**For this prompt:

Some GerIta fluff because I was looking for prompts and because this is the only thing Up_Until_3am ships haha so I hope she enjoys it 🍝♥️**

Dear Big Brother!

I have some weird scary news! I've been captured by some scary Germans and at first they were really mean! They're not so bad now. I'm not being hurt or anything! Don't freak out though. The army doesn't like it when you swear in your letters to me... But their trenches were even worse than ours (I didn't think it was possible). And they smell bad! I miss you and Nonno and Antonio, and I hope you're all safe and happy back home, fratello!

But there's something I have to say... Well there's this one soldier. His name is Herr Beilshhmidt. And he's very handsome, like you wouldn't even believe! I know the army won't be very happy with me for saying stuff like this so that's why we should keep this a secret. So shh. But I really like him. He's very tall with wide shoulders and slick blonde hair... And the nicest blue eyes I have ever seen in my whole entire life!

He's very serious. And very very strict. And sometimes he yells at me with a scary voice... But he's also nice. And he gives me some extra food (not pasta though...). And sometimes, when I'm sad and I'm missing you and Nonno and Toni, he asks me what's wrong and then he sits with me. He lets me lean against him. One time I woke up and he hadn't moved me, just let me sleep on him while he smoked and watched No Man's Land...

Honestly Lovi, he reminds me just the littlest bit of Gabriel... I know you don't like me talking about him either so I promise this is the very last time. But he really does.

Ve~ Write soon, Lovi! Give my love to Nonno and Toni~!

Ciao, your fratellino,
Feli

Private Feliciano Vargas
16 Squadron of the Italian Regiment
Under the G. Control of Captain L. B.
Paris, France

Captain Ludwig Beilshmidt stared down at the letter in one finely gloved hand, his face carefully expressionless. Was he snooping? No, of course not--that was ridiculous! He had a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why he was in the Italian bunk part of the trenches. Want to hear it? Fine. The truth was he had gone to talk to Private Vargas about a matter worth discussing, and when he saw that he wasn't there, he was going leave, simple as that. But then he happened to glance down at the letter and saw his last name scrawled in lazy messy handwriting. And Ludwig had to read it, don't you see? Just to make sure his prisoner wasn't conspiring against him or anything.

Nein, it seemed that he was thinking of doing the exact opposite. He didn't know what to think. So the silly boy had feelings for him?

Ludwig knew he should be disgusted. He knew he should report it immediately and have him executed. That was the proper thing to do--hell, that was just the right thing to do. But all he could feel was panic, and-and relief. That he wasn't the only one who thought and felt like this about men and not about women in the world, in this very army.

He would never say any of this out loud.

Ludwig was about to put the letter down and walk out of the bunk, smoke his rationed cigarettes and try to forget about everything. He really would've too. But then--

"--no no no, where is it? I can't not send it today because then I'd not get to send it until next month and Lovi would freak out and--"

Private Feliciano Vargas looked up into the face of Ludwig Beilshhmidt and squealed loudly, jumping back. Ludwig flushed and took a sturdy step back too, before thrusting the letter into his hands. He didn't meet his eyes.

"Oh grazie, Herr Beilshmidt~" Feliciano chirped, folding the letter and smoothing it out. Ludwig watched his hands methodically. They were thin and blistered from the hard army work but still, beautiful.

Did he really just think that.

"You're welcome, Private Vargas." Ludwig said gruffly. And that was that. He left.

Or he tried to.

Feliciano touched his arm gently and he could've ignored him and kept walking--but he didn't. He stopped, shoulders stiff, and turned.

"Ummmmmm you didn't read the letter, did you?" Feliciano said softly, fiddling with his hands nervously. Again with the hands. "I mean it doesn't matter, it wasn't anything important or army-worthy-- it was to my brother, and he's at home with his...um, his friend, An-Antonio who we call Toni--" His rambling got faster and made less sense so Ludwig stopped him.

Feliciano Vargas' lips were very soft.

When he pulled away, the boy looked dazed. A small blush tainted his cheeks, and he lowered his eyes innocently to his boots.

"I did read your letter." Ludwig said softly. Feli looked up, frightened, as if the kiss hadn't already said a ton. "And...I must admit I'm glad I'm not alone."

Feli let out a soft "oh" before leaning his head against Ludwig's chest like he expected a hug or to be held. Ludwig sighed. But when he looked around and saw no one else coming, he allowed himself to hug him back.

The next day they were both killed in No Man's Land.