Chapter 3: Interest

The feast was tiring once it was over. He tried to maintain a decent look on his face but with his face he always looked tired and angry. He kinda wanted to change it at times. He looked over at everyone, content, satisfied looks on their faces from being full and stuffed from all the food that was on table. Of course there was a giant bowl of freshly made pasta because of Feliciano. That boy... He shook his head internally. He'll didn't understand a word that came out of his mouth yet he did. He could hear Feliciano groan with satisfaction as he sat back in his chair.

"Ahhhhhn~, that was so yummy Kiku. Grazie for inviting me to the feast, ve~." Feliciano gave Kiku a hug who tensed up still not used to his hugs and touchy feely ways. The other two people Ludwig didn't recognize said their Thank you's. He had no idea what Grazie meant but hearing others begin to chime in, he joined, kicking his brother a bit.

"Ow! What the hell!" Gilbert whined.
"Say thank you." He said sternly. Pleased to hear the almost half hearted thank you from his brother. It was the best he was going to get with out causing a big scene. He already could tell the other two guests were questioning what just happened. Kiku sat in silence.
"Ve~, Gilbert are you okay?" Feliciano asked worry in his voice. The Albino male grinned.
"Of course! I'm too awesome to not be okay!" He was fine in just a few seconds.

Everyone helped with cleaning up much to Kiku's protests. He did so much that they couldn't help but feel like helping him. He's done a lot of preparation for this. It was a little amusing too see him flustered. Ludwig of course ordered everyone out of the kitchen locking himself in. He looked at the pile of dishes on the counter his left eye twitching a bit. He didn't trust the others with cleaning the place and he didn't want to leave Kiku with such a mess since he had the body of a 40 year old man apparently. Feliciano looked at the door worriedly as the 2 unknown guests pounding on the door. "Ve~, what is he doing in there?" He questioned out loud. Kiku walked beside him a faint smile on his lips. "He's doing what he does best."

Ludwig scrubbed for hours, the kitchen shining and glossy. He was able to see his own reflection in the dishes he washed and counter he cleaned. He wiped his forehead getting a little sweaty for being trapped in a stuffy room, not opening the windows at all. He opened the door finally, a bit dramatically, and walked past everyone who stayed by the door waiting. He was confronted by a short male with bushy eyebrows and messy blonde hair. "What in the bloody hell were you doing in there for 3 hours!? Do you know how incredibly rude that is? This isn't your-" He cut off seeing the look on Ludwig's face and the hand that was placed on his shoulder. He turned around, face red with irritation looking at Kiku's gentle, smiling face. "Look into the kitchen. He was merely cleaning it Arthur-san." He huffed, calming down slightly, and glared back up at Ludwig still. He brushed past him and looked into the kitchen. Another blonde following him wearing a brown bombers jacket. His hair housing a cow lick.
"Woaaaaaaaaah dude, you really went all out. I can see my heroic self on the walls practically." He stood astounded looking around. Feliciano bounded in a smile on his face, a Gilbert following behind him as well.

'Bruder's cleaning skills will never cease to amaze me.'

He thought to himself as the other's stared awestruck by the cleanliness of the room. Ludwig himself huffed quietly.
"I would like to see my room if it's not to much to ask."
"Hai, Ludwig-san."

He settled himself in the guest room, his muscles a bit sore from the cleaning and his head pounding from being trapped with only smelling bleach for 3 hours. Did he really stay cleaning for 3 hours? He shook his head. Thinking kinda hurt a bit. He changed into his boxers and tank top, laying down on the futon. He was tired. Today was exhausting for him as fun as it was. Well, okay, yeah, it was fun. A bit weird though. Being surrounded by 3 different strangers. Especially as stranger he met the a while ago. He was certainly interesting. A bit of an airhead. Kind of annoying. Talkative. He had met a talkative people, like Gilbert's friends, but this was a whole new level of talkative. The guy wouldn't stop talking for anything. He had an unnatural obsession over pasta. It was almost scary. He liked pasta too, but that was pure, life is pasta with... Feliciano? Certainly an interesting name too. Gilbert did like the kid, though he tried to like everyone. Hopefully he wouldn't try and add him to the "Bad Touch Trio" his brother called his group of close friends. He visibly shivered. 3 was enough for him too handle. Though the English guy was a bit of an irritable guy. He did understand if he was in the kitchen for long but too be angry about it like that. He shook his head gently and slowly. Then there was the bomber jacket guy. Who looked really young. Almost like a teenager. In a way they seemed related. He didn't want to make too much assumptions. He was tired. Very tired. Sleep sounded nice...
"Ludwig~!"
He jolted, causing his headache to grow worse. He grimaced from the pain, looking irritably at the person who had disturbed him. "Was?!" He asked huffily. He saw it was just Feliciano. What did he want now.
"Ve, I wanted to know if you would like to go to out sight seeing in Cherry Blossom Tree gardens." He bounded in the room happily oblivious to the man's exhaustion and irritation.
"Ja ja. Please go. Tell Kiku I said I would go." He rubbed his face, holding onto his head as he sat up. He tried being as polite as possible, his patience running thin.
"Yay~." He jumped a bit, giving a quick goodbye and goodnight to give the news.
Finally. He could sleep. He just prayed that his brother would be less of a disruption to his sleep. He laid back down, closing his eyes and exhaling deeply. He dozed off into a heavy sleepy.

Meanwhile Gilbert was outside in the living still awake and waiting for a Feliciano to come bounding in. He had this odd attraction to him. It wasn't love but, interest. A foreign interest. He liked his happiness, and energy. The charisma surrounding him. He heard his stomach growl. The food was delicious but it could only satisfy him for so long... "Ve~! He said he will go~." He announced Kiku sitting quietly on the floor sipping warm tea he made. "Arigato."
"Hey Feliciano? Why are you so interested in pasta?" He was curious about that. He talked so much about the pasta as if it was his lover or something. He never met anyone who talked so much about a particular type of food and he's been around a lot.
"Well... because it's so good! In my home, pasta is what I grew up eating and I loved it right on the spot. I guess the variety of the type of pasta is like a piece of art you're making because not every pasta is the same and you have to treat each one differently like a painting. You can't just begin painting, you have to truly think about.." He trailed off into a ramble about painting and pasta. He seemed to really like art. Gilbert of course was already awesome at art, having drew him and his bird together a few times when he got bored. He oddly wondered how his friends were doing though. Since he would be gone for a good week. The Bad Touch Trio was his group name since they were famous in multiple bars and with the ladies. Even though... a good portion of those ladies were eaten.
"Kiku, who were those two other people? I never seen them before." He asked once Feliciano was done rambling which took a good while. Give it 5-8 minutes. He was passionate about Pasta and Painting. Cute, no?
"Those two are my friends, Arthur and Alfred."
"Huh."
"Arthur is from England! It's so cool ve~, and Alfie is from America. They're almost like brothers though how they act." Feliciano giggled at the thought of the two white boys. They constantly switched from lovers to brothers. It was weird choosing which they were since they never gave straight answers.

He chose not to dwell on it. He grinned, thinking to his stomach. He can manage. He can. He ate a lot yesterday. "Well Feli, if I can call you that. I'm pretty sure you would because of how awesome a nickname that is since it came from me. I'm gonna sleep so I can refuel my awesome that never runs out."
"Awww, alright~!" He jumped up gave him a hug, nuzzling his cheek. Gilbert hugged him back, a bit surprised by the sudden action to be honest but tried concealing it best he could. Ohhhh gott, he smells good. I wanna take a small bite out of him. He controlled himself since it was a full room, and the guy didn't seem like the silent type if the room was to be empty.
"Goodnight Gilly." He giggled, not minding the nickname given to him. Truly he was used to people calling him that, that is basically his second name.

"Also, Kiks, thanks for the rockin' feast. Awesome of you to do that." He left the room with that, thinking about Feli. He was warm. Soft too... he smelled of spices and pasta, but as well a faint sweetness to him. It was, new. He kinda liked it... Of course everyone he ever met was warm and soft, but, he was intriguingly cuddly soft. He wanted to hug him for longer but didn't want to risk biting or making it weird. He entered his room, seeing his brother sleeping. He creeped over to his bed, trying to be quiet as to not stir him. He's waken up his brother multiple times and all those times were not fun. They didn't end very well either.

The next day happened, Ludwig waking up early as usual. Kiku along side with him. Gilbert almost never sleeps since he is a vampire but faked it for a few hours. Feliciano didn't get up till 8. Arthur and Alfred didn't get up till 9. Once everyone gathered in the living room, Feliciano bounded into the kitchen, pulling out eggs and milk from the fridgerator. Kiku just sipped on tea letting the Italian do as he pleased in the kitchen, growing quite used to his guests using it as their own since they did clean up after themselves which did save him the trouble. He would miss Ludwig once he left because of how shiny he kept his kitchen. He like to stand in there admiring the cleanliness of it. "So Kiku, how far is this garden you speak of if it isn't rude of me too ask?" The messy haired, blonde asked.
"A good 2 hour walk. It isn't rude to ask. If it isn't too much ask may we all leave around 12?" He timed the amount of how long they would be gone, eat and come back finding it fit to come back around mid-late evening since he did want to entertain his guests.
"Of course dude! Nothing a hero would miss. Hero's love gardens." The others made approvals about the time they were to leave at, giving aws of appreciation when Feliciano came out of the kitchen handing everyone an omellete. He bounded back in the kitchen bringing back 6 cups of water for everyone including himself. He loved to cook especially for guests.

"Thank you Feliciano!" He heard from everyone in their own special ways. Giggling happily as he got comfy in his spot. He was happy to make others happy around him with his cooking. Especially Gilly and the other guy. He wasn't sure what his name was again. Oh well! He seemed to enjoy it anyways.

The hours dragged by slowly for the time to leave to go to the gardens. Everyone was quiet, not much to pass along to one another. Until Feliciano spoke up when he saw all the different shops. He would stop and push everyone to look in the store. One particular store containing little toys and candies. "Veeee~, this looks yummy! What is it?" He brought the candy to Kiku, curious on what the colourful bag was filled with.
"It is Konpeito. Sugar candy." He said, filling his curiosity
"Does it taste good?"
"For me yes. I am not sure how it is for you."
"Mmm... I wanna buy it." He frowned but smiled soon after. "Next time." He put the bag back and left the store.
"Bloody Italian slowing us down." Arthur mumbled to himself. He didn't hate the guy. He was more irritated from the stalling. He felt it unfair for Kiku.
"Come on dude it's not that bad. Next time we come to these stores I know what I would like to buy." Alfred spoke up smiling and wrapping an arm around Arthur who scowled yet blushed at the action.

Gilbert sneaked over picking up the bag of candy that Feliciano had picked up and bought it. He didn't know why, but he liked the guy. Not like the L word. That was a taboo. He wanted to be nice and friendly at least. He ran to the group of people grabbing Feliciano's shoulder.
"Hey Feli, look what the awesome me got you." He smiled, holding up the plastic bag he had in his hand.
"What is it?" He asked, his brown eyes looking at the bag curiously. He took the bag into his own grasp pulling out the bag of candy. He smiled wide. "You didn't have to buy this for me! Grazie Gilly!" He exclaimed jumping into Gilbert's arms in a warm hug. Ludwig watched curiously. His brother was at least being nice. He almost wanted to buy the candy himself. What was he thinking. He was just a stranger. He didn't have to buy every stranger he met candy. Even if he met them rolling on the ground playing with a cat. He smiled a little at the thought. It was kinda cute now that he thought back on it. The moment not.. him. It would be weird.

Gilbert smiled, feeling accomplished that Feliciano was happy with his gift. Going so far as to sharing with everyone. He was so generous. Yet he never seemed tired out by it. Even when it came down to making pasta for people. Though one thing did perk his interest. The little curl that stuck out from his hair. It was bounce along his walk. He wanted to question about it maybe even pull on it...

The garden itself was beautiful when they got there. There were a bit of tourists but it didn't stop the small group of men. The petals would slowly fall and gather on the ground but it would compliment the blue of the sky itself. The trail to enter the garden had a Sakura trees growing on each side, making an archway. They smelled freshly bloomed. Kiku looked over at everyone. "You may go where ever you please and look around. Let us meet here when we are done?" He asked, not wanting to have his guests feel as if they had to stay in a group.
"Are you sure Kiku?" Arthur asked.
"Hai."
"Cool!" Alfred grabbed Arthur's hand dragging him into the garden wanting to be a dorky romantic with him. A story maybe for later to be told.
"Veeee~." Feliciano looked over at Ludwig, noticing he's been left out. He frowned a bit at that. It didn't seem fair. "Ludwig, would you like to come join me into the garden?" He asked, grabbing onto his shirt sleeve, giving it a tug. He was startled, surprised the other male would want to even want to be near him. Let alone ask him to explore the garden. "Uh. Ja." He gave a quick glance at Gilbert. "Why did you not ask mein bruder?" He asked curiously.
"Eh? Oh. Gilly! Would like to come with me and Ludwig through the garden?" He asked sweetly.
"Hell yeah! I'm not gonna let this garden be empty of my awesomeness. Pfft, my awesomeness probably helped these trees grow." He nodded his head in approval of himself. They all began to walk into the garden, Kiku having disappeared in his own little world. Or country.
"They all look so pretty! I wanna grow one of these and make a garden of my own. Like my older brother Lovino. He grows tomatoes in his backyard." He rambled on, Gilbert listening and Ludwig half listening to him. "Ludwig?" He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his name.
"Ja?" He asked.
"Why are you so quiet?"
"Kesese, because he's plotting a new war."
"No he isn't! You can't read his mind."
"Hff. I'm quiet because I have nothing to talk about. No one is talking to me. It's simple to understand why."
"O-Oh. I'll talk to you more!"
"Feli don't he's scary."
"Shut up bruder. I am not. You're just a coward. You don't have to talk to me."
"Ve~ That's mean but it's okay! I want to talk to you. I'm talking to you now and I like it. Even if you are scary. Especially when we first met. You were terrifying." He shuddered. "You seem okay now though! You're kind enough to clean Kiku's kitchen to!"
"Well, it was messy. It would have been unfair for Kiku to have to clean up all of those dishes by himself."
"Bruder you cleaned up the walls. That was more than a dish. You have OCD or something."
"I do not. I just don't like mess."
"I like clean but sometimes mess is good. Shows you are doing something!"
"Or doing nothing."
"You're so prude about cleanliness. "
"Nothing wrong with clean ve~."
Feliciano then started swatting at his face. "Veeee..." He whined, feeling something fly into his face. He started flailing his arms crying. "There's something on my face!" Gilbert started laughing a bit, though Ludwig grabbed onto Feliciano's shoulders, whom stopped his flailing. "You have a petal on your face. It's nothing dangerous." He gently picked up the petal from his tan, soft face holding it in front of him. "Oh. Thank you Luddy, my hero." He hugged him tight, nuzzling his chest. Ludwig stood there stunned unsure of what to do. He patted his back, confused.
"You're welcome." He said awkwardly unused to a situation like this. He could feel a slight hair in his face, blowing on it. He then heard a whine from below him, seeing Feliciano tense. He pulled him back seeing his face red. "Are you okay?" Gilbert perked up from the question his laughter stopping. "Is there something wrong?"
"V-Vee. I'm fine. It's nothing." He smiled, his blush still in place. That was embarrassing. He almost had to tell him about his little curl. Though he didn't want to weird them out about it. He grabbed both Ludwig's hand and Gilbert's hands, pulling them both to one of the flower bushes. Gilbert and Ludwig were both weirded out more so the younger of the brothers. So unused to everything this guy was dishing out. The older one though held his hand as well, used to all of it. He has met many men and women who would do this.
"They're so pretty! I wonder what flower they are called."

"Take a picture I'm sure Kiku would know."
"Good idea!"
Before he could take out his camera, someone bumped into him spilling their coffee on his shirt. He yelped as the hot beverage spilled on him. "I-I'm sorry! Mi dispiace!" He flailed his arms, tears filling his eyes as he looked at the man whom spilled his coffee. It was another man in his mid thirty's. He had an irritated look in his eyes as most of his coffee was spilled not caring that it burned Feliciano. Gilbert and Ludwig came by hearing the stranger mutter angrily in Japanese "Anata ga Amerika no baka o shiyou to shite iru tokoro mite." Ludwig placed a hand on Felciano's shoulder whom was crying and repeating sorry over and over again.
"Are you alright?"
A sniffle.
"No... I got burned and it still does a bit."

Or a lot.

Gilbert was busy arguing with the Asian man as Ludwig pulled Feliciano away and walked off, looking for a bathroom, or just someplace with a tissue. As he was being dragged, he couldn't stopped sniffling. He didn't bump into him, he knew that, but he was so mad. At him. He didn't understand. Was he out of pasta? No... The burns also began to sting and feel numb. Not the good kind of numb. The numb you get when your foot falls asleep and it's starting to have pins and needles but not just quite. It didn't make it better when it was all over his chest. His new clothes too... His brother would be pissed if he told him that his new clothes were ruined on the first day of wearing it. They spent 20 minutes walking, having to leave the garden to find an outside bathroom, going inside a cafe. He went inside of the bathroom, still being pulled. He didn't notice the name, from away the tears that were slowly stopping. Key word there. Slowly. He didn't even notice the odd stares at his sniffling and the buff guy whom was pulling him around.

Ludwig pulled him into the bathroom, it was single bathroom, locking the door behind them. Whomever needed to use the bathroom would have to wait a while, because he was going to be busy taking care of this guy. He let go of his hand, the tan skin red from the heat and grip. It wasn't like it was a strong grip, but it was tight. He pulled out napkins from the napkin container, and handing it to him. "Why are you crying?" He asked, grabbing his hands away from his face to wipe away his tears. He did cook for him so it was only fair to do this for him at the least.
"W-Well...," sniff ", he was just so mad at me and I don't even know why and I didn't even get in his way right? His coffee spilled and it burned a lot, and, and, oh Luddy!" He wrapped his arms tightly around the blonde, sobbing into his chest. He wiped his face against his shirt as the tears renewed. He completely forgot they were in a bathroom and that people could probably hear them, or rather him, in the bathroom. Ludwig on the other hand didn't forget and really didn't know what to do to really comfort the guy. He placed a hand on his shoulder, awkwardly patting it. "... It's fine. It was not your fault. He was just an asshole. You don't need to waste your tears on assholes like him. Okay?" He wouldn't know what he told the people if they started complaining about his loud crying. At least it was muffled by his shirt.

"O-Okay.." He stepped back, wiping his renewed tears, still sniffling. "It hurts still... the burns."
"Lift up your shirt then. Let me see how bad they are." He was wearing clothes so they shouldn't be too bad." He wasn't trying to be a pervert, he mainly wanted to see what was the coffee burns like. Feliciano nodded his head, and lifted his shirt up to his chin, looking down as well, but his view was obscured by his clothing. He looked over the tan skin, seeing the red marks of the coffee. It wasn't the worst burns he's seen. He's seen beyond 3rd degree. What a gruesome sight it was honestly. He grabbed some more napkins and wet them with cold water, and then placing them on the red areas on his skin. "Does this feel better?" He asked, looking into his eyes. A nod in response. "Ve, si. Grazie Luddy." He wasn't ever called Luddy in his lifetime so.. that... he didn't really know what to expect to really say about it. So he just let it go. If he wanted to call him Luddy, he could. It wasn't an insult or anything. So he was fine with it. He continued to wipe the wet napkins across his red skin for a few minutes until he deemed it long enough for being in the bathroom. As well Gilbert was blowing up his phone, with texts and calls. He didn't even need to look at his phone, knowing his own work knew he would be gone for a week so it would be silly of them to call him. He didn't really have friends either. The only numbers he had in his phone, were work, Gilbert, and his parents. Even though they were kinda old and didn't really use technology to begin with. So, in all actuality it was just Gilbert. He had a lonely life. He didn't even care for the man who was waiting outside of the bathroom, doing the potty dance, ready to soil himself. He just looked at him, and he had peed himself practically in fear. Ludwig was disgusted, and Feliciano was on his way to the front door and exit of the cafe. Okay Ludwig wasn't that ugly or scary looking. He just had a serious look on his face. He learned to take most if not 99.2% of life seriously. He shook his head and left, standing out on the edge of the sidewalk and calling Gilbert.
"Where in the fuck are you?!"
He had to pull the phone away from his ear so he wouldn't go deaf.
"I'm in front of a cafe about 30 minutes away from the garden. I needed to find a bathroom to clean up Feliciano."
"Oh."
"Ja."
"Well get your ass back here. Everyone came back and we need the both of you if we are going to get any sort of food here."
"Ja, alright. We'll head over there now. Goodbye."
"Veeee. Who was that?"
"Just mein bruder. He says to go back, and that they are waiting for us to so they can go eat."
"Then let's go!"