Ludwig stood silent as tears bubbled over and fell down Feliciano's swollen checks. The German had been frozen for what seemed like hours just staring, with a slightly angered expression, at Feliciano's right shoulder.
"L-Ludwig-" broken with sobs the call sounded less like the word and more like an agonized moan. The little Vargas boy shook, watching as his friends face grew darker and less alive with every passing minute. Most of the people in the restaurant were looking at the scene concerned for the sobbing Italian, a few were slightly angry at the stoic blonde who seemed to be the cause. Three waiters gathered in the back of the restaurant trying to convince each other to go see what the brunette was sobbing for. They liked to think their concern was for the uncomfortable atmosphere that may cause some patrons to leave, but they really they just wanted to comfort the poor boy.
"L-L-LUDWIG, please look at me! Say something , a-anything…" His face was swollen and all confusion about today's events were gone, all he could think about were Ludwig's empty eyes. He reached a hand out and grabbed the blonde's tightly; there seemed to be a sort of reaction to this.
Ludwig's eyes shot over to Feliciano's and then down to his hand which held the brunette's tightly now. It only took seconds for the German to feel the multiple eyes on him and his 'date'. Without a word he pulled Feliciano towards the door and, handing a wad of cash to the clerk, he rushed through the door, still silent.
"Ludwig…" whispered the Italian as he pushed back heavy sobs in slight relief. They did not travel far before the blonde abruptly stopped breathing heavily, in a pained sort of way. He looked down, releasing Feliciano's hand and leaving his own much colder than he would have liked. He had so many thoughts running through his head, questions about the strange memory flashing in his head, about Feliciano's tears, and mostly about the uncomfortable situation he placed himself in.
"Lud-" The blonde hushed him without lifting his head. They stood in silence, well silence aside from the brunette's loud sobbing as he tried to calm down.
"Feliciano." There was a broken tenderness in his voice as the German spoke. "Ho-How…What… How do you feel about me?" The words shocked both men, regretting choosing to ask that question first the German turned a bright red.
"Ve~ what? Why do you ask that Ludwig?" Italy smiled a little at the silly question.
"Please, Feliciano, just answer. I can't stand the confusion anymore." The words weren't biting and angry like they always were, they seemed soft, sad, and full of longing.
"You-you," stuttering the little Vargas struggled to find the answer the big man wanted him to give. He knew saying he loved him would make Ludwig angry and uncomfortable. If anything, Feliciano knew that Ludwig did not like his affection and if he was this serious he would not have the breath to tolerate the odd Italian's ways today. "You're my bestest friend! Yeah, that's what I think about Ludwig." Feliciano smiled proudly, thinking this answer would be normal enough to not trouble the strangely behaving German.
"That's it isn't it? …I really misread… I'm sorry… I- I think I've messed this up… I don't know-"
"What don't you know? I'm your best friend too, right, right?"
"Maybe… but this" the blond grabbed the left side of his chest harshly. "I don't know what I think anymore… and that child in the apron. Why did I see that…. I can't handle it any more… Ich will aufgeben, aber " His breath quickened as he continued slurring German words in with his sighs.
"I don't get what you mean, your saying weird stuff Ludwig. Ve~ lets go back to your house."
"Scheiße." The sudden burst startled a women who walked past. "Feliciano I'm sorry I don't think I can fix the way I'm thinking now… I can't take it back." The tall blonde looked deeply at his shoes. His cheeks were beaming red as sweat slid down his jaw.
"V-Ve~ Ludwig, what does that even mean? I'm so confused!" An army of tears started pulsing from his puffy eyes.
"I'm sorry… I- I wish I would never have thought about your behavior, maybe I would never have realized my thoughts… but- I can't stop them now. The pain won't leave now that I know how much I misread- I can't. I'm…" The German shocked himself with how fast the words left from his trembling lips, he hadn't even realized how much pain he was in until now. He clenched his throbbing heart again. His face turned a pale white as he tried to numb the ripping inside his chest.
"Why are you sad? You acting so strange Ludw-" Feliciano tried to touch Ludwig's flexed hand, but the man backed away before he could.
"Don't come to see me for a while, alright?" It was not really a question as much as a sad request. The words stopped the tears, stopped the sobbing, Feliciano could not move.
"Lud-" was all the paled Italian could utter before Ludwig turned. Neither would ever admit it, but there defiantly was a tear on Ludwig's check as he walked away leaving Feliciano alone, stunned and confused.
