Author's Notes:
This story is my own tribute to the Hetalia fanfiction which I adore so much. It features one of my favorite pairings: Australia x New Zealand.
Constructive criticism is more than welcome. Also, as my page states: please give me verbs or anything! Anyone who helps me expand my vocabulary will have my love and affection.
Finally, I would like to thank author Terra Saltt for helping me get this chapter out.
The ticking was going to drive me insane. The noise from the clock on the wall above the desk in front of me had been my sole form of entertainment for the better part of an hour. It was as if the people here had purposely placed it there, for everyone waiting to see. The clock was like a countdown meter, but you had no idea when your time was up. If I was not making an effort not to prove myself a completely unstable individual, I would have torn it off the wall and shattered the thing to pieces long ago.
However, there was a woman sitting at the desk before me, answering the phone and typing on the computer before her. Every so often, she would glance over at me as if certain I was preparing to make a break for it at any moment. You would think that the sliding bared doors would do the trick, but I guess you can never be too careful when it comes to criminals.
My hopes of destroying the demon clock ruined, I sighed and leaned forward more, the chair a creaking mixture of fake steel and cheap plastic. The color, bright orange, a striking comparison to the dull whites and greys that comprised the rest of the scenery. With the exception of the blue police uniforms, of course.
When had I become a "dangerous criminal"? Not one person had stated this aloud, but the thought was there. In every glance that was thrown my way to every sudden reaction to every movement I made. The air was thick and tense with accusation.
An office door opened, a man coming out to call someone else in before shutting the door once more. Honestly, how long did they plan to keep me waiting? Other than the low null of voices and casual shuffling of papers, the building was dead quiet. The false lighting casting ominous shadows over everything in sight. This place was only getting freakier the longer they kept me sitting here, waiting for some unknown being to send me plummeting into my fate.
"Jett Kirkland."
I jolted at hearing my name being called. If I could find my ability to breath, I probably would have screamed too. Now that it was actually my turn all the longing had vanished completely. Suddenly, I was struck with the feeling that I was not ready yet. I did not move—for a moment I wondered if I even could. I could feel the eyes trained on me and the stress in the air. Everyone, the lady at the desk and the police guarding the exits, were waiting for me to make my move. Through the corner of my eye, I could see the guards exchange a look before one of them made a move towards me. The drumming in my chest almost completely drowning out the sound of the footsteps approaching. Their owner cutting off the guard and standing between us.
"Jett Kirkland?" the voice spoke once again.
Even though I was not certain how this mess even happened, I also knew I could not get out of it. Slowly, I lifted my head to face the voice. The man standing tall, but somehow patiently, in front of me was tall, maybe even more so than me. His face wore a serious expression matching that of his pristine suit. He stared at me for a moment before he nodded and turned, gesturing me to follow.
I entered his office, him closing the door after me. The office was just as perfect as he was – orderly, clean and professional. There was one small window showing the clear sky and providing the room with natural light. For some odd reason, I felt a lot calmer than before. He moved forward to sit behind a perfectly organized desk which had a simple plague sitting on top. The message was so clear that for a moment I wondered why I still felt like I did not understand.
Ludwig Beilschmidt - Juvenile Probation Officer
"Please have a seat." He said gruffly, motioning for me to take the seat in the chair on the side opposite of him. The chair was slightly more comfortable than the one outside in the hallway, not by a lot, but still better and it was not that terrible prison uniform orange color. I did so as he removed a file from his drawer. Now that my nerves were not on edge so much, I noted that the man – Ludwig – had a very strongly accented voice.
"Vell, Mr. Kirkland, I'm sure you know vhy you here." Ludwig replied shortly, arranging documents on his desk and grabbing a pen from the black cup on the desk.
"Uhhh…" I really had no idea how to answer that. It did not really matter, though, because Ludwig cut me off immediately.
"As you are a minor, the law has arranged for you to have allowances. You vill be given a period of community service that, if completed successfully, vill relieve you of hard time in jail, prison, or juvenile hall." Ludwig sounded as if he had given this speech many times before, making it sound very nonchalant.
Community service? That could not be all bad, right? From my understanding that meant a lot of time working outside or at shelters and stuff. Much better than rotting away in a tiny cell for who knows how long.
"Hey, so…what kind of community service" I interrupted. Ludwig's words stopped completely as his gaze moved to my face. The inquisitive look he was giving me had me squirming as far back into my chair as I could manage. Ludwig folded his hands on the desk and leaned forward.
"Mr. Kirkland, you see mein bruder has been in …similar situations…" Ludwig paused there for a moment, closing his eyes as if to fight off an oncoming headache. "He managed to vork off some of his time vith a vellness center."
Wellness center? What, a place for sick people? I was not aware that criminals were allowed to work with sick people. Surely someone would be concerned about me suffocating someone with a pillow or slitting another's throat with their dinner spoon. I would not put it past anyone to think me capable of that at this point.
"Are you sure that it's okay for me to work with sick people?" I questioned Ludwig, trying to put my thoughts into my words the best way possible. Ludwig merely continued writing down whatever it was he was writing. I vaguely wondered if he was writing some examination essay. What if this whole thing was just an interview to see if I was worth community service? I hoped I was not failing.
"Vellness centers are not so much for sick people as they are for people vho have trouble caring for themselves, and no, normally ve do not assign such tasks as community service." Aha! My suspicions were confirmed. There had to be some alternative reason for claiming me capable to care for someone else.
"Then why…?" I drew out in order to explain my confusion. Though it may have only served to make me look dumb. I was often told that I, more often than not, did not always reek of some charming level of intelligence. Or any, most of the time.
"Listen. Mein bruder still volunteers at a certain vellness center. There is a tenet there that has not been…" Ludwig's sentence stopped as he clearly looked for the right word "…vorking vell with community volunteers or the doctors, even. Everyone is vorried. The staff there is hoping that the tenet vill improve if there was someone around the same age to socialize vith."
I just stared at him in somewhat disbelief. So my punishment was to keep someone company? That sounded so simple that there was no way I could believe it to be true. Just until a moment ago, it seemed like I was going to be locked away forever. Ludwig must have caught onto my doubt, because he let out a sigh and pushed a pamphlet that he had with the rest of the file, MY file, towards me.
"Look." Ludwig began while rubbing his temples. "If the doctors feel that you und the tenet just aren't vorking out, then I vill find another means of community service for you."
I smiled widely at Ludwig, when I heard that. Mostly in relief at how well everything had turned out. At least if this person was totally unreasonable, I would not be blamed completely.
"Alright—" I began cheerfully. Probably too cheerfully, because Ludwig did not seem altogether pleased with my answer.
"However, you must at least try. If I feel that you aren't even doing that much, then I vill mark you for violating your probation und you vill face adult charges. Understand?" Ludwig's tone was deadly serious, now.
My smile faded for some reason when I heard his tone, saw his expression. I looked at the pamphlet that had been pushed in front of me, not daring to touch it. I was not fully certain I wanted to read the cover. It was not as if I was thinking that I could sneak by with easy punishment. I knew, despite what people seemed to think, how serious my situation was …and how serious the tenet's situation must be if doctors were desperate enough to send a criminal in.
Slowly, steeling myself as if it was going to burn me, I reached out and took hold of the pamphlet lying in front of me. It would be alright, after all.
All I had to do was become someone's friend.
This chapter drove me insane, but it sets the stage, so please bear with me. Thank you for reading!