Chapter 6

The bedroom door across from mine creaked open, and soft, pattering steps faded away. I peeled my eyes to a dark room, roused from a light sleep. Perhaps Feliciano was simply using the restroom.

I laid in the guest bed, listening for the bathroom fan to start when he would turn on the light. A cabinet door slammed, and I jumped, throwing off the sheets and sitting up. It sounded like it came from the kitchen, but there was no need for Feliciano to be out of bed this late...unless Ludwig returned. I grimaced, and felt around the floor with my feet for my slippers. I stood up, wrapped my robe around my sleep wear, and cracked the door open a bit.

"You were trying to save face?" A light voice hissed. I skittered to a stop in the middle of my doorway. I never heard Feliciano use that tone before. "Since you care more about your job than me?"

"Feli, I never said that," Ludwig's deep voice grumbled. "I work for the military of all things, you cannot just, waltz in there, a-and..."

"And what?"

"Make a fool of yourself! Make a fool of me, in front of my boss!"

"I knew it!" Feliciano sobbed. "All you worry about is groveling to that bastard!"

I pushed the door open a bit more, just enough to slip into the hallway. The light from the kitchen dimly lit up the hall. I glanced at a large wooden clock hanging from the wall. It was not even midnight yet.

Ludwig's voice rose, "Why are you saying that? I do not! I care about you!"

"Then why are you so afraid to show it?"

"I can't! Do you know how much trouble I, we both could be in if anyone finds out we are...gay? You know how backwards this town is!"

Feliciano scoffed. "You do not want to be seen in public with me, because you are afraid of what other people have to say?!"

"You know how this town is!" Ludwig repeated. I put a sympathetic hand to my mouth. My friend was right. This town, for lack of better words at the moment, sucked.

"Then let's move!"

"You mean pick up everything I grew up around and just leave?"

"Si!"

There was a moment of silence before Ludwig growled, "I-I don't even know if I can do that, let alone should. I worked too hard for my position, for the pay. To support you. My boss would fire me on the spot. You heard what he said. You cannot be around me at all near him, or anyone that could tell him."

My friends grew quiet. I crept pass a table with a vase of white and purple flowers on it to hide behind the door way. I took a quiet, but deep breath, waiting for the most opportune moment to show myself and offer my condolences in this situation.

"You are leaving me alone to appease that man." It did not sound like a question. It was a fact. Ludwig took a loud breath as if he were going to say something, but Feliciano cut him off. "No. No, no, no, no!" He shrieked, and I heard his feet hit the tiled floors angrily. I did not know who was supposedly right; Ludwig with his calm logic of losing his job and house, or Feliciano, with his broken hearted antics.

"Feli!" Ludwig barked. "Kiku is asleep!"

"I cannot, will not, let him have you!"

"Hush! We can talk about this in the morning!"

"You will be gone in the morning! You are always gone when I want to talk to you!"

"What are you doing?!"

I pushed off the wall and ducked into the kitchen. "Ah, sorry," I started in a soft voice to not provoke them further but did not continue as my mouth popped open.

Feliciano had his arms around Ludwig, whose eyes were wide and unfocused, and it looked like he was holding something against him. He titled his head back and looked up at Ludwig in surprise.

"F-Feli," Ludwig choked up, slipping from his grip. He tumbled to the kitchen floor. A large chef's knife stuck up from the middle of his upper back. What...what in the world? I gaped at the sight of an argument gone astray.

Feliciano gasped and his hands flew up to his mouth. A small twitch shifted his shoulders, and his head slowly lifted to meet my steel gaze. Tears pricked his eyes, and he let out a low wail, "K-Kiku..."

I backed up. His eyes flashed to my feet, and I stopped. "Feli-kun, what have you done?" Ludwig's fingertips twitched as a large stain of blood blossomed on the back of his shirt.

"He said he was going to leave me," Feliciano whispered. He took an unsteady step towards me. "I could not let that happen. You understand, right?" His voice quivered. "Mom, dad, grandpa...even fratello. They all left me..." His gaze grew distant. "but you'll stay, right?"

"Y-you killed..." I shook my head, not knowing any other appropriate emotions for the moment. "and you want me to stay, after that?"

His lip quivered and a tear streamed down his cheek. "Y-yes."

I gulped. He came closer, and suddenly my legs ripped me from my spot. I flew down the stairs, and grabbed the front door knob. Wait, wait, wait, I told myself. I heard his steps thunder after me, and they stopped. I glanced over my shoulder to see Feliciano staring at me from the top of the stairs with a more serious expression that did not suit him at all. He tightened his grip on the chef's knife's handle. A shiver ran up my back as drips of Ludwig's blood made little pattering sounds on the floor.

"Stop!" He shouted, and my hand loosened on the knob. If this was all in the heat of the moment, maybe we could work things out...

"Feli-kun, put down the knife," I spoke slow and quietly.

Feliciano shook his head. "You're going to leave me," he took a step downward.

I tensed up, throwing open the door, and bolting out into the cold, dark night. Even if he was a dear friend of mine, there was no way I wanted to go near him after what he did to Ludwig.

"You said you were my friend!" I heard him shriek. I paused at the end of the drive way to look back. Is this really happening?! My mouth bobbed, trying to ask him the question, but no words came out of my throat. He was standing in front of the house now. His face twisted into a glare, "I won't be lonely anymore if you can't leave."

I opened my mouth again, but shook my head, unsure what to say in this bizarre situation. All that my mind told me was to run. He pelted down the sidewalk, and a startling gasp escaped my lips. I spun around and sprinted across the street, taking a sharp left without thinking about where I was going. I just had to loose Feliciano, then I could get a grip on what the hell was going on. Feliciano...murdering his beloved. Trying to murder me!

I hissed and stumbled from stray litter on the side of the road. I heard him shriek from a little ways behind. I flung off my slippers that only managed to hinder my stride. Not that I was running fast anyway. My kimono seemed to enjoy wedging itself between my legs, but I guess it was a good thing for once that Feliciano was not a runner either. My naked foot landed on a sharp pebble on the asphalt. I grunted, but the fear of feeling the knife plunging into my own back outweighed the sharp pain that shot through my foot every time it landed.

I zipped by the small market. All the lights were off and there were no cars in the parking lot. No witnesses. Even the passing houses were dark. Wait, houses! Arthur lived in the direction I was facing! I let out small wheezes, feebly trying to get air into my lungs. I would have to somehow mislead Feliciano first.

I veered left, shoved open someone's gate, and sprinted through their yard. It opened up to a forest, someplace I did not want to be lost in with a murderer on my heels. I turned left again twice, back onto the road. I pressed against a house and peeked onto the driveway. Feliciano had his back to me, his head whipping back and forth. He was sobbing and panting heavily. He raised an arm to wipe his face, and sputtered, "K-Kiku. He was g-going to..." I grimaced at the upsetting sight. He was lost for words as well.

He let loose another awful wail, and stalked into the yard were I left the gate open. I used this opening to dart down the dead end. Only a metal road stopper stood between me and a grassy hill. I was too busy gawking at the house that sat at the top, with its lights on, as I leaped over it. My foot painfully collided with the metal and I rolled over it, flopping onto the grass. I stuffed my baggy sleeves into my mouth to muffle my screams.

"Kiku!" Feliciano's voice bounced off the houses. I did not know where he was. I scrambled to my feet and half limped, half crawled up the hill. The cold grass numbed my beaten and bruised feet as my heavy legs unwillingly climbed. The yard stretched forever, and I could no longer run as I pushed myself toward the front door. Feliciano's distant cries were drowned out by my heaving breaths.

I did not bother looking behind me as I tripped up the stairs and threw a fist at the door. "Arthur-san!" Arthur-san!" I cried out between gasps for air. I do not remember my chest ever hurting so much. I clutched at it with one hand and smacked the door with the other. I slid down to my knees and pressed my head against the cold wood.

My head whirled from lack of oxygen. Maybe, just maybe, I could sit here and still be safe. Another shriek rung out, closer this time, but I did not know if he discovered that I went up the hill. My body leaped, flinging itself at the door, and clawing at it without my consent. It flung open, and I fell face first into soft carpet.

I scrambled to my hands and knees and darted across the carpeted floor. I skittered behind the side of a couch and tried to breathe. I felt my pulse in my throat throb so much it hurt in my throat. I clutched at my mouth, feeling parched.

"Bloody hell. Was that you, Kiku?"

I yelped at the proximity of the voice. I gripped the soft material of the couch I leaned against, and peered into the familiar emerald eyes of an old friend. I grasped the arm of the sofa to heave myself to my feet. My legs struggled, and I would have collapsed if the man did not catch me.

"Easy, easy," he murmured, bringing me to my feet.

"Arthur-san," I grasped the sleeves of his dress shirt, and gulped, my throat burning from doing so. My eyes stung, and I realized I was crying.

A.N.- Do I feel bad? Yes. Is that going to stop me? Hmm...