Here's the second chapter... sorry it took so long, I was working my ass off on this story for the past week!
Disclaimer: Hetalia doesn't belong to me. End of story.
"You… came."
Feliciano stared into Ludwig's light blue eyes, the beautiful shade he had never seen in so many weeks.
"Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?" Feliciano asked timidly, sheepishly scratching the back of his head.
A cold breeze whished by in the cold autumn air as the awkward pause continued to sit between the two lovers.
Ludwig cleared his throat before motioning towards the park bench right in front of them.
"Erm, would you like to sit down?"
"Only if you do."
"…Sure…"
"Hello?" Feliciano had asked into the phone earlier in the day.
"Feliciano? It's me, Ludwig."
The poor boy almost dropped his telephone receiver in shock. Tugging on the line until it almost broke, Feliciano took in a gulp.
"Oh, Ludwig, w-why are you calling?"
There was a loud sigh at the end of the line.
"Feliciano, I feel like we never finished talking since the last time we met," Ludwig sighed into the receiver, "and I think we need to talk a bit more. Are you free sometime soon?"
The Italian was a bit startled at the bluntness of Ludwig's request, and nodded, until he realized his boyfriend couldn't see him.
"Uh, yeah, I'm free all day," he finally managed, his voice cracking slightly.
"Okay then. Would you like to meet at the park in an hour or two?"
Feliciano couldn't help but notice the slightly desperate tone in Ludwig's voice.
"Of course I would, Ludwig," Feliciano replied gently, his voice back to normal, "I'll meet at two."
"Thank you, Feliciano. Ich liebe dich."
The dial tone rang into the auburn haired boy's ear loudly.
Which brought them back to this spot, where the two of them sat next to each other on freezing cold benches, not saying a word to each other. The awkward silence continued, until the German cleared his throat once more.
"Feliciano, about what I said before…"
"I know, I know. You wanted to talk some more," Feliciano finished for him, shivering slightly at the cold.
"Here, you'll catch a cold," Ludwig said, starting wrapping his lover with his scarf, but stopped by Feliciano's arm.
"I'm fine."
"But you're shiver-"
"Don't worry so much. What about you? Aren't you cold?"
"A bit but your ey-"
"Getting a cold won't affect my sight at all."
Ludwig was slightly pleasantly surprised by the strong, somewhat confident voice that Feliciano seemed to have developed over the weeks he was gone, but where was that loveable, perhaps overly dependent Italian he had come to love over the years? His beautiful, pasta-loving boyfriend?
"Feliciano, please, just talk to me."
"About what?"
Ludwig sighed and brushed his fingers through his hair before continuing.
"How is your sight right now?"
"… it's fine."
Another silence filled the bracing autumn air that surrounded them.
"Have you been painting recently?"
"No, but I'm thinking of a new concept for a piece now."
"…I missed you a lot while we weren't meeting."
"…"
"Everyday, I couldn't help but worry about you, like I am now. I don't care if we're not going to be together from now on, but I'll worry about you all the time wherever you are. I love you so much, Feliciano," Ludwig said, whispering the last part.
The Italian being spoken to started to cry silently, tears streaming down his cheeks without a sound. Ludwig took the opportunity to wind his scarf around Feliciano's neck. There was no fight while he did so.
"Please Feliciano, let me help you."
The boy sobbed quietly as he wiped his face of tears, trying to keep them under control and not soak Ludwig's scarf as they began to cascade down like a waterfall from his eye. His attempts to keep his breath under control only fogged the air with his breath in white, wispy tendrils that weaved together into puffs.
"Feliciano, look at me."
Obediently, Feliciano looked up and stared into Ludwig's crystalline blue eyes with his own warm, cocoa eyes, shiny with tears.
He's beautiful, was what both lovers thought as they looked at their other puzzle piece, the thing that helped them become complete.
Ludwig, with his blonde, corn silk hair and pale eyes, surrounded by the beautiful shades of orange, red, and yellow fall gave the trees during her reign, looked stunning.
Feliciano, with his lovely coppery hair as well as his trademark curl that bobbed nearby, was also encircled by the flora and fauna mother nature blessed the day with, made Ludwig's heart beat faster.
Both fell in love with the other. All over again.
"Ti amo."
"Ich liebe dich."
Pausing for a second, the two realized what they had said at the same time. Ludwig laughed softly, something that made Feliciano also smile as well. Caressing his face, the German wiped away his boyfriend's tears away with the pad of his thumb before kissing his still sticky cheek.
"I love you Feliciano."
"M-me too, Ludwig."
"Then let me help you, bitte (please)?"
"Of course," Feliciano said, peacefully.
Slowly, he looked up at the sun.
It wasn't white anymore.
It was corn silk yellow.
"Feli!"
"Nii-chan, you're here!"
"Damn right I am!"
Ludwig sighed as he put his head into his arms. Why did he let Feliciano invite Antonio and his brother Lovino to his home? That's right, he had found out that his lover hadn't said anything about his diagnosis, he forced him to call right away, and wherever Lovino went, Antonio usually followed.
"Wait, what's that potato bastard doing here, idiot!"
"Aww, Lovi, don't be so harsh on your little brother~"
"It's only Ludwig, nii-chan, you know, my boyfrien- Gyyyaaa! Don't kill me nii-chan please!"
"Tell me one reason why I shouldn't!"
"Lovi, put down the gun, per favore, it's not even loaded," Antonio pointed out, grabbing the angry Italian's arm.
"F-fine! But this isn't over, Feli!"
"Alright!" Feliciano chirped happily, knowing he would be safe for at least six months, or until Lovino saw Ludwig with him again.
"Come to the kitchen, let's have dinner," Ludwig interrupted abruptly, hooking Feliciano's arm with his and dragging the hapless Italian over to the kitchen so they could start setting the table up right away.
"Okay~ Just wait for a moment nii-chan, and you too Antonio!" Feliciano called out as he was taken to the kitchen.
"He better not do anything to you, Feli, or else I'll kill him!"
"Just ignore that, Ludwig, he doesn't mean it!" the Spanish man said immediately, frantically trying to apologize for his own boyfriend's viciousness at Ludwig.
The German did.
"How's the pasta, nii-chan?"
"It's okay I guess…"
Ludwig nudged Feliciano in the side slightly with his elbow. At first, the auburn haired boy stared at Ludwig's face, but got the message soon.
"Ah, um, nii-chan, actually I called you over to tell you something," Feliciano said, quickly changing the subject.
"Whag issut?" the older Vargas brother asked over a mouthful of fettuccine.
"It's that my- um… I uh…" Feliciano looked up desperately at Ludwig's face, silently begging him not to let him go through this.
But Ludwig kept his ground and instead, firmly grasped Feliciano's hand. The blonde nodded towards the couple who was still eating, urging him to continue.
"M-my eyes are… are…"
"Spit it out, stupid!" Lovino ranted, frustrated at his younger brother's inability to speak.
"Lovi…" Antonio began warningly.
"My eyes are…."
"Yeah?"
"Going to be blind in a few years."
It was silent for a long time. A really long time.
"What did you say?" Lovino whispered.
Feliciano looked like he was going to tear up again in a few moments, but steeled himself and continued to speak.
"My eyes are going bad, and they're not going to work in a few years anymore. I'll be blind soon nii-chan, just though you might need to know."
Ludwig was proud that Feliciano finally got his confession out, but was slightly worried as to how the more violent Vargas sibling would react. The blonde was expecting something akin to fireworks and gunpowder, but was met with absolutely nothing.
"Oh, I see," Lovino said in the same whispery tone. Slowly, as if in a trance, the golden-eyed Italian stood up from his seat and started for the door.
"Lovi? Where are you going?"
"Nii-chan?"
Both Antonio and Feliciano started up and began going for Lovino, only for both of them to be stopped by the German.
"Leave him alone for now," Ludwig instructed in a stern voice, "he just needs some time. This is obviously big news."
"B-but nii-chan-"
"Lovi might get-"
Ludwig shook his head.
After an hour or two, Antonio started to leave for his home, after assuring Ludwig and Feliciano he would try to help as much as he could if needed. Saying their farewells to the passionate Spanish man, Ludwig and Feliciano started to clean up the table. Soon, Ludwig helped Feliciano into bed, giving the Italian the mandatory goodnight kiss he loved so much (but not nearly as much as Ludwig loved to give them to him). Later, Ludwig found himself staring the sleeping form of a peaceful Feliciano sleeping.
He loved the little Italian so much. It broke his heart when he found out that Feliciano was going to lose his vision in such a short period of time. Ludwig wanted to do something just for Feliciano, something to make him forget for at least a short moment that the world would become a vast, black land in a few years.
But before he could finish that thought, his cellphone rang in his pocket. Trying to do his best not to wake Feliciano up, the blonde quickly checked his caller id, and found the name, "The Awesome Me" stated boldly on the LCD screen.
Sighing, Ludwig picked up the phone and asked into the receiver, "Hello?"
"Hey, West, it's me!" a loud voice nearly yelled back. Cringing, the German moved the cellphone a few inches away from his ear.
"Yes, Gilbert?" he replied a moment later. Honestly, Ludwig didn't understand why his brother demanded that he was constantly called by that silly name. East and West was a game that the two used to play back when they were much, much younger. It was sort of game that required imagination. Ludwig would be the kingdom of the west, while Gilbert was the "awesome" kingdom of the east. The only times the silverette would ever use "West" as a name was during that game, until their parents died when Ludwig was at college. Since then, Gilbert would constantly call Ludwig "West" as often as possible, whether it was from loneliness or from the pleasure of annoying Ludwig's last nerve, the blonde wasn't sure.
"Hey, West, you know Lovino, right? Toni's boyfriend?"
Like hell he didn't.
"Yes, why?"
"Cause Toni's going crazy looking for him. Apparently, the little shit left at Feli's house and isn't coming back home right now."
Oh shoot.
"What? Lovino's missing you mean?"
"Well, yeah, no duh. What else could I be saying? Anyways, do you have any idea where he might be?"
"No, I don't, but Feliciano might."
"Then get him on the phone!"
"But he's sleeping-"
"Get him on the phone right now, West! Toni's about to break all the furniture in the house!" Suddenly, a loud crashing sound resounded in the background. "Dammit, Toni, did you HAVE to punch in the mirror? Seven years of bad luck, dude!"
Ludwig sighed but knew what had to be done. He gently nudged Feliciano from his bed.
"Feliciano, wake up. The pasta's burning in the pan."
"Gggyyyyyaaaaaa!"
Ludwig had to dodge out of the way before getting hit in the head with Feliciano's flailing arms.
"I need to save the paaastaaaaa!" Feliciano wailed as he dashed out of the room as quickly as possible.
"Wait, Feliciano!" Ludwig called out, reaching out slightly. He winced slightly when he heard a crash and a loud wail from the kitchen. The German quickly dashed out of the room and saw Feliciano rubbing his head ruefully and staring tearfully at the pot on the floor.
"There's no pasta here, Ludwig, and then this pot fell on my head!" the Italian cried out, wiping stray tears that fell.
"I know, I know. Are you alright?"
The auburn haired boy nodded.
Ludwig sighed in relief but continued, "I'm sorry I lied, but I had to wake you up. Antonio can't find your older brother anywhere."
"W-wha? Nii-chan didn't come home?"
"Yeah, do you know anywhere that Lovino might-"
"Niii-channn!"
"Yes I know- Wait, Feliciano, where do you think you're going?"
The breeze Feliciano left behind as he ran out the door whooshed through the open door.
"Damn hic brother," Lovino mumbled as he drank another shot of sherry, "first he has to hic date the damn potato wurst bastard, and then hic gets himself sick…"
"Hey, are you alright over there?" a concerned bartender asked. To the drunken Italian the question sounded more like an insult in his alcohol -dazed mind.
"Shut up smartass!" Lovino yelled, slamming the shot cup down onto the counter with an enormous bang.
The bartender quickly became quiet, knowing better than to mess around with a drunk customer.
Contented with himself, Lovino smirked but quickly went back into his depressed state as before. Dammit, why did Feliciano have to be like this all of a sudden?
Lovino's biggest fear (though he would never say it to anyone, even Antonio) was that everyone important to him would leave him all alone. It had already happened once when his mother left and his father just sent them off to his grandfather Roma, who immediately favored the younger Vargas brother as soon as they arrived at the huge mansion the old man lived in. Lovino lived his adolescence as an outsider and ignored, often mistaken as his much more popular younger brother. When the two brother's grandfather finally passed away, Feliciano and Lovino would comfort each other as they struggled to live by themselves. Then even Feliciano decided dating the potato bastard several years ago, leaving him alone. Again.
Then he met Antonio, a stupid, rather air headed Spanish man he met while visiting Southern Italy or in other words, Rome. At first, Lovino was exasperated by Antonio's constant displays of affection, but found it somewhat endearing over time. If felt nice, being noticed for once, and eventually he forgot about everyone else leaving him.
Until now.
Lovino slid his cup over to the bartender for another shot.
"Niii-chaaaann!"
The golden-eyed Italian recognized that cry immediately. Lovino snapped his head back to the door, where his brother, wearing pajamas was panting for breath. The younger Italian seemed to notice his brother staring back at him and he looked upwards, seeing Lovino's shocked face facing towards him.
"Nii-chan! I found you at last!" Feliciano cried, running towards Lovino, his arms open for a hug.
"Dammit, why are you wearing clothes right now!" Lovino growling, pushing his younger sibling's head away from him, "I bed that potato bastard forced you to wear those…"
"Nii-chan, don't call Ludwig that~" the auburn haired boy whined, "And besides, Antonio nii-san is really worried about you too."
Lovino snorted before picking up his newly refilled shot cup.
"Fuck him," Lovino mumbled, gulping down the alcohol, "he's probably just faking it or something."
"No he isn't!" Feliciano shot back, tears forming from his eyes, "Nii-chan, everyone was really worried about you, even me!"
"Yeah right, if you really worried or even thought about me, you wouldn't have left me or get sick."
Feliciano froze.
"I-is this what it's about nii-chan? You're worried I'm going to leave you?"
Lovino turned so his younger brother wouldn't be able to see his face. Feliciano took the reaction as a yes.
"Nii-chan…" he said quietly, wrapping his arms around his older sibling's, "Just because I won't be able to see you in a couple years, doesn't mean I'm going to be leaving you."
Lovino began to sniff, the tears now falling in a small cascading waterfall down his tan cheeks. Feliciano hugged him even tighter.
The two brothers sat like that until the last customer stumbled out drunk and the bartender informed them that he would have to close down soon, but the two were welcome to stay as long as they might need to.
And then morning came.
Sorry for such a vague ending! I ended up having to make it three chapters! My computer was going haywire from having too much in one document (damn you crappy laptop...)
I'll try to update a bit faster! Until next time~