AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Not Christmas time, I know.
Uploaded from previous AO3 account.
The personification of Germany was standing at the head of a table in a small darkened room - maybe it was a tent - the only light source was an oil lamp on the midst of the tabletop. The lamp held down one of the corners of one of the various maps and battle plans strewn about. A group of generals and higher-ups also surrounded the table listening intently to the personification. He was ranting something about plans and strategies, occasionally the others would add their ideas which would be considered and drawn upon. As the meeting went on, slowly a new battle plan was coming to light. It was wartime afteral.
Germany exited the meeting and stepped outside. He took a deep breath once he felt the cool air of outside fill his lungs and rubbed his temple. What a stressful day. Hell, everyday had been this stressful since the war started. The Second World War. He sighed, solemnly.
A slight wind blew and Germany shivered as he looked around the base camp. It had begun to snow.
Germany was exhausted. He almost caught himself moving towards his tent, where he slept - but he couldn't do that. There was work to be done, the fight was still on, people were dying. Instead, he started off to the provisions tent to check on supplies. On his way through the maze of other tents and buildings though he was stopped by an officer. The man looked just as tired as him.
"Sir, there is a…" The officer looked down at a scrap of paper wrinkled in his hand. "Feliciano Vargas who requests your presence as soon as possible." The man finished.
Germany internally groaned. "Tell him not to call me unless it is extremely important. Understand? I don't have time for his nonsense."
Germany was just barely able to finish his sentence before he heard a whining call.
"Germany! Germany! Ah!- I mean Ludwig!"
Germany let the groan escaped him this time. The other officer hunched his shoulders sheepishly and the personification of Italy skipped his way out from behind and rows of tents and made a beeline towards them.
"What is it Italy?" Germany groaned in annoyance as the smaller nation embraced him.
"Come on! Come on! Japan's here too!" Cried Italy cheerfully and he grabbed Germany's hand, dragging him off.
Japan was here? That got Germany slightly worried. Japan would only be here if it was a matter of great importance. And with Italy no less! All three of them in the same place? Something must be happening. Surprisingly Germany found himself picking up pace.
Italy led him to a large, personal tent, the kind a high up-up official would use. He mentally prepared himself for the worst as he entered behind Italy.
Inside, he was thoroughly confused. There was a small top of a fir tree at the the head of the tent. It was only about three feet tall but somehow it was the biggest thing in the room. It was decorated in tiny colorful paper chains and other random miscellaneous items that could be spared in wartime. At the top was even a yellow paper star.
There was only one cot in the tent which is when Germany realized this was his tent. An array of thick blankets covered the floor of his tent which is where Japan was peacefully sitting. Italy pounced onto the soft floor next to Japan and excitedly looked up at Germany, waiting for his reaction.
"What… What's all this?" Asked Germany astoundedly.
"It's Christmas Eve of course!" Italy cried.
Germany was shocked. Christmas Eve? How could he not have noticed? He looked around the room again. "You two… Did all this?"
Italy nodded enthusiastically.
"I do not celebrate western traditions much but Italy informed me this was important to you and I am happy to oblige." Japan stated, giving a small smile.
Christmas. When was the last time Germany even thought of Christmas during wartime? He couldn't remember. Actually, that wasn't true. He remembered that one time. No one could forget that time in 1914.
- 1914 -
It was frigid in the trenches. Freezing. Germany had woken up that day to a strange silence. No cannon fire. No gun fire. He had a small panic when he looked up to notice the sun was already high in the sky. Someone had let him sleep. That angered him a bit. There was no time for sleeping in, there was a war on! Now he would be late.
He pulled himself from the hard ground and looked around. Dirty soldiers were sitting in the trenches quietly, groups huddling together for warmth. What on Earth was going on? It was so quiet. He stood up and immediately made his way along the high dirt walls to find the other generals. He found them, not far along. They were sitting around a planning table quietly, not looking up. They hung a tarp over the top of the high walls, creating a tent of sorts.
As soon as they saw Germany approach they sprang to their feet in salute.
"Sir!"
"What the Hell is going on here. Alright. We need to get the cannons ready and get the troops to their feet. I don't know why everyone is lounging about but this is unacceptable!" Germany stated bluntly, getting down to business.
"But Sir!" A man croaked in protest.
Before Germany could remind this man of his position he was tapped on the shoulder from behind. He turned around and was faced with another soldier.
"I apologize for the intrusion Sir but there's a message from the other side."
Everyone was a silent tension for a moment. They all knew what he meant by 'the other side'. The other side of No Man's Land, where British troops resided in trenches much like their own.
"Spit it out then."
"An Arthur Kirkland has requested a temporary cease fire. He has requested for you to meet him alone and unarmed midway through No-Man's Land. The same conditions apply to himself." It was silent as all the men -even Germany himself - waited for someone to answer. The messenger continued when no one responded. "The coordinates he wishes to meet at are-"
"Yes. That's enough." Germany said, taking up his initiative. "Tell him that we accept. We'll meet in an hour."
Silence stunned all those in hearing distance. Meetings like this didn't happen. No one knew what this could mean.
Germany strode away to prepare for the meeting.
An hour later he found himself trudging through No-Man's Land to the coordinates that were set. The defining silence made his skin crawl. The sky was not clear and a foggy haze clouded the distance. Occasionally he would spot a lonely body through the haze. From which side, he didn't know, it didn't matter. Once he'd gotten to the meeting location he halted and waited, not daring to go father. Soon he would make out the shape of a figure nearing in the distance through the fog. Sure enough it was England.
England stopped when he got a few feet away. A silence stretched out in front of them as they waited for someone to start.
England cleared his throat. "Ah- well-" he cleared his throat again. "I was thinking. Wondering. The troops just don't have it in them today. And see, I came across this old thing…" Germany glanced down and only then did he notice the other was holding a dirty, mud caked, ragged football under his arm. "And well, I was thinking, we could play a game or two. With the troops. In the spirit of things. You know. Since it is Christmas Eve today." England finally finished, looking down in awkward embarrassment. He half-heartedly held the ball forward.
Germany froze in shock. Christmas. Christmas Eve. That's why everyone was so quiet. He had no idea.
Germany certainly did not hate England no matter what side he was fighting on. No nation really could actually hate each other. They'd just all been through too much together - some, hundreds of years or more - to truly hate. This was no exception. In the end, there was really no other answer Germany could respond with.
"It would be an honor to."
England himself was surprised at this answer.
After his initial shock England said, "Well I hope you know we won't be lightening up on you while playing just because it's Christmas." He seemed back to his old patronizing self.
Germany closed his eyes and chuckled as he sensed the mood instantly lighten. "Well then i'll have to say the sa-" Germany was cut off when a tattered football came hurling and smacked him straight in the head.
England grinned mischievously and the ball rolled back under in foot.
"Why you little-!" Germany growled and dashed after the offender who took off running the other way, laughing obnoxiously.
Though Germany chased him, there were no real anger and soon he too was laughing. Soon the troops were brought out, confused at first by the strange commotion, but found themselves joining it.
Both sides of the war were brought out on the battlefield, but their guns were left behind. Little to their knowledge, similar things were happening all along the front. The fields were cleaned, people sung and played with each other. Suddenly that day there were no sides to the war, there was no war.
- Present -
Germany remembered that day well. It was a miracle, he thought. He forgot it was Christmas that day too. He stared back down at his allies and frowned. The only difference between then and now, he supposed, was that the peace was only shared in their little tent. It was a shame. Ever since that day those unofficial 'truces' like that we're practically outlawed. There would be no Christmas on the battlefield.
Germany looked at his friends again, the tree, the blankets, and smiled. So this Christmas wasn't shared on the battlefield, but any Christmas at all was something special. Maybe he was being selfish, he thought but then he looked around himself again. He was the personification of the country of Germany, and if he could sit down with his friends on Christmas Eve and feel peace then that showed peace could be brought to the battlefield too. Maybe, he mused, that tomorrow he could get together with the other nations as well, to show that there were no hard feelings. To show that even if their bosses forbid that sort of thing on the battlefield it didn't mean it wasn't there.
Germany sat down.
And besides, even after all that, he could never say no to Italy anyways.
Italy squeaked when Germany joined them and hopped over to snatch a couple of small paper packages that sat hidden under the tree.
Germany blinked. "Presents?"
"Of course!" Italy said and handed Germany a package.
"But I didn't- I didn't-" Germany stuttered.
"That's okay!" Italy said. "Just open it!"
Germany stared at his package as Italy handed a similar one to Japan. Germany could say he was almost glad he forgot it was Christmas, just to make this moment all the more special.
He ripped the wrapping paper off his gift and couldn't help the smile that spread across his face.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Happy holidays!
(Even though it's like March)