"Are you sure you want this here?" Feliciano said as he adjusted an old stable on a small table.
Lovino turned from the box he was emptying. "Yeah, it looks fine."
Feliciano looked back at the stable before looking down at the box in front of him. The top and edges were taped up in different places and one of the top flaps was ripped in half. On the front of the box were the words, Nativity Scene. Below it was a small drawing of the scene. Feliciano smiled and gently placed a hand on the writing.
"Okay, sweetie what do you want to put on next?" an older man said as Feliciano dug through the box.
"This one grandpa," he said holding up an angel.
"Okay then," His grandpa said before picking him so Feliciano was sitting on his lap. "Now where do you want this to go?"
Feliciano held the angel up to his face. He looked back at the stable. The table was mostly empty except for a few animals and a shepherd. Feliciano's attention soon turned to the stable. It was almost empty except for the donkey. He quietly turned to his grandfather.
"Go ahead," he said softly. "Put it wherever you want."
Feliciano reached out to the back of the stable. Gently he placed angel down.
"You know what," his grandfather said as he put Feliciano back on his lap. "Right there is just perfect."
Feliciano smiled as he wiped a tear from his eye. He turned back to the box. Reaching back into it he pulled out a figure wrapped up in newspaper. Feliciano smiled again. He knew exactly what it was. Carefully he unwrapped it. There sat in the old angle figure. Looking as it did ten years ago. Without hesitation, he placed it right in the back of the stable.
"There," Feliciano said as he put the angle down. "Right where it belongs."
"Man it is so good to be back," Gilbert said as he stepped out the car. He leaned on the hood of the car as Ludwig stepped out. There it was. The family cabin. Looking like it's made of old worn down wood while still having a modern style. "I wish we could live here."
"Then these trips wouldn't be special," Ludwig said as he walked over the back of the car. He opened the truck up.
"You're sounding like Mom." Gilbert laughed a little. Ludwig rolled his eyes but still smiled. As he pulled out his suitcase he heard a beep. Looking over he saw his father's car pull up. His mom waving from the passenger seat.
"It's so beautiful here," Karla said as she stepped out of the car. She sighed as she closed the door and took a deep breath in to take in the air.
Ludwig smiled as he closed the trunk. He grabbed his suitcase in one hand and grabbed his laptop with the other. Walking over to the doorway, he stood at the bottom of the stairs. Once his father opened the door he carefully walked up the stairs inside. Ludwig smiled a little as he walked into the living room. After a few seconds, he turned to the main staircase. He made his way to his old bedroom. He stood in there for a second before placing his stuff down.
Once he got downstairs he walked back outside. He walked towards his father's car and opened the trunk. Puling out the front bags, he grabbed as much as he could. He walked back inside and opened them up. Seeing that they were full of food, he placed them behind the kitchen counter. He repeated this process until both cars were empty. As he walked in with the last bag he saw his mom in the kitchen putting away food. He looked down and saw the two bags in his hands. Both had snack food bags in them. With a small smile, he walked over to her.
"Hi Mom, do you need any help?" He asked placing the bags on the counter. Karla remained quiet but Ludwig could swear she was mumbling to herself. "Um, Mom?"
"Huh," Karla froze for a second. She looked around before seeing Ludwig. "Oh, Ludwig I didn't see you there. Is everything alright?"
"Yes, I just wanted to know if you needed any help."
"No, I'm fine." Karla sped walked and grabbed the bags. Ludwig stood there for a second. He looked down for a second before slowly walking upstairs. For a few moments, he sat in his room silently. After a while, he started to unpack his clothes.
"Hey, Ludwig look who's here?" Gilbert said poking his head through the doorway.
"Hey, cousin," a young man said walking in. He ran over and hugged him tightly. "Long time no see."
"Nice to see you too, Axel," Ludwig said rather quietly.
"I'm here too," someone else said walking in.
"Hi, Friedrich," Ludwig spoke even quieter. He took a decent size step away from his cousin.
"Are you okay?" Axel asking walking a bit closer. Ludwig stepped back further.
"Have you too talked to my parents at all?"
"We saw her downstairs," Friedrich said. "Why?"
"Have you talked to them since Thanksgiving at all?"
"Bro you're acting weird." Gilbert walked into the room. "Did something happen?"
"Did something happen on Thanksgiving?" Axel and Friedrich looked at each other. Gilbert kept his mouth closed and gestured to Ludwig.
"They didn't say anything about." He paused for a moment. Struggling to get the words out. "That I'm gay."
Axel and Friedrich looked at each other for a second.
"So, you like guys?" Friedrich asked. Ludwig nodded slowly.
"You called it," Axel said turning towards Gilbert.
"I know right."
"I'm sorry what's this about?" Ludwig asked in a tone that was a mixture of confusion and annoyance.
"Oh, a few years ago we somehow, got on the subject if we knew anyone who was gay. Gilbert immediately said you were one."
Ludwig stood there for a few moments. "So, you two are okay with it?"
"Of course."
Freidrich walked over to Ludwig and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You're still the same cousin I grew up with. And you being gay doesn't change anything."
"So are we going to stay around standing here or are we going chill out?" Gilbert asked after a few seconds of silence.
"Oh I brought my PS4," Axel said starting to exit the room. "Gilbert, want to play some Call of Duty?"
"Oh you bet," Gilbert said as he followed him out of the room. Ludwig walked over to his suitcase and pulled out a book. He climbed on one of the beds. A few minutes later, Gilbert and Axel returned. Axel holding the gaming system in one arm. As he started to set it up on the TV, Gilbert grabbed one of the controllers and eagerly awaited for it to start.
"You ready to lose?" Axel said as he turned on the game.
"Only if you are."
Ludwig kept focusing on his book. Occasionally looking up whenever Gilbert or Axel started yelling at each other. He looked over and saw Friedrich was writing something in his notebook. He kept trying to go back to his book but the surrounds were getting louder. After a few more minutes of this, he got up and grabbed his headphones and mp3 player. He turned on the music and continues reading. As time went on, he started feeling his eyelids getting heavier. Shrugging a little he closed his book and turned over on his side.
Next thing Ludwig knew, he was waking up and it was getting dark outside. Sitting up he looked around and saw the room was empty. Once he had woken up a little more he walked downstairs. The whole looked empty. Slowly he into the kitchen he saw his mom and aunt talking to each other.
"Mom," Ludwig said a bit cautiously. "Where is everyone?"
"Oh, they left to get the Christmas tree." His mom said still looking at his aunt.
Ludwig stood there. His mother said something else but he couldn't register what it was. Without saying anything he quickly walked outside. He could feel the cold breeze against his face. He didn't care. Walking away from the door he saw the old porch swing and sat down on it. Images of the past years started flashing in his mind. He, his father, brother, uncle, and cousins searching through the seemingly endless rows of trees. Ever since he could remember he was there picking the tree. As thought about it tears started forming in his eyes.
"I knew it," Ludwig buried his face in hands. His voice breaking with every word. "Everything would change for the worse."
"Sweetheart maybe you should." Karla started to say as she walked outside. She stopped she saw her son. "Ludwig are you okay?"
Ludwig didn't answer. He didn't even lookup. The sound of footsteps echoed in the silence. As he felt the swing move, he could feel his mom wrap her arm around him.
"What's bugging you?" Karla asked. Ludwig remained silent and turned his head away. His mother moved her arm to his back. She spoke gently, "just so you know, I'm not leaving until I get an answer."
"It's nothing," Ludwig mumbled. He felt his mom remove his hand.
"No it's not," Karla said firmly. She thought about it for a few moments. "If you're upset they left without you. Gilbert tried to wake you but."
"Yeah, sure they did," Ludwig said sarcastically.
"I mean it, Ludwig. I don't why you're so upset over."
"Of course you don't understand!" Ludwig turned to her and shouted. Immediately he turned away. "You'll never understand! The year I come out. The first time I finally feel like I can be myself in years is the first time I'm forgotten in a family tradition. Don't think I don't see that. You see me as a freak."
"How long have you known?" Ludwig didn't answer. Only walked over to the edge of the porch. "How long have you known you were gay?"
"For four years."
"Four years?" His mom's voice started to break as she said that. "Have you seen yourself like that for all this time? Ludwig, I promise you're not a freak."
"Then why have you and Dad been acting so distant lately?" Ludwig said still facing away.
"Because, because I feel ashamed of myself. Ever since you and brother born your father and I have tried to make it so you could be honest with us. when you told you were gay, you sounded relucted too. I've been feeling like I failed as a mother. You're right I can't understand how you feel. And I know it's hard for my words to hold weight right now. But I promise you I don't care who you love. I just want you to be happy."
Ludwig was at a lost for words. He felt frozen in place. Soon he felt the familiar embrace of his mother. Immiadatly he turned around and hugged her back.
"I'm, I'm so sorry Mom," he said quietly. "I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. It's, it's just I've had these feelings for a while."
"I understand honey." She stepped away and grabbed his hand. "Come on let's go back inside. We can make hot chocolate as we always do."
Ludwig smiled as they started to walked back inside. "I'd love too, Mom."