Francis put out his used-up cigarette on the ashtray atop the trash bin. He huffed softly and raised his eyes to scan where he was. He'd been walking for about an hour and a half now and he wasn't sure how far he'd gotten. He saw the traffic lights and the small convenience store right by it. He had walked all the way to the main road. He snorted softly. Those running exercises helped after all. His legs felt no strain after all that walking. He felt a little proud.

It was cold out in the streets, and he figured getting a cold wasn't a smart decision, so he crossed the street towards the brightly lit convenience store. The door chimed as he came in and he was greeted by a gust of warm air. He fiddled with his sweater and took a deep breath before lazily scanning the aisles for…something. Anything really.

His eyes flitted towards a small can of apple cider. His lips slowly morphed into a smile as he remembered how his friend Matthew, who was practically a son to him, raved about this certain one. He had often promised Matthew he would try it at some point, but he never got around to it. Picking up the can, he snorted. No better time than now.

As he went to the counter to pay, the door chimed again as another customer came in. He paid no mind to it and reached for his wallet to pay. The cashier on the counter can't be any older than 19. He took a look at her and smiled politely. She smiled back, seemingly tired. He couldn't blame her. Retail was one hell of a job, especially at a shift like this.

A groan erupted from one of the aisles and he found himself whipping his head to look. He could barely make out a blond head whose face and body were obscured by all the shelves in the way. The young cashier gently pipes up.

"Everything okay there, sir?" she asked anxiously. Probably she was more anxious if she was going to get in trouble rather than genuinely concerned for the customer. Once again, he didn't blame her one bit.

A muffled "Yeah" came before another soft groan. "Sorry I dropped my phone. Everything's good. Sorry about that"

The man's voice was deep and low but smooth. It was gentle and controlled. He seemed frustrated but friendly. It frankly sounded very familiar to Francis. He's definitely heard it before, just a little different. A little less casual. A little more serious. He stretched his neck to see the man behind the shelves. He didn't get a good view however, as the girl gently hands him his can of apple cider and change. "Here you go, sir."

His head whipped back to look at her and he smiled again. "Thank you. Sorry about that…"

"Francis…?" he heard softly behind him.

He looked back once again and was a bit startled to see that the man was now much closer than he anticipated. He visibly recoiled in surprise before he could register exactly who he was looking at.

The first thing his eyes recognized were those sky blues that were looking at him, followed by a taut jaw, sharp nose and framed by short, blond, swept-back hair, and barely-there blond sideburns. He blinked a couple of times before he could put a name to the face. Before he could react, the man spoke again.

"Francis, what are you doing out so late?" his low voice a little less interrogative and more of just morbid curiosity.

His brain finally clicks into place, and he managed a small "I should be asking you that, Sir Ludwig."

His boss, Ludwig Beilschmidt, was a large man. He was a good balance between lean and bulky. He would probably be bulky had he been shorter, but he was a tall one, towering at an impressive 5 feet 10. He had a handsome face often found in a serious or stoic expression. He did smile once in a while and when he does, it really shows how young he is. He was a few years younger than Francis but was already taking charge of a company and leading successful pursuits. It was hard to imagine his youth when he was out here doing impressive things that people twice his age are trying so hard to replicate.

Ludwig shook his head and smiled a bit cautiously. "Just Ludwig would be fine outside the office, Francis." He reassured. It still felt strange to be talking to his boss in a convenience store at three in the morning. "I am surprised to see you here-"

He stopped speaking and took a good look at Francis. He handed his purchases to the girl and paid hastily. He handed her a bill and quickly said "Keep the change. Danke."

Francis chuckled softly and sighed. "Just felt like going out I guess"

Ludwig turned back to Francis who was making a move to go. Francis felt a hand gently pull him back and he turned to look at him.

"I am curious, why are you out so late?" he asked again, his voice indicating he didn't buy the poor response Francis had given him. Honestly, not a surprise. Francis doubted he would be in such a position if he didn't have a good grip of people and how they work. That, or Francis could be painfully obvious.

Francis eyed him and tried to gauge if he ought to share more. He sighed and decided maybe a little release wouldn't be too bad. Ludwig didn't seem like the type who would make fun of him or spread this kind of information to other people.

"I've just been having stressful dreams" he admitted softly. That was all he was willing to give him. It would be too difficult to explain everything to him without a life story sequence and Francis was never going to be ready for that.

It was enough. He saw that Ludwig nodded a bit and sighed. He bought that. He was surprised that Ludwig was persistent to know about his reasons. Nonetheless, the other man just gently patted his shoulder. "That sounds rough."

Francis nodded and gave a weak smile as he contemplated leaving. He didn't intend to spend a lot of time here. He gently opened his can of apple cider and took a small gulp, the cold droplets of condensation dripping onto his fingers. His eyebrows flew up gently and he gave a small approving nod. He understood why Matthew loved it so much. It was just the right amount of sweet and tangy that wasn't obnoxious. It still wasn't his favorite thing though.

"Apple cider? At 3 am?" Ludwig inquired a bit playfully.

Francis couldn't help but look at him again, a bit closer. This had been the most casual he has heard Ludwig. Ludwig usually doesn't say much in the office unless it's work related. He tried to find his voice to respond to him. Ludwig chuckles softly. "It's fine. I was just curious."

It was almost as if they had an unspoken agreement to walk together. They headed out of the store and walked together on the street. They said nothing to each other as they walked. Francis drank his apple cider little by little as they walked. Francis felt both awkward but oddly comforted that he wasn't alone anymore. It feels strange but not necessarily bad. The wind got a bit colder, and he couldn't help but shudder. The fact that he was drinking cold apple cider wasn't helpful at all.

Ludwig was quick to catch it though and immediately shrugged off his extra jacket. Francis was a little surprised and mildly panicked as he didn't want to be any trouble. "No….No it's fine you don't have to-"

Ludwig only shook his head and offered the coat anyway. "Take it Francis. You might get sick."

The jacket was large and would definitely have no problem enveloping Francis's form. He was a bit embarrassed, but he was also starting to feel another shudder coming as the wind blew once more. He took the jacket hesitantly and put it on, smelling the light scent of Ludwig's familiar cologne. He could feel the warmth right-away as some of Ludwig's body heat still lingered on it. He took a deep breath and mustered a soft "Thank you."

Ludwig only smiled before he gently tapped his arm. "You should head on home and try to catch a bit more rest before starting your day."

Francis nodded. He was right. He should probably go home soon. He didn't expect he would be out this long. He just wanted to take a walk and it just got out of hand. "I suppose I should."

"I'll bring you home." Ludwig began.

"You don't have to-" Francis replied

"I insist."

Francis stared at him before shaking his head in surrender. "Alright. If you insist then."

The walk home was just as quiet and awkward as it had been when they walked out of the store. Francis could see the dark silhouette of his house in the distance. He turned his face to look at Ludwig and smiled a bit before clearing his throat. He wanted to make some kind of conversation. He felt strangely out of character as he usually was a social butterfly and always knew what to say but he is oddly at a loss right now.

At last, he managed to speak, a bit hesitantly. "So, what are you doing out so late?"

He figured it would be a safe thing to talk about, considering the other asked him the same thing earlier. As he anticipated, Ludwig seemed easy enough to answer the question. He gave a small, albeit begrudging smile.

"I had to get a few small things because my brother wasn't considerate enough to leave some for everyone else." He started with a small chuckle. "We're out of minor stuff. Milk and sausages. I could set off to get them the next grocery trip we make but I wanted to have a good start for breakfast on Monday." He paused and then looked at Francis 'What with the office event and everything..."

Office event. Quickly the reminder hit his mind and he almost gasped. His eyes widened for a second and then he bit his lip and had a small, tired, sheepish grin on his face. Ludwig raised an eyebrow and had a small smirk. Francis nodded slowly and tried to sound like he knew what he was talking about. "Right… the office event!"

"You forgot didn't you?" Ludwig asked smugly.

Francis couldn't help the loud chuckle. He knew when he had been caught in a bluff. Ludwig saw right through him, not that he made it particularly hard to decipher his temporary loss of memory.

"I did I did." He admitted "… but I am planning on going"

Ludwig laughed quietly too and nodded. "Good. Get some rest so you don't become even more forgetful." He teased softly.

Their footsteps crunched softly against the quiet morning air. The streets were quiet but well-lit and the sky was slowly turning into a light shade of lavender. The sun was about to come out soon. Just in time, he saw his porch steps as they approached his front yard. He smiled a bit, surprised that he was mildly disappointed as the walk was so short.

"Well…" he started "We're here"

Ludwig nodded and looked at him. He looked at Francis's yard and then at his face before smiling a bit. "You take care of yourself. I'll see you on Monday?"

Francis nodded. "See you on Monday. Thank you for the talk and accompanying me home."

"It wasn't a problem at all. I'll be off." Ludwig dismissed with a friendly smile and a curt nod. He wasted no time. Quickly, he made a move to walk away and before Francis could completely process everything, he was out of his line of sight.

Francis went inside his house, a bit disoriented, tossing the empty can of apple cider onto his trash bin. He slowly started to take off the coat he was wearing before he realized- Ludwig forgot to take his coat!

There would be no use to chase after him as he's long gone. He bit his lips and gently mumbled under his breath.

"Merde" he whispers as he looked at the coat. It looked expensive safe to say. It seems to be made from vicuna fabric and cotton trimmings. It's warm and thick and it smells just like his cologne. He chuckled as he remembers. Ludwig does have an interesting choice in cologne. It smelled like a mix of vanilla and musk. Strange, but oddly masculine yet not obnoxious either. Just like the apple cider. It was good but not too 'in-your-face'. He sniffed again and smiled.

Then he frowned.

What the hell was he doing, sniffing some other man's jacket? He shook his head and hung the coat on the pegs. He'll return it that Monday. He might be going insane, but he isn't a thief. He'll give it back. Right?

He lay back down on his bed, closed his eyes and fell asleep to the thought of a certain vanilla scent.

He needs to get that cologne one day.