Le chat qui fume: Chapter 2
Days later, at the 'Chat qui fume' bistro, France would cut Prussia in his tale:
-" And you have never noticed before?"
-" As strange as it is...No. I thought that West was simply...Not interested in these kind of things. I mean, he's always working and doing un-awesome things and he never seem to have time for others!"
-" I don't see things your way, mon cher, I've always thought that your Frère (brother) use to spend too much time with little Italy. If I am surprised, it's only to know that he waited all this time to act on his feelings. If you want my opinion, it is not healthy"
-" Hell if I care"
-" If you don't care, then what did you seek my advice on?"
-" I just wanted to grace you with my awesome presence"
-" Being alone is not that awesome, after all...oui? "
-" I know right, haha!...Oh...Francis, you jerk!"
( back to flashback)
Ludwig's day passed either too fast, either too slowly. In the afternoon, he had glanced at the clock every five minutes and it has seemed as if the time didn't want to make 7 o'clock happen.
But once afternoon was over, time seemed to suddenly sprint. Ludwig, struggling with his costume, hair and general appearance, watched the needle of minutes trot around the clock as if it was racing against the needle of seconds.
Gilbert watched silently, seemingly amused, but worried inside.
-" By the look of it- and you acting like a pre-teen brat, which make me sorry- you're not going out to a business dinner, West!"
-" That's right" Ludwig said, nervous and annoyed by the stupid new tie he had bought for the occasion and that didn't want to bend in the shape he wanted it to, " but I can't tell you what it is about, because if I tell you, I will have bad luck"
Prussia blinked and wondered who was that man and what he has done with his brother. It wasn't like West at all to worry about foolishnesses such as good or bad luck.
He shrugged that off. It was obvious to what kind of 'meeting' his brother was going, it was just something Gilbert would never have expected.
If he had knew, then...
Nevermind.
-" I'm going to be late!" Ludwig fidgeted in front of his mirror. He looked so pathetic that Gilbert took pity and decided to give him a hand.
He took Ludwig by the shoulders and turned him around toward him, then he fixed the stubborn tie with a few assured movements.
-" There, done!" He said, praising himself in the inside. " I think you can make it in time!"
-" Thanks, big brother" Ludwig almost 'jumped' out the house. He brought no flower this time, he didn't want to embarrass Feliciano like he had years ago after Valentines.
Thanks to nation's ability to travel faster than any human could, Ludwig was at Italy's door ten minutes later. He slicked his hair back nervously before ringing the door bell.
He didn't wait long before Italy appeared at the door, not the one he had come to pick up though.
-" Hi, Romano."
South Italy didn't reply to that, he munched on his tomato and looked at him from head to shoes, then back up.
-" That costume you threw on is fucking lame" he just said before Feliciano appeared.
-" Buena serra, Germany!" He was wearing a very styled costume, certainly more expensive than Ludwig's, and that has probably been cut for him. He looked really handsome in it.
-" Let's go, yes?" Ludwig blushed cutely and tried to ignore the piercing glare Romano was gracing him with.
-" You better watch out, bastard! If anything happen to my brother, I'll..."
-" Don't worry, nothing bad will happen to him" Ludwig assured Romano and nudged Italy toward the car.
The Italian restaurant he had chosen for this very special evening wasn't too far, and that was good given the fact his stomach was twisting in hunger ( oh, in fact, it was only these butterflies again)
It wasn't a regular restaurant, but an expensive and classy one, where the waiters were too well paid to intrude in their customers' business.
The 4 stars restaurant's dinner room was divided in several alcoves where people could eat and talk in total discretion , shielded from other customers' eyes and ears. The alcoves themselves were nice little compartments for 4 persons to the most, made of wooden benches covered with tick velvet cushions. Candles were lit on the varnished table to add to the romantic atmosphere.
Ludwig had thought it would be perfect for the situation.
If Feliciano took notice of the elegant dinner room, he did, however, not comment on it. He was more interested by the menu in his hands.
-" Woah they have a strange way to describe simple pasta dishes here!"
-" It's a Franco-Italian restaurant. Francis recommended it to me. He said the wine was really good, would you like some wine with the dinner, Feliciano?" Ludwig was proud of himself. He had taken only theoretical courses on how to act like a gallant man and was happy to realize that he could manage fairly well in a real situation.
" Oh yes, that's be nice" Italy said before hiding back behind the menu. Ludwig could hear him debate with himself on the kind of pasta he would order.
All Ludwig could see of his Italian friend was the curl, peeking out and bouncing in apparent excitation. The German smiled, happy that he had finally decided to make a step.
He had planned the evening well in his head, like he would have a battle plan. After the dinner and during the dessert, he would make his move: He would tell Feliciano that he wanted to be more than a friend. ( he had visualized the scene after a romance book) then he would do something like take his hand or stroke his cheek ( he had seen that in a movie) and tell him how wonderful he was and such sweet nothings.
That would be perfect, really.
A waiter came to take their orders and they chatted together like every time they meet. Ludwig spent the whole dinner thinking about the dessert and his confession, repeating the words he was going to say in his head. The butterflies in his stomach didn't let him finish his plate of lasagne and he was really not hungry for dessert, but he had to order some because it was a key element of his plan.
He ordered a sorbet and Feliciano asked for some tiramisu. As the moment of his confession was approaching, Ludwig felt more and more nervous, but he had promised himself he wouldn't back away.
Soon enough, the desserts were served and Ludwig merely brushed his sorbet with his spoon. His heart was beating hard against his chest, as if to urge him to go ahead and do it already.
-" Feliciano, I have to tell you something" He began, cursing himself internally for his sudden weak tone of voice. " It's something personal that doesn't concern our nation's duties."
Italy squirmed a little on his chair.
-" Ah? I have to tell you something too" He said. " .. very very personal"
Ludwig knew he was being a coward, but he decided to let Italy speak first. That would give him some time to calm his poor heart, he told himself, and maybe his hands would stop trembling. Also, it was polite to let your partner speak first.
He could have found himself a dozen of excuses.
-" Oh? Really? What is it ?" He asked.
Feliciano smiled shily and played around in his tiramisu with his little fork.
-" I think I like Gilbert very very much"
Ludwig blinked. "Pardon?"
-"Ve! I needed to tell someone, so I am telling you because you are my best friend. Do you think you can help me arrange a date with him?"
That kind of thing happened in his romance books too. But usually, when something like that happened, the story jumped to another scene. This was reality, though, and there would be no change of scene. Ludwig didn't know what to do. He barely registered Feliciano's words, but he got the part about him liking his brother very much.
His brother, not him.
He swallowed his frustration- it was hard, like a big ball of something stuck in his throat- and considered an answer to Italy's last question.
-" Do you know...If Gilbert like you the same way?"
Italy looked down and shock his head.
-" Do you...Want me to talk to him?" why he was doing that, he didn't know.
Italy looked up again and smiled wide. "You would do that? Oh thank you, Germany! You are a real friend!"
He had read these words many times in his romance books and had always pitied these poor 'good friends' characters who never become more than that to the beautiful woman in the story.
He was one of them now. Boy that hurts.
TBC