GerUk/GerEng Collection

Two Loners on Christmas

     It was a quiet winter night. It may have been Christmas break but two students sat in their university's library, their noses deep in textbooks and computers, jumping ahead on the new year's work. By the time they were pulled out of their concentration, the two blonds realized the darkened sky.

     "Already that late huh?" Arthur sighed, closing his book and laptop. His study partner Ludwig soon followed suit and turned to look out the window.

     It was the ideal Christmas Eve night. Outside, snowflakes softly danced around as they fell to the gleaming white ground below. The snow itself remained mostly untouched due to the lack of students. There was no mistaking, this year they would be having a white Christmas and the idea made Ludwig happy.

     Arthur looked over to his friend who had a very rare look on his face. His sky blue eyes were soft and his mouth remained in a small, content smile. His brows were not furrowed in concentration (or frustration) and, for once, he looked at peace. Arthur felt his cheeks go warm as he became lost in the image, only to be pulled out by Ludwig's voice:

     "Do you have any plans tonight?"

     "Uh...n-n-not that I can think of," he stuttered in response, worrying that he may have been caught staring.

     "There is a European style Christmas market in town. It was a tradition my brother and I would always do back home in Berlin and I was thinking this is the next best thing. W-Would you like...to go with me?"

     Ludwig turned to face Arthur with a desperate look that was easy to see despite the attempt to hide it. How could Arthur say no to such a look? "I would love to."

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     Downtown had really come alive for the night. Storefronts were draped in multi-colour lights, ribbons, and windows painted with season's greetings. At the end of the street stood a tall evergreen with rainbow lights wrapped among its branches and a golden star shining on top. The scene was beautiful Ludwig admitted, but the true beauty was found in the man that stood beside him. His glowing emerald eyes became more lively as he looked around at the lights and a lopsided smile had made its way onto his face. Sure he always thought Arthur looked amazing, but at that moment there was something more magical to it.

     Ludwig was pulled out of his thoughts by Arthur wandering over to a booth of wooden Christmas ornaments. As the night continued, the two went from booth to booth, looking at all the lovely handcrafted decorations and other Christmas goodies that littered the market. There were some nice things, but nothing appeared to catch Arthur's eye. Any normal person wouldn't care, but Ludwig began to worry. This whole arrangement was a last-minute decision on his part and he had not gotten a gift for Arthur (the two never really hung out outside of classwork after all). He hoped to get a gift from the market, but that plan appeared to be going south. Ludwig tried to look around discreetly for something that Arthur might like, but it turned slightly frantic, concerning the Brit beside him.

     "Are you okay Ludwig?" he asked, those green eyes staring up at him with concern. The gaze made Ludwig's cheeks go warm and forced him to look away.

     "I...I...I'm f-fine," he sputtered in reply.

     "Okay..." Arthur turned back to the booths, though he didn't seem to believe Ludwig's answer. The awkwardness between them was cut short however by the two laying eyes on a booth selling various glass and porcelain items. One particular set drew the British man closer. Ludwig followed his friend as they approached the small set up. Arthur had turned his attention to a lovely tea set with a lovely rose pattern creeping along the side of the teapot and around the brim of the cups. Simple, but lovely nonetheless Ludwig admitted to himself. Arthur appeared to be thinking the same as he carefully inspected the set. His small smile soon turned to a frown as he came to what Ludwig assumed to be the price tag.