Make Me (Ludwig x Feliciano)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

~

Feliciano could feel his heart racing as he ran up the stairwell in his apartment. They felt like they would never end but when he burst through the door to the third floor, he sighed in relief.

He's so close.

The Italian jogged down the hallway and when he reached Ludwig's door he knocked loudly before slouching and panting for breath. He heard rustling inside the apartment and a frustrated mumble before the door was yanked open and Ludwig stood there in nothing put a pair of grey sweatpants.

He looked up into the German's cobalt eyes which were wide with alarm despite the sleep clouding them.

"It's three AM, Feliciano." Ludwig stared down at him.

"Oh, Ludwig..."

Feliciano couldn't even finish his sentence before he threw his arms around the German's waist and bursting into the tears that refused to fall on the drive.

~

Ludwig stood tensed as Feliciano hugged him tightly and sobbed against his chest but he felt his heart soften and he hugged him back after closing the door.

"Feliciano-"

"No..." The Italian cut him off, leaning back to look into his eyes. "I'm sorry for keeping secrets from you... I shouldn't have and it was utterly stupid of me... Ludwig, I can't do this without you... Please, be mine again?" He managed to get out between sobs.

Ludwig leant down and pressed his forehead to Feliciano's "Of course." He whispered. "I'm sorry for ignoring you for two months straight, that was immature of me."

He took off Feliciano's heavy sweater, leaving him in a t-shirt and threw it onto a nearby chair. He turned on the light in the living room and led the sobbing Italian over to his couch and sat down, pulling him into his lap as he cuddled him to his chest.

"Feliciano, tell me what's wrong? Why are you back from your vacation so early?" Ludwig asked as calmly as he could, gently brushing his fingers up and down Feliciano's arm.

The Italian wondered how Ludwig knew he was on vacation but decided not to ask.

"I went to Cavendish to go visit my mom who I haven't seen in three years and when I got to the house, my uncle Dave and Aunt Anna answered the door instead of my mom. They told me..." Feliciano sobbed. "She died three months ago."

Ludwig's eyes widened at the news and he flinched as Feliciano's chest heaved as he gasped for breath and his right hand was pressed to Ludwig's chest.

"I'm so sorry..." The German pulled him as close as he could, hugging him tightly.

"That's not all." He whimpered. "My father's name was on the grave and I didn't know he had died or that the bastard had remarried my mother!"

"I thought he left you." The German looked into Feliciano's amber eyes.

"So did I..." He felt the tears stream down his face and he tried his best not to start weeping.

"Oh, Feliciano..." Ludwig brushed the tears away with his thumbs and stared at him sadly. "Honestly, I don't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything. As long as you're here with me, that's all I need." Feliciano whispered.

Ludwig cupped his face in his hands and kissed him gently, his thumbs slowly stroking Feliciano's cheeks. He pulled away and gave a small smile.

"I'm going to make you some tea." He shifted the Italian onto the couch beside him before standing up and making his way over to the kitchen.

Feliciano watched the muscles in Ludwig's back contract and relax with every step and that's when he noticed another tattoo on his right upper arm. He remembered the half-sleeve on the German's left forearm and then wondered if there were any more.

He sniffed before standing up and following Ludwig into the kitchen and placing a hand on his arm, looking at the intricately designed dragon with a coiled tail.

"How many tattoos do you have?" He asked curiously.

"Six. I've been thinking of getting another one." The German answered nonchalantly.

"Didn't they hurt?" Feliciano asked, surprised at the number.

"Not really, once they're done the outline, the inside area is already numb." He explained as he grabbed a mug.

"Can I see them?" The Italian asked and then picked green tea from the selection.

"Why don't you search for them?" Ludwig winked. "See what you can find."

Feliciano smirked and playfully smacked the German on the arm before smiling and sauntering back over to the couch.

Ludwig was glad he could make the Italian smile, even if it was just for a little bit. He finished preparing his tea and then brought it over to him before setting it down on the table and flopping onto the couch.

Feliciano looked at the German and gave a small smile.

"I'm sorry for waking you up at stupid o'clock." He apologized quietly.

"It would be a pleasure to be woken up at any time by you." Ludwig smirked. "So you wanted to see the tattoos?"

Feliciano nodded and watched as the German showed him the inside of his wrist.

"I got this," He pointed at a nautical star made out of rope on the inside of his upper forearm, near the elbow. "because my oldest brother, who was in the Navy, died in an over seas battle in Afghanistan. I never met him."

Feliciano nodded and gave him a sympathetic look. He kissed the German's shoulder before looking at the next one he showed on the outside of his right ankle.

He drank half of the tea before putting it down. The Italian never took long to drink hot things. He always downed half at first.

This one was a black silhouette of an eagle stretching his wings out, preparing for flight.

"I don't know if you realized this was here but," he pointed to a tribal design that wrapped all the way around his left upper arm. "this was the first one I had ever gotten." He paused. "Try and find the next one."

Feliciano scanned his eyes over Ludwig's bare chest and noticed nothing until he looked on the left ribcage and saw an 'X' peeking out.

He moved his arm out of the way and read the roman numeral's that were written on his left ribcage, near his left breast.

IV~XVIII~MMIV

"What does this mean?" He asked.

"It's the day I met my angel. The day I was saved from a reckless life. April 18th, 2004." He reached for Feliciano's hand, lacing their fingers. "That's the day I met you."

Feliciano felt his breath hitch in his throat and his heart skip a beat. Squeezing Ludwig's hand gently he leant up, brushing his lips against the German's.

Before he knew it, the words had slipped past his lips.

"I love you."

~

To be continued...