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He can't stand it anymore. For years he already warned him, he already told him to rest, take breaks, take care of his body more. But he just wouldn't listen. All because of his parents that keep enslaving his passion for money. They were once kind and gentle parents but the money that he brings for them corrupted them.
Antonio lies on the bed with a high fever. The man has been practicing for days non stop for the performance and once it's done he'll get sick, as if his body finally breaks after being pushed to the limit. This isn't the first time. Ever since four years ago Luchino always had to take care of his sick lover as both of his parents didn't even care to check up on him.
"Antonio... Just stop this... You are just going to kill yourself if you keep doing this..." Luchino brushes the bangs away from Antonio's face. This is one of the worst fever and to be honest he's really afraid he might lose him.
The violinist looks at him, "I have to... I'm their only child..." He coughed at the end of the sentence.
"You already provide them money to the point they don't need to worry about the future! But look at you! You are dying!" Luchino grovels and buries his face on Antonio's chest. "I can't lose you like this..." He wanted to hold his hand but he's afraid that if he does it will crumble like the sand as it's already in a bad state.
Luchino is not a man of superstition. But he had a dream. A nightmare. He was in the dark and watched as Antonio slowly died while pursuing his passion as his parents abused it. No matter how he tries to help or say, nothing reaches him. It's as if he's invisible. Ever since then Luchino always dreaded the time when Antonio got sick. He's afraid it will become reality.
Antonio gently brush Luchino's hair, "There's nothing I can do..."
It's true. But he has one final way. A very risky move. If he accepts it their life will change drastically for the best, if he rejects then the dream will become reality.
"There is a way," Luchino gets up and goes to rummage through the pile of books. He returns with something small in his hand.
Antonio's eyes widened in shock, even sat up with his weary body. It's a ring box. When Luchino opens it there's a silver ring tucked nicely in the middle.
"Let's elope, Antonio, " Luchino sometimes jokes about this but this time he's serious, "Let's get away from this place. I already found a place where we can live together along with a new job. Far away in the countryside. No one pressured you to work to the death. A place where we can be free..." Antonio looks at the ring and then back towards Luchino. The man's head is facing down but he can see there's fear on his face. A face that he had never seen before. "I can't force you... If you don't want to,"
"I do," Luchino looks up with a surprise look. Antonio chuckles and strokes Luchino's braided hair, "You never look this afraid before. You have scolded me countless times and this the first time you don't look angry but afraid... I don't know what's on your mind to resort in this kind of thing but..." His thumb gently caress Luchino's face, "For you to do something like this... You must really love me." Antonio smile teasingly at him.
Luchino worries wash away in an instant. His lips quirk up as he began to laugh, "If I don't love you we wouldn't keep on being lovers ever since we were high schoolers,"
"Now that you mentioned it... Didn't you say you are going to propose to me in the most romantic way that I'm going to cry? Then we'll have a wedding with a lizard as our ring bearer while there's an orchestra playing a wedding music that I'll compose?"
Luchino pouts, "Listen here you," He carefully lunged forward and pushed Antonio to the bed laughing. The two begin to tease one another until they realize they haven't put the ring on. Slowly Luchino slides the ring and smiles in bliss as it fits perfectly on Antonio's finger. The two kissed lightly before Antonio pushed him away since he's still sick and doesn't want him to catch it too.
"People say an idiot won't catch a cold right? When I'm with you I feel like I lost my brain cell so I'm sure it'll be fine," The comment makes Antonio laugh too much that Luchino almost thought he killed him by making a joke.
The day after Antonio made a full recovery they packed up their things. Luchino already told the landlord of their apartment that they'll be moving. Most of the things that they can't bring with them have been donated or just left behind for future tenants.
Antonio scans the place one more time. The place that used to be filled with memories of their relationship together is now almost bare with only the necessity things from the landlord. It is their first apartment together after all, he remembers everything. He remembered when he tried to make a surprise dinner for Luchino only for him to surprise him by almost burning the place down. He remembers when Luchino was learning how to play the flute and makes horrible noise in the living room even the neighbor complained. The cats that always visit their veranda because Luchino keeps giving them food since the apartment doesn't allow pets. Their countless nights huddled up close together in the bed.
He's really leaving this place. With one hand holding the luggage handle and the other on his violin case, he turned around. His life partner was already waiting for him on the door. Antonio already sent a letter for his parents that explains everything. His parents never were supportive of the idea of him marrying Luchino as they only see him as a bad man that is making him stray away from his career while the truth is Luchino is his biggest supporter. He told a few of his colleagues that he's retiring and hopes the news will spread. This is really a farewell to his old life.
"Goodbye beloved apartment," He bid his good bye not just for the place they once called home. But also the reptile biologists Luchino and the violin star Antonio. He close the door of their past home. Leaving the shadow behind for good.
Traveling to their destination is a tiring journey. They took trains, busses, and even hopped on to the back of an open pickup truck. It took them almost a week as Luchino chose the cheapest option. If it were a normal trip Antonio would get frustrated but every time they got into a new vehicle they would get congratulated on their marriage. They receive fruits from the old ladies on the bus, beer from the group of college students on the train, and potatoes from the farmer driving the pick up truck.
After an hour of walking they finally arrived at their destination. Right now they stood in front of a house. It's not theirs as it's clearly obvious that someone lived there.
His spouse bangs on the door, "Oi Burke! It's me Luchino!" Right after he said that he could hear the sound of someone running to the door.
The front door swings wide open to reveal a man with a balding head, "You are finally here! What took you so long!?" He pulls on Luchino's cheek, making the man yelp in pain.
Luchino only laughed as he apologized. "Let me introduce you to my husband!" He easily freed himself, "This is Antonio, my partner since our high school days. Antonio, this is Burke, he used to make me clean the toilet because I skips music class,"
Burke clicked his tongue and pulled on Luchino's ear, "I used to be his math teacher. I have heard a lot about you from Luchino. Look at this brat, he's now all big and even dating a music star when he himself used to keep skipping music class because he wants to play with the bugs in the school yards,"
After a few more banters Burke welcomes them inside. There's pictures decorating the walls, trophies inside the glass case, the house is filled with an aura of a warm family. At first he congratulates them for their marriage. He explains how he already heard everything from Luchino and can provide them with a job as a music and biology teacher in his school as he is the owner and the principal of the schools. They thanked him and when Luchino asked him to show him the empty house for them that Burke had talked about he finally told them that he basically already built them a house.
That's right. All this time Luchino thought that Burke is also a landlord and told him that there's a vacancy. The retired architect and now principal and owner of the school just built them a house as a wedding gift. Of course they can't just take it easily, they keep wanting to pay him which only frustrated Burke. Joseph, Burke's partner, even comes down from upstairs because of all the noise. The Frenchman told them that the house had been Burke's first house after retirement, more like a passion project of his. He keeps changing things and it even once looks very weird. When he heard about them he decided to just turn it into a house for them. Nothing makes him happier than to see people living happily in the house he built. It still doesn't sit right to receive a house and so they come to an agreement to let them buy the land used for the house. Technically they are not paying for the house but for the land so Burke isn't allowed to say no to that, especially when Joseph told him about how it'll be better for them to own the land as well.
The house is a few minutes away from Burke's own car. On their way Burke shows them everywhere, the school, the market, the clinic, and more. Once they have arrived Antonio awed at the sight, the house is beautiful, it looks as if it's directly came out from the picture book. It even has a garden outside along with a pond. It's a one story house with two bedrooms; one has a bathroom and the other doesn't, a big kitchen, a welcoming living room, a study room, and finally and a few empty rooms. Burke told them that he left the rooms empty for them to use as they please. Before he left he told them that since the place hasn't been decorated much they can borrow his car to go to the nearest town to buy furniture or maybe commission the local woodsman.
Once Burke's car has gone out of sight the two of them head inside and slump to the bed. There's so many things to do and so many things to buy. But right now they just need a break from their trip. The two huddled close to one another and kissed, they smiled at the future of them as husbands. Luchino comments that finally they can have a proper night as a newlywed which Antonio comments on how they should unpack and take a bath first before thinking about those sorts of things.
A few weeks have passed since their first arrival. Their house is now fully decorated, they have introduced themselves to the neighborhood, and they have been teaching the students for a week. They would go to the school riding a scooter bike that Luchino bought during their trip to town. Their fellow colleagues are nice and help them out a lot. The students are mostly nice while some of them are handful. Antonio has become the music club teacher while Luchino helps out the gardening club as the second teacher as he isn't confident yet with being a solo club teacher.
Antonio writes a letter to his parents. While Luchino doesn't support it he still wanted his parents to know that he's doing fine. He got a reply of course. A long written letter on how he's throwing his life and career away. How they didn't spend their money on the music classes for him to be a teacher in some country side. How ungrateful he is. How he should leave Luchino and go back. Luchino pulls Antonio into an embrace the moment he sees his eyes begin to water. He can't bear to see Antonio in pain. Not when he's able to finally live happily.
Months went by after the painful letter have arrived. After a few week Antonio have moved on from it which Luchino is happy about. Antonio's health has greatly improved compared to the first time they arrived. He doesn't look sickly thin and pale anymore, he gained more weight and muscle. The two of them now took gardening as a hobby and have their own small garden that they tend to. Every time a plant have produce fruits they would gave some of it to Burke who is now a grandfather. They now also owns a car along with many more lizards. Luchino turns one of the room into a room for the lizards. When Burke heard about this he just said, "I knew it would turn into this," And told him not to let Luchino turn the other rooms for animals or else it'll turn into a zoo.
They celebrate their first anniversary by actually holding their wedding properly. That day Luchino wasn't in the house when he woke up, leaving a note for him to wear the white suit he hangs on the back of their bedroom door and then to go to the town hall. He's confused but just follows what's written. He didn't expect it at all, he thought that maybe Luchino would just take him to a fancy dinner. Turns out the whole community is into it as Luchino explains how he actually didn't hold a wedding while drunk after gathering with his new friends and the news spread like fire. Antonio was crying and laughing as true to his word, there's their pet lizard as the ring bearer. The students from his music club played songs for them as they danced, of course there's a few wrong notes and timing from time to time but they are doing their best and that itself is enough for him. Their home now finally has a framed picture of their wedding. Wearing matching white suits and smiling as they are surrounded by the people that care about them.
Their life however turns into a new way that they didn't imagine on a rainy night. The two just finished watching horror movies and at the middle of the night the two of them heard a baby crying. Scared to the core they tried to sleep it off but Antonio decided to drag Luchino and find the source of the sound. All the time Luchino just explains to himself how an animal cry might sound like a baby cry. The sound came from the front door, from the outside. The scene of the film plays back on their head as they tremble along with the sound of the wind. It took them a while before they finally opened the door together and were surprised. Not because there's a ghost but rather because on their doorstep is a basket with a real living baby crying and wet from the rain. Antonio quickly took the child in while Luchino went out in the middle of the rain to find the parents. He came back to inform Antonio that he found tire tracks so he suspected the one who left the child must be driving a car, in short he can't find them.
In the basket under the pile of blankets is a letter. The letter explains how the child was born premature and now doesn't have parents anymore and the one who took care of him is his uncle. However he himself knew that he was in no place to take care of a child. He doesn't have anyone else and he can't go to the authorities to place the child into an orphanage. So the only thing he can come up with is leaving the child in front of a home with positive vibes. Of course it angers them but there's nothing they can do.
Once the child is dry and asleep in their room, they begin to discuss what to do. The option of turning the child into the system is there but they can't bring themselves to do that. They can't abandon the child that has been abandoned twice. It just doesn't sit well in their mind and heart. It took them a long time before they come to a final decision,
They are adopting the child. His name is Victor. As they wished that the child would grow up victorious without his unknown past holding him back.
They turn the final empty room into Victor's room with the help of Burke and Joseph as both Antonio and Luchino don't really know what they should buy. The elders were surprised and thought Luchino was joking before they finally came to their house and saw a tired Antonio playing his violin with a child sleeping on his chest. Joseph went with Luchino to get the stuff while Burke who has more experience with taking care of a baby stays to help and teach Antonio.
After that day there's a lot of sleepless nights. They now have their schedule shifted so there will always be someone having a day off to take care of the child. Since they both have quite long hair they decide to keep it tied into a low ponytail as getting pulled by a baby actually hurts. It was very tiring and sometimes they questioned why they took that decision but then when they saw the child holding tightly onto their hair band as he drifts to sleep makes them didn't regret it at all.
Some books about parenting told them not to have a child sleep together with their parents. They ignore it and always have Victor fall asleep between them. Sometimes when it's hard for him to fall asleep Antonio would play a lullaby using his violin, it's something that he has found out able to calm the child down. When he woke up one of them would get awakened by Victor's weight on their chest if unlucky then throat. Luchino is the usual victim. After being awake he would take care of the reptiles and let Victor help on easy harmless tasks. He notices that the animals seem to be fond of Victor as well the lizard would sometimes do funny weird things and the snake, when freed, loves to coil around Victor's arm. Luchino is glad that 'Victor's older siblings' loves him.
In a blink of an eye Victor already turned into a two years old. They are no longer Antonio and Luchino. Now they are papa and dada. When they first heard Victor said papa the two rushed to him and asked him who is papa excitedly. Antonio cheers as the blonde child reaches out for him while keep saying papa. Although he's still unable to form a long sentence, he's able to say what he wanted using cuts of words
Their child always carries his dog plush around with him and even named it Wick. He would always put the doll on the chair next to him and have a plate of toy food on the table for the plush. It's adorable. They have taken many more pictures of their child doing adorable things. Picture of him hiding behind Antonio's hair, him hanging upside down on Luchino's back, many pictures saved in their phone mostly of Victor falling asleep on top of the others chest. Antonio even put it as a wallpaper while Luchino put a picture of Victor on Antonio's lap trying to play Antonio's violin as the wallpaper.
Even though he's quite the calm kid when he does make trouble it's always a big or dangerous one. They remember when they were cuddling and kissing on the sofa. It's been so long since they did something more than just hug and light kisses after they adopted Victor but then they heard a faint noise from the kitchen. The two thought there's no way it's Victor since they just put him to sleep for nap time. But in the end they still decide to check it out and boy do they glad they cut their flirting time short. In the kitchen Victor has used the drawers as a stair to climb up dangerously to the counter. Both of them quickly yank the kid away from there and install a child lock as fast as they can and buy a child gate for the kitchen.
Little Victor has a weak voice, something they learnt that a child who was born premature might caught. Every Thursday the couple took Victor to the town for his voice therapy. Since he can't let out a loud voice without coughing badly at the end that means there will be a certain time when he'll be unable to express certain emotions and this Antonio gives him something as a present for being a good boy. A red toy piano. They place it together slowly when the child is fast asleep. The next morning the couple got woken up by the sound of keys being mashed happily.
Now that Luchino looks back at it this is the life that would be missed if he just let Antonio be enslaved by his parents. He didn't tell him that his parents would send letters once in a blue moon asking him to come back to the city and continue his career. He didn't tell him that he wrote back spelling out the truth of Antonio's fate to them if he didn't elope. How he is now way more happier than when the theater room is filled with people in expensive clothes coming to listen to his play. Deep down in his mind he does feel guilty for taking their son away like that but if he doesn't then he would really lose him in the worst way. Apparently Antonio's disappearance was milked by his parents as well. Even though it's obvious that he retired but they twist it to a story of Luchino being a possessive lover that took the start away from the spotlight only for himself. They even set up a donation with the purpose of using the money to search for him but in truth they are using it for their business. Of course some people would believe it, people who only know Antonio as the star and not Antonio the sickly musician. He doesn't mind being the monster if the result is a healthier and happier Antonio.
Luchino scoops the child and walks toward Antonio who is cooking dinner. "What is it dear?" He asked with his attention still focused on the stove.
He didn't say anything and just buried his face on the back of Antonio's neck. Their child giggles as he is being drowned by the dark hair. Antonio too also began to chuckle and leans back to kiss his cheek. "Come on what is it?" He smiled at him and leaned back.
Luchino leans down to capture his lips and pull away with a smile. "Thank you for marrying me,"
Hearing that makes Antonio smile and kissed him back, "Thank you for loving me,"
They stare at each other for a long time before finally turning their attention to the child that's in the middle of them. Each of them kissed one side of the child's chubby cheek, "Thank you for coming to us," They said in unison.
Luchino the reptile biologist and Antonio the violin super star is dead. They have been revived into Luchino the biology teacher and Antonio the music teacher. Their time in focusing too much on their career has changed to happily taking care of Victor. The trophies and titles they had now changed into gifts made by the students and pictures drawn by Victor. They don't care for the fame and fortune they lost by leaving the city and starting a new leaf in the countryside. As long as they have one another everything will be fine.