Three months later

.

Unlike Feliciano, Ludwig didn't have to work one bit. He allowed himself the full week to catch up on reading. He felt a little bad for Feliciano; their trip up to Munich was a work obligation for him rather than a relaxing holiday.

He hadn't even needed to pay for anything; the hotel and travel expenses were paid for by Feliciano's grandfather.

Ludwig never usually took the time, or gave himself time, to sit and do nothing. However, the summer breeze was calming and the sounds of the city below his balcony were a pleasant background drone. He checked his watch. Feliciano would return soon, so Ludwig resumed reading his book, a cold beer next to him.

The sun hung lower in the sky when Ludwig heard the door to their suite open. He kept reading, knowing Feliciano would start recounting the day before it closed. He glanced up when he was met with silence. His ears only picked up the brushing sound of feet on the carpet.

Feliciano trudged out onto the balcony and landed in his lap before he could notice anything amiss, but that in itself was explanation enough.

Feliciano dropped a heavy head onto Ludwig's shoulder, nestling himself into his chest.

"Hi, Feliciano."

"Hi," he mumbled tiredly.

"How was the meeting?"

"Good, but so tiring."

Ludwig figured as much. He smiled.

"They said they'll partner with us though. The contract signing is in two days."

"That's great."

"Mmm," was Feliciano's agreement.

"Looks like we'll have something to celebrate tonight at dinner."

"Dinner," Feliciano repeated sleepily. "I need a siesta first. Just an hour."

"Go ahead, there's time."

Feliciano made a sound of contentment and nuzzled further into Ludwig's side. Ludwig situated his arm around him so that he could resume holding his book. His leg was probably going to fall asleep and he really should have moved to the bed, but Ludwig didn't have the heart to disturb him. Feliciano was asleep in minutes, breathing steady, warm puffs on his neck.

Ludwig pressed his lips to auburn hair that gleamed in the sun and continued reading.

.

"Grandpa will be so happy," Feliciano said, his hand in Ludwig's. "He's been wanting to expand, and now he has the chance."

Ludwig had listened to Feliciano chatter all throughout dinner about his day, about the space they would purchase within the week for Vargas's third location in Munich. They'd signed with German partners who would run the Munich restaurant and Feliciano's grandfather was making plans to fly up to oversee the development.

He and Feliciano decided to walk off the wine after their dinner, the sun low and fading golden.

"It's all thanks to you," Ludwig told him.

"Not entirely," Feliciano replied, modesty tinting his cheeks.

Ludwig smiled. "If you hadn't become fluent in German, you wouldn't have offered to expedite the process by representing him, and he wouldn't have gone through with the idea."

Feliciano smiled, eyes still lowered to the pavement. Despite the incredible good fortune of Feliciano gaining back his Italian relatively quickly, and the abrupt series of events that led to them getting together, Feliciano was still oddly hesitant in talking about the accident that made him fluent in German. Ludwig asked him about his hesitancy once, and Feliciano only said that it was the accident itself – his memory of it and a brief period of time before the car crash were still lost – and the events immediately following his coma that unsettled him.

Ludwig supposed that was fair enough. Feliciano wasn't otherwise affected by what happened, and he often joked about the misadventure that was the night and morning of their first kisses.

"I suppose you're right," Feliciano breathed. "It's just so exhausting, all this legal talk."

Ludwig laughed, squeezing Feliciano's hand. Feliciano leaned up and pecked his cheek.

In their hotel suite Feliciano kicked off his shoes and disappeared into the bathroom. Ludwig, satisfied from dinner and the walk, sat at the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair. He sighed and lay back, closing his eyes.

He didn't hear Feliciano approach, but suddenly his knees were dipping into the mattress on either side of Ludwig's waist, and when he opened his eyes Feliciano was smiling at him nose-to-nose.

"I have a surprise for you," he said, snatching kisses every other second.

Feliciano's zeal signaled to Ludwig that this surprise was something significant. He pushed himself up to a seated position, and came face-to-face with a grinning Feliciano in his lap.

"Close your eyes."

Ludwig thought it was silly, but indulging Feliciano was often too irresistible.

He heard the sound of paper rustling and when Feliciano told him to open his eyes he was hiding his grin behind two plane tickets.

A word caught Ludwig's eye on the slips and he took one in his hands. They were tickets to Berlin.

"Feliciano…"

"They're for the end of the week. I figured we're already in Germany, and you mentioned that you hadn't been back in Berlin in a long time. It'd be nice to see Gilbert again. And you could show me your city."

Ludwig was speechless. He wasn't expecting this type of surprise. It was incredibly thoughtful and seeing the tickets made him realize that he may have missed his hometown more than he thought. There was only one thing to do when he couldn't find the words to thank Feliciano properly.

Ludwig set the tickets down and threaded his fingers in Feliciano's hair, kissing him earnestly. Feliciano giggled against his lips, pressing himself closer.

"Does Gilbert know?" Ludwig finally pulled away long enough to ask.

"Yes, I planned it with him."

Ludwig was surprised he hadn't gotten any teasing hints from Gilbert – it was practically his favorite pastime.

Ludwig laughed. "You're going to love Berlin."

Feliciano grinned and tackled him to the bed.

.

They only got to spend two days in Berlin, but Ludwig had been glad to see his brother again, be in his hometown if for a little while. Feliciano and Gilbert were like the best of friends and hindsight had Ludwig wondering how good of an idea that was, considering the combined power of their teasing abilities.

Gilbert took them out to dinner and the next day they spent doing some touristy things for Feliciano.

Feliciano apologized that they couldn't spend more time in Berlin, but Ludwig assured him that there was still time before university classes started up again.

They boarded an early flight the next morning and landed in Rome before mid-morning. Took a cab back to Feliciano's apartment.

After flipping through his mail and making the rounds through his apartment, Feliciano said, "Ludwig, let's go see Lovino. We can all go to brunch and I can fill him in on the restaurant."

Ludwig didn't bother to tell him that Lovino was probably still asleep. His own stomach was grumbling.

A short cab ride later and Feliciano was turning the key in Lovino's door. He was prone to letting himself in Lovino's place, and to be fair Lovino did the same, just not as often.

They found Lovino standing at the kitchen counter, coffee mug in his hand, wearing nothing but boxers.

"Lovi, good morning!" Feliciano said brightly.

Ludwig didn't know if it was the relatively early hour, the sudden appearance after their week-long trip, or Lovino's general annoyance with Feliciano's habits, but Lovino looked startled to see them, to say the least. Ludwig would almost call the look that sprang into his eyes "panicked."

"Feli? What are you doing here?" he asked hastily, in a hushed tone.

"We just got back a couple hours ago. Do you want to go to brunch? I have news on the restaurant–"

He was interrupted by a thump coming from Lovino's bedroom. Three heads swung in its direction, Feliciano's puzzled, Lovino's certainly panicked.

"Lovi, is someone–"

Ludwig belatedly put a hand on his shoulder to get him to stop talking, but then a tall figure wandered in from the hall. He was similarly dressed in only boxers. He was deeply tanned and he sleepily yawned, ruffling curly brown bed-hair.

"Lovi, why did you leave?" he said.

Ludwig watched the scene unfold like a comedy. Feliciano's eyebrows shot up, his hand slapping over his mouth. Lovino's cheeks burned red and he unsuccessfully attempted to push Feliciano out of his apartment.

The man noticed them and flashed a dimpled grin. He practically bounced over to Feliciano and Lovino.

Feliciano grinned just as brightly, and Ludwig knew that Lovino was really in for it now.

"Feli! What a surprise to see you this morning!" he said.

"I could say the same with you!" Feliciano responded just as enthusiastically.

"You know him?" Ludwig asked.

Feliciano nodded. "This is Antonio, our new bar manager. He's been with us a month now, yes?" he directed toward the man.

Antonio nodded proudly. "Lovi told me you were in Munich."

"We were, we just got back."

"Feliciano," Lovino interrupted loudly. "You said brunch, right? Just let me get dressed."

Lovino headed back to his bedroom, pushing Antonio in front of him by the shoulders.

"Brunch?" Antonio asked. "I love brunch."

Feliciano laughed. "Then of course you're invited, Antonio!"

Antonio said, "Great!" at the same time Lovino barked, "No!"

Lovino grumbled all the way to the bedroom.

Now, Feliciano was rarely what one would call "devious," but Ludwig glanced down at him and barely suppressed a smile.

He could tell, right away, that Feliciano was going to have fun with this one.

Aaaaaaand done :)

Thanks for reading, everyone! Much love!

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