Romeo and Romeo

Chapter 21

It was approximately one of the hardest goodbyes that Ludwig had ever said. He knew that he would see Feliciano again but the tension from last night's walk seemed unbearable. He would have to wait at least three more days to talk to him again.

Ludwig hugged Feliciano goodbye then stepped onto the train and found a compartment for himself. He looked out the window to see Feliciano waving at him determinedly.

He waved back with a slight smile on his face. The train clucked and started moving, but instead of watching the train move off, he saw Feliciano running alongside the train, still waving. Ludwig's cheeks flushed and he waved back, wondering if anyone else in the carriage could see the Italian. The platform ended and Feliciano had to stop running.

The train was thrust into open land with yellow crop fields and grassy fields with various livestock held captive. The train was freezing despite the windows being closed, so he could only imagine the temperature outside. Even though the sky was almost cloudless and bright, the air had a sharp bite to it.

He tried not to think about anything, because everything he thought about would make him feel negative. But, with no distractions, that was a difficult promise he kept with himself. He thought back to earlier that morning. Feliciano had come out, so he felt as though he needed to tell him something too. Was he just being polite? Or did he genuinely not understand? There were so many unanswerable questions floating about in his mind. One thing was certain though, he could not tell Feliciano again.

Ludwig pressed his cheek against the cool glass of the window as he thought. If Feliciano was curious enough, then he would find out what 'ich liebe dich' means. If he didn't feel the same way, he would probably not tell him so as not to hurt his feelings. But if he did feel the same way... then it was up to him what to do. He knows that what we are doing is dangerous.

After a while, aka four hours, of thinking out every possible way this could go he was getting off the train and onto a short bus ride that would take them to the ferry.

His mind soon got bored of the topic he was previously thinking about, although it will always be there mulling in the background. So the topic of why he was going to Germany came into his head.

His legs were shaking, he couldn't help it. He stumbled on the cobblestones while crossing the road causing an angry driver to yell swear words in his language.

He felt dizzy. Once, he had to stop in the middle of the street and blink to make the black dots disappear from his vision.

His forehead felt boiling, and he was finding it difficult to remain composed as he walked down the short street to the hidden hospital.

That last train ride was rough, he had to lock himself into the bathroom to get out of the bustling cab. Ludwig's dear brother had been bedridden for two years. Ludwig couldn't tell if this was a good thing that his brother was finally being released from his invisible misery.

He knocked on the door to someone's apartment.

The sound of boots hitting wood could be heard getting louder 'Password.'

'Mitosis.'

Whoever it was with the boots opened the door and let Ludwig in. Ludwig stepped in to see, with surprise, a small girl about eleven years old with a pretty purple bow in her hair and a plain pink dress.

'Hello, I am Eva Vogel, my big brother's assistant.' She looked up at Ludwig with big green eyes. 'Who are you here to visit?'

Ludwig was surprised by her perfect English pronunciation, despite her accent. 'My brother, Gilbert Bielshmidt.'

The girl turned around, showing her strangely short hair and led Ludwig to a room of the house that looked like it was the library. His eyes scanned the room until he saw his grandfather, his brother, and his brother's boyfriend.