Deceit- GerIta.

Feliciano squirmed excitedly in his seat, looking out of the taxi window at the beautiful countryside. This was where Ludwig lived, where he’d grown up.

This was so strange. After knowing him for a year, falling in love with him… It was strange being outside of a college set up.

He only hoped that Ludwig wouldn’t mind him dropping by.

Though, he knew Ludwig, and he’d probably be more upset that he’d spent all his savings on getting here rather than the fact he had come to see him.

He was so excited. He’d talked to the taller man about coming over during the summer and he’d seemed to enjoy the idea, however they’d made no official plans, so Feliciano had decided to just show up. He knew Ludwig would be there, for the whole week before college had ended he’d been talking about how much he was looking forward to spending a few weeks doing his hobbies at home.

He thanked the taxi driver as he got out of the car, paying him and pulling out his suitcase. He took out his phone and called Ludwig, smiling when he picked up.

“Feliciano?” Ludwig questioned, “…Why are you calling me so early?”

He didn’t sound sleepy at all, Feliciano wondered how long he’d been up, he knew he got up early, but he didn’t know he got up this early.

“I just thought I’d call… I missed you. Look out the front of your house,” he instructed, smiling widely.

“What..? Why?” Ludwig said, Feliciano could hear footsteps down the phone, and saw the corner of one of the curtains twitch open.

“Oh my god,” Ludwig said, all breath leaving him, “Feliciano, why are you at my house?” he asked, sounding shocked.

Feliciano giggled, waving up at the gap in the curtain, “I said I missed you… I wanted to see my boyfriend so I’m here.”

The gap in the curtain closed, the line went silent, Feliciano glanced at the phone, thinking he’d hung up, but no.

“Ludwig?” Feliciano giggled, thinking the man must have fainted through shock, “Come down stairs to talk to me and kiss me.”

“Feliciano,” Ludwig said mutedly, “You can’t be here, you have to go.”

“What?” Feliciano said, his smile dropping, “But Ludwig I came all this way, you said I could come over.”

“No I didn’t,” the German forced through gritted teeth, “Get out of here.”

Feliciano pulled the phone away from his ear, staring down at it, he couldn’t be hearing what he was hearing. Ludwig wanted him to leave? After he’d travelled all this way, he wouldn’t even come out to say hello?

“Ludwig, I don’t understand. Let me in,” he said, his voice shaking slightly, “I travelled all night.”

“No,” Ludwig said sternly, “You don’t understand,” his voice paused, Feliciano heard his swallow hard, “My brother doesn’t know I’m gay, h-he’s very homophobic, I can’t let him know I have a boyfriend.”

Feliciano frowned, “Oh…” he perked up slightly, “Well… Then I’ll just tell him I’m your friend.”

Ludwig protested but Feliciano hung up. He’d not come all this way to not see Ludwig’s face and not give him the present he’d bought.

Feliciano walked to the front of the house and banged hard on the door, smiling widely and waiting for it to open.

It seemed so strange that Ludwig’s brother would be homophobic, knowing Ludwig so well he couldn’t understand how his brother could be so different. Ludwig was so open about his sexuality at college… maybe that was making up for how he couldn’t express himself at home.

A white haired man opened the door, frowning softly, “Do you have any idea what time it is?” he asked, though Feliciano couldn’t understand why he’d be so concerned as it seemed he’d been awake a short while as well, he looked as if he were getting ready for work.

“I’m looking for Ludwig,” Feliciano began to explain, “I’m his friend from college, I just got here.”

The man nodded, glancing at the suitcase, “I can see that,” he sighed softly, “He’s upstairs with his boyfriend,” he chuckled, “So make sure you knock before you go in.”

Feliciano’s breath hitched, “B-boyfriend?” he stuttered, “I-I don’t understand.”

The man smirked, “What didn’t you know he was gay?” he chuckled, “Have you even talked to him..?” The man shook his head, beginning to walk back into the house, “It’s upstairs, the first room on the left.”

Feliciano stood still as he watched the man walk away, his head sinking fast and tears pooling quickly in his eyes, he swallowed hard to try to rid himself of the lump in his throat, and he forced himself to walk up the stairs.

Maybe the brother had been joking? Feliciano never had fully understood Ludwig’s sense of humour, maybe he wasn’t with anyone and it was some kind of weird euphemism?

But why would Ludwig lie about his brother being homophobic? There was no other explaination.

He got to the door to Ludwig’s room, raising his hand to knock and pausing, pressing his ear to the door.

There was more than one voice coming from inside, they were both male voices.

It was true then? Ludwig was…?

What did that make him? Was Feliciano the one who was being cheated on, or had Ludwig cheated on this other man with Feliciano?

Oh god he felt so horrible, he could barely hold the tears back, he was sure as soon as Ludwig said his name he’d burst into tears, as soon as he saw the other man that would be it.

He closed his eyes and knocked on the door, gritting his teeth in anticipation of the emotional blow.

He heard Ludwig shout from inside, “No, Francis, don’t!”

But the door opened despite his protests, and in front of Feliciano stood a handsome, barely dressed, long blonde haired man.

Feliciano felt himself choke as he looked him up and down, tears beginning to drip from his eyes as he looked past him to see Ludwig sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at his feet.

“Ludwig, h-how could you..?” Feliciano squeaked, choking as his words mixed with sobs.

The other man, Francis, frowned softly, “Ludwig, who is this man and why is he crying?” he forced a smile, reaching out to pat Feliciano’s arm, “Are you ok?”

Feliciano flinched back, “Don’t touch me!” he screeched, sobbing loudly, tears streaming down his face, “Ludwig, how could you do this to me? How could y-you cheat on me?” he gasped and stuttered through tears, “I never want to see you again!”

He turned and an down the stairs, wiping his eyes quickly. From upstairs he heard Ludwig’s ‘boyfriend’ begin to question what had just happened.

Feliciano slammed the front door behind him, grabbing his suitcase by the handle and dragging it with difficulty down the gravel path, back towards the road.

…The town was a half an hour drive from here, and the taxi had already gone. Feliciano couldn’t walk all that way, not like this.

He walked to a tree stump, sitting on it and crying, wiping his eyes and nose on his sleeves, not caring how much mess he was making.

He felt like his whole world was crashing down. He only known Ludwig for a year but they’d had such a great connection, he felt like he’d known him his whole life. He never could have believed he would do something like this.

Ludwig was so sweet and caring.

He helped Feliciano with his course work, he helped him home when he was drunk, he’s made him feel better when he was home sick.

He’d been so perfect.

Their first date had been amazing, Feliciano had never felt so special.

Ludwig had spent his whole week’s food budget in one night. They’d had a nice meal, gone out to the concert, then come back and shared a bed.

It had been amazing,

Ludwig was so perfect.

How could he have done this?

Feliciano simply couldn’t understand, how could this have happened?

He’d thought they were happy.

Feliciano looked up, blinking away his tears. This couldn’t be real. It had to be a dream, it just had to.

There was no way Ludwig could have done that. There was no way he’d ever cheat.

He couldn’t believe it.

He flinched as he heard a car: the boy Ludwig had been with sped down the road, the tires of the car throwing gravel everywhere.

Feliciano looked back towards the house.

What was he meant to do? He couldn’t go back there, but it would take hours for him to walk into town, and he didn’t have enough money on him for another taxi.

He gasped and frowned as he saw someone walking down the road towards him, realising quickly that it was Ludwig.

He stood up, wiping his face, determined not to seem weak.

He frowned as the taller man approached him, pulling his luggage to his side and preparing to storm off.

“Feliciano,” Ludwig said as he approached, jogging towards him.

“No,” Feliciano snapped, using everything he had to keep his voice level, “I don’t want to hear it Ludwig, I’m leaving.”

He turned at walk further down the path, pulling his suitcase behind him, jolting as the wheels jammed with gravel.

He swore to himself, blinking rapidly as he bent down to pick out the stones, beginning to cry quietly.

Ludwig reluctantly crouching down to help Feliciano pick the stones out of his wheels.

“…Why did you do it Ludwig?” Feliciano asked softly, his voice shaking and his vision blurring again from tears.

Ludwig kept his eyes on his hands, picking out the gravel, “He is my ex, from school… I broke up with him before college,” he swallowed hand, getting to his feet and crossing his arms, “He came over last night, I don’t know what happened…” he huffed, “He was very persuasive.”

Feliciano frowned, getting up and pulling the suitcase to his side, lifting it slightly to stop it digging into the floor. “Why didn’t you tell him about me?”

“I did, just now,” Ludwig said softly, “He… got angry and left.”

“You should have told him last night,” Feliciano frowned, turning away and starting to walk along the roadside, “Before you slept with him.”

Ludwig swallowed hard, biting his lip and following Feliciano at a safe distance, “…I told him I wasn’t interested, but he didn’t listen.”

Feliciano turned his head, gritting his teeth, “How hard is it to say ‘I have a boyfriend’?” he snapped, tears forming in his eyes again, “You didn’t have to cheat on me… I love you Ludwig.”

“I love you too Feli-“

“No,” Feliciano said loudly, “You can’t cheat on me and then say you love me.” He shook his head, walking faster and raising a hand to wipe his eyes.

Ludwig sighed softly, keeping up with Feliciano easily. “…But I do, Feliciano. Last night meant nothing,” he said softly, “All it did was make me feel awful, I missed you so much, being intimate with anyone else,” he shook his head, “It just felt so wrong…”

Feliciano stopped in the road, sighing softly and looking at his feet and swallowing hard. He didn’t know what to do, he loved Ludwig, but he’d betrayed him.

“I love you Feliciano, please. It will never happen again,” Ludwig said quietly, walking to Feliciano and taking his hand, “Please, I promise, just give me another chance.”

Feliciano swallowed hard, squeezing Ludwig’s hand softly, sighing and giving him a small nod, “Ok,” he mumbled softly, “One chance ok?”