A/N: Hello again, everyone! The next chapter is finally here after what seemed like forever. This may not have as many reviews as the first chapter of my last story but I'm still gonna continue on with this one. I'll feel terrible if I just gave up on this story for the lack of reviews and I know there are a lot of people reading it as well. So, I'm not gonna do that to myself and you all either. And I'm sure they'll start coming in as the story progresses so I'm happy with that. Also, I just noticed that I misspelled "something."! Oh, my God, I feel terrible that I haven't noticed it earlier. That may have been my biggest blunder yet! Don't worry, I'll correct it, it's just been so long and I just noticed it. Well, I'm embarrassed now. I hope you all enjoyed that at my expense.
91RedRoses : Thank you. And totally agree with you, this pairing really doesn't happen very much which is really sad. There is so much potential but nobody wants to tap into it. And this isn't the only amazing pairing that is rare, there is so much more!
Mrs. Fantasy : Yes, I liked the idea and since no one else would even think about doing it, Francis was the only one who would. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter because of that scene. And they may or may not have to, but I can't tell. That's a part of the mystery of finding out.
And with all that said, Chapter 2 starts now!
Chapter 2
Alfred sighed for what had to be the millionth time.
God, this was so humiliating.
Oh well.
Might as well get this night over with, right?
"Alright, let's just go in, find out what we need and get out. I don't wanna have to spend all night in a fuckin' dress." Alfred said.
"I agree with Alfred. I don't want to be in this thing any longer than I have to." Arthur said.
"Well, let's go then. The sooner we get in, the sooner we get out." Yao said, curtly as he began walking towards the hotel.
"Wait!" Francis cried out after Yao.
Yao sighed and turned around, muttering, "What?"
"We still haven't even picked names yet." Francis said.
"Well, what the bloody hell do we have to pick names for?" Arthur asked.
Francis laughed. "You've never talked to a beautiful woman have you, mon ami? Why, that's one of the first things someone would ask." Francis said.
"Wh-What?! I-I have talked to a beautiful woman before, you git!" Arthur cried.
"Sure you have. Anyway, what's the point of spying if you don't create a false persona? You're just a nameless person otherwise. Unless you want to blow our cover?" Francis asked.
Arthur blushed and scoffed before looking away.
"What'd you have in mind? I'm terrible at picking names." Alfred said.
Francis hummed and rubbed his chin.
Then he lit up with a great smile. "Ah, I've got it!" Francis said, triumphantly.
"Any ideas?" Alfred asked.
"Oui! Now, since we have to blend in, how about…Arthur, your name will be Alice." Francis said.
Arthur deadpanned. "You've got to be kidding me." Arthur said, facepalming.
"Yao's name is…Yvonne." Francis said, after a while of thinking.
Yao's face fell. "You couldn't have picking anything more girly?" Yao asked, sarcastically.
"Oh? Is that not good enough for you? Well, how about-" Francis said before he was interrupted.
"That's…fine. Whatever, I'll take it." Yao grumbled.
"Ooh, ooh, what's my name?" Ivan asked, excitedly.
"Ah, your name shall be…Ivana." Francis said.
Ivan smile fell, just a little, before saying, "Aw, but that's kind of like my name."
"I know, but it still works. You'll get used to it." Francis said.
"Alright." Ivan said, somewhat defeated.
"Well?" Alfred asked, speaking up. "What's my name gonna be?"
"Oh, I almost forgot. Your name will be Frieda." Francis said.
Alfred winced slightly. "Really? That's the best you could come up with-ah, nevermind, it's fine, I'll take it. We don't have time to be worried about names. I mean, it's not well use them again, right?" Alfred asked.
"Hm. Right. And now my name will be…let's see, uh…Fritzi." Francis said.
Arthur laughed, derisively. "Pfft. Fritzi. Now, that's funny." Arthur said, smugly.
"Well, Alice, shall we get going? We have a long night ahead of us, no?" Francis asked.
Arthur gave Francis a dirty look then and scoffed. "Whatever, let's just go." Arthur said, storming off.
"It's only for tonight. It's only for tonight." Alfred said, repeating himself as they made their way up to the hotel.
When they got closer, Alfred saw that there were people filing inside.
Some saluting and some just talking casually.
"Oh, crap, Francis, how are we gonna get in? We don't need tickets, do we?" Alfred asked.
Francis laughed. "Ah, you just leave that to me! Besides, it's just a ball. I don't think we do. As long as we look the part, we should get in without any problems." Francis said, confidently.
Alfred sighed, saying. "I sure hope you're right."
As they neared, a large red carpet greeted them which led up a grand staircase.
As they ascended the steps, Arthur grumbled, irritably.
"God, I feel like Cinderella." Arthur said.
"That should be when you go down the stairs." Francis said.
"I don't care! I'm at a ball in a goddamn dress! That alone should be enough!" Arthur snapped.
When they reached the top, the doors were wide open with attendants at either side.
When they reached, the double doors, the attendants looked them over with critical eyes.
Uh-oh. Busted." Alfred said, under his breath.
But Francis smiled and bowed, or curtsied, while lifting the dress and the guards smiled and let them in.
As they passed through the doors, Francis beamed. "You see? I told you to leave it to me." Francis said.
"You did that a bit too well. Tell me, do you cross-dress often, Francis?" Arthur asked.
"No, otherwise, I wouldn't be able to charm you with my natural personality." Francis said.
Arthur blushed again. "Wh-Who said that you're charming?! Y-You're just a pervert that's all!" Arthur snapped.
"Your blush says it all." Francis said, simply.
Arthur scoffed and looked away.
There was another staircase that led into a long hallway.
The people all around them were heading in that direction, so Alfred just assumed that that was the place to go.
Once they ascended the next set of stairs, they began the walk down the long hallway.
People were laughing and joking in such a carefree manner that it was hard to believe that there was bloodshed somewhere out in a battlefield somewhere.
It's like they don't even know.
They made their way to the grand event and, as they got closer, Alfred couldn't help but feel like there were eyes on him.
All of them, actually.
But mostly on him.
He didn't want to look around for fear that he would be picked out of the crowd, so he just kept his eyes forward, pretending not to notice.
But just the feeling of being watched was so unsettling that Alfred had to suppress the urge to just shiver and shake it off.
"Alfred? Is something wrong?" Francis asked, quietly so that no one else would hear.
"No, I'm fine. I just…can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched. I don't know how, but I can just feel it. Like it's following me or something." Alfred said.
"Well, don't worry about it. You're probably just nervous. It'll pass as the night goes on." Francis said.
"I really hope so." Alfred said, nervously tugging at his collar.
When they got to the end of the hallway, there were more attendants that opened the door for them and everyone else.
Once inside, Alfred didn't feel eyes on him anymore.
Huh.
Maybe Francis was right.
Maybe it was nervousness.
When they got further inside, they looked around in awe.
This ballroom.
Was amazing.
It was so big and very well decorated.
People all around.
And servants walking around offering various beers and wines.
This would have been a very nice occasion if it weren't under these circumstances.
Large windows draped with billowing red curtains.
A very large chandelier hanging up above.
Shining black and white tiled floors.
The red carpet leading to another grand staircase at the back of the room.
And very many people.
There were even a few soldiers and officers scattered about and chatting.
Alfred eyed a few of them.
And the ones he saw had patches on their arms.
And Alfred knew that symbol very well.
A swastika.
And it made him sick.
Alfred wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Ugh, and these people actually believe all this shit? They believe this all for a good cause? Do they not know what they're doing to innocent people? People that don't deserve all this?" Alfred asked.
Francis put a hand on Alfred's shoulder. "Calm down, Alfred. Don't let your emotions get in the way of what we have to do here tonight. Just enjoy tonight and find out whatever you can." Francis said.
Alfred's shoulders loosened and fell. "Alright. It's just that that symbol used to be a symbol of good luck. But now…now they've just distorted its meaning. It doesn't mean that anymore…now it's just…this." Alfred said, motioning to the soldiers.
Francis sighed. "Yes, it's sad, but…there's nothing we can do about it. We only hope to end all of this as soon as possible. Look, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Let's just have fun and remember that we're doing this for a good cause, ok?" Francis asked.
"Ok." Alfred said.
"Hey, look, there's a table, let's sit down. I'm not exactly comfortable walking in these shoes." Yao said.
"Ah, good idea." Arthur said. "How women walk in these things I have no idea."
They got to the table and sat down, Yao giving a contented sigh.
"So, what are we going to do now?" Ivan asked.
"I guess we just wait until we attract people. I've gotten some looks on the way here." Francis, said, smiling. "It'll only be a matter of time."
Arthur scoffed. "Why it the hell would they pick you?" Arthur said, curtly.
"Hmm. It sounds to me like someone is a little jealous, no?" Francis asked.
"I-I'm not jealous!" Arthur snapped, blushing.
"Oh, Arthur, it's very easy to rile you up isn't it?" Francis said.
Arthur crossed his arms, muttering something under his breath.
"So, what, are just going to sit here all night?" Yao asked.
"No, we must be patient when the time comes. Until then, just look around. Study people. You know, see how they work, their actions, how they interact with each other, body language." Francis said.
"But, that'll be boring." Ivan said.
"Well, sometimes, one has to observe the situation before they do anything." Francis replied, breezily.
Ivan just sighed.
A servant made his way over to them with a platter full of glasses.
"Was würden sie gerne trinken? Bier? Wein?" the man asked.
Francis just smiled and took a wine from the tray.
The rest refused.
The man smiled politely and walked off.
"Don't drink too much, Francis. We've still got a job to do." Alfred reminded.
"Ah, don't worry. I can hold my liquor." Francis said before taking a sip.
He then winced slightly.
"Something wrong?" Alfred asked.
"No. I like French wine a bit better, but this is fine too." Francis replied.
Alfred watched as servant ambled about pouring and offering various drinks.
Korn.
Riesling.
Weissbier.
Pinot Meunier.
And various other drinks.
Alfred sighed as lilting music started playing from the band.
He watched as people began pairing up.
"Well, looks like its starting." Alfred said as he held his chin in his palm.
"Good." Francis said. "Now, all we have to do is wait."
"I really don't want to dance. My feet are killing me." Yao said.
Arthur hummed in agreement, saying, "Yes, I'd rather just stay here."
Ivan smiled. "I'll do it. It seems like fun." he said.
Alfred sighed again, looking around.
"You have to sooner or later." Francis warned. "Better to do it now or later. Otherwise you'll spend all night being hit on by drunken men."
Yao shivered.
Arthur groaned.
Alfred smiled nervously.
Being told he'd have to dance with someone sounded fine before they got here.
But now being presented with it.
Well, that was downright unsettling.
Dancing with the enemy.
What a mess.
But it was necessary to get what he wanted.
He'd just have to suck it up and get it done.
How could he be a hero if just the thought of getting closer to the enemy bothered him?
He knew the saying.
'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.' Alfred's boss' voice rang in his head.
"Or something like that." Alfred muttered.
Alfred looked at Ivan who was looking unto the crowd with a smile and almost looked like he was longing to get up and move.
"Ivan, are you alright?" Alfred asked.
"Huh? Oh, yes I'm fine. I'm just really bored is all. I want to dance." Ivan said.
"Just wait a while. If what Francis said is true, then we'll all be dancing later tonight." Alfred said.
Ivan smiled, saying, "I hope so."
Alfred gave Ivan a reassuring smile and looked back at the crowd of dancing people.
And it was then that he got that familiar feeling again.
The feeling of being watched.
And now, being in a big room like this, it felt safer to look around more.
Alfred looked around him to try to see who might be staring at him.
"Ugh, I'm getting that feeling again." Alfred said, looking around.
"Just calm down. I told you before, you're probably just nervous." Francis said.
"No, I'm not nervous. I really feel like someone is watching me." Alfred said.
And it was then that he noticed a large group of people from the corner of his eye.
They were standing in the corner chatting amicably and surrounding somebody.
Turning his head slightly to get a better look, Alfred saw that there really was somebody staring at him.
Was it the same person as before?
Alfred didn't know.
But it was definitely someone that had been staring at him.
"Hey, Francis. Look. Over there. Someone's staring at us." Alfred whispered.
"Hm? Where?" Francis said, looking over.
"Over there. In the corner. See them?" Alfred asked.
Francis looked over to where Alfred mentioned and saw what he was talking about.
"Oh. I see them." Francis said.
"Think we've been found out?" Alfred asked. "He's been staring at us the whole time we've been here."
Francis made a thoughtful hum before saying, "No, I don't think so. If anything, he seems to be staring all you mostly. I mean, sure, he looked at all of us, but you seem to be the one he's most interested in. Looks like you've attracted some attention, Alfred. A suitor maybe?"
Alfred scoffed. "Yeah, right. He'd better not try anything that's what." Alfred said.
"I don't know. He seems quite taken with you. You could use that to our advantage. The more they like you, the better, no?" Francis asked.
"Yeah, that's true, but…I'm not really comfortable with it." Alfred said.
Francis smiled. "Well, take a chance. You never know what could happen." Francis said.
And truer words have never been spoken.
Because Alfred had no idea what this chance encounter would develop into.
The feeling of being checked out was really starting to get to Alfred.
He could take it no longer.
And so, finally giving a huff, Alfred turned and looked at the person who'd been eyeing him so diligently.
When Alfred looked over, he saw the one who was looking at him.
A man surrounded by others.
Tall, blond hair, icy blue eyes, and very well dressed.
Once their eyes locked, the man flinched and looked away like he'd been caught doing something wrong.
Alfred looked away, satisfied the man had learned his lesson.
But he soon felt eyes on him again.
Alfred looked over and saw the man looked away as he'd been minding his own business.
And that continued to be the pattern for a few minutes.
Every time Alfred would look away, he would feel eyes upon him.
And every time he would look over, the man would look away.
On the umpteenth repeat of this sequence, Alfred saw something strange.
Wait.
Is he blushing this time?
Oh, God.
Oh, God, what if Francis was right?!
What if he did have a suitor?
Oh, Goddammit.
When Alfred looked over, he saw that the men surrounding the one who was staring at him were crooning something to him.
Probably some words of encouragement to go over and talk to him.
Maybe so, because the man shook his head, nervously, and tried to dissuade the people.
A few tried to push him forward, but he held his ground stubbornly with a deep blush on his face.
Francis chuckled. "Yes, I'd say that you've definitely attracted some attention." Francis whispered. "You're doing a lot better than I thought."
Alfred gave a breathless sigh. "I didn't expect to have such an awkward moment." Alfred said.
"Well. Just do what you feel is right." Francis supplied.
"Alright." Alfred said.
Well.
Francis did say do what he wanted.
What harm could it do?
It's not like he was trying to threaten him.
And so, finally giving a sigh, Alfred turned back towards the man and caught his eyes.
Alfred looked at him for a short while.
And smiled.
The man's eyes widened slightly.
Was that all he wanted?
Just a smile?
Well.
That was painless.
But, oh, God, Alfred had no idea what kind of effect that would have.
For all he knew, he was just being friendly to a stranger.
Alfred turned away and heard the loud crooning again.
He looked over and saw that the man was surrounded by people urging him to go over to him.
The man nodded and said something back.
And then he took a deep breath and gulped.
Huh.
Was that really all it took?
Satisfied, Alfred turned back to his table and tried scoping out the area.
Alfred yawned.
God, this night was getting boring!
And everyone else seemed to think the same.
Except for Francis, who seemed to be beaming despite the crippling boredom gripping everyone else.
"What's with that look on your face? What're you smiling about?" Alfred asked, chin resting in his palm.
"Oh, nothing. It just looks like we have company. Or, more specifically, you have company." Francis said.
"What're you talking about." Alfred asked confused, cocking an eyebrow.
"Look." Francis said, pointing in a somewhat familiar direction.
"At what?" Alfred said, following Francis' line of vision.
And what he saw shocked him.
The man who had been staring at him, the man who he had smiled at was tentatively making his way over to their table with a small smile on his face.
"O-Oh, God." Alfred choked out.
Francis chuckled. "I told you that you attracted interest." Francis said.
"Wh-What?! H-How?! What the hell did I do?! I was just being nice!" Alfred hissed, quietly.
Francis laughed. "We're in Germany, mon ami. They have different customs compared to the rest of the world. Maybe you triggered something." Francis said.
And boy, did he.
The man was making his way closer.
Alfred sighed, distressed. "Oh, God." Alfred said, holding his head in his hands.
"Look sharp, he's coming." Francis said, shaking Alfred slightly.
When Alfred looked up, the man was within feet of him.
And a few seconds later, he stood up over Alfred.
Alfred looked up at him with an uncomfortable smile.
"H-Hallo. W-Würden sie bitte mit mir tanzen?" the man asked, tentatively.
"U-Uh." Alfred stuttered out. "D-Dammit."
The man looked at Alfred with a smile.
Alfred held his head in his hands.
He then remembered something that Matthew had given him.
'Here, you may need this.' Matthew had said.
And it was with a terrible realization that Alfred realized what that book was.
A book on how to speak German.
'Ugh, why didn't I read that book that Mattie gave me?! Goddammit!' Alfred mentally cursed at himself.
No time to think about that now.
Now was the time to act.
And so with a sickening burst of adrenaline Alfred looked up.
He smiled awkwardly.
"U-Uh, s-sorry. I-I don't speak German." Alfred stuttered out.
Big mistake.
Or at least it should have been.
Alfred had expected the man to draw a gun and expose them.
But he didn't.
Instead, the man responded rather well.
"Oh…I'm sorry. I should have known there would be many different people here." the man said in accented English.
Alfred gave a breathless sigh of relief.
Oh, thank God.
The plan was still in effect.
Might as well keep going.
"Well, I was asking if you would like to dance with me." the man asked.
"You want to dance with me?" Alfred asked.
"J-Ja. I saw you from over there and I just wanted to ask." the man said, motioning behind him with a thumb.
Alfred looked behind him and saw the group of people that had been urging the man over to him.
When he met their gaze, they averted their attention to another place in the room.
Probably eyeing them to see what would happen.
Alfred scoffed.
He looked back and saw that the man was now shuffling his feet.
Possibly worried that he'd made a fool of himself.
And, finally giving up, Alfred gave a sigh and spoke up. "Sure. I'd like that." Alfred said, putting on his best smile.
The man smiled and held out a hand.
Alfred took it and stood up.
He looked back at the group and Francis waved him off saying, "Have fun." Francis said, smiling.
Alfred gulped and the man led him towards the dance floor.
He looked back again and saw that more men started walking towards their table.
Apparently, since somebody had been brave enough to ask one of them to dance, it gave others a confidence booster to ask the rest.
One by one, they each were led to the dance floor.
First him.
Then Arthur.
Who was sent off with a smug smile from Francis.
To which Arthur replied with a dirty look.
Then Yao, who had walked off looking like he was going to the gallows.
Then Francis who had given Ivan a pat on the shoulder before walking off.
But not Ivan.
No one came for Ivan.
Poor thing.
Ivan looked absolutely bored.
And almost a little sad.
Once they were all blended into the crowd, the man turned and faced Alfred.
The lilting music played out from the band on the other side of the room.
"Do you know how to waltz?" the man asked.
Alfred shook his head. "No. I've never done it before." Alfred said.
The man smiled. "Good." he said. "I can teach you."
"O-Ok." Alfred said.
The man then put a hand on Alfred's back.
Alfred flinched slightly.
"Now, you put your hand on my shoulder." the man said.
Alfred did as he was told and placed his hand on the man's shoulder.
The man then grabbed Alfred's other hand. "Then we just hold hands like this." the man said.
Alfred felt his large hand grab his and it was surprisingly soft and warm, instead of calloused and rough.
It felt…nice, actually.
Warm and welcoming.
"S-So, what do we do now?" Alfred asked.
"Just wait for the music to start und try to follow my movements. There's a lot of spinning involved. So try not to get dizzy." the man said.
"Alright." Alfred said.
As they waited for the next song to start up, Alfred looked around, trying to see if he could see Francis or anyone else.
He couldn't.
Not with all these people in the way.
Dammit.
Looks like he was in this one on his own for now.
The music then began playing out in soft elegant notes.
"Ready?" the man asked, jarring Alfred from his surveillance.
"Oh, y-yeah!" Alfred said.
"If you need to, try to watch my feet." the man said.
"Got it." Alfred said, nodding.
And with that, they started moving.
It was slow at first and Alfred had no problem keeping up.
But then the spins came and Alfred tried not to step on the man's feet.
That would be embarrassing.
Once, however, he got used to it, Alfred eventually settled into his own rhythm and began moving along in tune with the man's movements.
It was easy, really.
It was pretty much like sliding across the floor in big strides from either left to right.
And the occasional spin or two.
Although, Alfred could do without the spins.
The man spun him so many times, Alfred had to shake his head to push away the dizziness.
The man had such sure and confident movements and Alfred just melded into them.
Like they were one person.
It was he had complete control of their movements.
It felt like they were just gliding across the floor in wide circles and spins.
And surprisingly to Alfred, it felt…strangely natural.
But how?
They had never even met each other before.
So why was it that they seemed so comfortable?
Alfred felt natural dancing with this man.
He moved with such flawless steps too.
Almost like he was trying to impress him.
Weird.
They danced through quite a few songs and after about the second or third one, Alfred felt himself smiling.
Smiling!
Like he has having a good time!
And the man seemed like he was too.
For he was smiling back.
Alfred couldn't believe it.
He was actually having fun dancing with a man who was supposed to be the enemy.
Keep your friends close and you enemies closer right?
But it didn't feel that way.
He didn't feel threatening or imposing at all.
And that was what confused Alfred the most.
Meanwhile, back at the table, Ivan looked onto the dancing crowd and sighed. "Aww, why won't anybody dance with me?" Ivan asked, tapping a finger on the table.
He sighed sadly.
This was supposed to be a fun night.
So why wasn't he having a good time?
And so finally, he huffed and shifted in his seat.
And it was then that he noticed a group of people staring at him.
Oh.
A new development had just occurred.
Maybe they would want to dance.
And so, hopeful, Ivan smiled at the group of men hoping that he'd attract one as Alfred had.
But he didn't.
They just gasped and huddled up.
Ivan looked at them with a tilted head of confusion and a cocked eyebrow.
He tried to hear what they were saying, but they were too far away.
And plus, the music was too loud.
But it was obvious that they were talking about him.
"Why don't you go dance with her?" one man asked.
"What? Me? No way! You're the one she was looking at, not me!" another man snapped.
"Well, I'm not going." somebody else said.
"She's kinda scary." another person asked.
"I know! She's so tall!" someone said.
"Well, look, somebody has to go. She already noticed us. We have to do something!" a man said.
"Like what? Someone's just going to have to take one for the team." another man said.
Ivan groaned, frustrated, that he couldn't hear what they were talking about.
It seems that they seemed to be taking their time talking about whatever they were talking about.
Ivan sighed.
Just what the hell were they doing?
Ivan began to grow impatient.
He had been sitting alone for way too long.
He needed something to do and now was the time to do it.
And so, finally taking matters into his own hands, Ivan got up and walked over to the group of people.
As they were talking, they all froze cold as the felt a large shadow looming over them.
They dispersed from their huddle and looked up at Ivan.
They all gulped in unison.
"Hello." Ivan said, politely. "Would you like to dance?"
The man that Ivan was talking to was actually shaking.
The others were just looking at him, secretly thanking God that Ivan had not addressed them.
They silently urged him to go dance with Ivan.
Ivan was still smiling, waiting for an answer.
"Uh, n-nein, th-that's ok. I'm kind of tired anyway. In fact, I was just thinking about turning in for the night." the man said, laughing nervously.
But Ivan, still smiling, bent down so that their noses were almost touching and said, politely, or menacingly, "You will dance with me, yes?"
"U-Uh…I-I-uh…" the man stuttered out.
And with each passing second, they all sensed something that felt like extreme tension.
And so they agreed for him, and pushed him forward. "Sure, he'll dance with you!" someone said, a bit too eagerly.
"In fact, he's been asking about you!" another man crooned.
The unfortunate one looked back at them, mouth agape, like they were complete traitors.
And he was about to say so until he felt Ivan's large hand grasp his.
"Good!" Ivan said, smiling. "Let's go."
They all sighed as the feeling of dread slowly dissipated.
The man Ivan began dragging off to the dance floor looked back at them and they waved amicably back, tossing him words of encouragement.
The man replied by sending them each a very dirty look.
Once they were on the dance floor, Ivan turned to the man and said, "Ready? We're going to have a lot of fun tonight!"
The man gulped as Ivan grabbed ahold of him.
He would be one of the unfortunate people who would find out what Ivan's definition of fun was.
Alfred and his supposed suitor danced through a few more songs.
And with each one, Alfred, surprisingly, felt comfortable dancing with this man.
As they danced, Alfred couldn't help but notice the familiar band on the man's shoulder.
It was a stark contrast with the rest of his immaculate attire.
The patch with the swastika symbol on it.
Alfred's eyes fell upon it and his smile dropped.
The man saw that Alfred's eyes were glued to it and winced slightly.
And he quickly spoke up to try and change the subject so that Alfred would avert his eyes.
"S-So, i-if you don't mind me asking…what's your name?" the man asked.
Alfred looked into the man's eyes. "M-My name?" Alfred asked.
"Ja." the man replied.
"O-Oh, m-my name is-" Alfred was about to reply when he was cut off by screaming.
They both looked over to the source of the sound and what they saw, shocked Alfred.
He saw Ivan with a great smile on his face as he was swinging a man around in his arms.
Since he was so tall, Ivan was literally swinging him around since the man's feet couldn't reach the floor.
The man looked absolutely terrified!
And, apparently, Ivan didn't pick up on that.
He just kept dancing away, giggling like a child.
Alfred sighed. "Oh, God, Ivan." Alfred said.
The man's screaming also attracted the others' attention too.
"That dumbass is going to get us all found out." Arthur said, annoyed.
"He really doesn't think things through, does he?" Yao asked.
Francis just laughed it off saying, "Well, it's good he's having fun."
Alfred sighed. "Poor guy." he said, turning back to the man.
"Ja." the man responded.
The man looked somewhat dejected as they continued dancing.
Alfred wondered why until he remembered that he hadn't answered his question yet.
"O-Oh, I'm sorry! You asked me a question right? I got distracted. What was it?" Alfred asked.
"I asked you what your name was." the man said, reminding Alfred.
"Oh, sorry. My name is Alfr-uh, F-Frieda! M-My name is Frieda." Alfred said, thankful he didn't say his real name.
The man smiled again. "Oh. That's a pretty name." he said.
"Well? What about you? What's your name?" Alfred asked.
"O-Oh, s-sorry, I didn't mean to be rude I-" the man said before Alfred cut him off.
"Calm down, you're not being rude. Don't take it so seriously. I'm having a good time. Just tell me your name." Alfred said, reassuringly.
The man took a deep breath to steady himself. "Ludwig. My name is Ludwig." he said.
"Ah. See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Alfred asked.
Ludwig gave a breathless smile. "Nein. I guess it wasn't. I just get nervous sometimes." Ludwig said.
Alfred shrugged saying, "Happens."
They continued dancing while they chatted amicably about the ball, music, dances, and pretty much whatever things Ludwig found interesting.
Alfred just nodded and spoke, giving replies when he needed to.
The way Ludwig was talking, so amicable and friendly; it was like he wasn't aligned with the enemy at all.
Alfred had always thought that everyone here would be intimidating and serious.
But not him.
Not Ludwig.
It was shocking, really, to see someone like him at a ball celebrating numerous conquests.
It just didn't make sense.
Why did he look so happy?
Was it because of that?
Or was it because of Alfred?
Sure, he'd been staring at him all night.
And sure, Alfred had threw him a bone and smiled at him.
But, oh.
The look that he'd given him when Alfred had smiled at him.
Like he'd just been waiting all night for that.
Well, he sure had been staring all him all night.
Just staring.
With a serious look on his face.
So pensive.
Calculating.
Thinking.
Analyzing.
And the way he looked away when Alfred had finally returned the gesture.
He just looked away every time they locked eyes.
As if he had just suddenly been reminded that he was staring at him.
And the way he blushed?
The way he tried to dismiss the claims that were no doubt said by his group?
Probably something along the lines of, 'See? She likes you! Go get her? What are you waiting for?'
And when he shook his head nervously and mumbled something, the way he looked when they tried to push him over to Alfred.
He refused like a stubborn mule and held his ground.
All the while, with a blush on his face.
Almost like when a kid in school is outed for having a crush on somebody.
Total and utter embarrassment.
But when Alfred had made the choice of smiling at him, everything changed.
The men surrounding Ludwig urged him all the more to go talk to Alfred.
When he nodded to prepare himself, the embarrassed look on his face faded into determination.
Determined to talk to Alfred.
Seriousness.
Confidence.
The smile Alfred had given him had pushed him over the edge and had given him incentive.
Incentive to speak to him.
To get to know him.
And the smile he wore as he made his way closer was a sign that he was interested.
The way he stuttered when he asked if Alfred wanted to dance with him.
The way his smile widened when Alfred said "yes".
The way he led him to the dance floor.
The nervous way he acted when trying to talk.
His sure and confident movements when teaching Alfred how to waltz.
The strong way he held Alfred as he led him through the many twists and turns.
The animated way he talked to Alfred about whatever came to his mind.
The sparkle in his icy blue eyes as he looked at him with sincere interest.
All of the things that led up to this point in time.
Everything that happened.
It made Alfred think.
Really think about the situation.
And needless to say, it sort of scared him.
Because oh, God, it made him think of the worst thing that could have happened.
Oh, God, this could be the absolute worst thing that could have happened.
Because looking back at all the events that led up to this point.
It seemed to only point to one thing.
Did this man…did Ludwig…like Alfred?
It was impossible.
It had to have been impossible, but…
The way he acted.
They all were the telltale signs that someone shows when they like someone.
Oh, God.
Oh, God, Alfred couldn't believe it!
This man…Ludwig…actually liked him!
Liked him!
Oh.
Oh, this was all too much.
It was just too much.
Alfred's eyes widened in realization.
Francis was right.
Alfred did have a suitor.
Alfred looked over Ludwig's suit.
And a high-ranking one at that.
The way people fawned over him.
It really showed that he was very important around here.
And the way people just looked at him.
Like they were idolizing him.
And apparently, Alfred had been the lucky one who Ludwig had asked to dance with.
'Try flirting with them. That's a good way to get information out of people.' Francis' voice rang out loud and clear in Alfred's head.
Alfred sighed.
Well.
Guess he'd have to do it now.
It was one thing to flirt.
But it was another thing to flirt with somebody who liked you.
Hmm.
Well.
It did have its advantages.
Maybe he could use that to his benefit later on.
That is, if he'd even see Ludwig again.
It would be very useful for them.
Alfred smiled a little and stored that little plan of his away for later use.
Maybe it would turn out to be a good thing that he had attracted a suitor.
And, what luck, a very important looking one too.
Maybe he could get a lot of information out of him.
Use him to obtain vital information.
So, he'd keep up this little charade if only to get what he wanted.
After dancing through a few more songs, Ludwig finally spoke up.
"Hey. Do you want to go someplace a little quieter? It's a little too loud in here." Ludwig said.
"Where did you want to go?" Alfred said, a little apprehensively.
"I'll show you. Come on, it's not that far." Ludwig said.
"Ok…I'll go." Alfred said.
Once the music ended, Ludwig grabbed Alfred's hand and led him through the crowd.
On the way, they passed by Francis.
He gave him a look that said, 'Where are you going?'
Alfred shrugged.
"Be careful." Francis whispered after Alfred.
Alfred nodded and let Ludwig lead him where he would.
Once out of the sea of people, Ludwig led Alfred into the hallway and deeper into the hotel.
The music and chatter slowly faded away.
They walked together, silently, down the hallway.
Ludwig looked back and smiled. "Sorry for wanting to leave. It was a bit too loud in there for my tastes." Ludwig said.
"No…it's ok. It was getting hot in there anyway." Alfred replied.
"Well, if you're hot, I know where we can go." Ludwig said.
And with that, Ludwig increased his pace a bit.
He led Alfred up a few flights of stairs.
Alfred had to struggle to keep from falling since he had to lift up the hem of the dress.
But Ludwig waited patiently and helped Alfred when need be.
Ludwig led him in hallway after hallway and up staircase after staircase.
Alfred began to wonder where in the hell Ludwig was taking him.
Until Ludwig finally slowed down.
He turned around and smiled. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take you so far, I just wanted to take you here. It's where I go whenever I need to think." Ludwig said.
"Take me where?" Alfred asked.
Ludwig led Alfred up to a large door with panes of glass and out on to a balcony.
"Here." Ludwig said. "This is where I go whenever I need to clear my head. If I'm staying here anyway."
"Oh." Alfred said, simply.
Alfred let Ludwig's hand go and walked forward to the edge of the balcony and looked out over the city.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Ludwig asked, walking up beside Alfred.
Alfred nodded in agreement. "Yeah." Alfred said.
And it was.
Looking out over the city lights.
It was hard to believe that they were in a time of war.
If they had been in a time of peace, Alfred could just look at the scenery all night if he wanted.
"Would you like to sit down?" Ludwig asked.
"Yes, thanks." Alfred said.
Ludwig motioned to a small bench behind Alfred.
He sat down and Ludwig sat down at his side.
"Are you cold?" Ludwig asked.
"No. I'm alright." Alfred said.
They sat like that for a short while.
They were just sitting in comfortable silence.
"The moon is beautiful tonight." Alfred said, looking up.
"Ja. It is. Very beautiful." Ludwig said.
Alfred looked at Ludwig then.
"So, what made you want to ask me to dance?" Alfred asked.
Ludwig looked at Alfred before turning away and blushing slightly. "Oh. Ja. S-Sorry, but I don't really know."
"Well, you've been staring at me all night. You had to have some reason." Alfred said.
"O-Oh, ja. S-Sorry about that. I didn't mean to." Ludwig said.
"So?" Alfred pressed. "I know there's a reason. Care to tell me?"
Ludwig rubbed the back of his head, nervously. "I-I don't know. I just thought you just looked really beautiful. I wanted to talk to you. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable." Ludwig said.
Alfred blushed slightly. "Oh. Y-You thought I was beautiful?" Alfred asked.
Ludwig turned to look at Alfred then. "J-Ja. I did. I didn't mean to stare at you so much. I didn't make you uncomfortable did I?" Ludwig asked.
"O-Oh, no. No, you didn't. I-I just wanted to know. That's all." Alfred said, still blushing.
"I'm glad. I didn't want to scare you away." Ludwig said, laughing nervously.
"But why didn't you just come up to me?" Alfred asked.
"Oh…I just…I didn't want to make a fool of myself. I wasn't sure if I should or not." Ludwig said.
"Yeah, but talking to someone is better than just staring at them." Alfred said.
Ludwig was about to say something but he fell silent and looked away.
He looked like he was thinking that this wasn't going where he wanted it to.
"Hey, don't worry. You didn't make a fool of yourself. You eventually talked to me after a while." Alfred was quick to speak up.
Ludwig looked back at Alfred incredulously. "Y-You really think so?" Ludwig asked.
"Of course. I mean, it took you a while, but you still did." Alfred said.
"Ja. At first, I wasn't going to because I was too shy. But when you smiled at me…I just felt like I should." Ludwig said.
Alfred smiled. "Well, I'm glad you did. It was getting boring." Alfred said.
"S-So, you didn't mind dancing with me? It was just so sudden, I thought you might have refused." Ludwig said.
"No, not at all. I had a nice time. I didn't know you could dance." Alfred said.
"Ja, I…sort of picked it up. You know, watching people at other parties." Ludwig said.
"You were pretty good from what I can tell." Alfred said.
Ludwig blushed again. "Thanks. I guess I just wanted to impress you." Ludwig said, sheepishly.
"Thanks for teaching me." Alfred said, smiling.
"Oh, you're very welcome!" Ludwig said, eagerly.
Alfred smiled and looked back out at the horizon.
"So, do you come here often?" Alfred asked.
"Ja. I come here whenever I'm going somewhere und need to rest for a while. But I like to come to this balcony whenever I need to think or get fresh air." Ludwig said.
"Well, I can see why you do. It's a really great view from here." Alfred said.
Ludwig looked out over the city too. "It is." he said, wistfully.
They sat there, neither of them saying anything, the comfortable silence overtaking them again.
And like so many times before, this feeling that Alfred got.
It felt…nice.
Nice to just talk with somebody.
Even if it was the enemy.
And also, like before…
It just didn't feel like it.
It felt so comfortable around Ludwig.
Like they had been old friends since childhood.
But that just couldn't be since they had only just met tonight.
So why did Alfred feel so comfortable around this man?
So natural.
Maybe it was because of Ludwig's friendly personality.
Maybe because it was the way he smiled so sincerely.
Or maybe it was just how Ludwig didn't seem to be intimidating in any way.
But how could somebody so polite and friendly be aligned with something so evil?
It was so confusing.
Alfred just couldn't wrap his head around this whole thing.
Maybe he just needed to let this all sink in.
Maybe then he could finally think all this through.
"So, are you enjoying the ball tonight?" Ludwig asked, jarring Alfred from his thoughts.
"Yes, it's really nice. The decorations are beautiful." Alfred said.
Ludwig smiled. "I'm having a good time too. I never thought I'd get to dance with the most beautiful woman here." Ludwig said.
Alfred felt his face heat up again.
"St-Stop it. Y-You're just saying that." Alfred said.
Ludwig turned and grabbed Alfred's hands.
"Nein, I'm serious! I really mean it! You're the most beautiful woman here. I'm glad I was lucky enough to share a dance with you. So, thank you. Thank you so much for giving me that chance." Ludwig said, looking directly into Alfred's eyes.
Alfred looked down at his hands within Ludwig's larger ones.
"Oh. Thank you. N-No problem. It was my pleasure." Alfred said.
Ludwig smiled and let go of Alfred's hands.
"This night is going a lot better than I expected. Thanks to you. If you weren't here, I probably wouldn't have danced at all. I would have been really bored without you. Thank you for making this a memorable night." Ludwig said.
"Oh…n-no problem." Alfred said, blushing.
Oh, God.
What was this?
Why was Alfred blushing so much?
He was supposed to be getting information.
Not getting wooed by some strange man on a moonlit balcony.
But the way Ludwig talked to him.
The way he looked at him.
It was just so…
Just so…
Weird.
And, for the life of him, Alfred couldn't explain it.
How could this man, a Nazi at that, make him feel like this?
It was really confusing.
This would really wreak havoc on Alfred's thoughts later on.
But he didn't have time to think about that now.
He'd worry about these strange new feelings later.
But, God, if Ludwig kept saying all these sincere complements, Alfred didn't know what he'd do.
This man was just so charming.
And it was then that Alfred decided not to try out Francis' flirting idea.
Because if he did, then who knew what that would lead to.
He had to keep his mind on the mission and not go about stirring up the feelings of some Nazi officer.
'And another thing! No flirting! You're supposed to be on a mission, not getting in anyone's pants!' Matthew's voice rang through Alfred's head.
'Oh, Mattie, if only you knew. It's not me this time.' Alfred thought.
'Remember, they're the enemy! So don't sleep with any of them!' came Matthew's voice again.
Alfred smiled then. 'Don't worry, I won't.' Alfred thought, looking at Ludwig. 'Probably.'
Well.
Alfred couldn't lie.
Ludwig was handsome.
Very handsome, actually.
But, oh, God, now was not the time to think about that right now.
They sat together, talking the night away about whatever popped up in their head.
Ludwig, talking very animatedly, and Alfred just nodding his head and listening.
He seemed content to just sit here with Alfred and talk all night if he could.
And actually, Alfred wouldn't mind that either.
It was nice sitting here and listening to Ludwig tell him of the things that he found interesting.
And above all else, Alfred seemed to forget that they were in a time of war as he listened to Ludwig tell him stories of past experiences.
Alfred traded a few of his stories too.
Of course some of them were fake since he had to keep his persona intact.
But it was still fun to believe that they were true.
And the way Ludwig smiled as he told him made it all the easier.
It really was a great night.
Not boring at all.
They joked and laughed the hours away.
They really could have went all night.
But they soon heard the loud bell overhead signaling the time.
It was way past midnight.
About 4 o'clock in the morning.
They looked down at the parking lot below and saw people getting in cars and driving off.
"Well. It looks like the party is over." Alfred said, getting up and walking over to the edge of the balcony.
Ludwig's smile dropped a little. "Ja." Ludwig said, a bit sadly and walking up beside him.
Alfred looked over at Ludwig.
He was looking down at the emptying parking lot with a somewhat sad look on his face.
He looked like he'd wanted this night to go on forever.
It looked like he really was content to talk the whole night away.
"It was really fun talking to you." Alfred said, trying to cheer Ludwig up a bit.
Ludwig looked over. "Thank you. It was fun talking to you too." Ludwig said, smiling a bit.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the hotel, Arthur was walking around briskly, looking for Alfred.
"Where the bloody hell is he?" Arthur asked.
He walked up staircase after staircase after searching each floor.
Once he reached another step, he walked down the hallway and was about to walk past the glass paneled door when he heard talking.
Arthur turned his head towards the sound and walked towards it.
He saw an open door and peeked his head around the corner.
He saw that Alfred was talking to some strange man.
Sighing, he called out to Alfred. "Alfr-wait, no." Arthur said, stopping himself before thinking. 'Oh, bloody hell what was his name again? Fri…Fre…ah, Frieda!' "Hey, Frieda! Where have you been?! We've been looking for you all night!"
Alfred was cut off by his conversation with Ludwig, when he heard a voice calling out to him.
He looked over to see Arthur looking at them.
"Oh, Arthu-I mean, Alice! What are you doing here?" Alfred asked.
"Everyone has been looking for you. We didn't know where you went. We were so worried, and we didn't know what happened to you." Arthur said.
Alfred smiled. "No, I'm fine. Ludwig here was just showing me a good time." Alfred said.
"Hello. It's nice to meet you." Ludwig said, politely.
"Likewise." Arthur said.
"So, everyone was looking for me?" Alfred asked.
"Yes, now, Frieda, can we please get out of here? It's getting really late." Arthur said.
"Sure, just let me say goodnight to Ludwig." Alfred said.
Arthur sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine." Arthur said.
Alfred smiled and turned back to Ludwig. "Well. I had a lot of fun. Thanks for the great time. Goodnight." Alfred said.
Ludwig smiled. "It was my pleasure. I had fun too." Ludwig said.
And with that, Alfred walked back Ludwig and towards Arthur.
But then, all of a sudden, Alfred felt a large hand grab his own.
"Wait!" Ludwig said, almost sounding desperate.
Alfred turned around and saw that Ludwig was holding his hand. "Yes?" he asked, looking up at Ludwig.
Ludwig blushed and looked down, looking like he wanted to say something.
"Ludwig, do you need something?" Alfred asked.
Ludwig then looked up and met Alfred's eyes. "W-Will I see you again?" Ludwig asked.
Alfred's eyes widened. "I-I really don't know. Would there be another time?" Alfred asked.
"Y-You could come back tomorrow." Ludwig offered.
"Tomorrow? What's tomorrow?" Alfred asked.
"Well, this party is sort of a big occasion. It's kind of a weeklong thing. Well, not really a week. More like a few days at least. You could come back then. I-I mean, i-if you really want to, that is." Ludwig said.
Alfred thought for a short while.
Ludwig blushed even more and shuffled his feet.
He was probably hoping he hadn't made a fool of himself and sounded desperate.
Because if he did, oh, God.
What if that ruined his chances of seeing Alfred again?
And then, finally, Alfred smiled.
"Ok, sure. We'll be here. I'd love to talk to you again. Of course, I'll have to think about it first." Alfred said. "I'll go over it with my friends and we'll see."
Ludwig then gave a sigh of relief and smiled. "Th-Thanks. I'll be waiting. I hope I get to see you again. I really do." Ludwig said.
Alfred smiled back.
And then what Ludwig did next shocked him.
Ludwig leaned down and kissed Alfred's hand.
Kissed it!
Ludwig kissed him.
On the hand!
Oh, God.
Alfred blushed a deep shade of red as Ludwig pulled back and smiled.
"Goodnight." Ludwig said.
"G-Goodnight." Alfred stuttered.
And with that, Ludwig let go of Alfred's hand and Alfred walked over to Arthur.
They turned to leave and Alfred looked back at Ludwig.
Ludwig smiled warmly.
Alfred smiled back and walked on into the hallway.
Once they got further into the hallway and down the steps out of Ludwig's earshot, Arthur spoke up.
"Umm, ok, do you want to tell me just what the hell that was?" Arthur asked.
"I-I really don't know. Francis said that he apparently likes me." Alfred said. "I guess he was right."
Arthur didn't say anything for the rest of the way downstairs.
Once they reached the ballroom, they saw the rest of the group sitting down.
Once Francis saw them coming closer, he jump up and walked over to Alfred.
"Alfred, are you alright?! Where did you go with that man?! Did he do anything to you?!" Francis asked, frantically gripping Alfred's shoulders.
Alfred chuckled and took Francis' hands off of his shoulders.
"Don't worry, I'm fine! He didn't do anything to me. We just talked. That's all." Alfred said.
Francis sighed with relief. "Good. I thought something bad had happened to you." Francis said.
"Nope. I'm fine." Alfred said.
"Well, are you ready to go?" Francis asked.
"Yeah. I'm beat." Alfred said.
"Yes, please can we just get out of here? I just want to collapse on my bed." Yao said.
"I agree. I just want to get out of this damn dress." Arthur said.
"Ok, let's go. We need to talk about our findings." Francis said.
And with that, they began walking out toward the hotel entrance.
On the way there, they saw a man leaning on a table looking very disheveled.
There were people around him.
As they passed by him, Ivan stopped and smiled down at him. "Thank you for dancing with me." Ivan said, putting a large hand on the man's shoulder. "I had a really fun time tonight."
The man whimpered and buried his head in his arms.
The others just gulped.
Ivan took his hand off and caught up with the rest of the group with a big smile on his face.
A short while later, they reached the parking lot and walked towards their ride home.
When they reached their ride, Alfred looked up at the hotel.
He looked at the balcony and saw that Ludwig was still there, waving down to him.
Alfred smiled and waved back before getting in.
Once they were fully settled in, they were off on the road again.
"Well, so how did everyone do?" Francis asked.
"I couldn't really find anything." Yao said.
"Me neither." Arthur said.
"I couldn't either, but I had a lot of fun!" Ivan said, cheerfully.
"And you, Alfred? Did you get anything out of that man?" Francis asked.
"No, not really. We just talked is all." Alfred said.
"Well, he got a kiss out of him." Arthur said.
Everyone's eyes widened.
"What?!" Francis asked.
"He kissed you?!" Yao asked.
"When did that happen?" Ivan asked.
"A short while ago, before we came downstairs." Arthur said.
Alfred blushed and shot Arthur a dirty look.
"W-Wait, he kissed you?!" Francis asked.
"Y-Yeah. B-But it wasn't on the mouth. He just kissed my hand. He asked if he was going to see me again." Alfred said.
"But how can you see him again? Wasn't tonight the only night?" Yao asked.
"No. He told me that it was supposed to last for a few days. And he asked if I was coming tomorrow." Alfred said.
"Hmm. A few days? Well, this was certainly unexpected." Francis said. "Since we didn't get anything useful, maybe we should come back tomorrow night."
"Huh? Wait, you want to come back?" Arthur asked.
"I think it would be worth it. Who knows when we'd see so many important officials in one place again." Francis said.
"What?! No way, I don't want to put on a dress again!" Yao cried.
Ivan giggled. "Oh, yes, that sounds like fun! I want to dance again! I had a great time tonight!" Ivan said.
"So, it's settled, we're going back tomorrow." Francis said.
Arthur growled and crossed his arms.
Yao shook Francis, trying desperately to convince him otherwise.
And all the while, Ivan sat there with an eager smile on his face.
Francis smiled. "You see, Alfred, I told you that you attracted some attention." Francis said.
"I almost wish I hadn't." Alfred said.
"No, don't you see? Alfred, since this man obviously likes you, why don't you use him to get information? From the looks of him, he looks like he's very high ranked. He's bound to know something! You already have his trust, so all you have to do is just get it out of him. It'll be easy, he'll never expect a thing!" Francis said.
"I was thinking about it, but I didn't want to ask him about anything, otherwise, he may get suspicious." Alfred said.
"Hmm. You're right." Francis said. "Ease into it. And then, when you've got him right where you want him, ask him what he knows."
"Right." Alfred said.
They pulled in front of the house and got out.
Once inside, they went to their rooms.
"Ugh, off with this thing!" Yao yelled.
Alfred smiled as he took off the dress.
He could agree.
It did feel good to take it off after wearing it all night.
He got it unzipped before someone knocked on the door.
"Come in." Alfred said.
"Hello, Alfred." Francis, said, coming inside.
"Hey." Alfred said.
"I just wanted to tell you that since we're going back tomorrow night, I took the liberty of getting everyone a change of clothes. I thought we should change up a bit. You know, just to keep it fresh." Francis said.
"Ok. That's fine. Maybe they'll be a little easier to walk in." Alfred said.
"Yes, I made sure of that." Francis said. "Plus, I think you'll look great in it so you can impress that man that likes you so much."
Alfred smiled. "It's not that deep, Francis. You act like he loves me or something." Alfred said.
"Well, you can never be too sure. He was staring at you quite intently. I think anything that would get you what you want, you should do it. As long as it's within reason, of course." Francis said.
"I'll see what I can do." Alfred said. "I'll see what I can get out of him."
"Good. Well, goodnight. We have a lot to do tomorrow." Francis said.
"Yeah. Goodnight." Alfred said.
Francis smiled and walked out, closing the door behind him.
Alfred took off the shoes and pulled off the dress.
He sighed in relief as he threw the shoes aside.
He hung the dress in the closet for possible future use and pulled the wig off.
He then took off the unused gun and knife that were strapped to his leg.
In nothing but his underclothes, Alfred walked over to his bed and collapsed into it.
Damn, that was a long night.
He pulled the blankets up over himself.
He just wantedto sleep!
He yawned loudly.
Taking off his glasses, Alfred thought about the night's events.
He couldn't believe that he gained the attention of a Nazi officer.
It was just too much!
And the most confusing part of it all was that Ludwig was so charismatic.
Weren't Nazis supposed to be hard and serious?
So why wasn't Ludwig?
He obviously had the marks to prove it.
His suit was full of medals and emblems.
And that patch on his shoulder was proof enough that he was.
So where was the intense and intimidating aura that he was supposed to be emanating?
Alfred just couldn't find him the least bit intimidating.
Not the way he acted and talked.
It was just nothing.
Calmness.
He had expected all of them to be the same.
Like robots just following orders.
Ludwig wasn't the same.
He was…different.
How different, Alfred didn't know, but still different.
Maybe he would have to analyze him more when he got the chance to see him again.
'W-Will I see you again?' came the question again.
To Alfred it sounded so…desperate.
So lonely.
Like Alfred had been the only who had given him companionship.
But didn't he have friends?
If not friends, then comrades.
People that worked side by side with him.
Like those people that were surrounding him.
Surely, they were his friends right?
But Alfred just couldn't ignore that tone of voice Ludwig had.
So hopeful.
And so longing.
And if that was true, then…
What would happen if Alfred didn't show up tomorrow?
How would Ludwig take it?
Would he be sad?
Lonely, even if he was at a party full of people?
Alfred had felt how Ludwig had held his hand.
Almost as if he didn't want Alfred to go.
'You could come back then. I-I mean, i-if you really want to, that is.' Ludwig's voice came again.
And plus, that look in his icy blue eyes.
A hint of longing and probably a plea for Alfred to come back and see him again.
'If you weren't here, I probably wouldn't have danced at all. I would have been really bored without you.'
So, he would have just been standing on the wall all night?
Just a wallflower?
Looking onto the crowd with disinterest.
Could it be that Alfred really had triggered something like Francis had said?
He must have.
'You're the most beautiful woman here.'
For him to call him beautiful like that.
Ludwig really must have liked him.
Ok.
Fine.
Alfred would go back and see Ludwig again.
If that was what he really wanted.
He would go see him again, if only just so he could analyze him better.
He needed to see what made him tick.
How he worked.
So that he could use that to his advantage in the future.
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Alfred said, sleepily.
Those words had been drilled into his head by now.
This would turn out to be one hell of a mission.
One that Alfred was definitely not prepared for.
And who knows, this could prove to be his toughest mission yet.
And he would have to mentally prepare himself before he thrust himself into harm's way.
Alfred reached up and turned the lamp off.
He rolled over into a comfortable position and yawned again.
And the last thing Alfred thought about before dozing off to sleep was that look in Ludwig's eyes.
And the way he spoke.
Like he was begging for help.
Like he didn't want to be alone.
Just something that Alfred couldn't place.
And, by God, that bothered Alfred.
He hated being in the dark about things.
And this something interested him.
He'd find out what it was even if it killed him.
He just had to know.
Phew, another chapter finally done! I had a lot of fun writing this one! This one was just full of events, wasn't it? Hopefully, this chapter gave you a little insight on Ludwig and Alfred.
P.S. After scouring the internet for a reliable and accurate translator, I believe that I found a good one. "Was würden sie gerne trinken? Bier? Wein?" means "What would you like to drink? Beer? Wine?" and "H-Hallo. W-Würden sie bitte mit mir tanzen?" means "H-Hello. "W-Would you like to dance with me?" At least, I hope they mean that. If not, then I have been lied to and have not scavenged the internet well enough. So, if anybody speaks German and see that the words I used are incorrect, please tell me and I'll correct it. Anyway, please read and review and look forward to the next chapter! =).