Germany was standing in America's office waiting for the never punctual blonde to show up. He had urgent business that he wanted to discuss and the American had done him the courtesy of being late. Germany agitatedly checked his watch again and the slowly moving hands again confirmed that the American was late. Germany sat in the chair on his side of the empty desk. Irritated, he tapped his finger against the arm of the chair. Suddenly, the door behind him banged open. He immediately jumped to his feet and turned to face the door. He had a very pressing point to discuss with America and nothing was going to stop him. But America looked right through Germany. His blue eyes were cold and focused.
He walked right past Germany and all the way around the desk before he finally seemed to notice that Germany was there. America looked right at him and started. He said in a voice that did nothing to conceal his shock, "Oh, Ludwig. What are you doing here?" This seemed to be odd behavior, but Germany was still not quite certain what to expect from the superpower that had been helping him get back on his feet. He was not certain how strange this actually was, so he brushed it off and moved straight on to what he wanted to say, "Alfred, we had an appointment and you are late. I want to talk to you about my brother. When the war ended we agreed that the economic zones would be temporary, but I have not seen Gil since the end of the war. Please understand, he's my brother and I need to get him back."
Germany swallowed the last words that swelled up in his throat because they felt thick in his throat. That meant that he was about to, very uncharacteristically, cry. It was childish and unusual for him to show this much emotion, but he couldn't help himself. For as long as he could remember, Gilbert had always cared for him and always protected him. When he had had the chance to protect his brother, he had done nothing. The image of Russia with his hand on Prussia's shoulder, leading the albino away was still burned into Germany's mind. That had been the last time he had seen his brother, and it had been in the company of a psychopath who was notorious for abusing his charges.
America sighed and slowly sunk into his own chair, "Look, Ludwig. There's nothing I can do. East Germany is an independent country with its own government." Germany scoffed and it felt almost painful, "That isn't a government, that's a group of Soviet puppets with no legitimacy and we both know it!" America sighed again, "I don't have time for your domestic issues right now. I just had a spy plane go down in Soviet territory and if Ivan gets anything useful out of it, there will be hell to pay." Germany leaned back in his chair, disappointed that his reunion with the single most important person in his life was less important than a single crashed plane. Without contact with Gilbert, Germany couldn't stop himself from imagining what Russia was doing to his brother. He thought about horrific forms of torture and he couldn't stop himself until he saw his brother again. But, there was no moving America at this point and nothing Germany could say would change that.
The red phone sitting on the American's desk abruptly started to ring. America jumped out of shock and said haltingly, "That's the phone to Moscow. This can't be good." Germany's interest was piqued, but he had no real reason to care about the little political squabbles between America and the Soviet Union. America put his hand on the phone and slowly pulled it to his ear, the red phone cord stretching out as he did so. Tentatively America said, "Hello?" There was a second of silence before America looked directly at Germany and tipped the earpiece slightly away from his ear. Germany could hear a very familiar voice ringing out of the earpiece, "You seem to have lost something, Alfred." Germany spoke before he could stop himself in a low whisper, "Gil."
GDR wrapped the phone cord absentmindedly around his finger as he spoke, "Hello. You seem to have lost something, Alfred." He smirked as the American on the other end of the line said, "So the U-2 went down. You won't get anything out of it." GDR tapped his heel against the desk, which he was currently sitting on, and felt a rising sense of triumph. He knew he could hurt his enemy on the other end of the phone. He said simply, "The pilot survived the crash."
America's whole body went stiff and Germany could see that he was unnerved. The German, however, was fixated on the voice coming out of the phone, his brother's voice. He wanted desperately to grab the phone out of America's hand and have a conversation with his brother. He wanted to tell Gilbert about 15 years of trivialities and concerns and have his brother listen to everything, just like they used to. They had had no secrets from each other for so long, and now Germany saw the chance to have it again so close.
America recovered from his shock and said, "Put Ivan on the phone, I won't bargain with a satellite state." Germany made a growling noise in the back of his throat, offended by America's disparaging remark about his brother. He didn't want to think of his brother as simply an extension of Russia, which was what America was suggesting. But, the American wasn't paying any attention to Germany; he was instead waiting for a response to his biting comment.
GDR didn't bother to be offended; he didn't care what the country that was the epitome of capitalism thought of him. He was Russia's satellite state; he had no illusions about the fact and was certainly not upset about it. Russia's possession was comforting; it affirmed that GDR had a place where he was wanted and where he for the other demand, he responded, "Ivan is dealing with your pilot. You might want to make a deal quickly. Ivan can be very persuasive and I would know." He started to chuckle as he thought about the incidents he was referring to in the last word. He added, "Who knows, maybe we will be able to make him a loyal communist."
Germany felt a chill race down his spine when his brother's voice rolled over the word persuasive. There was something very obviously different about his brother and he couldn't say what it was. America's teeth were clenched and Germany could tell that the younger blonde was attempting to keep himself from saying something that would cause Prussia to hang up. America's hands were so tightly clenched into fists that his knuckles were turning white. He spoke, finally releasing his clenched teeth, "Tell me, Gilbert, what does it feel like to sell your soul to the devil? Are you still proud when he has you on your knees?"
Germany tried to say something to stop the insults that Alfred was raining down on his brother. But as soon as the first half-formed syllables of the words escaped his lips, America, who was now standing and pacing, waved him away. This was the state that the American always worked himself into when he was talking to a communist nation and it normally didn't bother Germany, but he could feel his heart sinking as America willfully drove the wedge between him and his brother farther in.
GDR didn't feel genuinely stung by this insult either. He did object to the American pig calling his lover the devil, but it didn't matter. America could hang on to his illusions about winning on a grand scale, but when the time came GDR knew that he and his lover would have their way eventually. On the other side of the room, the door opened and Russia walked through it. GDR's felt a warm smile spread across his face at the sight and he saw a matching smile appear on his lover's face. Russia immediately walked over to the desk where GDR was sitting. Russia put his hand lightly on the lower part of the phone before leaning in and kissing GDR's lips. It was not a lusty kiss; it was a soft kiss of greeting. When their lips parted, GDR whispered softly, "Welcome back, Vanya." The other put his hand softly and protectively on GDR's thigh. He responded in a voice just as quiet, "Thank you, bunny. I hope I haven't been gone for too long. Is that Alfred on the phone?"
GDR nodded and moved the red phone away from his head. Russia didn't take the phone immediately, instead he asked with genuine concern, "He didn't try to convert you, did he?" GDR laughed and leaned forward so he was closer to Russia and looked straight into those endless violet eyes. He said, a laugh still in his voice, "He didn't even try. I think he thinks I'm a lost cause. He already knows I belong to you."
Russia moved the hand that was on the voice-piece of the phone to take a hold of the phone. GDR handed the phone over with no resistance. Russia put it to his ear and said, "You want to deal with me, Alfred? Here I am, let's deal." As he started talking, Russia turned around so that his back was to the desk, but he still had his hand on his lover's leg. GDR leaned over and rested both of his hands and his chin on Russia's shoulder. The Russian angled the phone slightly away from his ear so that his lover could hear the conversation.
America's irritating voice sounded through the phone, "About time. I hope you're proud of what you did to Prussia. You really fucked with his mind." GDR was rather unperturbed by the comment; America's opinion had very little to do with him. But he felt Russia's hand tighten on his thigh. Russia responded coldly, "You don't get to say what I do with my own charges. Are you jealous, Alfred?"
America didn't seem to get the point that he needed to drop the topic, he continued, "Of you? Never. You're going to have to tell me how you turn a staunch Nazi into a staunch communist because I want to know." Ivan's hand tightened more to the point where it was slightly painful. Russia was breathing very deeply in through his nose in an attempt to calm himself. GDR understood the reason; nothing hurt Russia more than being reminded of Gilbert's betrayal during the Second World War.
GDR leaned forward and said in Russia's ear, "Please don't let him get to you. He's words don't mean anything." The Russian put his hand over the bottom of the phone again and turned his head to look at GDR. The German could see the pain in the depths of his eyes and it hurt him as well. Russia said, "Thank you for that, Gil. I don't know what I'd do without you." He then turned back to the phone and said, his voice completely cold and emotionless, "This isn't about my East Germany. This is about your plane and your pilot. You were spying on me again and now the world is going to know it. There are two ways this could go: You can keep denying that you're spying again and I can execute him for espionage or you can admit it and he can come back to you after a short imprisonment. It's your choice."
America stopped moving and started biting into his lower lip. After a second of silence, he looked down at the floor, obviously defeated. Germany was on his feet, ready to fervently object to America throwing around the word Nazi. But the defeat that went through America's frame made it harder to say anything at all. America had stopped allowing Germany to hear the conversation when Russia had gotten on the phone. America said weakly into the phone, "Please give me a few moments to think about it." He laid the phone on its side on his desk and turned back to Germany. The American looked ashen and pale.
Germany looked down at the phone on the desk and thought about the way his brother's voice had recently come out of it. If he could get his brother back on the phone, he could talk to him, make him see sense. He refused to believe that the brother who had raised him could completely become a communist. He pointed to it and said, "Alfred, can I use that to talk to my brother?"
America looked at the phone doubtfully and then back at Germany, "I would say yes if you were actually going to be able to talk to your brother, but you wouldn't. Yes, Ivan may hand the phone to Gilbert, but you need to trust me when I say that the man that you would talk to is no longer your brother." The German immediately bristled, "What do you mean by that? He's always been my brother; he raised me."
The American slammed one hand into the desk in frustrated anger, "Weren't you listening? 'Maybe we will be able to make him a loyal communist'; he considers himself to be part of the Soviet block, that's perfectly clear. I let you listen so you could realize how far gone he is." Germany took a step back and started to shake his head. He refused to believe that his brother was out of his reach. He and Prussia had always been so close and not even the superpowers could alter their connection. If Prussia was acting this way, it was because he had to when Russia was watching him and he needed to do it for the sake of his own safety.
Finally he responded to the American, "You know I can't accept that. You don't know him the way I do; he isn't the sort of man who trades his loyalties so casually." Swiftly, America reached out and grabbed the phone and said into it, "Ivan, I need a few more minutes to make my decision. There is someone else here who would like to have some words with you." The blonde nodded briefly and then reached across the table to offer Germany the phone. The German looked at him questioningly and America responded to the look, "There you go. See if you can even convince him to let you talk to East Germany." Tentatively, Germany took the phone and said, "Hallo, Ivan."
Russia turned his head and looked at GDR, who was also surprised to hear his brother's voice come out of the phone. He could see the question in his lover's eyes. Russia mouthed, "That's Ludwig isn't it?" GDR nodded in response. Russia turned back to the phone, "Hello, West Germany, what do you want to talk to me about?" There was a moment of silence and then Germany said, "I want to talk to my brother. Please hand Gil the phone." Russia went completely still and responded quickly and coldly, "No, I forbid that."
GDR spoke in Russia's ear, "Come now Vanya, let me talk to my fascist brother. Let me tell him that I am completely loyal to you," He leaned in even closer and nipped lightly at his lover's earlobe in an attempt to be more persuasive. He saw goose bumps blossom on the other's neck. Russia put his hand over the bottom of the phone and turned to his lover. His voice had been cold, but his expression softened. When he spoke to GDR, his voice had also softened, "You would love that, wouldn't you, bunny? But, I don't trust his influence over you. He made you betray me, don't you remember? He leaned over and brushed his lips over GDR's in a very light kiss. He spoke again, "You have to trust me. You do don't you?" GDR nodded, "Of course I do."
Germany responded over the conversation, "Why not?" Russia turned back to the phone and said, keeping his voice cold and level, "Because I don't need you whispering your fascist lies in his ear." He heard an offended gasp from the other side of the phone. Russia tapped his finger lightly against the phone while he waited for a response.
Finally, Germany said, "Why don't you ask Gil what he thinks? I know he wants to talk to me." Russia absentmindedly moved his hand farther up Gilbert's thigh. He scoffed, but GDR could tell that there was no real amusement in it, "You know I can see through you. What you want is to have a united Germany. I will not let you try to corrupt Gilbert. Red is a good color on him, and I intend to keep him right here by my side." GDR whispered in his lover's ear, "Tell him I don't want to go back. I won't be his subordinate again." Russia laughed, not bothering to cover the phone, "He won't go back to you. Hand the phone over to Alfred, his time to decide is up."
Germany was standing stock still trying to deal with the anger that was bubbling up in his throat. He suddenly understood why talking to a communist nation made America so mad. It had been worse than talking to a wall, it was likening talking to a wall that knew his desires and his fears. He numbly took the phone away from his ear and silently made to hand the phone to America. The other looked at the phone and then said, "So, are you satisfied?" Germany silently nodded. America seemed satisfied that he had made his point and took the phone back. As soon as he had it at his ear again he said, "You have it your way. I'll admit that I'm spying."
After he got the answer, Russia hung up the phone. After doing so, he turned around again and looked directly at GDR. The albino reached back and located a wooden box, which he then opened and took a cigarette out of. Russia took a lighter out of his pocket and put it to the cigarette as GDR put it to his lips. Russia smirked and said, "Now that I'm in a good mood, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" GDR took a long pull from the cigarette and exhaled as he said, "I'm sure that you already know that I'm having a problem with people going to West Berlin. I need you to do something to stop it; I can't keep hemorrhaging people this way." Russia finally put his other hand to GDR's face and said, "Actually I've been thinking about that quite a bit recently. How do you feel about a wall?"
