Author's Note: Hey all! It's YPL with, you guessed it, an Axis Powers Hetalia fanfic. This is a collab I started with the wonderful CreamPuffBunny, and I couldn't have done it without her! Tremendous thanks to her. She wrote mostly for Ludwig and I mostly for Gilbert and Fritz, and I completed the editing, embellishing, and final draft. Please, do enjoy, and leave a review for us!
Summary: Branded as a traitor and cast out of Prussia, a heartbroken Gilbert flees for his life. As he runs, the man is snagged by a fox trap, rendering him helpless and unable to move. But as he tumbles to the dirt, expecting death, a farm-dweller named Ludwig saves and heals him. However, it doesn't take long for feelings to develop between the two, and trouble quickly follows. Meanwhile, those in the Prussian court do everything in their power to hunt down Gilbert, even employing seduction at the hands of a certain Russian as a tactic to lure him to his death. Caught between his guilt at leaving his king, the strange allure of a man called Ivan, and his savior Ludwig, Gilbert battles with himself to determine who to love. And through it all, Fritz searches relentlessly for his lost lover. Gilbert finds himself faced with the choice between what is politically smart, what is emotionally right, and everything in between. Germancest. Pritz. Slash.
Warning(s): Language, mild yaoi, mild blood
Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia or any of its characters. If I did, there would be a bit more yaoi. *twirls mustache*
Chapter One
Ludwig lived a peaceful, solitary life on the farm where he was born and raised. His parents had died of the plague when he was only fifteen summers and from that day, he kept up the farm by himself. Every day, without fail or falter, he followed the same ritual; the rooster crowed, he rose, dressed, washed his face, had a breakfast of eggs and toast, and then headed out to begin his day. Ludwig did not own many animals anymore thanks to the recently high prices of feed at the town market. He only had animals that could give something he could easily sell. There were a few chickens, two goats named Hansel and Gretel, a cow named Clarabelle, three sheep with numbers for names, an ox named Gunter, and a horse named Swift.
Ludwig would tend to each animal, taking from it the goods he needed to live and to sell and in return providing it with means to thrive on his land. Once the animals were tended, he would work the field to gather corn, vegetables, and wheat. His fields were small, but they produced just the right amount for himself and for the people at the market. Ludwig would work from sunrise to sunset, relaxing in his one room cabin while carving wooden figurines, which he would also sell. Many would think this life lackluster and demanding, even to be pitied, but to Ludwig, it was his everything. He had no one to answer to; he was his own boss and made his own rules. All he had to worry about was himself, and that gave him constant peace of mind.
But Ludwig had a different agenda when the rooster cackled that morning. A fox had been skulking around his chickens, so he had set a snap trap for it. Ludwig silently lurked, concealed behind a few rain barrels with an axe, eyes flicking around and waiting for the fox to land in the trap. He would dry the meat and sell the pelt, hopefully fetching a satisfactory price. He waited, muscles coiled, tensed to spring…
Stumbling out of a copse of trees, Gilbert cursed himself and tried to shove the agony clouding his mind to another part of his being, tried to swat the haze into some other place where it would hopefully lay dormant for a while. His face stung, marred and scratched from incessantly plowing through thick woodlands, and he occasionally brushed his hand over his cheek to wipe his face of the blood beading from superficial cuts.
He succeeded only in smearing it, however, and shook his head in disgust at what his appearance likely displayed. One of his eyes was swollen shut, beginning to tinge plum, and he had an arrow protruding from his shoulder. The picture of health, he thought bitterly, still pushing on. He didn't deserve this! He should still been in the palace with his king, where he had thought no harm could come to him.
Gilbert had been so lost in his hateful, searing thoughts, however, that he hadn't noticed how brazenly he was flying across an open stretch of farmland, past a chicken coop, when suddenly he heard something snap shut and tumbled to the ground painfully. His breath started coming in pants, and as he twisted to check his feet, it hitched in his throat and nearly stopped completely. He was trapped. He's been snared in a trap meant for an animal, no less, and he hissed through his teeth at the searing pain and undignified position he'd been put in. Before he could do anything about it though, he turned with a startled yip of shock and widening pink eyes to find a strange man bearing down on him.
Ludwig was too stunned to say anything when he saw the man come running onto his land, and couldn't warn him about the trap. When he looked down at the wounded, bleeding stranger, he quickly released the hold on the trap and kicked it to the side. "Are you alright? What happened to you?" Ludwig kept his axe ready and in sight, just in case this new man tried anything.
"It… It's of no real concern," Gilbert muttered, not willing to divulge the full extent his current predicament. "Just... not really my day, if you can tell." With the hold on his foot released, he made the effort to push himself back up into a sitting position, but his arms gave halfway up and he slipped back to the ground. "I just got shot at, really. That's the important part." His entire body ached, and he bit savagely into his lower lip to keep his mind off the scorching pain.
Ludwig looked around, checking for people before lifting the man up from under the arms. "Can you walk at all?" He asked, as he started to guide the wounded man to his cabin. "I know a bit of healing techniques...but I can't promise anything."
Gilbert gritted his teeth and tried to put weight on the wounded foot, but it gave almost immediately. "I still have one working leg... I should be alright for a few minutes..." All the same, he felt his head loll on his shoulders, and he groaned softly. "So is that where you live? That little wooden cottage over there?"
"Yes. It is my cabin I built with my father." He suddenly lifted Gilbert in his arms to carry him. "I enjoy my home. It may not be a palace or a noble's home, but it is cozy."
Gilbert considered protesting at being carried, but it was an immense relief to be off his feet, although the arrows and black eye graciously bestowed unto him vicious bouts of pain. So he said nothing, simply concentrating on keeping his good eye from sliding shut and locking his nausea in.
Ludwig carried him inside the cabin. To the far right corner stood his bed. In the hearth sat his cooking pot and a pile of wood. There were two chairs, a table, tons of dried herbs, animal pelts, and small woodcarvings. He threw off the blanket and laid Gilbert down on the bed gently. "Let me get a few things ready to clean the wounds. Hang on a bit longer."
The albino bit his lip and nodded, clumsily pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. Everything was slowly starting to blur, and he hated how everything looked like some sort of drunken painter had slurred the colors of the world, hated the little pinging noises in his ears. Worse, his arms were starting to prickle as they sometimes did, and the sensation was horribly unpleasant.
Ludwig shuffled quickly outside and lifted some water from the well to pour into a bowl. He carried it back inside, added a rag, and took some herbs from the wood rafters on the ceiling beams. He crumpled them in his hand to mix with the water before bringing it over to the man on his bed. "What is your name? My name is Ludwig." He started to undo the front of the man's clothes.
Gilbert shivered, in part from the pain and in part from the hands suddenly on his clothes. "G-Gilbert," he choked. "My name is Gilbert." He stiffened, worried that the man wouldn't be able to remove the arrows.
"You can... You can take these things out, right?"
Ludwig looked at the arrow wound carefully. "I should be able to. If I take the point out it will bleed. I'll have to gather many more cloths first, though. Hmm..." Ludwig took off his brown tunic top, showing off his well-muscled upper body. "This will have to do." He returned to the arrow. "Do you need something to bite down on?"
Gilbert nodded, screwing up his face in pain. "That would be nice. Something that won't crack my teeth open, though," he added, wincing. He was in enough pain as it was, and his mouth was dry beyond belief, partly in thanks to the visual stimulus so brazenly displayed before him.
Ludwig went to the far wall and lifted away a small leather riding crop. "Bite down on this." He put it between Gilbert's teeth, eying the arrow distrustfully. "I'm going to stretch the skin first, and then I'll have to pull it out very slowly, so grip the bedsheets if you must."
Gilbert swallowed, tongue playing with the worn leather as he clamped it between his teeth. He knew it would likely hurt even worse than it had going in, and he counted himself lucky that he hadn't been even a single inch closer to the archer, otherwise the arrowhead would like have been beyond reach. And their aim might have been a touch further on the lethal side.
Ludwig pressed down on the area around the wound, gripped the wooden stick, and began to pull the point out. It wasn't in too deep, only enough to hold fast in Gilbert's body, but he would have to go extra slow so as to not do more damage to the albino. Droplets of blood started to leak out as the arrow was drawn further away.
Gilbert choked back a strangled cry of pain, balling his fists in the fabric of the bedsheets and trying desperately not to thrash around. He'd been through even worse pain before, torture, even, but that didn't make the moment hurt any less. He just focused on sinking his teeth into the crop and swiping his tongue over it occasionally to distract himself.
"Hang in there, it's almost out." Ludwig wiggled it a bit and with a slight jerk, pulled out the arrow. The wound began to bleed freely once the obstruction was removed, so Ludwig took his tunic and pressed it against Gilbert's chest. "Hold this here, and put pressure on it! I need some thread and needle to stitch it up!" He would require some horsehair from Swift's tail and knew that he had a sewing needle somewhere in the sheep hut.
Taking a deep breath, Gilbert did as he was ordered, putting pressure on the wound in an effort to staunch the blood flow. He watched Ludwig trot out of the room, eyes never leaving his back and waiting as patiently as possible for his return the moment he vanished out the door. He glared hatefully at the arrow, growling in pain.
Ludwig got the horsehair and found the needle, stopping to thread it and then knot the end. He hurried back into the cabin and stuck the needle in the mattress for a moment. "I need to clean it now, so try to stay very still." Ludwig moved the tunic away, removed the rest of Gilbert's shirts to see the wound, and replaced it with the herbal one, letting the water run into the wound to help clean it. The herbs inside would act as a barrier against infection, so long as he worked quickly. Tucking the cloth to the side, he squeezed the wound closed with one hand and took the needle. Holding the skin closed would cease the bloodflow so he could stitch it closed. "Just a bit longer."
Gilbert tried not to move, hoping his eyes gave a proper look of affirmation. The water was cool and the herbs mixed it with it stung just slightly, with he was glad all the same; at least the arrow was gone. And all the pain would be worth it in the end. He did not plan on explaining the injuries to Ludwig, at least not yet, but he had sustained them for a good cause.
Ludwig carefully wove the needle in and out, pulling tight each time to hold the skin closed. Gilbert was lucky to have a more mild pain than before, and luckier still that one solid stitch did the trick, but the man would still have to be careful. Next, Ludwig went to his shelf, took down a basket, and pulled from it a leather-skinned bottle. Bringing it back over, he uncorked the bottle, dipped his fingers in, and scooped out some of a yellowish salve. "I'm going to rub this on your wound. The smell is very unpleasant, but it will keep the injury from becoming infected. I don't have something to cover it with though... I'll have to look."
Gilbert groaned inwardly at having to wait longer, but kept quiet and nodded. "Just try to find something," he murmured, still in a kind of subdued daze. "I'm sure I'll be fine either way." The albino thought for a moment. "Will it sting terribly? I'm kind of done with that feeling for now, you know?"
"Yes, it will sting, but the pain means that you are alive. You can choose to avoid the pain and die, or endure the pain for a little bit and live. It's your choice."
Cursing the man's practical outlook, the silverette nodded. "Fine. Give me the damn salve." He stuck the crop back in his mouth and braced himself for what was probably going to be more than stinging.
Ludwig slowly smoothed on the salve in a gentle circling motion, waiting for the muffled screams of pain. He didn't want to tell Gilbert just how painful it would be. No need to scare him.
Gilbert felt something scorch his wound, and he threw his head back in agony. "Oh God, what the hell?!" He scrambled to get the riding crop back between his teeth, fingers tripping over each other to snag the handle. "Dammit..."
"Hold still! I'm almost done. You'll thank me for this later!"
"That had better be true!" Gilbert sucked the leather and kept his teeth embedded in it, waiting for the pain to subside. The rank odor had begun to demand entry to his nose as well. This was torture. And while there were certain kinds of torture that were actually okay in Gilbert's book, this was not one of them.
Once the salve was on, Ludwig searched in one of his many baskets for any type of cloth. He found two scarves for the wintertime, and decided to use one for it was long enough to wrap around Gilbert's chest. He went back over to him. "I'm going to wrap this scarf around you. It will help with the smell as well, and if you can, I need you to sit up for me."
Not wanting to seem too out of it, Gilbert strained and struggled into a sitting position, lifting his arms. "So that stuff is supposed to help me?" he spluttered, shaking his head as the scarf was looped around him.
"Yes. So… Judging by your clothes and attitude, I can guess that you are from...a noble family? If not noble, then a rich one that can't understand my way of living." He continued to wrap the scarf. "I'm sure you have some sort of doctor to help you or you go to the market to buy medicine. I don't have that option. I make my own."
He looked off to the side. "I'm not of noble blood. Just... a good friend of the king." He skirted the subject. "I have to admire how well-off you are, even from such a simple lifestyle."
"A friend of the king? I never would have guessed." He ignored it as well and tied the scarf. "It is hard, honest work that I do. I make a comfortable living off of my hard work. My products and produce speaks for itself. And I don't need a lot to live. Most things you see in here have been handmade by my parents or myself."
Gilbert's eyebrows lifted briefly. "Oh? Is that so?" He took a better look around the room, noting that everything certainly had a very warm, rustic feel to it, and everything did seem handcrafted. "Looks like it. Nice job." He tried to stretch but immediately recoiled at the pain.
"Don't move around too much. Your body needs to heal. You have other wounds as well, I see… Your eye is badly swollen. I have something for that, and we'll wrap it with a cloth. How about your foot? I was trying to catch a fox, not a man."
"I'm glad," he muttered. "Listen, I don't want to say that much, but if somebody comes by asking about me, tell them nothing." His carnation eyes had grown steely, and his expression was dead serious. "It will endanger and likely end my life, a well as put yours at heavy risk. So be smart about this." Gilbert's breath hitched as he moved his foot; it seemed to still be bleeding. "Now, what were you saying about treating my injuries? You have something for my eye?"
"Yes, some drops I will put in. Again, it will sting, but it will keep away the infection. Let's wrap your ankle first, though. I'm going to have to borrow Swift's blanket for all your wounds."
"Swift? Who's that?" Gilbert scrunched up his face at the thought of more herbal remedies, but at least they would help a bit. "Are you in a relationship?" His brows crept together, and he was unsure why he had asked. He just felt... compelled to.
"Swift is my horse. I raised her from a filly. And… Well, no. I live here alone." Ludwig flushed a bit. "I'm too busy to have a lover, so please forgive me if I'm not too social or friendly. The only time I interact with people is in the market, and I tend to come off as a bit abrasive."
Gilbert nodded, suddenly relieved. "Alright. Relationships are a bit... complex." He thought wistfully back on his own relationship with his king, and his cheeks colored the same shade of his eyes. "Never mind. It's not important. Are you going to give me more of that acidic serum, or not?"
"Fine. I will give that to you first." Ludwig went back to one of the baskets and took out another bottle, this one tiny. He went to the bed and opened Gilbert's damaged eye. "Don't. Move." Ludwig commanded, and didn't tell Gilbert that it would sting worse than the arrow wound.
"Will I need the-" Gilbert was cut off as the droplets were suddenly squeezed into his eye, and this time he couldn't keep an animalistic cry of pain from slipping out. Without the riding crop, he very nearly snipped off the tip of his own tongue and dearly wished that he had had a bit of warning so he could chase the crippling pain away with the leather loop.
"It won't hurt for long!" Ludwig said quickly and helped to hold him still until the worse of the pain subsided. "You'll thank me later!"
The albino shook his head. It was awful, even more painful considering that it was his eye. Gilbert just waited until the worst of it subsided, hating that he was showing pain but sighing as Ludwig's hands left him and he could just lie there. "Is it over…?"
"Yes, for now. But I'll have to put more in tomorrow. Now I'll gather some extra scraps of cloth and we'll fix your minor wounds."
"Tomorrow?" Gilbert ground his teeth at the prospect of having more of that liquid hell dropped into his eyes, but simply nodded. "Fine. And this'll work?"
"So long as we keep it clean. When I find more cloths we'll wrap it, and that will keep anything from getting in your eye and making it worse. I need to finish fixing you up and then get back to work. I'm already behind. Wait here, I'll get more cloth." Ludwig turned and stepped away, leaving him alone in the cabin.
The albino sighed and pressed a knuckle between his eyes to ease an oncoming headache. "Back to work, huh?" Gilbert hadn't checked if there were any windows where he could watch Ludwig, but was suddenly curious.
Ludwig came back with a pile of cloths. "These should be enough." He sat down on the bed and started tearing a few. "Let's fix that ankle first."
Gilbert swung his good leg and nodded. "Are you going to drop more liquid fire into it or can I breathe easy?"
Ludwig inspected the wound. "I'm afraid so. Get the riding crop." He prepared the salve.
"Thanks for the warning," he muttered. Gilbert did not hesitate to nab the crop and quickly sink his teeth into it. He balled his hands in the quilt, waiting for the searing.
Ludwig rubbed some onto the wound, hearing the ripping cries of pain immediately yet still ignoring them. He wrapped up the ankle, tying it tightly. He then moved to examine the rest of Gilbert's body, removing his top clothes to expose his tattered chest. "These little scrapes shouldn't be a bother."
The silverette swallowed hard and crossed his legs, averting his eyes. "Yeah, okay. They're just little scratches. Branches."
"Are there any on your legs? Or just your ankle?" Ludwig moved to Gilbert's belt.
"Uh... I'm not sure," he stammered. "I mean, I was running, but..." His cheeks colored.
"No reason to be embarrassed. We're both men." He said calmly and undid the belt, paying not a single glance to Gilbert's groin. Then, he pulled off Gilbert's pants to inspect his pale legs. "They seem fine."
Gilbert squashed his eyes shut. "No worry. I'm fine." He hastened to scoop up his pants and dress himself again before Ludwig noticed anything out of the ordinary.
"Well then," Ludwig stood up and rinsed his hands off in the bowl of water. "It is only the afternoon, so dinner won't be ready until a bit later now that I've killed all this time." He dried his hands. "I have to go back to work and get some chores done, so just rest for now." He went to a chest and opened it, shedding his white undertunic to show his bare chest and solid muscles, hardened from constant hard labor. The day was growing warmer anyway, he decided, and closed the trunk. He turned back to Gilbert. "You can have some dried pheasant for now." He took a piece of jerky meat from a glass jar and handed it to him. "It's seasoned with rosemary and thyme from my herb garden."
Nodding, Gilbert took the meat. "Thanks," he murmured quietly, trying to keep his eyes on Ludwig's face.
"You have chores to do? What sort?" The albino nibbled at a corner of the jerky, trying to conceal his ravenous appetite. "Do you want me to help? When I get better, I mean?"
"Today, I still have to gather the herbs, tend to the garden, sheer the sheep, chop the wood, shuck the corn, grind the corn… and tonight I have to work on another basket. I'm very behind on my pottery, but for some reason people are buying more baskets than pots. And please, don't take this the wrong way but… you don't look like the type of person who could do the amount of heavy chores that I do. I can tell by your hands."
Gilbert flushed indignantly. "I'm not soft, if that's what you're implying. I can wield swords and such. I just haven't done much of it lately is all." He paused. "And don't think I can't withstand things. You saw what I was running with."
"My apologies. But this work is different," Ludwig pointed out. "Right now just rest and get better. When you are able enough, then you may leave." Ludwig got up and went to the door. "You don't have to feel obligated to pull your weight. I'm simply helping out a fellow man." With that, Ludwig left the cabin.
Gilbert sighed softly, watching the blonde leave. "But... I have nowhere to go..." He turned to a curtained window and tugged the string, pulling the cloth up so he could view the outdoors. At the very least, he felt safe, and security was a luxury that had been far overdue. If the time ever came to start life anew, he'd just have to be ready.
Ludwig saw the curtain move, but didn't look at Gilbert or wave. He just picked up his axe, placed a piece of wood on the cutting block, and chopped, hacking away at the wood until a fair amount of logs were split.
Then, he piled all the pieces into a large leather sheet, folded the ends, and carried them back into the cabin. He paid no mind to Gilbert staring at him as he began to neatly pile the wood on top of each other on the wood rack beside the hearth.
Gilbert couldn't keep his eyes off the man all through his work. The activity did seem a bit strenuous, but his caretaker seemed to tackle it with ease, and he finished quite quickly. The sight of it had made the albino's heartbeat stir, and he didn't know why; he only really had eyes for his lover…
And yet he had left that life behind. Far, far behind on a distant horizon.
Ludwig left the cabin again, this time going to the sheep pen to start the sheering. He sheered the wool perfectly, packing it all into a basket to carry it to a clothing line to let it dry a bit. He finished the rest of the chores by sundown, and limped back into the cabin with a small basket of corn. He lit a few lanterns hanging from the ceiling and one on the table, and then got the fire going. He ignored Gilbert all through it, focusing exclusively at what needed to be done. Finally, he turned to the man with the basket of corn.
"Would you like to help me shuck this? It's a meat and corn night. Or do you prefer potatoes? Regardless, this needs to be shucked."
"I love potatoes," Gilbert assured. "And I'll help with the corn. My hands aren't bleeding out or anything, so I'll manage." He tested the weight his foot could bear, and hissed as it was hit with a pang of soreness.
"Could you help me get over there, though?"
"Of course." Ludwig scooped him up and carried him to the table, seating him in the chair carefully. He placed a few ears in front Gilbert along with a bowl. "Put the corn in that bowl after it's shucked. Keep the greens, though. I like to dry those and sell them."
Gilbert tipped his head to the side. "Who buys used corn greens?" He started shucking as best he could, prying the sticky silk from the ear.
"Some use them in medicines. Others use them as flavor for soups, considering how little they sell for. I know of an old woman who uses the dried-out ones as weaves for her baskets." Ludwig was already done his pile of corn and stared at Gilbert. "I take it you haven't done any hard farm labor before?"
"I might have, if I had grown up differently," he shrugged, scrubbing even more vigorously at the stringy waste. "I ran away from home when I was younger. My king found me, and I might have died if not for him." Gilbert tried to skirt the subject again. "Can I come with you to the market? I'm going to need to learn to adapt."
"I leave for the market early tomorrow morning. See how you feel first." He helped Gilbert finish with the shucking. "I guess, in a way, I should be honored to have a friend of the king in my cabin." He took the corn off the table and put it in a barrel. Then, he pulled out a sack from another barrel, took out an armful of potatoes, and placed them on the table. "Can you peel potatoes at least?"
"I've had to do it before, yes. It's been a while, but I think I'll manage." Gilbert took the peeler and set to work, accomplishing much more than he had with the corn but still not at Ludwig's pace. "So you've lived here your whole life? And you've never felt anything was missing?"
Ludwig shook his head, moving on to cutting up his peeled potatoes. "Not at all. I am happy and content with my life just as it is. I have my home, my chores, and my animals. I make an honest, healthy living. What could I be missing?" He asked in all seriousness.
Gilbert chose his words carefully. "The one I love completes me. I didn't live until they came along, and I don't know how anyone else does." He looked down, pissed at himself for that uncharacteristic display of sentiment, and finished off the last of the potatoes. The albino set the peeler aside and cracking his knuckles. "Haven't you ever loved somebody?"
Ludwig looked at him as though he'd just sprouted another ear in the middle of his forehead, and took the potatoes away to chop them. He spoke as he worked the knife, words just as quick and clipped as the chops. "I loved my parents, but to answer your question, no, I have never loved another before. Not a man or a woman. I've never been in a relationship, and… I'd rather not be if I can ever help it. Being alone means no one can hurt you." He gathered the bowl with the potatoes and dumped them into a bubbling cauldron.
Gilbert sighed softly and tried to stand, yelping as his foot buckled. "But you're living in fear. That's never a good thing to do." He steadied himself on the table and looked to the blonde for help.
"I'm happy with the way things are." Ludwig went over to him and swept the albino up in his arms. "Where are you trying to go?"
"I don't know. I used to be able to walk around at my own leisure," he muttered. "If you don't want any more help, I guess I'll just try and rest." He paused. "You only have one bed that I could see. Where am I going to sleep?"
"You will sleep in my bed, obviously. I'll sleep in the stables." He laid Gilbert on the bed. "Dinner will be ready soon."
"Alright." Gilbert thought for a moment. "You don't need to sleep in the stables, you know. I'm fine with sharing, and I'm not going to take your bed from you."
He nodded. "Very well then, so long as you don't mind. I hope you don't snore?" He stepped over to the pot to add a few seasonings. "I'll be right back. I have to step out to my meat house. I hope you don't mind rabbit?"
"I don't mind and I don't snore," he answered," smiling. "Thanks for everything you've done. Most would have just shot me."
"I don't believe in killing humans if I can help it. I've only killed one man my entire life so far. A thief. He was trying to escape with my chickens. I shot him dead."
Gilbert nodded, not even flinching. "So you are not the type to kill in cold blood." He examined the back of his hand. "Were you ashamed at all?"
"Well...after I had shot him I did wonder why he was stealing my chickens. I wondered if he had a family he was trying to feed. Or maybe he was lost. However, I need those chickens as much as he does, but in the end I chose me. I yelled at him to put them down but he ran instead, so I pointed my shotgun at him and fixed the problem."
Gilbert said nothing, only nodded. If those decisions never came up, they'd still be too much to handle. He chose to lead the conversation elsewhere. "Do you have something like a cane for me to walk with, perhaps? I hate being a burden."
Ludwig thought for a moment, and then shuffled to the far corner of his cabin, rifling through a barrel. He took out a stick and brought it over to Gilbert. "It was my father's shepherd cane. It's broken now, but it would still work as a walking cane if you hold it at your hip. You could try it?"
Gilbert took the wooden staff, worn smooth from what could have been years of use, and tried to stand with it. He grinned triumphantly, looking up at the blonde. "Yeah, it does work. Can I use it?"
Ludwig smiled a bit. "Of course. Since you're up, would you like to tour my farm and fields? I still need to go to the smokehouse and get our meat for dinner. Seeing meat hanging doesn't upset you, does it?"
The albino shook his head. "No. I've been to the battlefield. I'm immune, I assure you." With one hand on the cane, he reached over to cautiously take Ludwig's hand. "Are you okay with this? I just want to be safe.
Falling would just be..." His features twisted.
"I don't mind." Ludwig said and held onto Gilbert's hand, guiding him out of the cabin. "Are you sure you're up to all this walking, though?"
"I'll be fine," he assured, somehow avoiding tripping or stumbling. "And if I trip, I'm sure I'll just get up right away."
"Alright." Ludwig led him to the smokehouse first, and they passed by Clarabelle's pen. "This is my cow, Clarabelle. She's my milking cow." When she saw Ludwig near, Clarabelle 'mooed' and swished her tail in greeting.
Gilbert nodded at the cow, smiling softly. "You have a lot of animals, don't you? Swift, Clarabelle, and probably a ton of others, I would assume. You have any domestic animals?"
"No cats. I did have a dog a few months ago but…" He cleared his throat and spoke softly. "He… died. He got sick one day and the next morning I found him in the stables. And that was it. I haven't wanted to get another one yet. But all the same, I still have a lot of animals." He stroked Clarabelle's nose and then brought him over to the sheep. "I have no names for these three. They're just Sheep 1, 2, and 3."
Gilbert could tell that Ludwig didn't want to stay on the topic of his old dog, so he turned his attention to the sheep. "Do they always look that confused, or is it because I'm here?" He gave what he guessed was Sheep 2 a soft pat on the head.
"They are surprised to see another person here. They probably want food from you." Ludwig moved him on. "This is my work ox, Gunter, and there's Swift." He pointed to the brown mare prancing in the field.
"So that's Swift." Gilbert smiled. "Nice. I suppose that there's no reason you'd have anyone else around, though. It's only expected that they'd find it a little strange."
"Yes." Ludwig whistled and the mare came over to them, snorting. "She's very friendly. You can pet her, if you'd like? She'll be going into her second heat soon and I don't have the money to buy a stallion for her. I rather not have to make a deal with someone and borrow their stallion, however. I feel bad for her on that notion."
Gilbert thought for a moment on Ludwig's words, reaching out to stroke her neck gently. He decided not to say anything more on the subject and simply wrapped his arms around Swift's neck and nuzzled her. "She's very friendly," he murmured. "You said you raised her?"
"Yes, from a filly. Her mother was my mother's mare, and when Swift was born, my father let me have her as a gift." He reached out to stroke her behind the ear and she swished her tail. "Sometimes I think she understands me."
"I used to have a horse of my own," the silverette murmured. "I couldn't take him with me when I left, though." He glanced almost wistfully at Swift. "They're so human sometimes, aren't they?"
"Yes, such magnificent beasts." He stroked her nose and then they heard the sound of a goat in distress. Ludwig sighed. "She's got her head caught in the fence again." He led Gilbert over to one of the pens where the goat Gretel's head was caught between the pen rails, her small horns stopping her. Ludwig gently twisted her head by the horns and shoved her out. She bleated and wagged her tail. "She always tries to reach the grass out here. Never learns. She's pregnant, too, actually. Should be any day now." He chuckled. "Have you ever been to a stud farm?"
Gilbert shook his head. "No, but it is where horses are bred, I remember." He smiled at the goat, now snuffling at the scraps of grass just beneath the rails. "They all need you here. It's almost like they're your family." He tipped his head to the side with a slight frown, wandering back to Swift's enclosure and curling his fingers into her forelock. "What... Happened? You're all alone here."
"Oh. Well, my parents died of a fever long ago. I was only fifteen at the time. I buried them up on that far hill over there. I go up and weed around the graves sometimes. Biffer, my old dog, is up there as well. I don't have any other family. I never had a brother or sister. And I don't really mind being alone. I talk to people in the market."
"I'm sorry to hear about your family. I had no idea." He was silent for a moment. "I've lost everything as well. My horse, my own parents, my… my lover. It all vanished right before me, even if I thought I was invincible." How he wished he had a grave to weed. Gilbert bit his lip and looked into Swift's soulful eyes.
"Lost as in they have passed away? Or lost as in you can't see them anymore?"
Gilbert refused to look at the blonde. "The former goes for my parents, same as yours, but I will never see the others again." He thought back on the events of the past month, and his throat locked up.
"I'm guessing...since you can't go back to them that... you are in trouble with the law? Or with the kingdom?" Ludwig cocked a golden eyebrow.
Gilbert sighed. He didn't want to have to go into excruciating detail at that moment. "I'll explain over dinner if you like. It's a bit more complicated than that." He turned. "I assure you, you are not harboring one who kills in cold blood. And I am grateful for the help you have given to me."
Ludwig shrugged. "If anyone comes by, I'll just play dumb and say you told me you were a traveler and I helped you without knowing who you are. You don't have to tell me anything. I don't bother with other people's business, you know. I mean— There he is!" Ludwig sprang into action, having caught sight of the fox near the hen house again. He grabbed the shotgun against one of the rain barrels and aimed it at the running animal. He fired one, twice, but missed. The fox was already out of sight, bushy tail vanishing smugly into the woods. "Damn it all!" He hissed. "I would have gotten him, too, if you hadn't had stepped into my trap," he huffed. "But… it was an accident. I'm sorry. I just lost my temper." He sighed, dropping his face into his hands in utter frustration. Between taxes and wild animals, he'd have nothing left for himself.
Gilbert sighed. "I'm sorry. At least you know it worked," he offered pitifully, looking down at his own mangled foot. "I tend to make trouble without trying. I don't mean to inconvenience you." He leaned into the cane, hobbling back to the goat. He was glad he wouldn't need to tell Ludwig anything, at least not for now. He felt the taste of blood spring into his mouth as he broke the skin on his lower lip, but ignored it.
Ludwig excused himself momentarily to go into the hen house with a basket. He came out with a basket full to the brim of white and brown eggs, already somewhat calm. "I have very healthy hens, as you can see. I don't exactly want foxes to take what they please." He held up the basket. "Why don't you sit down and rest a moment?" He noticed Gilbert's tired, upset demeanor, and his own softened. "Would you mind washing the eggs for me? I'll bring you some water and a cloth." He guided Gilbert over to the milking stool to sit.
Gilbert simply nodded, not wanting to think of anything and deciding that a simple household task would likely aid in keeping his mind occupied. Grateful to be off his feet for a bit, he sat and awaited the water and cloth, drumming his fingers on the table.
Ludwig left and soon returned with the bowl and cloth. "After they're clean, you can put them back in the basket. Try not to break any, though. People at the market pay nicely for eggs in this economy." Ludwig happened to glance over Gilbert's head and saw a fat man on horseback riding their way. He knew immediately it was his normal tax collector. "Gilbert… I think you should do the eggs later." He scooped him up. "A tax collector is coming." He carried Gilbert into the house, and in spite of only a narrow look at the newcomer, the albino's breath quickened as a cold terror washed over him. "That man… I know him. He hated me."
Ludwig laid him on the bed and covered him up. "He won't come in the house, so just remain very quiet, okay?"
Face a shade paler than usual, the albino gave a silent nod and worried his lower lip. He balled his fists in the thick fabric of the blanket. Tax collectors may not have been the source of his anguish, but they were still government officials. He watched Ludwig leave the room, squirming at the thought that the plump man was likely armed, if not simply in self-defense.
Ludwig went out to greet the man. "Good morning sir." The plump man stopped right by the window where Gilbert was hiding. "I came to collect your dues." He said. Ludwig frowned "I paid you already."
That certainly didn't seem a problem. "Well I need to be paid again," he said with a smug look. Ludwig sighed and went inside. He looked at Gilbert. The albino's brow was creased in anxiety, pink eyes darting frantically around the room. He was stock still and terrified; he'd be incapacitated and then brought back to the palace to be executed if he was discovered. He dared not motion to the blonde or speak for fear that the man outside would loom over him with a knife, or more arrows. While it may well have been irrational paranoia, Gilbert wasn't taking any chances.
Ludwig carefully extracted a box from the floorboard, removing some coins and leaving to pay the man. Satisfied, the tax collector took off and Ludwig came back in. "It's safe. That was robbery though. The king just takes and takes. Last time I didn't pay, they killed my cow."
"That doesn't sound like something he would do," Gilbert murmured half to himself. Then again... That would have fallen around the time that this whole mess began. Fritz could have been ordering his men to be as strict as they liked. Gilbert felt suddenly guilty. It could have been his fault.
"Sorry that scared you. But he's gone now. Why don't you continue to rest? I'll finish up the work."
Grateful that Ludwig offered a reprieve, the albino relaxed somewhat, adjusting his position so he was more comfortable. "Thank you. I'm ready for dinner at any time."
"Let me finish with the eggs and then I'll grill up some venison. That will help build your strength. I'll give you some potatoes as well, if you still want them."
Gilbert nodded. "Thank you." The blonde's hospitality was incredible. In the face of everything, Ludwig had stooped down and brought the silverette into his home. He once again watched the blonde leave the room, shutting his eyes with a soft sigh of relief.
After a while the cabin smelt of cooked seasoned venison. Ludwig was cutting up a steak for Gilbert in small pieces. "You hungry?" He asked.
"Very, thanks." He hadn't eaten properly in a few days, and the smell of meat was agonizingly tantalizing. Ludwig sat on the edge of the bed with him with his own steak. "We'll need to disguise you for tomorrow when we go to the market."
"How?" Gilbert was slightly apprehensive. "Wait. Do you have a mask of some sort?"
"I had a white one as a child. It's made out of leather and fur, and it covers your eyes in a manner that you can still see. Bought it from a traveling merchant. We'll put a cloak on you as well, pass you off as a sick person. No one will come near you."
Gilbert nodded. "Alright. I suppose that works." He felt a pang for the old days, thinking of how he had never needed to hide. Immediately after, however, he recanted the absurd thought. His old life had been riddled with secrets. His hidden relationship with the king was only one of many, a proverbial drop in the ocean. As his regent's closest adviser, he had been enlightened to many secrets, and some of those alone were cause for death.
"You will like the market, I promise. Oh, I should have gotten you something to drink. Is warm milk alright? Or do you prefer ale?"
The pale man smiled at the thought of liquor. "I'm good with either one. Although a bit of ale right now would probably help my situation."
"I use it sparingly because it is very expensive now. You can have one cup." He went to the far barrel with a wooden mug, opened the tap, and let the ale pour in. He couldn't help taking a sip as he brought it over to Gilbert, a little bit of foam on his upper lip. "Here you are. Although I suggest some warm milk before bed."
Gilbert nodded, placing his lips where Ludwig's had been and taking a long, languid sip. It was a pity it was so pricey. The albino had been hoping to get a little tipsy and forget the events that had recently unfolded, but graciously accepted what was allotted to him all the same. "Thank you. It's very good." He sighed softly. "And milk would be nice, I suppose."
"Well, finish your ale and venison first. The milk is still warming up. I always add a little bit of sugar and honey to it to make it sweeter. Clarabelle's milk is naturally sweet, but it just makes it a bit better. You will have never tasted milk like this, I promise," he said boastfully.
Gilbert smiled, sipping the alcoholic beverage with care. "I'm sure. It must fetch a high price at market."
"It's my best selling item." Ludwig said and went back to stoking the fire, thinking for a moment. "I have to admit, it is nice having human company."
"Really?" Gilbert's features contorted into a quizzical expression. "I don't know how you've managed all these years. I wasn't exactly a socialite, but I always had at least one companion." He finished off the cup, licking the foam from his upper lip and set it to the side.
"I'm not very social either, and most of my talking in done at the market. It's just… different… to have someone to talk to here that doesn't have four legs and fur." He finished his steak and put the plate in a tub of water to begin washing it. Once that was taken care of, the milk was ready. He mixed it with sugar and honey, just like he said. Ludwig dipped his finger in to make sure it was the right temperature before handing it to Gilbert. "Take your time with this. I promise it will help you sleep as well. I'll be sleeping on the hammock."
"You sure? I told you, I'm not going to take your bed from you." He frowned, but the distasteful expression melted from his face as soon as the delectably sweet milk hit his tongue. He had to battle the impulse to guzzle it immediately. Ludwig hadn't been exaggerating.
The blonde tipped his head back in momentary thought. "Yes, for a night or two, I think. You're still new to this place and you're wounded. I don't mind sleeping in the hammock." He poured himself some of the milk, sipped it, and sighed softly. They could hear a pack of wolves howling together in the far distance. "Many people fear them. The wolves, I mean. But I like looking at them. When you're better, we should take Swift down to the big lake. I think you'll like it. The laughing call of the loons rings everywhere, and if you're really quiet, you can see the deer come to the bank to drink." He took another sip of milk. "If you are familiar with nobility and their lifestyle, what do you all do for entertainment? I can't believe it's enjoying nature and hard work like I do?" He took a seat at the table.
Gilbert shrugged. "I went riding a lot. I might not exactly look it, but I used to be quite the swordsman as well." He puffed out his chest in pride. "But that lake you mentioned sounds great. You made it sound like some kind of poet's haven," he laughed. "Do you write?"
"…Sometimes." He flushed pink, embarrassed. "But I like riding. It's a pity I only have one horse or we could go riding together." He finished the milk. "The lake is a beautiful spot. I have a boat there, too. Just a small one my father and I made to go fishing. But if you take it out on a clear night, the stars are so bright that they reflect off of the water. It's like a mirror, or glass." Ludwig stood up and cracked his back. The milk was making him tired, and with his little backache, sleeping in the bed sounded a lot better. "Perhaps I will sleep in the bed, if it doesn't bother you? I don't snore and I barely move around."
Gilbert's jaw unconsciously clenched at the thought. "No, that's fine. It doesn't matter." The albino whined inwardly; he was unnerved by what had rushed over him, torn between wanting Ludwig out and wanting him in. It was time to find someone else to love, yes, but he hated the guilt hounding him. It was, in his mind, wrong to feel a single spark of emotion for anyone other than Fritz. He had always been one to fall fast, but that was no excuse to toss his old lover aside. They had sworn against it themselves. It wasn't a fitting fate for the king, for from what Gilbert could tell, he had remained faithful. Shaking his head to clear it, he took a look out the window, stiffening as he saw a horse in shadow. "Quick," he whispered, body suddenly rigid. "Help me hide. Someone's out there."
Ludwig looked surprised, but quickly moved to do as told. "It will be tight, but it will hide you!" he whispered, and lifted Gilbert from the bed with the blanket. "Stay under the bed, and cover yourself. You'll look like laundry." He helped Gilbert squeeze under the bed, hoping none of his wounds would open. Once Gilbert was set, he quickly lit a lantern and went outside, taking his axe with him. He searched the shadows for the horse, and soon saw it. "Who are you?" he called firmly. "Why are you sneaking around in the night?"
The pasty gray horse snuffled at the newcomer, and his rider looked down at the blonde. "I'm just looking for someone," he answered, avoiding the question concerning his identity. "Have you come across any travelers?" Leaning down to stroke the horse's neck, he peered expectantly down at the blonde from
beneath a blue-gray hood.
"Sometimes I manage to snare a traveler or two. The last I saw of anyone besides my tax collector was a young couple looking for work. I sent them off in the direction of the city. That was about a month or so ago, but I haven't seen any recently. May I ask what's wrong? Is there something going on? I live out here in the middle of nowhere, as you can see, and I don't often get the news of the cities until I go to market." He kept calm and straight-faced. "Is there someone on the run that I should look out for?"
The stranger hesitated. "Just... There is a man out here with white hair. An albino, if you will. Make sure nobody finds him. I'll keep going. Thanks for understanding anyway." He veered back to the road, steering his horse to the right side before spurring him quickly on.
Ludwig watched him leave without a word, and quickly darted back inside, bolting the door. He knelt under the bed. "Gilbert? It's alright now. Whoever it was, I think it was a friend of yours."
The albino had been waiting with bated breath, and bumped his head as Ludwig stepped in. "Friend?" He questioned, wincing and rubbing his head. "What makes you say that?"
"They said that if I see you to hide you. They recognized you as an albino. Not sure if it was a man or a woman, though. They were cloaked. So you have any idea who that might be?"
The silverette's face paled about ten shades, and white as he already was, he somehow managed it. "I... I think it might have been someone I knew," he stammered. "What color was his horse?"
"It was very gray. Almost pasty." He helped Gilbert back onto the bed. "Do you think you know who they are?"
Gilbert nodded. "That was my horse. But the only one other than me he would let near him was Fritz..." He looked up into Ludwig's cerulean eyes, his own pink ones clouded with a film of tears. He came looking for me... "Please, don't tell him. It's for his own good."
Ludwig recognized that look in Gilbert's eyes, his own softening. "You care deeply for that man, don't you?" He said softly. "He looked just as sad as you do now...so I can tell there is much more between you." he placed his hand on Gilbert's shoulder. "I promise I won't tell him where you are, but only if you really wish it of me."
The albino tensed up, tears threatening to spill but clinging obediently to the confines of his eyes. "Thank you." He paused, hesitating. "I... Yes. There was more than a simple friendship between us. If we were to meet again, it would be more unbearable than if I were never to see him, though. I left simply to protect him." He drew his arms up over his torso, fingers brushing Ludwig's on the way up for one delicate second. "I will explain if you like. I don't wish to keep this inside me if you are willing to listen."
Ludwig nodded his head. "Of course I will listen. And I will not interrupt so that you may tell your tale in peace." He sat on the bed beside him.
The albino took a shaky breath and nodded. "When I was younger, as I said, I had to leave home because of my parents' rejection, and later, their death. I was starving out in the woods for weeks; I lived off pine and the occasional berry. Fritz... The king found me one day splayed out in the road and took me home to nurse me back to health. He was nearly old enough to be my father, but he wasn't married and had neither a mistress nor a desire to have children at the time, so he took me on as a friend. We got to know each other better every day, and when I was rested, he took me riding, taught me endurance. I learned how to fight, although I never really used the skill. Our lives were filled with happiness for about six years." The albino paused, hating how the knot in his stomach refused to unkink. "Then... The king told me that there were some less-than-savory rumors going on about the two of us, and he was to be married." The very thought stung. "He was hampered, however, by the... Well, they were true. They weren't just senseless lies. So in order to save him from that, I tried to distract the people by framing myself for high treason." He looked back up. "And I left. I think it worked, but I don't want it to have to be this way..."
"I see." Ludwig rested a hand on Gilbert's thigh. "I'm in no position to judge you, so I won't. You did what you wanted and the king loved you just as much from what I can tell. It's a shame that he is the king and must follow the laws of royalty. You have made a huge sacrifice, a very noble one. I applaud it, as sad as it is for you. Try not to think about it because it makes you sad, and too much depression can hinder your healing."
Gilbert was quiet. "I will have nowhere to go when I am through here. I can never return to my old home." He squeezed his eyes shut, the hand on his thigh providing some semblance of comfort. "I have no one who cares for me any longer. What does that matter?" Without Fritz, maybe I'm just an old bullshitter that needs to die…
"Well, you are welcomed to stay here with me for as long as you want." Ludwig said honestly. "I don't have a castle or a lot of money, but what I have is rich in other ways. I could use an extra hand around here for awhile." Ludwig didn't want Gilbert to know that he was enjoying his company and didn't really want him to leave, so the farmwork was a welcome excuse. "You can stay until you know where your life is going."
The albino had fallen dead silent. "You… You'd let me stay…?" He leaned unconsciously into Ludwig's touch, surprised by the warmth he found there. "I'll be honest with you, I'm not sure how long that will take. Figuring that out." He took another deep, shuddering breath. The silverette just wanted to be held. He would get to stay with Ludwig, yes, whom he trusted, but he was not Fritz. He didn't feel what the king felt.
"Stay as long as you like." He noticed how close Gilbert was. "Um… Please, you don't think me rude, but… I'm not used to being so close to people. I don't really know how to comfort properly or anything like that. All I can offer is a safe place to live and a comfortable life."
"A-alright..." Gilbert nodded shakily. "Forgive me. Have I overstepped my boundaries?" His cheeks colored. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little lonely."
"No, no, it's not that. It's just… you got a little clingy and… Well, I don't know how to act when it comes to someone needing comfort. I'm a little uncomfortable with it. I'm not really sure what I should do or how I should do it. I just don't want you to think me apathetic."
Gilbert shifted. "I'm sorry for the clinginess. It isn't a problem, really, and you're not rude. I just... I kind of want to be held is all." He felt something fold up in his chest, and his breath hitched suddenly as his hand brushed Ludwig's again.
Ludwig lightly cleared his throat. "Um… well… I think I can hold you." He sat back on the bed to make it easier, reclining and making ro0om for the silverette.
Cheeks coloring a bit, Gilbert awkwardly shuffled his lame leg so it was out of the way. "Thanks… I'm sorry if this is new to you. I'm just… You know." He inched into the blonde's arms.
Ludwig said nothing and slowly wrapped his arms around Gilbert, holding him close but loosely.
Shuddering just slightly, the albino nestled his head in the crook of Ludwig's shoulder, painfully aware of a sweet scent that could have only come from the blonde's corn silk hair.
Ludwig held him for a little while, and then, daringly, brought his hand up to stroke the soft white hair. "Oh, wow… It's so soft…"
Gilbert recalled something not unlike that passing his lover's lips, and he resisted the urge to shy away. Instead he tried to relax, groaning softly as Ludwig's fingers slipped through the silky strands. They were very different from Fritz's fingers, much less slender and much more worn, but they were comforting all the same.
"I'm sorry if my hands are rough, or I smell strange. I haven't gone to the bathing pool yet this week." He continued to stroke Gilbert's hair, moving his hand down to the base of his neck. The hair was even softer there.
"I-it's fine," he managed, the man's hands leaving tingling sensations all over his body. "I don't smell anything strange, and your hands don't bother me..." The stimulation to the soft curls at the nape of his neck was oddly soothing, invoking a deeper sensation of bliss and something else he couldn't quite pin down.
"At least I know I'm doing something right." Ludwig said softly. He liked holding Gilbert in his arms. The man fit perfectly into the contours of his body. Without thought, he rested his chin on the top of Gilbert's head.
His mind gave way to his body, and Gilbert wiggled around a bit until he was snugly enveloped in Ludwig's arms. They now lay together, forms perfectly melding. "You're… You're really warm…" He smiled softly.
"Maybe we should just stay like this. I like it."
"We can stay like this for a while longer." Ludwig said. "I kind of like it too. It's different."
"Different is good." The albino sighed, tangling their legs together. His anxiety had left him utterly, even in the facet pertaining to Fritz, although there was still the occasional ghost of his face behind his eyes.
Ludwig felt himself blush softly. "Oh… yeah." Gilbert was acting quite like a cat, albeit quite a sensual one.
The albino sighed softly, stretching his legs languidly and leaning into Ludwig. "You've never held someone before, have you?" he realized. No doubt it made Ludwig at least somewhat uncomfortable.
"No… I haven't. Am I doing something wrong?"
"Not at all. I just wondered if maybe I was." Gilbert smiled though, and purred a soft affirmation into the sheets. By accident, he pressed the back of his thigh to the blonde's groin, not hard enough to hurt but certainly enough to register.
Ludwig blushed a deep red and shivered, features hardening and body stiffening. "I think that's enough cuddling for now," he choked uncomfortably, and lifted himself up from the bed.
Gilbert couldn't figure what had gone wrong, but he noticed that Ludwig had gone rigid. "Is something the matter?" He blinked a few times, white lashes falling over pink irises.
"Um… No. Nothing is wrong." Ludwig said slowly and firmly. "Everything is okay."
Snowy brows crept together at the obvious lack of conviction. "If you say so." The albino cursed as he moved, his foot snaring in a fold of the disgruntled sheets. "God, I hate being an invalid..."
"I'll help you, just… Give me one moment." He needed to get rid of his blush before he could turn around and help Gilbert. He was slightly aroused, and was attempting but failing to make it go away. He was too embarrassed to turn around. He hoped Gilbert wouldn't notice.
Gilbert did indeed notice something, perceptive as he was, but he wasn't sure what that something was.
"Did I maybe... Did I accidentally touch you?" His cheeks reddened at the thought. They had been awfully close.
"No," Ludwig asserted, voice a cross between a growl and a shriek. He quickly coughed. "I mean… Perhaps. But it was an accident. Nothing to… to fret about."
Gilbert lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Guess you're not exactly… familiar. With the feeling."
"I know you didn't mean to. It… It was just odd for me. I'm better now, though." He turned around to look at him.
"It can be strange at first," the albino murmured, lacing his fingers together. He knew that Ludwig was lying; arousal didn't just decide to walk away. You usually needed to take care of it.
"Would you like some warm milk?" He did not hesitate to change the subject, turning back to Gilbert. "It's getting late and… We have to be up very early to go to the market."
Gilbert nodded. "Some more would be nice, thanks." He cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes, already missing the feeling of Ludwig's arms around him. "Um... Can you define 'early'?"
"Before the sun comes up. The rooster will crow and that's when we get up to start loading the cart." He handed him more of the milk.
"Oh." His features twisted. "That is pretty early... So I guess it's time to sleep soon?" He yawned, sipping the sweet liquid. It worked magic on his tongue. "I guess I need it either way. Running with arrows in your back isn't leisurely by any stretch."
"I guess it isn't. I suppose I'll sleep in the chair for tonight." He was still too shy to turn around and face Gilbert after that little 'mishap'. He wouldn't mind sharing a bed with Gilbert, but he feared something else might happen by accident.
"What? Why?" Gilbert fisted his hair. "I'm sorry about what happened, okay? I didn't mean anything by it, really." He was frustrated with himself for letting that happen; he wanted those arms back.
"It's really nobody's fault." Ludwig pointed out. "You are emotionally distressed right now and I am not used to human companionship like this. I haven't shared a bed with anyone before. I'm more embarrassed by the fact that I… don't really know what to do. Or what should be done. Or what is the right thing to do. But I will do whatever makes you comfortable. All I ask is that you guide me in the right direction so I know what to do."
Gilbert reached up behind his head to scratch the nape of his pale neck. Ludwig was talking like a virgin about to be lain with. "I, uh… Yeah, I'm not really used to not having someone with me in bed, even in the normal sense. I mean, I'd like you to stay here, if that's okay, and that way I can wake you if I think my leg or side is starting to fare poorly." He cast his eyes down. "Don't mean to impose, but… You know."
"Alright. If you want me to stay then I will." He moved over to the bed and removed his work clothes, leaving on his undertunic and changing into a pair of white sleeping slacks. Slowly, he crawled into bed beside Gilbert, settling under the covers. "Do you have enough room?"
Gilbert nodded, suddenly aware of how shaky he was. "I'm well, thanks. You?" He inched down just a tad, head once again nestled in the crook of Ludwig's shoulders.
"I'm well." Ludwig stayed perfectly still on his back. "I'll let the fire slowly burn out so it stays warmer in here for you."
"Thanks." He thought for a moment. "So you've never had anyone here with you other than your parents? I was always surrounded by people, see, all types. It was quite interesting."
"Just my parents. I only interacted with people in the market."
"We've lived very different lives then, haven't we?" He couldn't help but snuggle in closer again. "I certainly didn't like all of them, but they were kind of fun to interact with. It was a hobby of mine."
"I take it you were the fun one, then? The troublemaker?" Ludwig didn't move away from him. He liked the feeling of having someone so close to him like this. It was comforting.
"Well, yeah. I mean, sometimes the things I said and did would just mortify people, but I was tolerated at the very least. I was certainly branded a troublemaker," He laughed. "I need to teach you how to smile, Ludwig. You'd have a nice one if you tried. When you were talking about that lake of yours, you had the nicest smile on your face…"
"I do smile, sometimes. Although I am rather set in my ways. That makes things like this harder. You know, like having another person in this cabin. I'm not used to it."
"Makes sense. You don't seem to mind it though. Not with this wonderful company." His smile widened into a smug grin.
Ludwig gave a little smirk at that. "Perhaps. However, you must remember that I am not like your high-class friends and I'm not as easy to please. I can be rather difficult and stubborn when I want to be. I'm no easy conquest." Ludwig felt himself flush. What on earth made him say something like that? That kind of language wasn't even in his vernacular!
"No easy conquest, huh?" Gilbert arched an eyebrow, modest attitude promptly deflating. "You'd know if I was trying, believe me. I know my way around things." He wrapped his arms around Ludwig's neck, snickering.
Ludwig didn't move. "I've been approached by women before and they can never win me over. I'm sure men are no different."
"Totally different story. Trust me, women are another animal entirely." He stayed where he was, tangling his feet with the blonde's. "You bet I can't get to you? Fine. I like a challenge." The silverette wet his lips. "I'm pretty sure you doubt me, don't you?"
"I do doubt you. I am a man so I can stand up against the wiles of another. Men can't… Seduce other men." He blushed
"But they can," he maintained stubbornly. "How do you think I've gotten people to grace my bedside? You just need to be… Delicate." Gilbert gave him an innocent, aloof look and traced his fingers up the blonde's neck. "Different." All modesty had fled his person; he had something to prove now.
Ludwig turned to look at him. "Do you… Do you do this often with other men because you can't have the one you truly want?" He asked seriously, shivering in delight at the gentle touch of Gilbert's finger. He didn't want to admit to the man that his wiles were working.
The albino maintained as level an expression as he could, but he could not keep a tremor from his voice. "Anyone I have seen has tried to kill me. I have not simply brought others to my chambers for the sake of filling the hole in my heart." He took note of the shiver and repeated his earlier action. "You, on the other hand, know nothing about what it is to feel pleasure." Sliding his thigh between Ludwig's legs gently, he lowered his voice. "And I am certainly capable of teaching you if you wish to learn."
Ludwig gulped, feeling himself grow hard against Gilbert's thigh. "Willing to learn? But we've only just met, and you are wounded. You should be fully rested and healed before you…" he blushed. "Before you try anything like that."
"That's what your mouth says," he answered. "Your body says different." He thought for a moment. "Though I suppose you're right. We should wait until I've recovered. Don't want to reopen these." The albino didn't move, however, simply snuggling into the blonde's chest further. "You'll have your virginity for another few weeks. 'Men can't seduce other men'? Please. You're not what one could consider freed of my seduction."
He swallowed hard again. "You don't have to feel obligated to give me your body in exchange for me caring and housing you. I'm doing it to help out a fellow human being. I'm not expecting anything in return. I just don't want you to make a bad decision because you're vulnerable right now. It wouldn't be honorable of me to take advantage of you." Ludwig shuffled in an attempt to get away from Gilbert's thigh, but only succeeded in grinding up against it.
Gilbert shook his head. "It's not payment. Whores pay with their body. Men pave their own way. And now that you've more or less succumbed to my talents, well… Rain check, but I'll make sure you enjoy yourself." He flashed a grin before yawning. "Goodnight, then."
"Goodnight, Gilbert." Ludwig found it hard to fall asleep right away, something he was always able to do the moment his head hit the pillow, thanks to the day's work. He tried and succeeded in keeping his thoughts trained on the new day ahead, somehow managing to dismiss the feeling of arousal until he could deal with it. With one last look at the ceiling, he melded with Gilbert's warmth and dropped off.
End of Chapter One
