him to come home. "Please? Feliciano is coming home tomorrow morning and your parents in the afternoon! I don't want them to come back for me to tell them that I lost you. And I know you want to see them again."

"No! You're going to try to make me do dishes or take out the garbage again! It's child abuse! Abuse!" Lovi yelled.

Antonio shook his head. "You don't even know what you're talking about! Come on, now. Let's get you home and ready for your parents. I'll be gone after they get back anyway so please bear with me for a while longer." he offered.

Lovino paused. "Alright. But I'm not taking the trash out!" he finally agreed.

Antonio smiled. "Fine. But you are taking a bath in the morning." he informed as he took the boy's hand in his and started the walk home. The dog Lovi had named Alvero following.

Antonio plopped onto the couch with a sigh, he was enjoying these few moments when he could relax, though in the back of his mind he knew he would have a mess to clean up after Lovi was done bathing. He was young, but he had been taking care of himself for a long time, after running out from his parents and deciding to be on his own a few years back. It was hard, but he had made out well. Especially when he took up babysitting for the Vargas brothers.

He enjoyed the job, if he was honest with himself. It paid well and got to stay in their house. It was only a portion of the day while their parents worked too, going off to do his own thing when the parents got home to their beloved children. The two boys together weren't that bad. Playing with each other even when Lovi got a little cross with his sensitive brother. But it wasn't hard, just cleaning up after them which was easy, just constant. And cooking their food which was mainly made of pasta or pizza.

Though whenever their parents went out of the country for work, Feliciano, the smaller and more sensitive of the two, would go to Roderich and Elizaveta's house. Friends of their parents. When he asked why he didn't just keep them both while they were away their parents answered,

"Keeping both of the boys for an entire week or more would just be too much for you! You're still very young and we don't want you to overdo it. You handle the day job very well but keeping them BOTH for that long is just a bit much on a teenager."

And Antonio understood that well now. He also understood that keeping up with Lovino was a hard job in itself. He refused to do some of the simplest things. He was much too stubborn for a ten-year-old.

As Antonio sat there, enjoying the silence, the phone rang. He sighed and stood up walking to the hall phone. He passed the bathroom door and could hear Lovi playing around in the water. He smiled.

"Hello?" Antonio asked as he picked up the phone. "Yes, this is Antonio speaking. … What's that? … How can that be? … But-! … Yes, I understand. … No, there's no problem. … Yes. … Yes. … Yes, I'll tell him soon. … His brother too?… No, don't be. … I understand. … Yes, I'll be here. … Thank you. … Good bye." he finished up the phone call with a sad expression on his face. He fell to his knees and covered his face with his hands.

"What's wrong, bastard?" Lovi asked. He had come out from the bath and had been listening to the end of the conversation.

Antonio, too sad to scold the boy for his language, looked up at him. He had wrapped one of the large fluffy white towels around himself when he got out of the shower. He opened his arms out. "Come here." he said.

Lovi hesitated before walking closer. Antonio gathered him up in his arms. Lovi squirmed, trying to get out. "Aah! Pedophile! Pedophile! He's gonna rape me!" he yelled.

Antonio let him go. "Go get dressed and come into the living room." he demanded and stood, going to clean the bathroom which was, in fact, a mess.

Lovi huffed and pouted at being told what to do but, not wanting to run around naked like his brother liked to do, went towards his room anyway.

After Lovi had dressed and was sitting down on the couch, and Antonio had finished cleaning the bathroom and had come in to sit beside him on the couch, he looked towards Lovi.

"Now, please be honest with me, do you hate spending time with me? Do you really honestly hate me being around?" Antonio asked, deciding to start this slowly.

"Of course I do, you're a pedophile." Lovi answered bluntly.

"You don't even know what that is." Antonio sighed.

"Yes I do, it means you like boys." Lovino said.

Antonio sighed. "No, not exactly. There's a difference between gay and pedophile, okay? Wait, that isn't the problem here. No, Lovi, answer me honestly. Do you really hate me?" he asked.

Lovi paused. "Not entirely. You make good food and do chores and let me play." he answered.

Antonio chuckled. "Good, cause it looks like it's going to be you and me for a little while longer." he said sadly and concern showing on his face.

Before Lovino could ask what he meant the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Lovi yelled and ran to the door. Antonio followed after him.

Lovi opened the door and Feliciano ran to his brother, hugging him tight. "Fratello, I missed you!" he said happily.

"Get off me! Stop clinging!" Lovi yelled.

Roderich and Elizaveta stepped inside, watching the brothers. Antonio came in soon after, smiling at the reunion. "Ah! Antonio, it's so nice to see you again! It seems you've been doing well. Though you look tired. Is something wrong?" Elizaveta asked with worry.

"Did they not call you this morning too?" Antonio asked them.

The couple looked at each other and shook their heads no. "We've been driving here all morning. What is it?" Elizaveta asked quietly.

Antonio looked toward the brothers, running to the bedrooms, probably to start unpacking Feli's things. "Come inside. It's a little much to explain here in the doorway." Antonio invited and closed the door behind the guests.

They went into the living room and sat down, Antonio made sure to be a good host and ask for refreshments before continuing on with what he heard earlier that morning.

"I got a call earlier from… I don't really know. But… Lovi and Feli's parents… on the way back the plane crashed." After that statement Roderich's eyes widened and Elizaveta gasped. "No one survived. I don't know all the details but I know that they're working on things right now. They mentioned that I would need to tell Feliciano too." Antonio looked at the carpet, depression taking over.

"That's terrible! Oh, what are you going to do?" Elizaveta asked, worry painting her voice.

Antonio looked up at her. "I'm going to tell the boys and hope I can stay here to take care of them. But I'm not of age yet so I don't know how that will happen." Antonio looked down once again, trying not to think about it.

"Nonsense! While they're still getting everything together we'll take Feliciano back. Won't we, Roderich?" Elizaveta insisted, looking towards her husband.

"Yes, of course." he agreed.

"I couldn't ask you to do that, you've kept him so long! I know I'm not their parents but I can take them both! I don't want to burden you." Antonio said.

"But that will be harder than you think. You're only fifteen Antonio, you shouldn't be tied down by a child right now, you're still one yourself." Roderich brought up.

"I know I'm young but I have nothing else I can do. I want to be helpful and I don't want to leave these boys! I know I can do it! I promised I would help take care of them and I will! I promised Lovi a while back that I would always be here for him and Feli! I don't intend to break any of my promises." Antonio persisted.

Elizaveta smiled at him. "And you won't have to. Do you want us to tell the boys?" she offered.

"No, thank you. I'd like to be the one to do it. I guess I'll go do that now. I'll be back." Antonio said and stood, heading towards the bedrooms.

"He's too serious and grown up for his age." Elizaveta said aloud.

Roderich nodded his head. "That's what you get for running out of the house when you're eleven. It's also what you get for having those kinds of parents." he said.

Elizaveta said nothing.

Antonio knocked on the bedroom door to Feli and Lovi's room. "Hey boys, you in here?" he asked looking inside.

"Yeah, we're in here!" Lovi said and turned back to his brother, "Seriously, why would you even want to wear a dress?" he asked.

"But they're comfy…" Feli answered, looking down.

"Uh, boys, sorry to interrupt. But I have some news for the both of you." both of the younger children looked up at him expectingly. He knelt down and looked both of the boys in the eyes. "Uh… well. You do know that you're parents love you, right?" he started awkwardly.

"Yes, why? Are they not coming home?" Feli asked. Lovi said nothing.

"No boys. They won't be coming home. You see, their plane crashed on the way home. They send their love, and will be with you always in spirit. But… you're parents are dead." he explained.

After answering some question the best he could he was now holding a sobbing Feliciano close to him and a sad, teary Lovino in his arms. He rubbed their backs and whispered comforting words while trying to hold himself back from crying as well.