Chapter 2

Elizaveta wore frilly dresses, and stayed at home cooking and cleaning while her husband would tour around the continent, performing symphonies for schools, theatres, and even movies. At first glance, she looked sweet and submissive, even, but I have had the horror of watching her smash a skillet in someone's face once before. She and her husband looked after Feliciano as a child after he lost his parents and grandfather, and our friendship has bloomed over the past few months.

The last time I was staying at Ludwig's house was during the beginning of Summer. Many of the now bare trees were full of beautiful and rich greens, and when time allowed us, Elizaveta and I would go into the forests, cameras in hand, to capture the many wonders the trees held. I remember I had knelt close to the leaf-littered ground when I caught a red beetle strikingly rest against a shrub's leaves, believing both of us were entirely engrossed in our shared hobby.

She would ask generic questions such as, "How are Feliciano and Ludwig doing?" or, "Did you get something to eat?" However, on that particular day, Elizaveta surprised me with a sudden declaration, "I think we should get those two hooked up."

I blinked a few times, stunned, and lowered my camera. "Excuse me?"

"I know, I know, it sounds crazy." Her boots stomped around a bit on the forest floor as she paced. "Hear me out. Usually, I do not butt my nose in places it should not belong, especially things like this, but we both know things will keep going the way they are if we don't this time. Come on, Ludwig is so awkward as it is, and won't do anything, and poor Feliciano is too intimidated if he does."

Placing the cap back on the lens, I rose to stand and face her ramblings. "I try to stay out of it many times, too." Yet I had to agree with her. Even if they would not admit it, there was an underlying strain under Ludwig's roof.

"Yes, yes, but just the other day, Feli knocked on my door at eleven at night, bawling his eyes out from a recent argument. They've made up now, but it'll keep happening more often with how awkward they are with one another. If we just," Elizaveta made a light sweeping motion with her palm, "boot them in the right direction, maybe they will be more friendlier with each other."

"You do have a good point," I noted. How awkward it would be, to be in the middle of a spat when I could do something to help them feel better with themselves, one another, and even everyone else! "However, urging two people together like that is a very risky thing to do. We do not want them to resent us, do we?"

Elizaveta tittered, "Of course not. That's why we have to be sneaky until it's too late for them!"

Back to current times, we had much more solid ideas on what to do. We were laying on her bedroom carpet, waiting until the times the dinner Ludwig scheduled for us to start. Elizaveta giggled as she reached for a black pen amongst many on the floor. "There!" She leaned away from the paper she hunched over. "A bowtie to top it off!" She proudly pushed the drawing towards me. "What do you say?"

My cheeks grew warm as I swept my gaze over the provocative picture. I quickly dropped my eyes to the blossoms littering my own paper, wondering how I would be able to look straight at my friends after seeing that. "Elizaveta-san, could you not wait until the real thing happens?"

She brandished her work in the air, snickering almost madly at her doing. My cellphone rung loudly, stopping me from lightheartedly shaking my head at her. I sheepishly apologized, and shifted so I could pull it out of my pocket. I flipped it open and looked at the contact name. Elizaveta leaned over to glance at the screen, and a grin scrunched her rosy cheeks. "About time!"

Here we go. I clicked the answer button and turned it on speaker. "Hello?"

"Do you know what time it is?"

I pulled the phone away so the screen lit up, and display the time at the top. "It is seven fifty one, Ludwig-san, but you certainly did not call for the time."

I heard him growl, grow silent and then sigh. He spoke in a gentler tone, "Will you be here soon? The film is going to start in now...eight minutes."

"I am deeply sorry, Ludwig-san. Something came up. I will not be making it. I can refund the third ticket for the movies whenever I can."

Elizaveta threw her hands over her mouth and chortled.

"Are you all right? Do you need help?"

"Luddy! The concessions man said they sell pizza here!"

I glanced at my friend and pressed my lips together to quell any laughter that threatened my cover. I swished a hand in front of my face. "Not at all! Please, do not keep Feliciano-kun waiting. You have a lovely meal lined up, so do not let him over indulge...in food at least."

"I will be there in a moment," Ludwig's voice was faint. He spoke louder, or placed the phone near his face. "Will you be able to meet up at the restaurant? We have a reservation for three!"

"Not even the restaurant. I will be back at your place later in the night once I figure everything out. Enjoy your date, Ludwig-san." It was quiet. He was probably thinking everything over. I snapped the phone shut before he could reply.

Elizaveta rolled over, howling with laughter. "We did it!" We high-fived. She exhaled shakily from lost of breath. "Do you want to spy on them?"

"As appealing as that sounds, we should leave them be. It is their first date, after all." My mouth cracked open for a long yawn.

She sat up. "Oh! I forgot! You must be jet lagged, and I'm here keeping you from your bed!"

"It is fine!" I insisted. "We have not spoke face to face in weeks!"

Elizaveta giggled. "If you say so. Here, let me help clean up your supplies. Besides, Feliciano will spill everything afterwards. Do you think I can come over tomorrow and we could interrogate him together?"

"Sounds like a plan," I shoved the rest of the notebooks in my shoulder bag, "as long as Ludwig-san does not send me back to Japan after he catches on to our plot."

She rolled her green eyes. "Just remind him you know someone that discovered that pans have more uses than for just cooking."

I slung my bag over my shoulder and bowed. "I will keep that in mind. Goodnight, Elizaveta-san."

She nodded and waved. I closed the door behind me and descended the grand staircase. Being somewhat lucrative allows Elizaveta's husband to dwell in a lovely place. Speaking of which, I heard piano music drift as I approached the front door. I paused and listened, the melody soft yet quick, pleasing to the ears.

The music cut off as the keys were slammed. "Keep your hands off my piano!"

Scratchy laughter erupted. "Or what? You are going to cry? Nuh! You touched it! My poor piano! You are destroying everything I love!"

I should have left then. I really should have, but instead, my feet padded down a hallway next to the staircase, and peeked into a voluminous room to my left. It was relatively empty besides a black grand piano and a few couches dotted along the walls. Elizaveta's husband, Roderich, was standing away from his beloved instrument, glaring at another man with his back toward me.

"Stop acting like a child," He huffed, crossing his arms. "Besides, you'll get smear marks on the furnished wood."

I recognized the head of white hair. It was Ludwig's brother, Gilbert. He reached over with the most crazy grin, and smacked the ivory keys again. I sighed. This was the same reason his brother kicked him out of his house. He forced himself onto Feliciano, well, not forced, but tried to seduce him, since Feli casually strews his clothes around the house and is open about contact...it was a misunderstanding!

Gilbert let out hissing laughter when the other tried shoving him away with little to no avail. His vivid eyes glanced in my direction. He shook his head and released his hold on the musician's wrists he grabbed to deter Roderich's poor defense. "Is that Kiku?" Elizaveta's husband twisted with an equally shocked expression. "Oh, shit, buddy! What are you doing here?"

He sauntered after me, his nose curling as Roderich told him, "You cannot behave yourself even when we have guests." He settled down and resumed his playing as if never disturbed.

"I was about to leave, Gilbert-kun. I was just drawing with Eliza-"

"Kun, tun, fun, just call me Gil, old pal!" Gilbert roughly patted my back, and I had to clench my teeth to avoid yelping. "Long time no see! What's up?" He let out uneasy laughter. "More like, what is my little bruder up to? You are staying with them for the time being, right?"

"It is true. Ludwig-san is fine. We are getting along well. He is actually on a date with Feliciano-kun."

"What? No way!" He scoffed. "That could have not been his doing." I kept quiet, opting to adjust the strap of my bag. "Hmm, maybe he finally grew a pair. I bet you're here to get away from all the gooey romance stuff, huh?" He rubbed the back of his neck, his pink eyes darting around the room. "If you ever need to escape them, I will be here! Maybe we could draw our own manga together!"

I lightly bowed. "That is a good idea. You should mind yourself, Gilbert-kun."

He chuckled, puffing out his chest. "It's not my fault others can't deal with this! Don't be shocked if I turn up at your house one day to hang out."

His strange laughter faded as I opened the front door and slipped out. I shut it, and smiled as I descended the stairs. Traveling across such a large continent was worth the trip. The dark was a bit pressing, and street lights were more sparse in the country side. I passed the post office, which was closed, with my eyes set on the town's gas station on the corner. It did not register that I passed another person propped against the mail depository box until the figure called out something garbled.

I quickened my pace, and my heart jumped. It was probably someone dropping off late night mail.

"Kiku?"

I halted and risked a quick glance to the side. I contemplated sprinting to the gas station which was just diagonally across the road, but it would be rude if I did not acknowledge the man before me. I had to crane my head up to look at the man's face who was towering over me. The name slipped off my tongue before I could think of it, "Heracles-san."

His gaze raked over me, and I glanced pointedly away. I stayed at Ludwig's place to avoid, or help ameliorate awkward atmospheres, yet here I stood before an old...acquaintance of mine late into the night. "I did not mean to spook you."

I nodded without looking back at him. "What brings you into town this late at night?"

He grew quiet and I glanced at him. He was staring down at a tabby cat wrapped in his bare arms.

"Another cat, Heracles-san?"

"His name is Sir Cuddlesworth."

I ducked my head to hide my smile. I looked back up at the feline staring at me with wide eyes. "May I pet him?"

"That would be up to Sir Cuddlesworth."

I bobbed my head, "Of course." I slowly lifted my hand and brushed it's mottled fur. It flinched and flattened its ears. "Oh," I snatched my hand away, averting my eyes to a passing car.

"It seems like Sir Cuddlesworth needs a lesson in making friends," he mused. I felt something warm brush my cheek. I stared at him, stunned, as he tucked a lock of my choppy hair behind my ear, but it swished back in place. "I haven't seen you in a while."

My tongue felt heavier to communicate with, yet my words came quickly, "I-I am visiting Ludwig-san for the time being. He did not want Feliciano-kun be alone, so I will be around for a little while to be with him while he cannot. I have not gotten a chance to stay as long, so..." I was about to apologize for time simply fading us away in the months apart, but I decided not to mention it. "Ah, it is rather late. I was going to stop by the gas station for something to eat..."

"Do you mind if I walk you back home?"

"No," I blurted, surprised by my sudden response.

He nodded and strutted across the street without looking both ways. I had to quickly shuffle to catch up to his long strides. The gas station was bright, and I felt my company's eyes bore into my back. I grabbed strawberry milk and some boxes of candy for Feliciano and I. I glanced at Heracles standing with Sir Cuddlesworth on the other side of the windows, but he did not look away, leaving me to do so. I wondered why he offered to stick around if he was not going to talk at all.

I paid for my food and breezed out into the cold night, knowing he could easily keep up with me. I found myself glancing to the side, but this time, he kept his eyes to the ground. "This Ludwig-san's house," I told him at the bottom of the drive way. He swept his eyes over the house before resting his gaze on me. I peeked into my bag. "Ah, perhaps we will see each other again soon."

"Stop by the big park nearby. I like taking naps there."

I looked up in surprise, not expecting him to answer. Despite the chill, my face was warm. "I will bring sandwiches."

He lazily smiled turned away without a word.

"Goodnight?" I called out uncertainly. I shook my head when I noticed I was staring at his departure. I muttered to myself as I walked across the lawn too clumsily.

Bloops- "The nights only get longer and colder. It is as if they are personally torturing me. I can still remember his eyes boring into mine. The feel of his hair underneath my fingertips...the burning rejection I had to face with a straight face. One day, I will make Sir Cuddlesworth mine once and for all."