Shades of Innocence (A GerIta FanFic)

Chapter 8

A surprisingly chilly breeze brushed through the air, buffeting a large white cloud across the sky where it eclipsed the warm, shining sun; the first indicators of the new season of autumn. Had there been a single leaf on the only tree that stood in the prison courtyard, they would no doubt be turning a dark shade of auburn, crisping and weakening until the lightest gusts of wind would be able to send them fluttering to the ground. Feliciano leant back against the trunk of this sturdy tree, staring up at the slim twisted branches above his head; they were bare of any leaves, green or otherwise. It was the simple things he was starting to miss about life on the outside, just watching the leaves fall and the conkers bloom...it's amazing what you take for granted when you're in prison.

Beside him sat his newfound friend and prison cellmate, Ludwig, no last name, just Ludwig. The German had become a surprisingly valued friend in the short amount of time the Italian had been incarcerated. A lot had changed since Ludwig had opened up to Feliciano about his crime and revealed his life story; it had initiated their friendship and given the Italian the security he longed for in prison. Not that he hadn't previously been protected, Ludwig had been watching over him since day one, if only out of pity, although he hadn't exactly been the nicest guy.

Now that their friendship was cemented however the German had actually been much better with him, kinder even. Ludwig didn't seem to care anymore about appearing weak in front of the other inmates; he defended the Italian and protected him from harm, not even minding the fact that every single person in the prison was now under the impression that Feliciano was his bitch. If anything Feliciano rather liked being thought of as Ludwig's property, it ensured that no one would dare try to harm him, not whilst he was glued constantly to the German's side.

Feliciano glanced next to him at his blond friend; they'd been sat under Ludwig's tree in the courtyard for the last hour or so, just chatting together quietly. As the days had gone by the Italian felt more and more comfortable with the German; in the first couple of days of their friendship Feliciano had felt a little awkward when trying to start a conversation, especially after what an emotional revelation the German had had. But now he was fine just talking to him, he actually rather liked it, they got on surprisingly well.

The Italian saw an inmate inadvertently pass close by across the courtyard, he glanced up, saw Ludwig, then tried to look casual as he hurried away, giving the tree a much wider girth, as if afraid the German was going to jump up and pounce on him for no apparent reason. Feliciano watched the man curiously before turning back to Ludwig. "You've been in here a long time haven't you?" he asked, purely for conversation starting purposes, he already knew the answer.

Ludwig glanced next to him. "What makes you say that?" he asked, resting his head back against his arm.

"Well Arthur told me it's been five years..." Feliciano said with a shrug, earning a raised eyebrow from his companion. "...but I could probably tell anyway."

"From what?" Ludwig inquired curiously.

Feliciano shrugged again, his eyes drifting across the courtyard through the vast crowd of orange jumpsuits to that one man who he'd been watching just before; he was still casting anxious glances back towards their tree. Every now again the same thing seemed to happen, inmates would either be glaring over at them with dislike, fear, irritation or confusion. Ludwig didn't seem to notice, maybe he was used to it. "Well...there's the way everyone in here seems to know who you are." the Italian suggested.

"They know of me, not who I am." Ludwig confirmed. "I'm just that guy everyone's afraid of."

Feliciano rested his head back against the trunk of the tree, gazing at him quizzically. "But why?"

Ludwig quirked an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked incredulously; the German gave a grunt of disbelief. "You were pretty damn terrified of me up until recently."