You heard screaming. Everyone around you was in a panic. They were running. Screaming. A pot full of boiling water that was over the fire fell on your foot as someone sprinted past you, screeching, "We're all gonna die!" You had no idea what was going on, but you had the feeling you should run. Someone grabbed your arm and jerked you up, saying, "[y/n], LET'S GO! We have to run. NOW!"
You were dragged up from your blankets on the cold hard ground and pulled forward. "[y/n]. [y/n]!" pleaded a deep voice. In the midst of all this chaos, you recognized one thing. That was the voice of Ludwig. "L-Ludwig? Wha...what's going on...?" you mumbled groggily.
Pieces were starting to slowly fit together in your mind. Ludwig pulled you outside the tent. You gasped and tensed when you got outside; it was a freezing, clear night. You looked up and saw the stars through the smoke. You looked back and saw a tent on fire.
You rolled over, only to come centimeters away from a pair of crystal blue eyes staring at you. Your eyes grew wide as you jerked back and uttered a confused, "Huh...?"
"Oh um, urhm, [y/n], you're up. Frau, you okay?" Ludwig asked after jerking back from you. He had concern in his eyes, and it was showing on his face. His normally slicked back blonde hair was across his face. He looked disheveled and worried. "You vere shaking in your sleep...you vere also vhimpering. I...I heard you und came in to check on you...Frau are you okay?"
"Yeah, Luddy, I'm fine." You had forgotten most of your dream, but bits and pieces were floating through your mind. You were still shivering, but you were also sweating. You didn't remember your dream, but you were distraught. You knew you had a nightmare, you just couldn't remember what was in it.
You sat up, stretched, and rubbed the sleep out of your eyes. Ludwig was standing by the side of your bed, unconvinced.
"Frau, you don't seem okay. Tell me, vhy vere you shaking und vhimpering?" Ludwig still looked concerned.
"Oh um I...I had a nightmare, but I'm fine now," you replied, trying to get Ludwig to stop worrying.
You looked over at the clock by your bed. "Oh my gosh Ludwig you're late! You have to go to work!" you exclaimed. Ludwig was never late to work. Ever.
"Well...ja...um it's fine zhat I'm late...I had to make sure you vere okay," he replied while staring at the floor. His head was turned slightly to the side to hide his blush.
You were also feeling nervous. You were surprised that he would sacrifice being on time to make sure you were okay. You cared about him, sure, but you didn't know he cared that much about you. Also, he usually looked so strong and independent. To see him with his bangs down, staring at the floor was a completely alien sight.
"Oh well I'm fine now so...yeah you should get going I guess," you mumbled nervously. You were staring at your hands, which were in your lap.
Ludwig cleared his throat. "Um okay zhere is some cake left over. It's downstairs on zhe kitchen table. [y/n], call me if you need me, okay?"
"Thanks Ludwig," you responded. "I will."
The tall German reluctantly turned around, fixed his hair, and left your room. You could hear him walking down the steps. You heard the front door open, then close. You heard his BMW roar as he drove away.
You got up, sighed, stretched again, and went into the bathroom. You splashed cold water on your face while mumbling, "That was interesting..."
You trotted downstairs to the kitchen to make sure you got the cake out of the way before Berlitz got it. You just barely beat him downstairs; he came running down the stairs after you. Blackie and Aster usually slept longer than him. You figured Berlitz was more like Ludwig because, haha, he is a German Shepard...you shook your head. Your mind tends to wander sometimes, and you wanted to stop it before you came up with something too crazy.
You scratched behind Berlitz's ear and sat down at the table to eat. Your mind started wandering again, and you wondered when Ludwig would be home. Usually he works a 9-5 schedule, but since he left around 9:30 instead of his usual 8:30 today, he might be home later, around 6 or so. He is a very meticulous man and likes to keep everything organized and balanced. Sometimes it was a pain to be his roommate because he cleaned all the time. If you left something out, you'd have to ask Ludwig where he put it because he most likely assigned a new place for it to go in one of his cleaning rampages.
You finished your cake and decided to go lay on the couch. You were tired because of your nightmare waking you up earlier than normal. Berlitz hopped up on the couch with you and curled up by your feet. You fell asleep quickly.
"Luddy! Why...what..." You jerked your head towards him and looked into his crystal blue eyes.
He looked into your [e/c] eyes and said, "Don't you remember...? [y/n], are you okay? How could you forget all zhat's going on?" He looked worried, and he kept looking around at the chaos around you.
"Luddy I don't understand. Please help me figure this out. It's not like you to joke around...why are there tents on fire? Why are there people screaming and running? Why-" you were abruptly cut off as the roar of a jet flying close by ripped across the sky.
He grabbed your arm again and pulled you away, running. Once you two ran for about 100 yards, he shoved you off in one direction and told you to keep running.
"Just keep going until you are far avay from here. I'll call you vhen I fix all zhis, so make sure you have your phone on you all zhe time."
"Luddy! Don't leave! You didn't tell me what was going on!" you stammered out.
Ludwig turned around and started to walk away.
"B-but Ludwig! Where are you going? Please don't leave!" You were shocked. You had no idea what was going on, and now Ludwig was leaving. It was cold, tents back where you ran from were on fire, and people were running like crazy. You didn't want to be alone, and you especially didn't want Ludwig to leave. "Ludwig..."
"Auf Wiedersehen, frau," he tossed over his shoulder. "I'll see you."
You watched him leave. He walked into the smoke, not looking back. You were still in shock at what was happening around you. You didn't turn around and run as Ludwig had told you to do. Instead, you watched him. He ran inside one of the tents that wasn't on fire. You assumed he was going in there to get everyone out.
He was in there for about a minute. You were wondering what was taking so long when a flame from a nearby tent jumped onto the one Ludwig was in. It caught the tent on fire, sending smoke high into the sky. Some people were running out of the tent. You saw a pair of arms with gloved hands shove someone out of the tent, then move back inside. You watched for the form of the tall blonde German, but you didn't see him. You could hear the crackle of the tents on fire. You could smell the burning rations and tents. Suddenly, the tent Ludwig was in collapsed.
"LUDWIG!" you screamed, your whole body shaking. "LUDWIG! NO!" you repeatedly shouted through the tears. Your throat was getting stopped up. You started sobbing, screaming Ludwig's name as you fell to your knees in the dirt. "No. He can't be gone. No. I have to go help him. LUDWIG!" you screamed again.
You got up and started sprinting as fast as you could, even though you were still crying. You were still screaming the German's name.
You woke up with dog slobber all over your face. Berlitz was licking you, trying to get you to wake up. You were shaking a lot, sweating, and you were saying Ludwig's name over and over.
You sat up and started crying, holding Berlitz. It was the worst nightmare you had ever had. Losing someone so close to you...especially Ludwig, of all people. You really liked him, a little more than just friends. He meant so much to you. You and Ludwig had been friends since you were both children, 11 years old. He had always been strong, always been there when you needed it. When your parents were having trouble, he was someone you could run to. He would listen. He would comfort. When things changed in junior high, and some of your closest friends started drifting away, he was always there. Solid, never moving, always by your side. He had never ditched you, and you knew he never would. He had been your closest friend for almost half your life. This nightmare was the worst nightmare you had ever had.
You knew it was only a dream, but it still shook you to the bone. You were still shaking and crying, holding on to Berlitz for the sake of holding on to something, especially something close to Ludwig as well.
You had your face buried in Berlitz's fur when the front door opened.
"Hallo. Zhey let everyone go home early today so here I am," Ludwig called as he opened the front door. He started walking into the living room, where you were. "Mein Gott [y/n]! Vhat happened? Are you okay?" he exclaimed while rushing toward you.
You looked up at the tall blonde German with crystal blue eyes through puffy eyes and a tear stained face. You saw him running toward you and buried your face in Berlitz's fur again to hide your face from Ludwig.
Ludwig came in, sat down next to you, and enveloped you in a hug. It was warm, comforting, secure, reassuring. He was there. "[y/n], [y/n], [y/n]," he whispered into your [h/c] hair. "[y/n], tell me, vhat's vrong? I need to know. You mean a lot to me. I can't have you crying if zhere is somezhing I can do," he said to you.
You pulled away. You looked into his clear blue eyes and said, "Luddy...promise me something, okay?"
"Ja, vhat is it?" he asked. He was confused, but the dominant emotion showing on his face was concern.
"Promise you'll always be there," you said. "You will, won't you?" You whispered the last part while staring at your hands in your lap.
"Ja, [y/n], I vill ALVAYS be zhere for you. If you need me, all you have to do is call," he said while looking at your [e/c] eyes. "Now are you ready to tell me vhat happened? Vhat's vrong?"
You stared at your lap, sighed, then told him everything. You told him your dream. You told him how it affected you. You told him part of what he meant to you. After you were done talking, you looked up at his face.
"[y/n]...zhere is somezhing I vant to tell you..." he said. He had taken off his Iron Cross and had it in his hand. He was fiddling with it in his lap. Suddenly, he looked into your [e/c] eyes. "I-Ich liebe dich." He was looking deep into your [e/c] eyes, pleading for an answer.
You sighed in relief and hugged him. "Ich liebe dich auch, Ludwig," you mumbled to him through your hug.
He hugged you back, and took hold of your hands. He slipped a metal piece on a chain into your hands. It was warm from being in his hands. It was his Iron Cross.
He kept his hands on yours, leaned down, and kissed you.