My Dying Wish

Chapter 2 - My Life As Teenage Cripple

(a/n: in this chapter, it's changing Point Of View because I can't have Ludwig at the hospital with Feli at every waking moment, much to my dismay, so it's marked who it's talking about before it starts XD and, yes, Ludwig is an ex-soldier; no, I have no details on that; and yea, feli is 3 years younger than ludwig. Hes 19, ludwig is 22. It fits the picture in my mind :D also, the Italian in here is from google translate because im American and my friend who speaks Italian is unreachable atm xD feel free to correct me, just kindly please :3)

Feliciano:

'Beep ... beep ... beep ... '

A ... A heart rate ... Monitor? Was that what the Doctor had called it last time he was in? 

'I think so ... ' Feliciano thought. 'Yea, an HRM for short,'

He recognized it without opening his eyes now, without needing to see it or to see the stick that labeled it. 

He sighed, unwilling to open his eyes to the harsh hospital lights and the array of machines he was hooked up to. 

'To keep me healthy ... ' 

He'd lost his appetite altogether long ago, slowly losing weight until he was nothing more than a skeleton. Ludwig had worried; he tried to hide it from Feliciano, but he wasn't as dumb as people thought he was.

Suddenly he felt a shift in his nether-organs, and he smiled wryly. 

"Ah, Lovino? Scusa se ​​ti disturbo ancora, ma ho bisogno di un po di ... aiuto." Feliciano called, his voice warm and placating. 

He was really weak now, due to getting all his nutrients through an IV tube, and couldn't get up to go the the toilet on his own anymore. Lovino, his nurse and actually a distant cousin of his, was always in a foul mood.

" ... Again? Why are you such a wimp? Can't you just hold it for once?" Lovino muttered, making his otherwise silent entrance. "C'mon, let's get you up. Don't fall on me, you estupido."

Feliciano chuckled, leaning heavily on Lovino to get up but quickly finding his feet. Together, they slowly made their way to the bathroom. Lovino stood in the doorway with his back to Feliciano, to give him privacy but to be there in case he fell. 

"That big oaf that's always visiting you ... is he your friend or something?

Feliciano suppressed his laughter, turning to lovino and putting a hand on his shoulder to both show he was done and to keep himself supported, like the way an old person would use a cane. Only once he was back in bed and comfortable did he answer his dark-haired companion.

"Still spending time with Antonio, I see." He joked, smiling fondly.

"Don't ignore my question!!"

"Don't worry, I'll get to it. Antonio is kind and patient. He'll listen to you even if you're cursing him. I can see why you like to be around  him."

"Where are you going with this again?" Lovino groaned, annoyed. 

" 'That big oaf' that visits, he's rather kind as well. Overly serious about being neat and terrible company if one is angry, but wonderful otherwise." 

Feliciano beamed at Lovino, making Lovino's scowl deepen.

"Il suo nome è Ludwig."

"Ludwig, eh? He sounds like a jock, like meathead. Did you meet at a gay-bar or something?"

Feliciano laughed, his clear, high tenor momentarily filling the room. 

"No, no, we were originally business partners."

"Okay, yea, I don't know what kind of job you had before but I really don't want to know now."

This time, a laugh was drawn from booth of them, two similar tenors filling hospital quarters. 

They were both just catching their breath when there was a knock at the door and the soft voice of Elizaveta, the charge nurse of the hospital, called.

"Feli! It's time for blood work! It shouldn't take long." She said, bringing a small tray of tools in with her.  

He sighed, giving her a kind smile.

'This is going to be a long day ... '

(A/n - ** it means ‘His name is Ludwig’ and ‘Ah, Lovino? I'm sorry to bother you again, but I need some ... help.’ And, like I said, google translate people xD just doing my best here)

              Ludwig:

The sea washed around his bare feet, adding a chill to the warm evening. Ludwig grinned, his eyes warm and full of mirth as he turned to Feliciano.

“Okay, so, it’s not quite a normal sunset, but, look how the clouds make the sea and the sky meld into each other.” Ludwig said, chuckling at Feliciano’s awe filled expression.

“Wow! You’re right Ludwig! That’s so cool!” Feli breathed, his eyes wide and his smile wider.

The chill was slowly yet steadily growing under the half clouded sunset, the sand no long heated by the sun’s rays and the tide out, miles away from the two. Feliciano giggled, suddenly flinging his hands out to the sides, narrowly missing Ludwig, and ran ahead, crowing in joy and happiness. Ludwig laughed, not following but smiling fondly and continuing his slow pace.

All of a sudden the temperature dropped and the clouds crowded in, dark and menacing, flashing with lightning. The sea turned a few shades darker, boiling and soupy like ink.

Ludwig’s eyes widened as he saw the gathering wave; it was hard to miss it considering how huge it was, at least 10 meters tall and as wide as a 6 or 7 of Feli. He started to call out to warn his slight friend but his voice caught in his throat. Feli was still laughing and running, his arms out like wings, totally unaware of the impending flood. Ludwig stopped in his tracks, unable to force himself to continue any further.

The wave drew closer, confirming Ludwig’s fears as it headed towards Feliciano. Ludwig tried to call to Feli again, tried to move and to run, but he couldn’t do anything but sit and watch, useless. He was unable to even close his eyes or look away as the wave struck, seemingly swallowing the Italian boy whole.

Suddenly his whole body was released, as though freed from ice or manacles.

He jerked upward, breathing hard with his fair, blond hair glued to his forehead and the back of his neck with sweat.

‘A dream,’ he thought, breathing a sigh of relief and putting a hand over his still racing heart. ‘But … that’s got to be more than a dream. I remember that day. Feli, the dummkopf, got soaked to the bone by a 5 meter tall wave even though I’d warned him. He ended up with a cold, saying that it was worth spending the day with me on the beach.’

Ludwig scrubbed his face with his hand, the horror of his dream swept to the side like cobwebs. Checking his clock, he realized the sun would be rising soon if not now.

‘5:02 … a soldier’s habit from the old days, I suppose.’

He got up, stretching his arms and his back and yawned, going to his kitchen to start on breakfast. Even after breakfast the room was immaculate. He smiled, the slightest upturn of the corners of his mouth, proud of his cleanliness.

His smile turned into a grimace as he remembered the night Feliciano had offered make him dinner, back when they were more business partners than friends.

‘Gah, he made a mess!’  Ludwig thought with a growl. ‘the kitchen was a wreck and he even managed to get some of the mess into the hallway; though I suppose his cooking made up for it, at least a little bit. The boy sure knows how to make good pasta.’

As he went about his morning, he couldn’t help but worry about Feli. At the rate things were going, he didn’t have very long. Soon enough, a head cold could be the end of him.

Ludwig sighed, rubbing at his eyes.

‘This is going to be a long day ... ’