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Description
Stirring her coffee in the cozy Italian café Felicia dragged her to, Monika promised herself to never believe anything Miss Italia said ever again. She was promised a relaxing trip to Florence, but all she got was an entire Italian family talking to her at the same time, loudly, ignoring the fact that she understood nothing of it, a tiring shopping trip because Italia refused to go out with her if she was dressed in loose, dark green clothes, and now wearing tight, feminine clothes, she had men staring at her and trying to pick her up. She wished she would have just stayed at home in Germany.

On the other hand, Italia couldn't have enjoyed being at home in Italy any more. Of course, she was used to this, she didn't feel the urge to strangle every single man she passed by with her bare hands, unlike Monika. A soldier like her isn't fond of excessive attention as such. But at least, for the first time for a long time, it wasn't Luciano she had to worry about.

Felicia's family seemed rather scary for at first, but they looked really happy, almost ecstatic about their little artist girl paying a visit back home even though her primary reason to travel to Florence was to meet her twin brother she hadn't seen in years. Feliciano arrived home in Venice two days ago, but he couldn't say whether he was coming to Florence the same day as Felicia's or the next day. While they waited, Felicia decided to show Monika around and that's how they ended up sitting at the tables outside her favourite café, where she could enjoy real Italian coffee, just the way she liked it.

Sighing, Monika looked up at Italia, wondering what was currently going through her mind, since they had been sitting in silence for a while. She wasn't sure what to think when she saw her face. She couldn't let it go without a word.

"Ita... I know you're probably happy to see your brother very soon, but what's that perverted smile...?" She frowned and blinked uncomfortably then looked back at her cup. "Or are you also falling for me like those idiots?" With another sigh, she started playing with her spoon again.

Said Ita uncrossed her legs and tucked the lock of hair she had been playing with behind her ear, then leaned her cheek into her palm. She let out a soft, longing sigh.

"With you looking the way you do right now, I could, but... You're not the one I'm falling for..." she kept the same smile on her face.

"Care to explain?" Monika mumbled. "Unless of course you've got another man in your bed that was exceptionally good, then I understand everything."

"You have no idea..." Felicia hummed happily until the realization hit her. "Wait, how did you know?"

"Easy, you kept telling me you'd come to sleep at my place last week and you never showed up. But when I called you, Luciano never picked up and threatened me, so I thought you were safe."

"Ooh..." Felicia looked down on her lap.

"Who's your new hobby you like to do so much?" Monika lifted her cup to her lips.

"Major Beilschmidt." Came the innocent, straightforward answer in a high pitched, excited voice.

Monika choked on her coffee, coughed and put her cup down before she accidentally spilled it.

"Ludwig?!" She demanded the answer leaning forward, with small tears in her eyes after not being able to breathe for a couple seconds.

"That's his name." Ita answered calmly, not understanding Moni's sudden consternation.

"Beilschmidt." Monika said firmly while looking at her companion, hoping it would ring a bell, but to her disappointment, she still seemed to have no clue as to why she got upset.

"What?" Of course she had no clue.

Moni leaned back on her chair and being frustrated, she slowly ran her fingers through her hair.

"Feliciana... Just because your psycho cousin worked so much on making my life a living hell, it doesn't mean that maybe you should live out your nymphomaniac desires on my family members as well..." she mumbled, still not exactly happy with the case.

"Ooh... But don't call me nymphomaniac, I don't call you a virgin either."

"But why my brother? And how?!"

"Moni, your brother is incredibly sexy!" She whined. "I would have been stupid not to take the chance!"

"And where?!"

"He came to our café in the evening." Felicia sighed, hoping the uncomfortable interrogation would end soon.

"And what was he doing in Munich, if I may ask?" Monika frowned but spoke somewhat calmer.

"He didn't tell me, just that he'd got some business to do," she shrugged. "But he said he was free for the nights so... I took him home." The naughty smile returned to her face.

"Uh... Never thought he'd ever get laid..." came the mumbled confession. Ita just shrugged.

"I couldn't tell if he was a virgin or not, he was damn good..." she sighed happily and closed her eyes, as if she'd want to relive that night... those nights...

Monika groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Wake up, Princess, this is not the time for daydreaming. And he's still only Major, what a loser."

"Loser?" Felicia came back to reality sadly. "Why, what are you?"

"Lieutenant."

"But... Isn't that below Major?"

Monika did nothing but frown bitterly.

"Oh!" she laughed. "You're jealous!"

"Shut up." Moni closed the conversation, thinking that day couldn't get any worse already, but little did she know.

For a few minutes they sat quietly at the table, and while Miss Nymphomaniac Italia stared into the air, fantasizing, the virgin soldier played with her spoon to calm herself down. Neither of them noticed a young man approaching them.

The man said something in a cheerful way that Monika didn't understand. It sounded like a greeting to which Felicia started laughing and turned around on her chair to see the man who called out to her.

"Feli!" she jumped up immediately with a grin on her face and opened her arms widely for him. In response, he hugged her so tightly, she could barely breathe. "Ciao!"

Then they hugged, kissed and talked about something... Monika watched the scene curiously and waited patiently until Italia turned back to her and said her name, introducing her to Feli, probably.

"Moni, he's my brother, Feliciano, he arrived to Florence just an hour ago."

"Piacere di conoscerti*," she extended her arm towards him.

"Freut mich, dich kennenzulernen*," he shook her hand with a gentle smile, and Monika was relieved for a second, but for a second only. Maybe he spoke German, so there was a chance she could have a normal conversation with him... But maybe he only spoke German on the same level as she spoke Italian, and that really wasn't a lot.

"I've heard about you before, honestly, I didn't think a soldier could be this pretty," he continued, smiling the whole time as he sat down next to Felicia, convincing Moni that there was still hope for her.

"Thank you..." she replied softly.

So it was true that she couldn't keep her mouth shut, Ita talked to him about her. A faint smile appeared on Moni's lips.

"I've heard a few things about you too."

"I guess that means our Feliciana never changes," he chuckled and quickly ordered a coffee.

So it wasn't only Luciano to call her that, Monika noted. What more, as she carefully took a closer look at his face when he wasn't looking, she noticed features similar to Luciano's. Of course, they were related and she couldn't blame this guy for it, but she hated that she had to think of him again. She hadn't seen Luciano for weeks, and even though from time to time she missed his hands on her, his stupid smirk, his stupid accent, those damned Italian cooes, and all his asshole moves to try to get her in bed, in the end she always told herself it was better this way, without him. She couldn't let him hurt Ita or her again. To hell with Luciano!

Feliciano watched Monika frown at her spoon with interest, wondering what that piece of cutlery had ever done to her, but didn't mention it.

"So how was your trip to the USA?" Felicia asked in German, our of politeness.

"Tiring," he sighed, "but better than I expected."

"Were the kids hard to handle?"

"I think I was the hardest to handle, imagine how excited I was when I saw all those paintings!" he laughed.

Yes, Monika remembered the things Ita told her about him. He flew with a group of students to the States to visit all kinds of art galleries, the trip organized by the school he taught at.

"She never told me," Monika interrupted, "what do you exactly do?"

"I teach art at an elementary school. And I'm their substitute music teacher as well," he said happily. "But in fact, I think they prefer music classes a lot more than art classes, I'm disappointed," he kept smiling anyway. "Speaking about music," he turned to his sister, "my piano in Venice still misses your voice."

"Oh," Felicia waved her hand and looked away for a second, "but I haven't sung for a long time. I mean, singing while brewing and serving coffee is not the same as singing on a stage in Austria."

"My boss was a maniac, he would have a nervous breakdown at every false note. I'm happier in Munich," she placed the cup back on the saucer.

"I don't understand something," Monika spoke again.

"Yes?" Feliciano turned his gaze back at her.

"She told me you were a great artist, why do you teach little kids then? Shouldn't you be teaching on a higher level?"

He laughed and let Felicia answer the question.

"He loves kids, he can't help it," she smiled.

"Ah..."

Moni decided not to say anything for the rest of the time they spent together there. This guy wasn't like Luciano at all. But still, that laugh made her want to punch him in the face. It sounded the same...

Seeing that their foreigner guest didn't want to participate in the conversation any longer, the two of them eventually switched to discussing things in Italian. They talked what it seemed to be hours for Monika, but she sat and listened patiently, sometimes hoping to catch anything from their gabbling.

After some time, it was Feliciano who got her attention again, he called her name softly. She looked up without making a sound. He smiled at her gently as he spoke.

"I've already been to see my family today, I came to look for you two from them. They were expecting me to arrive tomorrow, so we're having lunch together tomorrow, for today I'm free. I've got a small flat nearby that I also use as my little studio at times... There are some finished and unfinished paintings, if you're interested, I'd gladly take you there to show them. And of course I'd take you back to Feliciana as well."

For a few seconds Monika wasn't sure what to think or say. She had a weird feeling to this, as if she felt that there was something more than just looking at his artwork behind his words, but when she looked at Ita, she gave her an innocent, encouraging smile. In the end she decided she wouldn't even mind being away from a big, noisy family for a while, and if she could handle Luciano, Feliciano couldn't be a challenge to her.

"Alright, sure, I'd like to see them," she gave a small smile.

"Great!" he clapped his hands and stood up. "We can go right now."

"See you later, Moni." Ita smiled and got up as well. "I'll meet you back at home when you come."

"Sure..." For whatever reason she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. After all, she was left alone with a stranger, a handsome young man who invited her over to his place right after they met.

In a few minutes, when Felicia had already left, Feliciano paid for their coffees, and the two of them were walking towards his flat side by side. Feliciano watched the envious looks of the men with amusement.

Description
Stirring her coffee in the cozy Italian café Felicia dragged her to, Monika promised herself to never believe anything Miss Italia said ever again. She was promised a relaxing trip to Florence, but all she got was an entire Italian family talking to her at the same time, loudly, ignoring the fact that she understood nothing of it, a tiring shopping trip because Italia refused to go out with her if she was dressed in loose, dark green clothes, and now wearing tight, feminine clothes, she had men staring at her and trying to pick her up. She wished she would have just stayed at home in Germany.

On the other hand, Italia couldn't have enjoyed being at home in Italy any more. Of course, she was used to this, she didn't feel the urge to strangle every single man she passed by with her bare hands, unlike Monika. A soldier like her isn't fond of excessive attention as such. But at least, for the first time for a long time, it wasn't Luciano she had to worry about.

Felicia's family seemed rather scary for at first, but they looked really happy, almost ecstatic about their little artist girl paying a visit back home even though her primary reason to travel to Florence was to meet her twin brother she hadn't seen in years. Feliciano arrived home in Venice two days ago, but he couldn't say whether he was coming to Florence the same day as Felicia's or the next day. While they waited, Felicia decided to show Monika around and that's how they ended up sitting at the tables outside her favourite café, where she could enjoy real Italian coffee, just the way she liked it.

Sighing, Monika looked up at Italia, wondering what was currently going through her mind, since they had been sitting in silence for a while. She wasn't sure what to think when she saw her face. She couldn't let it go without a word.

"Ita... I know you're probably happy to see your brother very soon, but what's that perverted smile...?" She frowned and blinked uncomfortably then looked back at her cup. "Or are you also falling for me like those idiots?" With another sigh, she started playing with her spoon again.

Said Ita uncrossed her legs and tucked the lock of hair she had been playing with behind her ear, then leaned her cheek into her palm. She let out a soft, longing sigh.

"With you looking the way you do right now, I could, but... You're not the one I'm falling for..." she kept the same smile on her face.

"Care to explain?" Monika mumbled. "Unless of course you've got another man in your bed that was exceptionally good, then I understand everything."

"You have no idea..." Felicia hummed happily until the realization hit her. "Wait, how did you know?"

"Easy, you kept telling me you'd come to sleep at my place last week and you never showed up. But when I called you, Luciano never picked up and threatened me, so I thought you were safe."

"Ooh..." Felicia looked down on her lap.

"Who's your new hobby you like to do so much?" Monika lifted her cup to her lips.

"Major Beilschmidt." Came the innocent, straightforward answer in a high pitched, excited voice.

Monika choked on her coffee, coughed and put her cup down before she accidentally spilled it.

"Ludwig?!" She demanded the answer leaning forward, with small tears in her eyes after not being able to breathe for a couple seconds.

"That's his name." Ita answered calmly, not understanding Moni's sudden consternation.

"Beilschmidt." Monika said firmly while looking at her companion, hoping it would ring a bell, but to her disappointment, she still seemed to have no clue as to why she got upset.

"What?" Of course she had no clue.

Moni leaned back on her chair and being frustrated, she slowly ran her fingers through her hair.

"Feliciana... Just because your psycho cousin worked so much on making my life a living hell, it doesn't mean that maybe you should live out your nymphomaniac desires on my family members as well..." she mumbled, still not exactly happy with the case.

"Ooh... But don't call me nymphomaniac, I don't call you a virgin either."

"But why my brother? And how?!"

"Moni, your brother is incredibly sexy!" She whined. "I would have been stupid not to take the chance!"

"And where?!"

"He came to our café in the evening." Felicia sighed, hoping the uncomfortable interrogation would end soon.

"And what was he doing in Munich, if I may ask?" Monika frowned but spoke somewhat calmer.

"He didn't tell me, just that he'd got some business to do," she shrugged. "But he said he was free for the nights so... I took him home." The naughty smile returned to her face.

"Uh... Never thought he'd ever get laid..." came the mumbled confession. Ita just shrugged.

"I couldn't tell if he was a virgin or not, he was damn good..." she sighed happily and closed her eyes, as if she'd want to relive that night... those nights...

Monika groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Wake up, Princess, this is not the time for daydreaming. And he's still only Major, what a loser."

"Loser?" Felicia came back to reality sadly. "Why, what are you?"

"Lieutenant."

"But... Isn't that below Major?"

Monika did nothing but frown bitterly.

"Oh!" she laughed. "You're jealous!"

"Shut up." Moni closed the conversation, thinking that day couldn't get any worse already, but little did she know.

For a few minutes they sat quietly at the table, and while Miss Nymphomaniac Italia stared into the air, fantasizing, the virgin soldier played with her spoon to calm herself down. Neither of them noticed a young man approaching them.

The man said something in a cheerful way that Monika didn't understand. It sounded like a greeting to which Felicia started laughing and turned around on her chair to see the man who called out to her.

"Feli!" she jumped up immediately with a grin on her face and opened her arms widely for him. In response, he hugged her so tightly, she could barely breathe. "Ciao!"

Then they hugged, kissed and talked about something... Monika watched the scene curiously and waited patiently until Italia turned back to her and said her name, introducing her to Feli, probably.

"Moni, he's my brother, Feliciano, he arrived to Florence just an hour ago."

"Piacere di conoscerti*," she extended her arm towards him.

"Freut mich, dich kennenzulernen*," he shook her hand with a gentle smile, and Monika was relieved for a second, but for a second only. Maybe he spoke German, so there was a chance she could have a normal conversation with him... But maybe he only spoke German on the same level as she spoke Italian, and that really wasn't a lot.

"I've heard about you before, honestly, I didn't think a soldier could be this pretty," he continued, smiling the whole time as he sat down next to Felicia, convincing Moni that there was still hope for her.

"Thank you..." she replied softly.

So it was true that she couldn't keep her mouth shut, Ita talked to him about her. A faint smile appeared on Moni's lips.

"I've heard a few things about you too."

"I guess that means our Feliciana never changes," he chuckled and quickly ordered a coffee.

So it wasn't only Luciano to call her that, Monika noted. What more, as she carefully took a closer look at his face when he wasn't looking, she noticed features similar to Luciano's. Of course, they were related and she couldn't blame this guy for it, but she hated that she had to think of him again. She hadn't seen Luciano for weeks, and even though from time to time she missed his hands on her, his stupid smirk, his stupid accent, those damned Italian cooes, and all his asshole moves to try to get her in bed, in the end she always told herself it was better this way, without him. She couldn't let him hurt Ita or her again. To hell with Luciano!

Feliciano watched Monika frown at her spoon with interest, wondering what that piece of cutlery had ever done to her, but didn't mention it.

"So how was your trip to the USA?" Felicia asked in German, our of politeness.

"Tiring," he sighed, "but better than I expected."

"Were the kids hard to handle?"

"I think I was the hardest to handle, imagine how excited I was when I saw all those paintings!" he laughed.

Yes, Monika remembered the things Ita told her about him. He flew with a group of students to the States to visit all kinds of art galleries, the trip organized by the school he taught at.

"She never told me," Monika interrupted, "what do you exactly do?"

"I teach art at an elementary school. And I'm their substitute music teacher as well," he said happily. "But in fact, I think they prefer music classes a lot more than art classes, I'm disappointed," he kept smiling anyway. "Speaking about music," he turned to his sister, "my piano in Venice still misses your voice."

"Oh," Felicia waved her hand and looked away for a second, "but I haven't sung for a long time. I mean, singing while brewing and serving coffee is not the same as singing on a stage in Austria."

"My boss was a maniac, he would have a nervous breakdown at every false note. I'm happier in Munich," she placed the cup back on the saucer.

"I don't understand something," Monika spoke again.

"Yes?" Feliciano turned his gaze back at her.

"She told me you were a great artist, why do you teach little kids then? Shouldn't you be teaching on a higher level?"

He laughed and let Felicia answer the question.

"He loves kids, he can't help it," she smiled.

"Ah..."

Moni decided not to say anything for the rest of the time they spent together there. This guy wasn't like Luciano at all. But still, that laugh made her want to punch him in the face. It sounded the same...

Seeing that their foreigner guest didn't want to participate in the conversation any longer, the two of them eventually switched to discussing things in Italian. They talked what it seemed to be hours for Monika, but she sat and listened patiently, sometimes hoping to catch anything from their gabbling.

After some time, it was Feliciano who got her attention again, he called her name softly. She looked up without making a sound. He smiled at her gently as he spoke.

"I've already been to see my family today, I came to look for you two from them. They were expecting me to arrive tomorrow, so we're having lunch together tomorrow, for today I'm free. I've got a small flat nearby that I also use as my little studio at times... There are some finished and unfinished paintings, if you're interested, I'd gladly take you there to show them. And of course I'd take you back to Feliciana as well."

For a few seconds Monika wasn't sure what to think or say. She had a weird feeling to this, as if she felt that there was something more than just looking at his artwork behind his words, but when she looked at Ita, she gave her an innocent, encouraging smile. In the end she decided she wouldn't even mind being away from a big, noisy family for a while, and if she could handle Luciano, Feliciano couldn't be a challenge to her.

"Alright, sure, I'd like to see them," she gave a small smile.

"Great!" he clapped his hands and stood up. "We can go right now."

"See you later, Moni." Ita smiled and got up as well. "I'll meet you back at home when you come."

"Sure..." For whatever reason she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. After all, she was left alone with a stranger, a handsome young man who invited her over to his place right after they met.

In a few minutes, when Felicia had already left, Feliciano paid for their coffees, and the two of them were walking towards his flat side by side. Feliciano watched the envious looks of the men with amusement.