The next day, Ludwig was sitting in his room, going over some of the accounting documents his uncle had thought would take his mind off of things. All it really did was make it wander more, what with having nothing interesting to do. After about and hour and a half wit about ten minutes worth of work to be done, Ludwig pretty much rage quit, and threw his pen down before grabbing a jacket and heading out for a walk. He hoped that this would clear his head, though his previous attempt at beating the ADD out of himself didn't really work. All it did was leave him with scabbed knuckled, and a broken piece of exercise equipment.
The chilly air hit him, and he inhaled deeply. Fresh air was always a good idea, especially when it was still early, and not many people were about. Yes, he'd been up for a good bit of time, but it was still barely seven-thirty, and most of these people didn't wake up until eight. He walked, not really paying any attention to where he went. This happened to bring him to the square outside Feliciano's hotel. He cursed inwardly, and wondered how he had strayed so far fro his normal walk through the park.
It happened to be quite the eventful mistake, however, as a sharp, and slightly rusted blade was pressed to his throat, though it was quite awkwardly in that he was almost half a foot taller than his attacker. Without even thinking about it, he grabbed the hand, and flipped the assailant over, because he had three years of judo training that he had yet to remember receiving. A man with scraggly clothing, two sizes too big, and wide eyes that showed he was addicted to something, was now cowering in front of a very tall, very angry Ludwig.
"So you like to attack people outside this hotel, do you? Well I had a friend go missing, and if you can't tell me where he is, I'll make sure that you're never a danger to anyone ever again, got it?" He growled, lifting the man into the air, after taking his knife of course.
"Who are you looking for?"
"His name is Feliciano Vargas. He has auburn hair, and a stupid smile. He has tan skin, and an Italian accent."
"Yes, I know where he is. I was hunted down to find him by one of the Bellshmidts. Please don't kill me, the last place I saw him was at the back door of the Bellshmidt mansion!" He begged, and Ludwig dropped him in shock. That couldn't be right. His uncle had hired this scum to kidnap Feliciano? That made no sense. He had only had one conversation with the boy, and that had been paying for a piece of his art. What did e have against him?
He very much intended to find out, and started running back to his home.
….
Feliciano was very sure that he was going to die here. He had eaten his breakfast as usual, and was now staring at the light bulb above him, as it flickered in it's last minutes of life. The glass was firmly held in his right hand, blood slowly dripping down it from the palm of his hand. He could almost hear the voice of Ludwig and his mama calling him, as if they were waiting for him even now. Of course, that was likely just his madness, but he had no idea that he was in anything but ideal mental health. In spite of the insane cackles that would come from his chapped lips any time he thought of something funny, or the fact that he was having various auditory and visual hallucinations.
…..
Ludwig burst into his uncle's office, where the man was doing paperwork himself.
"What did I tell you about not knocking?"
"This is important. Where is Feliciano?" He said, not wasting any time. Shock played on his uncle's elderly features, and then it returned to his normal calm.
"And why do think that I would know where you're little friend is?" He asked, looking appalled that he would be asked such an accusatory question.
"Because a wretch in the square told me that a Bellshmidt ordered him kidnapped, and I'm damn sure it wasn't me." He growled, not really giving a fuck that this was the man who had essentially raised him.
"And why would you believe him? I'm your blood, and he's just some piece of dirt on the street."
"Because I know that you'll do anything for money. And whatever you hold against Feliciano, it obviously involves money. Now WHERE IS HE?" Ludwig hit the oak desk so hard it cracked in half.
"humph. You can't just keep your nose where it belongs, can you, you little piece of shit? First, you have to go and wake up, leaving me with a snot nosed little brat to take care of, then you can't just marry one of the women I bring you, and do as you're told. Well, I'm tired of taking care of you. I think it's time you went back to sleep. For good." His uncle said, pulling a small gun from the ruined desk.
" And you honestly think that you'll get away with killing me?"
"I'll have someone pronounce you dead by means of a massive concussion. People know about you're rough lifestyle, and how you like to go into underground fighting rings. It's likely that whatever you do down there also results in head injuries, something even more likely to kill someone with your history. I'll get off without a hitch, and I'll never have to worry about you again." With that last word, the gun fired, and Ludwig was shot to his ass with the impact. Pain wracked his body, and he clutched the wound as it poured blood.
His uncle walked from the room, laughing like the super villain he was, as he was convinced that he had killed his nephew. However, he had never trained with the gun, and had luckily only hit a patch of muscle. Not a fatal wound, in spite of the fact that it had ripped through every layer of Ludwig's shoulder. He slowly got to his feet, and stumbled to the only place he could imagine a captive being held that he wouldn't notice.
He opened the basement door, and saw a single light flickering. He nearly fell down the stairs, as a series of memories assaulted him. Each flicker brought a new scene, the only difference being that now he wasn't forgetting them. He remembered his friend's name. Feliciano Vargas, the little servant boy who liked to where a maid outfit, though he had thought her a girl until now. (S)he was his best friend, and he had even promised to marry the cross-dressing servant.
The seizure of memories stopped as the light went out, and he heard a bloodcurdling laugh. He ran down the stairs, and found in the dark, that there was a form across the room. He flicked on the main light, and found that Feliciano was sitting on the floor, chained to a chest. He was about to bring what appeared to be a piece of broken glass to his wrist.
"Feli, Stop it!" Ludwig said, resorting unconsciously to the old nickname.
"Ludi…?" He was too out of it to think that this was Harald, the person who he recognized Ludwig as.
"I'm here, Feli. I'm so sorry I didn't remember you sooner." He said, tears welling in both pairs of eyes as blue met amber.
"Wait, you're real? You're not an illusion…?"
"Of course, I'd never leave you. I just couldn't remember that after I woke up. But now I'm really awake, and I'm never gonna let anything happen to you, alright?"
Ludwig looked into those eyes, and as a single tear fell from him, he gently pressed lips to chapped lips, and wrapped the gentle face in his big hands.
"How touching. Too bad you're both going to have to die." Ludwig's uncle said, appearing out of seemingly no where.
Before he could raise the gun again, Ludwig tackled him, and his fist connected with his face. The glasses his elderly eyes needed broke, sending glass shards into his eyes, blinding him. Still, he managed to roll away, and pointed the gun in the direction he heard his nephew in. Before he could fire, he felt a sharp pain in his neck. The glass that had been meant to take Feliciano's life, ended up taking the uncle's instead. The tan, frightened boy had stabbed, and killed, the assailant of his love. Years of hate and fear had risen up not to protect he himself, but for another, he could fight. He could take life, after having his taken from him so many times.
"Ludwig…I-I'm sorry…"
"Don't be. You're safe, and that's all that matters." He smiled, and found the key to Feliciano's chains in his uncle's pocket, freeing the boy.
"You're hurt. What happened?"
"Nothing. I'm fine. Come on, we need to get out of here, and tell the police what happened." Ludwig lifted the boy in spite of his injury, and went up to the landline to call emergency services.
When the police arrived, they found the two young men clinging to each other, and an old man growing ever colder in what appeared to be a ghastly torture chamber. Needless to say, the two were treated as victims, and not suspects. Ludwig was taken to the hospital to have his wound attended to, but he refused to stay, even overnight. He went back to Feliciano's hotel room, not wanting to go back home. He now had the massive fortune of his father's company, so he could live wherever he damn well pleased.
….
"Ludwig, why did you lie about you're name?" Feliciano said, once they were back in the hotel. They sat on the bed, snuggling. Yes, the chilly ice king Ludwig was snuggling, and enjoying every moment of it.
"Because I was supposed to be finding a wife. I had no idea that I was already in love. Besides, if I had told you my name, before I remembered you, things would have gotten even more awkward, and may have made my uncle just kill you faster, instead of holding you captive. I suppose it was a lucky coincidence."
"I guess. Either way, I have you now, and I'm never gonna leave, so you should probably get used to me."
"Are you joking? You'd have to pry me away from you with a crow-bar, and even then, I'd probably just reattach myself." Ludwig joked, smiling. Such an unfamiliar expression, and yet Feliciano seemed to make him do it so often. He supposed that such was love.
"So, can we still get married, like you said when we were kids?"
"Sure, but you know it isn't legal here, right?"
"yeah, but there are other countries. We can get married there, right?" He seemed fairly exited about this, and Ludwig couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm.
"How about Switzerland? Low gun crime rate, and it has some really low taxes."
"You're so practical all the time. But I guess that's part of why I love you, huh?"
"I suppose. Hard to deal with me otherwise."
"So then we'll live in Switzerland, then?"
"Yep. Mr. Bellshmidt." The two of them laughed, and excitement threatened to burst out of both their breasts as the planned the wedding.
A/N- So this is the next-to-last chapter. After this, they'll have the wedding, and probably wedding sex. It would be really awesome if you guys reviewed, if nothing else to tell me if I should put Feli in a dress or a suit, I'm not too sure. BTW, thanks to everyone who has read this far, I love all of you in a weird, never having met you but love you anyway way!
