Author's Note: Hello again! I know…I know…I killed THREE PEOPLE last chapter…+sigh+ Well…I'm sorry… +didn't want to+
Feliciano looked up at the night sky. He couldn't sleep. There was too much stuff going through his normally free and thoughtless mind. He was starting to worry about his own life. He had been relying on Ludwig the whole game.
Feliciano didn't want to admit it, but Ludwig wasn't made of stone. Something could happen to him. A dramatic change of advents…and it would leave Feliciano all alone to fend for himself. "Vee~! I don't think I have to worry…" He finally decided to say something out-loud as he wondered through the strangely quiet forest in the middle of the night. He couldn't see it, but he knew that the moon was shining bright in the sky that night. "Vee~! Roderich would never hurt me~!"
Feliciano hummed to himself as he decided that he should at least head back to camp.
One problem…which way? All the trees looked the same. He heard a twig crunch and practically jumped out of his skin. He could feel red eyes burning into the back of his head as he turned around and immediately, out of habit, reached for his back pocket, only to find his normal white flag he had made the first day in the arena was gone.
It must have fallen out back at camp somewhere. It was just a simple stick with a piece of torn white cloth stuck on the end. But it was important. It was special.
The cloth was ripped from Ludwig's shirt and given to him as…a keepsake if something happened. Feliciano cried as he ran around in a little circle. He didn't want to leave this spot and get lost even worse. "WAHHH!" He cried, "LUDWIG~~~!"
Ludwig woke in a cold sweat. Something was wrong. He turned to his side and saw Feliciano was gone. Ludwig bolted from the ground and headed straight for the forest.
As he neared the edges of the trees he could hear Feliciano's cries. He didn't know what was wrong, but he was going to get to him before…whatever it was…could hurt him.
Ludwig pushed a branch out of his view and continued forward, following Feliciano's crying.
Eventually, after taking many different turns and crawling under many different types of thorny plants, he found Feliciano, sitting on the ground, sobbing.
Ludwig chuckled a little; Feliciano looked a large child. He extended a hand to him and the Italian quickly took it and was pulled to his feet. He immediately collapsed into the German's arms. Ludwig brushed a hand over the smaller man's head, careful to let his hand spend an extra amount of time on the stray curl on Feliciano's head. This made the Italian emit a small moan and cuddle closer to him, his hand trying to pull Ludwig off the sensitive swirl.
Ludwig knew what it did, but he just loved to hear the Italian tell him, "What's wrong?"
"Vee~! Ludwig! You know what that is!" Feliciano said, pouting, "Vee~! I've told you at least three times~!" he whined.
Ludwig laughed and kissed him nose, "Yes, yes I do know what it is." Feliciano pouted and nodded again, as if he was genuinely mad at him. "And I promise I'll only touch it if you want me to."
Feliciano blushed as he pulled Ludwig down to whisper into his ear. No one else was near, but Feliciano felt the need to whisper anyway. "Would you…touch it…touch me…tonight, vee~?" Some how the Italian was able to say something that sent shivers of excitement up Ludwig's spine and still sound just as innocent.
Ludwig nodded as he took Feliciano's hand and turned around to take him back to the camp. But now…now that he'd been staying there for some time, he'd forgotten which way was camp.
Ludwig knew it'd be morning before they knew it.
Feliciano's blush was still dominating his face when Ludwig pulled him in for a slow passionate kiss out of nowhere. "Ludwig…?" Feliciano asked, looking Ludwig in the eyes.
Ludwig's stare was cold and stern, "Feliciano. I love you. Now, run. Run and find Roderich. Go to the other side of the desert. I'll be right behind you."
Feliciano stared at him bewildered, what was going on? Feliciano peeked around Ludwig and immediately understood and then took off in a fast pace sprint.
What Feliciano had seen was the ground collapsing in on itself. A fire had started to blaze a few yards back. How had they not noticed this before? He decided it must be the Capitol's dirty tricks. They just randomly decided to do this for no reason.
The ground under Feliciano's feet felt soft and crumbly. It felt hot. EXTREMLY hot.
He felt crying and giving up to the heat and the crumbling ground. Just laying down and dying, but no. He couldn't leave Ludwig, especially after what he had just told him. I love you.
That made Feliciano's heart swell with joy. He turned his head back a bit to see if Ludwig was behind him or not.
Not there. Where was he? Feliciano stopped dead. What should he do? He could go back and check for him…it would make him feel better. Just then he heard a scream, well…more like a yell. A Ludwig yell. And then a hand. He saw a hand appear from the ground. It was Ludwig.
Feliciano looked back. The forest was quickly being engulfed in flames. The world was disappearing into the ground mere yards away from where Ludwig's hand stuck up from the ground.
Feliciano was panic stricken. He didn't know what to do. What would Ludwig want him to do? Save himself or risk his life.
Screw that, Ludwig wasn't gonna die yet, if he ever died at all. Feliciano summoned all his courage and took a deep breath before running for his life toward the hole.
Ludwig cursed himself. What a foolish thing to do. He should've been more careful. Although, he knew his Italian lover would save him, so he had no worries about himself living. It was his Italian lover that he was worried about surviving.
He saw a smiling face appear above the hole and hand was reached out to his. He grabbed on and Feliciano tried his very hardest to pull him out, but in the end, Ludwig had to grab onto the edges of the hole to help him most of the way. Once out, he smiled at the Italian and grabbed his hand and they took off again.
With such a big blunder behind him, Ludwig ran with extra efficiency. They had to take some random guesses at where the camp was, but eventually found a trail they knew lead to camp.
Now it was Feliciano that was tripping over everything, but luckily before long they were back at camp. Feliciano ran up to Roderich who was warming his hands by the fire. It was still dark outside, but Feliciano guessed he couldn't sleep either.
Roderich looked up, alarmed at the frantic face covering Feliciano's normally care-free one, "What's wrong, Feliciano?" He asked, standing up and wiping his backside clean of any stray dirt.
"VEE~! WE GOTTA RUN! RUN, RUN!" Feliciano exclaimed, grabbing the Austrian's hand and pulling him away. Ludwig was about to run when he stopped and turned around. He picked up a gun and small tube to extract syrup from the trees from the pile and left everything else where it was. He then sped up and caught up to the other two men.
Feliciano looked back and saw that he was, surprisingly, in the lead. This made him feel good. "VEE~!" He screamed at he happily ran through the trees.
They all made safe and sound to the edge of the desert.
Feliciano figured the fire wouldn't follow, but whatever the reason the land was caving in probably could. He checked the other two were close by, but it was just then Roderich let a small curse in his native language pass his lips as the Italian just stood there, blocking the way. He pushed Feliciano out of his way and ran across the desert.
Feliciano puffed out a: "RUDE!" Before following after him. Ludwig sighed and chased after the Italian.
Feliciano skidded to a stop before almost falling into the hole containing the cornucopia.
He thought about climbing down and checking for more supplies, but after turning around and seeing that the collapsing-ground was indeed following them across the desert, he decided against it. It wasn't quite at the hole yet, but within about ten minutes it would be taken away and destroyed.
Feliciano looked to the side of him as he began to run across the desert again. He saw the beginning of another sand storm. The sand raised high above the trio's heads and threatened to crash down and suffocate them.
Feliciano looked back, eyes seeking help from the large German. Their eyes connected and the same thought ran through their minds. Were gonna die…
Feliciano stared at the storm in shock and horror until a strong hand gripped his wrist. He felt safe thinking it was Ludwig until he realized it was Roderich. "Vee~! You're not Ludwig!' The Italian exclaimed, pulling away and frantically searching for Ludwig.
The man had disappeared again, but not for long. Mere seconds later Feliciano saw Ludwig emerge from the cornucopia-hole with a large gun. The ground was falling away fast and only steps behind him as he ran up to Feliciano and looked him in the eyes, "Let's go." He said calmly before they took off running.
Feliciano liked the feeling of running fast, even if 'fast' wasn't very fast for him, considering he was a pretty slow runner.
Feliciano and Ludwig eventually got to the end of the desert, only steps behind Roderich.
Once they were a little further into the forest, they all sat down next to a large tree and rested for a moment before Ludwig stood back up, "I'm going to check to see if the…um…earth quake thing…is still coming this way." The German turned and left.
Feliciano looked over at Roderich, he looked sad and lonely. Feliciano decided to help. He stood and walked over to the Austrian. "Hey Roderich? Vee~! Are you okay?" Feliciano sat down next to the Austrian and leaned his head against the older man's shoulder, "Roddy~?" He asked; mimicking the nickname he had heard the Austrian called many times.
Roderich glared at the Feliciano though the tears welling in his eyes. No one calls me that except Gilbert… He thought bitterly, before rounding on the smaller male and grabbing his shirt collar, "What did you say!?" He screamed.
"I-Um…Roddy? What-What I do…?" Feliciano asked, innocently. He honestly didn't know Roderich didn't like to be called that.
Roderich glared as the tears finally fell from his eyes. He gritted his teeth and swung his arm forward with so much force that when his knuckles connected with Feliciano's face, blood immediately exploded from his nose and mouth. Roderich flicked his hand, shaking the blood off before standing and walking angrily away.
Roderich knew that wherever Gilbert may be, he was probably very proud of him right now.
Roderich smirked. He had this whole thing planned out now. He was going to win.
And all it took was the love between Feliciano and Ludwig.
Feliciano wiped at his nose frantically, when the blood finally stopped gushing, he stood and ran for where Ludwig had headed.
He finally saw the German. He ran up to him, "Ludwig? Vee~! Is the whole earth-collapsing-in-on-itself thing still coming~?"
Ludwig shook his head 'no' before turning to Feliciano, "What's wro—you're bleeding! Feliciano, what happened!?" He asked shocked, feeling Feliciano's face as if the blood was caused by a fever or something.
Feliciano looked into Ludwig's eyes, "Rod-Roderich hit me…" He explained half embarrassed, half ashamed.
Ludwig took Feliciano by the hand, some what angrily, and stormed off with the Italian in his wake. They stopped next to the large tree where Ludwig picked up the large gun from the cornucopia.
Feliciano looked shocked as he wasn't taken toward where Roderich had disappeared off to, but actually much deeper into the forest and the exact opposite direction. "Ludwig…he went that way, ve~!" Feliciano pointed the other way.
Ludwig ignored him. He stopped and pressed Feliciano against a tree.
He crashed their lips together roughly and deepened the kiss with his tongue.
Feliciano moaned just before Ludwig pulled away. Ludwig picked up the gun and pointed it straight at Feliciano.
Feliciano looked shocked and his eyes grew huge.
"Feliciano." Ludwig said quietly, "I know…that I won't win this. I know…that you will kill yourself if I die. I know that if you don't kill yourself, Roderich will show his true colors and kill you. And if I ever saw any kill you…I think I might just go bizurk and kill everyone in the Capitol. That would be a good thing, actually. My point is, Feliciano…I love you." Ludwig said before pulling the trigger. The bullet blazed toward Feliciano's chest and struck his heart immediately.
Perfect aim…
Feliciano crumpled to the floor.
End Note: So… how was it? AND NO ONE DIED! XD …well…um…not technically anyway, da~!
So, how do you think Ludwig's reason for shooting Feliciano was? I knew from the beginning that I wanted him to shoot Feliciano, but it took me a while to make up a reason, da.
When I finally got one, I has a hard time putting it into words, da.
Don't worry, don't worry. I know I left a small cliff-hanger, but I'm putting all the last three chapters up at once, so you can just go read the next and it will clear up pretty fast, da~! Trust me!
'Kay! I shuddup now~!