From Broken Homes and Battle Scars to Where We Are 1/?
Title: From Broken Homes and Battle Scars to Where We Are 1/?
Word count: 830
Pairing: (eventually) Germany/N. Italy, Prussia/Austria, maybe others
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: don’t own. Title from TAI’s “Paper Chase”
Summary: That was why they were both back here, in the neighborhood where their parents had lived, attending public school for the first time in nine years. HS Au
“Cheer up, West. This is going to be awesome!”
Ludwig looked out the window of the car toward the school and didn’t answer.
“You know, brother,” Gilbert continued. “You’d think that with as hard as I worked to get us kicked out of military school, you’d be a bit more grateful.”
Strictly speaking, Gilbert had been the only one who had been kicked out. But their grandfather didn’t like the idea of Ludwig all alone halfway across the country. That was why they were both back here, in the neighborhood where their parents had lived, attending public school for the first time in nine years. Ludwig had a bad feeling about the whole affair.
“We’ll be late,” he said, climbing out of the car and walking quickly toward the front doors of the building.
Gilbert hurriedly climbed out behind him and rushed to catch up. “Shit, West,” he hissed. “I bet girls go here. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve seen an actual girl?”
Probably nine years, just like it had been for Ludwig. The Academy had been boys only, and while they were on break over the summers their grandfather had always taken them on extended camping trips. The eagerness in Gilbert’s voice made him pause, though.
“Brother,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “You don’t like girls.”
“I might,” Gilbert scoffed. “You don’t know. It deserves some experimentation. Besides, I’ll be the best looking guy these girls have ever seen. They’ll be eating out of my hand by lunchtime.”
Ludwig snorted. He doubted Gilbert would know what to do if a girl actually wanted to eat out of his hand. Besides… “You’ve never had a problem with guys before,” he pointed out. Ludwig didn’t have a problem with guys either. He knew he was attractive, and even had a bit of experience. His brother, though, was a notorious slut. He’d systematically made his way through every willing guy at the Academy. Even the professors. Even the old professors. Ludwig shuddered just thinking about it.
After he and Gil had filled out the appropriate forms and been given vague directions to their lockers, they parted ways. Senior lockers were on the other side of the building from the junior ones, so with a grim nod to his brother, who grinned cheekily back, Ludwig headed off on his own. It took Ludwig almost ten minutes to find his locker. When he finally did find it, the door was stuck. So far, his day was going about as well as he’d predicted. After a few frustrated minutes of jiggling the handle, the door finally banged open. Ludwig stared in horror at what he saw. Inside his locker was a boy. Ludwig wasn’t sure which one of them was more shocked.
“What are you doing in there?” he splutters after a few awkward moments.
The boy smiled and, with much difficulty, climbed out of the locker. Ludwig wasn’t sure how he’d fit inside in the first place.
“I tripped,” he said, nonsensically, straightening his shirt. He looked Ludwig up and down with open appreciation. “Ve, you’re really pretty.”
Ludwig spluttered again, unsure of whether to be more pleased at the compliment or indignant that the boy had used the word ‘pretty.’ He bypassed both and came up with incredulity. “Who are you?” he asked, his voice raising more than he would have liked.
“Feliciano,” the boy said. “Are you new? I’m new, too. I was at the middle school last year. We should be friends, since we’re both new. What’s your name?”
“Ludwig,” he answered automatically. Then he asked “friends?” rather weakly. This boy was a bit overwhelming.
“Yes, of course!” Feliciano said. “You’re big and strong so you can protect me from the bullies and I can come over to your house after school. I bet you’re smart, too, so you can help me with my math homework. And I can make you pasta!”
Before Ludwig could answer, someone shouted “Feliciano! There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you!” Ludwig turned toward the boy who was running up to them. He looked very much like Feliciano, though his hair was darker and his face was twisted into a scowl.
“What the fuck are you doing, Feli? You can’t just go up to creeps like this guy and start talking to them.” He nodded his head toward Ludwig as he said this. “He’s probably some kind of freak or pervert.”
“Ve, but Lovino,” Feliciano said, his face still not losing its smile. “This is my new friend, Ludwig. Isn’t he pretty?”
Lovino leveled a glare at Ludwig, who only raised his eyebrows a bit.
“Come on, little brother,” Lovino said, putting his hand on Feliciano’s arm and dragging him down the hall.
“Good bye, Ludwig!” Feliciano called as he went. “I’ll see you at lunch!”
Ludwig blinked a few time, then, deciding the whole thing must have been a hallucination, began to put his things inside his locker.