Hell's Tango

Rating: T

Summary: AU The young male was often seen in one of the girls' dresses, singing atop a piano. That's how he found him. He was beautiful; pure, ripe for the taking. However, he couldn't bring himself to silence that pretty voice…Demon!GermanyxFlapper!Italy

BrooklynBabbii

Recommended Listening: "Candy man" by Christina Aguilera

.:Chapter One:.

Dark Corners

[Feliciano]

He had decided to dress up today, for work, and though he was gaining more unnecessary attention when he fluffed his skirt. The brilliant crimson and white lace went well against his sun-kissed skin. Long legs exposed to the world, clear of hair to keep up the feminist façade, were crossed at the ankles of sleek black heels.

He winked to the pianist, who blushed, but Feliciano paid the flushed man little mind. He wasn't interested. He was only here to pretend and sing. That was he was told he was being paid for. He wouldn't do anything more. He didn't want to get in trouble.

Feliciano was humming, his soft voice fitting his pretended role well, as his fingers were parted behind him. He had grown out his russet hair to fit his role to where it swished attractively over his shoulder with deep waves and adorable curls at the tips.

The curl over his head accented his heart-shaped face as said head began to sway softly, moving his hair ever so gently. A few words, his Italian accent giving it an appeal not found with American women, came beautifully off his tongue.

His voice caressed the ears of all those in the gentleman's club. Feliciano leaned further backwards, his skirt hiking higher and earning a few whistles as words began to slide effortlessly from his lips. His amber eyes were closed now but at a certain lyrics, they opened slowly and he tried to seem graceful as he slid up on the piano on the sides of his knees.

More of the slow song poured forth from his pink lips as more men began to eye him with more than just admiration for his song. But Feliciano paid them little mind. He was only in America to sing and earn enough money to save his grandfather and older brother from working at the grim factories in Italy.

If these men could help him pay for his family's ticket to America, he might consider listening to them. But as it stood now, he was only there, posing as a pretty girl with makeup and a nice dress. He was only there as an image for the club, not a whore like the other girls.

He wouldn't dare that piece of himself to them. He wanted to save it for someone who would actually give a damn about him in the morning when all was said and done. He didn't want to give himself to someone who never even remembers his name afterwards and he didn't want that one night to be just that. One night, no strings attached.

He didn't want to be a part of their past, when all was said and done.

So he kept singing, when the soft and slow melody was over, Feliciano stood as he held his skirt together like the girls taught to do when he stood. His heels clicking sharply on the strong piano's shiny surface, he smiled at the crowd.

One swish, he thought as he allowed one hand to flap a dress end. A cheer was started as the pianist caught his faux smile and played a faster tune. Feliciano began singing again, his native accent playing over the words and giving the men a greater experience as he danced onstage.

That's what he was being paid for, to flap his skirt and sing. No sex and no getting involved with anyone there. To him, those were very simple terms for what he was doing. He felt more respect well in him as he saw more men leave with the other girls, the one who were the actual whores.

Feliciano only acted as a whore as he flapped his skirt and twirled, kicking his feet the right ways and dancing as lyrics poured forth from his lips. His hair swished and bounced around his face and Feliciano tossed his head to throw it over his shoulder. Glad he hadn't chosen to wear a wig as men applauded neat the end of the grand show.

And now the stupid finale, Feliciano thought. This was the part where he was supposed to flirt with the men. Feliciano took his time, as he gathered his skirts, still singing about the handsome sweetheart he had never known as he slid gracefully off the piano.

The pianist caught the look and Feliciano thought he saw him sigh a little. Neither of them liked this part. But Feliciano had to pretend he did. It was part of his job. At least it was only one, Feliciano said, trying to stay positive.

He made his way down the front steps of the stage as the light followed him. He kept singing as he tried to appear sexy and seductive like he saw the other girls do. He walked to one man, a blonde with ice-blue eyes. He had been in the dark for a while, nursing a beer, but as Feliciano made his way towards him, he put his beer down to raise a brow.

Feliciano circled the blonde, taking in the pale skin and how cold his eyes seemed. How the man's hair was near butter-yellow. Feliciano thought he could keep up his pretend with this one and kept with him as he sang a song again on an imaginary sweetheart who loved to take care of his every needs.

I wish I had someone like that, Feliciano thought sadly but he kept up the pretense of a smile as he walked his slim fingers along the blonde's shoulders. The blonde didn't stop him, as Feliciano expected from a man in a gentleman's club, but he didn't seem to be interested either.

Feliciano felt a jolt of spite towards the blonde male. Every other man who would have his eyes glued to Feliciano but this one wasn't paying him any mind. As if he didn't matter at all!

Feliciano sang a few of the softer notes in the blonde's ear, watched as the man only grunted and nursed the beer he had ordered from the bar. Feliciano tried harder to pull a reaction as he pressed slow circles in the blonde's back and purred more sweetness and his accent into his words.

He was swaying his hips in a slow motion to get his dress to flutter as he did a slow walk around the male. He was now gently massaging the tension from the blonde's shoulder and just as Feliciano pulled away as the song started to come to a close, Feliciano thought he saw a flash of black dart through the man's eyes.

He felt fear spike in him but he covered up the goose bumps he was feeling at the blonde's intense gaze and at how the blonde had turned in his seat to watch him.

Feliciano felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as he twirled and danced away. Not even showing any kind of fear to the other men, he gathered his skirts as he hopped back onstage. His heart was racing his chest as he could still feel the ice-blue eyes watching him from the dark corner of the room.

Feliciano giggled as he found some solace beside the pianist. He cupped his white-gloved hands over his mouth and then puckered his lips as he blew a kiss to the crowd of me. They all cheered, but for the blonde in the back, and Feliciano felt a chill go down his spine.

He smiled as he winked at the crowd, "You all are so good to me! I wish I could please you all night~" A following cheer and some man calling out, "Wish granted, Feli, I would enjoy you all night!"

Feliciano faked another giggle and a small blush as he waved his hand. The men loved to see him blush and giggle for whatever reason. But the man's remark made Feliciano want to gag. As if, he thought, I would ever let you have any part of me in your grasp.

"Oh you~" Feliciano teased, as he fluttered his long lashes. "You are such a womanizer. Should I make breakfast in the morning for you too?" Another cheer and round of whistles that made Feliciano feel empty inside.

He didn't care for these men at all. He wished he could have one that didn't like him for his voice or his dances. He didn't want any of these men; he didn't want to meet his future lover at his sorry and embarrassing excuse for a job.

He wanted someone who he would be proud to write home about. One that would help make the nights he worked more enjoyable as he anticipated coming home to open arms and possibly rose petals on the bed sheets.

One he wouldn't mind giving himself to whenever the mood had been raised. One he wouldn't have to lie to please, where he didn't have to dress as a woman to gain their attention. A man who was kind, instead of just horny, and would not look at him, for a quick release like a whore, someone who actually cared about his problems and about how much he missed Italy. Where he didn't have to flirt with them because that was what his job entitled him to do and he was being paid for.

He just wanted someone sincere after being alone for so long and being promised a better life in America to only find he had to work his ass off as a damn woman to get it.

Feliciano faked another giggle as he saw the blonde cock his head as another blonde whispered in his ear. The original blonde then caught his eyes and Feliciano knew he paled under his pretty-girl makeup when the second blonde grinned at him.

Feliciano had seen sharp teeth, animal teeth, right before both men disappeared into thin air. Leaving behind nothing but a faint impression in the chair that somewhere in time someone had sat there and a small wad of bills on the bar for the one beer Feliciano had seen the original blonde been nursing all night.

Feliciano smiled as he waved good-bye to the crowd but just as he went into the dark space backstage, he heard it. It was faint and sounded as if it was coming from inside his head and yet somehow somewhere in the distance. It was a laugh.

Feliciano wasted no time clocking out and leaving the club. That he had been in such a rush that he had left in his flapper clothes and heels, and it didn't help as he caught a few suggestive glances from nearly every man on the dark streets. But he kept walking, well he did, that is, until—

"Hey look, Ernie, lookie at the pretty little lady in red walking home all alone."

Feliciano felt his heart speed up as he pretended to ignore the voices behind as he held his black satchel tighter. Come on, he thought, come on, you stupid light, change color.

"I wonder who would let her do that."

"Please change color," Feliciano begged the crosswalk silently. He was going to scream if the men even dared touch him. He was going to scream and kick and run like the very devil was at his heels. But if the light didn't change, the cars would keep going and he would certainly be killed.

He shifted his stance from one foot to the other before he had even known he was doing it. When he realized he had accidentally flapped his skirt, he had already heard a low whistle from behind him. His amber eyes all but showed his fear as he kept praying for the light to change.

Feliciano assumed the light was broken. That he turned on the wrong street to meet a broken light and that he would have to wait for someone on the road to realize it and stop the cars so he could walk across and take the last few corners to his apartment where he could be safe and at some form of peace.

"He's an idiot, if I've ever seen one."

I hope this light get beat to pieces by savage birds and turned into a nest, Feliciano thought grimly. He did not like how it seemed as if the men behind him had moved closer and he certainly didn't like how his hands were getting sweaty inside his gloves and he was starting to fiddle with his hair as an excuse to preoccupy his mind.

It was a wrong choice, because the moment he had done so, his body acted as its own control. It thought Feliciano was back onstage. Subconsciously cocking a hip and slightly swaying with a soft hum lifted from his lips, Feliciano's body tried to ease his fear with movements that he used onstage at the club when he was nervous.

But the reaction from the men told Feliciano it had been a wrong movement as one gave a low and appreciative whistle. "Very nice, miss, tell me, where you headed this fine night?"

Nowhere with you, Feliciano wanted to snarl but he bit back his tongue. He saw no need to say what his brother would, had he been in his place, so he used said, sweetly, "I'm going home after work. I'm meeting someone there."

Yeah, Feliciano continued in his thoughts, my cat, Teri. The men shared a look as Feliciano turned back around. He had thought the conversation was over. But one man stepped forward to take one of his hands. He tipped his hat as he kissed Feliciano's palm.

Feliciano felt fear spike his gut as the hairs on the back of his neck. He chuckled, feeling both fearful and uneasy, as he tried to reject the man's advances as politely as he could. "Ve, I'm sorry, but while I appreciate your flattering, it's unwanted."

The man grinned as he stepped closer, "Is it really?"

Yes, Feliciano wanted to bark, so leave me alone. The young Italian wished he could mean but he knew it wasn't in him to be cruel to anyone. That was his older brother, Romano. He never knew e had depended so heavily on Romano to defend him against others until he had come to America, alone.

Being alone meant Romano was only with him in spirit, in a sense, and not physically there to tell others to leave him alone when Feliciano was about to get hurt. His grandfather had defended him when he was older, when Romano would leave to work long hours at the factory and not return to their farm until late at night.

His grandfather kept at bay, any men or strange women who came to the door asking for Feliciano. The young Italian never knew what they came for but his grandfather and Romano did and they never told him why they came or what they wanted him for. They just said to avoid them at all costs and stay away from the dark corners.

Speaking of corners, Feliciano thought, this one is getting darker. The streetlight is broken. The young Italian frowned as he finally saw the crack in it and decided he would find a different route home. One with better lighting, he knew that would allow him to find a better place to wait to cross the street.

He was about to turn to walk away when the other man, the one Feliciano had thought had gone away, came forward to take his other hand. "Miss," he began, "you shouldn't walk home alone."

Feliciano felt his heart rate spike when the man's grip tightened on his hand. "It's dark and someone could snatch you into an even darker alley." Those dark eyes screamed pain for Feliciano, as the man said, "Let me and my boy walk you home."

Feliciano tried to decline the offer. "I-I'll be fine, sir, but thank you for the offer." He realized his mistake too late, his stammer, and his face paled. He tried to tug his hand free but the man didn't budge as his grip tightened even further.

"I don't think you will be fine, miss, let us walk you home." Feliciano wanted to run away. All previous mentions of screaming and kicking and running away fled him. His throat was tight with fear. His legs and feet felt like they were made of lead. And he knew he was whimpering like a scared girl right then.

"I-I just w-want to g-go home," he stammered, "p-please let g-go." The man turned out to be a sick bastard as the other man snickered and said, "When you're done with her, let me have my fun. She's a pretty little thing."

Oh no, Feliciano thought, not here! I just want to go home!

"Will do, Ted," the man smirked as he wrapped an arm around Feliciano's waist. "My, my, miss; you're a bit wide, aren't you?"

Feliciano felt his face flame as he saw himself being forced down the street, which he knew led to a dead end between two brick buildings. I just wanted to go home, he wanted to sob as he felt his whimpers turn to soft pleas to let him go free.

He found himself in the alley when he remembered a dirty escape trick his brother had used when someone had tried to touch him. Feliciano stamped on the man's foot with the heel of his boot and made to take off as the man swore.

Feliciano had only enough time to spin on his heel to find another way out when his long hair was snatched and he was pulled back to be slapped across the face.

His cheek throbbed and Feliciano whimpered on the ground as he saw the man stomp towards him. "I was going to go easy on you, you know, make it enjoyable for us," he snarled, "but you, you little bitch, have just pissed me off."

Feliciano felt his heart drop into his stomach. He, a young man, himself, was about to be raped of his innocence in an alley. I am so weak, he thought as he began spewing apologies in Italian. He couldn't think to translate his words to English as he began to sob as he tried to crawl away.

The man grabbed his hair again and Feliciano had to fight in his thoughts to remember why he had thought having long hair would be a good idea. Oh yeah, he recalled, my job, my fucking job as a singer and professional flirt.

Feliciano was openly crying and pleading for mercy if he surrendered as the man broke the straps on his pretty girl dress to force a sleeve to fall down his shoulder and expose part of his chest. Not enough to see he had no chest but enough to still look like he had some he was hiding underneath his fluffy blouse.

The man grinned, "You look good enough to eat, miss."

"I wish I could say the same for you, dear sir."

Feliciano's amber eyes opened just in time to see the man holding him spin to face the blonde man Feliciano had seen at the club he worked. His eyes widened but he only caught a flash of black before he found himself in the blonde's arms and his would-be rapist slumped against the brick wall.

"Are you alright?" The blonde asked and Feliciano blinked through his tears before he rushed to cover himself with the scraps of clothing the man had torn off. He felt embarrassed for some reason as he pressed his lips together so he wouldn't say something he would regret.

"Excuse me, miss," Feliciano flinched at the blonde's words when said man put a hand on his exposed shoulder. The hand was warm, very warm, as if it had just come off a hot stove. The heat contradicted the coldness in his ice-blue eyes.

Feliciano yelped as he scooted away. "I-I'm f-f-fine."

"You don't look fine," the blonde pointed out and Feliciano felt his fear spike higher and his heart soar as he remembered those words coming from his would-be rapist. I just wanted to go home, he thought as he scooted farther away. His eyes darted to the limp from of his would-be rapist and he felt a small trickle of guilt go through him. Was he dead because of him? Maybe he should have just sucked it p and taken the rape—

"He's not dead, if that's what you're wondering." Feliciano turned back to the blonde. He had stood up from his previous crouch when he had tried to assist Feliciano. Feliciano examined him more closely.

The blonde was tall, taller than him, possibly about six feet or just a few inches short of it. He had his ice-blue eyes that seemed to access everything to analyze its strengths and weaknesses. There was his pale skin and Feliciano noticed that the blonde kept his hair slicked back.

He saw a dark hat with a kind of insignia on it in one of his hands and at the sight of Feliciano seeing it, the blonde pushed it out of sight and behind his back.

Feliciano looked at the blonde's clothes. He wore a small silver-lined black cross that shone in the moonlight against the dark shirt the blonde wore. Dressed else with black pants and dark boots, Feliciano decided lastly to look for any signs of a weapon.

He found no bulges, or small impressions of any but he was on alert. Knives were easy to hide. He knew because his brother often carried plenty, him and his grandfather, but they refused to let Feliciano hold any weapons on his person. They said it was too risky and that Feliciano would accidentally hurt himself.

"I carry no arms to harm you with," the blonde said. Feliciano frowned. How had he known?

"Every thought you have pretty much shows up on your face," the blonde said seriously. Feliciano felt his face flush. He remembered his brother saying that to him too.

"Um, could you, uh, help me up?" Feliciano asked. Only one more test to see, he told himself. If the blonde tried anything now, Feliciano would really run like Hell.

"I could do that for you. You seem a bit shaken," The blonde extended an arm and before Feliciano had another chance to think, he was lifted effortlessly onto his feet. He blinked. How had he moved so fast?

He's really strong, Feliciano thought. The blonde raised a brow. "No, I'm not, you are just lighter than what I am used to."

Feliciano burn again. He had already forgotten his thoughts show on his expressions. The blonde seemed to smirk but then something white flashed in the distance and the smile fell as the blonde seemed to stand straighter and almost defensively in front of Feliciano.

"I'll walk you home, now," the blonde said and Feliciano nearly started. Fear spiked his blood and he heard the blonde hiss in a breath as he spun quickly on a heel to face Feliciano. "What's wrong?"

Feliciano didn't say anything but took a step back. The blonde's eyes darted to the limp man in the corner and his eyes widened slightly in realization. "Oh," he whispered. He looked down to Feliciano. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to reawaken bad memories. I won't do what they had tried to do to you."

Feliciano hadn't wanted to but he found himself trusting the man's words. Why, he thought as he stepped forward and took the arm extended to him with shaky hands.

He let the blonde walk him home to his apartment with a few directions. On the way there, he caught a few looks but the blonde didn't seem to be paying any mind to the looks he was receiving as Feliciano used him as something to lean on as they kept walking. The heat the blonde gave off was comforting.

"Here we are," Feliciano said as he pulled away. He didn't know why but he felt reluctant to let go of the blonde. "This is my apartment." Feliciano sighed and turned to thank the blonde for escorting him home but when he turned, he was gone.

"Are you coming?"

Feliciano spun and saw the blonde starting up the stairs and looking at everything. Feliciano blinked. He had moved so fast and without even a sound, he realized as he hurried to catch up.

He noticed the blonde didn't make any noise despite how much he should weigh for being that tall and the fact that he was wearing sturdy boots. But here was "light" Feliciano and his heels were causing a racket as he tried to go up the stairs as quickly and quietly as he could.

There's something wrong here, he thought as he came to his floor. He saw the blonde walking down the hall, looking at door numbers and mail boxes. Feliciano walked past the first three doors and came to the fourth where he said for some reason, "It's this one."

The blonde spun on a heel, the moonlight catching on his eyes and making them appear nearly white. "Oh, ja, yes, of course." He said and followed silently. Feliciano absorbed the little info he had just learned.

Ja was German for yes, he knew. The city held a few Germans and Feliciano knew one downstairs that made those strange-looking but tasty sausages.

He's German; he thought as he took his key from his satchel and unlocked his door. He heard a small scratching and when he opened his door, his orange tabby cat, Teri, slid through the slight opening to purr and rub against Feliciano's legs.

"Teri, you naughty kitty," Feliciano teased as he picked up the cat. "Were you waiting for me again?" The cat purred and when the blonde came from out of the shadows, Teri reacted to his presence with a sudden purr as she leaped from Feliciano to the floor to purr and rub against the blonde's feet.

The blonde seemed slightly startled, at first, but he took the cat up with gentleness despite wearing a confused frown as he held the cat wrong. Teri purred nonetheless as her tail swished back and forth. Her gold eyes watched the blonde carefully.

"Teri!" Feliciano cried as he tried to take her back. The cat grunted in displeasure as she was taken back from the blonde. "I'm sorry," he began, as he held the cat. "She doesn't usually jump at strangers like that."

'It's quite alright," the blonde said slowly as he peeked inside Feliciano's house through the open door. He saw the comfortable living room and a bit of the redone kitchen but nothing else and turned back to look at Feliciano. "All animals seem to like me, though I consider myself more a dog person."

Feliciano nodded though he felt a slight piece of him feel disappointed. Did that mean he didn't like Teri?

"Your cat is beautiful, though," the blonde said as he scratched behind the tabby's ears and made her purr. Feliciano smiled in response. Maybe he did like Teri.

Then the blonde stiffened again as his eyes caught on something near where they had come in. He stood straighter. "I have to go, miss." He said with a respectful nod of his head. He turned to leave and Feliciano blurted, "It's Feliciano."

The blonde stopped and looked back, "That's Italian."

Feliciano nodded, parts of his face burning. How had he known? "Yes, yes it is."

The blonde nodded, "I am Ludwig."

Ludwig, Feliciano thought as he mentally rolled that his tongue, that was an old name. He didn't know any Germans here named Ludwig.

Ludwig turned back to the opening and seemed to frown. "I have to leave now, but I hope to see you again, Feliciano."

Feliciano found himself hoping as well. "Alright, you too, be safe."

Ludwig stopped again and smiled thinly, "Shouldn't I be telling you that?"

Feliciano found his face burning at the sarcastic remark and just as he made a move to say a line of his own, he turned to see the blonde gone but his laughter hanging faintly in the air. Whoa, he thought, how-when-what.

Nothing was adding up in his mind.

"What just happened?" he asked the air.

The air didn't answer after awhile and he went inside his mind, thinking he had imagined the whole thing. But as he readied for bed, he found a garnet chain in the front pocket of his satchel. It was pretty and he found a note attached to it, written in neat handwriting was: Keep it. Red looks well on you.

Feliciano felt his face flush in embarrassment. That was the first compliment he had received outside of work without a man trying to get something from him. An actual compliment, he realized, and a pretty gift to go with it.

He smiled and lifted his long hair to ease the necklace on. It was warm, like the blonde German, Ludwig, was, and he found himself smiling more as he looked in his mirror to see that Ludwig was right. Red did look good on him. He would keep the pretty jewelry and even wear it to work tomorrow.

It was as Feliciano settled down for bed, with Teri in his arms, that he didn't see the red eyes watching him with a wide grin from the window.

"Ludwig," the red-eyed demon said, "You are so busted, falling for a human like that." The white-haired demon chuckled as he walked on the air like stair steps to the bottom floor where he looked up at Feliciano's window. "I wonder how long you can keep your secret."

:3 I have always wanted to do a GerIta fanfic. They're just soooo cute together~

Yes, Feliciano's a flapper-girl but still male. This is still yaoi~ (I have always imagined Feli in flapper clothes and go: "Ludwig would be the happiest man alive." XDD)

Ludwig as a demon, say whaaaat? And Gilbert as his demonic brother, FTW.

Anyone guess what Romano and Feli's grandfather are hiding?

How many of yhu are thinking that Romano and their granddad don't even work in a factory at all but tell Feliciano that story to hide what they're really doing?

How many ppl will review to tell me to finish this?

;_;

Please review, favorites are nice but reviews are easier for me to see yhu guys like this story idea…

Read and REVIEW.