Ladders

Held

Emil slowly walked down the halls of the small town grocery store. His brother and Tino were 'spring cleaning' the entire house, while Berwald and Matthias were out at their new jobs. So the shopping was left to Emil. He put the needed items in the shopping cart and checked what he had got off the list. "Emil, wait up" Emil tensed up hearing the voice of someone he'd been avoiding. He slowly turned around to see the tall blonde who towered over him by a lot. "Oh uh, hey Ludwig...how have you been?" He asked awkwardly. Ludwig shook his head "well seeing as though my brother won't quit mopping about Madeline and Feliciano is still ignoring me, not that well". Emil scrunched his nose up and looked annoyed "you're brother landed my best friend in the hospital. He doesn't deserve to suddenly feel bad. And as for you, you should've been the one to tell Feliciano. I heard about the whole fight you and your brother had, and I would highly recommend avoiding Romano" Emil wasn't as mad at Ludwig as he was Gilbert, but still annoyed. "Yes I know what I did was terrible and I should've told him, but I need your help. I don't care if Feliciano doesn't take me back, but I want to apologize to him". Emil turned away from Ludwig and started pushing his cart once again. "Ludwig that's sweet and all but just give him some space. You two were cute together but love dies" he said as he grabbed some cans off a shelf. Ludwig caught up and walked next to Emil "you don't truly believe that do you? I mean I don't believe in a lot of stuff about Love such as love at first sight, but I still don't think it suddenly dies". Emil shrugged "I work in a brothel, I see love die all the time" Emil immediately thought of Anya who fell for the Chinese man, but then he thought of Lovina and Toni and how their relationship actually worked. Ludwig looked down awkwardly and sighed "can you just tell Feliciano I want to apologize?". Emil nodded "I guess, but I don't think you guys are gonna get back together. Alice Kirkland is already getting close to him". Ludwig looked down "I knew he'd move on, it just hurts" Emil nodded "okay Mr Moppy, if it doesn't work out call this number" Emil quickly texted Ludwig a number. "I don't know if I'm ready for another relationship after Feli". Emil put his phone away and grabbed more food to put in his basket "then don't call it, doesn't matter to me. He's just a nice goofy guy who could use a boyfriend". Ludwig raised an eyebrow staring at the number "does he...work at the-". Emil rolled his eyes "At the whore house? Yes he does, that's how I know him, but trust me go on one date with him. He has the biggest heart even with how little he has". Ludwig blushes "I didn't say it was a whore house, and I don't know Emil. I don't know if I can move on from Feliciano". Emil raised an eyebrow "well he's certainly moved on from you. So don't take it too harshly when he doesn't want to get back with you". Ludwig looked down at the floor "I don't expect him to but I just want to make things right". Emil walked to the checkout "whatever you say".

"Uh hey Emil? Did you give me number out to some dude name Ludwig?" The blonde asked as he limped into the break room. Emil nodded and looked up from his phone "yeah, you said you were looking for a boyfriend". Alfred slowly sat down "yeah, but I was thinking more after this whole brothel thing was out of the way" he said as he tried ignoring the pain from his last costumer. Emil noticed his discomfort, with how long Alfred had been in the brothel it would take a lot to make him be in pain. "Tough costumer?" Alfred quickly nodded "yeah one of Matthews regulars but since he's sick tonight I had to take him. Some fucking Cuban guy. Beat the shit out of me, mostly because I wasn't Matthew". Emil shook his head "I hate getting costumers like that, but then again who's not like that when they rent us?". Alfred nodded and stuck his hand in his pocket to retrieve a red box. He slowly opened it and cursed when he saw it was empty "shit, you got any extra cigs?". Emil nodded and tossed his box of shame over to Alfred. Alfred slowly shook his head as he inhaled the poison "so this Ludwig guy, the one who cheated on Mr.Vargas's grandson?". Emil nodded and leaned his head back on the dirty couch "yeah, will me actually but I mean I couldn't stop it since he did pay for me". Alfred raised an eyebrow "and you're trying to set me up with him, why?". Emil shook his head "he's a decent guy and good looking. Just made a mistake while drunk. Also he already knows you work here and he still texted you". Alfred snorted and rolled his eyes "trust me, I've thought I've found decent guys who don't care that I'm in the brothel but all they want is a free fuck". Emil took out his own cigarette and lit it "well he's different. Just trust me". Alfred sighed as he got up to go to his next client "whatever, but if this goes badly you're buying my cigarettes for the rest of the year". Emil nodded "fine, just give him a chance though. Don't get all defensive like you always do and try to make the other person feel dumb". Alfred laughed "I only do that with people who know I'm a prostitute". Emil smiled watching Alfred leave back to his personal hell, he truly did hope he could find some happiness with a new relationship. Emil also wished the same for himself.