Not much to say other than this chapter is dialogue heavy and less than the last chapter, but I've got a biggy planned for chapter 6 so look forward to that~

Don't really think I need a disclaimer by now, I'm happier not risking angry fangirls coming at me by owning hetalia :3

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Chapter 5: A Peaceful Evening

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Much time passed and - by the time the sun had set - candle light had filled the palace. With the sleeping prince around darkness remained present in the bedroom since Ludwig would rather work in the dark than deal with a newly awakened royal brat. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end, the servant remembered this when a rustling came in the direction of the bed.

"Mmrph." Ludwig turned his head quickly. The sleeping tyrant appeared to be shuffling and rolling slowly on the sheets. Ludwig sighed deeply as he mentally prepared for the coming break of the calm.

"Hmm? Is that you Luddy?" The brunette said in a drowsy tone.

Luddy? Who the hell was Luddy?

"It's just me your honor, I'm sorry if I woke you."

Despite Ludwig trying his best to speak properly, it became more and more apparent that it was in vain. The sleepy man sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Ahh, it is you~ I was waiting for you but I guess I fell asleep, sorry Luddy." He smiled happily at his servant but was only returned a look of confusion.

"…That's not my name."

"Ve, your name's not Luddy? Then what should I call you?"

"Ludwig, my name is Ludwig… your honor."

While he was talking the Prince got up and stretched before walking across the room to sit at the desk next to him. "Boo, I like your nickname better, but I will call you Ludwig if you don't call me 'honor'."

Ludwig, still regretful to be so close to him, moved back a bit to face him and folded his arms. "Fine, what do you want to be called?"

"Feliciano. Or maybe you can call me Feli~"

Ludwig paused as though he was trying to explain something obvious to a stupid person. "Your honor, if I were to call you that enough times in front of the guards I would be beheaded."

"Aww." Feliciano thought for a moment before smiling again. "Fine, I'll call you Luddy and Ludwig and you can call me Feliciano and fancy things, okay?"

Ludwig sighed in defeat. "Yeah, sure, whatever."

Feliciano smiled and laughed for a moment before realising that they were still in almost complete darkness. "Oh! Sorry, one second." He took a match from the draw next to him and found a candle on the table. He found them and lit it so quickly in the dark that you would think he had done it a million times. The candle was fairly bright, enough for the two men and a large portion of the room to be generously lit. "These are really good candles, made from fancy stuff so they last long and are really bright."

"Can't you just get one of your servants to light the room?"

"Ve, I don't like to bother them at this time," Feliciano looked around as if someone might be listening before loudly whispering to Ludwig, "if I keep quite I can stay up and go to sleep when I like without anyone telling me I cant~" He seemed to find it fairly amusing but still Ludwig retained a stoic expression. "Oh! That reminds me, have you had lunch or dinner? The sun has already set so the tour must have been longer than usual."

"I'm not hungry." Ludwig lied. He still didn't trust all this, especially since the man before him was so much higher than him and yet so casual. He must be planning something.

"Really? I know those prisons don't serve as much as the staff meals here and one meal a day must be really annoying." It was only then he had noticed the increasingly strange expression on Ludwig's face. "Hmm, did I say something offensive? Why are you giving me the scary eye?"

"…It's too suspicious." Ludwig whispered to himself. Feliciano tried to ask again but Ludwig had started to move towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go to bed, I've spent a while cleaning your room so I'll do more tomorrow." He tried to make it out of the door but was stopped rather abruptly. "W-What are you doing?"

Not only was he actually being hugged, but he was being hugged by his new master! "If you're going to bed you stay in here!"

Ludwig was extremely confused but knew danger when he saw it, even if it did come in the form of a childish brunette looking up at him with pouting and puppy eyes. "What the hell are you trying to do?" He tried to shake him off, ending up trying to almost rip him off, but this man was holding on like he was going to lose something precious to him. "I said I'm going to bed, I won't fall for any strange tricks you're trying to pull."

Through the difficulties of holding on Feliciano spoke quickly through his teeth. "You sleep in here!"

Suddenly Ludwig stopped pulling and in return the shorter man let go and rubbed his arms in pain. Ludwig turned round with an even more confused expression. "What? I slept in a guest bedroom before."

"Nooo." Feliciano whined, pouting like a child once more. "You're my personal servant, you only slept there because you didn't know your way around before. My servant sleeps with me."

"Sleeps with…" Ludwig was shocked. He found it very hard not to shout at his superior. "What are you talking about? There aren't any other beds in here and we've only just met! Plus there's the whole 'Prince and pauper' thing! Do you even consider what you say before you say it?!" Feliciano stood a little wide eyed. All of a sudden the young prince for once did not show any child like features, or even any happy or sad expression. He simply sighed and spoke in a tone Ludwig had not yet heard from him.

"So you're the same after all."

With Ludwig now unable to keep his stoic expression, Feliciano walked over to his bed and threw a pillow and sheet to the ground. "Sleep on the floor if you want but you are sleeping in here nonetheless." Ludwig couldn't tell if he was saying this as a spoiled child or an angry parent, he was just so confused by the sudden change. The brunette walked over and blew out the candle before finally getting into his bed, without changing his clothes or checking the time. Ludwig stood there in silence. There was little more he could do. And yet, for some reason he felt compelled to stay in the room, if only for that night. He made the excuse that he wanted the Prince to trust him and left it there. At least a carpeted floor would be more comfortable than rock.

A lot more comfortable it turned out. The sheet and pillow were of a soft material unlike anything Ludwig had ever felt before, and the floor was a cloud compared to what he's used to. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be stuck in this place for a while, even if he would have to deal with the bipolar bastard of a Prince. He turned away from the person in question and began to formulate a plan in case the Prince – or rather Feliciano – would be trying anything by keeping him in the same room.

On the other hand, Feliciano was facing away as well, furrowing and un-furrowing his eyebrows. Since he'd had more sleep before he knew he would be up a while longer but that was alright since he had things to think about. Eventually, his expression became a smile as he decided on his future plans.

All of a sudden Ludwig heard something he very much hadn't expected.

"Goodnight Luddy"

Ludwig's eyes shot open and began to feel flustered. Out of panic he did something he would never think to do. "U-Uh, umm, g-goodnight… Feliciano."

He heard him laugh gently from the bed and Ludwig almost slapped his own face in embarrassment.

He felt… uncomfortable

Strange and uncomfortable.

A bit of 'bonding' between master and servant, how lovely~

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