Ch.10 The Drawing
"That was the last time Hetalia ever saw daylight."Feliciano looked up at the select crew members of the Caloway still in the preservation room with him.
"So we're up to the night of the sinking." Corman sighed, not wanting to meet the boy's eyes. Something Lovino had said when he had first been asked to tell the story struck him again.
"Because that WAS his name."
There were very few stories from survivors of the Hetalia that had a happy ending and it sounded like this one would be no exception. Feliciano had said the same thing as well. Both of his separate guests had suffered deeply at the hands of fate and through his own hands he had arranged for, probably, their first moment of true joy to be publicly broadcast for the world to see.
No. Much as his main goal had been to find the cross, through listening to their stories he had come to understand the boys more. He had found a deep respect for both of them in different ways.
No. He wasn't going to ruin their moment.
"I'll be back." He whispered to Dave and left the room with Lovino staring after him.
"Story's affecting the bastard that much is it?" he tried to sound sarcastic but he had been forced to wipe tears from his eyes not too long before, "Not that I blame him. I mean can you believe it. There's Captain Honda with the iceberg warning in his fucking hand, and he's ordering more speed!" he laughed hysterically, "A fucking idiot!"
"He's been a captain for a while now." Dave sighed, "He figures that anything big enough to sink the ship will be spotted in time to turn. The ships too big with too small of rudders. It can't corner worth a damn. Everything he knows is wrong."
"It looks like he missed you." Jane smiled at the cat in Feliciano's lap, "I think that you'll be more comfortable continuing your story in your room than in the preservation room."
The young man nodded and looked out the porthole window by the bed. Speaking about it had brought the memory of that first kiss back and all the warmth, desire, and feeling of security and being wanted that had come in that instant. He licked his lips slightly as if the taste of his loving German/Spaniard would still be there.
~*First Class Sweet*~
It seemed like an eternity before they broke apart leaving Lovino slightly dazed and...Fuck no, those were not tears.
"You're crying." Antonio whispered worriedly, "Was it not a good kiss?"
"That's not the reason bastard." Lovino groaned and leaned his head against the older man's chest, "It's just the first time someone has spoken sincerely to me besides my brother. I wasn't ready for it."
Antonio laughed lightly and ran a hand through the young man's silky locks.
"You'll get used to it shortly I don't doubt."
Lovino stepped away again and was about to respond with an annoyed, sarcastic quip when the sound of footsteps approaching the main door stopped him.
"Shit!" he grabbed Antonio's hands and pulled the startled man into the room closing the door quickly and as softly as he could manage, and locking it.
"Lovi what...?"
"Zitto idiota! If someone finds you here we'll both be in trouble and you'll be locked up for sure this time." Lovino hissed, instinctively reaching a hand backwards to clutch Antonio's wrist.
They stayed that way, hardly daring to breathe, before a brisk knock sounded on the door.
"Lovi are you awake?" Bella's voice inquired.
"Of course I am. You think I could sleep at a time like this?" Lovino replied, the girl's voice causing all of his previous anger and desperation to return.
"I see that you're still upset."
"Of course I am! I'm fucking locked in this room and engaged to someone who wants nothing more than my death! And now my brother's in danger as well! You do the math bitch!"
He heard Antonio start to gasp behind him and whirled to slam his palm over the man's mouth.
"Zitto idiota!" he hissed quietly again, "I'll explain later."
Bella's laughter broke through the tense situation and set both boys on edge with its coldness.
"Well I was told to come and let you out. Roderich wants to make a deal with you. If you promise to behave for the rest of the trip and stay away from Feliciano then he will promise not to include him in his plans. Now won't that make the rest of this trip a lot better?"
Lovino could feel Antonio's face clenching from barely contained rage and he kept his eyes locked with the Spaniards in a desperate attempt to make him stay calm and silent before he replied to Bella with a calmer voice that would make it seem like he was seriously considering it.
"Let me out first and I'll consider it more."
"Unfortunately the key appears to have disappeared from Roderich's pocket. He and Vash are searching everywhere for it at the moment, and questioning everyone that was around him today."
Lovino grinned smugly at knowing something she and his guardian didn't, but he had also become curious how Antonio had managed to get the key. Surely he hadn't stolen it from Roderich's pocket...had he? He blinked at the taller man and whispered, "How did you get it?"
Antonio shook his head and motioned with his free hand to Lovino's currently covering his mouth.
Lovino also shook his head.
"Not until she's gone." He whispered again.
"There'll be no deal until you find it and let me out then." Lovino said sharply in the direction of the door, "So leave me alone for now bitch!"
"As you wish Lovi." Bella's voice purred. They heard the footsteps receding and the main door slamming. Lovino waited for several moments for the hateful girl to get far down the hallway before he dropped his hand.
"The hell was she talking about?!" Antonio asked angrily pulling his wrist from Lovino's grip and staring back determinedly at the smaller man, "What deal?"
Lovino sighed and leaned back against the door.
"I wasn't planning on telling you until we found Feliciano but...I've known about an arrangement that Roderich made to have me assassinated shortly after we landed in America for awhile now. It was just going to be me but since I went off on him this morning he's threatening Feli now too. But it looks like he wants to make a deal with me for Feli's safety. I keep pretending like I don't know anything and don't tell my brother anything of the plot either, then I allow myself to be killed like a good little boy." He spat the last part.
Antonio just kept staring at him in shock. He had never thought that Lovino's situation was that dire.
"I'll kill him." He growled in fury, "How dare he...how could he even..."
"You wouldn't be able to touch him. And I don't really want the man I love to become a murderer." Lovino sighed again.
Antonio was still fuming but he still was able to catch what Lovino had just said and his fury turned to surprise and joy.
"You love me?"
Lovino seemed to realize what he had just said and clamped a hand over his mouth while a fierce blush spread across his face.
"Disregard what I said bastardo. But you still can't kill my guardian. Not yet at least."
Lovino turned around and unlocked the door.
"We have to find Feliciano and make him believe that I'm telling the truth first. We can figure out what to do after that."
Antonio's fury at Roderich Edelstein had returned but Lovino was right, finding Feliciano and keeping both boys safe was the most important thing at the moment.
He reached for Lovino's hand and held it tightly as they cautiously exited the bedchamber and then through one of the main doors and into the corridor with even more caution. If one of Lovino's party spotted them then everything would be over. Lovino and Feliciano's safety. And the shaky mutual romance that had grown between himself and his wonderful Italian.
~*~SSH~*~
As the front main door closed, the back door opened and a brightly smiling Feliciano stepped into the room followed by, once again on his guard, Ludwig.
"Feliciano I really don't think this is proper."
"I assure you our accommodations are very proper." The young Italian laughed, "Here is the main sitting room with fine couches and the piano as you can see. Very proper."
"That's not what I meant." Ludwig sighed but smiled all the same as he looked around. The walls of the room were not decorated with famous paintings and hangings like he would expect a first class sweet to contain, but rather with drawings of all different venues.
"You?" he turned towards the young man in wonder pointing at the nearest drawing. This drawing was done in charcoal with a woman throwing her head back in anguish and lifting her arms towards the moon as the tops slowly turned into feathers. The drawing had to be inspired by Swan Lake. It was just incredible.
"Hmmm?" Feliciano had actually gone into his room briefly but poked his head back out at the question, "Oh yes I did that. I did all of them." He grinned brightly and came back out of the room holding a drawing pad and special pencil case, "And there'll be another one soon. Though I think I'll keep this one hidden from the rest of my party and keep it securely in the safe in my room."
"You think it's going to be that good huh?" Ludwig smiled as the young man approached him and leaned up to kiss him briefly.
"Oh yes, I think it will be one of my best yet."
Ludwig chuckled a bit and kissed him back for a few moments before he became aware of where he was once more and stepped back hastily.
"Can we leave now? I still say it's not proper for me to be here."
Feliciano frowned and took his hand leading him over to one of the couches where he pulled him down beside him.
"No we cannot. I have to do my drawing first."
Ludwig sighed and tried to get comfortable but was having a hard time. Consequences and propriety be damned in the case of his love for Feliciano, but they still held great power over his knowledge of his place in the world. And that place was not in this first class sweet.
"Here Ludwig, hold out your hand."
He looked back into the boy's mesmerizing amber eyes and did as instructed.
An amazing jeweled cross dropped into his palm. If the weight wasn't enough to give him surprise, the sheer beauty and magnificence of it made his breath hiss out in wonder.
"Are some of those sapphires and rubies?"
"No they're all diamonds." Feliciano smiled running a hand through Ludwig's hair while he was distracted, "Some are just rare colored diamonds."
Ludwig continued to cradle the cross in his palm but his attention was back on Feliciano as the young man's fingers threatened to undue his perfectly combed hair. He reached up and caught his hand, bringing it to his mouth to kiss the fingertips.
Feliciano giggled slightly and reached his other hand forward to cover the cross.
"Ludwig, I want to draw you wearing this."
The large German man looked back at him in surprise and alarm.
"Here? Now?"
"Yes" Feliciano giggled, "I want to capture memories of this day the only way I know how."
"But why here?" Ludwig asked again fretfully, "Wouldn't somewhere with..." he tried to search for an excuse that Feliciano might consider for the sake of his drawing, "...better light and without the chance of...being disturbed by your party."
"The light is fine." Feliciano smiled, "And so long as the smoking and brandy hold out then Roderich will be set. Lovino's door is open which means he's probably off with Antonio. And the women are sure to gossip long after dinner and enjoy their desserts and first class drinks. Besides it's warm in here where it might be cold in a different room."
"And why would that make a difference, apart from your hand possibly being too cold to move properly?"
Feliciano gazed back at him and his finger stopped stroking the cross. He stared straight into Ludwig's crystalline blue eyes and caressed his cheek while he spoke in a soft whisper.
"Wearing only this, Ludwig."
~*~SSH~*~
The weight of the cross weighed heavily on his chest but the anxiety of what he was about to do weighed heavily on his heart and mind. Verdamnt that at the moment, in his emotional high condition of falling in love with the boy all over again, he just couldn't refuse Feliciano anything. But still...
He stared into the bathroom mirror and began undoing the buttons on his shirt, slipping it off over his broad shoulders and taking another breath.
"Feliciano?"
"Mmmmn?" the young man's voice sounded calm from the sitting room.
"Can't I at least keep my pants on? The drawing is navel up after all."
Light laughter carried around him.
"No you may not. Pants can be restricting on hip and waist lines. I need free lines to make the drawing the best it can be, since it's of the best model I could desire."
Ludwig shivered at the slight purr in the Italian's voice. Trust Feliciano to have this kind of an erotic side to him. He was already blushing furiously when not even facing the young man, he couldn't even imagine what he would look like coming out before Feliciano fully naked.
"Can't I cover with something?" he practically begged.
He heard Feliciano sigh and then the young man appeared at the bathroom doorway looking over his naked torso with approval.
"Well I personally want to see all of you, but that can wait till later I suppose."
Ludwig shivered again at the lack of embarrassment and the ease with which Feliciano said such things.
"If you're really bothered by it right now then you can wrap a towel around your waist. There should be some safety pins in that drawer for you to secure it. But Ludwig..." Feliciano ran a hand over the man's bare back causing the German to shiver once again, "low on your hips. I mean it."
Then he was gone from the bathroom to continue his preparations and leave Ludwig once more with his thoughts and insecurities.
But for the sake of Feliciano he tried to put these aside as he stripped completely down to bare skin before wrapping a towel low about his waist. He looked at his reflection in the mirror once more and tried to force his features to be calm even though his heart was racing frantically. He wondered how Feliciano could remain so at ease with the situation. And at last he exited the room and slipped back into the fine first class sitting room where Feliciano was perched comfortably in a chair with drawing pad and charcoal pencil at the ready. The young man looked up and smiled at him, checking him over thoroughly and nodding in satisfaction at the low riding towel.
"Come stand in front of me."
He came awkwardly over and stood stiffly before Feliciano shook his head with light laughter and got up to come help him.
"Relax Ludwig. I can't draw you properly if you're stiff." He ran his hands over the other young man's muscles, trying to make them less tense. But of course that came entirely from Ludwig. Feliciano frowned at not getting success before he nodded and leaned up to give the German a deep tender kiss.
"Relax Ludwig." He whispered again, "Keep your eyes on me. It will be over before you realize it if you just keep your body relaxed and eyes on me."
Ludwig nodded with the melting warmth of the kiss still coursing through his veins, making it easier to relax and not focus so much on what he was doing. Instead, he kept his eyes and thoughts on Feliciano and what lay in store for them. Perhaps he would get to see the young Italian this way at some point as well. Normally he would have immediately pushed thoughts like that aside but not now. Now that and the thought of many more kisses like the one he had just received, were what kept his mind and body relaxed while Feliciano's hand flew elegantly over the page.
The artist had become quite composed and serious for a change as his hand hovered over certain sections of the page more than others, darkening in lines and shadows and occasionally whisking a finger across a particular portion as well. He would look up occasionally to check a particular angle or shadowing and each time his eyes happened to find Ludwig's the German man would find himself hearing up even more. Those god damn eyes were just too perfect! And he still couldn't understand how Feliciano seemed so calm and serious while drawing something so...was erotic an appropriate word? He was essentially naked after all.
At one point though, Ludwig noticed something.
"Feliciano, are you blushing?"
The young man smiled and nodded. He wouldn't tell Ludwig that he was drawing his navel and the top of the towel at that point, and just looking and thinking about it was making his body heat up with excited warmth. But he managed to keep his head in his desire to finish the drawing and went back to darkening in certain points that still needed it.
In fact Ludwig didn't know that my heart was pounding the whole time. Sure I had drawn Lovino wearing sheets plenty of times before, but that was my brother, someone I was connected to by flesh and blood. This was completely different. This was someone I was completely in love with. And it was the most erotic moment of my life...
~*SSH*~
"Up until then at least." Feliciano laughed and opened his eyes to face the group in his room on the Calloway once more.
"So what happened next?" Jane asked with excitement. She might normally have a more calm and slightly manipulative demeanor but currently all her hopeless romantic feelings were bubbling to the service as Feliciano told his story.
Corman smiled and nodded. He had quite gotten into the story as well. Despite the fact that the drawing had been fully explained at last and he could just ask about the cross right then and there, he wanted to know more of the story. He owed that to the boy. Plus he was genuinely curious about how far these relationships had gone.
Feliciano blinked at Jane and then smiled slightly.
"You mean did we do it?"
Jane blushed and giggled nervously and Corman smiled embarrassedly as well.
"Well sorry to disappoint all of you but I was a professional and Ludwig was just far too nervous as hell to be able to think about anything like that at the moment."
~*SSh*~
Feliciano knelt over the couch and placed the drawing into Ludwig's hands.
"What do you think?"
Now that he was fully clothed again Ludwig felt slightly more at ease with the situation and was able to admire the drawing. Despite the fact that he was looking at himself, he thought the drawing captured something different that he couldn't see when looking in a mirror. Was this the way that Feliciano saw him? If so then the boy's eyes were far too generous when dealing with such a sorry model. He tried instead to focus on the skill of the pencil strokes and how the cross seemed to sparkle with gems despite this one simply being made of paper and charcoal.
"Well?" Feliciano prompted again.
"It's good." Ludwig breathed at last, "You did a good job given what you had to work with."
"You mean the perfection I had to try to capture?" Feliciano laughed.
Ludwig shook his head.
"Absolutely not. I meant the exact opposite."
"Oh no Ludwig." Feliciano smiled and leaned down to kiss him briefly before whispering silkily, "You think so little of yourself, but I can see so much more and that is what I captured."
Ludwig shook his head and allowed his lips to be captured again and returned the kiss deeply this time, making Feliciano start to sway and giggle slightly from the contact. The moment was perfect until Ludwig realized that he was still wearing the incredibly expensive cross. It belonged on Feliciano, not him, and he was forced to break the kiss in order to point this out.
Feliciano looked rather disappointed as he helped Ludwig to take the necklace off and carried it back to the safe along with his drawing folder. He smiled longingly at the newest drawing in the front for awhile before the real life model asked in an uneasy voice what he was doing. With a content sigh he slipped the folder into the safe with the cross but didn't close the door all the way.