a/n: i do not own hetalia.

Where The Heart Is

Chapter One: His Guardian

Romano Vargas has lived a pretty good life, aside from losing his mother in the divorce. His father is a…well…he doesn't really know WHAT his father does. All he knows is that it has made him rich. They live in a large house, full of random tokens his father has gotten from his job. It did feel empty though. But that doesn't mean he wants to be HERE.

Romano sighs, staring at the door in front of him. His father had just up and disappeared a few weeks ago. When he left, he set a letter on the table for Romano giving him a name and a number. Romano didn't want to go live with a stranger, so he tried to tough it out on his own; needless to say he failed.

What he really wanted was to go and find his mother, but according to some people who knew her she had died three years back. So here he is, in front of some strange old man's door. He looks down at the letter again; making sure it's the right address.

'Antonio Fernando Carriedo, 555-0324, 549 Spain Street.' It was in his town, so he didn't need to wonder about that part. After a few deep breaths Romano knocks on the door in a very quiet, more like gentle tapping, manor. He waits a few seconds and turns quickly to get the fuck out of there when the door opens. "Ah~! So you've finally come~! I've been so worried, but your father said you were stubborn!" Romano stares at the curly haired brunette in front of him.

Not really out of curiosity or anything, more like shock that he answered the door in a towel. This is gonna be great. Just fan-fucking-tastic. Please note sarcasm. "I see you dressed up for my arrival…" Romano says and Antonio blushes, laughing nervously. "Yeah, well…I suppose we should move this conversation inside so no one else sees…" The smaller brunette shrugs. "I don't mind."

Antonio grabs his wrist and pulls him in. "So Lovi~! How are you? Have you been eating properly? Going to school? Showering? Doing your homework? Keeping your house clean? ...Going to school?" Romano twitches. "If I had been doing all of those things successfully on my own I wouldn't be here, would I?" Antonio laughs a little. "I guess not…but a fifteen year old can't live on his own legally anyways. But don't worry, I'll take care of you Lovi~!"

Romano twitches again. What the fuck was up with that name? "Where the fuck did 'Lovi' come from?" He asks and Antonio grins at him. "Well, I was told by your father that your name is Romano Lovino Vargas! So Lovi is your nickname~!" Romano glares at him, blushing. "It is NOT my nickname…unless you want to die."

Antonio laughs a little and pinches Romano's cheeks. "Lovi looks like a tomato~!" He coos and Romano twitches, punching his arms away. "DON'T TOUCH ME YOU CREEPY STRANGER!" Antonio frowns and sits down with him on the couch. "You don't remember…do you?" Romano raises a brow. "Remember what?"

Antonio smiles at him and pats him on the head. "My father was your father's business partner. I use to play with you when you were…about…four? I was twelve and would bring you all over the place! You don't remember?" Romano glares at him. "How could I remember that! I WAS FOUR! And tell me; why did it stop after I was four?" "Our parents stopped being business partners." Antonio answers and Romano looks at him confused. "Why did he send me to you?"

The taller brunette sighs and leans back against the couch. "Probably because…I'm the only person who doesn't hate your father…except for maybe you." "You're the only person." Romano says quickly and bitterly. "By the way…" He mumbles, looking at the towel on the older man that is beginning to ride up. "Are you going to change…? Or at least put on boxers…?" Antonio looks down and blushes. "R-right…I'll be right back!" He runs upstairs, leaving Romano alone.

The teen gets up and looks around, going to the turtle tank and locking eyes with one of them. "Hello…" He says and the turtle moves toward him. "MADONNA PORCA1!" Romano jumps back, crashing into a chest that was thankfully now clothed. "Admiring my turtles, Lovi~?" Antonio asks and Romano twitches. "IT WANTS TO ATTACK ME! FUCK NO I'M NOT ENJOYING IT!" The turtle swims to the other side of the large tank and hides in its shell. "Aw, you hurt his feelings, Lovi~!"

Romano glares at the hiding turtle, feeling a little guilty. Only slightly. "Maybe he should have thought of that before trying to attack me…" Antonio laughs a little and pats him on the head. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe from little Barcelona!" Romano looks up at him annoyed. "You named them after Spanish places?" Antonio smiles. "Just a fan of my native country, I guess~!"

Romano steps away from him and grabs his back pack and rolling suitcase. "Where do I put these?" "Well…I do have a few empty rooms…the one next to mine is the only other one with a bed though." Antonio says and Romano nods, heading upstairs. "Eh~? Lovi you aren't going to bed are you~? It's only ten on a Friday~!" Romano groans and glares down at the man from the stairs. "I'm getting into my pajamas! Fuck off!"

Later:

Romano and Antonio sit on the couch in awkward silence watching a telenovela. "…You actually like this crap?" The teen asks and Antonio laughs. "I do. I use to watch it all the time with my mom when I was little." Romano stares at the ground with an angry pout. "How wonderful for you…" Antonio smiles down at the boy and wraps an arm around his shoulders.

"Don't pout Lovi~! Uncle Antonio is here for you~!" Romano cringes and pushes the older man away. "For the love of GOD don't call yourself that. Ever. Again." Antonio laughs a little and pats him on the head. "But seriously Lovi, I know you don't remember me or anything…but you can tell and ask me anything you want…" Romano looks at him pointedly. "Where is my father and why did he leave?"

Antonio laughs nervously and pulls his hand away. "You can ask…anything …but…that…Lovi…" Romano glares at him and moves farther away on the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. "I thought you would say that…" "I'm sorry Lovi…but I promised…" "Antonio apologizes and Romano gets up angrily. "You promised…you promised a man who would abandon his son to go off to god-knows where…oh wait…YOU know where! DAMNIT you're just like him!" Romano stomps off to his room and Antonio sighs.

"Dios mio2…forgive me for this, por favor3…" Antonio groans before getting up and going to the Italian's room.

Romano's room:

Romano glares at nothing in particular, burying his face into the pillow that smells strongly of tomatoes and something more flowery. "Stupid adults… keeping everything a secret…disappearing in the middle of the night and making me live with some stranger with turtles that want to kill me…a man who won't even tell me where my father is…fucking adults!" He groans angrily before rolling onto his back and throwing his pillow across the room.

"My my, Lovi…you are really upset, huh?" Antonio asks, holding the pillow he's just caught. "Damn right I am! I hate you stupid adults!" Romano yells, rolling onto his stomach again to hide his face from Antonio. "Oh Lovi…you poor kid…" Antonio whispers, shaking his head sadly before sitting next to him on the bed. "I don't want to make you upset the first time I see you after eleven years…so …just this once…I'll break a promise…"

Romano looks over to him with a pout on his lips. "Oh? So you're going to tell me why my father abandoned me?" Antonio nods and sits next to him on the bed. "I am. So…it's like this…you see…at your father's work…he got into trouble. This trouble has lead him to have to leave the country for a little while-!" "MY DAD IS A FUGITIVE!" Romano yells, shooting up in the bed. "W-well…you could say that…" Antonio says nervously and Romano glares. "You HAVE to say that! Because it's the truth! DAMNIT! I knew he was doing illegal things!"

They sit silently for a moment before Antonio laughs a little. "Che minchia4! You're laughing! Vaffanculo cazzo5!" Antonio smiles down at him and gently bops him on the head. "Watch your language chiquito!" Romano groans and lies back down. "Great…you know Italian…" Antonio beams down at him. "I sure do! Now just you wait and tomorrow we will have lots of fun!" He looks at his watch. "But for now…we will go to bed, ok?"

Romano looks at him confused. "Fine…I guess…" Antonio lies down next to him, grinning. "Great! We'll have a sleep over!" The teen twitches and kicks the man off the bed. "Like hell we will! Go to your own damn room!" "Ah~! But Lovi we were connecting~!" Antonio whines and Romano flips him off. "Get the fuck out of my room! Testa di cazzo6!" "Hey! What did I say about language Lovi~?" Romano glares at the older man. "GET. OUT. NOW." Antonio sighs and heads out. "Buenas noches7, Lovi~!"

Next morning:

Romano wakes up and hears singing out the window. He looks out and down to see Antonio tending to a garden. "So he has a garden…huh?" The Italian mutters before heading to take a shower. When he comes out he grabs a book and heads downstairs, meeting up with the grinning Spaniard. "Good morning, Lovi~!"

Antonio pulls Romano into a hug and the boy scrunches his nose. "You smell like dirt…" "You smell like soap~! Why don't you just rub your-?" Romano cuts him off with a head butt to the gut. "Fuck off, pervert!" Antonio holds his stomach. "Ow…Lovi~! What did I do that was perverted~?" "You're a fucking idiot!" Romano yells as he heads out back. "Lovi~!"

That afternoon:

"Lovi~! Lunch is ready~!" Antonio calls as he heads out back to look for the boy. There he sees the teen curled up in his hammock and sound asleep, a book in his hands. "Ah…" Antonio stares at him wide eyed for a minute before beaming. "OH LOVIII~! YOU ARE SO CUTE~!" Romano groans in his sleep and rolls onto his back. "Lovi~! Lunch is done~!" Antonio coos, gently rocking the boy.

"Lovi~! If you don't wake up…" The Spaniard leans down and whispers into his ear. "I'll kiss you~!" The Italian's eyes shoot open and Antonio gets a face full of book. "What the hell are you doing! Perverted bastard!" "Ow Lovi~! I was waking you up!" Antonio whines and Romano glares at him. "Don't wake me up like that. Ever. Again." The Spanish man sighs and heads back to the house. "Come have lunch, Lovi~!" "I'm coming, I'm coming!"

That evening:

Romano sits in the tomato garden, reading his book and eating a freshly picked tomato. He has finally gotten rid of Antonio, who is now focused on making dinner, so he can relax without hearing that annoying voice calling out 'Lovi~'. As if they know each other. Ok, so according to Antonio and those pictures he showed Romano, they DO know each other. But still.

"Hey~! Toni! What's up!" Romano lifts his head up when he hears an unfamiliar male voice. "Bonjour, Toni!" Another voice coos and Romano finds himself getting up and heading into the house. "Francis! Gilbert! Hey you two! I'm making dinner for me and Lovi~!" Antonio exclaims as Romano watches from another room. "Lovi…? Lovino…Vargas? You really took him in?" Gilbert asks, shocked and Antonio nods. "Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

Francis sighs dreamily and leans against the counter. "How lucky you are, to be graced with such a beautiful boy in your house." Romano twitches and makes a mental note to kick the blonde Frenchman's ass later. "Haha! Well he is cute! But he isn't very loving…of course he wasn't really when he was little, either~!" Antonio rubs his stomach. "Still loves his head butts though…he's already given me three today…" "Ah~! The trials of youth!" Francis swoons and Gilbert rolls his eyes.

"Where is this kid anyways?" The albino man asks and Antonio smiles at him. "He's in the garden! Reading and eating tomatoes! It's really cute~!" Antonio coos and Gilbert laughs. "You would think he's cute." "Oh, and I do! He's such a cute kid~! Shy but cute~!" The Spaniard says and Gilbert shakes his head. "You're like a doting parent…" Francis looks over to Gilbert. "You act that way with your little brother Ludwig! And that other boy that moved in with you…what was it…? Feliciano! Ah, such a cute little boy~!"

Romano rolls his eyes, knowing those two they just mentioned would soon be shoved down his throat. He decides now is a good time to come out, so he comes to the kitchen where the three men are and grabs a soda before leaning against the counter beside Antonio. "Who are these people?" He asks and Antonio smiles at him. "Lovi~! These are my best friends Gilbert and Francis! In fact, their little brothers are on their way for dinner!"

Romano twitches. "When were you going to inform me of guests coming to dinner?" Antonio smiles at him. "I did tell you Lovi~! I said 'people will be coming' and you said 'fuck off pervert, let me read'~!" Francis and Gilbert snicker a little, receiving a glare from Romano as well before he heads upstairs. "What a cute kid." The blonde says sarcastically and Antonio sighs dreamily. "Isn't he~?"

Gilbert and Francis share a look of annoyance. "Sarcasm is totally lost on this idiot…"

Later:

Romano comes back down freshly showered so he doesn't smell like dirt. "Ahhh Lovi~!" Antonio pulls him into a hug. "You smell like tomatoes and soap~!" Romano twitches as Gilbert and Francis stare in slight shock. "DID I SAY YOU COULD TOUCH ME!" The teen yells, hitting him in the head. "FUCK OFF!" Gilbert goes up to Romano and sniffs him. "I guess he smells good…" Francis comes up to his other side and brings his nose right up to the boy's neck. "Delicious! Maybe I should skip Antonio's dinner and just eat you~!"

Antonio give Francis a dark glare, making him back away. "Or…not…" "Figlio di puttana8…" Romano mumbles, rubbing his neck in disgust. "Lovi! Language!" Antonio scolds as the boy stomps off to the living room. "He's quite the spitfire…him and Alfred probably won't get along to well…" Francis says and Gilbert nods. "Your cousin isn't exactly known for his ability to tone it down."

Romano sighs and sits on the couch, flipping through the channels til he lands on an American television show called 'How I Met Your Mother'. Most American shows are pretty stupid, what with the countries current obsession with reality T.V. and those disgusting jersey people that look like if you so much as look at them you could catch something.

"Hey there!" Romano looks over to see a boy with blonde hair and glasses smiling. "Nice to meet you, I'm Matthew!" Matthew holds out his hand and Romano shakes it. "I'm Romano…" "I'm Alfred!" A boy who looks a lot like Matthew, but with shorter hair says. "Uhuh…" "I'm Ludwig…" Another boy with blonde hair slicked back says. "Right…"

"I'm Feliciano!" Romano looks over and locks eyes with a boy who looks almost identical to him. "Wha…?" "Ve~!" Feliciano says happily and Romano sits there gawking. "Ah…."

a/n: Madonna porca:impolite expression of surprise in italian. like mama mia.

dios mio: my god (spanish)

por favor: please (spanish)

che minchia: what the fuck(italian)

vaffanculo cazzo: fuck you asshole (italian)

testa di cazzo: dick head or asshole (italian)

buenas noches: good night(spanish)

figlio di puttana: son of a whore/ son of a bitch (italian)