(I don't own Hetalia.)
Was there anything more humiliating than having to move in with family one had sworn never to speak to again?
Lightning flashed in the sky and thunder clapped angrily, the sky dumping lakes onto this clichéd scene. A man caught without an umbrella or even a proper coat to shield him from the weather. A warn, old suitcase hung from a rusty handle in the man's grasp. It clenched around the metal with its owner's nerves and fear.
I can do this, the man had told himself over and over, I can suck it up and ask.
But he knew he was only lying to himself. He hadn't seen his older brothers in five years. He hadn't even written in three years; no phone calls for two. The only reason he knew where his brothers even lived was because of social networking. Honestly, his oldest brother should be much more careful about what he broadcast on the web.
Lightning flashed, making the man jump and snap back to his present situation.
Right, he thought, I have to get out of the rain. Then again, if he caught pneumonia from the rain and died he wouldn't have to ask for shelter from his siblings.
The most frightening part of that realization was that the man really didn't object to the idea.
He shook himself, squaring his shoulders. What was wrong with him!? Death was not better than asking for help!
But he still couldn't force himself to just go knock on the door, fist clenching and unclenching on his suitcase until the old handle had nearly broken off. The man was on the verge of turning and fleeing, but something stopped him.
Some tiny little voice, high pitched and girlish stopped him from fleeing like the coward he knew he was.
"Please go inside! I don't want o you to get sick and die! What about all of the treats I made you? They'll all go to waste! Please just go inside… Please…"
The voice in his mind faded away into, the man was certain, tears. Oh, how weak he was,,, One little request from her and he would do anything…
Without a second thought, the man walked up to the front door of the home he'd been standing outside of for so long and knocked the door.
Perhaps… Perhaps they weren't home, the man thought hopefully. Perhaps they just forgot to turn off the lights.
But as the sound of feet grew louder, he knew it had been a foolish hope.
The man fought off yet one more wave of terror as the solid door opened and light spilled out onto the porch. He took a deep breath and watched for the angry words he was sure would come.
Silence greeted his ears and he looked up marginally to meet his brother's piercing, suspicious, ice-blue gaze.
Neither man wanted to break the silence, and thankfully, they didn't have to. For, a moment later, a nasally, angry voice called out.
"West! Who was at the door! Shut it would you!? You're always yelling at me for wasting energy or some crap like that! You can't just be a hypocrite! You're not awesome enough to get away with it!"
The annoyed rant was revealed to come from an albino, holding a beer bottle in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.
The man who had opened the door turned to scowl at him. "Gilbert, have you no sense at a-" But his scolding was cut short by the sound of glass shattering on the tile flooring of the entry way.
The bag of chips joined it with a rustle not long after. "…Holy…"
The man standing in the rain straightened. It was now or never… Now or never… "Um… Would you mind if I stayed awhile…?"
The other two exchanged glances, the one with blue eyes seeming sternly resistant to the idea.
Gilbert scowled angrily. "You can't just leave him outside to die in this rain!" And before his brother had a chance to disagree, he grabbed the soaking man by the arm and hauled him forcibly inside.
The man started stammering something like apologies. "I didn't mean to cause problems, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'll go."
"Nonsense Klaus! You're our brother! You're going to spend the night, isn't he, Ludwig?" Gilbert may have phrased it as a question, but both heard the tone making it a statement.
Ludwig sighed. "Ja. Naturlich." Though he didn't sound very happy about it.
"Wunderbar! Klaus, let's go get you dried off and put some sheets on the other bed!" Gilbert steered his littlest brother through the halls while Ludwig got down and picked up the chips and shards of glass his brother had left all over the floor.
Well, Klaus thought, at least it could have been much worse…
~X~
Later that night, when Klaus had showered, changed, and gone to sleep in one of the guest rooms, Gilbert called a 'family meeting'. It was really just Ludwig and he sitting on the couch with beers and a bowl full of pretzels between them.
"So. What should we do about Klaus?"
"I don't want him to be here in the first place."
"Why not? Are you still angry about that whole business with that one girl you both liked?"
"Of course not. I don't hold grudges for that long. I'm not you."
Gilbert snorted at that comment. "When's the last time I held a grudge for more than an hour?"
"When you threatened never to speak to me again for taking the last beer a week ago." Ludwig frowned at him. "Is your memory really that bad?"
"Shut up! I was making a point!"
"We're off topic. You asked me what I want to do about Klaus. I want to know what he wants here, either give it to him or don't, and have him gone again."
"You can be a big ass sometimes, Lud. Hey, if I ever end up doing what Klaus did, you have to promise not to kick me out!"
"No guarantees, Bruder." Ludwig took a sip of his beer and popped a pretzel into his mouth as his older brother stuck his tongue out at him.
"Fine. But being the awesome older brother, I have veto power over you. That way it's a democracy."
"Do I have veto power over you?"
"No. How would we ever get anywhere then?"
"I'm smarter and would cause fewer problems with the law. Besides, if only one of us has veto power that makes the house a dictatorship and I don't agree with that."
"Veto power!" Gilbert grinned. "Now enough with your fancy-shmancy politics! I don't give a crap what you call it as long as I have power over you."
Ludwig sighed and rubbed his face with his free hand. "You know, one of these days I'm going to pile all of your things on the lawn and set them on fire."
"I had no idea you were such a pyromaniac."
"Gilbert, shut up." The middle child stood up. "I'm going to bed. If I wake up to you screaming at your video game again tonight, I'm going to get my old gun out and shoot it."
The pale man gasped. "Lud that is so not awesome! I can't believe you'd threaten to shoot my game!"
His brother grunted, draining the last of his beer and heading down the halls of their apartment to his bedroom.
Gilbert stayed up late, drinking and watching re-runs of reality shows on TV and playing video games Ludwig didn't like in the house.