"Have you noticed how strange Gilbert's been acting?" Elizabeta asks Ludwig sitting at his table along with Roderich, and Feliciano. "No Hungary, I have not." Germany states, sitting down at the table next to Italy. "I have. He's either talking on the phone or running away from us the first chance he gets. " Austria says. "Yeah, yesterday I asked him to help me make pasta and he said he had to go buy Gilbird a hat." Italy adds, putting his chin on his hands. "Have you honestly not noticed this strange behavior?" Roderich asks looking at the blond. "Nein." Ludwig states.
A DAY LATER
"Doitsu! Kiku wants you over at his house ASAP. Come on!" Feliciano says and drags Ludwig out of Prussia's home to a car waiting nearby an throws him in it and hits it twice and the car speeds off. "Never knew he was that strong." Hungary says as she and Austria come out of the bushes. Feliciano simply smiles. "Let's just get into his house." Roderich says dusting off leaves that stuck to him. They walk to the big glass double doors. "So modest." Hungary mumbles and picks the lock of the a stately manor. She opens the door and they walk into the house and hear a piano being played/a. Hungary puts a finger to her lips and they follow the sound. They follow it all the way to the back of the house into a giant room that was probably used for balls a long time ago. Now it housed many instruments, and piles of sheet music. Some weapons were also in the room but they were on a far wall. Almost every instrument imaginable was here. And right in the middle of the room were two grand pianos. One was a square piano from early European days. It looked like it hadn't been played in a long other one had an Albino playing it wholeheartedly/a. The three nations looked at the Prussian. They did not expect him to be able to play at all. They thought that if he played any instrument it'd be a guitar or the drums, not the stops about 3/4 in. And switches to a different song.
Gilbert was oblivious to the three nations watching him. He stopped 3/4 into his original song for no real reason other than he felt he needed to change pace. He started playing a song he wrote himself a while ago, it could be played on the guitar and drums and even had lyrics but he liked the piano version best. It was not easy to play though. It was even harder for him and he had to stop half way through. He gripped his hand in pain. Even though it'd been over 20 years since the break had happened his hand was still in pain. The doctor who had looked at him told him it would be impossible for him to play any instrument that required fingers, so basically all the instruments he'd come to love. He could no longer play the flute no matter how hard he tried. His hands wouldn't allow it. He couldn't play any of the music Old Fritz had taught him. The only instrument he could play without being in extreme pain was the drums but he did not like to play them unless it was to annoy his brother. Tears seeped from his eyes onto the keys of the piano, even though he was trying not to cry he could not hold it back. He had learned how to play so many instruments, he knew so many songs, he had spent so many years collecting ancient instruments to play, he had so many centuries of experience, he knew so many great composers, he had been taught about the piano by them. And all of that learning and collecting had been thrown away by one country. One country shattered the bones in his body, his hands especially, so many times that they refused to heal properly. He could barely raise his arms above his head without being in extreme pain. And the only one who knew any of this was Ludwig. The only reason he knew was because he found Gilbert crying in shower after his legs gave out and he couldn't stand. He was humiliated and hated that his younger brother had to help him. After that Ludwig forced him to go to a doctor who told the old country what he already knew.
The three countries watched as Gilbert cried. "We should leave." Roderich says and the others nod. They quietly sneak back out of the house and walk away. "I-I never expected..." Elizabeta could not finish her sentence. "I-I always thought Gil was strong, and indestructible, but-" Feliciano started crying and could not finish his sentence. A shadow falls over the three nations and they look up to see an angry German. "Why did you try to send me to Japan?" He asks. "We-uh- we were-" Feliciano stuttered not being able to say what they were doing. Ludwig sighs figuring they went into the house and saw his bruder. "Come on." He says and leads them to a little coffee shop. They sit in one of the booths and drinks are served to them. "So I take it you saw Gil?" Ludwig says just staring at the drink in front of him. "Yes." Roderich says drinking his coffee. "Why was he crying?" Elizabeta asks not drinking her coffee. "Russia broke his hands. As well as almost every bone in his body. Multiple times. I only found out about it 5 years ago. He's in constant pain because his bones are still trying to figure out how to repair themselves or if they should. Apparently there was no pattern to Russia's attacks. Some days he wouldn't even be in the same room and Gilbert other days, Gil was used as a punching bag until blood started seeping from his mouth and every part of his body. His hands always took the worst damage. Before the Berlin Wall, Gil loved to play. He learned how to play the piano from Beethoven, learned the flute from old Fritz and learn many other instruments from many different people. Now he can barely play the piano without being in extreme pain. The only instrument he can play without being in pain is the drums." Ludwig explains, turning the mug around in his hands. Then he looks up at the people around him. "You can't treat him differently. He doesn't want sympathy. He wants to be treated as he always was until he disappears." Ludwig wipes away the tears that came with the last statement.
SEVERAL DAYS LATER
"I don't remember doing anything wrong. Why are you here Lizzy?" Gilbert asks as he whittles a stick into a stake. "I need to tell you something." She says and sits on a log opposite to the Prussian. Gilbert continues to whittle waiting for her to speak which she doesn't do for almost an hour. "Liz. What is it?" He asks finally looking up at her. "Several days ago, me, Roderich and Feliciano broke into your home. We wanted to know why you were avoiding us-" Gilbert cuts in. "I wasn't, and am not. I've just had things to do. And let me get this straight. You broke into my house!?" Gilbert asks looking directly at the Hungarian woman. "Yes, but-" She sighs "we heard the piano playing and went to see who it was. We watched you play and then you started crying and we left. Then Ludwig told us everything." Elizabeta says and Prussian throws his knife into the ground, narrowly missing his foot. "He shouldn't have." Gil states twirling the wooden weapon in his fingers. "But-" Gilbert cuts Lizzy off with a glare. "I don't need sympathy. " He states, sounding as deadly as he would if he was speaking with an enemy. "But Russia should-" Gilbert cuts Hungary off again. "Should what? Care? Apologize? Know what he did? Why? What good will it do? A simple apology can't change the past nor will knowing how it impacted my life." Gilbert says standing up and walking away. Hungary stands up as well and follows "But maybe you could work something out? Break his fingers?" Gilbert stops and turns around. "What good will that do? He doesn't care. The only way to hurt that giant is to hurt his sisters, and I don't have a death wish." Gilbert says glaring at Hungary before stalking off. This time Hungary doesn't follow.
Gilbert returns to his house and goes to the back to find Roderich cleaning his old piano. "What're you doing?" He asks setting the stake on a nearby table. "You should really take better care of your instruments. Several of your stings were out of tune, your woodwinds were beginning to rust and your cello and bass are missing some strings. Not to mention how dusty this is." Roderich states and continues to clean the old piano. "If you're here out of sympathy, leave. " Gilbert says crossing his arms. "Lizzy told me you know along with Italy. I don't care for sympathy. I never have. " He adds glaring at Austria. "I'm not here out of sympathy. Like you I've never been for it. However, you're probably the most adequate piano player I have met in a long time." Roderich adds finishing cleaning the piano. Prussia scoffs. "I can only play Beethoven's duets. Mozart's just confuse me. " Gilbert says, walking toward the grand piano. Roderich flashes a small smile that's gone almost as soon as it appeared. Roderich sits next to Gilbert on the bench at the grand piano. "5th symphony?" Roderich asks, and Gilbert nods and they play.
A DAY LATER
"I'm aware of what брат did to Prussia. I was there remember?" Ukraine says sticking her pitch fork into the ground and looking over at the two southern nations. "Do you know how badly that impacted his life?" Hungary asks with pleading eyes. "No I don't. But I doubt брат would care. Don't you remember what happened to the Baltic's. He's never apologized to them, why would he to an ex-country he hates?" Ukraine says picking up her pitchfork again and walking away. "Ve~ I don't think anyone cares." Italy says opening his eyes. "Maybe if he was a country they would." Hungary mumbles.
A DAY LATER
A knock is heard throughout Prussia's house. The albino groggily gets up and goes to the door. He sees who it is before he opens the door thanks to the glass. Unthankful to the glass they see him to so he can't very well ignore them. Well he could he's just rather not buy a new door. He opens the door and blankly stares up at Russia. "What do you want?" He asks, crossing his arms. Russia did not want to be there anymore than Prussia wanted him there but his sisters were scary. "May I come in?" Russia asks, hoping that his sister's glare wouldn't be as effective once he was in the house. Prussia steps out of the doorway, figuring the large nation would probably come in even without his consent. After the Russian was inside Gilbert shut the door. "What do you want?" He asks, Russia simply ignores him and walks around the albino's home. He finds the kitchen and sits down at the island. Gilbert follows him and sits opposite to him at the island. "Do you need something?" He asks quite annoyed with the Russian. "Er- this is embarrassing." Ivan mumbles putting his face in his hands. Gilbert waits patiently for the Russian to speak loud enough for him to hear without having to strain. "I've been order to apologize for what happened in the 1900s. After the Berlin Wall." Ivan says, hands still covering his face. "извините." Russia states his apology in Russian. Despite hating the man and the country, Prussia knew enough Russian to know what he said. It probably should mean more since he said it in his own tongue but it didn't make Gilbert care any more. "If Lizzy put you up to this tell her I don't care." Gilbert says and leaves the kitchen not caring about the Russian anymore. Russia had been forced to apologize by his sisters but was curious as to why but neither said anything other than it had to do with what happened after the Berlin wall.
SOME TIME LATER THE SAME DAY
Russia was still in Gilbert's house, and Prussia was well aware of this, they just avoided each other the best they could. Which was pretty easy considering Gilbert stayed in the music room mostly only leaving to go to the washroom or get food. Russia decided to explore the place a bit. He goes into a living room and notices several pictures on the mantel. He looks at each and notices a lot of them are in black and white and from before the Berlin Wall. Only one was in colour and that was the one in the middle. It had Canada making pancakes. Russia smiled a bit and looked at the other pictures. The rest are of Prussia playing instruments. The one to the right of the middle is him playing a grand piano with a smile on his face and his bird on his head looking equally happy. The one next to that one was him playing the violin with a serious look on his face. "Wonder how hard that was for him." Russia mumbles and looks at the pictures on the left of the middle picture. The one directly left was him playing the flute with a smile. Then him playing a square piano with a sorrowful look on his face. "I can't play." Gilbert states from the doorway of the room. Russia turns to the Prussian in hopes of an explanation. "How what you did affected me. I can't play any instrument. It hurts to even write. "Gilbert states, he didn't really want to tell Russia but he figured it was the only way to get him out of his house. "Now that you know, you can leave. I don't need an apology or any sympathy. Tell whoever made you apologize that I don't need one nor do I care. A simple word cannot fix what the past has broken." Prussia states and walks away. Russia looks at the pictures once more before he leaves the house.
When he hears the door close Prussia walks into the music room. He grabs the flute and positions his fingers correctly for the song he wished to play and started. About 30 seconds in his hands started hurting and at a minute it was unbearable. he curled up into a ball and held his hands close to his body, the flute had been dropped to the floor.
About an hour after the flute incident Prussia was tired. He didn't even bother walking up to his room. He just fell asleep right there on the floor. His chest felt tingly. And really light. His breath started coming in and out in shallow gasps despite this and Prussia instantly awoke and took deep breaths. Then started coughing up liquid. Blood. "Not leaving." Prussia mutters then stands up and goes to the bathroom. He washes his face and drinks some water. He turns off the tap and winces at the pain. "I wonder how long it'll be before I lose control of my hands entirely." Prussia mutters then walks out of the bathroom and back into the music room. He sits at the bench of the now clean square piano. "I'm dying there's nothing I can do about that. But maybe there us something I can do for the others." Gilbert thinks and grabs some blank sheets with the staff on them. He puts them on the stand and starts playing, writing down what he thinks works. After he's done the song which is about 10 pages long, he's extremely tired but shakes his head and gets up from the grabs some blank paper and walks back to the music room. He writes on each of them and places them side by side on the stand of the Grand Piano with the names of the people they're meant for written on them. He starts playing his favourite song, despite how tiring it was. Tears escaped his eyes as he played and he heard his front door open. "GILBERT!" He hears West's voice carry through the house but he doesn't shout back. He coughs a bit and blood gets on the bone-white keys. His playing falters a bit as he continues to cough but he doesn't stop not until his hands are no longer solid. "Bruder!" Germany shouts as he appears in the doorway of the music room. Prussia simply looks over at him smiling and thats the last thing to disappear. "B-bruder." Ludwig says after his brother disappeared completely. He walked over to the piano, tears falling from his eyes and notices a note on the stand. He opened it and read. "Dear Ludwig, there are many things I wish to have taught you but did not have time to. I hope I was an awesome big bruder anyway! Always keep me in your heart! -Gilbert. P.S. There are several things I wanted to tell you but was sworn to secrecy. Since I am dying anyways I might as well reveal something to you. Your name isn't Germany. It's Holy Roman Empire. Hope the awesome me does not get yelled at by France in the otherworld!" Ludwig just stared at the letter after he read it. "Bruder knew?" Ludwig asks himself and hears the door. "Gilbert!" Hungary shouts from the front door. And Germany hears heavy footsteps and something being dragged. He wipes away the tears that had fallen and sat down on the bench of the piano. The keys were covered in blood. "Ludwig, where's Gilbert?" Elizabeta asks from the entrance of the music room with Russia by the ear in one hand and Austria by the ear in the other. "Gone." Ludwig says staring blankly at the letters on the stand. There were two other than his. "What do you mean gone? I'll find him what way did he go?" Hungary asks angry releasing both nations from her grasp but neither runs away. "I mean he disappeared. And I don't know which way he went. He was sitting here when I came in then a few seconds later he was gone." Ludwig says and what happened finally came to Elizabeta. "You-You're lying!" She shouts with her hands over her mouth. "He left notes." Ludwig says and Elizabeta hestitantly walks over to the piano. She picks up the one with her name on it and reads it. "Dear Lizzy, I hope you don't hate me for just disappearing like I will do. But my nation was dissolved long ago and it has been a struggle to stay where I was for as long as I did. Don't let anyone near your 'weakspot' and beat anyone who tries to fight you. You're one of the few people who ever beat the awesome me in a fight and don't disgrace me by losing to some hopeless idiot. -The Awesome Gilbert." Hungary falls to the floor crying after she read it. Russia sensing that he really shouldn't be here turns to leave but Ger- Holy Roman Empire stops him. "There's one for you too, Russia." Germany states holding out a card. Russia walks forward and grabs it confused. He opens it up. "Russia, even though you were forced by your sisters, who are almost as scary as Lizzy, it was real... something of you to apologize to the awesome me. I still accept your apology. -Prussia" Russia just stared at the card, put it in his pocket and left. He wasn't particularily close to the nation. Roderich walks into the room and notices the paper on the other piano. He sits on the bench and looks at the note scribbled on top. "Roderich, I have a favour I need you to do. Can you take care of Gilbird? I love Ludwig, but I'm afraid his dogs will eat him. Also don't forget me, okay? I wrote you an entire song to play in memory of me! -Gilbert." Roderich puts a hand over his mouth to hold back the sobs. He notices the yellow bird sitting on the piano with a sad look on his face. He pets it gently with one finger and the bird looks up and hops onto the finger. Roderich puts his hand near his face and looks at Gilbird sadly before the bird hops up onto his head. Roderich is a bit annoyed about this but mentally shakes his head and looks at the song. 10 pages, double sided. "When am I going to play this?" He mumbles to himself but smiles none the less. He gathers all the sheets and uses a paperclip to hold them all together. "You stupid-Stupid-stupid-stupid-stupid man. Why?" Hungary mumbles to herself as Roderich looks through the pages of the song. Holy Roman Empire just sits there looking at the stand blankly. "Hey Roderich. Who's the Holy Roman Empire?" Ludwig asks quietly. Hungary stops her mumbling and looks up at Ludwig and Roderich looks back at him. "Why do you want to know?" He asks, looking Ludwig up and down. "In the letter he left. Gilbert said my name was Holy Roman Empire." Ludwig says looking down at the paper in his hands. "He- he was a child I took care of. He had a giant crush on Italy. But he thought Italy was a girl." Roderich says looking down at the ground. "That was probably my fault. But, does Italy know? Did Gilbert tell him?" Elizabeta asks looking at the two male nations.
SOMEWHERE IN ITALY
"ne ne papa wain no choudai, ne ne mama ne ne mama" Italy sings as he cooks pasta. He hears his phone buzz but ignores it as he's pouring the pasta into a strainer and turning off the stove. He moves the tomato sauce off the burner and goes over to the cupboard to grab a plate. He pours the pasta onto the plate then pours the tomato sauce over the noodles. He waits for it to cool and grabs his phone. "1 Message from Prussia" It said and Italy unlocks the phone and reads the message. "Feliciano, I'm sorry, but you're not going to see me again. It's my time. But don't cry! Zhe Awesome me has somewhat good news! But you may hate me. Holy Roman Empire didn't die. He got amnesia. I didn't tell you because- well I'm not saying why but the news gets better. He now lives in my awesome bruder Germany! And after today he'll know it too! Goodbye" Italy dropped his phone and fell back, he covered his mouth and cried, pasta completely forgotten.
SOMEWHERE ELSE IN ITALY
Romano walks around Rome looking at the landmarks, avoiding Spain when his phone buzzed. He unlocked it and looked at the message Prussia had sent him. "Romano, Sorry. I'll be leaving before you. You might want to go home quickly. I just texted Feliciano. And don't kill me, but I told him about Holy Rome." Is the short message Gilbert had typed. Romano fought back tears and walked back the way he came, wanting to get home as fast as he could.
Spain who had been following Romano got a text from his friend. He smiled and opened it up. "Antonio! Sorry I have to tell you this way but I'm leaving. Not like a vacation, I mean I'm leaving for good. You won't see me ever. You were probably the best friend I could've had and were way better than anyone the Awesome me deserved. Romano recieved a message as well. As much as he holds everything in, follow him and make sure he doesn't break down before he gets home." Spain's eyes widened at the message and he takes off after Romano.
IN ENGLAND
"Shut up Frog!" Arthur shouts at the frenchman. "But it's soooo adorable!" Francis says holding a little apron and a bowtie with the top of a shirt. "I'm not wearing it!" England shouts. "But la lapin! You'd-" Francis's words were cut off by his phone ringing. He walks over to it and sees a message from Prussia. He ignores England and opens the message. "Francis! Sorry, I told Ludwig about the HRE thing as well as Italy. But my reasons are there. Don't yell at me it wont do any good. I'm disappearing, it happened earlier today. I almost left. But I feel that it's my time to leave. I've stayed too long anyways. I hope you can forgive me for telling you this way, Bye." Francis just stares at the message with tears in his eyes. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you frog!?" England shouts. "G-Gilbert is- he-" Tears started flowing from Francis's eyes and his voice kept cracking. "He disa- Gilbert is gone." He states and sobs rack his body. England just stares at France.
Oh god I'm crying. I cried when I wrote the notes. They were the saddest part. I hope you all like or hate how I wrote Prussia disappearing and the days before. Have fun crying !