Exchange Experience ~Germany x Reader~

A/N: The reader has a fear of dogs. I know, I’m sorry you dog lovers.


         “Hello, I believe you must be [Y/N] from the exchange program. I am Ludwig Beilschmidt. I hope the time we will spend together will be as valuable to you as it will be for me.” Your eyes met his light blue ones. He was tall, well built, with a serious look on his face. He seemed the hardworking type of guy that was searching the perfection in everything he was doing. His blond hair was carefully slicked back. He was dressed casually, a pair of jeans and a simple buttoned shirt. Even if he looked stern, he was sending good vibes in your direction.

         “I hope the same, Ludwig. Pleased to meet you.” You reached out to shake his hand, which he did politely.

         Without changing any more words you started to walk towards the parking lot. He was somehow intimidating, all tall and strong, you didn’t know how to bring up any kind of conversation subject. Your father offered to help him with the luggage, but he only nodded a ‘no’ in response and continued carrying his stuff. The silence in the car was disturbing you, so you tried to break the ice.

         “So, do you have any hobbies, Ludwig?”

         “Um… I like… reading.” He responded hesitantly.

         “That is fantastic! Me too!” You were glad you found something in common with the German and your conversation started seemed to make him less nervous. He read and knew a lot, his vast knowledge on History and Geography leaving you in awe. You could listen to him for hours. He wouldn’t leave any detail out of his stories.

         “Is there something wrong, [y/n]?” he stopped, noticing the way you were staring at him.

         “Oh, I’m sorry… I was just focused on the interesting facts you were sharing with me.” You blushed turning your face from him. “You know so much information in different subjects, it really impressed me. It’s a pleasure to listen to your revealings.”

         It was Ludwig’s turn to stare at you, only he was surprised. He turned as well away so you wouldn’t observe the pink on his cheeks. Your mom giggled earning a frustrated “Shut up!” from your side and some darker blush from Ludwig. None of the persons in the car said anything else until you arrived home. You were nervously playing with the keys in your hand, because behind that door IT was waiting for you to return. After you unlocked the door, you asked Ludwig to go in first, ignoring his polite requests and following him inside. Your parents passed you two and made their way to the bedroom they were sharing to rest a little.

         “No no no no, please no!” You hid behind the towering German, grabbing his shoulders. He looked worried at you and then observed the cause of your fear.

         A dog came running to the both of you. You let yourself to the floor, still behind Ludwig pleading the animal to go away. But Ludwig, besides kneeling to the dog’s level, didn’t move an inch from the spot he was standing a second before.

         “Is this what you were afraid of, [y/n]?” he let out a shy giggle and stretched his hand to pet the furry creature. It wasn’t one of the big dogs that could hunt you down and break your neck with their sharp teeth, but one of those tiny bichons, always full of cheerful energy, with their tails moving around. “I thought that since you have a dog as a pet, you wouldn’t be afraid of one of their kind?”

         “I know… It’s just…” You backed away slowly from Ludwig, hoping Daisy, the pet, won’t come running at you as well. Seeing this, Lud surrounded the little doggie in his arms and got up, holding it.

         “I am really terrified of them. Even the little ones scare me. Sometimes I cringe just hearing them barking outside in the streets.” Ludwig sat on your couch, Daisy still in his arms and you took a place next to him, but keeping some distance between the two of you. “I’m afraid they will just attack me…”

         “Oh, well dogs don’t attack with no reasons. Unless you step too close to their babies, or you try to hurt them, you shouldn’t worry about them.” He scratched Daisy behind her ears, which made her really pleased. “You know what should actually scare you? People.” He added somber. “They won’t hesitate to hurt you, even if you think they don’t have anything against you.” The tiny smile he was wearing before, probably because of the dog, faded away. “But as I said, there’s nothing to trouble you about them. Especially about this cutie! She only wants you to love her.”

         He hugged the little pet once more before setting her back on the floor. You smiled slightly and got up from the couch, leading Ludwig to his guest room.



         "Done! Finally done!” You left a long sigh, throwing the Math book to the other side of the room. Ludwig gave you a questioning look while he was carefully putting his own along with other notebooks in the schoolbag. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
You got up from the floor and held up the book, preparing to get your own stuff. You knew how picky your friend was when it came to how neat the space around him. You have settled with Lud to do your homework for tomorrow together, so you could spend some time doing other stuff after.
         
         “What would you plan on doing now?” you inquired.

         "Why are you asking me?”

         “Well, you are kind of the guest here. And I want to be a good hostess.”

         “How about we walk Daisy?” he asked reluctantly. “You know… Maybe we can work on your fears… Yeah…” You bit your lip. Your parents were the ones to go out with your dog because you didn’t feel well outside your room, in a place where you couldn’t block the animal away. It kind of hurt that you couldn’t express anything but fear towards the poor thing, when all she wanted was for you to love her back…

         “Sure, let me go grab her leash.”

         Ludwig looked really happy taking care of your doggie. Even if on his face there was a small smile, you knew he was enjoying doing so. At least Daisy could make someone feel better, despite not being you that person.

         “See, she isn’t that bad!” Ludwig told you as Daisy was rolling in the grass.

         “I know… She doesn’t look like those hounds who will bite your bottom. But it somehow frightens me when she comes running at me. I don’t know what to do, so I panic. My parents bought Daisy in the hope of curing my phobias. But I am not used to it, not even 2 years since we had bought her…”

         “I might not be the best one to give advises, but I know from the writings of an ancient Roman Philosopher, that if a dog comes running to you, the first thing to do is drop to the ground. That way, the dog doesn’t consider you a threat, because you are getting to its level.”

         “How do I know they don’t just look for the opportunity to hurt me easier?”

         “I know you might not trust me. Trusting people is hard, but believe me, I have been working with dogs for quite a time to know this.”

         Exhausted from all the running, Daisy has set herself on the grass. You and Ludwig followed the example and lied on the fresh grass as well. He looked so content, so calm watching the pup relaxing. As you were admiring his gorgeous features, his emotions changed abruptly. He frowned and looked kind of worried. You moved a little closed to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He tensed a bit and turned to face you.
         
         “Is everything alright, Ludwig? Is something the matter?”

         “No, liebling. Everything is just fine.” He sighed and you knew he was lying.

         “Hey… I know there’s something troubling you. You did your best to help me, and now I want to do the same.”

         “It’s really nothing. You don’t need to worry about me.” He said sternly, shouting a little bit.

         “I know you are not the kind to pour your feelings in front of anyone. You might think that it makes you look weak and vulnerable. But believe me, it is better sometimes to let a stone off your heart. I understand if you don’t want to tell me. But keep in mind that whenever you feel something is bugging you, I’ll be here to listen and lend a hand.”

         For some time his attention was focused back to the dog. He didn’t say a word, an awkward silence embracing you. You kind of wished for him to tell you how he feels, you wanted to help him. At the same time you didn’t know what kind of secrets he was holding that maybe it was better for you not to know. But he talked.

         “People have always been afraid of me, so they started talking behind my back. They thought I didn’t hear, but I certainly did. They were saying that I was soulless, that I would crush anyone merciless, that I don’t give a damn about anyone or anything around me. They consider me a muscled brute with no heart. They say that my friends, the very few I have, should fear their fate around me. They keep talking how I must have probably done murders before.” He stopped talking, his eyes never leaving the still point he was focusing on.

         “People fear what they don’t know and can’t know. I could bet none of these persons ever tried to even get closer to you. They have no idea what they are talking about.” You scooped next to him, your shoulders touching. He glanced over you. “They never bother to look over the image of the person in front of them, stare into their eyes and take a look at the soul of said person. They are ignorant and ready to enjoy every bit of pain someone could be going through. But I saw the kindness in your eyes when you were taking care of Daisy, the passion for History and thirst for knowledge. I even observed the little blush on your face when you caught me staring at you.” You giggled, the German’s cheeks once again earning that slight pink. “I never once believed you were soulless. You are just… not letting your emotions getting in the way of your actions.”

         You felt an arm making its way around your waist, suddenly being brought to Ludwig’s chest. He whispered something in your ear, but you didn’t quite understand.

         “Danke sehr für Alles, Liebling…”*



         You wanted to pet Daisy, but still something was holding you back. Every time you were getting closer to her sleeping form, you got scared she would bite you for waking her up. But as soon as you thought you made up your mind, a squirrel passed you and your bichon, determining her to jerk awake and start chasing the little rodent. Neither of you were Lud were holding the leash, so you both jumped and ran after your dog. Ludwig was much faster than you, that’s why after the two of them turned around the corner you lost them. But you weren’t alone.

         “No, no, no…” Three pairs of eyes were looking in your direction. You felt how the blood from the veins froze in that second. You knew that you should drop to your knees, to prove that you’re not an enemy, but your impulses were stronger, so you started running in the other direction screaming.

         This was the only signal the stray dogs needed to start chasing you. You were terrified this would be the end for you, which made you keep running and screeching.

         “[Y/n], nein! Stop running!” you heard Ludwig screaming after you, but it was like your body had a mind on its own.

         There you were, dead end, a huge wall in front of you. You continued your sprint towards it to win some time for thinking about the situation. But there you were facing the bricks, three beasts getting closer to you.

         “[Y/n]! Drop down! Do as I told you!” You could only stare at the animals approaching you, not being able to control your muscles. “[Y/n]! Get on your knees in diesem Moment!** Trust me!!”

         In some way, the words worked like a key to your brain and heart. In that second you felt yourself getting to the ground on your knees, hands by your sides. You didn’t know if those dogs were going to rip you apart, but you didn’t break the eye contact between you and them.
As Ludwig expected, the three hounds stopped a few inches from you, the closer one licking your cheek and sitting in front of you as well. You were going to cry, but Ludwig wrapped his hands around your shoulders and got you up.

         “I think that was enough training against your fears for a day, Liebling.” He let out a short laugh. You grabbed the leash from his hands and walked with him and Daisy back home.


         “Please don’t, Ludwig! Don’t you dare!”
         “Okay… Okay… Then I won’t say I told you!”
         “No! Ludwig!”