Smiles (skip to 1:45 if you don't want to listen to the intro) (also this is on Youtube) watch?v=fYOl_PuvsMg

During free time a few days after recreating the half smile, Feliciano decided to curl up in his top bunk pulling the thin duvet around him. It had grown really cold lately, but apparently the others didn't feel it as much as Feliciano did. He was just about to take a nap when two other men came into the building, mumbling about something. It was Arthur and Francis. They sat on the bed below Feliciano, as it was Francis', and it seemed they hadn't noticed him yet. Feliciano couldn't make out what they were saying, so decided to make his presence known by popping his head over the side. Arthur and Francis' surprised faces were even funnier upside-down.

"Are you two gonna kiss again?" He giggled as the blood rushed to his head.

"Feli, I told you to keep that a secret." Francis hissed. Feliciano drew his head back up and dropped down from the top bunk so he was on the same level as them.

Plopping down on the bed opposite, he answered. "So what? Nobody's here. And it's not like I caught you two making love or anything."

"I would have preferred the term 'fucking,' 'making love' is far from what we're doing." Arthur drawled cynically.

"Arthur! Don't say that, I would love to make love with you." Francis clasped his hands together wistfully.

"Oh, so you do do it." Feliciano smiled knowingly. Arthur was taken aback and his cheeks burned a deep crimson. Francis was less embarrassed than his counterpart, but embarrassed nonetheless.

"No— We don't—" Arthur stuttered. Francis waved his hands as if to say 'no' several times when his voice failed on him. Feliciano sniggered. Seeing his friends flustered like this was rather entertaining. He decided not to prod any further.

Waiting for them to settle down, he decided to carry on the conversation. "So what were you talking about earlier?"

Francis glanced around before moving in closer and whispering. "You must never tell this to anyone, Feli. Especially none of the German Officers you speak to." The air around them became heavy.

Feliciano moved in closer as well, and glanced around furtively. "Is it that Francis and Arthur regularly have sex?" He spoke under his breath. "Because I think I could provide evidence."

Arthur snorted and Francis stared in disbelief. He chuckled. "You do come out with the weirdest things, Feli."

Feliciano sat back and folded his arms proudly. "It's my speciality." Now that the atmosphere was lighter, he decided to ask again. "I won't tell, what was it that you were talking about?"

Francis sat back too and looked at Arthur for reassurance, who nodded as if to give permission. "Arthur and I were thinking about escaping."

This took Feliciano by surprise. "Why would you want to leave? It's nice here and I get nice food."

Francis shook his head. "But it's cold, and includes back breaking work. They are feeding us the minimum amount of food. We should not have to live in these conditions. We're working on a plan which will involve the whole camp."

"Everyone?"

"Yes, everyone. Including you."

"And where are you planning on escaping to?"

"The French countryside, hopefully. I need to get back to my farm."

"And I need to get back to my duties. There's nothing worse than becoming a Prisoner of War, especially for a Major." Arthur added.

"You're a Major?" For some reason Feliciano couldn't really see Arthur as a Major, but at the same time Arthur had that high-authority aura about him.

"Used to be. Now I'm just a regular prisoner." It seemed Arthur wanted to escape for his own pride more than anything else. Feliciano then felt like he had something stuck in his throat, so tried to clear it.

"So is this—" Clearing his throat turned into an all out coughing fit. "Is this plan—" He continued to splutter between words. "Of yours any—" His whole body convulsed with each wheeze and hack for breath. He doubled over and coughed violently into his hand. After a couple minutes of Francis and Arthur sat staring unable to help, he finally stopped and looked up.

"Any good?" He rasped.

"Are you alright?" Francis stood up. "Do we need to get you to a doctor?"

Feliciano smiled wearily up at them. "Maybe." He held up the hand he was coughing into, revealing a red splatter of blood. "It happened again." Feliciano's vision blurred, then slowly faded to black.

/\/\

Another change of scenery, this time he was looking up at a different wooden ceiling. Feliciano was sweating all over and had a pain in his chest, he was exhausted. Feliciano knew what this feeling was. It was the same suffering he had endured a few years prior; his illness was back. His pulmonary tuberculosis was back and it had come back harsh. He could see someone on the corner of his eye so turned his head groggily to see who. It was Ludwig, the nice doctor who had looked after him a few days ago. He was in fact sat at a desk facing the far wall, which surprised Feliciano since it didn't look like that the last time he was here.

"Oh, hello again." His voice came out all raspy and it was almost inaudible. Ludwig heard though, and turned to face Feliciano. He was wearing a pair of glasses this time, which seemed to frame his face perfectly. He pulled up a chair to the bed.

"Hello again, Feliciano."

"It's Feli."

"Alright, Feliciano. How are you feeling today?" Ludwig was noting things down on a clipboard.

"Like I have a terrible illness called TB." Feliciano pouted and folded his arms across his chest.

Ludwig was slightly surprised by this statement. "It does look like you have pulmonary tuberculosis, unfortunately. I've been told you have recovered from it before?"

Feliciano nodded. "It's not very nice. Do you have a cure?"

"Not at the moment, no. I have the cure in my home but we'll have to wait until it is verified by my superiors." Ludwig looked slightly hopeful.

Feliciano nodded while propping himself up on his elbows. Now he could survey the whole room. It looked like a regular office, with a bed pulled into the centre of the room. "How come I'm the only one here?"

Ludwig stood up and dragged the chair back to the desk, which was to the left of the bed. He tucked the chair under and leant on it to face Feliciano.

"Because the disease you have is very contagious and we don't to infect anyone else."

"Not you though?"

"I am a Beilschmidt, and Beilschmidt's do not catch diseases. We cure them to the best of our abilities."

Feliciano chuckled. "Oh really? Sounds like doctoring runs in the family."

Ludwig suddenly became embarrassed by his statement and pulled back the chair quickly to sit on. "Anyway, you need to get some sleep. Doctor's orders."

Feliciano was already sinking into the clutches of sleep as Ludwig said this. He didn't even get to say goodnight as he was asleep within seconds.

/\/\

Feliciano was conscious before he opened his eyes. He could hear Ludwig's low voice softly humming along to a tune on the gramophone, which was usually just sat collecting dust on the desk. Opening his eyes, Feliciano noticed the broad shouldered man was at the desk with his back to him. Ludwig had not noticed his patient had woken up so didn't stop. It was a song Feliciano knew, and it made him happy that this reserved strict German was crooning along to a cheerful English song. It had a long intro, and Ludwig hummed along to most of it until the singing started, by which Ludwig had stopped, not knowing any English. Feliciano knew the song well enough to know the words, so to Ludwig's utter surprise the once unconscious Italian started singing beautifully in English.

"There are smiles that make us happy,

there are smiles that make us blue.

There are smiles that steal away the teardrops,

as the sunbeams steal away the hue.

There are smiles that tell us in their meaning

that the eyes of love are all they give

and the smiles that fill my life with sunshine

are the smiles that you give to m—"

Feliciano dissolved into a violent coughing fit before he could finish the word. Ludwig tried to stop himself from flinching every time Feliciano's body made a frantic jerk. Feliciano had retreated into himself until he had curled up with his back to the German. It had been several long minutes until Feliciano finally stopped his deafening death spasm. The needle on the gramophone had long since reset itself, waiting for the next record to be played. Ludwig came to Feliciano's aid as quickly as he could. He pulled Feliciano onto his back and assessed the damage. Feliciano just smiled lazily up at him.

"That was a very nice song."

"Try not to speak, Feliciano. You might induce another coughing fit."

Feliciano stuck his bottom lip out. "It's Feli." He then closed his eyes and Ludwig thought he probably went to sleep. He smiled down at this funny Italian.

/\/\

A few nights passed and soon it was the end of Ludwig's shift. He and his brother rotated every week to share the work load. He had tried to say goodbye to Feliciano, but the Italian was somewhat delirious.

Gilbert had heard from his brother about the new patient, but only expected him to be half-dead most of the time, so didn't pay attention to him. This patient slept most of the time, but one night he quickly sat upright.

"But I don't even speak French!" He spoke in German, then lay back down again. Gilbert sat staring at him for a moment trying to figure him out, when the patient started babbling incoherently in Italian. Gilbert was amused by this absurd behaviour and thought the patient to be out of his mind. He then stopped speaking and rose quite wearily into sitting position. He spoke in German again.

"Sorry about that, I could not remember my native language."

"And what language is that?" Gilbert chuckled.

"The most beautiful language ever: Italian." He lay down slowly. "Although nowadays I think German sounds even prettier." Quite quickly, he sat up again. "Wait, you're not Ludwig." The Italian looked confusedly at Gilbert.

"You're gonna get lightheaded with all that sitting up and down. I'm his brother, Gilbert."

Feliciano pointed a finger into the air, as if to prove a point. "Ah yes, so it does run in the family."

"What does? Being awesome?"

Feliciano put on his best Ludwig impression. "Beilschmidt's do not catch diseases. We cure them to the best of our abilities," He smiled at Gilbert. "Right?"

"Sounds like something he would say." Gilbert stood up to shake Feliciano's hand. "Nice to meet you…?"

"Feliciano." Feliciano shook back. "But you can call me Feli."

"Feliciano." Gilbert nodded as if processing something. "Feli, do you have a brother?"

Feliciano rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Yeah, he's called Lovino. He has a very good singing voice. Why?"

"Just wondering, that's all."

Feliciano was about to ask more but he drowsily fell back to sleep.

I might start the FrUk one soon, called When the Rain Dissolves so please check it out when it's uploaded. Also don't forget to have a look at When the Storm Breaks, telling Antonio and Lovino's point of views.

Thanks and please review (＝ワ＝)૭