rubs at his eyes quickly, trying not to sniffle. "Maddy has to stay the night at the vet's. I don't know what happened, but she ran off in the park today, and when she came back she was limping and crying..." _

_he doesn't even have the energy to swat Alfred's hand, he's too worried.

half-heartedly attempts to pull away for a moment, but he's glad for the comfort. "They better. At the worst, she'll only need a cast, si? The very worst....I hope they give her painkillers, I don't want her_

_to be miserable. They don't even know where she likes to be scratched, but the fuckers wouldn't let me go in."

so. They better...he was so worried, and anxious as as glad as he was for the comfort, another part of him wanted to pace and yell at the receptionist to be let inside. "She is tough. She's my tough fiorella.."

huffs, still distressed. "They said they might have to keep her over night..." But they hadn't come out to confirm it yet.

scowls. "I hope so. It better be...Maddy better be perfectly fine, or...or else."

huffs against him, grateful for Alfred being there. "I hope so..." If he thinks about this anymore, he'll drive himself crazy and barge in there. "What were you doing this morning?"

smiles a little at that. "You'll get yourself fucking injured, idiota..."

sighs, shaking his head. "Eventually you will, idiota."

nudges him lightly. "Say that when I find you with a black eye." He does feel a little better. Still worried, but not as distraught.

squirms a little, eyes flickering over to the desk every so often. "A black eye hurts like fuck no matter who you are."

him a little. "If you say so. What if I asked.. " Oh, he knew the name... "Matthew. Who you grew up with? Would he have embarrassing stories?"

smiles a little at that. "That would be interesting to watch. The two of you going back and forth."

things he should visit Matthew. Hear as many embarrassing stories as he can. "Si?"

rolls his eyes with a soft smile. "If you say so." The nurse comes out, and he bolts towards the desk, waiting apprehensively for any news.

frowns when they say Maddy will have to be kept overnight. But overall she will be okay, though she'll need a doggy cast. Lovino swallows hard, giving a shaky nod. She'll be okay....

huffs a little, but he nods. "Si, si...I need to go get her food from home...and her toys and blanket."

nods. "I just..." He wanted her to come home. "She'll be okay."

glances down the hall again, before nodding and heading towards the car. "I have to bring her treats too...she'll cry the whole night, you know."

always worry for her, but he nods and pulls off down the road.

so. He pulls up in front of his house, hurrying inside. He has a lot of things to collect.

running around bagging up her food, getting her water bowl and treats...he runs out with his arms full of her toys. "It's not too much, right?"

deflates a little, but he sorts through and picks a stuffed rabbit, and a chew toy...and a blanket. Blankets weren't toys. "I think she needs more treats. Should I get her a bone?"

he picked the right toys. "Maybe just the bone, and none of the other treats. She likes chewing things..." Like his laundry...

gathers up her things, and sighs softly. "She'll be fine." Yes. She had to be.

it's incredibly hard. But.. "No, I suppose not...let's go then." He heads for the door, picking up another stuffed animal on the way out >>;;

knows that..hopes that. "Si..." He pulls away only to slip into the driver's seat, starting up the car. "I'll have to carry her around for awhile afterwards. She won't like not being able to run around _

_as she wants."

speeds down the road. "They better...."

grateful for Alfred being there. He's a lot less of a total wreck.

worrying again, fidgeting with his sleeves. He walks in alongside Alfred, speaking quietly with the nurse.

carefully takes the bag from Alfred, handing it to the nurse. He's giving her very important instructions in murmured Italian. Mostly about how Maddy likes to sleep on her blanket, hugging her rabbit.

huffs a little, reminding the nurse about where she likes to be scratched, and how she needs to be cuddled before bed, despite letting Alfred drag him away.

grumbles softly under his breath, glancing back at his nurse. He had to go home and wait..and wait and wait. He'd go crazy.

huffs softly. "Si...si, okay." Maybe they'd just walk around until they found a pub. He had too much nervous energy as it was.

nods. "Si...there's a pub 10 minutes from here."

heads off in that direction, trying not to think. Or rather think of something else. "How are you and..." Uhhhh shit...uhm. "Mark..?"

flushes a little. "Right, sorry. That's good..."

bats at his hand, more from habit than anything at this point. "Well...buono. So long as you're happy."

huffs softly as he turns a corner. "What? I'm just saying...that.." That he wanted Alfred to be happy. It's what friends did.

rolls his eyes but smiles. "Grazie..." He wonders if he should mention Gabriel. That's just confusing as hell.

decides to give it a whirl anyways. "So...what do you think of Gabriel?"

sighs. Far from an angel. So far. "Portugal. Antonio's brother." Alfred and Antonio shared enough history to know each other, so that was hopefully a safe connection.

flushes at that. That...is exactly his problem. "Uh..." Hell. "Si..I suppose."

nods. Maybe the romantic advice is better left to Eliza... "Not surprising.."

hums. "Well you can come visit me." He thinks it might be because Alfred is so young, but he's a superpower now.

scowls at that. "I'm not cute, dammit!" Fuck. He wasn't, he was...he was head of the fucking mafia, how was that shit cute?

nudges him, huffing. "I'm not!" He turns another corner, heading into a quiet pub. "Come on.."

rolls his eyes, heading to the bar. He orders simple breadsticks, and a beer each in Italian.

smiles at him a little amused. "I already did. Do you want anything else to eat?"

hums softly. He orders a plate of bruschetta. "I ordered a little more. It's like..." Uh. "Toast. With toppings."

leads him over to a small booth, slipping inside. It's cozy, and their beers get there the second he sits down.

sips at it as well. "Si...I suppose so." The food comes, and he brightens up a little as he starts to munch.

flushes again at that. "Uh...spending time with..Gabriel..I guess."

shrugs. "Well. Europe's economy is kind of a shitbox right now. But.." Geez. "I think..he might be. We might..." Uh >//<

if that's an out at all. "Si...si..." Uhm. "So. Yea.." He was the worst. "I think we might have a...a thing."

blushes. "No, no. Not that. Like..." He takes another sip from his beer. "I think he's interested. In me."

blushes hard at that, choking on his beer. "A-Alfred! Don't just..say shit like that!"

swallows hard. "I...well..si. I guess."

absolutely red, he's trying to make himself speak. "I...Alfred!" Dio. He's covering his face at this point, so completely embarassed.

huffs. "No. I mean...well." He huffs again. "I don't...I don't want to go into this if I'm still hung up on Antonio."

doesn't think it is. He does kind of have feelings for Gabriel, but...augh he doesn't know. He drops his head into his hands, unsure what to do.

glances up at him. "But you have Matthew..."

hums at that. "Oh...then..I suppose I'll try this with Gabriel. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't. Right?"

that those two have more of a shared history though... "Ah..si. I'll tell you how it goes."

nods. "Si, I will..." He hasn't even noticed the food has arrived for awhile now, and starts to munch on the bruschetta.

still thinks he's a mess, but he supposes he's alright. "Grazie. What about you? Everything going okay?"

nods. "Si, si...and Matthew?"

nods. "Si...his home is pretty quiet, isn't it?"

he's lucky. Europe was always a clusterfuck of drama and politics. "Buono. I'm happy for you two."

flushes lightly, but rolls his eyes. "Si, well...whenever you need something."

smiles a little at that. "Well, you're here now aren't you?"

shakes his head a little. "Well...grazie. I appreciate it very much." He had a lot of family, but it felt like he didn't have many friends...so he very much appreciated Alfred, even though he didn't always _

_show it.

doesn't think he'll be able to sleep. "Si, si...I'll be okay. I don't want to keep you any longer, you probably have things to do, si?"