Chapter Ten
Kiss Me Goodbye
Gilbert frowned at Matthew across the table. He was a little annoyed with the way Matthew was reacting. He was seemed okay with the news but, Gilbert had known him long enough to know when he was brooding.
"Birdie, stop acting like you're okay with this," he said in slight exasperation.
Matthew sighed and looked up from his coffee. "What else can I be Gil? I will admit, I was really looking forward to spending Spring Break with you, I had ideas for things we could do, but I'm not upset that you're going back to Germany for the week."
"Then-"
"I'm upset that you waited until the day before you left to tell me!" Matthew cut in.
Gilbert leaned back in his chair slightly, taken back by the way Matthew raised his voice.
"I already apologized Birdie. This is something Lud and I have been discussing for a while, we weren't even sure we were going to do it until a few days ago."
Matthew stood. "And you couldn't discuss it with me?! I thought I was your boyfriend, we're supposed to talk about decisions like this." He grabbed his empty coffee cup from the table and took it to the sink.
Gilbert groaned silently and followed after him.
"Birdie, Birdie. You're right and I'm really sorry for that," he said, placing his hands on the blonde and turning him to face him. "This was a cruel thing to do to you and I…." he trailed off, not sure what else to say.
Matthew pulled off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes, chuckling lightly. "We're fighting like a bunch of fools," he said softly before looking up at his boyfriend. "Look Gil, like I said before, I'm not upset about you going to Germany. It'll be good for you to see your grandfather again, this might be your last chance, and it's always good to go home once in a while. But if we're going to make this relationship work, we have to learn to communicate better. No more waiting until last minute to drop bomb shells that I should have been included in on in the first place, deal?"
Gilbert gave a small smile and ruffled Matthew's hair. "Deal."
For five in the morning, the airport was surprisingly busy. To be fair, most of the people there looked about as dead on their feet as Matthew and Gilbert felt. Unsurprisingly, Ludwig seemed as awake and alert as ever as if he had no concept of what time it was and what time they had gotten up in order to be at the airport.
"Fuck it's way too early to be doing this," Gilbert groaned, running a hand through his already rumpled hair.
"It's the only time we could get a flight that would get us to Germany at a decent time. And it's always good to be here early."
"Lud, our flight doesn't leave for three hours."
"Which gives us plenty of time to check in," Ludwig responded firmly.
Gilbert rolled his eyes and decided not to argue it any more. Instead he turned to the blonde standing half asleep beside him.
"You know Birdie, you didn't have to come to the airport with us to see us off."
Matthew yawned, sliding his fingers into Gilbert's. "You keep saying that and yet here I am," he said.
Gilbert chuckled, leaning in and kissing his cheek quickly. "You know you're cute when you're really tired," he whispered.
Matthew flushed a bright red and rubbed at his eyes in order to hide it. "Shuddup," he muttered.
Gilbert laughed and kissed his cheek again before moving forward in the check in line.
As they moved through the line, finally checked in, Gilbert never let go of Matthew's hand. In fact as they neared security, his grip only tightened. They both knew that Matthew wouldn't be allowed beyond this point without a plane ticket and it didn't take long for either of them to realize that they had started walking slower and then eventually stopped, allowing Ludwig to get several strides ahead of them.
"Birdie…. Matthew…" There were tears in his eyes as he took a deep breath.
Matthew smiled at him. "It's only a week Gil. You'll be back before you know it. We'll skype and everything, it'll be like you aren't even gone."
Gilbert couldn't help but smile back, what could he say, it was infectious. "Yeah, totally." He pulled Matthew into a bone crushing hug, causing the man to squeak. "I love you Birdie."
"I love you too Gil," Matthew replied, pulling back to press his lips to Gilbert's. "Come back safe?"
"Always. Make sure you stay awesome."
"Always," Matthew replied, kissing him again before pulling back and finally letting their hands slip apart.
Gilbert took a step back, resisting the attempt to grab Matthew's hand into his, to bring him back into his arms and never let go.
Matthew smiled and waved as Gilbert started turning to catch up with his brother. "Bye! Have fun you two!" he called.
Gilbert put on his biggest smiled and waved back. "See you!" he called, before rounding the corner and disappearing.
"So how are things over there?" Gilbert asked from the computer screen. Matthew sat at his desk, twirling back and forth in his desk chair as he munched on the bowl of cereal he had poured only moments ago.
Gilbert had been gone two days already and had finally gotten the chance to get on his computer to skype Matthew. They had spent the first hour and a half discussing his time in Germany, which Matthew honestly didn't mind, he liked hearing about Gilbert's life.
Matthew shrugged in answer to the question. "They're quiet for the most part. Which is weird, I used to like the quiet, but now it's almost lonely."
"You just got used to my awesome energy!"
Matthew chuckled. "Yeah, that's what it is. I just can't handle being alone without your 'awesome energy' to keep me going."
"You know it," Gilbert replied with a grin.
"Though, Feli does keep stopping by. I think he's lonely since his brother went on a road trip with Antonio."
Gilbert chuckled. "He would be, that kid would go crazy if left alone for too long. He totally has a thing for my brother though."
"What? You think so?"
"Totally! Haven't you seen the way he follows him around like a lost puppy going 'Ludwig this, Ludwig that'?" Gilbert asked, raising his voice to a higher pitch to mimic the Italian's.
Matthew thought about it a moment. "I can see it, he did seem to take a liking to him ever since Ludwig came back from the war."
"Exactly, though Ludwig looks like he could crush the poor kid by accident. I just hope they're both careful."
Matthew nodded chuckling lightly. "I'm sure they'll both be fine."
Gilbert glanced off screen and frowned. "Ah shit Birdie, I'm sorry, but I have to go to bed, it's late and Ludwig has all this shit planned for tomorrow like we're damn tourists," he grumbled.
Matthew chuckled. "Alright Gil, get some sleep, you can talk to me all about it tomorrow."
Gilbert smiled. "Of course, I'll see you then. Night Birdie. I love you."
"I love you too. Good night Gil."
As the call ended, Matthew sat staring at the screen for a minute. He loved talking to Gilbert, loved seeing him, but he was quickly realizing that once the call ended, he was left feeling lonelier and missing him more than ever before.
Grabbing his baggage from the belt, Gilbert was more than relieved to be back home. He had somehow convinced Matthew not to meet him at the airport, saying he would be home shortly after and he would bring him a gift. Matthew wasn't too happy with it, but eventually caved and agreed to stay home.
Following Ludwig out to the car, he grabbed the driver's seat before his brother had a chance to protest and moments later they were pulling out of the parking garage.
"Mind if I make a stop, I want to get something for Matthew," he asked as they pulled on to the busy road.
"Didn't you buy him enough in Germany?" Ludwig asked.
"Yeah, but this is something that couldn't fly with us, it's better to buy it now, while they're fresh."
Ludwig sighed. "Fine, but make it fast, I want to get home."
"So you did miss Feli!"
Ludwig frowned and turned to look out the window. "Feliciano is a good… friend."
"Sure," Gilbert replied with a smirk before Ludwig turned up the music, silently cutting off any further conversation on the matter.
Call him a hopeless romantic, but Gilbert always thought flowers were great. Simple, romantic, friendly and natural. The easiest way to show expression when you couldn't find the words. And seriously, who wasn't happy receiving a bouquet of flowers? No one, that was who.
Climbing out of the car and jogging over to the shop, he entered, the bell ringing as the door closed behind him.
"Welcome!" called the friendly florist from behind the counter as Gilbert began looking around. He had no clue as to what any of the flowers meant. Well beside roses. Red roses meant love and romance, anyone knew that. Decided to play it safe, he grabbed a bunch that was already wrapped in decorative plastic and took them to the counter.
"Will that be all for you sir?" the woman asked.
Gilbert nodded. "Yes please."
"Alright, that will be $15.92."
Handing over the money, he took the change and left the shop.
The first thing that caught his attention after the bells were silenced by the closing of the door was a man yelling.
Gilbert looked up and turned towards the sound. Not a man, two. And a woman who sounded hurt.
Without another moment of hesitation he headed around to the back of the flower shop where a man had a woman pinned to the wall and another had a knife to her throat.
Gilbert didn't take any more time to take in the situation before calling out. "Hey assholes, leave her alone!"
The men's attention quickly shifted to him and dropping the roses carelessly to the ground, he took up a confident stance.
"What the hell do you want?" the man holding the woman called.
"Yeah, get out of here!" the man with the knife added.
"I said to leave her alone!" Gilbert didn't give them a chance to respond as he raced forward and punched the guy holding the woman hard in the jaw.
"Fuck man!" the man with the knife cried, backing away from the woman as Gilbert shook out his throbbing hand. The man turned the knife on Gilbert but Gilbert didn't hesitate as he swung his leg at the man.
"Get out, call the police," Gilbert growled to the woman. He didn't check if the woman did as he said as he was slammed into the wall by the first man.
Gilbert grunted, going dizzy for a moment as his head hit hard against the brick. He swung a leg out, throwing the man off balance enough to get out of his grasp only to have the man swing at him with the knife. He managed to dodge, stumbling back slightly into the other man who grabbed him in a choke hold. Gilbert swung arms and legs to get free, gripping the man's arm and trying to push it away from his throat, only to have to the man's grip tighten.
"Check his pockets!" the man cried.
"He's moving too much! Hold him still!"
"You're the one that has the knife! Make him hold still!"
Through bleary eyes, Gilbert could see the man smirk. He held the knife dangerously close to Gilbert's face. As if this didn't get the point across, he flicked a quick cut across Gilbert's cheek, causing him to flinch and the man to laugh. "You'll hold still now, yeah?"
Gilbert fell still and the man's hand slid into his pockets, pulling out his wallet and house keys.
"Not bad," he said flipping open the wallet with one hand.
"What the hell! Let go of him!"
Ludwig's voice might as well have been an angel's and Gilbert had never felt so relieved and ashamed at the same time in his life.
"Shit man, let's get out of here!" the man holding Gilbert cried. The man with the knife dropped the wallet out of shock but didn't move as they all stood there frozen.
"Let's go!" The first man called again, letting Gilbert go. He stumbled forward, towards the man with the knife who had started to back away towards Ludwig.
"Stay away!" he cried, swinging the knife back and forth between the brothers.
Gilbert tackled the man in an attempt to get the knife out of his hand, but froze and stumbled to the side, his hand covering the spot where the knife had entered his side.
The man stood there panicked and shaking, blood dripping from the blade in his hand.
"Fuck man! You weren't supposed to stab him! Let's get out of here before the cops show!"
The man could only nod, dropping the knife and running off after his partner.
Ludwig didn't bother chasing after him as he dashed over to his brother who had fallen to his knees with a gasp.
"Gilbert! Gilbert! Shit!" He pulled off his shirt to press the cloth to the wound. "Stay with me, don't you fall asleep on me! I'm going to call an ambulance."
He turned Gilbert over and holding his shirt to the wound, rested Gilbert back against his shoulder and pulled out his phone.
"Yes, I have a stab victim here, behind the flower shop on Trent Avenue." He continued to give information as he did his best to focus Gilbert and keep him awake, but it was clear that the man was losing blood faster than what was comfortable.
"Hey Luddy?" Gilbert said softly.
"Yeah Gil?" Ludwig asked, happy his voice came off a lot calmer than he felt.
"Do you think that woman's safe?"
"Yeah, I'm sure she is, I saw her run by the car, that's how I knew to come back here when you took a long time in the shop."
Gilbert swallowed and nodded. "Right. Awesome. I think I'm going to sleep now. I'm really tired."
"Gilbert, no. Stop, you have to stay awake, the ambulance is almost here," Ludwig said firmly, almost angrily, but Gilbert had already drifted off.
Ludwig nearly crushed the phone pressed up to his ear as he yelled into it.
"Hurry up dammit!" He knew it wouldn't do any good, but he was terrified. This was like being back in Iraq all over again, but without all the screaming and explosions.
"Gilbert? Gilbert. You had better be okay, alright? There are people who need you," he took a deep breath and swallowed his tears, pressing the shirt harder into the wound as he leaned down an pressed a desperate and shaking kiss to his brother's forehead.
Of course, Gilbert didn't answer and moments later flashing lights and sirens filled the back of the shop and Ludwig felt limp as his brother was pulled from his arms. His eyes followed the white haired man as he climbed into the ambulance behind him. As the ambulance raced away from the scene, the doctors working quickly to get Gilbert oxygen and to staunch the bleeding in his side and a blanket was wrapped around Ludwig's shoulders, the world around the German fell silent and all he could hear was the hopeful beeping of the heart monitor.