(AN: I HAVE FOUND AN OPENING SONG! "PLANT LIFE" BY OWL CITY. THANKS FOR YOUR NEVER-ENDING SUPPORT AS WE HEAD INTO THE LAST FEW CHAPTERS OF THIS STORY! I DO NOT OWN AXIS POWERS HETALIA. ALSO, FOR THE BEST EXPERIENCE, I RECCOMEND USING DARK VIEW. MARCH ON, MEN!)
Ludwig decided that after today, he would either leave his nice suit here to be demolished or burn it with his own hands.
Why? Because he wore this suit almost every time he came to visit Feliciano. It looked like Feliciano, it smelled like Feliciano, it felt like Feliciano. He wanted to do nothing more than escape that feeling of regret he held about the words he had said to who was supposed to be his best friend.
But today was different. Today he finally got permission to come see Feliciano once again. He brought a change of clothes from the house, and a few dollars. Angeliano's was their destination.
He made his way up to the hospital unnoticed, as if he was becoming a part of the scenery. He hurried up the elevator, but became too impatient to wait and took the stairs. The nurse's station was a blur of business as they all hurried to chart something, and not even the kind Mrs. Gretley stopped to wave. He once again made sure he looked his very best and strided through the door.
Feliciano looked like he was sleeping, but he knew better. He whispered, "It's me. Ludwig," and he immediately opened his eyes. The Italian boy shook a little, probably cold or hungry. Ludwig whispered again, "Are you alright?"
He nodded, then gripped his neck with the palms of his hands as if the motion caused him great pain. Ludwig asked, "Do you remember who I am?"
Feli replied, "Yes." The word was hard to make out, his mouth barely opening and something coming up in his mouth equivalent to a croak.
"Let's go. Do you want to change?"
"I...can't..."
"Can I help you?"
"Yes." He didn't want anything awkward to happen, so Ludwig just put extremely loose jeans on first, then a t-shirt, then slippers. No underwear attempted.
"Can you walk by yourself?"
"...no..."
"Alright then." He took Feliciano's hand for the first time in quite a while, and the two of them took a very long time to get out of the hospital. They got stares from all of the staff that passed them, probably because he hadn't bothered to tell anyone about their leaving except for Dr. Mazzarisi. They had gotten halfway down the sidewalk with Angeliano's in sight when Feliciano's legs gave out. "Here, I'll help you," he offered, scooping up the boy and holding him bridal-style.
"I'm...being...too...much trouble..."
"Nonsense!" he laughed a little, still trying to be quiet to avoid wrecking his friend's ears. Ludwig thought about picking up to a run, but decided against it. After what seemed to stretch on forever with the sweet smells and guitar players, Ludwig could feel his friend begin to drop his shoulders and smile. Truly smile.
When he opened the door, the little bell went off again. The sick man cringed at the noise, muttering a "too loud". Angeliano greeted them with an inhuman grin once again, and they ordered pesca and cioccolato al latte. After a few minutes of setting down Feliciano in a chair and waiting, the icy treat was finished. "...I can't eat myself..."
"It's alright!" Ludwig took tiny spoonfuls and put them into the hungry boy's mouth, scoop by scoop. He eagerly swallowed them. He then turned to his own treat and began eating. He noticed that he was going extremely slow, as if he was distracted; he immediately sped up and tried to finish eating as fast as he could. Feliciano didn't seem to mind as he tried to take everything in from the window.
Ludwig then threw away their trash and got them out of the door. "What an unemotional time..." he muttered.
"What?"
"For the last time, that is."
"...the last time of what?"
Ludwig sighed. At least he was having fun before it was all over.