Ludwig sat down at the small kitchen table in his two room apartment and stared out the window. It was raining. Why did it always seem to be raining lately? 'Because it's April, the month of showers' His practical mind chided. He sighed and pulled the curtain down. He knew the other reason why his life seemed to always be cloudy. It was because Feliciano wasn't there anymore. For seven years the Italian had been an important part of his life. Ever since they had met second half of Sophomore Year High School.
7 Years Earlier
Ludwig tried to block out the sound of gossip as he waited his turn to receive the - sometimes delicious and sometimes questionable - cafeteria lunch. All anyone in the school seemed to be able to talk about was the Music teacher, Mr. Edelstein, taking in twin boys from Italy.
"I heard it's because one of them is just impossible to deal with but the other refused to be separated from him, so their grandfather had no choice but to send both" The girl in back of him whispered to her friend.
"But why Mr. Edelstein? He's so young!"
The music teacher was just 22 years old with a simple AA degree in music from the Junior College in the closest city. It was common knowledge that the only reason he had been hired, a year and a half ago, was because no one else in town wanted the position. Now, however, Mr. Edelstein was an undeniably important asset to the school. He was an expert musician and teacher, firm but very instructive and not afraid to give private instruction and blunt advice. Ludwig himself had begun taking private piano lessons from Mr. Edelstein during summer vacation. The Violet eyed man had even given him permission to call him by his first name, Roderich. (Outside of school and school-related activities of course.) He respected the young man greatly and felt that he could probably handle most situations. After all, not all of the members in the school band and choir were the best students.
So Ludwig couldn't understand why the girl behind him seemed so surprised that Mr. Edelstein was going to be responsible for two teenagers in his inherited family mansion (the only one in town) on the outskirts of town.
"I heard that his grandmother had an agreement with the twins' grandfather, that should he ever need a favor of any kind, she would be the first for him to call. Well Mr. Edelstein stands by that promise now that his grandmother is incapable of keeping it herself." The first girl responded excitedly.
"How noble of him!"
"Anyways..." the first girl continued on but Ludwig had succeeded in tuning them out now. He had other things to consider at the moment, as he finally was served the days "specialty".
Most important was that his 19 year old brother was in serious danger of not graduating, yet again. Ludwig had tried to get Gilbert to be more on-top of his assignments and actually study for tests, but it appeared that the older 'albino like' boy had still managed to conveniently forget two important Chemistry lab write-ups, an essay on Macbeth, and had not studied for three Algebra 2 tests. Needless to say, if Ludwig couldn't convince those three teachers to give his brother redoes...there was a strong possibility that they might graduate together!
Ludwig's thoughts were still not entirely on his present environment as he exited the lunch line and headed towards a table, so he didn't notice the figure stooped in the middle of the road (to pick up a fruit pack packet for the pretty girl that had not noticed she had dropped it) until he was tripping over him. Of course what added complete mortification to an already embarrassing, and slightly painful (his face met the ground on the other side of the 'now crushed underneath him' boy) incident, was that the other party had been holding his tray slightly above his head with one hand as he had been scooping the packet up, so his lumpy mashed potatoes and gravy, and soggy corned beef, smeared all over the front of Ludwig's clean olive green coat. And what's more...Ludwig's own lunch was tossed into the air and came down all over the pinned boy's head.
5 Years Later
Antonio burst into laughter.
"That has to be the most hilarious way to meet someone that I have ever heard." He took another drink of wine from the crystal goblets that had been bought for this special night. Feliciano and Lovino's 21st birthday party.
"Yeah well the story ends with a broken nose so I don't find it that amusing." Ludwig frowned.
"Oh." Antonio's grin dimmed slightly and his laughter died, "Did you really hit your face that hard when you fell over him?"
"Um no we were both unharmed for the most part but..." Feliciano looked across at the young man seated next to Antonio. His twin brother put down his own glass of wine and stated simply.
"I punched him."
Antonio stared at him in shock.
"You...but why?"
"Cause he hurt my brother and got the fine new clothes nono had bought for him dirty, not to mention he made him cry on his first day at the new school" Lovino shrugged and took another drink from his glass. "I didn't handle my anger very well back then I suppose."
"Back then?" Ludwig raised an eyebrow and tried some more wine. He much preferred beer, but wine and tequila is all that Antonio had brought over from his and Lovino's apartment.
"Watch it potato bastard" Lovino growled from over his glass, "I gave you permission to date my brother but remarks like that make me want to take it away."
"It's been ages since then and besides we didn't need your permission." Feliciano stuck out his tongue and threw himself over Ludwig's lap, giggling.
Lovino was about to shout in horror at his younger twin's actions but Antonio put a hand on his knee.
"Easy Lovi. We thought Feli might be a lightweight his first time. And he did drink his glass in a single gulp."
Feliciano continued to giggle and tried to mess up Ludwig's finely-combed-back hair.
Ludwig sighed and caught his hands to stop him.