I really wanted to write something fluffy and dramatic, so here we are. I probably will read this tomorrow and decide I don't like it. ^^; But I haven't posted anything in a while, and if anyone reading this is wondering about Amethyst Eyes: YES I am still working on it. Just taking a quick break.

This oneshot is inspired by some GerIta fanart that I shouldn't have been looking at. You know the one. I made it considerably less naughty, though. If I had skill, I would TOTALLY throw in some lemon, but I'm too much of a sap. Enjoy!

Warnings:

BL

Romantic fluffles everywhere

Slavery and murder

Today, Ludwig would fight. It was his duty and honor as a gladiator to enter the coliseum and defeat the one that was named his enemy. His sword shined brightly by the door where it sat against the wall in the holding room he was given to prepare. In a few short hours, he would be fighting for his life yet again in front of a crowd of bloodthirsty spectators. The only thing that drove him to win each and every battle was the promise of his prize at the end. Not gold or glory, but the happy amber eyes of the slave that cleaned his wounds after every victory. But as the door opened without a knock and a slim body slipped inside, Ludwig turned around to find that his prize had come early.

"Ludwig." His name was said quietly through lips trying too hard to smile. There Feliciano stood, with his back against the door and hands behind him, simply watching and waiting for Ludwig's reaction to his unexpected visit. The gladiator stood there with his mouth gaping for a moment before he shook off the shock and gave the other a stern look.

"Feli, what are you doing here? You know you aren't allowed back here until after my battle!" Feliciano flinched at the strict tone. Ludwig didn't like to yell at him, but if the slave was caught disobeying orders, he would be punished. Sometimes appearing angry was the only way to get anything through his thick skull, even though it wasn't really anger. It was how Ludwig showed concern, and Feliciano knew that.

"I-I know, but I wanted to see you now," he explained quickly and brought his hands up to fiddle with the metal collar around his neck. The chain clicked through his nervous fingers.

"And why would you do that?" the man sighed. Though he was secretly elated, he didn't want the other to know it. He wanted Feliciano to leave before anyone found out he had disobeyed his master's orders, no matter how much his heart begged for him to stay.

"Because…" Feliciano paused. All traces of his happy façade were gone now as he looked at the floor. "…because I don't know if I will see you after your battle…" he whispered.

Ludwig opened his mouth to respond, but found himself without words. The slave had just voiced his own fears about this upcoming match. He would be going against a real champion this time. They both had perfect records, so it was no telling who would live or die. Up until now, Ludwig had defeated all of his advisories. He had a bad feeling that this could be the one that broke his record, but he tried to keep his worries hidden from the one he cared about the most. Apparently it was a waste, because Feliciano already had the same fears.

"…You shouldn't have come," Ludwig finally said. "Feli, please…go."

The slave looked up. For a moment he looked confused, then his eyebrows knitted together and he stomped his foot like a child. "No."

It wasn't often that a slave said no to a command. Ludwig didn't quite know how to take it. "What did you say?"

"I said no," Feliciano repeated. He sounded firm, as if not even death itself could shake him from his resolve to stay put in that exact spot. "I won't leave. You can't make me go."

The gladiator narrowed his eyes and crossed his bare arms. "Don't be selfish. And yes, I can very well make you leave. You know that."

"No, I wanted to see you. I deserve at least that!" he cried, despite Ludwig shushing him to be quieter. "Why don't you want to see me? I thought you would be happy."

"Of course I am, it's just-"

"Then what is it? What about this is so selfish?" Feliciano interrupted. He took a step forward and squared his shoulders, as if that would make him intimidating. He was an entire head shorter than Ludwig, so it wasn't working, but the tears in his eyes certainly were. "You shouldn't be worrying about me at a time like this!"

"But I do!"

Feliciano shut his mouth as the gladiator came forward. The slave didn't know what to make of the expression on Ludwig's usually stony face and backed up, feeling a fear for the man he hadn't felt in a long time. When his back met the wall he closed his eyes and waited to be hit, but the blow never came. Hands held his shoulders firmly as a pair of lips pressed against Feliciano's, harsh and forceful, making his head spin with confusion when they pulled away, as if the kiss had burned. Ludwig loomed over him and breathed in deeply, his face holding the same irritation, but his eyes didn't match. They were soft now that Feliciano was close enough to see.

Ludwig's voice dropped to a desperate whisper. His hands gripped the boy's shoulders as he fought the urge to press him to his chest, because he wasn't sure if he would ever let go. "Feliciano, do you know how I win so many games? How I slay people just like me, who have no more reason to fight than I? Do you know how I give myself a cause?" Feliciano slowly shook his head. The grip on his shoulders disappeared and was replaced with gentle callused hands cupping his face and brushing away random falling locks of auburn hair. "It's you. When I am fighting, every time I close my eyes, I see you. I hear you laughing. I taste your lips. If I didn't have you to fight for, I would have been dragged through Porta Libitinensis* a long time ago."

Feliciano's amber eyes were wide, giving Ludwig a glimpse of sweet honey before he was ever supposed to see it. He didn't want to see those eyes before his battle, not when their allure and promise was what drove him to finish it. Would he fight as hard with their image fresh in his mind? Would it be bad luck to do this before entering the arena? He really hoped not.

"Oh, Ludwig!" the boy threw his arms around the other's neck and pulled him down into a bone crushing teary-eyed hug. The gladiator had no idea his grasp could be so strong. "I-is that true? Do y-you really do all of this for me?"

Ludwig allowed his arms to wrap around the smaller and pat his back. The gray material of the simple garment he wore couldn't mask the warmth of the one he yearned to hold forever. "Yes, every time. Do you see why I have to worry for you? If I don't, I don't know how long I would last out there." He kissed Feliciano's shoulder and felt the other shudder. In times like these, he really wished he didn't need all of his energy for the task at hand, otherwise he would bring their bodies closer and ravish him against the wall. It must have been one of those primal instincts that came out from inside him before a battle. It was hard to ignore, but he managed to resist.

Feliciano ran a hand over Ludwig's hair, careful not to disturb the flaxen locks that would otherwise hang around his eyes in combat. "I'm sorry, I didn't know…I just…I don't want to regret not seeing you again if you are struck down…I couldn't live with myself if my last memory of you was of your blood on the ground…"

Ludwig sighed. He shouldn't have been so harsh earlier. Of course Feliciano knew the consequences of his actions, but he didn't care. He was brave to do such a foolish thing. "Do you really have such little hope for me?"

Feliciano pulled away and shook his head profusely. "Not at all! Of course I have hope for you, I have lots of hope! In fact, I know you will win! You haven't lost a single game yet and you never will!"

The gladiator chuckled at Feliciano's enthusiasm and kissed his forehead. "Thank you, Feli. I'm the Bull of the West*, remember? I won't let anyone take that title away from me. And when I claim this victory, I will see to it that you have your own title, too."

Feliciano cocked his head to the side he always did when he was puzzled. "My own title? You don't mean…" Ludwig smirked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Yes, I will buy your freedom."

"Wha-?!" Feliciano couldn't believe his ears. "But what about you!"

Ludwig laughed. It was a deep sound that was practically music to the boy's ears when he was lucky enough to hear it. "I won't be far behind."

"No, Ludwig, use your money to buy your own freedom first! As long as you are out of the arena, I don't mind still being a slave! There are other ways to make money, bake your cakes for me, anything but this!" Ludwig was expecting the boy to be ecstatic, but instead he broke down into tears.

"Calm down, I will be alright!" Ludwig tried to soothe him and wipe away the tears, but they were only replaced with more. "You know as well as I do that it could take years to make the same amount in any other job than a few short battles can bring. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing you could be sold away before I ever made enough."

"And I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing you could be killed!"

"Shhhh," Ludwig hushed the other's sobs. "I'm aware of the risk. I can win my own freedom, but you can't. Please understand, Feli, that your freedom means more to me than my life. I would rather see you without your shackles for even a moment than live another day." Feliciano refused to let the sweet words sway how he felt about this. "I know you would do the same for me."

"B-but…if you lose…"

"As long as I have you, I won't lose. I will leave you for this battle, but I will be back, and some day, I won't ever have to leave you again."

The boy sniffed and looked up at the gladiator. "You promise?"

"Ja, I promise." He kissed Feliciano sweetly, lingering for the longest second of his life. "Now go back before they notice you are gone. I don't want to worry about you any more than I already do."

Feliciano kissed him back, then nodded. He turned around and went to the door, but before leaving, he turned his head for one final look at the man that meant so much to him. He wished that he could stop this. He wished that he wouldn't have to watch Ludwig enter the arena again, and that he didn't have to risk his life, all for the sake of one little house slave. This would be the most terrifying game he had ever witnessed, but Feliciano had hope. Ludwig never broke a promise.

He wanted to give him something to hold onto, but a smile was all he had to his name. "We'll see each other again for sure, okay?"

Ludwig smiled back and nodded. "Of course."

Yes, I did intentionally make it sort of mimic when the Holy Roman Empire left for war. Why? Because feels. WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

*Porta Libitinensis:

Some scholars believe there was a ritual for removing the bodies of dead gladiators. A man dressed as Charon (ferryman of Hades) tested the body to make sure he was really dead and then a slave dragged the body with a hook through a gate called the Porta Libitinensis. (Libitina was a death goddess.)

*Bull of the West

Okay, so I know Germany is technically north of the Roman Empire, but he's West Germany…sooooo…yeah. And bulls are sacred to ancient romans and symbols of strength and all that good stuff.

*Sacramentum Gladiatorium

It means "oath of the gladiator," which said: "I will endure to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword." This oath bound them so that they were no longer truly free.

Thanks for reading!