Chapter Text
Feliciano’s daily life is all but mundane. Most of the time, he’s busy working on projects for the art school he attends – and he’s quite the good student, too. Best in his class, in fact. His exceptional talent was one of the reasons he was able to get a scholarship and be accepted into that university in the first place – it’s a private one in the middle of Rome’s Ostiense district, where he lives. It’s hardly the best place to live, but it's not like they had much of a choice.
Both him and his five years older brother lived a pretty troubled childhood – what with deceased parents and a cruel grandfather who had custody over them since then – so when Lovino turned eighteen, he took matters into his own hands. With just enough money that he had saved from working two separate jobs, he moved out and took Feli right with him. Needless to say, they were on the breadline, so it was only to be expected that they ended up in a working-class area where existing was at least remotely affordable. They still live together, and it’s still hard, but they get by.
Besides visiting uni, he and his big bubble of friends – like all young people – like to frequent bistros by day, and bars and clubs by night, which there are plenty of in his neighborhood. Feliciano is nice and liked by many – so when he’s particularly broke, his friends would often buy him a drink or two unprompted. Hence, he still has a lot of fun and gets to spend the last of his teenage years pretty much like any other kid.
To help his brother out and to save up for when his scholarship ends, he decided to take a summer job as a waiter in a quaint little café further north in the city – Prati district, where mostly big shots, luxury boutiques and cocktail lounges find their place.
Some of his other talents include his bubbly, extroverted personality, his talking skills, learning fast, and being pretty. All of which is exactly why he was hired. He likes it there because, well… it pays better than average for a job like this, and he gets to have a break from seeing graffiti-filled, run-down buildings all the time.
Though he doesn’t like the people that frequent it. They’re a bit too… stuck-up. Entitled.
Usually.
“Tavolo quattro!”
The streets of Rome are full again this Saturday afternoon, but there are surprisingly few customers in Dolce Vita for a morning like this.
Feliciano grabs the plates of sweet treats and cups of coffee and places them on the tray, heading outside to table number four. “Enjoy,” he sings, handing out the order before noticing a new group of people at a table further away. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can get you.” He excuses himself with a smile and treads over to the three customers waiting to order.
“Buongiorno,” he greets, tucking his tray and getting his notepad ready. On closer look, it doesn’t seem like they’re from here at all, so he continues in English, “Would you like to order already?”
The woman speaks up first – she looks in her forties, has slightly wavy, dark blonde hair that goes down to her shoulders, and sunglasses tucked up in it. “Yes, my husband and I would like a macchiato each. And one maritozzo for me.”
Feliciano immediately notices the German accent poking at her words. He swiftly writes down the order and then eyes the third person of the group.
Feli’s cheeks flush a slight pink.
He looks much younger than what Feliciano assumes are his parents – blond hair neatly slicked back, sky-blue eyes meeting Feliciano’s own. His shoulders are broad in his teal polo shirt – God, he’s gorgeous. Sadly, he also seems to be a bit too old for Feliciano – over twenty, at least by the looks of it. Feliciano’s only seventeen.
He nearly misses his order.
“I’ll take a cappuccino, please. With extra sugar, if possible.” His accent is just as strong as his mother’s, but his deep voice suits it much better.
Feliciano nods and flashes a smile. “I’ll be back in no time with your orders. Thank you,” he leaves the table and communicates the order to the other baristas at the counter, after which he disappears into the staff bathroom for a little break.
“That’ll be 16 euros.”
Ludwig watches as the waiter holds the card reader out to his mother, who taps her card on it and slides him a generous tip in cash.
“Thank you so much for stopping by. See you again soon,” the ginger waves before taking his leave. Ludwig follows him with his gaze until he has disappeared inside the café.
“Heute war der Vatikan geplant, stimmt’s?” Ludwig’s mother starts, getting up from her seat and hanging her purse over her shoulder. “Wenn’s heut’ noch heißer wird, sollte ich mich umziehen, bevor wir hingehen. Lass uns nochmal ins Hotel zurück.”
Ludwig nods and gets up, too. They start making their short way back to the hotel.
To celebrate Ludwig finishing school with excellent grades, his parents surprised him with a trip to Rome – all because once upon a time, Ludwig mentioned he would love to travel to Italy one day. He's convinced they did it more for themselves than for Ludwig in the end, but he doesn't really mind. He's never been particularly picky or demanding, and even though he would've preferred something other than to have to spend an entire week alone with his parents, he's still thankful.
He idly watches the passersby and listens to the noise of the street.
His thoughts still linger on that Italian waiter. Those amber eyes, flashing gold in the sun, smile bright and genuine, voice bubbly and sweet. If nothing else, he definitely knows how to charm customers. What a shame it’s just one of those people you meet once and never see again.
But who knows – perhaps he will be there tomorrow.
Feliciano arrived to work late today – he had totally slept over his alarm after being busy with his summer project for art school all night. And of course, the metro ironically decided to be late, too.
He received a prompt scolding, but was able to talk himself out of it with lots of smiles and sorry’s, and there were no further consequences.
The café is much more packed than yesterday, so no wonder they needed all the staff they could get. Feliciano’s busy running back and forth, receiving and bringing orders, wiping dirty tables and chatting up customers when he notices a familiar figure sitting down at a nearby table.
He scurries over, and his suspicions are quickly confirmed – it’s the same guy from yesterday. The blond and burly German with sky-blue eyes. This time however, he seems to have come alone.
They catch a glimpse of one another, but the blond quickly averts his gaze to inspect the menu.
“Hi, welcome back! I remember you from yesterday!” Of course he does, he's been on his mind ever since. “Are your parents not with you?”
“No,” replies the boy; Feliciano could swear his cheeks are glowing a faint pink in the sun, “My parents are a bit stressful when we travel. I prefer to be alone when I can.”
“Oh, I get that! Rome is great to explore on your own, so you're in luck. Want some tips on where to go?”
The blond hesitates, then nods. Feliciano smiles. “And for your order?”
“Ah, I'll… just take a cappuccino.”
“Extra sugar again?”
“Yes, please,” the blond seems surprised Feliciano had kept that detail in mind – he has a great memory, after all. Useful for this kind of work. “Alright, coming up,” he winks and disappears inside.
Minutes later, he’s back at the German’s table with his cappuccino and two packets of sugar, placing it neatly in front of him. And then, despite how busy the café is, he takes the liberty to pull out an empty chair, plopping down on it.
“So,” he starts, “you wanna know my recommendations for secret spots in Rome, huh? That comes at a cost.” The blond immediately looks at him confused, and Feliciano has to laugh. “I’m joking, I’m joking. But tell me – do you like sightseeing, or do you prefer, say, taking walks and nature, or something else? You must've been to the Vatican already, right? How long are you staying?”
When Feliciano is passionate about something, he tends to overdo it a little on the talking part – and it gets very obvious when his conversation partner is not exactly the talkative type. The German takes a moment to think about his reply.
“Y-yes, we were there yesterday. We're staying a few more days. And…” he has to think again, “I like anything, but if I had to choose, I prefer taking walks.”
Feliciano nods. “There are plenty of nice, walkable areas in the city. Like parks and also streets where it's less touristy. I assume that's what you're going for?”
The two proceed to talk, Ludwig sipping on his coffee as Feliciano shows him different locations on his phone. In between topics, Feliciano casually throws in a question about Ludwig’s age – and to his surprise, he's younger than expected. Only one year older than Feli, in fact. He finds out that he recently finished school in Germany, and that his parents gifted him his trip as a reward.
He feels strangely relieved.
This guy is much different from the customers Feli is used to. He seems much more… human. It’s refreshing.
The minutes pass, and soon enough Feliciano realizes he'd spent way too much time doing anything but work.
“Ah, I have to get back to work. I hope I could help,” he briefly deliberates, and a sudden gut feeling tells him to just go for it, “We can explore together if you'd like, I can show you around in person! What's your number?”
Feliciano hurriedly whips out his phone and hands it over to Ludwig, who takes it with a bemused look on his face. With not much time to think, he types in his details and gives it back, and Feliciano throws a look at it.
Ludwig.
He lifts his gaze to meet sky-blue eyes for the last time today.
“Nice to meet you, Ludwig. I'm Feliciano. I'll text you later!”
The Italian rushes back into the café.
His hair gets blown into his face as the metro flies in. The doors smeared with thick pink graffiti letters part and he boards the train, finding an unoccupied seat and placing his backpack on his lap.
He rests against the large window and takes a deep breath. It was a long day of dealing with many entitled customers, and it feels like this morning was ages ago. It's barely seven. He's glad to be back home soon.
This morning…
A little gasp. He pulls out his phone and searches for the blond guy’s name in his contacts, and upon finding it, opens the yet empty chat.
He bites his lip, there's a tingle in his fingertips – all his energy is back again at once. He can't suppress a smirk.
—Hey, Ludwig! It's Feli!
He restlessly taps his nails on the back of his phone as he stares at the empty profile picture and waits for a reply, waits and waits… But for the entire metro ride, there is none. In fact, the message hasn't even been delivered. Was he accidentally given the wrong number? Or is Ludwig one of those people who keep their phone turned off all day?
Either way, he figures it's better to let it go for now. The train arrives at his stop and he steps out.
Upon arriving home, he makes his way to the kitchen for a bite to eat. He pulls yesterday's leftover risotto out of the fridge and throws it into a pan to heat it up. He takes a look around. God, the kitchen’s a mess again. He'll have to take care of it before Lovino arrives home. He doesn't want him to be even more stressed.
He's used to being met with silence when he comes home – his brother tends to work overtime almost every night, and he's usually not done until ten.
Feliciano sits down for dinner. His phone lies beside him on the table. Then, it lights up with a message.
—Good evening. Sorry for the late reply.
A smile pops up on Feliciano’s face. He's quick to text back.
—No worries! How are you? Were you busy?
—I'm fine. My mother dragged us to clothing stores, and I forgot to charge my phone. So I couldn't text.
—Are you finished with work?
Feliciano excitedly types his reply when he hears the lock of the entrance door turn. Something is thrown to the floor with a soft thud and a sigh rings through the hallway.
Lovi is back sooner than usual.
—Ohh, that sounds so boring.
—Yes I just arrived home :) And I'm free tomorrow if you're still down for a meetup?
“Ciao, Lovi!” he sings, not lifting his eyes from his phone, even as Lovino walks into the kitchen. “Com'è andata al lavoro?”
“Come sempre. Faticoso.” He goes on to rant a bit about the stupidity of some customers at his retail job, about the messy kitchen, et cetera. But Feliciano barely listens as he's busy texting, grinning at his phone all the while.
“What are you smiling like an idiot for?” Lovino finally asks as he throws an egg and some sausage on the used pan. Feliciano finally looks up.
“I got to know someone really cute at work today!”
Lovino raises his brow. “Cosa? What do you mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like? I saw him for the first time yesterday, and I thought I wouldn't see him again, but he came back today! We exchanged numbers, look!”
Feliciano shoves his phone into Lovino's face, who only seems more confused by the second.
“You're flirting with a customer? Have you lost your mind?”
Feliciano sticks his tongue out. “Technically, it's not flirting. I only offered to show him around Rome.”
“Him?” Lovino's glare turns harsher. He only now seemed to have caught the person's pronouns. “Tell me you're joking.”
Feliciano tilts his head. “What? Why would I?”
“You– ugh…”
Lovino turns quiet for a moment and leans on the counter, gaze lowered. He seems conflicted, as though at a loss of what to say. But before Feliciano can add anything else, Lovino finds the words he was looking for.
“So let me get this straight – you hit on a customer, a man at that, and now you wanna meet up with him alone?”
Feliciano stares back at him, dumbfounded. He wasn't expecting to get scolded for something like this – he never thought his brother particularly cared about who Feliciano liked. It wasn't ever brought up, at least.
“You're too young for this shit. Who is this guy even? How old is he? Do you know anything about him at all?!”
“I-I mean… He's young too! He told me he's eighteen.”
“And how do you know that's true?”
“Well, it probably is! He was with his parents yesterday! Apparently, he just finished school and this is like, his celebratory trip or something.”
Lovino grumbles something under his breath and takes the pan off of the stove. He plops himself into the other chair.
“Do you not trust me?” Feliciano regards Lovino with a troubled look. The latter sighs.
“How can I trust you when you make such stupid decisions sometimes?” He digs into his food as though he'd been starving for days. There's an awfully awkward silence for what seems like an eternity. Feliciano bites his lip and nervously taps his feet on the ground. His chest tightens.
“I still have custody over you, and I need to keep you safe,” he finally says as he gets up and throws the empty pan into the sink, “But I can't control you, even if I wanted to. I couldn’t care less about if it’s a girl or a guy you go out with,” then he eyes him with a stern gaze, his voice turning softer, “Just please, promise to never go against your gut.”
Feliciano sits there for a while, letting the words sink in. His brother does have a point, now that he thinks about it – but if he hadn't had a good feeling, he wouldn't have even approached Ludwig in the first place.
“I get that you're worried, fratello, and maybe you think I'm naive and stupid, but–”
“I don't think that,” sighs Lovino, “I know you're smart, especially when it comes to reading people,” He rests his head on his palm, “It's just… you're all I have left. I'm sorry if I'm a bit too protective.”
“It'll be fine!” Feliciano reaches out and grabs Lovino’s arm. “Look, I was the one who suggested it anyway. We're gonna meet in the middle of the day and stroll around some nice parts of the city, and that's it. That guy is fine, really.”
“...”
Lovino doesn't have anything else to add. He leans back in the chair. “God, I’m fucking tired. I need a smoke.”
Feliciano rises from his seat and shoves the chair towards the table. Halfway out of the door, he excuses himself.
“I'll go to bed. Don't stay up too long, fratello.”
Just like yesterday, the sun’s been out all morning – almost noon by now – Feliciano savoring the warmth as he crosses the roads and strides along the sidewalks. Bits and pieces of lighthearted, trivial conversations fly past his ears, and Feliciano gets the feeling today is gonna be a good day.
Last night, they agreed to meet up at twelve right at the hotel Ludwig’s staying at, which turned out to be surprisingly close to Feliciano’s workplace. With a bus station being close by too, it’s a good spot to start a tour around the city – Feliciano can barely contain his excitement as he nears the place. He gets even more excited when he spots a tall, blond guy with a cap and thick backpack right next to the hotel entrance.
He hurries over.
“Ludwig!” he smiles, putting his arms around him. Ludwig is taken by surprise by the unexpected gesture, hesitantly placing his hands on Feliciano’s sides – he looks like he’s never given a hug before. Feliciano chuckles.
“Loosen up,” he grins as he backs away from the embrace, meeting Ludwig’s gaze. A slight blush creeps up under the shade of his cap. “How are you? How was your morning?”
“Fine, good,” replies Ludwig,”I, uh…I slept well. How about you?”
Feliciano can’t help but be amused at Ludwig’s awkward attempt at small talk. He smirks at him. “Me too, I slept very well. I’m excited to show you around! Anything in particular you wanna see first?”
Ludwig deliberates, then shakes his head. “I think I’ll let you decide. You’re the expert after all.”
“I mean, sure! I have a few ideas. For instance, we can go to the city center, maybe see some famous fountains if you’re interested in that, or visit a museum or two. I’m sure you’d wanna see the Roman Forum, too, right? Then…” he ponders a bit, “For a little break, we can go to a park, there’s one pretty close to the Colosseum. And in the afternoon, we can head to a market, that’s always fun.”
Ludwig only blinks at him in a slightly confused manner. Feliciano seems to know what he’s talking about, so he decides to trust him with what he has planned. A little nod. “Sounds good to me.”
“Perfect! Let’s go then!”
And so, the first half of the day is spent on bustling piazzas under the sultry sun, browsing through museums with imposing statues and all kinds of gorgeous art, and standing in between the ruins of the ancient Roman civilization. Feliciano is having a lot of fun showing his hometown to someone else, especially when they're as interested and attentive as Ludwig is.
All this time together is a perfect way to get to know each other – and Ludwig’s opening up quicker than Feliciano had expected.
Time just about flies until they finally arrive at the nearby park.
There's much less folk here, and even though Feliciano does like to be around people, it's nice to get a break from Rome’s busy streets for a minute. He assumes Ludwig is even more relieved, the introvert he seems to be.
They pass by a bench and take a seat.
“Lots of walking, huh?” Feliciano initiates, his gaze shifting towards the sky. The sun has gone to hide behind thick walls of clouds that paint the sky in layered hues of grey – looks like it's gonna stay like this for a while.
“Indeed,” breathes Ludwig, “but it's fine. I like it.”
Feliciano has to grin. “Isn't that like, a stereotype about you Germans? That you're crazy about taking walks? Is it true?”
Ludwig huffs with a lighthearted smirk. “Listen, it's a great activity. And it's healthy.”
“So it's true,” teases Feliciano, meeting Ludwig’s gaze. The next moment, the air falls still as they stare into each other's eyes for a moment, and it feels like eternity before Feliciano finally breaks eye contact and lowers his gaze to his knees. A blush brightens up his cheeks.
Ah, there it goes. Of course it's a crush. A pointless crush on a foreign tourist who he may as well never see again. And yet – and maybe that's just him clinging to hope, but – something tells him there's a chance. That it's worth a try. Just to see where this will lead.
His thoughts get cut off when he feels a wet droplet on his palm. Ludwig seems to have noticed something, too. And before they know it, they find themselves running along the pathway, desperately trying to shield their heads as rain comes pouring down at them.
At last, they near a little kiosk on the left side of the path. Out of breath, they dive under the roofing and crash against the wall.
“We should've checked the weather report, huh?!” laughs Feliciano, leaning his back against the stone wall. Ludwig sounds funny when he's out of breath, heaving like a wild animal. It only makes Feliciano laugh more.
“You're laughing too much.” Ludwig finally says, though he can't keep a little smirk from betraying his features. Feliciano’s laugh is undeniably infectious. He stands, hunched over, hands on his knees, as he meets Feliciano’s gaze with an annoyed yet amused expression.
Feliciano sinks to the floor – only now does he notice his feet are throbbing, especially after all that running. Ludwig seems to feel the same as he follows suit, crouching down in defeat.
There's not much they can do but wait for the rain to die down, so they do just that. Meanwhile, Feliciano lets his eyes roam over the scenery. Passersby with umbrellas walk down the path with hurried steps; the stone pine trunks gradually turn black with rain. The pitter-patter of the raindrops is a comforting sound now that they rest in safety.
Ludwig proceeds to rummage through his bag, packing out a lunchbox with two self-made cheese sandwiches inside. One of them, he lays on his lap, the other, he offers to Feliciano. The latter takes it reluctantly, thanking him with a nod.
It would be a lie to say he's not starving by now, though he's not sure a little sandwich like this will fill him up. Still, the fact Ludwig thought of him when prepping these in the morning does put a smile on his face.
They dig in, all the while chatting about the day, what Ludwig learned, what he liked most – turns out it was the Roman ruins – and the longer Feliciano spends with him, the more he notices those little features of his that make him so attractive. His deep voice, the accent teasing at his words, the way his mussed-up hair falls into his face. A balmy warmth blossoms in his chest. He hasn't felt this safe with another person in a while.
He wonders if Ludwig feels the same.
Before long, it's quiet again, and the sun peeks through once thick clouds.
“That was fast! Those kinda rainstorms are usually over quickly, huh?”
“Mm-hm,” hums Ludwig with a full mouth. They take their last bites and are back up on their feet.
However, Feliciano indeed remains a little hungry – but as it happens, their next destination is the market. They're going to find something there for sure.
By the time they arrive back in the city's streets, the sun has painted the scenery in a pleasant gold, its light glistening in the dampened asphalt. Beige, coral, sepia brown facades of old, bricked buildings shine even prettier than usual. The roads are nearly empty; everything seems peaceful, quiet.
A few turns into narrow alleyways with quaint restaurants and laundry-filled balcony railings later, they set foot into a market hall – a tall room with rows of stalls leading all the way to the other side. The stalls are filled with all kinds of products – mostly food – vendors scrambling around tirelessly to serve one customer after the other. From fromageries to fishmongers to spices to simple vegetable and fruit stands, everything’s up for grabs, so it’s no wonder the place is bustling with people, tourists and locals alike.
They take their time strolling through the rows, Feliciano greeting familiar faces, vendors he knows by now.
“Want anything in particular?” Though he doesn’t get an answer straight away, he does see Ludwig eyeing the cheeses, so he, without thinking, grabs him by the wrist and pulls him to the fromagerie. “What kinda cheese do you like?” He doesn’t notice how he’s still holding his wrist, and how Ludwig’s cheeks go red, and how Feli’s own heart starts pounding faster by the second. But Ludwig doesn’t even try to pull away.
“I-I like parmesan.” Eye contact evidently doesn’t seem to be one of Ludwig’s strengths.
“You can never go wrong with that,” approves Feliciano, “And I can guarantee it’s better here than anywhere you can get it in Germany. Probably cheaper, too.”
“I don’t really… Care about the price. My parents gave me money,” Ludwig has to move his arm a little in order to grab his wallet, and only now does Feliciano realize they’ve basically been holding hands this whole time. Embarrassed, the Italian lets go and crosses his palms behind his back.
“I-Is that so?” Feliciano stutters, trying to distract from the situation at hand, and jokes, “You got a silver spoon, then?”
“Uh… I wouldn’t say that, but we’re not exactly poor, either.”
“Ah…” Feliciano is lost in thought for a moment there as Ludwig orders a few slices of parmesan in broken Italian. An awkward silence settles between them afterwards, but it’s not a bad kind of awkward, it’s more of a we-need-to-process-what-just-happened kind of awkward. But it’s forgotten about soon enough and they’re back to browsing products, grabbing themselves a panini each as they’re about to leave.
They’ve been out for more than six hours now, and even Feliciano, who is used to being on his feet all day from his job, can’t deny he’s exhausted. Luckily, a metro station is right nearby, and there seems to be some sort of unspoken agreement between them as they both head straight towards the entrance. Stained, graffiti-sprayed walls surround them on their way downstairs, a brisk gust of wind hitting them halfway. The air here is different, heavier than outside.
They throw their trash away and find a bench to sit on.
There’s some very, very faint guitar music playing somewhere far away.
Feliciano is tired. Too tired to notice how his eyes fall closed, and how there's a comfortable softness he now rests his head on. His breath comes slow, his shoulders relax. The pain in his legs is a satisfying one.
He could fall asleep like this.
It takes him a while to realize it’s the other’s shoulder he is resting his head on. Only this time, he doesn’t pull away in the same way he pulled away when he discovered he was holding Ludwig’s hand – instead, he stays put. And it looks like Ludwig isn’t opposed to that at all.
“I liked today, Ludwig.”
Feliciano’s voice is soft, Ludwig almost doesn’t hear it. Perhaps it's also thanks to the deafening heartbeat that’s filling his head. His palms are dampened with sweat, he feels warm, almost hot.
“I like spending time with you.”
“Me too,” Ludwig does his best to keep his voice from shaking. “Today was nice. You were a very good guide.” There’s only a little chuckle from below at the compliment. Ludwig sits there awkwardly, motionless, not knowing what to do with himself.
Right on time however – before he has the chance to somehow make a fool of himself – the metro train flies in with a loud whirr. The two of them get on. There are no free seats, so they have to stand. Feliciano raises his gaze.
“When are you guys leaving?”
There's a hopeful ring to his voice. At the same time, there's a realization that hurts Ludwig more than he'd like to admit.
“Wednesday morning. We have to pack tomorrow.”
“That quick?” Feliciano seems surprised, and the little smile fades from his face; he's almost sulking now. “I thought you'd be staying longer.”
“Yeah… My parents are busy people. They have things to attend to, I guess.” He hesitates before saying the next part, “I would've liked to stay longer. Especially after I met you.”
Feliciano blushes. “I-I see. We'll stay in touch though, right?”
“I’d like that.”
The train rumbles a little. They have to hold on to the poles.
“Will you come to Italy again?”
“I don't know. I'll have to see if time allows it. But you can always come visit me in Germany if you want to.”
“I've never been. I don't have the money, either. We live from paycheck to paycheck.”
“We’ll pay for the flight.” Ludwig assures. His voice is stern, almost demanding. He wants to make this possible. “You can stay in our guest room. You don't have to worry about food or any other costs.”
“It's…” Feliciano hesitates a little. He doesn't want to be a burden. Getting a few drinks paid for by his friends once in a while is one thing, but a flight and a room and food for free? It's a whole new level. They’ve only known each other for a few days. And yet…
“That's a big offer,” Feliciano is thrilled, but tries to make it seem like he's just joking around, “You're leaving me no choice. I'll have to take it.” He laughs. He's still not sure how Ludwig feels about him – if this is just a courtesy, maybe even a cultural thing, or if there's something deeper to Ludwig’s intentions. And he doesn't wanna risk pushing him away by assuming the wrong thing. So he takes the safe route and plays along.
They get out at the next station and ride the next few streets by bus. They pass Feliciano’s café and he waves hello at a colleague. A few hundred meters more, and they stand in front of familiar hotel doors.
Feliciano stands there, wordlessly. A sinking feeling settles in his stomach.
He doesn't want to say goodbye yet. They may never see each other again if he does. Maybe he can find an excuse, maybe they could go for a drink somewhere nearby, or enjoy a nice sunset view; something, anything to draw this out—
“You wanna come up with me, actually?”
Feliciano blinks as he gets yanked from his thoughts. He didn't expect a proposal like that. He stammers, “Uh, s-sure? But what about your parents? Won't I be unwelcome?”
“They booked me a separate room. At least that much privacy they granted me,” he huffs. Feliciano contemplates, then nods. There’s probably a TV up there or something, and they could sit and watch. Even in silence. As long as they don’t have to say goodbye yet.
They rush past the receptionist’s desk to avoid getting noticed – since Feliciano, in fact, does not belong here. An elevator ride later, they’re up on the fifth floor, and Ludwig opens his room door.
He takes off his big backpack and goes into the bathroom to wash his face.
“Can I sit on your bed? I'm a bit sweaty though.”
“Go ahead, I don't mind. Just take your shoes off.”
“Of course, who do you think I am?!” Feliciano was already in the process of kicking off his shoes, and jumps onto the mattress.
Ludwig chuckles. “I don't know. Some people do that. Just letting you know.” He walks up to the balcony and opens it so some of the nice evening air can flow in. He grabs the TV remote and flips through the channels. There's nothing good. In the end, he decides to keep it on something that can run in the background – an Italian documentary about bugs.
He sits down on the side of the bed, awkwardly tense.
Feliciano decides to say something after a silence that felt way longer than it should’ve. “Why are you just sitting there? Have you never used a bed before?”
Ludwig blushes in response, then adjusts himself on the bed. Feliciano smirks to himself – he’s cute when he’s being clumsy for no reason. They proceed to watch the documentary, albeit absently, while all kinds of thoughts swirl around Feliciano’s mind.
“Where in Germany are you from?” He then asks, meeting Ludwig’s gaze.
“I’m from Bavaria. Munich. It’s in the south.”
“I know of it. Do you like it there?”
“Sure. It’s fine. It’s a city. A bit more calm than Berlin or Frankfurt.”
“Have you lived there your whole life?”
“No. We’ve had to move a couple times because of my dad’s work. But it looks like we’re staying this time. At least I will be, once I move out. For my studies.”
Feliciano is happy to see Ludwig so talkative. “Oh, studies? Like what?”
“I wanna go into engineering.”
“Wow, that’s impressive! Isn’t that like, super hard though?”
“Yeah. But I’ve always had good grades, and I like math and logistics and stuff like that. Plus, it’s good money.”
Feliciano nods. “You sure look like someone capable of reaching his goals.”
“Well, thanks for believing in me,” Ludwig chuckles; there’s a playful softness in his eyes. He hasn’t smiled a lot so far, but whenever he does, you just know it’s genuine.
“And… Do you have someone you love, back in Germany? Like, a girlfriend?”
God, he must sound so strange asking this kind of question out of nowhere. He hopes Ludwig doesn’t take his curiosity the wrong way.
“No… Not in particular. It’s… I have difficulty connecting with people. I’d rather be on my own.”
“Really? But you’ve been with me all day. Does that not count as connecting with people?”
There’s a pause. Ludwig fidgets with his thumbs. “I-I know. It’s different with you. It’s easier, for some reason.”
“They do say I’m a social butterfly. It’s hard to dislike me,” boasts Feliciano. Ludwig laughs.
“Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
The newly hatched Apollo butterfly on screen takes flight for the first time.
“Okay, but… Were you serious? About me coming over to Germany?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Feliciano shakes his head. “Oh. It’s just… We barely met. I feel bad accepting that kind of offer. And what if your parents don’t like me?”
The German seems to be genuinely pondering on a response. In the end, he shrugs his shoulders. “Of course you don’t have to come if you don’t want to. I wouldn’t force you. But,” he places a hand on the back of his neck, looking sheepish, “I’d like to show you around Munich, just like you showed me around here. Until then, I’m sure we’ll get to know each other better.” His voice goes quiet towards the end there, and he averts his gaze.
“And don’t worry about my parents – I’m sure they’ll take a liking to you.”
Feliciano bites his lip and hugs his knees. He rests his head on top of them and watches Ludwig for a while. “Okay,” he finally mumbles. So many things unsaid are hanging in the air. Lingering on their tongues. Just waiting to be told. God, the tension is making him lose his mind.
“I wouldn’t recommend coming over in fall or winter, though,” Ludwig continues, “The weather at that time is grey and cold. And wet. It’s better in the summer months.”
“Aw, but that means I won’t see you again ‘till next year!”
“There’s still August left. For this year. If you already want to come, that is.”
Feliciano blinks and curls his toes. “No pressure,” Ludwig adds. “All I'm saying is… I'd like to see you again soon.”
By now, Feliciano’s heart is beating way too loudly to be ignored. Thump-thump, thump-thump. His blood has rushed up to his ears; he swallows a lump, breath shallow.
“I wanna see you too.” He buries his face in his arms. God, he's so embarrassed. Helpless. “I-I’ll be working again tomorrow. If you wanna come to the café. I'll get you a free coffee. Extra sugar.”
A chuckle. “I'll try my best to find a free moment.”
Feliciano nods. He checks his phone. It's getting late – time passed far too fast. Lovino might start worrying if he comes home and Feliciano isn't there yet.
“Well,” Feliciano rises from the bed and stands there, hugging his own arm, “In any case, I have to leave now. I had fun today.”
Ludwig gets up, too. He walks over to Feliciano and stretches out a hand – so oddly formal. It makes Feliciano giggle, but he shakes it anyway. And right then, a burst of courage takes hold of him. Without a moment's hesitation, he hugs him again – just like this morning. Throws his arms around his neck, burying his face in his shoulder. Only now there's something deeper to it than a simple hug. It lasts longer, means much more than a simple goodbye.
It's a promise. A vow to meet again. If not tomorrow, then another time.
“Let's stay in touch, Feliciano.”
Ludwig loosens the embrace. He meets Feliciano’s gaze – this is the closest they've ever been to one another. He has eyes bright and sweet, like they had been painted with honey. Without thinking, he raises his hand and nearly brushes Feliciano’s cheek, but he holds back before managing to embarrass himself.
“Yes, let’s!” Feliciano slips into his shoes and leaves the room. Ludwig accompanies him down to the hotel doors and they wave their goodbyes.