A/N: This started out as me writing a random one-shot, but when Welcome to the Black Parade came on I instantly had the best idea for a songfic. It is really depressing, and Gilbert never seems to get a break with me...
On another note, if you've never heard Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance, go do that. It's an amazing song. If any of the noticeably quoted lyrics are off, I'm sorry, I wrote them from listening to the song, not looking it up.
Yes, I'm actually uploading something. Don't expect it to continue though because my laptop is still out of commission. I don't have any of my stories, so it's all one-shots for now. It's almost fixed though, so I'll be back soon!
Gilbert rarely ever told his brother when they were going to do something in advance. Maybe he figured that ten-year-olds didn't have plans or maybe he just didn't care.
But one day he walked into Ludwig's room and
announced, "Get your shoes on Lud. We're going on a trip to the city."
As per usual, Ludwig quickly put away his book and laced up his combat boots. Gilbert wore his own pair of the black leather shoes and they headed out the door.
The ride was void of the usual combination of chatter and heavy German rock. It wasn't long before the pair were getting out of the car and walking down a busy sidewalk.
Ludwig still had no idea why or where they were going, and it seemed that Gilbert didn't either. However, soon they reached their destination with minimal casualties.
Said destination was a street blocked off for a parade that was already underway.
The entire trip so far had been in silence, which wasn't unusual for Ludwig, but his albino brother rarely lasted five minutes without talking.
"Lud, when you grow up, would you be the saver of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?" Gilbert's voice was strictly monotone and he continued to watch the flag wavers as they passed; decked out in dark shades of black and waving white and red flags, "Will defeat them? Your demons and all the non-believers. The plans that they have made?"
Ludwig's expression twitched into one of confusion for a moment as he looked up at his strangely serious brother.
The white haired man wasn't finished speaking though, "Because one day I'll leave you. A phantom to lead you in the summer, to join the Black Parade."
This only made the younger even more confused. Black Parade? What was he talking about?
They continued to stand there for a while, and eventually Gilbert returned to his usual, loud self. On the way back he even got Ludwig to sing-along to the loud music that blasted through the car speakers.
"Ludwig..." Gilbert coughed, a red liquid spilling out of his mouth, "Will you... Defeat them?"
Ludwig's eyes squinted against the harsh hospital lights, "What? Bruder, I don't-"
A rough sigh rattled the older's broken body, "Your demons, and all the non-believers?... And the plans that they have made?" He coughed again, more blood staining his pale skin.
Ludwig squeezed the whitening hand he held, with worry on his face, "Bruder, don't talk. You have to save your strength."
Gilbert smiled and blinked slowly as a red trail made its was down his chin to pool with the streams that ran onto crisp white sheets. "I'm leaving you... A phantom to lead you... in the summer... to join... the Black... Parade."
"Bruder?" Ludwig's voice was choked with tears that rarely ever fell.
Silence.
"B-bruder?" He asked again, as if the cold body would suddenly break into a grin and announce 'gotcha!' any moment.
A cold and blank nurse stood by. He cleared his throat and prepare to be the bringer of bad news, "I'm sorry sir, but he's dead."
A blonde soldier marched through war torn streets and dilapidated buildings. He hefted the gun in his hands and looked into one of the ruined structures.
"Hallo?" His hallow voice called out, "Is anyone in there?"
There was no reply, and he turned to leave when he thought he heard the quiet chirp of a song bird.
Someone needs you, Lud.
The soldier stopped and frowned. Another chirp, this one louder, came from inside the broken walls.
Will you be the saver of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?
Gilbert? Ludwig looked back at the gaping hole where a door once stood. That was definitely a bird chirping.
He slowly approached and entered the unsteady building.
"Hallo?" He called once more.
Another chirp and then, barely audible, "H-help..."
It took a bit more searching, but in what might have been a kitchen once, the soldier found what he'd been looking for.
Laying under a pile of rubble was a small man with red-brown hair that had been dusted thickly with broken concrete and shattered glass.
"He..lp...me..."
What could he do? He was just a man, not a hero.
A little yellow bird sat next to the man's head and chirped.
Ludwig grunted as a sharp rock under his combat boot almost made him stumble and drop his precious cargo.
The now sleeping man in his arms shifted slightly in his deep slumber, head resting against the German soldier's chest, while one of the man's arms was left to swing in front of Ludwig as he walked. Would this fragile person make it back to the camp?
You can do it, Lud.
The blonde thought of his older brother and his face took on a new set of determination.
We'll carry on.
Your memory will carry on.
We'll carry on.
And though we're rugged and defeated, we will keep marching on.
And one day, bruder, I'll meet you in the Black Parade.