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Chapter Text

The first to greet Ludwig was Alfred’s roomba, wandering across the living room floor as Ludwig toed off his shoes at the door. Since Alfred had moved on to a more relaxed, work from home job, he had volunteered himself for much of the household chores. Alfred, however, had a habit of trying to find shortcuts amongst the chores that he disliked, something that Ludwig found equal parts endearing and annoying. He found the thing more of a nuisance than a help, constantly getting stuck in places it shouldn’t and getting in the way when it wasn’t wanted. He allowed it its peace, if mostly because Alfred had a strange attachment to it.

The second, and much more welcoming greeting was from Blackie, his loyal shepherd. She ambled from her spot on the floor, soaking up the last remaining rays of evening sun coming in through the living room window. It was approaching six and she was no doubt looking for dinner. She made no indication of her impatience, nosing her owner’s hand in greeting.

He smiled and gave her an appreciative pat on her greying snout. He resisted the urge to bend down and give her proper affection, if only to savor his suit. “Hello, Blackie. ”

The lack of any other signs of life in the vicinity meant that Alfred was no doubt still holed up in his office, engrossed in whatever new project he was working on. He sighed, treading the familiar path down the hall, Blackie following at his heels like a shadow.

The door was open, as it often was. Ludwig entered, taking in the familiar layout. It was small, but decent enough for Alfred’s job. A couch sat in the middle, more for the dogs than anything else, proofed by the fact that Aster had made himself comfortable on its soft cushion, barely moving as he noticed Ludwig’s entrance. Alfred’s beloved turtle sat in the corner, soaking in the shallow pool kept in its tank, still and uninteresting. A small, hardy houseplant sat by the open window, its leaves pointed toward the last remaining sunbeams.

In the middle on the far wall was Alfred’s desk. Three monitors took up the bulk of its surface, along with a forgotten coffee cup, and a notepad with some illegible scribbles. He had not noticed Ludwig’s entrance, so deeply focused on his task in a way that was both admirable and concerning.

Blackie nosed her way past his legs to lay with Aster on the couch. She pushed her brother to the side, snuggling up between the back cushion and his body. Aster made a small grunt in protest but settled back down easily. Ludwig smiled to himself.

He walked the short distance to Alfred and crouched near the office chair. He placed a chaste kiss against Alfred’s soft cheek. In his peripheral, he watched as a quick flash of fear flashed through Alfred’s deep blue eyes before a full body jolt turned him to face Ludwig.

A sharp glare was directed Ludwig’s way in the short time it took Alfred’s brain to catch up with his environment. “Don’t do that, man, you almost gave me a heart attack”

“I’m sorry liebe, I did not mean to scare you.” Ludwig chuckled at him and kissed behind his ear in apology. “You shouldn’t stare so hard, it’s not good for your eyes.”

Alfred rolled his eyes, adjusting his round glasses. “I’ll be fine.”

Ludwig scoffed, but resisted the urge to fall into a losing argument.

Alfred smiled, leaning forward to give Ludwig a proper kiss. Alfred’s lips were soft, tinged with the strange waxy flavor of his lip balm, familiar and comforting. Ludwig cupped Alfred’s jaw, petting the soft fuzz that he had neglected to shave earlier in the day. Alfred gave a happy hum.

Ludwig felt fingers in his hair, combing out the gel until his hair hung loose around his face. He felt himself relax within his partner’s grasp, so much so that he almost missed the minute tightening in Alfred’s jaw before he abruptly pulled away with a cry, snapping him out of his half daze.

“Oh, shit! I’m sorry, I forgot all about dinner.” A quick flash of emotions passed through Alfred’s face: annoyance, anxiety, and the slightest flicker of guilt. All emotions that Ludwig preferred to not see associated with Alfred.

Ludwig frowned. “I’ll make something. I don’t expect you to cook.”

“Yeah, but I want to. I’m supposed to be the house-husband now.” Alfred laughed, tension leaving his face.

A warm nervous bubble of delight lodged itself in Ludwig’s throat, hearing Alfred call himself Ludwig’s husband. It’s not the first time that Alfred had referred to himself as such, always in jest, and it never ceased to scratch at Ludwig’s heart like something whole and right.They were not married, had never discussed the prospect, if only because Ludwig could never quite find the words to do so.

Ludwig straightened from his crouch, clearing his throat, while he failed not to flush with how foolish he felt. “I think there’s pasta in the pantry.”

A flash of an unreadable emotion passed by Alfred’s face before settling on a smirk. “Sounds good!” The talk of dinner time must have roused Aster from his nap as he nosed his way in-between them. Alfred patted him on the head in a placating manner. “Let me save what I have here and I’ll come help.”

–

Later that night, Ludwig sat in bed with a book, only half paying attention enough to notice Alfred’s presence in the doorway. He was fresh from the shower, dressed with a ratty t-shirt that had seen better days and a pair of boxers with the Superman emblem patterned across it.

The dogs had yet to make their nightly rounds into the room. Alfred grinned excitedly at him, slipping across his side of the bed to worm his way under Ludwig’s arm. Ludwig obligingly loped his arm around Alfred’s shoulder, long ago used to Alfred’s inability to stick to his side of the bed. He carded his hand through Alfred’s hair. It was soft and still warm from the blow dryer, and the faint smell of his sweet scented shampoo lingered pleasantly.

Alfred hummed happily and pillowed his head on Ludwig’s chest, squinting at Ludwig’s book in a way that only accentuated the absence of his glasses. “What’chu reading?”

Ludwig turned the book over, struggling for a moment with the threadbare, faded cover. A garish neon planet decorated the cover, bright and ominous. “My Soulmate is an Alien,” Ludwig intoned, furrowing his brow even as he read it. It could barely be called a book, with the bare minimum for prose and entertainment. Truthfully, it was kind of torturous to read. Cruel curiosity was the only motivation to keep him invested.

Alfred snorted, burying himself closer to Ludwig’s chest. He was by no means a small man, but Ludwig had enough practice with Alfred’s boneless flopping to keep his flinching to a minimum. “Where do you keep finding these things?”

“Thrift shop,” was Ludwig’s simple reply. Lately, he had picked up an unfortunate habit of perusing the clearance section. The dime-a-dozen romance novels with their bright orange stickers that screamed a dollar were always too tempting of an offer

Alfred laughed softly, his restless hands pulling at Ludwig’s t-shirt, absentmindedly. “Imagine being one of those people that sit around waiting for their soulmate their whole lives, only to find out that it’s some alien slime monster.” Alfred paused. “Unless you’re into that.”

Ludwig rumbled a laugh, which only seemed to encourage Alfred more. He rambled on into various scenarios, fantastical and far out and all more engaging than what Ludwig was enduring. Ludwig lost track of the conversation at some point, making small noises of agreement when appropriate to satisfy Alfred. It wasn’t long before the rather uninteresting book was forgotten, discarded on the side table, which was probably for the best.

At some point, Ludwig felt Alfred’s wandering hands capture his hand up from where it was resting on Alfred’s shoulder, his arm winding around his forearm like a cat’s tail. He glanced down, Alfred’s chatter narrowing down to a buzzing background noise. Their forearms pressed together in just the right way; his half of a butterfly and Alfred’s half of a sunflower placed side by side. Their soul mate tattoos.

Throughout his life, Ludwig had been constantly bombarded by the ideologies of traditionalists and popular media. He was encouraged to wait for his soulmate; to put his life on hold until he found the one, the person who would make him whole and better.

In reality, finding one’s soulmate was incredibly rare. It was an unrealistic expectation, in Ludwig’s opinion, to stagnate one’s life in the pursuit of something that may never happen.

The almost symmetry of their tattoos was better than the real thing, a testament to the way that Alfred slotted into his life, so naturally and entirely unpredictable. It satisfied something deep and primal within his heart to see such markings side by side. He couldn’t imagine missing out on something so special.

Ludwig squeezed Alfred’s hand. The motion distracted Alfred into silence, as he finally seemed to notice the press of their tattoos. He squeezed his hand back, smiling softly. Ludwig took the opportunity to use his free hand to guide Alfred into a soft, affectionate kiss, just sweet enough for both of them to blush.

–

In the morning, it’s Saturday. Theoretically, Ludwig had no responsibilities to the day, but through sheer force of habit, Ludwig found himself easily rousing a little after 8 am. The bed is unsurprisingly more barren than it was when he went to sleep, only the slight lingering of warmth against his side and the fading tingling sensation of pins and needles in his arm. Only Blackie remained, tucked by his feet, still sleeping. He knew the minute that he moved, she would be on alert.

Ludwig was not one to dwell in bed, but he could not help silently mourning the fact that Alfred was an unfortunate morning person, bound by a constant stream of restless energy. He sighed in self-pity, Blackie’s twitching ears his only resulting comfort.

He peeled himself out of bed, Blackie moving with him to stretch and shake herself off. He waited until she was settled, before making his way to the bathroom if only so Alfred could not complain about his morning breath. Once refreshed, the smell of breakfast led him into the kitchen.

Something poppy and cutesy was playing on the speaker when Ludwig arrived. It was all too cheerful for Ludwig’s tastes, but he can hear the faint humming from Alfred under his breath. He was by the stove, Aster sidled up next to him like a beggar, most likely looking for scraps of bacon.

Ludwig smiled. Alfred had not noticed his entrance and he took the opportunity to cross to the back door opposite the stove. Blackie already sat next to it, patiently waiting, her tail thumping against the floor. The click-slide of the door drew Aster to come running, excitedly barking as he bolted at the door, all young, puppy energy. Blackie, old and wise, waited until it was clear to make her exit.

The backyard was small, just big enough for the dogs and nothing else. A cool breeze came through, crisp and light, smelling of spring. Ludwig took a moment to bask in the fresh, chilled air. Begrudgingly, he shut the door before too much cold could leak into the house. Alfred complained of any sort of weather that wasn’t the peak of summer.

The commotion had unsurprisingly alerted Alfred, who turned to greet him brightly. “Morning, babe!”

Ludwig crossed the short distance to Alfred, wrapping a hand around his hip while he moved to place a soft kiss on his cheek. He is not a particularly verbose person, made even worse in the early morning. There was a half a pot of coffee next to Alfred’s no doubt second cup and he zeroed in on it like a starved man.

“I made some eggs if you want.” Alfred’s breakfast routine was ritualistic, but Ludwig was not so eager about it. He nodded anyway, savoring his cup of coffee. He knew it was best to have something in the morning rather than just live off of caffeine until he was properly awake.

Alfred smirked at him, handing him a plate, which he obediently took to the kitchen island to eat. He watched Alfred putter around the kitchen while he picked at his own plate; crispy bacon paired with his eggs. Alfred rarely sat and ate breakfast, and instead he cleaned up whatever mess he had made while cooking. Ludwig didn’t think it was particularly healthy, but he admired his efficiency.

By the time Alfred had begun loading the dishwasher, Ludwig had polished off his coffee and was feeling much more confident about the day.

“I’m gonna take the dogs on their walk and then head to the grocery store. Anything special you want?” said Alfred. He held his phone in his hand, assumedly scrolling through the list of essentials that Ludwig had curated the other day.

“No,” said Ludwig, even knowing that Alfred will find some little snack for Ludwig to enjoy at the store anyway.

“Ok then.” Alfred nodded. One hand still absent-mindedly scrolling through his phone, he took Ludwig’s empty dishes to the dishwasher. “I figured later we could take the dogs to the dog park, whenever you’re free.”

Ludwig had his own Saturday routine, mostly consisting of going to the gym and whatever personal errands he needed to get done. Today was a light day. “I can do this afternoon.”

Alfred paused in his phone scrolling, a curiously bemused expression passing by his face. He snickered after a moment, making his way toward the back door, pausing to kiss Ludwig on the forehead. “Glad you could fit me in, boss.”

Ludwig furrowed his brow, narrowing his eyes. His retort was swallowed up by the predictable hiss of discomfort from Alfred once he opened the door. Ludwig rolled his eyes, but softened when Blackie pattered in, nosing up to Alfred in greeting in her sweet, gentle way. Alfred murmured a greeting to her, patting her head until she decided to move onto the breakfast that Alfred had laid out for her.

Aster refused to come back inside for a moment, always one to push his limits when he could. He was a very good dog, a very smart dog, but also one who loved to test the patience of his owners. Ludwig had never minded. Aster would eventually grow out of the worst of his stubbornness and the remaining would just be personality. It was a long-term experiment, in Ludwig’s opinion.

“Come on, Aster,” coaxed Alfred. Aster, fortunately, was also eager to please and had a special fondness for Alfred. He trailed in not soon after, grinning in only the way a self-satisfied dog could. Alfred shook his head, closing the door sharply behind him, shivering dramatically in the lingering chill.

Aster yipped excitedly to greet the room, making a beeline for Ludwig, little trails of dirt left in his wake as he trotted over. In a rare moment of usefulness, the roomba followed dutifully after him, the linoleum clean and almost shiny in its wake. He pawed at Ludwig’s leg, lightly, as if he didn’t know what to do with his remaining fitful energy. Ludwig calmly commanded him to sit, the sharp word falling from his lips with practiced ease. Aster zeroed in on him, always so focused during training, something that Ludwig appreciated. He patted Aster’s side fondly, his fur cold and oddly wet against his palm. Ludwig stood, running him through a few more commands, until Aster was noticeably calmer.

“Oh I love it when you speak German,” swooned Alfred with a flirty wink.

Ludwig reached for the bag of treats hidden within a cabinet in the island, feeding one to Aster. “Would you like me to start talking to you like that? I could also give you treats and call you good boy,” he said, with just enough bluntness to hide his mischief.

Alfred blushed scarlet, miraculously rendered speechless in a way that was near impossible to do. Ludwig suppressed a smug smile. It was oddly satisfying, seeing Alfred so flustered by Ludwig’s rare show of forwardness. He only had himself to blame, as he was often proven to be an influence on Ludwig, both positive and negative.

Alfred mumbled something about going to change for the day and quickly retreated.

–

Ludwig had lived in the city for four years now and over the years he had found little things to appreciate about it. Initially, he had held a certain amount of resentment toward the hustle and bustle. He could admit to himself now that part of that animosity came from the fact that he felt forced in his decision. Ludwig was not one who enjoyed doing things against his careful routine and planning, but his brother had been too sick to work and Ludwig had been forced to take a higher paying job just to make ends meet. To this day, he still missed their nice little home in the quiet of the suburbs and all the pleasantness it represented.

It wasn’t until he met Alfred that he really started to enjoy the city. Alfred had been born and raised here and knew all types of hidden nooks that Ludwig could appreciate. A big part of their early dating life involved him dragging Ludwig around the city like an errant tour guide, boasting about the various spots and giving little trivia facts that had impressed Ludwig at the time (now he knew Alfred was a very stealthy google user).

After Alfred had moved into his lonely apartment with him, it was these offbeat areas that became his new favorite spots. The mom-and-pop thrift shop with the bickering old married couple, the local coffee shop with the overly chipper cashiers and strong dark coffee, and the corner store with the very overbearing owner, but who always had the essentials when you had an emergency. Welcoming places that became a regular part of Ludwig’s routine, all within walking distance between his home and work.

The city was built around an intricate web of convenience, one which Ludwig could respect, if only because he himself was an orderly person. Even Alfred’s mother and brother remained a quick subway ride away, a factor which Alfred took great joy in and advantage of.

He had just finished his errands for the day, with only minimal harassment from Alfred, who loved to text him inane things at any point of the day. It was approaching noon and a pleasant warmth had seeped into the air. It had rained the other day, and the plants in the city planters were vibrant and happy. The day was turning out to be fairly pleasant.

He had just enough time before reuniting with Alfred to amble along the sidewalk, enjoying the pleasantness of the day. So absorbed in his thoughts as he was, he did not see the body darting out from the local craft’s shop until he felt the bounce of a slight frame against his chest. On instinct, Ludwig’s hand shot out to steady the other, a firm hand on a shoulder. A quiet groan escaped his unfortunate victim.

A quick glance down revealed a mop of dark red curls and little else. Embarrassed, Ludwig opened his mouth to apologize. “I’m so sorry.”

A small smile crept up on the man’s face, once he got over his shock. “Ah, that’s okay, no harm done.”

He straightened, and Ludwig expected the encounter to end there, just another silly story to lay within the recesses of his mind. He turned to leave, but became ensnared by the look on the other man’s face. Those eyes zeroed in on where Ludwig’s hand still gripped him, contemplative. His eyes traveled along his forearm with determination and Ludwig belatedly realized that his soulmate tattoo was on full display. Ludwig felt his skin rankle. Before he could pull away, the man gripped his forearm with surprising speed.

He gently maneuvered Ludwig’s arm until their forearms laid side by side and the missing half of his butterfly stared back at him. Ludwig froze, his mind feeling floaty and strange, like the world around him didn’t exist. His apparent soulmate pressed their markings together excitedly, a movement which felt more sinister than it actually was.

A large smile lit up his apparent soulmate’s face and in any other situation, Ludwig would think it quite charming.

“Oh, I’m so excited to meet you! I’ve been waiting for you for so long! Oh this is so wonderful, I have so much to tell you!” His soulmate blubbered with nervous energy, looking so hopeful and wondrous.

Ludwig shook off enough of his stupor to shake off his soulmate’s hand. He ignored the pitifully heartbroken expression on the poor man’s face and he fled down the way he had come, using his sheer size to his advantage to outpace the rather pitiful cries to return from his soulmate.

Chapter Text

Distance allowed Ludwig some time to gather his thoughts, adrenaline leaving his body in waves as his heart slowly returned to its natural rhythm. In the privacy of his mind, he was willing to admit how thoroughly unnerved the situation had left him. He had never done well with surprises, living through the predictable, mundane, and familiar.

He had led most of his life believing he would never meet his soulmate, a facet which he had never bothered to dwell on. Now, however, it left him with little frame of mind as to how to react.

He paused in his retreat, taking a deep breath in the middle of the sidewalk. This part of the block was mostly residential. The little apartments around him were blessedly quiet, their residents probably out enjoying the nice day.

He counted to ten, closing his eyes as if meditating. He felt the moment his natural rationale was finally able to overcome his fight-or-flight instincts, no longer feeling like he was fleeing the scene of a crime.

Feeling careful relief, he continued around the block until he was headed home once again. While the unease still lingered in his mind, he managed to push the encounter to the back of his mind. It helped that he had realized along the way that his soulmate had neglected to give him his name.

He arrived home without further incident, to his immense relief. Upon entering, he found Alfred in the living room, not quite sprawled on the couch. He held his phone at such an angle that Ludwig could tell he was on FaceTime. Blackie sat next to him, curled up on the opposite corner of the couch. Her tail wagged upon seeing Ludwig, but she made no further indications of getting up.

Alfred briefly glanced up from his phone to wave at him, before rolling his eyes at something the person at the other end said. “Yeah, dad, sure.”

Ludwig nodded back, quietly making his way toward the kitchen. Alfred’s conversations with his father were often mundane, and Ludwig had no plans to eavesdrop anymore than he already had.

He had only met Arthur a handful of times in person over the years; a couple of Christmas celebrations, a birthday every once in a while, and at Matthew’s wedding last spring. Ludwig found him a pleasant enough man, sharp tongued and quick-tempered, but he had never been anything less than polite toward Ludwig. Alfred, on the contrary, likened him to a stubborn, chronic nag.

Alfred rarely spoke about his childhood. From what Ludwig could glean from context clues and Alfred’s mother, there had been several points of conflict between Arthur and Alfred when Alfred was younger that haunted them like a dark cloud. A level of understanding was able to be breached between them as Alfred grew older, helped immensely when Arthur had moved back to Britain sometime after the twins had graduated college. The distance had only proved to strengthen their bond, oddly. They still bickered constantly, but Ludwig was learning that that was simply how they showed affection.

Alfred’s voice provided familiar background noise as Ludwig walked the short distance, Blackie following close at his heels. In the kitchen, Ludwig found Aster, valiantly trying to destroy his newest chew toy near the fridge. Blackie had never shown much interest in toys, preferring hard exercise when she was younger, and a comfortable pillow as she grew older, but Aster went through toys as if it were his life’s mission to destroy any dog appropriate object within his sight. Ludwig supposed it was better than him destroying the furniture.

Blackie meandered over to her water dish, delicately side stepping Aster. Aster chuffed at her in annoyance, but otherwise paid neither of them any mind.

Ludwig took the time to survey the kitchen. The fruit bowl was stocked after being horribly neglected for the past couple of days and the bread bin finally had some decent bread in it. Feeling incredibly pleased, he swiped a banana and rummaged in the fridge for the ingredients for a sandwich.

As Ludwig finished with his lunch, he felt Alfred slide up against his side, his glasses digging into his shoulder as he nuzzled against him. “Hey, how has your day been?”

Ludwig gave a minute pause. “Fine.” Because it was, even despite the unease that still lingered in his belly no matter how much he ignored it. “How is your father?”

“He’s alright, nothing ever changes with him. Wonder why he even bothers calling sometimes.” Alfred huffed. He always pretended to not appreciate his father’s little check-in.

Ludwig smiled. “At least you know he is doing okay.” Alfred would never admit it, but he did worry about the well-being of his father, living half a world away. The nuances of their relationship always read as odd to Ludwig, but maybe it was because he himself had never really known his parents. He had mostly been raised by his brother.

Alfred stepped away from him, shrugging. “Anyway, I think the kids are going to enjoy the park today. Warmed up a lot from the morning, at least.” Aster took this as his cue to nose up to Alfred, toy still clutched around his maw like anyone was thinking about stealing it from him.

—

The park was not particularly crowded for such a lovely day. A handful of people meandered about, mostly talking amongst themselves while their dogs found their own entertainment. Ludwig couldn’t help but feel grateful. He was not in the mood to deal with too many people.

When they had first arrived, he had let the dogs run free around the property, if only to make sure that they burned off a good amount of energy, especially Aster. They were both very friendly dogs and Ludwig had no worries about them causing any trouble. Similarly, most of the people who frequented this park were experienced dog trainers, one of the reasons why they frequented this particular one.

After some training and some play, Ludwig had made himself home on one of the benches, people watching. A young couple were arguing while their golden retriever patiently waited for them to finish their game of fetch. A woman with a tiny chihuahua had spread out a blanket near the middle and sat while her dog spun circles in the grass. A man with a medium-sized dog sat with a gaggle of other people on one of the other benches, said dog going from person to person to get pets.

Alfred had taken the dogs into the heart of the park, near a few large trees that provided a good amount of shade. Several people also occupied the space, but he had seemingly attached himself to a young woman with long, dark hair. Next to her sat a small, nervous looking dog, whom Aster and Blackie were very gently trying to coax into play. Most dogs (and people, for that matter) were intimidated by their size and Ludwig had taught them well to mind their manners around other dogs. He felt like a proud father, watching them now.

From this distance, Ludwig could see Alfred’s big, sweeping gestures in the very animated way that he spoke. He was much like a big puppy; always loved meeting new people. It was a trait that Ludwig begrudgingly appreciated. He was not the most entertaining conversationalist, especially around people he didn’t know. Alfred often picked up the slack during parties and get-togethers, even saving him a few times during business dinners where he did not know what to say. It was a miracle they even got together in the first place, something his brother teased him about endlessly when he was alive.

Aster and Blackie eventually convinced the dog to come play and they chased each other around in the grass in a dog version of tag. His mind began to wander as he watched them, coming back to the encounter with his soulmate The pit in his stomach began to dissipate as he shuffled through his thoughts properly.

In popular myths, finding one’s soulmate was considered a sign to drop one’s life to pursue destiny in its truest and most purest form. To Ludwig, the concept rang hollow and empty. Destiny held little significance to someone like him, who trusted personal judgment above all else. He was much too comfortable in his life now to think about changing anything.

Ludwig frowned in the bright sunshine, his thoughts continuing to spiral. Alfred eventually excused himself from his conversation, coming to join Ludwig on the bench. Aster’s leash was clutched in his hand, but Aster had decided to stay with his new friend. Blackie trotted obediently beside him, never one to venture far from her people. “You look deep in thought. You alright?”

Ludwig was quiet for a moment, watching Blackie nose around in the grass. “I met my soulmate today.”

“Oh, wow, okay,” Alfred stuttered, uncharacteristically speechless. An array of emotions cascaded on his face as he processed what Ludwig had told him. Surprise was most evident, rasping the back of his throat. It made Ludwig feel better, at least, that he wasn’t alone in the absurdity of the situation. “That’s…something. How did that go?”

“I…left before we could really talk. I did not even get his name.” Ludwig refused to admit that the sudden surprise had made him panic.

“Oh, I see,” said Alfred, sounding distant.

Ludwig hummed. “It was unexpected.”

“That’s usually how these things start, or so that’s what I’ve been told.” Alfred huffed. “Why didn’t you mention anything at home?”

“I was still trying to process it,” said Ludwig, shame licking the back of his neck with the dislike of admitting to his own faults. “Now that I have had time to think it over, I can’t help but wonder what sort of person he might be. What would make him my soulmate. Why that is.”

There was something deeply relieving about finally seeing his soulmate in his person, as if scratching at some sort of deep rooted subliminal messaging. Regardless of the dubious accuracy of whatever higher power had picked this man as his soulmate, he was still taken by an intense curiosity.

“Soulmates don’t need to mean anything.” Alfred shook his head, seeming irritated. “My parents were soulmates and they ended up getting a divorce.”

“Yes, I know,” said Ludwig, absently. “I think I would still like to get to know him. He seemed like a nice person.”

Alfred grew quiet. “Well it doesn’t matter now,” he said, carefully. “You don’t even know his name and it’s a pretty big city. You probably won’t ever see him again.”

“You’re right I suppose,” said Ludwig. He took a deep breath, straightening from his slightly slouched position on the bench. He felt better, at least. It was nice to have his thoughts out in the open.

Alfred flashed him a quick smile, one which didn’t reach his eyes. Perhaps the discussion of soulmates brought up some unpleasant memories. Before Ludwig could ask, Aster came bounding over, corralling Blackie into an impromptu wrestling match. Blackie whined in annoyance, but otherwise indulged him.

They sat quietly on the bench, watching the dogs.

Chapter Text

A strange coldness had overtaken Alfred the next couple of days. His affections had become short and barren: kisses no longer lingered, hugs were short and unsatisfactory, and he spoke in short, clipped sentences. Normally, Alfred took every opportunity to cling to him like a limpet when they were home together and the new lack of affection left Ludwig feeling lost.

It was a small comfort, at least, that Alfred’s daily motions lacked the sort of irritation that would normally deem that Ludwig had done something specific to anger him. He seemed more distracted, as if every thought held a great weight to his psyche.

Ludwig had never been the most perceptive person and it was made worse around Alfred. Alfred had a tendency to get lost in his own head, often befallen to his own anxieties and insecurities and he was not the sort to willingly advertise his wounds. Ludwig had long ago learned not to push the issue, lest he unintentionally escalate the situation. He hoped, at least, that Alfred would work through whatever he was stuck on soon. It was unnerving to find him so despondent.

By mid-week, Ludwig felt as if he were living with a very sad ghost. It left the apartment feeling rather depressing. In an attempt to cheer him up, Ludwig took a chance, managing to get ahold of Alfred’s favorite chocolates and gifted it to him as a plea for forgiveness. Alfred was a hopeless romantic and liked such romantic gestures, even if Ludwig didn’t always understand his affinity for it. The small smile he received afterwards was worth the effort.

The rest of the week passed in a comfortable blur until it was Sunday. While Sundays normally contained no external commitments, Ludwig did like to focus on tasks around the house. Today, he took the opportunity to deep clean the bedroom.

He began in the morning, falling into the soothing, repetitive motions of dusting, reorganizing, and rearranging. While Alfred could be counted on to be fairly tidy, Ludwig was particularly thorough once he got started. It was a strange source of pride for him, seeing his efforts manifest into his version of order after a few hours of labor.

Alfred joined him somewhere along the way, wordlessly taking the laundry while Ludwig changed the bed sheets. After, they settled into a comfortable rhythm, Alfred’s mindless chatter filling the silence as he took to helping Ludwig move the furniture.

They finished sometime in the afternoon. As Ludwig basked in satisfaction, Alfred’s phone rang, disturbing his personal serenity. The loud voice of Matthias echoed in the otherwise silent bedroom, enquiring if Alfred wanted to meet up at his house. Ludwig grimaced. He only found Matthias mildly tolerable when his partner, Lukas, was around and judging by how loud they were being on the phone, he doubted that was the case. At least he took the dogs so they couldn’t get into too much trouble.

Alfred would normally invite him along, too, but had foregone doing so. Ludwig considered it a small blessing. It presented him with the opportunity to head to the park, if only to get some fresh air after being around dust and cleaning chemicals for most of the day.

He walked around its perimeter, contemplating the clouds, watching as they carefully skittered around the sun. A slight breeze rustled the trees. The forecast didn’t call for rain, but spring showers were often unpredictable. It wasn’t too concerning to him and he found a bench to sit, leisurely soaking up the last few rays of sunshine.

So lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice the shadow that creeped over him until it engulfed his person. He glanced up, catching a glimpse of big, nervous looking brown eyes and a friendly smile. Ludwig froze, resisting the urge to bolt once again. He had largely forgotten about the encounter with his soulmate, preoccupied with other thoughts as he was. Evidently, even a big city could not come between destiny.

“Ciao!” His soulmate gave a jaunty wave, moving his whole body with the motion. “I guess our first meeting was a little overwhelming, I’m sorry for scaring you like that. My name is Feliciano.” Feliciano reached out a hand to shake, big brown eyes sparkling with hopeful determination.

Ludwig took the hand automatically. His eyes unconsciously sought out Feliciano’s soulmate tattoo, and felt relief that he was wearing a long sleeved shirt today. “Ludwig. I should be the one apologizing, for leaving so abruptly.”

Feliciano’s smile seemed to broaden impossibly more, making his eyes squint. “It’s no problem. I understand it can be a little scary meeting your soulmate for the first time.”

Ludwig frowned. “I do not want to give you the wrong impression. I’m with someone and I do not plan to leave them.”

Feliciano’s bright smile faded quickly, a frown pulling his face down pitifully. Ludwig almost felt guilty about it. “Ah okay.” He looked put-out, a little lost for a few moments. Ludwig sat awkwardly while his soulmate picked through his thoughts. Then, Feliciano took a deep breath as if to steady himself. “Maybe we could just talk? I’ve spent a long time waiting for you and still would really like to get to know you.”

“Talk?” echoed Ludwig, skeptically.

“Yes!” said Feliciano, his full cheer back on display. “It’s nice to have someone new to talk to, don’t you agree?”

“Sure.” Ludwig, despite everything, found himself smiling, finding Feliciano’s enthusiasm oddly infectious. It was nice, at least, to hear that he and his soulmate seemed to echo the same sentiments. That odd pull of curiosity still lingered within his subconscious.

“We might even become friends, who knows?” Feliciano laughed lightly. “I’m running a bit late, but let’s exchange numbers. I’ll text you!”

—

Talking to Feliciano came easy, much easier than he would have expected. In fairness, Ludwig had always preferred texting over face-to-face contact. He liked the space to think through his replies, the nonexistent pressure of staring into his partner’s eyes while he contemplated his reply. Small talk was often a struggle for him, especially around people he did not know, but Feliciano managed to navigate conversations with the practiced ease of someone who did not mind carrying the brunt of it. It left Ludwig feeling relieved, and he found himself looking forward to each conversation.

Their mundane conversations meandered between the personal and the inane, and Ludwig easily relaxed into their waning ease. He learned that Feliciano worked as an art curator and had a passion for Renaissance era artwork. He learned that he was originally from Italy and had moved to the states after a matchmaker had suggested it. He learned that he was the middle child between an older brother that helped his grandfather with the family restaurant and a younger brother who was encouraged to focus on his studies.

In return, because it was only polite, Ludwig shared stories about his own life. He talked about his typical corporate job, his dogs, and occasionally Alfred. With each exchange of information, he felt like something that he did not know was missing was being filled. It left him feeling warm and full, as if he had eaten a hardy meal.

On Thursday, he was home in the mid-afternoon and the house was eerily quiet. He was rarely ever home at this time of day and the combination of the stillness and the change in his usual routine left him with an uneasy pit in the middle of his stomach. Alfred sometimes left during the day and he must have taken the dogs with him. He spared a passing thought as to what he might be doing and turned the TV on for background noise, if only to escape the silence.

He made himself comfortable on the couch, his phone almost on cue buzzing with the sharp swish of a message. He smiled to himself, trying to not seem too eager as he opened his messages. Feliciano was incessantly chatty, perhaps worse than Alfred, which Ludwig didn’t think was possible. He had lost track of the conversation at some point and did not know what Feliciano was talking about, but he had learned quickly that a “yes” was usually a satisfactory reply.

He turned back to the TV after, only half paying attention to the mild cooking show that was playing. It was the sort of hypnotic that was easy enough to lull him into a half daze until the sound of the door opening thoroughly distracted him, followed by the excited barking of Aster. Aster made a beeline for Ludwig on the couch. He quieted once Ludwig paid him attention, settling obediently under his hand while he stroked him. Blackie laid sentinel by the door while Alfred shuffled in.

“Hey babe, you’re home early.” Alfred smiled sweetly, joining him on the couch. He draped himself over Ludwig’s shoulders, pressing a wet kiss against his neck. His hands were slightly clammy, and his soft hoodie still held a bit of a chill from the wind.

“I finished early so Yao said I could leave.” Yao had actually told him that he had too much overtime and had forced him to leave, albeit reluctantly.

“That was nice of him.”

Ludwig made a vague noise of agreement. Alfred settled more against his side, leeching up his warmth after being outside. Blackie made her way over to Alfred’s other side, settling in the free corner of the couch. Aster eventually grew bored and made his way to the kitchen, leaving Ludwig’s hand feeling forlorn. The cooking show filled the silence once again for a while until the harsh jingle of his phone disturbed their calm.

“Who’s that you’re texting?” Alfred asked curiously, peering at the screen in an obvious way. There weren’t many people that Ludwig texted outside of Alfred. His cousins sometimes texted him, but that was usually only around the holidays.

“Feliciano,” said Ludwig, matter-of-factly. Ludwig sent a quick reply back, not minding Alfred reading over his shoulder.

“Who’s that?” asked Alfred curiously. Ludwig was not one to reach out to unknown people and him talking to someone he’d never heard of was undoubtedly a little disconcerting.

“You remember I told you about my soulmate?”

Alfred’s arms tightened minutely around his shoulders. “Yeah,” he said, carefully.

“Well I ran into him a few days ago and we exchanged numbers. Even got his name this time.” Ludwig turned to face Alfred, a small grin on his face.

Alfred frowned at him, slinking away from his embrace. “And when were you planning on telling me any of this?”

Ludwig mirrored his frown, the space next to him feeling cold and foreign even if Alfred had not moved that far away from him. “I just did.”

Alfred glared at him. He crossed his arms in front of his chest in an obviously self-conscious gesture, one which he tried to play off as something more angry. “You’ve been talking to your supposed soulmate for days and didn’t tell me about it?”

“I did not think it was that important,” Ludwig said, slowly, carefully. Alfred’s urgent hostility only left him feeling confused. In the past, Alfred had often encouraged him to talk to new people and he was honestly expecting a more positive reaction.

“Oh really now?” said Alfred, arms tightening protectively around himself.

“Yes,” said Ludwig, feeling as if he were trying to placate a cornered, wild animal. He watched Alfred stand up from the couch, seemingly caught between wanting to loom and wanting to flee.

“You’ve been speaking to this man for days without telling me,” he reiterated, stubbornly.

Ludwig took in his hunched shoulders, his dodgy eyes and he felt an immense sense of misplaced guilt. He had not meant to offend Alfred. It was simply an unfortunate coincidence that Feliciano had texted him before he had a chance to properly speak to Alfred. “Liebe -”

“Don’t do that,” said Alfred, a deeply wounded thing. “I’m going to my mom’s”

The click of the front door was not violent, but certainly felt final. Beside him, Blackie, who had watched the interaction with a deceptively calm laziness, made a small whine of distress. Ludwig found himself agreeing.

Chapter Text

A great, suffocating weight settled around the apartment in Alfred’s absence. Ludwig felt a consuming emptiness settle within him. It was made even worse when, upon coming home from work Friday afternoon, Alfred’s laptop and overnight bag were both missing. Knowing that Alfred was purposefully avoiding him in such a way only deepened the cavernous ache.

Ludwig had only seen Alfred truly angry a handful of times: once when they first started dating and a drunken man had said something homophobic toward him, a few times around Matthew’s husband, to the point where he almost got permanently banned from their house, and a few minor spats with himself over the years.

This was by far their worst fight. Alfred had never walked out on him. He tended to pout and pointedly ignore Ludwig when annoyed with him, until either one or the other grew tired of the charade and they eventually made up.

On Saturday, he found himself in the park once again, pretending he wasn’t moping. He had not heard from Alfred since he had last seen him, and was hesitant to reach out to him. While Alfred was mostly laid-back, he had a fierce temper when prodded enough and he held a grudge like no other. He felt it best to give them both space. It also allowed him some time to think.

It was obvious that he had deeply offended Alfred, that much was true, a factor which very much was not his intention, and sat within him like a very guilty rock. He never liked being the source of Alfred’s displeasure.

He was very tired, and his limbs felt like lead as he trudged through the familiar paths in the park. The past few days had been difficult to sleep, both because of his gnawing guilt and the cold emptiness of his bed. The dogs had been equally as myopic. Aster was clingier than usual, following after him like he too would leave if he let him out of his sight and Blackie had taken to restless pacing. It was as if they were echoing Ludwig’s very psyche.

It was times like this that he wished his brother were still alive. Gilbert was many things: annoying, loud, and bothersome, but he was always there for Ludwig, even after his health had begun to deteriorate. He had always taken his role as guardian as both literally and physically as possible, ever since their parents had passed away when he was a toddler and Gilbert was just old enough to gain custody of him. The world was a much more lonely and confusing place without him.

Today was a warm spring day, and the park was filled with happy people, going about their lives. Ludwig ignored them, content to watch the bend of the trees and grass in the heavy breeze. Some small birds were pecking around in the grass, and, distantly, he could hear the comings and goings of the people around him. It was when he was coming to the end of his trail that he spotted a familiar figure near the treeline.

Before he had a chance to react, he heard the enthusiastic, relieved yelling of his name. “Ludwig! I’m so glad to see you.”

Ludwig stayed rooted in place while Feliciano flung himself at him, wrapping himself around his waist in a steady, tight hug. He didn’t muster the energy to return the hug, but it did nothing to dissuade Feliciano’s enthusiasm. “I was so worried about you! You stopped replying to my messages, I thought something happened to you.”

“Oh,” said Ludwig, lamely, overtaken by Feliciano’s earnestness. Even now his eyes sparkled with such great relief, Ludwig thought he might cry from joy. “I’m sorry, I did not mean to worry you.”

“It’s okay, really, I’m just glad to see you’re alive.” Feliciano smiled and Ludwig attempted something akin to a smile. It must have come off as a grimace, for Feliciano quickly frowned. “Are you okay, Ludwig? You don’t look so good.”

“Yes, just tired, I have not been sleeping very well.”

“Stress? You should learn to relax more if it’s making you lose sleep.” Feliciano smiled kindly.

“No, not quite.” Ludwig sighed, deciding to answer honestly. “I got into a fight with Alfred. I haven’t seen him in two days.”

“Oh,” said Feliciano, his lips lingering on his enunciation. He shifted, his hands fluttering in front of him, his eyes searching the dusty path for guidance. A contemplative beat passed between them and then those big, brown eyes were shining on him once again. “Hey, the art museum is having a special exhibition today. I can be your tour guide!”

A part of Ludwig felt some sense of misplaced spite toward Feliciano. If he hadn’t been texting Feliciano, none of this would have happened. The loud and rational part of his mind knew it wasn’t fair to misplace blame onto Feliciano. Besides, the depressing loneliness was beginning to get to him. “Sure.”

“Bene! It’ll be fun. I promise!”

The walk to the museum was only a few blocks away, filled with Feliciano’s endless chatter, rapid and constant enough to be almost overwhelming. Ludwig was only half paying attention, in a similar manner to the way their written messages typically went. He felt himself relaxing into the familiar rhythm, nodding or humming when it seemed appropriate. Sometimes, Feliciano would gesture wildly and Ludwig would be caught off guard enough to flinch.

Ludwig found himself thanking his neighbor, Kiku, in the back of his mind, for keeping an eye on his dogs while he was gone. They were independent enough, but they had grown used to always having someone with them and the sudden change in their routine was not easy. The thought about his otherwise empty house fizzled out some of Ludwig’s burgeoning enthusiasm, and he tried not to dwell on it as they approached the front of the building.

There were a handful of scattered people standing outside the front of the building, some waiting to go in, while others just simply seemed to be there through sheer coincidence. A little sign was propped up on the sidewalk, advertising their new exhibit on local art. Feliciano grabbed his wrist in a gentle, but firm grip, bypassing the ticket booth with a familiar, breezy wave to the concierge.

“VIP privileges, huh?” said Ludwig, a careful smile on his face.

Feliciano turned to him once they were squared away in the main lobby, his eyes wide, as if taken off guard by Ludwig’s comment. Then, he giggled lightly. “Of course.”

Feliciano turned toward the wing that housed the new exhibit, banner bright and colorful to mark it. The museum itself was not especially large, only three wings, each corresponding with a different theme. He peaked down the one adjacent to the new exhibit floor, spotting several Renaissance pieces beyond its own entrance hall, some of them familiar through vague recollection. It was obviously the wing that Feliciano was in charge of and he found himself curious about it.

Feliciano pulled him closer toward the new gallery, noticing his distraction. “Maybe another day, Ludwig, we’ll be here all day if we go down there.”

Ludwig couldn’t help a small chuckle.

“Was this your idea?” asked Ludwig as they made their way down the hall. The beginning of the hall served as an introduction, several plaques on the side explaining the exhibit, and some encouraging words about following one’s passions and embracing the talents around them. Other patrons milled about, but not enough to cause a disturbance in their path.

“It was more like a group project.” Feliciano laughed. “We’re always looking for more ways to involve the community. More traffic to the museum means more money, and more money means more expensive paintings I can buy.”

“Why just the expensive ones?” Ludwig furrowed his brows.

“Those tend to be the ones that I want the most.” Feliciano grinned, leading them through the main exhibit floor to the seeming beginning.

Ludwig found himself admiring many of the renditions around him. The floor was wide and open, colors and shapes bombarding his senses as he looked around curiously. He had never been a stickler for art, but he could appreciate the hard work and dedication needed to create such pieces. “Some of these people are very talented.”

“Yes, that was the other reason why we thought this would be a good idea. There’s so many great artists that don’t get the recognition they deserve. Look at the colors on this one! I think the girl who made it is only 12. Imagine being that skilled at color theory at that age.”

Ludwig hummed in agreement, not quite familiar with what Feliciano was talking about, but it sounded impressive enough. The rest of their time at the museum passed by in much the same way. Feliciano had a natural cadence that made listening to something he was clearly so passionate about so nice to listen to. Even if Ludwig only knew vague notions of composition and posing, and lighting, he could still find pleasure in following Feliciano’s diatribe. He had always liked people who were so eager about the things that brought them joy.

As they walked through the exhibition floor, Ludwig found his mind once again drifting toward Alfred. It couldn’t be helped. Feliciano mirrored Alfred in many ways that left Ludwig feeling melancholic longing. Both were creatures of boundless energy and enthusiasm. Alfred could be just as excitable when he got on a subject he was knowledgeable about, although Alfred’s passions tended to fall within the maths and sciences realm. He could still remember a time when they had gone to the planetarium and Alfred’s sparkling eyes as he told him how he wanted to be an astronaut before he found out how physically taxing the job was.

Feliciano’s body brushed up against his side, unconsciously affectionate, jolting Ludwig out of his thoughts, briefly. It was an altogether foreign feeling, one that he didn’t know if he totally liked, but was hesitant to discourage. It didn’t help that Feliciano held the build of a particularly pitiful forest animal, and the way he tried to burrow against Ludwig’s hip was almost novel. Alfred was much too tall to sidle up against Ludwig in the same way Feliciano could. Not that he was ever tempted to try, at least as far as Ludwig could remember. Alfred was rather reserved with his affections in public. For all of his clinging affections in private, he often grew shy with the more intimate parts of himself around others. An occasional kiss on the cheek or some hand holding was about as far as he would go. Ludwig, too, was normally very private, and it was an appreciated shared interest between the two of them.

“You’re sad again.” Feliciano frowned.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be, it’s okay.” Feliciano gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. He bit his lip, a brief moment of hesitation flickering across his face. They had paused in front of some dark colored painting, empty and devoid and incredibly lonely looking. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Ludwig swallowed his instinctual no. “I don’t know what to do.”

“With Alfred?” Feliciano smiled patiently, still holding his hand in a weak grip. Ludwig felt the urge to rip his hand away, but the motion was more grounding than he would like it to be.

“Yes,” Ludwig breathed out and he felt a dam burst within his chest. “He caught me texting you one day and got upset that I didn’t tell him about it.”

“You didn’t tell him you were texting your soulmate?” Feliciano asked, incredulously.

“Not on purpose.” Saying it like that made Ludwig feel foolish, like a child being reprimanded. “He’s always telling me to go out and meet new people. Just wanted to feel things out before I told him.”

“You should think about it from his point of view.” Feliciano sighed. “You know, most people who talk to their soulmates are looking for a relationship.” An unreadable expression that was too fleeting for Ludwig to name passed by his face.

“But I’m not, you know this.”

Feliciano bit his lip. “Does he know that?”

Ludwig frowned, shrugging. That certainly had put things into perspective. Perhaps his excitement of speaking to Feliciano had spurned his judgement. He so rarely interacted with people outside of his very tight circle, and it had left him with little sense of etiquette. A part of him had expected Alfred to just know these things, but he was learning, that was not how the world worked.

“You should talk to him.” Feliciano gave him a reassuring smile, pulling him so they could once again proceed through the exhibit.

Admittedly, Ludwig was still too nervous to speak to Alfred. He had never been particularly good at articulating himself and was deathly afraid of making things worse. There was also the possibility that Alfred would not want to speak to him and that scared him more than getting his anger.

Regardless, Ludwig nodded. “Thank you, Feliciano.”

“You can call me Feli, you know, that’s what all my friends call me.”

“Are we friends now?”

“Yes, of course.”