Tea Leaves and Opal Necklaces

Confessional

Match Nine: Confessional:

Italy was like a child. He could sense that something was wrong, but didn't know exactly what. Nobody wanted to come out and say it. Their smiles looked so painful. His friends distanced themselves for different reasons. Ludwig still was doing his research in the Harel while Kiku locked himself in his house. He still had dream of Lovino killing him after saying that he was too pure for this world. With nowhere else to turn, Feliciano headed to the one point that he knew where he could pour his heart out when he couldn't reach out to anyone else.

Feliciano walked up to his local church. Despite it being close to midnight, he needed somebody to talk to. The Italian man crossed himself before walking into the church. He made his way into the confessional booth.

"Forgive me, father, but I need somebody to talk to," Feliciano said.

"You again?" a man's voice asked on the other side of the booth.

"Please, father, I don't have anywhere else to go," the Italian man said. "Everyone keeps acting strange and nobody wants to tell me anything. I know it's late, but I don't have anyone else to talk to."

"What about your brother?"

Feliciano looked down at his hands in his lap. "He's part of my problems."

"What about Ludwig or Kiku?"

"They're part of my problem too. Please can you listen to me? I don't know what else to do."

The man on the other side groaned. "Fine, I will hear you out. When was your last confession?"

The Italian did quick count on his fingers. "Three months ago, I think. I don't remember."

"What is on your mind tonight?"

Feliciano took in a deep breath. "Everyone's going crazy lately."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't exactly explain it. I have some many things to say."

"Where do you want to start?"

"Well, I think Ludwig is seeing ghosts."

"Ghosts, huh?"

"He thinks she's a real person, but Gilbert, Elizabeta, and Roderich all look worried. They keep whispering to each other. When I ask them what's wrong, they smile and say everything is fine."

"Why would your German friend be talking to a ghost?"

"I don't know. He's become obsessed with finding out with what happened to the Harel family."

"Who are they?"

"I don't remember, but they were some family that went missing during the war. Ludwig stays locked up in his house day and night. I don't think he's eating either. I talked to him about when we went out to the lunch other day, but I didn't get much out of him." He drew his knees to his chest.

"I'm too scared for him to ask any more questions," Feliciano said. "Gilbert has tried to get him to stop looking into the Harel family, but Ludwig won't stop."

"Anything else?" the other man asked. The Italian man rubbed his forehead.

"Kiku's getting worse," he said.

"Kiku... Is that your Japanese friend?"

"Yes." Feliciano lowered his hand. "I've told you everything about him, but there is something new."

"Oh?"

"I was over at his house yesterday and I saw black marks on the back of Kiku's hands. They looked swollen up and they smelled really bad. I asked him about them, but he hid his hands in his sleeves. Sena made me leave." Feliciano leaned back in his seat.