Chapter 10

My suspicions of the gossiping militia men were confirmed when I gazed upon my heart broken friend. After a long day of hearing about bird poop on a piano and Elizaveta prying details from the both of us this time, Ludwig, once again, came home to Feliciano and I dozing on the couch. He went for beer in the fridge, once again. Also, once again, he ignored my prying to tell him what happened at work that made him go from a potential lover to this dull stricken man within twenty four hours.

I stared at the wall whilst I laid on the guest bed, straining to remember what happened-or what will happen this day. I ran into Elizaveta and Gilbert at the market, and got lost in the woods with him. I struggled to remember what else, but a sharp pain struck the side of my head and I clutched at it, frowning. I slowly sat up, remembering that once I went to bed, or will go to bed, they started arguing and that is when-

I shuddered, rubbing my arms, and blinked against the bright morning light. Where have I gone wrong? The bedroom door swung open, and I tensed. The walls would have holes all over them if they kept on being opened so forcefully.

"Good morning, Kiku!" Feliciano's voice broke my thoughts. Before I could react, footsteps thumped toward me and his body slammed into mine, knocking us both off the bed and onto the floor. A terrible pain struck the middle of my back, and I hissed between clenched teeth.

His arms and legs wound around mine and he squawked into my ear. "Good morning!"

I flinched, and elbowed his stomach as I tried to grab my back. "No, Feli-kun! Did Ludwig-san not tell you about hugging?!"

Feliciano immediately released me, and I scooched away from him with a hard glare. "You talked to Luddy today?"

I tilted my head, nonchalantly rubbing my backside. "Did you?"

He frowned, shaking his head. "He was gone before I woke up. I did not get to talk to him since Thursday." My friend stared at his fingers interlocking and pulling apart. "Do you think he is ignoring me? I thought we had such a fun time, too. The snow was so pretty." He picked his head up. "Ve, are you going anywhere today? You do not have to babysit me if you want to hang out with your other friends. I know Elizaveta asked for you."

I gulped. If I let him alone... "I was hoping we could go do something together today. Just the two of us."

Feliciano's face lit up. "You would do that?"

I nodded, not matching his enthusiasm.

He leaped to his feet. "What do you want to do? Where do you want to go?"

I pondered. "I think I saw a smores and hot chocolate stand near the cinema we were at."

"Yay, hot chocolate! I want a lot of whipped cream!" He jumped up and down. "Come on!"

He was already out the room by the time I rose to my feet. Another pinching sensation seized my back, but it was not enough to stop me from searching the drawers for an outfit. I would like to do silly things like get lost in the woods with Gilbert, or giggle over provocative drawings, but babysitting him was for the best. I locked my door before putting on clean clothes. When I was dressed, I knocked on Feliciano's bedroom door, but it was open.

He popped out, all smiles. "I love hot chocolate," he announced. "I love you!"

My cheeks grew warm when he delivered a peck to my face. I opened my mouth to scold him, but that would depress him, so I opted for a stiff nod. Feliciano giggled, and spun around to zip down the hall.

"Slow down!" I called after him, cupping my face. "We have a lengthy walk ahead of us!"

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

Feliciano made a jingle about hot chocolate while we shivered underneath the bus station's roof. The stop was located all the way at the edge of the town, and only one bus came twice a day-once in the morning, and another in the evening. At times I have heard that it does not arrive at all. It was hard not to feel bad for the citizens trapped there.

I sat down on the cold bench, and began regretting it as soon as the metal started to freeze my rear. Yet the twinge in my back returned, so I took this meager opportunity to rest my sore feet.

"Cocoa! Cocoa! La, la, la, cocoa! Nice and hot, it will melt in your mouth! Cocoa!"

I flinched at the loud finale. My head started to hammer again, and I frowned. A rumbling sound grew closer, and a dirty, blue bus screeched to a stop in front of us. The doors groaned as they jerked open, and the porky bus driver did not look happy to finally have people to drop off.

No one else boarded the bus as it zipped past the empty bus stops on the way to the next town. I could not help but notice the bags under my eyes in my reflection on the bus windows. I raised a hand and prodded them experimentally, the frown returning to my face. I did not feel tired, just agitated. I swallowed hard, trying to banish the crude feeling as I nodded to Feliciano as he babbled on.

Apparently, I have not contributed enough to the conversation, so he went back to singing that awful tune he made up. The driver glared at us as we stepped off the bus. Feliciano cheered and bounced toward a young woman sitting on the bus stop bench.

"Pretty lady!" He cooed, and blew a kiss at her. I mentally slapped my forehead as she looked at him with wide eyes. "Do you know where the hot chocolate and smore stands are?"

The lady giggled. "Aren't you a cutie? I'm afraid they won't have those until closer to Christmas time."

The driver droned out from behind me, "Ma'am, are you boarding this bus or not?"

She quickly gathered her purse and nodded in goodbye as she stepped up into the shabby vehicle. Feliciano smiled after her with a smitten expression.

I coughed. "Feli-kun, you should refrain from flirting with women if you play for the other team."

His happy face fell and he stared at me with unusually serious eyes. "I was not flirting! I was appreciating the beauty of a passerby!"

"If you say so," I glanced away.

Feliciano let out that strange verbal tick. "Ve, she said they do not have smores stands set up! We came all the way here!"

"What a shame," I murmured, not feeling entirely apologetic.

"I was so excited for nice hot chocolate, too!"

"Feliciano-kun, do you want to look around the shops?" I suggested.

He stopped waving his arms around. "I do not have any money."

"I will take care of it."

"Will you really?" He looked so surprised. I nodded, forcing my lips to uplift in a tough smile. My friend cheered again, and threw his arms around me, profusely thanking me for my generosity.

Besides the small movie theater, a park, and a few cafes and restaurants, this almost equally small town has much more interest than the one Ludwig lived in. We stopped by a book store located near the end of the town square.

"Maybe they will have the Atmosphere here!" Feliciano ran a hand over a shelf of children's books. "Everyone tells me I should read it, so it must be a good story!"

I slinked away in search of new manga. I found a half shelf behind the check out counter, but the collection was pitiful.

"I know you!" I heard Feliciano call from the end of the library. I ducked down in front of the shelf to avoid the cashiers harsh glare she threw in my direction.

"Good day to you, Kiku." A voice sounded from above me. I glanced up to see Arthur looking down with an amused expression. "Did you find anything worthwhile?"

I slowly stood up, wincing as my knees popped. "Hello, Arthur-san. What brings you here?"

His warm expression grew hot. "'Hanging out,'" like the young ones do. I followed his gaze to see Feliciano pointing at the books. A taller, blond man, Alfred, let out loud cackles and reached over his head, and grabbed a book my friend was gesturing to. They huddled together and poured over a children's book with the earth on the cover. Their focused expressions turned confused.

"You look exhausted, Kiku," Arthur murmured.

I glanced at him, and raised a hand to run a finger over the bags under my eyes. "The last few days have been tiring. With jet lag and the outing on Thursday..." I trailed off as a smirk spread across Arthur's face. I tittered, "Feliciano and I came here to warm up with some hot chocolate and-"

"And make sure he does not get into more trouble?" He finished.

"M-more trouble, Arthur-san?"

He rolled his eyes, and sighed. "I know, all right?"

"Know about...the spell?" I quietly guessed.

Arthur nodded. "I did not at first, but I had an awful feeling I was forgetting something..."

My eyes widened. "Does that mean everyone else-"

"No, no. Obviously you remember, because you are the one that used it, and I know because I am tuned to those kind of things. Besides, I am the one that gave it to you."

An excited chirp suddenly shot between our conversation, "Gave him what?"

We both jumped as Alfred looked at us with a bright smile. Arthur pointedly glanced away. "Nothing."

The other man was all grins. "It doesn't seem like nothing." I gritted my teeth, suddenly wanting to knock the glasses off his nose as he poked my friend, making him shout annoyingly. "Come on, Artie! You and Kiku were being all secret-secret!"

"There is no secret-secret! Arthur-san told you to mind yourself! Go be a pest somewhere else!"

They froze, staring at me like a deer would gawk at a car heading right to it. Did I say that aloud? "D-dang, Kiku," Alfred muttered under his breath. My face grew hot from embarrassment, and I looked down at my feet. I could not believe I let that out. I am an awful person for saying that!

A great frown embedded itself on Arthur's face. "Tiring does not describe its effects on the caster. Preserve yourself, Kiku."

"Caster?" Alfred echoed.

I clutched my jacket closer and took a step away from him. What the hell does that even mean?! "I have had a bad day."

"But it just started," the young man pointed out.

Feliciano squealed from between the aisles, and the book he was holding fell to the floor with a loud slap. He pushed by us and ran outside the tiny book store. The cashier whipped around to glare at us.

"You should go after him," Arthur suggested, "before you day gets worse."

I felt the color drain from my face, despite my embarrassment, and I breezed outside. The cold air whipped my clothes behind me, only antagonizing my anger. I caught a glimpse of Feliciano's jacket as he squeezed by a group of shoppers. Now I was the one chasing him! I could have laughed at the irony if I was not in pain or a foul mood.

I started to run after him, but the sharp jab hindered my already short strides, so I suffered with an awkward half-walking, half-jogging gait. I clenched my teeth together, trying not to imagine the worse-case scenario of him getting ran over by one of smart cars carelessly driving around. I saw him wiggle into a group of tall men huddled together, and my heart felt like it fell into my stomach.

They fanned out, some exclaiming in surprise, others reaching for the guns holstered on their belts. Their confused and hostile stares landed on me as I skittered pass the giants. I heard snickers behind me, but I kept my eyes on Feliciano. My friend was in the middle of them, his arms squeezing the life of one man.

"F-Feli? N-no, don't do that," Ludwig managed to choke out.

I grabbed Feliciano's collar and yanked him away. "What are you doing?" I hissed in his surprised face. "Let Ludwig-san alone!"

Feliciano sniffled. "I just wanted to say hi!" He twisted and managed to slip away to stand before him. "Luddy, why haven't you talked to me for the pass few days? I thought you liked me!"

Ludwig glanced around nervously at his coworkers. They stared, looking amused. Some even sniggled like toddlers. "This is not the appropriate place or time."

"You're mad at me!" Feliciano's voice rose with hysteria. I flinched.

"What makes you say that?!"

"You have been avoiding me!"

"What is the hold up?!" A loud voice boomed, and I nearly leaped off the sidewalk. As if on silent command, the men, even Ludwig, separated into two lines facing one another, tall and serious. Only Feliciano and I were in the middle, looking around in confusion. A burly man with a reddened face was marching right toward us. "Did I not tell you louts we need to make double the patrols today? Yet you are traveling at half the speed!"

The man's face grew more red; apparently it was possible, and I bit my tongue. I should not even consider laughing in a situation like this. Every one of the men were staring straight ahead, yet Ludwig's gaze was on us. The boss man narrowed his eyes and glared at him. "It was you, wasn't it Commander? First you brought that albino disgrace brother of yours around, and now you bring the two of these outsiders into my presence."

"Sir, they were passersby, sir."

"I did not ask you to speak!" He shouted, standing on his toes to be eye to eye with him. Feliciano gasped and covered his mouth. I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him closer. This was the man that caused the problems last time! He is the reason why I have to double check every little thing I do and spend my days tailgating my friend, to prevent Feliciano from believing Ludwig chose his work over him. I felt the anger that slowly built up through the day begging to be brought down on this horrible man.

I clenched my fist. I show more restraint than that! Feliciano let out a soft whine as they started to quarrel in a rough language.

Ludwig did not flinch when the man spat in his face when he let out a bout of words I did not comprehend. "Take. Care. Of. It." The boss snarled. "I never want to see them again, and if I hear about your...disgusting escapades with either of them once more, I will make sure proper punishment will be carried out."

"Sir, of course, sir." Ludwig turned on us as the man stomped away, barking orders at the others. They followed him silently, not looking back at us.

"Luddy?" Feliciano squeaked, pressing into me. "What did the mean man say to you?"

"Go home." He spoke in a soft manner, yet his mouth was twisted in an upsetting way.

Feliciano sniffed, tears prickling his eyes. "We'll talk once you get back home, okay?"

"You heard what he said."

"B-but-"

"We need to leave, now," I hissed, tugging on his jacket. His feet did not move at first, but he glanced at me with a disheartening expression. "Take care, Ludwig-san. Be safe." I said and pulled Feliciano away as he started to sob. "We are not welcome!" I told him when he yanked after our friend. Ludwig cleared his throat and pulled his cap over his eyes before charging after the other men.

Feliciano murmured his name and stared after them. I gave his sleeve another tug and he turned to me. "Would you like to go home now?"

He sniffled and gave a meek nod. I frowned at the lost of his warming smile.

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

That man hurt Feliciano, not only before, but again today. It is his fault I had to run for my life from my friend. It is his fault he started the argument that caused Ludwig's murder to happen in the first place! It is his fault. It is his fault!

The words shouted over any other reasonable thought, and my knuckles turned white from clenching my fist so tightly. The bus jolted us around, but my agitation was far more biting. A dainty hand settled on top of mine. I looked at Feliciano in shock.

"Ve, do not be angry, Kiku. I was the one being stupid. I was just so happy to Ludwig again," his voice crackled, and he gulped. "That bossman of Luddy's likes to make everyone's life a bit tough."

"That is an understatement," I growled, and he managed a light giggle. The sound caught in his throat and choked into a sob. "Feli-kun!" I gasped. He dropped his face into his hands and his shoulders shook. I opened my mouth, but clamped it shut after I realized I did not know what to say. So in a great feat of courage, I lifted my arm around his shoulders, and patted his arm. "Do not cry. It will be okay."

He lifted his head, tears streaming down his flushed face. "How can I not? Did you see him? He just let that man say mean things about all of us to his face!"

"I know, I know," I murmured. I crumpled my sleeve and drew it across his cheek. "I am here for you."

His eyes widened, and through the small sobs, he smiled. "S-si! If that mean man says anything to Luddy or tries to keep him from us, we can throw tomatoes at him!"

"I will make sure he will get the message."